Cat 316: Intensity of Consciousness

Chapter 316: Intensity of Consciousness

A dungeon is hardly the ideal place for romance, and now is certainly not the right time. Gift basket.

Yan Jiyun and Qi Feng don’t actually know each other all that well. Various factors in the past prevented them from truly getting close, and only now are they slowly unveiling each other’s secrets. For them, this quiet companionship is far more stable than a fleeting, fast-food kind of love.

As for how shy Yan Jiyun is—he’s really not that shy. He simply wishes to express his feelings in the way that’s most comfortable for the two of them. Of course, part of it is also his desire to downplay that incident, when, as Tang Yan, he forced himself on Qi Feng.

Qi Feng can always read his mood by his tail. Right now, the tip of Yan Jiyun’s tail sways gently side to side; it’s clear that he’s not only relaxed, but happy.

This really isn’t the right place for a romantic conversation. They have no choice but to get back to business, using it as an excuse to defuse a bit of the embarrassment from their earlier confessions.

Qi Feng cleared his throat and said seriously, “Didn’t you say you’d get me out of here? How are we going to do that now? Should we head to Zone 8 and look for Lan Mo and the others?”

Yan Jiyun’s tail thwacked Qi Feng’s arm twice. “No need. Do you remember why we entered this dungeon in the first place?”

Qi Feng replied, “I remember. To meet up with your partners and plan our next moves.”

There was a hint of pride in Yan Jiyun’s voice as he said, “Ever since you stopped Tang Yan from signing that agreement, the course of the dungeon changed.”

Qi Feng found a bench and sat, and Yan Jiyun leaped onto his lap, sprawling across him. If he were human now, the pose would seem odd—yet as it was, it brought them closer.

“Let me guess,” Qi Feng said, “you can control this dungeon with your mind?”

Having followed Yan Jiyun every step of the way, Qi Feng now truly understood the rules by which these dungeons operated—his speculation had solid basis. Best video game console.

Yan Jiyun could now freely shift between cat and human forms, fully in control of himself.

His control had become so precise that he could even change his weight and size. In other words, previously Yan Jiyun’s form was a reflection of the intensity of his consciousness—the stronger his awareness, the heavier he became.

This was a vast field of consciousness; both players and NPCs entered the game as consciousness. For those with powerful minds, like Yan Jiyun’s race, they could unfold their awareness to create their own space—a dungeon. The system would initially suppress their true consciousness, reshaping them as NPCs in the dungeon, and would use their life experiences to modify the scenario.

Yan Jiyun patted his firm chest with a paw. “Sweetheart, you’re so clever.”

Qi Feng gently squeezed his paw pad, a gesture of reassurance. “So I’ve made the right choice—does that mean Zhou Renyi won’t appear again later?”

Since this dungeon was tied to Yan Jiyun’s family, a friendly ending would mean resolving the misunderstanding between the slightly-warped Tang Yan and Tang Qing, as well as exposing Zhou Renyi’s misdeeds.

Yan Jiyun said, “Mm. He’ll come back as a different identity to the prison to find me, and keep trying to sow discord between me and my second uncle. But you’re on the right track—Tang Yan will gradually come to his senses about his parents and uncle, and Zhou Renyi’s crimes will be exposed bit by bit. Once Tang Yan realizes he’s a two-faced beast, finishing this dungeon won’t be a problem.”

Qi Feng was leading up to the question he really wanted to ask. “Then…”

Yan Jiyun understood what he meant. Before Qi Feng finished, he answered, “You’re wondering if my real family is like it is in the dungeon? Not exactly. The dungeon was processed by the system; the protagonist’s background is always made especially tragic.”

Qi Feng asked, “So is your family still alive?”

Yan Jiyun leaped onto the bench and sat upright. “No.”

Qi Feng said softly, “That’s why you stabbed Tang Qing.”

Yan Jiyun nodded, his eyes full of sorrow. “My second uncle was the one who loved me most after my parents. I didn’t want to see even his memory used by the system after his death. So I chose to end it myself. Of course, the one I stabbed wasn’t actually him, just another NPC’s consciousness acting the part.”

Qi Feng asked, “Are the consciousnesses of NPCs who die in the game recycled by the system? And if someone like you is hurt by a player, do you get hurt?” Best video game console.

Yan Jiyun said, “It’s the same as for players. Once we leave the dungeon, everything returns to normal.”

Qi Feng continued, “So if a player dies here, they’re not really dead?”

Yan Jiyun explained, “No. Their consciousness is just recycled by the system—they become NPCs in the game.”

After joining with Tang Yan’s consciousness and regaining all his memories, so much had become clear.

Qi Feng asked, “Do you know who the traitor is that you mentioned?”

Yan Jiyun stretched his forepaws out, giving a huge yawn. “Of course. But they just escaped.”

Qi Feng wondered, “Will that affect what we plan next?”

Yan Jiyun reassured him, “Relax. In this consciousness space, it’s just us. They’ll leave soon. Let me show you a magic trick!”

