Cat 106: He’s So Miserable

Chapter 106: He’s So Miserable

There were no actual “demons” in the Demon Forest. If anyone could be called a demon here, it would have to be the players who killed others for points—or perhaps the system itself.

Since there were no real demons in the Demon Forest, there wouldn’t be any real angels in Angel City, either.

After exiting the forest, Yan Jiyun noticed his bicycle veering onto a relatively smooth road.

This was clearly not a logically rigorous game instance, so every kind of prop was possible.

The “pegasus” could fly. “Horses” could be ridden. A “bicycle” was a vehicle powered by pedaling—an artifact of modern technology.

Yan Jiyun’s invisibility cloak didn’t last long; its effect vanished as soon as he left the Demon Forest.

Behind him, he heard another bicycle. That must be the player he’d teamed up with a moment ago—he’d ended up helping Yan Jiyun out of a tight spot.

He turned and saw the other player had also become visible.

Yan Jiyun took a closer look and raised his brows. Well, wasn’t this an acquaintance?

Wasn’t this the player who’d been chased by a bear earlier?

“What a coincidence! We meet again.” Chu Mo caught up with a cheerful grin, pedaling along.

“So it’s you.” Yan Jiyun wasn’t surprised. “You got here fast. What about that bear?”

It was better left unmentioned. At the thought, Chu Mo’s temper flared; he gritted his teeth and said, “You seem quite disappointed to see me. Still, if you hadn’t told me how to climb a tree, I wouldn’t have made it out so quickly.” He had no desire to recall the experience of being hunted by a wild bear!

Yan Jiyun accepted his thanks as a temporary teammate: “No problem. Thanks for helping out just now.”

Chu Mo replied, “Helping out? You mean me throwing rocks to cause a diversion? Don’t mention it.”

Yan Jiyun blinked. “…” It seemed the other player didn’t know he’d thrown rocks too?

Best to pretend nothing had happened.

Screech!

Yan Jiyun suddenly hit the brakes, and Chu Mo twisted his handlebars to stop as well. “Damn, they even set up three forks in the road? Which way are we supposed to go?”

Who would have thought direction-picking would make an appearance here.

Yan Jiyun glanced at the outdoor sports watch on his wrist. The pointer aimed left: “I’ll go left.”

Though they both tacitly intended to head for Angel City together, now that a difference arose, it might as well be time to go their separate ways.

Chu Mo compared with his own method for a moment. “Same here, left.”

Neither had any intention of traveling together.

Yan Jiyun recalled how Chu Mo had tried to steal his points. Chu Mo remembered Yan Jiyun tricking him as well. Forming a partnership was out of the question.

Yan Jiyun pressed down on the bike pedal again, hoping this bike could get him to Angel City without breaking down halfway.

They sped off down the left road, but hadn’t even gone a kilometer before both sensed something was wrong.

The air was chillingly dark and ominous.

Yan Jiyun could smell blood, mixed in with the scent of earth—whether it belonged to man or beast, he couldn’t tell.

Chu Mo said, “Doesn’t it feel weird here? Maybe we should try another way?”

Yan Jiyun nodded. “Fine by me.”

Neither mentioned their suspicions aloud. From this moment on, the atmosphere around them was too eerie—not bad to have a temporary companion.

Driven by basic animal instinct to seek benefit and avoid harm, Yan Jiyun decisively turned around, and they returned to the three-way split.

Chu Mo said, “Down to two choices. Which one?” The sports watch had been their guide moments before, but now the left road was proving full of brambles and unknown dangers.

“What do you think?” Yan Jiyun asked him.

“According to my experience…” Chu Mo glanced at the middle and right roads. “I think either’s fine.”

Which was about as useful as saying nothing.

Yan Jiyun was lost as well. How to choose?

A sudden idea struck him: “I have a plan—wondering if you want to try.”

Chu Mo’s interest was piqued. “Let’s hear it.”

Both decided to set aside their wariness, for now.

