Cat 297: I’m More Twisted Than You

Chapter 297: I’m More Twisted Than You

Yan Jiyun exited the game alongside Qi Feng and Su Qiuming, with hardly a few seconds between them.

The eliminated players were already squatting around outside. Except for Yan Jiyun—who hadn’t been kicked out through confrontation—everyone else had been ejected directly by the game, most of them looking a bit pale.

As the winner, Yan Jiyun had no idea what awaited those who fell into the pitch-dark hole; in any case, his own exit had been smooth and uneventful.

But the other players were baffled. Qi Feng and Su Qiuming had exited the game at the same time, so why was Qi Feng’s team declared the winner?

The foreign kid was indignant: “How does this game even calculate results? Both captains came out together, so how did they win? Ming-ge, who was it that fell in first?”

Su Qiuming’s expression didn’t change, but he recalled that Qi Feng had yanked him down first, and he’d pulled Qi Feng after. Ultimately, the system judged Qi Feng’s team as the victors.

He said, “I fell in first.”

The foreign kid was disgruntled—they’d fought for nothing: “But you came out at the same time, and besides, I thought it was the last team member left that counted?”

Su Qiuming thought for a moment. “We dropped in with maybe a second or two to spare.”

His reasoning was persuasive enough, and no one argued further.

Meanwhile, Yan Jiyun was checking the timer on his undercover mission after coming out of the game. Just one more minute and he’d have perfectly completed his first spy task.

Yan Jiyun promptly ran to Su Qiuming’s feet, stood up, and pawed at his trouser leg.

Su Qiuming looked down, his usual expression returning. He picked up the black cat and shot a provocative look at Qi Feng: “You may have beaten me, but now I have your cat.”

Qi Feng: “……” He could only hope that when Su Qiuming found out Caramel was the undercover, he wouldn’t wish time could go backward.

He glanced at Caramel, who had returned to Su Qiuming’s side, and forced himself to look away.

Having claimed Qi Feng’s black cat, Su Qiuming was no longer frustrated and led his teammates away. Qi Feng didn’t follow them.

Gu Wenzhu asked Qi Feng, “Aren’t we going with them?”

Qi Feng shook his head. “No need.”

Lan Mo was worried for Qi Feng: “What about Caramel? Just letting Su Qiuming take him like that? What if he doesn’t keep him safe?” Even if Caramel never let him pet him, nor scratched him, he still cared about the un-scratching cat.

Qi Feng spoke like a heartless master: “Don’t worry, he can take care of himself. Su Qiuming won’t do anything to him.”

At the end, Su Qiuming hadn’t tried to take Caramel away, which showed he didn’t see Caramel as a player at all. The only worry now was whether Su Qiuming would take it out on Yan Jiyun afterward. If Yan Jiyun hadn’t used up that last skill, Su Qiuming could well have won, and Qi Feng might not have emerged victorious. Of course, right now, Qi Feng was secretly the happiest of all, though he couldn’t show it—after all, pulling off such perfect teamwork with someone you like only made you want more.

In that first game, they had worked in perfect sync, entering and exiting the game together; being forced apart now felt strange to him.

Lan Mo sighed, “Caramel doesn’t cozy up to boss, and we don’t even know which team Brother Yan ran off to. It’s worrying.”

Qi Feng: “Mm.” Not being able to tell others that Yan Jiyun was Caramel—that was what truly frustrated him.

Oblivious to Qi Feng and his teammates’ concerns, “Caramel” knew nothing of what was happening in his own team. He leapt onto Su Qiuming’s shoulder, no need to walk, and with a burly bodyguard trailing behind, felt as if he could look down at the world with disdain.

The half-hour undercover time expired, and Yan Jiyun successfully completed his undercover mission—the system sent a well-timed notification.

[Congratulations, player, for completing the thirty-minute undercover mission.]

Immediately afterward, the system sent the next task.

[The longer the undercover remains in the infiltrated team until the end of the second game—and if their identity goes undiscovered—they will earn the MVP Undercover title. This title doubles their own team’s points.]

Thinking of his team’s pitiful numbers, Yan Jiyun understood he needed to stay rooted in Su Qiuming’s squad and, if possible, become their mascot. Next round, he’d need to help them out a bit and sweeten his image in order to cement his mascot status. After all, true undercover journalists only uncover the truth after becoming the backbone of the company they infiltrate; he was confident he could do the same.

Having just made up his mind, Su Qiuming—as team captain—received a message from the system.

The system sent a group broadcast, allowing the captain to submit the answer, but only the captain could see the message.

Several team key members gathered to discuss who might be the undercover in their squad.

After one round, they were convinced there was no mole in their group; the missing team member had to be the spy.

Yan Jiyun picked this up from their conversation. Realizing they were looking for the mole, he crouched down obediently and kept silent, careful to show no signs of odd behavior—after all, he was just a well-behaved little kitty.

Likewise, the other teams were discussing potential infiltrators among themselves.

The system also announced the process for guessing the undercover. Since Yan Jiyun was the spy, he received no information for non-undercover players, so he had to deduce the rules from Su Qiuming’s chat with his team. With his wits, he managed to figure out the team’s deduction protocol.

Each squad had three chances to identify the spy. If, after three rounds, the real undercover hadn’t been found, the team would lose half of its points.

Su Qiuming’s entire team considered this just a gimme.

Even Yan Jiyun frowned. If the missing player was declared the undercover, that would spell defeat for him.

