On the Pursuit Team's side, several players had been reported simultaneously.
Based on Cifera's intelligence, they planned to split into three teams, each targeting different suspects.
After completing their initial captures, they would redeploy based on Cifera's updated information, prioritizing targets closest to their current positions.
When fewer than three suspects remained, they would collaborate on coordinated captures until all reported players were eliminated.
"Everyone clear on the plan? With Cifera as our 'super scout,' let's push hard and eliminate all the suspects within a day!"
Liu Shanhe's voice crackled through the team's comm channel, his enthusiasm palpable.
"Understood!"
The Expert Team members, including Nie Bing, responded with renewed enthusiasm.
Their recent capture of Zhiyin had vividly demonstrated just how exhilarating it was to have Cifera's intelligence support.
They barely needed to think; all they had to do was follow the routes Cifera provided, relentlessly advancing until they captured the contestants hiding at their destinations.
The entire process felt like cheating, almost as if they had planted trackers directly on the contestants.
Of course, they knew the cheat wasn't them—it was Cifera!
Despite possessing such terrifying cyber reconnaissance capabilities, none of them had ever heard of her before—not even Liu Shanhe, a highly respected veteran of the Police Force.
Such complete obscurity strongly suggested she was a super-talented individual secretly cultivated by the state.
"Glad you all understand. By the way, Cifera, are you still there?"
"Yes, Old Liu, I'm listening."
"Good. Cifera, even though you're not physically in the field, you're actually working the hardest among us. Remember, if you get tired, you can slow down the intelligence flow. Let the others use their brains a bit more too, now and then."
"Alright, I'll keep that in mind. But to be honest, this workload is pretty average for me—it's not too much of a burden. You guys are the ones constantly running around outside. Even if it doesn't require much thinking, make sure to get enough rest!"
"..."
This blatant display of superiority left the Expert Team members speechless.
[Expert Team: We want to use our brains too, but you're not giving us the chance!]
[Ha ha, Cat God's words are so cutting.]
[You guys don't get it. Cifera's actually lulling these experts into a false sense of security. They think they're cheating, but the players are cheating too. There'll be plenty of time for them to use their brains later.]
[Exactly! As long as Cifera keeps leaking information with a slight time delay, always keeping the players one step ahead of the experts, this game can go on forever. For the experts, it'll be a double drain on both their physical stamina and mental energy.]
[Cat God's treating the Pursuit Team like mice, playing with them for amusement. I almost feel sorry for those experts.]
As the audience above had predicted, the situation quickly devolved into a prolonged cat-and-mouse game orchestrated by Cifera.
Each time the Pursuit Team, acting on Cifera's intelligence, thought they were about to capture a contestant, they invariably arrived just a step too late. The target had already slipped away, exploiting blind spots in the camera coverage.
Moments later, they would receive fresh intelligence from Cifera and rush to the next location, only to find the same scenario repeating itself. The contestants consistently evaded capture, employing various methods to escape their pursuers.
The only exception was a female influencer who performed disastrously. Caught stealing snacks from a convenience store by the owner, she was immediately disqualified. The remaining contestants, however, successfully weathered the initial capture window and secured their points.
After yet another escape by their target, Liu Shanhe promptly initiated an emergency voice conference:
"I don't need to spell out the situation—it's critical! Everyone, share your thoughts. Let's brainstorm together."
"I'll go first!" Lin Zhiyuan's voice was unusually grave. "Hasn't everyone noticed something deeply illogical? These contestants are constantly fleeing, making no attempt to find a hiding place."
"It's as if they knew they'd be found if they didn't keep running.
"But this is utterly illogical!
"They can't watch the live stream, so there's no way they could know we have Cifera—our cheat-code-level intelligence asset.
"Even with maximum caution, they couldn't possibly maintain this constant state of evasion indefinitely. If it were just one player doing this, I wouldn't suspect anything. But with all of them acting this way, I have to suspect they're receiving coordinated instructions from a central commander!
"This commander has a comprehensive understanding of our movements and consistently alerts the players to safe routes just before we arrive.
"If I had to name a potential commander right now, I'd say it's—Cifera!"
As Lin Zhiyuan's words hung in the air, the voice channel fell into an eerie silence.
Meanwhile, the live stream's Bullet Comments exploded:
[Holy shit! Lord Lin pulls off the comeback at the critical moment!]
[It actually makes sense. It's impossible for all the players to be cheating. Someone as intellectually sharp as Lin Zhiyuan was bound to notice eventually.]
[Does this mean Cifera's undercover mission is over?]
[It's been enough. Cifera already stole all the Pursuit Team's intel. The Hell Start is basically over.]
[No! I still want to see Cifera outsmart the Expert Team!]
[You're worrying too soon. This is just Lin Zhiyuan's speculation. I believe Cifera can pull this off.]
[Exactly! Cifera is a super genius who even managed to fool Old Liu. Do you really think she wouldn't have anticipated that the Expert Team would notice her helping the contestants? She clearly has a backup plan.]
[That makes sense!]
The Bullet Comments section erupted in heated debate over whether Cifera was about to be exposed.
Meanwhile, Liu Ruyan, who had been seething with frustration as Cifera led the Expert Team on a wild goose chase, finally felt vindicated.
"Cifera, let's see how you get out of this. Having fun earlier? Well, things are about to get a lot more uncomfortable for you."
At the table behind her, the two men who had been nursing their tea for hours were truly suffering.
Just moments ago, Liu Ruyan had looked ready to storm out in frustration. Now, she was suddenly smiling again.
Is she going to stay even longer?! At this rate, we'll end up having dinner and a midnight snack here too!
Thinking this, the two men watching the live stream simultaneously rooted for Cifera, hoping she would quickly turn the tables, drive the rich woman mad, and make her leave so they could finally seize their opportunity to act.
Back in the live stream...
After Lin Zhiyuan's bombshell revelation, the others remained silent for a moment.
The possibility Lin Zhiyuan raised had crossed everyone's minds to some extent. After all, besides the Production Team, the only person who knew all the Pursuit Team's movements was Cifera, who was currently manipulating everything from the technical console.
But the possibility was infinitesimally small—practically zero!
"Matches the three keywords on the promotional poster," "Certified by Liu Shanhe, the top microexpression expert," and the unique "Expert Team invitation letter"—these three factors combined were irrefutable proof of Cifera's status as an Expert Team member.
Everyone knew Lin Zhiyuan didn't genuinely believe Cifera was the mole. He must have something more to say.
"But everyone knows Cifera couldn't possibly be the mole—"
Before Lin Zhiyuan could finish, Cifera cut him off with a smile:
"Not so fast! Isn't there a saying that when you've eliminated all other possibilities, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth?
"Perhaps I really am a player who infiltrated the Pursuit Team?
"Don't forget, there are still two players who haven't made a single move. Maybe I'm one of them?"
Even though Lin Zhiyuan had already dismissed this theory, Cifera was now arguing against herself?
What is she trying to do?!
The viewers in the live stream were utterly baffled.