Fu Yi felt as though she had heard a joke.

But the joke was not at all funny.

She had been captured and brought here just to save herself? Nothing could feel more absurd than that.

"Have you ever pondered, child?"

After the sweet meal had ended, the Cat Chef Mother wiped the corner of her mouth. She spread her paws out solemnly on the table and asked, "Thinking makes one wise, but it also brings pain... However, without thought, one is doomed to ignorance forever, becoming a monster without even knowing."

Fu Yi frowned. "And thinking prevents that?"

"After thinking, you realize you've become a monster, just like us."

The Cat Chef Mother shook her head as if in self-mockery. "The more we think, the more we fear—fear for our Future, fear for the coming of the end."

She said, "Fear of death..."

"What choices will you make before the destined destruction arrives? Will you struggle to survive at all costs, or will you give up all struggles and beg for mercy from the heavens? Or will you resist, even though it's beyond your power?"

Surrounding the Cat Chef Mother, voices seemed to overlap, solemnly echoing back, "Have you ever thought about the Future, child? Your Future... In this dark world, is there any brightness to your Future? Will you face death one distant day?"

"We have thought it through."

The Cat Chef Mother declared, "And then, we came to a conclusion, and ultimately, we came here... Now, we have come to greet you."

She said, "It's that simple."

Fu Yi shook her head. "Honestly, I don't see the connection between your conclusion and the Illusion Technique before my eyes."

"This is precisely the answer and result we thought out."

The Cat Chef Mother tapped the table, and suddenly, the snowstorm outside came to an abrupt halt. Following that, the sun shone brightly, and a myriad of strange flowers and plants sprouted from the fertile land.

Dazzling Phantoms flickered continuously outside the window and within the room, with curious eyes peeping in from time to time.

They seemed like boys, Teenage Girls, old people, or perhaps none of those.

Thousands of cats sat in trees, on the ground, on beams, on tables, on chairs, and even next to Fu Yi, craning their necks, carefully scrutinizing the newcomer.

They called out softly in a friendly manner. Some bolder ones even rubbed against her, wanting to play with her.

Fu Yi, somewhat flustered, floated up, keeping the cats at a distance. Turning her head back, she looked at the Cat Chef Mother. "These... they're all illusions, right?"

"Exactly."

All the cats spoke in unison: "What you're seeing is the measure and achievement our kind has made in response to Doomsday, a Shelter in the void.

Since death is inescapable, we can postpone this day indefinitely... Before the arrival of our destined extinction, we can find salvation and peaceful slumber in the endlessly prolonged time.

And now, what we want is simply to share this peace with you.

Outsider, don't yearn for the world outside that's fated to sink into destruction. Why not stay here? Stay in this fantasy land that can satisfy all your desires?"

Fu Yi fell silent.

Her instincts could sense the sincerity in their words, as well as the fear of Doomsday inherited in her very bloodline.

This world was going to be destroyed.

There was no doubt about it.

If they weren't hiding anything from her, then dragging the two of them in here was indeed an unsolicited act of kindness on their part... In this cruel world, what could be more precious than happiness and tranquility before death?

After a long silence, she suddenly asked, "What if I refuse?"

A white cat said, "Then it means... you haven't grasped it..."

The Black Cat said, "Perhaps, you just don't understand."

The Striped Cat tilted its head. "What's not to like here?"

"Outside, you have to brave the elements," the grey cat said. "Enduring hunger and pain, but here, there's no sorrow or despair..."

The Persian Cat lifted its eyes. "Reality and falsehood truly have no difference."

"Doomsday will never arrive."

The Calico Cat's kitten walked by her, looked up at her, and said, "Before destruction arrives, we can all die in happiness and peace."

"You're just still clinging to the outer world."

The Cat Chef Mother, as kind as a grandmother, picked up the kitten and held it in her arms. "How about a bet?"

"What bet?"

"Let us prove to you that there is no difference between the outside and the Shelter."

The Cat Chef Mother said, "Everything here is available in abundance. No matter what kind of life you want to live or what kind of things you want to have, you can be satisfied. We will prove this to you."

"How will you prove it?" Fu Yi furrowed her brow.

"Make a wish, child."

All the cats spoke together, "We can fulfill your wishes, any wishes... You have three chances to ask for whatever you desire from us.

If there is anything that we cannot achieve or attain among things you know and possess, then the existence of this Shelter is unnecessary for you.

You cannot find the happiness and peace you desire here, and you may leave with your friend."

They paused for a moment, and then, the Cat Chef Mother earnestly said, "But if you cannot find anything here that we can't satisfy you with, then please stay with us, okay?

Let's all be friends; we'll surely get along wonderfully."

Fu Yi did not speak.

She did not know how to respond.

Indeed, this place is an illusion, but the illusion is too real, to the point where even time seems to speed up, enabling any ideal and desire to materialize...

She did indeed have a way out, true, but choosing it would mean leaving Huai Shi here alone.

