Cat 123: Master and Pet Reunite

Chapter 123 Master and Pet Reunite

Holding his breath, Yan Jiyun focused intently as he made his way down between the two walls.

His limbs were still strong—not at all weak—and at last he landed steadily on the ground.

Emerging from the gap, he found himself outside on the street.

In Angel City, daylight had fully arrived.

Without the cover of night, Angel City looked much as it had inside the Dragon Gate.

The main street’s various attractions were still open for business, though now every entrance fee had multiplied several times over.

There were noticeably fewer players on the street now than when he’d entered the city the previous afternoon.

[230/500]

There’d been about 400 players who entered Angel City in total, and now only 230 remained—a fair number of them had died.

Less than thirteen hours remained before players were forced to leave Angel City, and his experience card had only an hour left.

For now, he couldn’t use the card, so he remained in cat form.

This meant he couldn’t go play games to search for clues, and would have to use other means to seek out information.

With so little experience card time left, he couldn’t risk entering another attraction: there was no telling what other players he’d run into, and besides, as a cat, his options were limited.

He also considered seeking out Qi Feng, but this wasn’t the best moment.

Given Qi Feng’s care and concern for “Caramel,” there was a good chance he’d be tied down for the rest of this stage, needing only to stay by Qi Feng’s side. But what if the next stage brought a player-versus-player competition?

Both he and Chu Mo had been found out by Qi Feng for using aliases; if he appeared as a cat but answered to the name “Yan Jiyun,” all his prior efforts at disguise would be wasted.

Indeed, it made sense for Chu Mo’s name to be exposed in front of Qi Feng, since he was an experienced player; Qi Feng likely kept tabs on all the guild members and special talents—it would be simple for him to connect the dots.

As for Yan Jiyun, the only giveaway had been the sudden jump in his points—he hadn’t scored any earlier, and then suddenly shot up. For a player like Qi Feng, who always tracked the leaderboard, that would be enough to identify him among hundreds instantly—an unnerving testament to his powers of observation.

No wonder the other guild members were wary of him.

Qi Feng had split from them when they entered the city for a reason: both Chu Mo and Yan Jiyun had used false names, and hadn’t been honest—not much point in teaming up then; besides, Qi Feng hadn’t called them out on their lies.

It was their own fault for lying first; they couldn’t blame him.

Yan Jiyun sighed inwardly and decided to return to the hotel to rest and eat.

He had enough points to renew his room.

Darting through back alleys, he slipped into the inconspicuous hotel. The ground-floor room window was still ajar, and he crawled through.

The smell of bread from the bakery next door had tormented him, and after all his exertions, he needed to eat.

He even thought back fondly on the roast chicken Lucifer had shared with him—a rare treat indeed.

Thanks to Lucifer, he’d been a dragon rider for once, and more importantly, had eaten his fill.

To avoid going hungry again while working, Yan Jiyun was forced to use his experience card for five minutes to order room service.

While waiting for his food, he washed and tried applying ointment to the wound on his back.

Hiss—

The pain lingered; clearly, this medicine only stopped pain and bleeding, not actual injury.

With thirty seconds left before he turned back into a cat, the waiter brought his steamed fish set meal, complete with fresh vegetables.

Say what you will—the hotel’s food was excellent.

After a satisfying meal, Yan Jiyun curled up on the soft bed to rest and plan his next move.

Without the experience card, he could hardly move.

He’d have to think carefully.

As he was pondering, he overheard players speaking in the next room.

“Just heard someone found the exit out there.”

Exit?

Yan Jiyun froze, alert.

“Wanna go see? If someone found the exit, it’ll save me a ton of time.”

“Where is it?”

“A church not far from here—something like Sophia Cathedral? Lots of people are heading there, though I’m not sure what to expect.”

“Let’s go! If someone’s found the door, now’s the time to leave.”

He heard the pair pack up and soon leave the hotel.

Had Qi Feng and Chu Mo been waiting in the church for him after returning?

He’d been so preoccupied with the experience card, he’d almost forgotten their nearly complete password solution.

