A sequence $(a_1, a_2,...,a_k)$ consisting of pairwise different cells of an $n\times n$ board is called a cycle if $k \ge 4$ and cell ai shares a side with cell $a_{i+1}$ for every $i = 1,2,..., k$, where $a_{k+1} = a_1$. We will say that a subset $X$ of the set of cells of a board is malicious if every cycle on the board contains at least one cell belonging to $X$. Determine all real numbers $C$ with the following property: for every integer $n \ge 2$ on an $n\times n$ board there exists a malicious set containing at most $Cn^2$ cells.