Yan Jiyun, eyeing Chu Mo’s colorful, battered face, said, “There are still eight more cyclists behind us—they probably already battled to determine ownership. Why not let them go first?”

Chu Mo slapped his leg. “Just what I was thinking.” After all, who knew what monsters lay ahead—let others set off the traps first.

Their eyes met with a smile; in each other’s gaze, they recognized themselves—and quickly reined their expressions in, each silently evaluating the other: This one’s sly and has plenty of tricks up his sleeve—best keep my distance next time.

Yan Jiyun and Chu Mo stashed their bikes in the grass, hiding themselves on either side of the road. Yan Jiyun lay flat on the ground for concealment.

Chu Mo did the same. There was no need to compete for anything now—they just waited out the others’ decision, eager to see the results of their choices.

In fact, ninety players had already braved the path ahead. Perhaps they’d run into unexpected mishaps—one less mishap for the two of them to face.

While they waited idly, both exchanged names.

The system often exposed player names in global notifications, though both instinctively decided not to reveal their real names.

Yan Jiyun used the alias from last time: “My name is Jiang You.”

Chu Mo gave an old nickname from a past instance: “Du Ye.”

Neither believed the other’s name was real, so conversation ceased—too much talk, too much risk.

On with the waiting.

Meanwhile, their live-streams were about to explode.

【Let’s Hide-A-Little】 Stream:

“Haha, Little Hide, you’ve met your match!”

“Is this a match, though? It’s just two people with the same vibe—I can’t stop laughing.”

“It’s been ages since Little Hide used the name Du Ye. Last I remember, he faked trust with a rookie. Sure enough, the guy fell for it and got played. After that, every time they landed in the same instance, the rookie chased him all over trying to kill him.”

“So how did it end? Did Little Hide finish him off?”

“Nope—they ended up as teammates, but it was still hilarious.”

“But hasn’t anyone noticed? The other guy’s just a level 1 streamer. Is he even worth Little Hide’s time?”

“Rookies can be crazy strong nowadays. I stopped by his stream. He’s promising material—beat three hard beginner levels and went straight to intermediate. Only four clears so far. I’m following now—if Little Hide isn’t on, I’ll be watching him.”

【Want to Be Human】 Stream:

“Kitty, be careful! That guy next to you is a level 4 streamer—a veteran, and a real rascal!”

“Yeah, don’t let him set you up!”

“Cat Faction and Dog Faction are sworn enemies!”

“The level 4 streamer’s a dog?”

“Of course not. Our Kitty’s a unique feline in-game. The other guy just likes hiding; his stream’s named Let’s Hide-A-Little, so people call him Little Hide, which sounds kinda ‘dog-like.’”

“They’re so hilarious. I hope they end up as teammates.”

“No way. That level 4 streamer’s famous and already has a guild and fixed team.”

“I’ve just checked out Kitty’s match—so many high-level players. Can he even make it out alive? I’m worried!”

Yan Jiyun, too, was worried about making it out alive.

Just then, eight players who’d been trailing them reached the three-way fork. They split up: five went one way, the other three split into the middle and right paths.

The five formed a group—Yan Jiyun recognized them from the team he’d followed earlier.

The five took the left path; among the remaining three, two took the middle, one went right.

Within ten minutes, the five on the left came pedaling desperately back.

“There’s something ahead—maybe a man-eating monster. The earth’s all rust-red.”

“Could those be the cyclists from earlier? I saw a tire still lying on the ground…”

“We have no choice but to pick another path.”

After some discussion, they chose the middle path.

The two who’d tried the middle soon hurried back—running into the five at the junction.

“Don’t go! There’s a monster!”

“It has a huge mouth dripping blood—looks like it eats people. This can’t be the way.”

A little later, the one who’d gone right also returned, terror plain on his face.

Yan Jiyun and Chu Mo looked at each other across the middle road.

What was going on?

All three paths said they’d run into monsters. Apart from the first ten who’d flown off on their pegasi, and the horse- and bike-riders before them—where had everyone gone? There wasn’t a trace.

They themselves had only tried the left. As for the other two, who knew what dangers lurked there? No way to tell.

