Chapter 303: White Cat

Fang Ye gained a new understanding of the Alien Species.

Before, he only knew that his employer was named Cheng Shian and had a cousin named Geng Minghui. Now, he knew Cheng Shian was called Xing Guang, Geng Minghui was called Gray Rat, and they also had a partner named Bai Mao.

The body Bai Mao had taken over belonged to a young woman of eighteen or nineteen. She had monolids, willow-leaf eyebrows, and fair skin, her cheeks still holding a bit of childish baby fat. But the way she looked at Fang Ye was like she was looking at a dog or an insect, filled with a superior, condescending coldness.

Xing Guang had specifically called Bai Mao in alone to introduce her to Fang Ye. He said with a smile, “Bai Mao, this is our new partner. His name is Fang Ye.”

Fang Ye detected the mockery in Xing Guang’s tone.

‘What kind of partner am I? I’m obviously a prisoner to these Alien Species right now! Gray Rat and the others are just downstairs; I don’t dare make a single rash move!’

If he had any backbone, he would risk his life and fight them to the death right now. But he hesitated, despising himself for his own cowardice.

Bai Mao shot Fang Ye a cold glance, her face devoid of expression.

“Why did you find a human to be a partner?” she asked.

Although it was a question, there was no curiosity in her tone. It was as if she had just asked casually, unconcerned with Xing Guang’s reasons.

Xing Guang said, “If a hidden boss can have players as partners, why can’t we have a human as a partner? From now on, you’ll be in charge of him. His Card might be useless, but he’s a human, after all. It’s more convenient for him to enter and exit certain places than it is for us.”

“Understood,” Bai Mao replied.

Fang Ye thought to himself, ‘Aren’t they worried I’ll run away? Or that I’ll call the Inspection Bureau? Why are they so confident? Have they done something to my body, something that will let them detect any unusual movement?’

Just then, Bai Mao said, “Gray Rat keeps complaining. Can you give him something to do? He’s too boisterous.”

Xing Guang chuckled. “Don’t mind him. He’s just gotten full of himself after absorbing a new Card. For now, call in the players you brought. We’ll have to put in some effort if we want to lure out the puppet master.”

Bai Mao turned to leave, but Xing Guang stopped her again. “Wait. Take him with you.”

Bai Mao glanced back at Fang Ye and said, “Follow me.”

Fang Ye hesitated for a few seconds. Seeing that Bai Mao was already out the door, he glanced at Xing Guang before steeling himself and following her.

Hearing his footsteps behind her, Bai Mao continued walking without turning back. “Xing Guang put you with me,” she stated, her voice devoid of emotion. “Until you’re given a task, you don’t have to do anything. Your only job is to stick close to me. Where I go, you go. Where I sleep, you sleep. Ask if you have questions, and shut up if you don’t. You’d better not have any questions. I don’t like noise.”

Fang Ye asked, “What should I call you? Bai Mao, like the others?”

‘Does an organization of Alien Species have a hierarchy with titles, like ‘boss’ or something?’ he wondered.

Bai Mao paused for a moment and glanced back at him. “My name is White Cat, but they started calling me Bai Mao, and it stuck. You can call me Bai Mao like them. My player nickname is Zhou Jiayi, which is what you humans would call a name.”

Fang Ye replied, “Then I’ll call you White Cat from now on.”

Hearing this, Bai Mao looked him up and down, a half-smile on her face. “You’re an interesting one. You don’t even know if you’ll live to see tomorrow. Is a name really that important?”

Fang Ye’s face turned pale. He pressed his lips together and said nothing.

It was true he could die at any moment. He had only said that because he wanted to use her correct name.

‘Besides… isn’t a name important? My greatest dream is to make my own name a household one.’

Bai Mao stood her ground and asked him, “Any other questions?”

Fang Ye gritted his teeth and asked in a low voice, “Mr. Cheng… I mean, Xing Guang. Why did he make me follow you? Aren’t you… aren’t you guys afraid I’ll run away?”

Bai Mao’s brow furrowed slightly, her eyes filled with contempt. “You must not know what his Card is. That’s why you’d ask such a stupid question.”

Fang Ye was confused.

Bai Mao added, “Listen. In front of Xing Guang, none of us have any secrets.”

“You mean… he has a Mind Reading Technique?” Fang Ye asked tentatively.

“Not a Mind Reading Technique, but it’s close enough,” Bai Mao said, her expression indifferent. “He can see through to our very essence. So, he had you follow me not because he isn’t afraid you’ll run, but because he knows you *won’t* run. You won’t resist. He saw right through you—saw what kind of person you are—and that’s why he made this decision. Understand?”

The color drained from Fang Ye’s face, only to be replaced by a creeping blush.

Bai Mao let out a soft, mocking laugh. “You could also try to resist. That way, we could all laugh at Xing Guang for being wrong for once. The thought is actually quite amusing.”

Fang Ye stood rooted to the spot, his face flushed crimson, unable to utter a single word.

His mind was a mess, and he was completely engulfed in a secret sense of shame.

But no one cared about his feelings. After saying her piece, Bai Mao walked straight to the stairs and headed down to the first floor.

Fang Ye stood there for a moment before following her downstairs. He felt his head hang even lower, his spine bend even further…

…

Many people were sitting around on the first floor. Fang Ye didn’t count them precisely, but he estimated there were seventeen or eighteen.

Bai Mao picked three people from the group and told them to go upstairs to see Xing Guang on their own. Then, she led Fang Ye to the villa’s underground garage.

Two people were tied up in the garage: Cheng Shian’s driver and his secretary.

When they saw Fang Ye come down, they immediately began to struggle violently, muffled cries escaping from their gagged mouths. But upon seeing Bai Mao, the hope in their eyes turned back to despair.

“This is what happens when you betray us,” Bai Mao said, her face expressionless. “They suspected that Cheng Shian had been taken over by a player. Xing Guang sensed it, so he locked them up here. Nothing gets past Xing Guang.”

Fang Ye took it as a warning to himself.

Bai Mao continued, “However, the disappearance of these two will eventually attract the Inspection Bureau’s attention. The Cheng Shian identity probably won’t be usable for much longer. We need to execute our plan as soon as possible.”

She turned her head and asked Fang Ye, “Can you drive?”

Fang Ye hesitated before nodding.

A satisfied look appeared on Bai Mao’s face. “When it’s light out, I’m taking you somewhere.”

Fang Ye asked, “…Where?”

“An incinerator,” Bai Mao said, the corners of her mouth turning up in a strange smile. “There’s a show being put on there tomorrow, and you need to familiarize yourself with the route beforehand.”

Fang Ye asked warily, “What… show?”

Bai Mao just smiled. “You’ll find out tomorrow.”

She didn’t say, but Fang Ye’s intuition told him this show definitely had something to do with Feng Ling.

Because Xing Guang had told him he was to be a member of the audience.