Not exactly forgotten—just being cautious. If he could leave on his own, that would be best.

Since there was such a commotion, he had no choice but to go check.

Still, he doubted the church was really the exit—who had spread this rumor?

He wasted no more time; after drinking some water, he left the hotel as a cat, saving the experience card. Having just used another five minutes, he had fifty-five left.

If he had been in human form, he could’ve carried a weapon for self-defense, but as a cat, that was impossible. Best to check things out first.

If the church door really was the game’s exit, the players wouldn’t all be congregating there—they’d just have fled already.

He’d ridden Lucifer to Sophia Cathedral in the Dragon Gate, never having to walk, and so hadn’t been there in this Angel City. Now he trailed the two players toward Sophia Cathedral.

As more and more players got word that Sophia Cathedral might be the exit, all crowded toward it, and he mixed in unnoticed.

Most players went in through the front, but he knew there was a gate near the kitchen at the back—he’d stolen bread there to feed kittens during the Dragon Gate phase. He slipped in through there, unseen.

Judging by the direction of the voices, players were gathered in the church’s center.

Yan Jiyun crept in through the back, hiding at a corner near a small wooden cabinet of candlesticks and a couple of clay pots. He squeezed himself in and listened to the noise outside.

The loudest voice belonged to Fu Guangming of the New Power Guild.

Despite his name, Fu Guangming’s ways were anything but “bright.”

He was leading a mob, pressing the first players who had arrived for answers.

Fu Guangming was demanding, “Just tell us how to leave—everyone wins, and there’s no trouble for anyone.”

The besieged player, a tough sort, wasn’t having it. “Why should we tell you? If you want out, find a way yourself.”

Fu Guangming’s companion threatened, “If you don’t share, none of you will leave—if one dies, we all die.”

Yan Jiyun listened to their bickering; no one actually said how to leave.

Was it just bluster?

One voice—it belonged to the guy who’d threatened another in the arena dungeon when the brainy player was wailing—spoke up, trying to mediate. “Don’t get worked up. Before we left Dragon Gate, we saw three people riding dragons to Sophia Cathedral. Then something happened—there was this light in the sky—and by the time we approached, the three and the dragons were gone. One of them was Qi Feng.”

Yan Jiyun couldn’t help cursing in his mind. Was this guy brainless, throwing the “litter scooper” out there to draw fire?

The voice continued, “After Qi Feng’s group vanished, the Dragon Gate side-quest collapsed and we all got dumped out without having to finish. If you’re looking for anyone, it should be Qi Feng. We’re all here searching for clues too.”

Yan Jiyun: …

So it was enjoying the ride off their work that led them to Sophia Cathedral.

But he hadn’t seen Qi Feng or Chu Mo inside—where had they gone after Dragon Gate?

A commotion this loud, and they hadn’t come to check? Or was the “church is the exit” rumor their doing?

Yes—gathering everyone in one place and no one discovering the way out meant it had to be a diversion.

A classic case of diversionary tactics.

Suddenly, Fu Guangming asked, “Anyone seen Qi Feng?”

He remembered Qi Feng, but didn’t know the names of the other two and couldn’t recall them for now.

A meek voice remarked, “Saw him half an hour ago exchanging info with someone outside the murder mystery room—not sure where he is now.”

Yan Jiyun hadn’t seen Qi Feng when coming down from the crossbeam—maybe they passed each other by.

Even if they tried to seek him out, he might have left; that was half an hour ago.

When the three were at Dragon Gate, they had tallied up six information cards, with one left on him. As they reasoned, only by combining all six cards could they determine the true direction of the exit from Angel City.

Without the black dragon card in Yan Jiyun’s possession, Qi Feng and Chu Mo might be able to find the right way anywhere, but it would take much longer.

Yan Jiyun left via the back fence in the church yard—their map was with Qi Feng, and he didn’t know if he’d brought it back.

With a map and the info cards, Qi Feng was likely buying extra number clues at the murder mystery room.

Yan Jiyun decided to find Qi Feng first and make sure how things stood.