The five didn’t rush off, but instead compared notes with the other three.

Hiding in the grass, Yan Jiyun and Chu Mo listened in.

According to the two from the middle, the monster was unlike anything they’d seen—at least twenty meters tall, jet black, its massive bulk blocking the way. It gnawed a human leg, blood and flesh sticking to its teeth—sickeningly grotesque.

The two nearly vomited and turned back in fright. Perhaps because the creature was eating, it hadn’t chased them.

The player who’d tried the right path had a different story—no monster, but dense fog and eerily strange noises, like wind but not. Feeling lost, he’d tried the other two roads, only to find both taken by monsters.

It seemed the system’s “pegasus,” “horse,” and “bicycle” choices made a big difference to reaching Angel City.

The “pegasus” allowed players to fly, bypassing all manner of dangers en route.

The “horse” could cover great distances; unless the monsters were quick, players could outpace the hazards.

The “bicycle” was just an ordinary bike—not much faster than walking. All they could do was ride straight into trouble.

Having culled a crop of players in the Demon Forest, the path to Angel City would claim many more.

Yan Jiyun wasn’t sure what to do.

Perhaps all three forks could reach Angel City, but the obstacles varied: the left and middle both began with carnivorous monsters—past that, the way forward might get harder or easier. The right was shrouded in fog—the path seemed less dangerous at first, but further in, the visibility might vanish, and the danger escalate.

It was a tough call.

Every road promised untold dangers—there were no real choices here.

The eight players formed a team and decided to tackle the foggy right road together.

Those with nothing but their legs for transport had yet to appear.

Yan Jiyun and Chu Mo emerged from the undergrowth.

Chu Mo brushed off grass, asking, “Which way now? There’s no guaranteed advantage on any of them.”

Yan Jiyun thought Chu Mo’s mind was sharp—proving a potential threat, but also, in this moment, a reliable partner.

Unwilling to say too much under such uncertainty, Yan Jiyun asked, “What do you think?”

Chu Mo recalled being teased by his companion in the forest—time to regain some pride by showing his smarts.

“Fog on the right usually means more of a scare, while the left and middle might have more straightforward challenges,” Chu Mo said.

Yan Jiyun: “Which do you prefer?”

Chu Mo: “Still the left.”

Yan Jiyun: “I’d choose the left as well.”

He had two reasons: First, the five-person team, like them, hadn’t seen any actual monster—just a loose bicycle tire. The pair from the middle had actually seen the monster eating. The danger in the center was obvious; the right might have no monster, but there could be hidden threats. Second, “Du Ye” had the confidence and instincts of a veteran, but Yan Jiyun—thanks to a cat’s sense of smell—picked up the scent of blood, and Chu Mo had sensed danger just approaching. That kind of attunement came from experience.

They agreed to go all out.

Mounting their bikes, they sped forth at the highest speed possible.

Yan Jiyun found himself reacquainted with the thrill of pedaling hard, and Chu Mo—seeing him charge ahead—refused to lag behind.

Both their streams were now full of cheers.

【Let’s Hide-A-Little】 Stream:

“Hey doggie—overtake him!”

“Don’t think Doggie realizes the other guy’s a rookie.”

“The guy doesn’t act like a rookie at all. Even Doggie’s fooled—so sharp, so steady.”

【Want to Be Human】 Stream:

“Is Kitty getting carried by a pro?”

“Hard to say. Honestly, I think Kitty and the vet are neck-and-neck. No intimidation at all.”

“No telling what this championship’ll throw at them, but I think they’re on the right track here. Their teamwork is working—if Kitty were alone, he’d probably still be debating which way to go.”

Exiting Demon Forest didn’t mean safety—quite the opposite, the real crisis lay outside. In fact, perhaps they’d never truly left the forest.

Apart from the steady sound of their wheels gliding across the ground, not a noise could be heard.

Their watches showed nearly five kilometers covered.

The ride was long and silent. Chu Mo, feeling unsettled by the quiet, decided to break it.