Qi Feng thought, with your shrinking and growing, that’s already the best magic trick—but hearing this still made him happy inside.

“Alright, I want to see.” Timely praise is the best way to nurture affection.

With a leap, Yan Jiyun landed lightly on the ground, then stood upright on his hind legs, forepaws lifted, giving a little hop in front of Qi Feng before pouncing on his knee. “Human, come!”

Qi Feng couldn’t help bursting into laughter. “What are you doing?”

Yan Jiyun jumped to his knees and stood upright again, a paw smacking Qi Feng’s face. “I’m doing magic! Be serious!”

Just minutes ago, Qi Feng had only just started dating his boyfriend—and now he was the victim of “domestic violence,” yet he couldn’t stop laughing. He hugged Yan Jiyun closer, rubbing their faces together.

“You’re too adorable.” Gift basket.

At that moment, as he hugged the cat tight, a group of people tumbled in various states of disarray onto the lawn nearby.

Then, all they saw was Qi Feng clutching the black cat and nuzzling it, his expression cracking: “……”

Was this really the legendary, unshakeably calm Qi Feng they knew?

No wonder people say every man harbors a little pink heart. After all, there are plenty of men who love hugging cats.

Qi Feng himself was stunned.

This time, it was Yan Jiyun’s turn to laugh gleefully. He whispered playfully into Qi Feng’s ear, “That’s the magic trick I just told you about.”

Qi Feng’s smile froze at the corners of his mouth; in an instant, he returned to his stern, stolid self. “You didn’t say you were bringing everyone out!”

Yan Jiyun said, “Wanted to surprise you.”

Qi Feng: “……”

Yan Jiyun loved teasing Qi Feng for always being so serious. This time, the result couldn’t have been better. Odds are the others would never again see him as a cold, heartless dungeon-clearing machine. His boyfriend was a normal person, someone who could be cherished, too!

Most of the players now lounging on the grass had utterly bewildered expressions, but a few caught on quickly and walked right over to Qi Feng.

Nestled contentedly in Qi Feng’s arms, Yan Jiyun murmured with his eyes closed, “My companions will be here in a moment.”

A moment meant just a single second.

Teacher Qu appeared with a group, not dropping to the ground like the unsuspecting players; their descent was like something out of legend, as if gods were descending to earth.

Players were stunned—these were NPCs they all knew!

“Holy crap, didn’t I clear Teacher Qu’s dungeon? He practically killed me in there!”

“Wait, isn’t that Lin Xie from the newbie dungeon Midnight Diner?”

“There’s Lin Xie, Jiang Yan, and NPCs from the zoo dungeon! There are so many!”

“It truly is an alliance of players and NPCs! Qi Feng really is the boss in my heart—didn’t lie about this NPC alliance. Even if I don’t make it out alive, this was worth it.” Best video game console.

“Stop it—the guild leader’s watching you.”

Players and NPCs were now lined up on their respective sides. Until today, they’d stood in opposition; now, they would have to shake hands for an alliance, united for a common cause.

At the center of it all, sitting on a park bench between the two sides, were Qi Feng and the black cat, Caramel.

Qi Feng cautiously asked Yan Jiyun, “Why not switch back to human form?”

Yan Jiyun replied, “No need.”

That, Qi Feng hadn’t expected. The two hadn’t had much time to talk since Yan Jiyun got his memories back, but he must have a plan.

The first time Yan Jiyun had tried to escape the game, he hadn’t found the right partners and was caught. This time, he had plenty of allies. It wasn’t a handful fighting—it was a crowd of like-minded people, taking action at just the right moment.

Qi Feng said, “You have a plan, then.”

Yan Jiyun tapped his own forehead with a paw. “I always had one—just remembered it just now.”

Qi Feng realized, “So that’s why Teacher Qu and the others pulled you into this dungeon—they already had the plan in place.”

Yan Jiyun nodded, “Smart.”

The guild leaders of twenty guilds came forward. Teacher Qu and Lin Xie represented the NPCs. The gathering looked like some grand social event.

Qi Feng stood up from the bench. “Let’s just all sit on the lawn.”

He sat on the grass first; Yan Jiyun naturally sprawled across his lap.

Teacher Qu asked Yan Jiyun, “Boss, why don’t you come sit on my lap?”

Yan Jiyun, in his cat form but speaking for the first time before the players, said, “Let me introduce—this is my boyfriend.”

Teacher Qu looked Qi Feng up and down, then objected, “Wait, I don’t agree. You’re just a little cat—why do you have a boyfriend? Are you even an adult?”

His raised voice convinced several players—including Yan Jiyun’s and Qi Feng’s teammates.

Lan Mo was shocked. “Bro, I never knew you had that kind of interest!” Gift basket.

Sister Liang wolf-whistled. “Feng, you’re awesome!”

Qiu Xi observed, “Why does this kitty’s voice sound so familiar?”

Gu Wenzhu, more composed than the rest, gave the scientific answer, “Caramel is Yan Jiyun.”