If she wanted to continue exploring in this Witch's Night, she had to win this game; otherwise, she feared she would only have the remaining time to dream in this place.

Honestly, dreaming doesn't seem so bad. Making friends with a bunch of cats also seems interesting. But still... adventuring with Huai Shi feels a bit more interesting. Therefore, I must win.

So, what is something that I had outside that I can't obtain here?

Even without a clear understanding of Sublimators and Hell, she knew that she absolutely couldn't make a material request at this time.

Material things are the most difficult to obtain, yet within an Illusion Technique, they become the simplest of things.

Perhaps I could try lying? But do they really have no way of knowing what I'm thinking?

She pondered for a long time and then suddenly voiced her first wish.

"I want freedom."

All the cats silently gazed at her, unmoved.

Only the grandmotherly Cat Chef Mother looked at her with pity, as if she already knew what was in her heart, and asked softly, "Did you possess such a thing when you were outside?"

Fu Yi fell silent.

Did I ever have it? I don't know. Between my father's 'iron cradle' and my mother's control and planning of my life... how much of it truly belonged to me, Fu Yi?

She didn't answer.

Such a luxury, she had never possessed it even outside the Witch's Night's Dreamland.

After a long, long time, she lowered her head in disappointment and sighed deeply.

Then, she made her second wish.

"Friends."

She looked up and said, "I don't have any friends here."

"Actually, your friend is also here," the Cat Chef Mother said gently. "Do you want to see him?"

"Hmm?"

Fu Yi smiled as if she had come to a realization. "I thought you were going to say that you are also my friends."

"Friendship is mutual, isn't it?" said the Cat Chef Mother warmly. "We indeed hope to become your friends, but at this moment, you probably find it hard to trust us from the bottom of your heart, don't you?"

Fu Yi let out a long breath.

A great weight lifted from her heart.

It was good that Huai Shi was still here. At least he hadn't run off somewhere or been abducted by some monstrous thing.

In fact, Fu Yi suspected that if this group of cats impersonated her and coaxed him a little, Huai Shi would happily wag his tail and jump into the trap, bone in mouth.

"Let me preface this by saying that this is not my final wish—" Fu Yi raised her hand and asked, "May I see him?"

"Of course."

The Cat Chef Mother nodded, then showed a slightly troubled expression. "However, he seems to be busy and probably won't have time for you for a while... I'm not deceiving you; you'll see for yourself."

She waved her hand and pushed open the window.

No blizzard rolled in from outside; the cats in the trees and bushes silently vanished, replaced by a familiar scene of icy, snow-covered land.

In a deep pit, three enormous Wolf Beasts were in the heat of battle, having reached the most dangerous point.

The roars rose and fell.

"Pair of sevens!"

"Pair of nines!"

"Pass!"

"Bomb!"

"I have the King Bomb!"

With a flourish, Huai Shi slammed his hand of cards onto the ground, jumped up, and laughed triumphantly. "I win again!"

"Damn, what luck!"

"You bastard, are you cheating?!"

The other two Wolf Beasts, their faces covered with strips of tin foil, scrutinized Huai Shi suspiciously, but they couldn't catch him in the act.

"If you don't catch me, it's not cheating," Huai Shi whistled, rolled up another long strip of tin foil, spat on it, and with a flick of his wrist, stuck it onto the faces of the two Wolf Beasts, clicking his tongue. "You guys are still green!"

Huai Shi's card skills were, frankly, average. But he used to play poker frequently with Raven in the basement after training when he had nothing better to do. Over such a long time, while his card skills hadn't improved a bit, his experience and knack for cheating grew more polished by the day.

Even if these two Wolf Beasts had copied Huai Shi's personality, physical capabilities, and even his short-term memory, how could they also replicate the experience and instincts he'd gained from scamming Raven so badly it was like drawing blood?

"Keep going, keep going, one more round!"

Huai Shi was the first to shuffle the cards. "You can't go back on your word. If I win this round, you have to let me and my friend go."

"Shuffle faster, shuffle faster..."

"Let's play a few more rounds. You seem pretty free anyway, don't you?"

The two jovial fellows began shuffling the cards again, and one even suggested, "Hey, how about some late-night snacks? You must be hungry, right? We've got crispy fried pork and edamame here, perfect with drinks..."

In dead silence, Fu Yi stared dumbfounded at the scene outside the window, disbelieving.

You've really done it this time, Huai Shi! I've been exhausting myself trying to save you, and you've already cozied up to the criminals this quickly?!

The Cat Chef Mother smiled as she looked at the scene outside the window, then turned to look at Fu Yi. "Perhaps you could wait a while, see them use Fight the Landlord to determine the winner..."

"Forget it," Fu Yi sighed in frustration. "Winning by playing Fight the Landlord would be too undignified, wouldn't it?"

The Cat Chef Mother chuckled, closed the window, and asked earnestly.

"So, have you decided on your final wish?"

Fu Yi nodded.