DSMC Chapter 19.1

Yan Jiyun was glad he was a cat who couldn’t speak. If he were in human form right now and said anything in response to Lin Xie, the other party would definitely grow even more suspicious of him.

Yan Jiyun’s little heart pounded nervously. How was he supposed to escape?

Suddenly, the clothes covering his head were lifted away. His paws were shifted so that his front legs were supported under the armpits, and then he was scooped up.

With his legs dangling in the air, Yan Jiyun felt no sense of security at all. He bunny kicked, trying to break free, but Boss Lin’s grip was strong, and his arms were long. No matter how he struggled, his kicks never reached him. Yan Jiyun decided to curl his stomach and aim a kick upward toward the man’s wrist, but as if anticipating his move, Lin Xie caught both his front paws in one hand and grabbed his hind legs with the other!

Yan Jiyun: “…”

Were all these NPCs trained by the system on how to handle cats?!

“You really do have strength, quite a kicker too.” Boss Lin successfully restrained him, yet his tone carried no odd excitement. In fact, Lin Xie’s handling was rather gentle?

Of course he’d struggle. He wasn’t an idiot. Why would he just wait to be tormented by an NPC?

No matter how he twisted, Boss Lin held him firmly, not allowing him to break free.

Yan Jiyun wisely decided to stop fighting, lying in wait for an opportunity, biding his time until the other loosened his hold.

When he finally went still, Boss Lin relaxed, then wrapped him up in the coat that had been covering him.

He said, “I shouldn’t have taken the coat off just now. This way, you can’t wriggle around.”

Wrapped inside the garment, with only his head sticking out, Yan Jiyun looked rather strange, like a mole poking its head out of the ground.

He stared tensely at Boss Lin. This was a man who valued cleanliness, though not to the level of obsession, otherwise he wouldn’t have wrapped up a cat that had just scrambled through cages, leapt across tables, and darted everywhere in a freshly changed coat.

Boss Lin lightly rubbed the back of his neck with a finger. “Your fur is pretty smooth.”

Yan Jiyun thought, of course it is. His pooper scooper fed him fish oil every day. If his coat wasn’t glossy, that would’ve been strange.

Boss Lin slid open the drawer Yan Jiyun had managed to pull at earlier, and retrieved a sealed bag of crispy little dried fish.

Don’t ask him how he knew just from sight that they were fragrant and crunchy — his owner often fried some for him too. Crispy, crackling bites, wonderfully aromatic.

Boss Lin shook the bag. “This is what you were looking for, isn’t it?”

So Boss Lin hadn’t discovered that he was a player after all. What a false alarm… as long as he didn’t notice, all was well.

Did this bag of dried fish mean Boss Lin had some little secrets of his own? Were they meant for cats, or did he keep them as snacks for himself?

Right in front of him, Boss Lin tore open the seal. Yan Jiyun’s eyes couldn’t help but follow the dried fish inside.

For a cat, these little fish were a fatal temptation. Boss Lin really knew cats well.

He’d been caught, yet not thrown back in the cage. Didn’t that mean Boss Lin was a cat lover?

The savory smell of the dried fish reached Yan Jiyun’s nose, nearly breaking his concentration.

Boss Lin dangled one whole fish in front of him, voice tinged with mischief, “This little dried fish is very fragrant. Want some?” 

Yan Jiyun twitched his nose, inhaling the clean, pure scent of the fish.

The snack was practically touching his lips. Was he supposed to eat it or not?

Could an NPC’s food be eaten?

He thought back: the fish earlier had been given by Lin Boss too. Now it was dried fish. The man didn’t seem malicious. Maybe after feeding him, he’d even let him go?

Unable to resist his instincts, Yan Jiyun opened his mouth and bit down. No additives, no salt, so it was harmless to his stomach. Besides, he needed the energy to keep hunting clues and clear this instance.

Yan Jiyun happily munched on the fragrant dried fish. It was indeed crunchy, crispy, practically melting in his mouth. Definitely perfectly fried. Whoever chef that cooked this had skill equal to his own shit shoveler.

As expected of a restaurant owner’s chosen delicacy. It was delicious, 10/10 highly recommended.

Crunch, crunch, crunch.

[Livestream Channel] 

“Boss Lin is acting weird!”

“Fuck, isn’t this instance supposed to be different? I’ve seen other streamers run to this man. Boss Lin looks gentle but is actually cold and distant. Is he OOC? Why is he feeding dried fish to a cat? Boss Lin, blink twice if you’ve been kidnapped by the kitty!”

“I’m so confused. But Mimi is eating the fish so deliciously… my mouth is watering all over the floor.”

“I thought this was a thrilling game stream, supposed to get our hearts racing. Turns out it’s a food broadcast. At midnight. Now I am now starving.”

“Already ordered delivery.”

