As Liu Shanhe led the group up to the third floor, the Bullet Comments in the live stream went wild:
Save me! Brother Zhang's straight-man filter is thicker than a bulletproof vest!
[Lord Lin, please stop researching information transfer and pay attention to the situation! This is a freaking two-way telepathic connection!]
[Lord Feng is despairing, he can't carry them! His teammates are all wooden dummies!]
[Feng Chiyu, the lonely shipper, enduring pain no one understands!]
[Actually, I think Old Liu is shipping them too! His "just friends" line was way too deliberate! He could barely suppress the smirk!]
[Got it! They're the kind of "just friends" who can perfectly guess each other's embarrassing lines, blush and run away, and hide surprises under each other's pillows! (dog face emoji)]
[Shocking! Old Liu is actually a hidden Ice Cat shipper!]
["Little Bingbing, you've worked hard" + Nie Bing's perfect answer + blushing escape = Isn't this love?! Civil Affairs Bureau, I've brought the marriage certificate, get married right here, right now!]
[Cifera is playing 4D chess! Even her riddles are love quizzes, designed to publicly humiliate her wife (scratch that) opponent! Genius, absolute genius!]
[Little Bingbing: I was just guessing! I'm so embarrassed I'm furious! My body: precisely types the answer + flees in a blush! Textbook tsundere material! Cifera, come see how adorable your wife is!]
[You're focusing on the wrong thing! Nie Bing ran off to find the "little surprise"! What did Cifera put under the pillow?! A love letter? A token of affection? Director, follow her immediately!]
[I really want to see the Patriarch's expression right now. Host Qiu Qiu, can't you ask him what he thinks about this marriage proposal?]
At the same time, in the studio...
Host Qiu Qiu had also seen the bullet comment. But when she noticed Nie Junfeng's livid expression and the way he was squeezing his thermos until it creaked, she wisely abandoned the idea of asking him that question on behalf of the audience.
Instead, she cautiously inquired, "Inspector Nie, are you... alright? The bullet comments are just playing around with memes and jokes. Please don't take them too seriously."
Hearing Host Qiu Qiu's words, Nie Junfeng forced a smile that looked more like a grimace.
"Of course, why would I take them seriously? Ha ha..."
But as he said this, his grip on the thermos tightened even further.
Seeing this, Host Qiu Qiu dared not speak again. The bullet comments, however, showed no such restraint.
[Patriarch: I successfully Poison Milked it, so why aren't I happy at all?]
[Because your precious little cotton-padded jacket was snatched away by a cat!]
[Patriarch: I refuse to consent to this marriage! Nie Family Disciple: Great! The Patriarch has cast a spell—this marriage is destined! Patriarch: Holy shit, my big mouth!]
[Patriarch, remember to invite all of us from the Nie Family to the wedding feast! We'll all be there to show our support!]
[A timid question: Are you all joking? I'm getting the vibe that Cifera and Nie Bing are just good friends.]
[Holy shit! There's an innocent soul in the comments! Everyone, laugh at them!]
The scene shifted to the third floor of the Pursuit Team's base. Liu Shanhe and his team had just arrived when they saw Nie Bing walking out of a room with a grave expression.
Before they could speak, Nie Bing flicked her wrist, sending an object flying precisely to land at Liu Shanhe's feet.
His eyes flickered as he caught the object with a swift wave of his hand.
It was a card bearing the watermark of a One-Eyed cat, along with a message. Everyone crowded around to read:
[Hello everyone~ I'm Cifera.]
[When I wrote this, I was still a member of the Expert Team.]
[By the time you read it, I'll be the number one wanted fugitive on your pursuit list.]
[Though our time together was brief, I've already come to think of you all as friends.]
[To ensure my escape, I've inevitably caused you a great deal of trouble. I trust everything has been resolved by now?]
[As an apology, I'll give you a hint:]
[Want to find me? Then remember to watch Starry's press conference. You'll find your answer there.]
[Hurry and watch! I look forward to our next meeting~]
[-Cifera, leaving her mark]
After reading the message, Liu Shanhe burst into hearty laughter:
"Hahaha! You really outdid yourself, Cifera!"
