Following Lin Zhiyuan's gaze, the director switched the camera to the third floor of the Pursuit Team's base villa.
On screen, Cifera had already arrived at Nie Bing's door.
She first knocked lightly, then said, "Little Bingbing, I'm coming in~"
Earlier, she had texted Nie Bing to say she'd be taking photos, so Nie Bing had already begun pretending to be unconscious.
The Production Team had also confirmed with Nie Bing that Cifera's entry into the room could be broadcast live.
Upon opening the door, Cifera's first glance landed on the breakfast plate she had brought Nie Bing that morning, now completely empty.
It was clear Little Bingbing had thoroughly enjoyed her breakfast.
Remembering Nie Bing's earnest expression when she had solemnly declared, "I'm unconscious, I can't eat your breakfast," Cifera couldn't help but smile wryly.
Tsundere, much, Little Bingbing? In the end, you couldn't resist the allure of this cat's gourmet cooking.
After silently teasing Nie Bing, Cifera approached the bed.
Nie Bing lay motionless with her eyes closed, flat on her back.
She was still wearing the same police uniform she'd had on before "collapsing" the previous day, and hadn't even removed her shoes.
Her dedication to her role was evident in every detail.
The director, ever astute, focused the camera on Nie Bing, ensuring the live stream audience fully appreciated her professionalism.
[Oh my god, Goddess Nie Bing is still acting!]
[She hasn't even changed her clothes! She's really... I'm crying my eyes out!]
[To be fair, Little Bingbing's figure is stunning. She might not be as busty as Cifera, but even lying down, her curves are breathtaking.]
[The director is a pro, seriously! Looks like extra chicken legs for dinner tonight!]
[Another day of envying Cifera. I wish I could do whatever I wanted to Goddess Nie Bing too!]
[You shrimp-brained pervert! Get lost! Cifera's taking proper photos here!]
[Speaking of proper photos, I have to mention my idol, a legendary photographer named Chen.]
[May the upstairs neighbor find eternal peace and happiness. My email address is XXX.]
While the Bullet Comments devolved into chaotic nonsense,
On screen, Cifera made no pretense of restraint, continuously posing the recumbent Nie Bing in various positions suitable for Photoshopping into the group photo. She snapped a flurry of shots with her phone: "Click, click, click!"
The number of photos seemed to far exceed what was needed for the group shot.
But Cifera reasoned that taking extra shots to ensure the best possible outcome was perfectly justified.
Little Bingbing would definitely understand.
Still, it was hard on Little Bingbing. Though "unconscious," her face flushed slightly from the constant posing and repositioning.
After all, even though she didn't have to move herself, Cifera's endless poses and elaborate setups were still a bit exhausting.
Just then, a knock sounded at the door, and Lin Zhiyuan's voice called out:
"Nie Bing, Cifera, are you in there? Can I come in?"
"Little Bingbing and I are taking selfies—not a good time!" Cifera replied without hesitation.
According to the Production Team's rules, Cifera couldn't let Lin Zhiyuan see Nie Bing at this moment. Officially, Nie Bing was supposed to be bound and unconscious.
Although Lin Zhiyuan had already realized Nie Bing was being controlled due to the unusual circumstances, this was still an exceptional situation outside the established rules. Until Cifera's Wanted Poster was officially issued, everyone had to maintain a tacit understanding of the truth.
In the normal program flow, he was required to pretend he didn't know Nie Bing was being controlled.
This was also why Lin Zhiyuan and the others hadn't mentioned Nie Bing during the earlier group photo session.
However, the so-called "group photo" itself had already deviated from the normal program flow and was, in effect, another exceptional circumstance.
After all, according to the normal course of the show, Cifera would still be a member of the Pursuit Team at this point. She wouldn't know she was about to be declared a fugitive, so she wouldn't be seeking group photos.
Therefore, when Cifera had discussed the unconscious Nie Bing with Lin Zhiyuan during the earlier photo session, there was no violation of protocol.
But now, things were different. Under normal circumstances, it would be perfectly plausible for Cifera to enter Nie Bing's room to take photos with her. As far as Lin Zhiyuan knew, Nie Bing was in a normal, communicative state.
So Lin Zhiyuan continued to play along, feigning awkwardness as he said, "Alright... Sorry to bother you. I'll come back later when you're done."
With that, his expression returned to calm. He stood outside the door, waiting patiently.
The entire performance earlier had been solely to confirm whether Cifera was indeed in Nie Bing's room.
Now that he had confirmed her location, all that remained was to wait for her to emerge.
A vague outline of Cifera's escape plan had already begun to form in his mind. Perhaps, the moment she stepped out of that door, everything would become clear.
Inside the room.
After Lin Zhiyuan outside the door fell silent, Cifera gazed thoughtfully toward the entrance.
She stopped taking photos, picked up her phone, and texted the Production Team's liaison:
[I'm going to change clothes in Nie Bing's room now. You can't live stream the room's footage anymore.]
The liaison replied quickly:
[The live stream signal has already been switched to outside the door.]
[Okay, thank you for your help.]
Putting her phone away, Cifera looked at Nie Bing on the bed and smiled:
"Alright, the room isn't being streamed anymore. You can drop the act now."
Hearing Cifera's words, Nie Bing let out a sigh of relief, slowly opened her eyes, and sat up with a speechless expression.
"You seemed to be having quite a lot of fun just now, didn't you?"
"Ha ha, it was alright. How about you? Did those stretches feel good?"
"That's actually true. My body feels much more relaxed now. Your technique is quite unique—I've never experienced anything like it before."
"It's my own special method. No wonder you haven't seen it before."
Though outwardly Cifera was posing Nie Bing for photos, she subtly incorporated her unique Cipher-style massage and kneading techniques throughout the session.
After all, in the original novel, Cipher had spent much of her childhood scrambling for survival in the streets, inevitably accumulating frequent injuries and pain. This particular set of techniques had been taught to her by a seasoned thief skilled in massage therapy.
By the end of the session, almost all of the fatigue that had built up in Nie Bing's body the previous day had been eliminated. After all, Cifera's conscience was huge, and she could never truly let Little Bingbing suffer.
Next, Cifera walked over to the room's wardrobe and opened it without a word.
"Little Bingbing, I'm borrowing your clothes. But since you're unconscious, you don't really have a choice, do you?"
"What are you planning?" Nie Bing couldn't help but ask, a sense of foreboding washing over her.
In response, Cifera raised a slender, pale finger to her rosy lips, gesturing for silence. A mischievous smile curved her lips.
"It's a sec~ret~."