After watching him eat one, Boss Lin seemed to thoroughly enjoy the sight, and pulled out another. This time Yan Jiyun didn’t even wait to be tempted. He opened his mouth eagerly.

“These are my own fried dried fish. You’re lucky, little kitty. Not every cat gets to eat them. The ones I fried less well, I fed to the strays. Unfortunately, all the cats around the restaurant have vanished lately. Yesterday’s news said there’s a psycho in the area, specializing in snatching cats to torture them. You’d better be careful not to get caught, okay?” 

Those words were so offensive that Yan Jiyun immediately felt the fish lost its flavor.

Of course there’d be psychos in the instance. He hadn’t forgotten the doctor from the first one — the one who killed children, buried bodies, and collected eyeballs.

If they appeared in the last instance, then there’d definitely be some here too.

But if there really were NPCs like the ones Boss Lin mentioned in this instance, then he should all the more stay inside the restaurant and go nowhere else.

For now, it didn’t seem like Boss Lin had any twisted hobbies of that sort.

Animals have an instinctive ability to seek benefit and avoid harm. Back in the real world, there were quite a few people in his neighborhood who disliked cats and dogs. Usually, just one look from a distance was enough for him to sense whether someone liked small animals or not. People who liked them would have relaxed, gentle expressions when they saw them, a desire to get closer. People who didn’t like them wore their disgust or impatience openly on their faces, their aura clashing with his entirely.

Once, his owner had hired a cleaning lady from a housekeeping company. The first time she came, Yan Jiyun happened to be sunbathing outside, so he didn’t meet her. The second time she came, though, he was lying comfortably on the sofa. She wanted to wipe it down, so she went to shoo him away. Other cleaners might lightly nudge him, letting him leave on his own. He was, after all, the client’s pet.

But this particular lady looked at him with pure malice in her eyes. She raised her hand to strike him. If he hadn’t reacted quickly, that slap would have landed squarely on him.

After he bolted away, she even cursed at him: “Stupid cat.”

When he later heard his owner coming down the stairs, he deliberately pawed some soil out of a flowerpot onto the freshly cleaned floor and stomped on it to dirty the place. The lady grabbed the mop and jabbed it at him. At that exact moment, his owner saw everything. In the end, the Qi Feng immediately stopped the cleaner’s violent behavior, called the company on the spot, and had her fired.

From then on, whenever cleaning was scheduled, his pooper scooper always stayed home to make sure the cat wouldn’t be bullied by outsiders again.

So, if anyone in this instance harbored ill will toward him, Yan Jiyun would sense it immediately.

He hadn’t felt any such malice from Boss Lin. The man genuinely seemed to enjoy feeding him the little dried fish.

Yan Jiyun munched obediently on the snacks, not struggling at all, and Boss Lin’s mood improved.

[System: Found 1/3 of Lin Xie’s secret] 

[Secret details: In his free time, Boss Lin enjoys frying small fish and feeding them to the stray cats around the restaurant.]

[Note: Only you know this. Don’t tell anyone else, or Boss Lin will be very angry.]

One-third progress meant that there were two more secrets. What were the second and third ones?

And honestly, it’s not like anyone else would know anyway. Even if he meowed, no one would understand him.

Just as he was biting into his sixth dried fish, there was a knock on the office door.

The treat he was about to eat was promptly snatched away and sealed back into the bag, which went snap into the drawer.

Watching the fish disappear, Yan Jiyun actually felt a little disappointed. They smelled so good He should’ve eaten faster to sneak in two more pieces.

The next moment, Boss Lin unwrapped the coat he’d draped around him, giving him back his freedom.

He shook the coat out, tossed it on the chair, and went to open the door. The whole movement was so smooth, as if practiced countless times. Yan Jiyun was stunned, but that didn’t stop him from hopping off the desk before the door opened.

Now that he’d been discovered, there was no chance of snooping in the office again.

Boss Lin unlocked the door, and as soon as it swung open, Yan Jiyun darted out. Since Boss Lin wasn’t restraining him anymore, it meant he was tacitly allowed to roam the restaurant. As long as he was careful not to get caught, he’d be fine.

He hid in a large hallway vase and eavesdropped on Boss Lin’s conversation with the visitor.

It was He Xiaobi, the waiter who had picked up the handgun earlier.

Boss Lin’s gaze passed over He Xiaobi and landed on the little black cat poking half his head out from behind the vase. Adorable. His lips curved into a smile, one that was completely different from the professional smile he wore for customers, as this one was genuine.

He Xiaobi asked, “Boss, the Midnight Meal event is about to start. Do you want to go down to watch?”

Boss Lin nodded. “Of course.”

A new piece of information, there was a Midnight Meal event?

At that same moment, all the players heard a system notification.

[Player Yan Jiyun gained +5 Favorability with Lin Xie.]

In the last instance, Yan Jiyun had already maxed out Li Muyang’s favorability. So this time, he wasn’t that surprised to gain points with Boss Lin. What puzzled him was why could he even build favorability with Lin Xie? The man clearly looked like a villain.

