Cat 191: A Hint of Envy

Chapter 191 A Hint of Envy

Yan Jiyun grabbed the submachine gun nearest to him.

Now that Qi Feng was outside dealing with the NPCs for him, he could relax a little. At least there was no need to worry about being caught off guard from behind; he could focus solely on seeking out the false Chu Mo and the false Wen Ye—the two replicants.

He crouched behind cover, listening as the gunfire gradually died down, and began to shift his position.

Since this was an escape from the City of Sin with a time limit in play, what he needed to do now was reach the next location as quickly as possible.

False Chu Mo and False Wen Ye were both replicants—he didn’t know if Qi Feng’s bullets could take them out. He did know that players could be killed by NPCs.

Still, seeing as the game had dragged him in, there was a ninety percent chance the only way to eliminate these replicants was within the City of Sin’s game.

Feeling support at his back, Yan Jiyun was less worried.

He hefted the submachine gun and ran in the direction of the crowds.

When he was outside the game and Qi Feng was inside, he too had always run toward the center of the city.

A minute passed. He and Qi Feng should have cleared the first stage by now; the second lay ahead.

Since false Chu Mo and Wen Ye hadn’t appeared in the first stage, they might show up in the second. He’d have to be even more careful now.

False Chu Mo should have the original’s memories. If those memories went back at least a month, the false Chu Mo would certainly remember him.

He’d just exposed himself while outside—was it on purpose that false Chu Mo lured him into the “City of Sin”?

Even if the replicant wasn’t certain at first whether he was really the Yan Jiyun from his memories, entering the game must have confirmed Yan Jiyun’s player identity.

Yan Jiyun didn’t mind. If not the replicants perishing, then it would be him. For now, he had a card to play, so the outcome could only be their disappearance.

He smeared a bit of yellow mud on his face. All their clothes had changed when they entered the game; now he was dressed head-to-toe in camouflage. With the mud on his face, Chu Mo and Wen Ye shouldn’t be able to recognize him so easily. But he had the advantage—the replicants carried a feline scent. No matter how deep they hid, he could sniff them out.

His next destination was the city’s marketplace—more accurately, the flea market.

When he entered, most people were ordinary citizens in heat-resistant headscarves, huddled in makeshift tents of tattered fabric.

There were quite a few others in camouflage with guns who’d rushed in just as he had.

He sought a place to hide.

He ducked behind a shabby building that reeked of something foul. The area was chaotic, footsteps echoing everywhere. It was possible, though difficult, to identify the false Chu Mo and Wen Ye by their steps alone—he’d have to pay closer attention.

He didn’t know how many people outside the screen were watching Qi Feng play, nor could he afford to transform back into a cat now.

Speaking of cats—where had Xiao Bai gone?

Yan Jiyun didn’t spot Xiao Bai nearby, but he did hear the sound of a tank smashing into a civilian’s house.

Had the second stage begun?

The rapid-fire of machine guns sounded again; the scene before him was bloody and violent. Unarmed civilians fell to the ground. Even knowing they were only NPCs, Yan Jiyun couldn’t help but frown—he truly disliked such violent games.

He couldn’t understand why so many people enjoyed shooters. For those truly in such an environment, it was nothing short of a nightmare.

Wherever the tank rolled, everything in its path was leveled. All Yan Jiyun had was a submachine gun—utterly insufficient for this.

He cautiously poked his head out. Shockingly, the figure standing atop the tank was none other than false Chu Mo.

Damn, the replicant really was the game’s spoiled child—the hacks he’d gotten were overpowered.

The enemies around Yan Jiyun had already been handled by Qi Feng outside. Now it fell to him to look for a chance to eliminate the replicants.

He slung the submachine gun over his back and circled around behind the house.

He noticed a glint on a small second floor—a man in the window, wearing silver jewelry and holding a sniper rifle!

Seizing his moment, Yan Jiyun swiftly climbed the metal scaffolding outside, edged close to the man, and struck him hard on the head with the butt of his submachine gun. The sniper’s weapon was trained on the innocents—clearly, this man wasn’t on their side.