Since the three had coordinated at Dragon Gate, their temporary team was still in effect.

After leaving the church, he darted into the main street, but saw no sign of Qi Feng. He returned to the spot where black plushies were sold and waited for him.

As soon as he picked up a trace of Qi Feng, he’d switch to human form, hand over the info card, and then resume following as a cat.

He figured this plan would work.

But before Qi Feng appeared, Chu Mo came by.

Chu Mo had changed into a pullover and donned a hat, but Yan Jiyun recognized him by his gait and scent.

He shadowed Chu Mo as he entered a café and came out—now with Qi Feng alongside him.

So Qi Feng had been hiding in the café, in new clothes to look more ordinary, but his height still made him easy to spot.

Yan Jiyun considered whether to reveal himself now.

Every use of the experience card counted; if he met them and then left again, it would only deepen their suspicions, so he chose to tail them a bit longer and see what they did.

Besides, even if he was found out, so what? What harm was there in following one’s own “master”? Qi Feng could deduce his real name from changes on the leaderboard, and the master-pet system kept their connection on backstage records—it would be hard not to spot they were in the same pinnacle game.

In broad daylight, Yan Jiyun quietly followed them along the road.

Qi Feng had the persistent sense someone was following, checking repeatedly, but saw no one.

Chu Mo was bolder. “Are you being paranoid? With all my experience tailing people, I’d notice if I was being tracked. Everyone’s items are disabled—no one can use an invisibility cloak.”

Qi Feng knew he was right but stayed on alert.

[Stay Alive] Streaming Room:

“Doggy, you realize you’re contradicting yourself right now, right?”

“Hahahaha, I finally get what they mean by ‘better a cat than a dog.’”

“Dog supporters don’t think dogs are less clever than cats—just perhaps a bit more silly.”

“Before the cat showed up, Doggy seemed bright and adorable, but now those words just aren’t enough.”

“So even a level-5 streamer spotted someone tailing him, but didn’t realize it was a cat.”

“They’ve found the entrance—aren’t they going to wait for the kitten?”

Chu Mo was likewise puzzled. “Aren’t we waiting for Yan Jiyun?”

Qi Feng nodded. “We are, but we can’t find him. Let’s check which of the three locations is the exit first.”

Chu Mo agreed. “Was it deliberate to go buy info at the murder mystery room?”

Qi Feng nodded. “Mm.”

Chu Mo tsked. “You fooled the whole bunch.”

They’d determined three key places in the city: the clock tower, the arena, and Sophia Cathedral.

They’d already been to Sophia Cathedral and compared the info cards to the map—the direction didn’t match.

That left the arena and the clock tower, both in the direction indicated by the cards. Which one was it?

The arena became the second place to check, since they’d already visited the other two. Only the clock tower was untried.

Yan Jiyun’s sixth sense told him they were onto the real exit.

Qi Feng and Chu Mo came to the clock tower, hovering at the entrance rather than stepping inside.

The tower was pitch black within—nothing was visible.

Yan Jiyun was separated from them by only a road.

If he rushed over now, he’d be spotted, but if he didn’t, he might lose their trail.

Qi Feng and Chu Mo whispered at the door.

Being close, Yan Jiyun caught every word, but with their backs turned and a guardrail encircling the tower, hiding behind a trash bin, he couldn’t see them.

“Let’s head in and check. If it’s not the exit, we’ll come back out. If it is, perfect.”

“Sure. Our password ought to be enough to open the exit.”

“We’re definitely the fastest to clear this.”

Yan Jiyun: …

Really? Just leaving me behind like this?

Is the team already breaking up again?

Should he follow—he didn’t know the final password, after all.

The two didn’t hesitate and went right in, truly leaving behind one who’d worked so hard with them—so typical of veteran players.

Yan Jiyun dashed across the road, though not recklessly—he crouched just outside, peering in.

Within, it was pitch black, but his vision was decent—he could see a passage around a corner, but no staircase.

Anxious not to lose them, he pressed on; within the limited range, he could clearly smell his master’s scent.

