Cat 200: Candid Concern

Chapter 200: Candid Concern

【Want To Be Human】 Live Stream:

“Holy crap, what was up with those eyes just now? That made my scalp tingle.”

“I’ve never seen a top-tier instance before, but I do know these kittens are adorable—so many, so well-behaved, I just love them!”

“There can’t be much time left, right? Can the kittens even get out of a top-tier instance? If they can’t, will they be stuck here forever?”

“If you’re stuck here, that’s death, isn’t it?”

“Pffft, don’t jinx it! The kittens won’t die—and besides, there are over fourteen hours left. The kittens and their owner are so clever, they’re sure to find a way out.”

“Since we don’t see the instance play out from the kitten’s point of view, can anyone share what’s happening from the players’ perspective? Anyone checked? Can you talk about the scenario?”

“I don’t care, I don’t want to miss a minute of the kitten’s broadcast. The progress doesn’t matter to me now. All those cats—too cute!”

“I just came from another player’s stream. The instance is really tough. Everyone’s battered, replicants everywhere, very dangerous.”

Facing a crowd of cats, Yan Jiyun felt none of the delight or pain of a pet owner. When he appeared as a human, the replicant cats grew closer to him; when in cat form, they treated him as the boss.

But this was a crucial moment. If they followed him around, he’d be exposed. Now in human shape, he couldn’t transform back to a cat to give direct instructions.

After a moment’s thought, Yan Jiyun scooped up Little Nine, took off its collar, and, holding it in his arms, walked out toward Qi Feng.

His plan had shifted along with the escalating threat—no strategy, after all, could keep up with real-time crisis.

Originally, he’d operated under the idea that only replicants were the enemy. He could hide for a while. But now, with new changes and dangers, he had to adapt.

Holding Little Nine, he headed out. The others watched him go.

As his replicants, their comprehension was decent; after he’d explained twice, Little Yellow and Little Green stayed put with Seven, Eight, and Ten, rather than tagging along.

He paused in front of a cosmetics store mirror to confirm that there were no flaws in Little Nine’s appearance, then strode in Qi Feng’s direction.

By this point, Qi Feng’s group had set up a temporary defense zone at the mall entrance, weapons ready and aimed.

Outside, eyes crowded thick as moss—enough to crawl under anyone’s skin.

Yan Jiyun’s radio had been left upstairs in the arcade; transforming into a cat made it impossible to carry. The sniper rifle had stayed too, both retrieved and kept by Qi Feng in Building D.

It would take the monsters a while to breach the doors.

Yan Jiyun appeared, carrying a cat, standing out starkly among the other dust-streaked, battle-worn players. He looked like a young man strolling the mall with his pet—fair-skinned, faultlessly clean, calm as if window-shopping. The experience card had spawned him right next to a trendy fashion outlet; the system always followed the “nearest” rule for dressing. In short, he now seemed so relaxed, he looked like a villain.

Little Nine in his arms dispelled any suspicion—especially since the kitten sat so content, chin happily scratched, no one could have guessed which one he was holding.

Qi Feng’s eyes lit up when he spotted Yan Jiyun. He’d been worried since Caramel had run off; Caramel must have sensed his return. Qi Feng was relieved—yet also, a little jealous.

Well, as long as Caramel was happy.

He looked Yan Jiyun up and down. “Everything settled?”

Yan Jiyun nodded. “Yeah, I handled it.”

It was Chu Mo who reacted the strongest. “Yan Jiyun?”

Yan Jiyun bent down to murmur to Little Nine, telling it to go find Little Yellow and Little Green, then gently set the kitten down, and it shot off—a truly obedient replicant cat.

Once Little Nine had left, Yan Jiyun put on a show of just spotting Chu Mo, waving: “Hey, we meet again.”

“You’re pretty smooth.” Chu Mo had more to say, but swallowed it—too many people, not convenient.

In truth, he wanted to know how Yan Jiyun got into this instance; he remembered that Yan was a rookie—how did he make it to the top tier so quickly?

“Had to work hard to get out of this crap game,” Yan Jiyun complained at once, not hiding his disdain for the instance.

For a moment, everyone had mixed feelings. Their purpose had changed again and again since coming here; what kept them going was the stubborn hope of escape.

Qi Feng tossed Yan Jiyun a pistol: “Come over here.”

Yan Jiyun caught it—this was the same gun Qi Feng had given him before, one he was already used to. Qi Feng really was getting to know him.

Yan Jiyun didn’t go over; instead, he called Qi Feng over: “Feng-ge, I think I’ve discovered something. Got a minute to talk?”

Qi Feng moved aside with him.

Xu Xian whispered to Su Qiuming, “What can’t be said in front of us?”

Su Qiuming gave him nothing: “Simple—he doesn’t really know you.”

Chu Mo was also curious about Yan Jiyun’s new discovery, glancing over repeatedly.

While speaking to Qi Feng, Yan Jiyun glanced at Xu Xian. This guy really was useless—if not for Su Qiuming’s restraint, he’d have split long ago. Why had Qi Feng ever saved someone like that?

Su Qiuming’s reply, though, surprised him; Su Qiuming was clear-headed, decisive—a lot less trouble than he’d imagined.

Xu Xian, feeling the weight of Yan Jiyun’s stare, fell silent, as if Yan could hear every word he muttered.

Yan Jiyun resumed his talk with Qi Feng about the replicants.

Qi Feng, caught off guard, hadn’t expected such a discovery. Yan Jiyun was naturally talented. “You mean the original can actually control the replicant’s mind?”