He shoved the man aside, quickly took his place, and began to aim the sniper rifle at the false Chu Mo atop the tank.

He’d never used a sniper in this particular instance, but the mechanics couldn’t be so different from those in games—and he’d practiced with guns in his own simulated space during downtime.

Since entering this game, he’d had plenty of opportunities to use modern firearms—likely due to the setting. If this were a fantasy world, it would be vastly different, like Lucifer’s instance where he’d even needed to learn magic circles.

He drew a deep breath, recalling the words of a retired sniper: his first shot at a criminal had left him nauseous and sleepless for days. The army provided a psychologist, but in the end, it was something you had to adapt to on your own.

Yan Jiyun told himself silently: Replicants aren’t real people—they’re fake.

There was a world of difference between computer games and those involving real people.

False Chu Mo drove his tank right over a mother and her child crossing the street. That boy looked no more than seven or eight.

This was a truly deranged replicant!

Through the scope, Yan Jiyun saw the bloodthirsty smile on false Chu Mo’s lips. He was savoring the kill, muttering “More, more!” with inhuman glee.

Without hesitation, Yan Jiyun pulled the trigger.

Bang!

False Chu Mo slumped to the tank.

Yan Jiyun remained steady behind the sniper rifle, though sweat drenched his back.

He had killed an utter villain—nothing to regret.

Maybe this was the game’s trial for them—and its most terrifying aspect. Not only did it call on the player to kill, it forced them to kill beings who wore the faces of friends. Lose your nerve and you might even end up shooting an innocent.

All fear springs from the unknown.

Now, only false Wen Ye remained; where was he hiding?

The unmanned tank crashed into a speeding munitions truck. A thunderous explosion shook the marketplace.

Yan Jiyun pressed his hands over his ears, ducking to the ground as yellow dust from the walls poured over him.

Even after the blast, his ears still buzzed. He guessed Xiao Bai—hiding who-knew-where—must have been feeling the same; their senses were identical.

He checked the remaining time: one minute left.

Stage two was over. Up next: stage three.

Now he had two objectives. First, eliminate false Wen Ye; second, find Xiao Bai and let him lead the way out.

Yan Jiyun grabbed the sniper rifle and submachine gun from the ground and agilely jumped from the scaffolding.

Not far from the market was the terrorist stronghold dominating the city—their headquarters.

Yan Jiyun gave a whistle.

It was the distress call Qi Feng used, back when he couldn’t find him in their old apartment complex.

He silently counted: Five, four, two, one.

A black head poked out from a hole in the wall behind him.

Both guns slung over his shoulders, Yan Jiyun said to Xiao Bai, “Head for the little truck, Xiao Bai! Stay close!”

Xiao Bai dashed with him toward a small pickup parked along the curb.

Yan Jiyun quickly took the driver’s seat; Xiao Bai hopped effortlessly into the passenger seat.

Their cooperation was seamless. After all, they were one and the same. The black cat had his memories as a cat—not likely to mess up.

Yan Jiyun started the engine and sped toward the checkpoint ahead.

He recognized Qi Feng’s in-game character. He drove the pickup straight to where the NPC was standing in the intersection.

The NPC, like him, wore camouflage. He’d controlled this character before—a slim young man in baggy fatigues. The uncallused hands showed he’d been forced to shoulder a gun.

The protagonist of the game fought against fate; now he was fighting the game. Victims of a monster game all the same.

Yan Jiyun called out, “Get in!”

Qi Feng’s character hesitated for a moment.

In a single-player shooter, all actions for fighting were controllable, but not the rest—unlike an online game where even hugs and kisses could be performed with spirit.

After a second’s pause, the skinny youth climbed in, squeezing Xiao Bai into a corner.

Xiao Bai simply jumped onto Yan Jiyun’s lap, curling up there without disrupting his driving.

The young man’s face had a vaguely Middle Eastern look, sprinkled with freckles. Yan Jiyun dubbed him Freckled Youth.