Determined not to lose them, he dashed in—only to feel a large hand clamp down on his neck in a very familiar move—

Struggling, he glanced sideways, right into Qi Feng’s bright and astounded face.

Qi Feng released his grip and instantly scooped Caramel up, his voice trembling with inexpressible joy. “Caramel, I knew it was you!”

Only his own cat would tail him so skillfully yet never get caught; one part admiring Caramel’s intelligence, another cursing fate’s tricks.

Yan Jiyun: …

Damn this cunning human!

He would have liked to pretend not to be Qi Feng’s cat, but with his memory, Qi Feng could recall even the most complex arrays—there’s no way he’d ever forget his cat’s appearance.

Such a keeper’s memory was the bane of his existence.

Now how was he supposed to turn human again?

[Want to Be Human] Streaming Room:

“Aaaaah! The kitten’s been caught by a player! His first time being grabbed!”

“Is Caramel the kitten’s new name?”

“What gives? Does the big-shot level-5 streamer know our kitten? I don’t remember them ever meeting!”

“Maybe they knew each other outside the game?”

“But the kitten’s only been in-game for a month—why would he trust any human with his secret? He always hides it from players. How did this 5-star streamer find out? Even gave him a name!”

“Wait, maybe the big-shot doesn’t know the kitten is Yan Jiyun, his teammate?”

“So what’s the relationship? I’m a regular viewer and I’m confused!”

Someone suddenly remembered the big-shot’s streaming room name and rushed over.

[Has Anyone Seen My Cat] Streaming Room:

“Brother Feng, what’s going on? Don’t keep hugging the kitten—you’ll lose your imposing vibe! Give him to me, and I’ll make sure he never causes trouble again!”

“Is this Brother Feng finally petting a cat in-game?”

“I just want to watch Brother Feng clear the stage, not watch him pet a cat. What’s so great about a black NPC cat?”

“No one cares about the plot? No one cares how they’re leaving the game? They’ve found the exit!”

“Has Brother Feng forgotten Yan Jiyun? He just carried the black cat into the clock tower. Doesn’t he know black cats are unlucky?”

“Brother Feng, please toss that cat away—it’s so black it’s ugly, not cute at all, and will only slow your progress!”

“To the sisters above: you’ll regret everything you just said!”

Meanwhile, Qi Feng choked back his excitement, finally able to breathe easy—Caramel was safe and smarter than ever, stealthily following him and hiding from strangers.

If he hadn’t sent Chu Mo aside just now, he might not have reunited with his cat yet.

Yan Jiyun wasn’t nearly so pleased. He hadn’t managed to deliver the info card and now he’d been caught.

Of course, there were comforts: with his “litter scooper,” he needn’t lift a paw.

Fine, then—once he’d racked up enough points, he’d team up with Qi Feng for the last level!

Chu Mo poked his head out from inside. “Did you catch someone?”

Qi Feng shook his head. “No.”

He zipped his oversized camouflage jacket, tucking Yan Jiyun back in.

Supporting Caramel with one hand, he whispered, “Caramel, stay quiet. Only come out if you absolutely have to.”

He wasn’t worried about noise—even his own cat rarely meowed.

Yan Jiyun rested his chin calmly on Qi Feng’s chest.

How comfortable, he sighed inwardly.

He was still reveling in it when the bell inside the tower began to ring.

Dong—Dong—Dong—

Seven times in all—meaning it was now 7 a.m.

At the same time, Yan Jiyun heard footsteps outside.

The brainy player was at the front—he’d fallen behind Qi Feng and Chu Mo due to low stamina, and because Yan Jiyun hadn’t really paid attention to him, he’d let the guy lag even further. Now, the guy was also bringing Fu Guangming and others from the church.

Chu Mo looked out the window and saw a crowd running up. “What’s going on?”

Qi Feng, calm but inwardly delighted, replied, “Looks like they’ve figured out the clock tower could be the exit.”

At that moment, Yan Jiyun heard a system message returning after being gone half a day.

[[System Announcement] Congratulations to the players who have found the correct exit location.]