After a moment, his boisterous laughter gradually subsided. A flicker of emotion, barely discernible yet tinged with helplessness and amusement, crossed his eyes.
"We've only known each other briefly, yet she's already treating us like friends..."
Liu Shanhe murmured, repeating the words on the card. The corner of his lips curled into a wistful smile.
"This Cifera... truly a girl who makes you both love and hate her."
He raised his head, his gaze slowly sweeping across each member of the team gathered around him—
Wang Lei's exasperated amusement, Zhang Hong's burning determination, Feng Chiyu's uncontainable excitement, Lin Zhiyuan's calm focus, and Nie Bing's meticulously maintained composure, beneath which flickered a fleeting, complex emotion in the depths of her eyes—a hint of warmth born from recognition.
Finally, Liu Shanhe's gaze sharpened with sudden intensity, like a long-dormant sword finally unsheathed.
"Cifera is right," Liu Shanhe said, his voice low yet carrying a weighty force that resonated clearly in everyone's ears.
"She genuinely considers us friends, and I'm certain we all feel the same way about her. There's no doubt about that."
He paused, the warmth in his eyes abruptly replaced by a fierce battle spirit. His voice suddenly rose, ringing with unwavering determination.
"But! Precisely because we're friends, we can't let her look down on us!
"She's certainly caused us plenty of trouble, and while we've resolved those issues, do you honestly believe we solved them through our own abilities?
"Weren't we just following Cifera's script all along?
"Now, she's left us clues, hinting at where to find her. What's that supposed to be? A friendly tip? Or another test of our capabilities?!"
Liu Shanhe clenched the card tightly, a faint snap echoing as if he wanted to crush this declaration of war from his "friend" in his palm.
"I'll tell you this: this is both her sincerity as a friend and a challenge to the entire Pursuit Team's abilities!
"If Cifera dares to deliberately expose her tracks to us, then we absolutely cannot disappoint her!"
"We'll show her with our actions—we accept her friendship! But we'll personally strike back against her condescension!
"She wants a spectacular 'farewell'? Fine! We'll give her one she'll never forget, one that shows her the true weight of the Pursuit Team!"
Liu Shanhe's voice boomed like thunder, instantly igniting the blood of everyone present:
"This time, we'll make her understand just how formidable these 'friends' she's chosen truly are!"
"Yes, sir!!!"
The unified, battle-hungry roar exploded through the corridor.
The live stream instantly erupted with fervor. The abstract Bullet Comments vanished without a trace, replaced by:
[Holy shit! Old Marshal Liu just exploded! This morale boost is off the charts! From heartfelt gratitude to burning battle spirit! Is this the aura of a seasoned general?!]
[Old Liu gets it! Cifera's message is both a clue and a declaration of war! The Pursuit Team has accepted the challenge!]
[This is more like it! This is the Pursuit Team I know!]
[Little Bingbing just charged downstairs first! That speed! That murderous intent! Cifera, you'd better pray for mercy! Our (strike that) your opponent is seriously pissed!]
[Fire it up! Charge! The Pursuit Team advances! !!!]
[Cifera, I admit you're brilliant, but you've ignited the fighting spirit of every hunter here. Now, as the prey, you'll have nowhere to escape! ! !]
At the same time, at the press conference on the top floor of the Starry Headquarters Building...
The massive hall blazed with light, crowded with reporters.
In an inconspicuous corner of the press seats, Cifera, disguised as Chen Luo, was engaging in awkward small talk with her fellow journalists.
Her forced smile betrayed her status as a green rookie, fresh out of the gate.
Naturally, the seasoned veterans among her colleagues were eager to impart their professional wisdom to this charming young newcomer.
Hmm, and maybe make a new friend or exchange WeChat contacts while we're at it.
What they failed to notice was that beneath Cifera's awkward smile, a barely perceptible hint of amusement curled the corner of her lips.
The lockdown program has been successfully lifted. Little Bingbing and the others must be watching by now.
My rival actors are in position. All that's left is for the stage to officially open.
Cifera thought to herself.
For her, this cat-and-mouse chase between captor and captured had neither prey nor hunters. Everyone was merely actors, each playing their part to entertain the audience and pave her path to Godhood through a series of captivating performances.