Cat 313: Stopping Tang Yan

Chapter 313 Stopping Tang Yan

“Then he is truly despicable.” Qi Feng wanted to know whether anything here was actually related to Yan Jiyun’s own story. “Why did he want to harm your parents?”

If this instance mirrored Yan Jiyun’s background, it was even more crucial for him to clarify it—this was key.

“What in this world is more apt to make one lose their mind than familial love?” Tang Yan said.

“Money and power,” Qi Feng replied. “What exactly happened?”

Tang Yan laced his hands behind his head, then lay down on the lawn. For some reason, he simply felt an overwhelming sense of trust toward Qi Feng. “You also know we come from a family of thieves. Tang Qing accepted an impossible job. He knew he couldn’t do it himself, so he went to my parents. My father always doted on his younger brother and promised that after helping him this time, there’d be no next. But who could have anticipated the two of them would die on this job, while Tang Qing returned unscathed.”

Qi Feng asked for the time when this happened. “How old were you then?”

Tang Yan replied, “I was fifteen, Tang Qing was twenty-five.”

Qi Feng said, “Twenty-five is an adult, with his own notions and understanding. After your parents passed, did anything change in your family? For example, did Tang Qing become involved with people your parents had tried to keep him away from?”

“With my parents gone, there were no more constraints. The family business was handed over to him, and a lot of people in the family died because of him.” Tang Yan recounted the past in an indifferent tone.

But Qi Feng wasn’t someone to judge from a safe distance; he knew Tang Yan must have left out many details, and he would not rush to act as a mediator between the two.

He speculated, “So your entering was deliberate? Tang Qing’s entrance here as well—did you arrange it?”

A smile finally touched Tang Yan’s lips. “Clever. I can’t wait to kill the man who murdered my parents myself, but I refuse to let him off so easily. Rather than let him live freely outside, I decided it was better to trap him somewhere. So, I devised a plan for us to rob a bank together—and ended up getting us both in here.”

Qi Feng suddenly circled back to the earlier topic. “You said there’s no time left—did you mean he’s about to leave prison?”

Tang Yan seemed a bit puzzled. “Did I say that?”

He had never considered killing his uncle with his own hands, otherwise his parents’ sacrifice would have been meaningless.

Qi Feng raised an eyebrow. Had he not actually heard Tang Yan say this—was it Yan Jiyun, buried deep inside, who spoke?

Did the merging of their consciousness require a trigger?

Qi Feng said, “Maybe I misheard.”

Tang Yan said, “My second uncle does want to leave District Nine. He’s been working on it.”

Qi Feng thought there really might be more between Tang Yan and his uncle. At the time of the incident, Tang Qing was under the protection of his parents, and Tang Yan wasn’t at the scene—how did he know Tang Qing was the killer?

This would need to be asked of Tang Qing himself.

Of course, what pained him most was that Yan Jiyun’s background might mirror his own—losing his parents as a child. But after losing them, who cared for him?

If Tang Yan was Yan Jiyun, then who had raised him?

He might never have lacked for material things, but the spirit still needed guidance. “After your parents passed, who took care of you?”

Tang Yan gave a name unfamiliar to him. “Uncle Zhou—he was my father’s best friend when he was alive, a truly trustworthy man.”

Tang Yan spoke highly of this Uncle Zhou. At the mention, his mood was visibly brighter; he sat up abruptly from the grass. “Right, Uncle Zhou is coming to see me tonight. I almost forgot.”

Qi Feng wanted to ask more about this Uncle Zhou’s kindness when a prison guard walked over. “Tang Yan, you have a family visit. Do you wish to see them?”

“Yes.” Just as Tang Yan was leaving, he turned back and planted a quick kiss on Qi Feng’s cheek. “Wait for me—when I return, we’ll find the traitor together.”

The way Tang Yan treated Tang Qing and this unseen Uncle Zhou were worlds apart.

Qi Feng had a strange sense of unease.

Tang Yan followed the warder, not leaving District Nine entirely—it was clear their meeting spot was within the area. Qi Feng tailed quietly.

The sky had gone sulky, as though ink was about to spill from the clouds, making it hard for anyone to spot Qi Feng’s face from afar.

At moments like this, he envied Jiao Tang’s acute hearing—she could shadow someone from a hundred meters without being noticed.

Qi Feng deeply missed his days with Yan Jiyun on these missions—light-hearted, at ease.

Having grown used to playing the game as a pair, he found soloing unexpectedly awkward.

He shook his head, brushing off the loneliness. So long as he could find Yan Jiyun again, his happiness would return.

One more push.

If this instance revolved around Tang Yan, then the traitor must be someone close to him. So far, a friend, a relative, and a respected elder from his father’s generation had emerged—all suspicious figures.

Qi Feng kept close behind Tang Yan and the guard. They left the artificial lake and headed toward a five-story, red-brick building near the gates of District Nine.

He ran into the man walking his dog again—this person seemed to be everywhere.

The dog-walker nodded a greeting. Qi Feng at once put a finger to his lips and mouthed: Don’t speak!

The dog-walker: “…”

Fine, I won’t speak.

Once Qi Feng drew nearer, the man whispered, “Is this some new kind of game? Is Tang Yan cheating on other guards?”

Qi Feng shot him a look. “Don’t be ridiculous. He’d never do something like that.”

The man said, “All right, I’m just making stuff up. I know he’s going to see his Uncle Zhou. Every Wednesday afternoon, he visits a guest at the Red House.”

Qi Feng was surprised the man knew so much, but what he really wanted were details about Uncle Zhou. “You know that Uncle Zhou?”

The dog-walker replied, “Sure, he’s quite well-known. Word is, he’s trying to get Tang Yan out, but the whole process is complicated—so far, it hasn’t worked out. This Zhou guy doesn’t get along with Tang Qing.”

Qi Feng was caught off guard. If Tang Yan could manage the prison, why was leaving it proving so difficult?

Given the logic of this instance and the prevailing social dynamics, as long as Uncle Zhou had his back, there should be no issues. Something so simple, yet unsolved? Was something off about this Uncle Zhou?

The dog-walker gave him a crucial piece of intelligence: Tang Qing and Uncle Zhou don’t see eye to eye.

Tang Qing killed Tang Yan’s parents, which created a rift. The Uncle Zhou who had always treated him kindly offered comfort and support, so naturally Tang Yan’s trust and affection shifted toward him. If Tang Qing and Zhou got along, it’d mean nothing, but their animosity made it all the more intriguing.

Still, Qi Feng could tell the dog-walker had a bias against Uncle Zhou. “You don’t like him?”

“You picked up on that,” the man said, “Idle hands. I just need something to occupy myself besides walking the dog every day.”

Whatever his motive for sharing information, at least it was useful—for now, Qi Feng would trust only what he saw.

“Will you take me to the Red House?” Qi Feng gambled the man would help.

The man grew excited. “Of course!”

His name was Tian Yuan. A chatterbox, he spent the entire three hundred meters spilling District Nine gossip to Qi Feng. He was the type who made friends easily; on reflection, could it be he was one of Yan Jiyun’s NPC friends?

The Red House was five stories, police stationed outside—no doubt to prevent inmates from making trouble. Electronic surveillance everywhere.

Greenery surrounded the building. To get in, Qi Feng needed a distraction—Tian Yuan’s enthusiasm made him the perfect accomplice.

Qi Feng asked, “Where do most family visits take place?”

Tian Yuan replied, “Room 205 on the second floor. No security door, just walk up and you’ll find it. But what good will it do to see them?”

Qi Feng figured just overhearing their conversation wouldn’t do any harm, but what mattered was his direct, candid observation—a person’s eyes can’t hide certain things. Desires, hypocrisy.

“It’s very useful. Can you draw the guard away for a moment? Thanks.” Qi Feng found a good spot to eavesdrop upstairs.

Tian Yuan flashed an OK sign. “Sure.”

He took the collar off his well-groomed husky and slapped its haunch. “Er, go!”

The husky shot off, streaking like a released falcon.

Tian Yuan wasn’t just a prisoner—he was a born actor!

“Er, don’t run off!”

“Guard, guard! Please, help me stop him!”

“Er!”

Tian Yuan often walked his dog, so the guards didn’t mind—it was routine.

As expected, the guards at the entrance joined the chase, and Qi Feng slipped into the Red House at speed.

Following Tian Yuan’s directions, he wove past people and security cameras, slipping up to the second floor and found Room 204, adjacent to 205—a temporary first-aid supply room, currently empty.

The walls weren’t soundproofed. Standing by the window, he could hear voices next door.

According to Tian Yuan, prisoners here were treated well, but visitation time was short—half an hour—and five minutes had already passed.

In the office, Qi Feng found a stethoscope, slung it around his neck, and listened against the wall. The voices came through, clear as day.

A stranger’s voice emerged. This must be the Uncle Zhou Tang Yan spoke of—he remembered Tian Yuan’s information.

Uncle Zhou—full name Zhou Renyi, whose very name implied righteousness—always packaged himself as a loyal and affectionate man.

In Tang Yan’s presence, he acted like true family, his concern attentive and indulgent, always satisfying Tang Yan’s every request. To use Tian Yuan’s words: Zhou Renyi had, in his own way, “PUA-ed” Tang Yan.

Qi Feng disliked that word, but couldn’t refute it; Zhou Renyi really did have that aura about him.

Zhou Renyi said, “Xiao Yan, your birthday’s coming up. I got you a present—see if you like it.”

The sound of Tang Yan unwrapping paper and opening a box came from next door.

Tang Yan said, “It’s nice, I really like this watch.”

Zhou Renyi replied, “I originally thought to get you a car, but since you can’t drive it in here, a watch will have to do. Are you comfortable living here?”

Tang Yan complained a little, “It’s just a place to sleep, Uncle Zhou. When will I get out?”

Zhou Renyi chuckled, “Soon. The last lawyer was no good—this time I hired a team. They say you could be out in a month. I can’t stand seeing you suffer in here. If your parents knew, they’d scold me for not taking good care of you.”

Tang Yan said, “They’d never—Uncle Zhou, you treat me very well.”

Zhou Renyi’s care for his junior was practiced; even if it was fake, he performed every ritual flawlessly.

He started by inquiring about Tang Yan’s daily life, then produced the birthday gift. For any child who’d lost parents, a remembered birthday was especially precious—softening the heart. Just at this vulnerable moment, Zhou Renyi finally revealed his true reason for visiting.

“By the way, Xiao Yan, Uncle ran into something and might need your help. But if you’re uncomfortable, you don’t need to agree.”

Smart, putting himself in a humble position first.

Tang Yan said, “Uncle Zhou, what are you saying? You treat me like family. ‘Help or not’—there’s no such question.”

Zhou Renyi said, “It’s like this. When your father was alive, I invested in a project he managed. Recently, there’s been trouble, and the manager asked me to take over. Originally, you were supposed to handle it, but since you’re unable, they want you to sign an authorization so I can temporarily manage it.”

Next, the agreement would surely be produced and, if Tang Yan trusted Zhou Renyi deeply, he would sign without reading—since visitation was too short to study it in detail.

Qi Feng didn’t trust Zhou Renyi’s character. That entire sequence of affection had left him deeply uncomfortable. Zhou Renyi had clearly come with an ulterior motive—it was imperative to stop Tang Yan from signing.

He understood now what “no time” meant; the suppressed consciousness of Yan Jiyun was warning him about the impact this agreement could have on Tang Yan.

In a normal instance, there’d be task prompts—but now, he had to rely on his own intuition.

Qi Feng saw Tian Yuan’s husky digging at the roots of a tree below.

Nimbly, he clambered down from the second floor, vaulted a wall to land in front of the husky, and took out a small bun he’d kept from the party, waving it in front of the dog.

“Er, jump for it, and I’ll give it to you.”

The husky, never one to let a human down, leapt eagerly for the bun.

At that moment, Qi Feng shouted, “Xiao Yan, help!”