Since Starry's press conference hadn't begun yet, Chen Luo, who was suspected to be Cifera in disguise, remained quietly seated in the reporters' section, making no other movements.
As a result, the official live stream had shifted its focus entirely to the Pursuit Team's side of the studio.
In the broadcast studio, Nie Junfeng was also intently watching Nie Bing's every move.
He was extremely invested in his daughter's performance since her "comeback."
Though Nie Junfeng didn't fully understand the technical details, Lin Zhiyuan's expression made it clear that Nie Bing was currently doing something truly remarkable.
If she successfully cracked the puzzle left by Cifera, it would be a stunning turnaround for Nie Bing.
Despite Nie Junfeng's newfound status as a devoted Cat Fan, when forced to choose between supporting his idol and his daughter, he would, of course, unconditionally support his daughter.
Go, Little Bingbing! Nie Junfeng cheered silently in his heart.
Normally, as a commentary guest, Nie Junfeng would be expected to offer his analysis and insights at this point.
But perhaps fearing that his "Poison Milk" might jinx his daughter, he had remained unusually quiet throughout the proceedings.
Some viewers had already seen through Nie Junfeng's intentions.
[So this is how the Eldest Daughter of the Nie Family gets treated? The Patriarch actually managed to hold back from casting a spell.]
[She's his own daughter, after all. He can't sabotage her, no matter who else he screws over.]
[Fun fact: This is the first time in the Patriarch's career that he's stayed muted for over three minutes.]
[Cifera: I heard Nie Junfeng is my fan? Doesn't seem like it to me.]
[This is so unfair! I demand equal treatment! I want to hear the Patriarch's ramblings now!]
[Ha ha, you guys are treating Inspector Nie like some kind of malevolent god!]
Nie Junfeng completely ignored the teasing Bullet Comments, pretending he hadn't seen them.
But Host Qiu Qiu wasn't about to let him off the hook:
"Inspector Nie, it seems everyone's eager to hear your analysis. Do you think Police Officer Nie Bing will succeed in solving the puzzle left by Contestant Cifera?"
"In your opinion, is Police Officer Nie Bing up to the task?"
[You're such a troublemaking host! Can't you have some sympathy for a father's predicament?]
Nie Junfeng inwardly raged, but outwardly he feigned reluctance and said, "Well, that's a tricky question to answer."
"Oh? Why do you say that?" Host Qiu Qiu pressed, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
Nie Junfeng chuckled wryly. "As everyone knows, Police Officer Nie Bing is my daughter. Emotionally, of course I want her to successfully crack Contestant Cifera's challenge and secure a victory for the Pursuit Team.
"But realistically, we've all witnessed Cifera's extraordinary computer skills. To be honest, I doubt Police Officer Nie Bing's capabilities are sufficient to complete the task...
"Ha ha, as her father, I should probably stop there. I don't want her to scold me for not supporting her when she watches the replay later."
The moment Nie Junfeng finished speaking, the bullet comments erupted, instantly seeing through his "malicious intentions":
[Master of balancing the scales! This man pours water so evenly it's almost unsettling.]
[Balance? Wrong! This is the legendary Reverse Poison Milk Technique in action!"]
[He's not afraid to speak his mind—he's deliberately saying 'probably can't' to give his daughter a buff!]
[How to Use Your Own Poison Milk Physique to Rewrite Your Daughter's Destiny: A Treatise]
[The Patriarch has opened the altar and begun the ritual! Little Bingbing's got this in the bag!]
Cifera's invincible aura and the Patriarch's 100% success rate with Poison Milk... Surely one of them will finally break this time?
Host Qiu Qiu clearly hadn't anticipated Nie Junfeng's response, which amounted to a reverse Poison Milk!
She suddenly regretted her question, realizing she might have brought serious trouble upon Cifera!
Faced with Nie Junfeng's conceptual-level Poison Milk attack, could Cifera really be on the verge of her first defeat?
Haunted by the possibility of becoming a traitor to the Cat Family, Host Qiu Qiu fell silent.