Yan Jiyun improvised a reason: “Mm. I’ve tested it—if the replicant is willing to submit, it’s easy to enter their consciousness and control their body. I suspect it’s connected to the mental contamination stat—the higher it is, the better the result.”

Qi Feng grasped the challenge right away. “But that’s probably pretty tough for us at the moment.”

Yan Jiyun nodded. “Exactly. So I’m telling you first—haven’t said anything to the others.”

Qi Feng: “Yeah, honestly, we don’t have the right conditions yet, and everyone would just be distracted by it anyway.” Then he shifted the subject to the cat. “Why’d Caramel run off?”

Yan Jiyun: “I told him to stick with the others—it’s safer for him.”

A sour note pricked at Qi Feng. “He listens to you pretty well.”

Yan Jiyun felt guilty. “W-well enough.”

Their talk was brief—an idea shelved for now, but sure to become useful later.

Thump, thump, thump!

The monsters kept battering the mall’s glass.

Qi Feng had no time to explain any more about the monsters. “Stick close to me. Be careful not to get scratched—they might be carrying a virus.”

Those tightly packed monsters outside had startled Yan Jiyun before, yet now he kept his composure.

A monster broke through!

Su Qiuming, standing closest, blew its head apart with a shot. It collapsed, unmoving—but more pressed forward.

Qi Feng assessed: “Too many. Upstairs—move!”

This was only their first line of defense.

Everyone—including Yan Jiyun—bolted for the second floor.

Yan Jiyun’s aim was decent; he blasted the nearest monster’s head off.

He guessed Qi Feng hadn’t called retreat immediately because they’d wanted to observe the monsters up close—to learn their weaknesses before planning further.

The monsters were fast, but easily knocked down, as though cobbled together from bony skeletons.

The firepower from their guns was enough to shatter their bones in a single shot.

Were these the mutant reindeer?

Though the monsters fell readily, their numbers were high, and all their eyes glowed a sickly green. Once inside, under the mall’s lights, that glow diminished, making them less terrifying.

Yan Jiyun checked his own mental contamination: no change. Good. His mental state was solid; he wasn’t scared at all.

Bang!

A shot rang out beside him—Qi Feng pulled him aside: “Don’t zone out—get upstairs!”

“Oh!” Yan Jiyun scrambled to run.

Qi Feng: “……” Didn’t have to run that fast…

The first floor was swiftly overtaken by the four-legged mutant reindeer. Their limb structure made stairs awkward; the second floor soon became their safe zone—not so hard after all.

Chu Mo was even faster than Yan Jiyun. Monsters now a lesser worry, he seized a moment to ask, “How’d you get into the game?”

Yan Jiyun answered, “Just a fluke. How about you?”

Chu Mo: “Just a fluke.”

End of conversation.

Chu Mo realized he’d shut himself down, so patched awkwardly, “Didn’t expect you and Qi Feng to get along so well.”

Yan Jiyun: “It’s fine. Give it time, we could get along well, too.”

Wen Ye happened to catch the ambiguous line: “Get along how?”

Yan Jiyun shot back reflexively, “As friends.”

Wen Ye: “I didn’t know you two were that close?”

That peculiar note in Wen Ye’s voice seemed familiar; Yan Jiyun chose to say nothing.

Chu Mo: “I’m just good at socializing.”

Just a brief interlude—then Su Qiuming suddenly shouted, “Qi Feng, are you insane!”

Yan Jiyun had thought Qi Feng had come up—but he hadn’t. Peering over the railing, Yan saw the black kittens, who’d been told to hide, leaping onto the backs of the reindeer!

He swore, “Damn!”

I told you to hide, not fight—who told you to be so proactive?

No doubt, the memory of riding animals had stuck with them; one after another, the kittens hopped up as if to race.

It made little difference for replicant cats to play like that, but Qi Feng, seeing this, must have thought Caramel was among them and dashed down in worry.

Yan Jiyun shouted to the figure on a raised platform, “Qi Feng, Caramel isn’t among them!”

Qi Feng hadn’t heeded Su Qiuming’s earlier warning, but as soon as Yan Jiyun spoke, he signaled OK. Then, grabbing on to an advertising rope, he swung and leapt up to the second floor, smoothly rejoining everyone.

His risky stunt nearly gave everybody a collective heart attack.

Yan Jiyun’s face paled as well. In this instance, the danger Qi Feng brought him was more stimulating than the game itself.

This pet owner was giving him way too much anxiety!

Su Qiuming, for the first time, took Yan Jiyun seriously. Qi Feng followed his words without question.

Yan Jiyun glanced toward Little Yellow and Little Green riding the reindeer. The cats leapt from back to back as if inventing a new kind of feline game—leaving the humans on the balcony sweating.

He zoned out, his awareness drifting into Little Green.

The mutant reindeer hurtled madly, searching for a route to the upper floor. The stairs were blocked with tables and chairs, the escalator piled with bone-husks, stopping their advance.

They shifted directions, charging wherever there was space.

The monster’s arrival had drawn out many replicants and players.

Through Little Green’s eyes, Yan Jiyun saw the replicants’ faces—those he knew and those he didn’t, he committed them all to memory.

This time, his consciousness transfer lasted longer than before.

When he came back to himself, Qi Feng was already at his side, mouthing, “What did you say?”

Qi Feng asked, “How did you know Caramel wasn’t with them? Only he’s not wearing a collar.”

Little Nine wasn’t wearing one either, but only Yan Jiyun knew that.

Instead of making excuses, an inspiration struck him, and he answered, “Caramel will be fine. You, on the other hand—I’m more worried about you.”

For the first time, Qi Feng heard such a direct expression of concern, and for a moment, he didn’t know how to respond. His usually cold face grew a little warm.