Meanwhile, downstairs, the players were buzzing with curiosity. He Xiaobi had just gone upstairs to deliver a task, and suddenly the system announced someone had gained Boss Lin’s favorability. Did that mean he’d seduced him somehow?

That was really lowering oneself… And besides, what use was there in raising Boss Lin’s favorability?

Either way, since Boss Lin was going down to see the event, Yan Jiyun had to follow. Whether he was the villain or not, he was definitely an important figure in the instance. Following him was the safest bet.

He openly trailed after Boss Lin. That +5 favorability helped. Lin Xie didn’t chase him out of the restaurant.

Some guests downstairs disliked him, though, so he stayed alert, hiding his form. Once down, Yan Jiyun quickly found a good spot to stay concealed.

Meanwhile, He Xiaobi — who had accompanied Boss Lin downstairs — became the focus of the other players’ suspicion.

After all, he had been the only one to go upstairs and interact with Boss Lin. Surely he must be Player Yan Jiyun.

All the guests were now gathered in the lounge area, while Yan Jiyun squatted in the unlit center of the room. He perched on a chair turned sideways to everyone else. As long as the lights stayed off, nobody would spot him.

He observed several players disguised as guests watching He Xiaobi closely. His mind clicked: the system message earlier must’ve been visible to everyone.

So favorability notifications appeared on the public screen.

If the others mistook He Xiaobi for him, then anything odd he did later could be pinned on that identity. That way, no one would suspect him.

What he really wanted to know now was what exactly was this Midnight Meal event? Did only the players not know about it? Or were there guests in the dark too?

When Boss Lin came downstairs, Deputy Manager Liang said, “Boss, everything is ready. Shall we begin?”

Boss Lin: “Begin.”

Deputy Liang signaled to the waiters, then led He Xiaobi and the others toward the seated guests.

He announced, “Ladies and gentlemen, our restaurant’s Midnight Meal event is about to begin. During the event, recording and taking photos is strictly forbidden. Please hand over all personal belongings to our staff for safekeeping.”

The players, mixed in among the guests, had no idea what was going on. But they all pretended like they did, straining their acting skills.

Among the ten players, Yan Jiyun remembered Mrs. Jiang, Mr. Jiang, and Wen Nanxing the most. He’d seen them before, and even shared a ride with Wen Nanxing.

Wen Nanxing was clearly a social butterfly. He’d been chatting happily with three girls who had traveled from out of town, picking up plenty of information about the restaurant.

“Midnight Diner” had exploded in popularity a year ago, spreading across the internet, promoted on every video platform. Countless netizens dreamed of checking in. Even though its location was remote, people still flocked to it. Supposedly, once someone visited once, they’d be hooked, craving a second visit, completely addicted.

Since opening, the restaurant had been fully booked every night. However, it only opened to regular customers four nights a week. The other three nights were by special reservation only, serving a mere 50 guests.

These 50 “lucky” customers were handpicked personally by the owner. Without an invite code, one couldn’t even step inside; the waiters would stop them at the door.

Also, before 10 PM, the menu was fairly ordinary, nothing unusual. But after midnight, the true purpose of the restaurant was revealed: the Midnight Meal. Not everyone knew this. Only those chosen, who signed confidentiality agreements, were aware. Each entered under different identities. The restaurant was shrouded in secrecy.

So that explained why he and Wen Nanxing hadn’t been stopped when they entered. The waiters hadn’t chased him away either. They were both considered “qualified” customers.

From eavesdropping, Yan Jiyun had pieced together some crucial details.

Once the waiters collected everyone’s belongings, they handed out wristbands resembling smart fitness trackers.

When they finished, there was still one left. Deputy Liang asked, “Ladies and gentlemen, is there anyone here who hasn’t received a wristband?”

All the players turned toward He Xiaobi. Of course, he was the one who’d just gained NPC favorability. What a performance. He could even pretend not to take a wristband!

Yan Jiyun: “…”

He looked around. Everyone had one except him. He felt just a tiny bit aggrieved.

After waiting a while, Deputy Liang pocketed the extra device, stepped onto a temporary platform, and announced: “Perhaps one guest couldn’t make it tonight. No matter, we won’t wait. Before we reveal the rules of the event, please put the wristbands on your right hand.”

Why wristbands?

Yan Jiyun edged closer to Wen Nanxing, finding a spot where he could clearly observe the wristband.

They looked a lot like fitness trackers. The material seemed special. Once placed on the wrist, a gentle press on both sides made it snap snugly into place.

The players, unlike the ordinary guests, didn’t dare put them on immediately. They first observed carefully, checking whether the wristbands could be taken off at will.

The surface of the wristband was smooth, quite different from a watch. They couldn’t figure out any way to remove it. To wear it or not, that was the big question.