“Seems like…we haven’t met any monsters.”

Yan Jiyun glanced at him, thinking those were classic flag-raising words—he nearly rolled his eyes.

Didn’t this guy notice they hadn’t seen another player on the way?

The five-person group saw a bicycle tire, but the two of them hadn’t even spotted that.

Yan Jiyun said, “Don’t you think it’s a little too quiet?”

Chu Mo: “True, but maybe it means we picked right—maybe this route isn’t very dangerous.”

【Let’s Hide-A-Little】 Stream:

“LOL, guys, they picked the most dangerous road!”

“Doggie, who told you this run was the least dangerous?”

“Their 1+1 is more like doubling the difficulty.”

“And yet, they both chose this road from the start.”

“So, cursed with bad luck?”

“The harbinger-of-bad-luck flag is up!”

Sure enough, just as Chu Mo finished, Yan Jiyun heard rapid thudding behind them—something was chasing them through the forest.

Yan Jiyun called out, “Go! Something’s coming after us!”

Chu Mo didn’t need to be told—he glanced back and swore. “What the hell—some huge black shape! It’s massive!”

Yan Jiyun felt his heart sink. Why did every stage require desperate biking for their lives? This was exhausting!

All for a few extra meals during his rest period—now he was being forced to burn it off.

Yan Jiyun: “Bro, you had to open your mouth—if we didn’t mention it, maybe it wouldn’t be here!”

Chu Mo: “How is this my fault?”

Yan Jiyun: “Whose fault could it be but yours? Every time you speak, it pops up.”

Chu Mo: “Just a coincidence!” He’d never admit to jinxing them.

As Yan Jiyun pedaled, he was already rethinking this partnership—clearly, their personalities clashed.

The black shadow behind drew gradually closer. It moved only a little slower than them.

Yan Jiyun caught the thick stench of blood wafting from it—it could have been feeding on live animals or people.

“It’s getting close. I’m not sure our bikes can outrun it,” Yan Jiyun said.

“Pedal anyway—how do you know unless you try? Sometimes you just have to push the limits.”

Yan Jiyun: “…” He wasn’t technically human right now; with poor heat regulation, he couldn’t pedal much longer without resting.

What to do?

He was already nearing the end of his three-hour trial card.

There was no other choice but to keep running.

Suddenly, something snagged the rear wheel of Yan Jiyun’s bike.

The footsteps pursuing them were pounding but swift—the monster had long arms and legs!

To it, Yan Jiyun was nothing but an insect.

He reacted instantly—letting the bike go and rolling to one side. His bicycle was snatched and crushed to pieces beneath the monster’s foot.

What kind of monster was this?

All his effort to get a bike, now wrecked?

If not for his quick reflexes, that blow would have landed squarely on him!

Hearing the crash, Chu Mo braked and called back, “You okay?”

Yan Jiyun had half expected him to ride off—after all, they’d never formally agreed to a team-up.

He scrambled to his feet, dodging aside. “I’m fine. It’s got a taste for destruction; we can’t outrun it.”

Chu Mo knew it too—once a monster had its sights set, there was no escaping. After it finished with Jiang You, it would just chase him down.

The creature was at least five meters long, powerfully built, with a pointed head and two antennae. Its skin was dark green, its mouth wide and flat, filled with hideous needle-like teeth—enough to trigger a full-body shudder.

Chu Mo muttered, “Why does this feel like the monster those two from the middle described?”

Yan Jiyun agreed. “Ever think—it might be the same one?”

Chu Mo had seen worse, but at least those monsters didn’t chase them relentlessly.

Jiang You’s usual genre was puzzle instances—he’d never come across anything so repulsive, and wasn’t keen to comment now.

Seeing them flee, the monster gave pursuit, producing a strange scraping sound like claws on stone.

There was truly nothing to like about this beast.

While Chu Mo was still pedaling, the monster lunged at him—ignoring Yan Jiyun.

Realizing this, Chu Mo ditched his bike. “Maybe it hates bikes.”