Seeing Host Qiu Qiu's reaction, Nie Junfeng smirked.
Trying to outwit me? You're still green.
The scene shifted back to the screen.
Time ticked by, minute by minute. Gradually, the other members of the Expert Team finished their meals and gathered behind Nie Bing, eager to see if she could solve the challenge left by Cifera.
Fine beads of sweat dotted Nie Bing's forehead, but her eyes burned brighter with each passing moment.
Noticing the shift in Nie Bing's gaze, Liu Shanhe whispered to Lin Zhiyuan:
"Is Little Bingbing close to cracking it?"
Lin Zhiyuan nodded slightly, replying in an equally hushed tone:
"Almost there."
Hearing Lin Zhiyuan's words, everyone's faces lit up with joy.
Although Cifera's computer skills were formidable, our teammates were no pushovers either. We still had a fighting chance.
"Just one step left!"
As Lin Zhiyuan's excited voice rang out, the chaotic error windows on the screen finally began to disappear one by one. The progress bar for cracking the firewall reached 99%.
But just as everyone thought victory was within reach, the screen suddenly went dark, and a dialogue box popped up in an unmistakably "Cifera-esque" style:
[Cifera's Purrfect Little Quiz]
[Congratulations, Little Bingbing! You're almost there! (≧▽≦)/~]
[I knew you could make it this far! Now, for the final question: When the sleeping Ice Princess awakens, what would her best friend, the little black cat, say?]
[Listen up! Answering correctly unlocks not only your "eyes" but also reveals the location of my special "surprise" for you!]
[Hurry and enter the final answer! Meow~]
Below the dialogue box was a flashing input field with six empty spaces awaiting input.
In that instant, everyone present fell silent, while the bullet comments erupted again:
[Holy shit! So this is what she was waiting for all along!]
[Cifera: Little Bingbing, you've finally arrived~ I've been waiting for you so long!]
[I get it now! This isn't a real duel at all. Cifera deliberately held back, just waiting for Little Bingbing to crack the code.]
[The technical blockade was just a ruse. Cifera just wanted to play with Little Bingbing!]
[Cifera's practically giving away the answer. Even if Nie Bing manages to solve the puzzle, I'll never admit Cifera lost!]
[Exactly! Cifera's already invincible! Tremble before her, Nie Family!]
On screen, Wang Lei chuckled bitterly, breaking the silence first:
"Ha, I knew it wouldn't be that simple. Another riddle? Classic Cifera."
Zhang Hong clenched his fists. "Damn it! Cifera's playing us again! Next time I catch her, I'm teaching her a lesson!"
Hearing Zhang Hong's words, Feng Chiyu couldn't help but retort, "Then remember not to bring a door next time, or you'll just end up helping her again."
Hearing Feng Chiyu bring up this embarrassing incident again, Zhang Hong was about to erupt, but Liu Shanhe, standing beside him, stopped him.
Liu Shanhe chuckled, unable to contain his amusement. "Alright, you two, settle down. 'The Sleeping Ice Princess and the Black Cat,' hmm... looks like this question can only be answered by our Little Bingbing~"
Hearing Liu Shanhe's words, Lin Zhiyuan, who had been hunched over, rapidly recalling Cifera's possible catchphrases and taunts in an attempt to discern a pattern, shook his head. "You're right. This question is definitely one for Nie Bing alone."
The sudden pause at this crucial moment had also snapped Nie Bing out of her unprecedented state of perfect focus. Her face regained its usual composure.
But as she stared at the clue, a hairline crack immediately appeared in her facade of calm.
Something seemed to dawn on her. A faint blush crept across her pale cheeks at a visible pace, her eyes swirling with embarrassment, annoyance, helplessness, and a hint of "I knew it all along" realization.
"That bastard..." Nie Bing muttered under her breath.
Under the intense scrutiny of the crowd, she hesitated only briefly before typing the words onto the keyboard with a defiant urgency, as if throwing caution to the wind.