Chapter 31: A Lakeside Encounter and a Game of Wits

“Alright, that’s all for now.”

With Director Chen’s command, the guests, accompanied by staff, dispersed casually throughout the resort. Five minutes remained until the game began.

“First, let me see where everyone is.”

Once the other guests had scattered, Lin Ziyao eagerly borrowed a staff member’s phone to check their locations.

Since the entire resort was closed for business, there were essentially no other tourists besides their group. Opening the map’s shared location feature allowed them to see everyone’s positions.

The primary challenge of this game was that no one’s role was explicitly stated, meaning they didn’t know who the ‘cat’ was. They could only observe the map and maneuver around the other guests.

To prevent such a situation, Director Chen had implemented a ‘shrinking circle’ rule, advantageous to the ‘cats,’ which would gradually gather everyone. However, as the circle shrank, the location sharing would also be disabled.

“So, as long as the ‘mice’ hide until the game ends, they’ll win.”

With only three minutes remaining when the circle reached its smallest, simply avoiding capture during that final stretch would secure victory.

Moreover, the system, usually prone to mischief, was surprisingly cooperative with its host this time. No bizarre or unusual tasks had appeared for this game, only a routine ‘Smile Exercise’ daily quest remained.

Accustomed to completing system-assigned tasks daily, Lin Ziyao found herself unexpectedly unsettled by their sudden absence. It was as if she didn’t quite know what to do with herself.

This state, in short, could be described as having ‘itchy skin’ – a restless craving for action.

“Has the game already started?”

She watched as Yang Tian’s avatar on the shared location map began slowly moving towards Feng Qiqi’s position. Such an overt approach to another person easily aroused suspicion, marking him as a potential ‘cat’.

Feng Qiqi seemed to notice Yang Tian’s trajectory. Reacting swiftly, she immediately pulled away, heading towards Dai Wen, who was nearby.

However, they were quite a distance from Lin Ziyao, and she still needed to observe further. Thus, she began to wander leisurely around the resort.

The resort in Jiang City specialized primarily in hot springs. Being summer vacation, the place was sparsely populated, so it had simply closed down to allow the production crew exclusive use for filming.

Following a ‘shrinking circle’ notification from a nearby staff member, Lin Ziyao’s stroll led her to the resort’s scenic lake. The vast expanse of the lake shimmered with ripples, and a cool, moisture-laden breeze drifted towards her.

Though she knew the resort was closed, she had previously remained in her villa, never venturing out to explore, and thus had been unaware of this enormous lake.

“Hmm?”

Lin Ziyao spotted an unexpected figure seated by the lake.

A white athletic top failed to conceal her elegantly proportioned figure. Paired with denim shorts, it showcased her athletic and strong calves. Her long hair was tied back with a hair tie and covered by a sun hat, complemented by sports canvas shoes on her feet.

This attire should have highlighted her athletic prowess. Instead, she sat cross-legged on the grass by the lake, her hands clasped around her knees, gazing out across the water.

“Qin Yu, what are you doing here?”

Lin Ziyao walked directly to Qin Yu’s side, mimicking her posture as she sat down and asked.

“I just happened to be passing by,” Qin Yu replied, “and the breeze here felt so comfortable that I decided to sit down and rest for a bit.”

Turning her head, Qin Yu’s delicate face held a hint of languid charm, an allure of a different kind.

“Is that so? How come I don’t see the staff following you?”

Seeing no trace of sweat on Qin Yu’s face, Lin Ziyao surmised that she wasn’t likely a ‘cat’. After all, a ‘cat’s’ primary objective was to catch people, which would inevitably involve chasing and sweating.

Her guard lowered, Lin Ziyao began to chat casually with Qin Yu while looking out at the lake.

“I told them to rest in the nearby pavilion for a while,” Qin Yu said. “They’ve been filming behind me for quite some time now.”

Qin Yu then gestured towards a pavilion situated a short distance from the lake.

“How much time is left until the final shrinking circle?”

Upon seeing this, Lin Ziyao turned to confirm with the staff member accompanying her.

“Five more minutes.”

The staff member synchronized the phone’s messages with Lin Ziyao. She glanced at the map and saw that Feng Qiqi had been the first person eliminated from this game.

Thoughtfully, the production crew had even provided Feng Qiqi’s elimination location, which was only a dozen meters in a straight line from their current spot.

The identity of the ‘cat’ was now likely narrowed down to Yang Tian, who had actively approached Feng Qiqi earlier. Of course, Dai Wen, whom Feng Qiqi had intended to meet, also carried some suspicion.

She quickly deduced the potential ‘cat’ candidates in her mind.

“You all should go rest in the pavilion too. Qin Yu and I will sit here for a while.”

Lin Ziyao also sent her staff to the pavilion to rest. Unlike the guests, who were unburdened, the staff had to carry equipment and follow the guests everywhere. Any opportunity for rest was a welcome one.

Once the staff had departed, she and Qin Yu sat by the lake, beginning to discuss the identities of the other guests.

“Who do you think the ‘cat’ is?”

Lin Ziyao spoke first, eager to hear Qin Yu’s analysis.

“Yang Tian actively approached Feng Qiqi from the start, so I suspect he’s the ‘cat’. As for the rest, it’s too early to tell.”

This answer struck Lin Ziyao as rather ordinary. She had hoped to hear a more insightful response from Qin Yu, and couldn’t help but feel a touch of disappointment.

“Let’s set that aside for now. What I want to know is, if you get caught by the ‘cat’, what talent will you perform?” Qin Yu’s sudden question made her pause.

They sat shoulder-to-shoulder, quite close, and Qin Yu placed a hand on Lin Ziyao’s soft thigh.

Lin Ziyao could even detect the faint scent of milk emanating from Qin Yu.

Feeling a little lightheaded, she managed to say, “I suppose I’d sing!”

“Still those same old songs? If I were the ‘cat’, I wouldn’t agree to that, you know!” Qin Yu half-jokingly remarked, casting a quick glance behind them.

At her words, Lin Ziyao’s skin instantly prickled with goosebumps. She whipped her head around to stare at Qin Yu.

Qin Yu, in turn, gazed back innocently, her large, sparkling eyes wide.

“Just kidding. So, can I hear what song you’re going to sing?”

Lin Ziyao let out a long, relieved breath. “You almost scared me to death!”

She then thoughtfully considered Qin Yu’s question. With only 110 action points currently, she couldn’t even exchange for an instrumental track, meaning she had to rely on her mental inventory of songs.

Fortunately, this talent performance didn’t require a full song; just a snippet would suffice. She diligently rummaged through her mind for suitable melodies.

Ultimately, she found a song that seemed fitting for the moment and softly hummed a few lines.

“Quiet summer, stars twinkling in the sky.

A little longing in my heart, longing for your face.”

However, she had barely sung a few lines when Qin Yu’s gaze turned scrutinizing.

“Longing for your face?” Qin Yu asked, her tone subtly indifferent yet probing. “Another song I haven’t heard. Is it about love?”

At Qin Yu’s words, a blush inexplicably crept up Lin Ziyao’s cheeks. “Wh-What kind of joke is that!”

“This isn’t about love! It’s about longing!”

Only then did Lin Ziyao’s voice rise a few decibels.