Yan Jiyun caught up—they still had no choice but to run.

With the monster towering over five meters, even climbing a tree might not save them.

“Use an item!” Chu Mo urged.

“With what? My points are running low.” Yan Jiyun replied. “We need to find its weakness.”

The monster was on them too fast for thought. “But it keeps chasing—how do we find out? Shit, why won’t it let me go?” Chu Mo blurted out.

Yan Jiyun watched its eyes. Where there was light, it ran fast. In the shade, it seemed less sure of their location. He called, “Bro, into the trees!”

Chu Mo trusted the suggestion and dove in without hesitation.

With its target obscured, the monster hesitated, then swung its attention to Yan Jiyun, standing in a patch of light. Yan Jiyun didn’t give it the chance, darting into the shadows after Chu Mo.

The truth was, they’d never actually left the Demon Forest—they were still within its bounds.

Yan Jiyun, following the sounds, tracked Chu Mo’s fast-moving footsteps. Even with only dappled light, he could keep up.

But the monster wouldn’t give up—it chased them into the shadows.

Presumably, other vanished players had also run into the trees. If all had been eaten, the forest would be strewn with bikes by now.

Yan Jiyun realized the creature had poor vision and relied more on hearing in the dim woods.

He quickly caught up to Chu Mo, grabbed his arm, and made a hand gesture for silence. Chu Mo got the message instantly.

Their earlier conversation made it clear—the monster had shown up when Chu Mo spoke.

They pressed back against the trunk and stayed motionless while the footsteps halted.

They communicated silently.

Chu Mo: Wait for it to leave?

Yan Jiyun, with his sharp eyes, noticed the monster’s constantly pulsing neck. He made a slashing motion at his own throat.

Chu Mo was slow to catch on: Wait to die?

Yan Jiyun shook his head, repeating the gesture: The monster’s neck.

Chu Mo finally understood. “Okay, got it.”

Yan Jiyun groaned, “Damn, keep quiet.” His not-so-silent partner had thrown him off.

The sound drew the monster’s arm to swipe at them!

They were quick—they dodged in time.

If silent signals wouldn’t work, then a direct approach would have to do.

Yan Jiyun shouted, “Its weak spot is the neck!”

Chu Mo: “I have a sword!” He pulled a longsword from his inventory. “Could this cut through? But it’s too tall—we can’t even reach!”

“No time for a store purchase. Throw me the sword, I’ll try something,” Yan Jiyun said.

Chu Mo tossed the item over, and Yan Jiyun scrambled up a sturdy tree. “Lure it here—keep it moving, I’ll try for the side of its neck!”

Chu Mo was momentarily impressed by Yan Jiyun’s climbing speed, then realized he’d been volunteered as bait—he’d always been the one making others into bait before.

Running circles beneath the tree, Chu Mo shouted, “Are you ready?”

Climbing was risky—one slip and Yan Jiyun might be crippled, if not killed. But he knew Chu Mo would never be able to climb as fast or as high as he did.

Securing his position, Yan Jiyun called softly, “Go, I’m ready!”

Chu Mo led the monster toward Yan Jiyun’s tree. Its limited intelligence made it easy to trick; several times, Chu Mo barely escaped being caught by the claws.

Yan Jiyun watched as the pointed-headed monster charged. Hiding behind the trunk, he waited for it to draw near—then, with deadly aim, plunged the sword toward its bulging, vein-strained neck!

A splash of fetid blood burst forth, foul and hot; Yan Jiyun, shielded by the trunk, was splattered only on his arms. Chu Mo, caught below, wasn’t as lucky—he took the full brunt, drenched from head to toe.

With a piercing shriek, the monster thrashed, its sliced throat gushing. It toppled with a heavy crash, arms flailing as it died.

From the tree, Yan Jiyun looked down. Chu Mo stood rigid, eyes squeezed shut, drops of stinking blood pattering on the fallen leaves. Yan Jiyun couldn’t help but feel sorry for his temporary teammate.

But the sound that slipped out gave him away: “Pfft.”

He really was so miserable.