Freckled Youth glanced ahead, tense, not saying a word. Yan Jiyun focused all his attention on breaking through the checkpoint.

Once they made it through, they’d be deep in enemy territory.

Freckled Youth raised his gun.

Yan Jiyun warned, “I’m about to hit the checkpoint. Get ready.”

He wasn’t really speaking to the youth, but hoping to signal the player outside—Qi Feng. Perhaps the game would deliver the message. If not, it would depend on Qi Feng’s reflexes and the storyline.

There was no time for a plot—just barrel through!

Yan Jiyun: “One, two, three—go!”

Freckled Youth was all nerves, but his aim was impeccable—at odds with his outward anxiety. With that reliability, Yan Jiyun gunned the pickup forward without hesitation. In the end, with a firearm, Qi Feng was hard to beat.

He floored the accelerator, ramming aside all the armed NPC guards.

With them clearing the path, righteous forces surged forward behind, clashing with the militants in the base.

Bullets rang against the windshield.

This was no ordinary truck, either—it was bulletproof. A pleasant surprise.

Once inside the base, Yan Jiyun swerved desperately to dodge incoming fire—not only for his own life, but to keep the NPC character alive as well.

As the battered truck threatened to fall apart, Yan Jiyun spotted Wen Ye amid the militants—wearing body armor.

Compared to Chu Mo, Wen Ye was far more cautious. To take him down, Yan Jiyun couldn’t risk exposing himself.

He guessed that the arrogant Chu Mo hadn’t told Wen Ye about knowing him—or the true Chu Mo—in the game.

If Wen Ye had any memory of him at all, it would be vague at best.

Just then, Wen Ye stood behind two burly men, watching something.

Yan Jiyun turned to Freckled Youth. “That one in the middle is the leader. You clear out the others.”

Freckled Youth actually responded. “What about you?”

Yan Jiyun parked the truck behind a larger vehicle and got out with Xiao Bai. “I’m going to take out that man in the center.”

Replicants must not escape this instance alive.

Freckled Youth offered no objection. He rolled from the truck to cover behind a sandbag, picking off militants one by one with deadly precision.

Yan Jiyun kept to the shadows; Wen Ye hadn’t noticed him yet, his attention fixed on attacking Freckled Youth and his allies.

As the gunfire intensified, Wen Ye ducked into a vehicle—clearly armored.

Yan Jiyun unslung his submachine gun and unloaded a volley into the wheels.

There was no room for hesitation in this game.

He was dangerously close to Wen Ye—too close for sniping. Only thirty seconds remained.

His burst pinned Wen Ye in the car; Freckled Youth kept pressure on the armored truck.

The window of opportunity was closing, and Wen Ye hadn’t counted on Yan Jiyun moving so fast.

It wasn’t really Wen Ye’s decision that was flawed—Yan Jiyun was simply too quick.

If Wen Ye stayed put past thirty seconds, there was no telling who would survive.

Forced to take one last risk, with Qi Feng covering him, Yan Jiyun shifted positions behind another vehicle, avoiding Wen Ye, and shot at the truck’s fuel tank.

The instant Wen Ye realized the tank was hit and tried to escape, Yan Jiyun unleashed another burst of gunfire. Gasoline caught flame. With a roar, the vehicle went up in an explosion—car and man obliterated. Wen Ye was gone.

Yan Jiyun’s breath still caught in his chest; fifteen seconds left. He had to get out of the game.

Xiao Bai trotted calmly beside him. Yan Jiyun put away his weapons. “Xiao Bai, where’s the exit?”

He glanced down at Xiao Bai, who looked up at him. Their eyes met.

Yan Jiyun was on the verge of shouting “Doomed!” when Xiao Bai suddenly sped off toward where Wen Ye had fallen. The car had already exploded—it shouldn’t blow again. And with most of the enemies cleared out by Qi Feng and the righteous forces, Yan Jiyun raced after Xiao Bai at full speed. Freckled Youth continued to provide covering fire, his strongest shield.

