Hide and Seek: The Mad Girl Sees All novel Chapter 70

Chapter 70

“In theory, that’s how it works,” Lyra said, her eyes still locked on the cats. “But there are still plenty of cats who havent revealed their powers yet. Maybe some of them have no limits at all.

“And nobody knows who Silver Whisper will sense next. For all we know, it could be us,” Lyra added

With that. Lyra kept her eyes on the cats. She couldn’t see Tabby Mirage’s face, only its movements, which kept repeanng for about thirty seconds.

Then, the jewelry store’s metal shutter was pulled up from the inside, the sound of the metal slats rolling up echoing load in the pitch-black mall with no power.

Lily’s eyes went wide. ‘Is that player coming out?’ she wondered.

Albert, the player from Mapleland, walked out of the jewelry store, his posture stiff and unnatural.

His arms dangled at his sides, his steps perfectly even-left, right, left, right-like a puppet on strings.

In the darkness, Lyra couldn’t make out his expression, but from the way he walked, she could tell he was clearly mesmerized.

Lyra couldn’t see clearly, but the Live Channel viewers could see everything clearly.

Albert walked out with vacant eyes, coming to a halt right in front of the cats.

Tabby Mirage withdrew its power, the colorful patterns in its eyes fading away. It lifted its head and sat down.

“Meow,” Tabby Mirage purred. “Got you, little player!”

Albert stood frozen, his head bobbing unsteadily. The illusion faded, his eyes regained focus, and his senses finally returned.

Still dazed and confused, he was met with ten pairs of glowing eyes staring at him from the darkness.

Gold, green, amber-eyes at all heights, every single one locked onto him.

A scream escaped Albert’s throat as he spun around, bolting back toward the jewelry store.

But he barely took a step before Maine Titan darted out from the side, a heavy paw landing squarely on his back.

“Aaaah!” Albert screamed.

The force knocked him flat. His chin hit the floor, pain shot through him as he bit his tongue, and blood seeped from his mouth.

Maine Titan didn’t bother finishing him off. It drew back, stepped away, sat down, and casually licked its paw.

Albert lay sprawled on the floor, screaming a few times. When he realized nobody was coming to finish him off, he took a couple shaky breaths, pushed himself up with his hands, knees wobbling as he struggled to get up and escape.

He had just managed to stand and hadn’t even taken a step.

“Meow!” Cowcat yowled. “Catch this!”

Cowcat pushed off with all four legs, launching itself into the air. Its hind leg landed squarely on Albert’s cheek with pinpoint

accuracy.

“Smack!”

1/4

30

ว

O

O

m

111

é, Jun 30

Chapter 70

“Aaaah!” Albert screamed.

Go

His face was smashed into the floor, spun sideways, and the back of his head cracked hard against the edge of the jewelry store’s entrance step.

He was about to break down. ‘What are they doing? Can’t they just finish me off’ After Cowcat kicked him, nothing happened again. Gritting through the pain, he tried to get up. If he could survive, he would. But just as he pushed halfway

up-

“Meow meow meow!” Ambercat yowled. “Crushing you!”

Ambercat flicked its tail, waddled a couple steps, then suddenly pounced onto Albert’s back. Albert felt like a ton of bricks had landed on him, pinning him down like a nightmare.

*Smack!”

He was slammed back to the ground, all the air forced from his lungs in a muffled groan.

Ambercat settled onto his back, got comfortable, and let out a lazy yawn.

Albert lay still.

Ambercat waited three seconds, got bored, then hopped off and ruffled Albert’s hair with its paw.

Albert started struggling again.

Tigerstripe reached out a paw and slashed his calf-not too hard, not too soft.

Albert’s leg went numb instantly, the paralytic toxin spreading from the cut and leaving half his leg limp as cooked noodles.

He lay on the ground and had to drag himself forward with his hands.

Shadowcat stepped out of the shadows, circled him, and brushed its tail right across his face.

Albert finally snapped, his screams bouncing off the empty walls of the mall.

Cursing, begging, and sobbing all mixed together.

The cats crowded around him-one poked him, another swatted at him, none in any hurry.

No rush.

No killing.

Just playing.

Over on the Draconia Live Channel, the chat had already scrolled through countless rounds of comments.

momo: [I’m so conflicted right now.)

NeverAteVeggies: [A bunch of cats playing with a big guy… I don’t even know how to describe this scene.]

NeverAteMeat: [Never seen anyone die like this-just being played around by cats.]

BornToCuss: [Poor Albert, getting toyed with by ten cats, totally at their mercy.]

BornToCuss: [Not just in their hands-literally in their paws.]

214

30

m

|||

O

15:12 Tue, Jun 30

Chapter 70

GoDraconia (Honestly, I can’t tell if he’s lucky or unlucky. Lucky he’s not dead yet, but unlucky he probably wishes they d just finish him off.]

LyraSuperfan: [Doesn’t this look familiar? My cat does the same thing when it catches a mouse-lets the mouse run a couple steps, then smacks it back, lets it run again, then smacks it again.)

Nutrient GooSucks: [Cat and mouse, literally. They should’ve called this game “Midnight Cat and Mouse” instead of “Midnight Mall.”]

AnotherDayAlive: [There’s a kind of innocent cruelty to it.]

LuckyKoi: [I know it’s kind of messed up, but I hope this player can hang in there for six hours. That way, the rest of us will be safe.]

Lyra listened to the screams and watched the cats mess around, lost in thought. The game had set a six-hour timer for the hunt.

With just fifty players, and the Wraiths in a second-level mission being even stronger, the cats should’ve been able to catch everyone in three hours, easy.

After watching them, Lyra understood: the cats caught their prey but didn’t rush to kill. They knocked Albert down, waited for him to rise, then knocked him down again, over and over. Ten cats had toyed with Albert for nearly ten minutes, still not bored.

Lyra rubbed her chin, thinking, ‘Did the game designers give us six hours because they knew how mischievous these cats

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify