The Creatures that We Are

The gray barrier between the two teams vanished, opening their field of vision.

Beneath Gao Yang's feet, the gray scale pattern flickered green like a ground light, while the patterns under the other nine players glowed red.

For one second, the air went still.

Then Gao Yang vanished.

Liao Liao had predicted correctly. Gao Yang had chosen offense for his first turn, targeting her with a Teleportation surprise attack.

His reasoning was precise and calculated. Liao Liao possessed six Talents: Aptitude, Follow Heart, Insects King, God of Archery, God of Firearms, and Disorientation. In a turn-based match, her strategic use of these Talents made her more dangerous than Sir Jiang. Moreover, her God of Firearms and God of Archery granted her attack speeds second only to his Teleportation.

Under the match's speed calculations, she would act second. And if Gao Yang hadn’t picked Teleportation, while Liao Liao picked God of Firearms, she might even have been the first to make a move.

Thus, Gao Yang decided to kill Liao Liao now to make sure he would act first in all future turns, which would be a crucial advantage.

He materialized before Liao Liao, his dagger aimed at her heart. The pattern beneath her feet flashed yellow—she couldn't counterattack, but within her movement circle, she could attempt to dodge. While the basic rules of turn-based combat allowed this defense, her chances of successful evasion were slim.

Gao Yang was confident. Given her physical abilities, dodging seemed impossible, and her constitution couldn't resist his blade.

"Have mercy!"

As his dagger plunged forward, Liao Liao activated level 4 Follow Heart and cried out.

Involuntary hesitation made Gao Yang's hand waver. His blade missed her heart, striking her collarbone instead with diminished force.

Gao Yang's eyes widened. He attempted to add force, to drive the blade through her collarbone and immobilize her, but the domain's absolute, omnipresent "fairness" prevented it. His action had ended.

He withdrew his dagger and retreated to his movement circle. The patterns beneath both their feet turned red.

She read me perfectly, Gao Yang realized. Liao Liao had anticipated his strategy and chosen Follow Heart as her defensive action.

A moment later, one-seventh of the golden energy bar above Gao Yang's head vanished.

Liao Liao crumpled, her face ashen as she pressed her right hand against her bleeding collarbone. The red health bar above her had shortened by a quarter.

"The girl's smart!" Dr. Jia's voice carried genuine admiration. Though he lacked combat prowess, his Genius Talent had helped him instantly grasp Gao Yang's strategy.

Gao Yang shot him a conflicted look.

"Amazing!" 0618's eyes shone with newfound respect. "We may actually do this, everyone!"

Sir Jiang allowed himself a small smile of satisfaction. Surnamed Li was right—Liao Liao was destined for greatness. If we'd brought her to the frontline earlier, perhaps Gao Yang would already be dead.

The pattern beneath his feet flashed green while Gao Yang's turned yellow. Sir Jiang's turn to attack had come, and Gao Yang could only attempt evasion within his limited range.

Sir Jiang raised his left hand and summoned Spatial Blender.

Sir Jiang had chosen Spatial Blender over Heartstealer despite its higher energy cost. Though Heartstealer had a greater fatality rate, Gao Yang might dodge it. Spatial Blender's wide hitbox would cover Gao Yang's entire movement range, making evasion impossible.

Whoosh. Countless spatial vortexes materialized around Gao Yang. With nowhere to dodge, he dropped to the ground, minimizing his body's exposed surface—the only defense left to him.

Blood sprayed as injuries bloomed across his body. His hands pressed against the ground, keeping him from collapsing as he coughed up blood, the crimson liquid pooling beneath him. At least ten wounds gaped in his flesh, many penetrating to his internal organs. Only luck had spared his brain and heart, keeping him alive.

The red health bar above his head plummeted until only a tenth remained. Sir Jiang's golden energy bar decreased by a third.

"Nice one!" Qin You pumped his fist in triumph.

The pattern beneath his feet turned green, signaling his turn. He unleashed Plant's most powerful strangling attack. With Gao Yang already grievously wounded, dodging would be impossible.

Green vines converged on Gao Yang like hungry serpents. They gripped his feet and slithered upward, binding his limbs. The mass of vegetation twisted and rose, braiding his body within their crushing embrace. Blood spurted from between the vines as flesh and bone gave way. The final result resembled a grotesque wooden figurine, its surface stained crimson.

When Plant's attack dissipated, the mangled body crashed to the ground. The red health bar emptied as Qin You's energy bar diminished by a quarter.

"I killed him! I killed him!" Qin You's voice cracked with hysterical excitement. Not only had they secured their survival, but he, Qin You, had slain the legendary Malediction. The Ocean River Union would elevate him to their most valued member. His name would be etched in humanity's history, remembered and revered by generations to come.

"No..." Liao Liao's face, already pale from blood loss, turned ashen. Her initial excitement gave way to cold realization. "Sir Jiang shouldn't have moved second. He couldn't be faster than Gao Yang's double. That means... Gao Yang's double already took its turn."

"What?!" The triumph drained from Qin You's face.

"The double swapped with the main body. That was its action." Sir Jiang's voice was grim. "We killed Gao Yang's double."

All eyes turned to the young man they'd assumed was the double, still standing in his original position. A half-smile played across his lips, his deep dark eyes glinting coldly like bottomless pits.

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