[Five seconds left until the ‘City of Sin’ game shuts down. If players do not exit within five seconds, they must wait for the next session to leave.]

Damn, right at the cutoff again!

The next session meant starting all over—who knew what hell that would bring. No way did he want a repeat.

“Xiao Bai, hurry! Find the exit!”

The black cat sprinted ahead, darting into a little building.

The system, full of malice, displayed the countdown in massive numbers.

[3—]

A few steps remained.

[2—]

Yan Jiyun shoved open the door. The gunfire behind him was still raging.

[1—]

A burst of bullets struck the metal doorframe, grazing Yan Jiyun as he dove inside just in time.

That was close—his heart nearly leapt from his chest.

So this was the exit after all.

The world spun wildly, and Yan Jiyun staggered, suddenly standing among a group of people. Someone caught his arm. Instead of dust and gunpowder, the air carried Qi Feng’s scent.

On instinct, Yan Jiyun rushed toward Qi Feng. Realizing he was in human form and couldn’t just pounce, he settled for holding him tightly.

When he calmed down, he realized how inappropriate this was—a moment’s relief, a touch of overexcitement.

Feeling a bit awkward, Yan Jiyun patted Qi Feng’s back and feigned excitement. “I—I’m still alive!”

Qi Feng was a little startled by the embrace, but it wasn’t unusual. Lan Mo would sometimes hug those nearby when excited, but Qi Feng always avoided it—except this time, with Yan Jiyun, he didn’t. Nor did he intend to.

Truth be told, he’d only just put down his plastic toy gun. This wasn’t his first time being hugged by Yan Jiyun; in the last instance, they’d even held hands several times. This was just adult contact now—he was getting used to it.

He also patted Yan Jiyun’s back. “You’re safe, that’s all that matters.”

The excitement faded. Yan Jiyun glanced around. “Let’s find somewhere to talk.” This was hardly the place.

Qi Feng nodded in agreement.

At his side was a little black cat. As soon as Xiao Bai appeared, the cat was pounced on and bullied by the other, leaving Xiao Bai cowering and motionless.

Both men deftly picked up their cats and walked off.

Privately, Yan Jiyun felt a little uneasy. He wondered if Qi Feng could tell the two cats apart. To the casual eye, there didn’t seem to be much difference.

Qi Feng had entered the instance long before Yan Jiyun—he knew all the best hiding spots.

Twisting and turning through the mall, he led Yan Jiyun into the hollow interior of a giant Christmas tree. It was on a higher floor, giving them a view of the levels below.

They sat cross-legged, facing each other, finally able to relax.

Qi Feng hadn’t expected to run into Yan Jiyun in the top-level arena. After entering the City of Sin, he hadn’t had a chance to leave. If not for someone helping him from the outside, it would’ve taken much longer to make it to the end—the “City of Sin” required inside-outside cooperation.

At first, he hadn’t guessed it was Yan Jiyun—he’d assumed another player—until he saw “Caramel” in the game. That clinched it: Yan Jiyun was his new owner.

Yan Jiyun noticed Qi Feng staring at the two black cats cleaning themselves on the rug and felt a bit flustered—could he have guessed his identity?

Luckily, neither cat wandered over to him, or explaining things would have been impossible.

After a pause, Qi Feng finally asked, “How did you and Caramel get in here?”

Yan Jiyun instinctively straightened, recognizing a veteran’s sharp line of questioning.

He scratched his head, thinking how best to reply.

Qi Feng looked at him, then at the two black cats.

Following his gaze, Yan Jiyun also looked over at the two fake Caramels.

The two fake Caramels scratched behind their ears with their back paws at the same time—not perfectly synchronized, but at exactly the same interval.

In that instant, all three of them were acting in perfect unison.

Qi Feng pursed his lips. “There’s a saying: a pet reflects its owner.”

Yan Jiyun: …N-no, it’s not like that at all. It’s just—they look exactly alike.