He was doomed.

Just as he was about to leap away from Su Qiuming, the very moment Su Qiuming finished entering the answer, Su Qiuming frowned.

Ahuo asked, “What’s wrong, not the right answer?”

Su Qiuming shook his head, “It’s not that. There just isn’t an answer.”

The foreign kid: “What do you mean?”

Su Qiuming: “The system didn’t show me correct or incorrect—just asked me to point out the real spy.”

Yan Jiyun curled up, quietly watching his undercover interface for any change. There was no system alert exposing him, and after all, hadn’t he simply replaced one of Su Qiuming’s teammates?

The foreign kid said, “But our undercover isn’t here… Wait, we have to identify them? Then the undercover isn’t Adong?”

Adong was the player whose spot Yan Jiyun had filled.

Su Qiuming frowned, “But if Adong wasn’t replaced, then who’s sabotaging us?”

The foreign kid retorted, “No, I just asked around—an undercover has to stay in the target team for thirty minutes or his mission is a failure. We haven’t had Adong with us this whole time, so maybe he’s been locked away somewhere. The undercover didn’t replace Adong—he’s one of our nineteen teammates!”

Ahuo: “You pick up info quick.”

The foreign kid: “Easy. Undercover agents tip off their original teams. If you know a lot of people, you can gather intel fast.”

Yan Jiyun thought the foreign kid was indeed a talent. He sized him up—boy-next-door looks, harmless and cute, easily disarming. He’d have to be on his guard around him in the future.

Su Qiuming swept a sharp glance around at everyone, then randomly quizzed his teammates on knowledge only the real one would know. But everyone answered instantly—no one hesitated longer than three seconds.

“Maybe the mole was given a dossier on his double.” The foreign kid always seemed to think Su Qiuming’s thoughts aloud.

Yan Jiyun shook his head to himself: Of course not. How could that be? Their undercover was nothing more than a perfectly ordinary little cat.

After wasting one chance, Su Qiuming decided to lead everyone into the next game—two guesses remained.

For their second game, they chose “Pictionary,” a game where players were dangled in the air while drawing. Yan Jiyun was more energetic than before, leaping around and rolling complaisantly to help Su Qiuming’s team take first place.

Fifteen minutes later, they finished with good points, and Yan Jiyun had successfully infiltrated the enemy, even achieving “team mascot” status—his first small goal complete.

When they exited the game, it was undercover-guessing time again.

Su Qiuming discussed it with the team, but no one had any clues—everyone looked equally innocent, or equally suspicious.

Yan Jiyun quietly munched on some beef Su Qiuming had set on the table for him—a little treat Qi Feng had reminded him about after leaving the last game.

Who the undercover might be didn’t concern him. Right now, he was just a little cat, glimmering with the halo of a mascot.

The second guessing round ended, and this time the system gave direct feedback.

[Wrong answer.]

Su Qiuming’s face grew taut.

How could it still be wrong? Impossible—unless he himself was the undercover?

He had to admit, “This undercover is hidden too deeply.”

They prepared for the next game.

This time, Yan Jiyun quietly resumed his mascot role, pretending to nap.

Most of Su Qiuming’s group were either seasoned veterans or top-tier rookies; adding a cat to the team didn’t concern them.

In the third game, they didn’t meet Qi Feng’s squad and again took first place in their bracket. On the rankings, they were second—Qi Feng’s team was first.

The foreign kid asked, “How are Qi Feng’s points so high? We’re at full strength, they only have ten.”

Su Qiuming said nothing.

Ahuo piped up, “There’s someone on their team to keep an eye on. Name’s Yan Jiyun. He must be pretty good.”

Hearing Qi Feng’s name, everyone felt a pang of regret over losing to his team in round one.

Su Qiuming: “There’s a five-hundred point gap—it might be thanks to Yan Jiyun’s work as a spy.”

The foreign kid: “Yan Jiyun’s undercover in another team and still hasn’t been caught?”

But it no longer mattered—answers had to be submitted within a minute.

This time, Su Qiuming entered his answer with extra care, marking down a notably quieter teammate.

The result was immediately clear.

Their points were cut in half!

Su Qiuming & Everyone: “……”

A heavy silence followed, broken only by the sound of Yan Jiyun scratching himself.

At that moment, Qi Feng appeared with his squad and walked straight to Yan Jiyun, scooping up his cat in one swift move.

“I’m taking my cat now. Thanks for letting him join in three games.”

With Su Qiuming’s team points halved, there was no longer much reason for Yan Jiyun to continue being a spy.

The black cat in Qi Feng’s arms didn’t struggle; instead, he rubbed his head against Qi Feng’s chin.

Su Qiuming frowned deeply and suddenly asked, “Wait, I have a question for you.”

Qi Feng replied easily, “In a good mood—ask.”

Su Qiuming: “How did you know Yan Jiyun was the undercover?”

Qi Feng pinched Caramel’s scruff, saying, “Maybe because I’m just a bit more twisted.”

How could he not recognize the treasure he raised himself? Every inch had been touched, seen, washed!

Su Qiuming: “……”

Whether Su Qiuming understood or not, Qi Feng didn’t care—he simply left with Caramel.

With a voice only the two of them could hear, Yan Jiyun asked, “In what way are you twisted?”

A chill ran down Qi Feng’s spine, and he instinctively glanced around: Had he just heard Yan Jiyun’s voice?