Qi Feng, seeing their amazement, actually felt a twinge of pride. Yan Jiyun was his boyfriend; Caramel was his cat—both were his.

He announced solemnly, “That’s right. Caramel is Yan Jiyun, Yan Jiyun is Caramel—don’t doubt it.”

The only one close to Yan Jiyun, Chu Mo, crept over to peer closely at his face. “So, the black cat NPC—that’s you?”

Yan Jiyun pressed a paw to his head. “No need for ceremony. You may rise.”

Chu Mo tried to pet his head, but Yan Jiyun instantly buried himself in Qi Feng’s embrace, as though it were completely natural. Of course, if he had shifted to human form and cuddled into Qi Feng’s arms before everyone, that would’ve been a thoroughly different scene.

All eyes were on Yan Jiyun, but Teacher Qu now explained, “Actually, you don’t need to be so surprised. Players and us NPCs alike enter the game as consciousness. If your awareness is strong enough, you could embody any form as well.” Best video game console.

Qi Feng instantly understood why Yan Jiyun stayed in Caramel’s form. “So that’s it.”

It wasn’t that they were special—everyone could do it, so long as their awareness was sufficiently powerful.

Qi Yunchu was quick on the uptake. “How do you measure the strength of your consciousness?”

Teacher Qu’s patience as an NPC teacher came through. “Put it like this—those of you who’ve fought your way from beginner dungeons to intermediate, advanced, and even top-level dungeons have already proven your awareness is far stronger than average. By our standards, the strongest are those who can create a dungeon on their own—the dungeon’s consciousness is their own. They can freely become any NPC. Next are the ultimate bosses—those NPCs who can defeat a player with a single finger. Weaker are the sub-bosses. Still, anyone qualified to follow Boss into this place has, at the very least, been a sub-boss somewhere.”

Yan Jiyun nodded. “That’s exactly right.”

Qi Feng quietly asked him, “Can you create a dungeon on your own?”

Yan Jiyun tipped his chin. “Of course.”

After Qi Yunchu’s question, the other guild leaders joined in.

Sister Jixiang asked, “Feng told us players are awareness-beings too, but how do we measure if our consciousness is strong or weak?”

She was impatient, eager to destroy the system and get home.

Yan Jiyun hadn’t worked with Jixiang before, but spotted two women in her team he’d partnered with previously: Cheng Li and Zhou Ying, whom he first met in the Midnight Diner dungeon. The cruel grind of the dungeons had forged their strength; now, under Jixiang, they were ready for higher-level dungeons.

Lin Xie called out to Jiang Yan at the back; Jiang Yan produced three wristbands, like sports watches.

Jiang Yan said, “Just wear this and it’ll measure your strength of consciousness. Every player has their own specialty, and you can use that awareness to amplify it. This is our boss’s dungeon, with our support, and everyone can stay here ten days. In those ten days, we’ll train each of you in your specialty to prepare for breaking through the system and leaving the game.”

Jiang Yan had an upright presence—his voice rang out powerfully, every word hitting home.

Sister Liang cheered, “Alright, let’s do it!”

Lan Mo rushed to get a wristband first, “Me first!”

Even Qi Yunchu, typically reserved, was fired up. “Let’s go, everyone!”

Their perseverance had finally paid off.

“Preparing to break through the system and leave the game”—that was more than enough to fire everyone’s blood.

No one wanted their life forever controlled by some mysterious, dangerous game.

Someone asked, “Is it safe to talk here, can’t the system hear us?”

Naturally, someone answered.

“Haven’t you noticed none of us have been live-streaming since we got here?”

“Who knows, maybe we really can get out! Damn, I’ve been in here three years—I barely remember what normal life is even like.”

“Same. I even divorced my wife so my family wouldn’t get dragged in—only see my daughter once a month. Sigh.”

“Man, I want out of this damn game more than anything!” Best video game console.

The players’ spirits soon soared. Rival guilds were now united by a common cause; realizing how foolish their past feuds had been, there was an unprecedented sense of unity and ease.

Teacher Qu asked Yan Jiyun, “Boss, shall we start testing everyone’s consciousness now?”

At this, Yan Jiyun leapt from Qi Feng’s lap—and, before all, performed a full transformation.

His change sent the players’ mood into a frenzy. “Let’s begin.”

In truth, this was a kind of mobilization rally.

Qi Feng wanted to get a wristband from Jiang Yan, but as he reached out, Yan Jiyun stopped him, conjuring a cat-head-shaped black wristband for him.

Yan Jiyun said, “Here you go. This one’s custom, just for you.”

Qi Feng smiled as he took it, slipping it over his wrist, leaning close to Yan Jiyun as he asked, “How does it work?”

Yan Jiyun pressed the screen button. “Like this.”

Qi Feng said, “Got it.”

The two watched their screen’s data climb higher, heads bent close together; the atmosphere was quietly intimate.

Then a blue-haired head popped between them. “Feng, what was your result?”

Qi Feng: “……” How could he have such oblivious teammates?