The Creatures that We Are

“Hahaha Malediction?” Wang Zikai slapped his thighs madly. “Gao Yang, the Malediction hahahaha…”

Gao Yang’s face remained impassive, but his heart was filled with confusion. He didn’t know what was so funny about that.

“Hahahaha…” Old Seven started laughing as well.

“Pfft.” Even Gao Xinxin broke. “Hahaha.”

Like a spreading wildfire, the laughter caught on. War Tiger, Nine Frost, Chen Ying, and Gregor succumbed to Wang Zikai's infectious mirth. They only stopped after about thirty seconds.

Seeing Gao Yang’s confusion, Gao Xinxin explained with a smile, “You won’t know, Brother, but we’ve talked about it many times. We just can’t relate you to the Malediction. It’s too far-fetched. It’s like calling a fat orange cat an evil dragon.”

She raised her hand and swore, “Anyway, if someone can point out one thing my brother shares with the Malediction, I, Gao Xinxin, vow to…” She paused and turned to Wang Zikai. “To make Wang Zikai eat shit while doing a handstand!”

“Huh? Why am I the one eating shit?” Wang Zikai looked flabbergasted.

“Shut up! You’re eating shit!”

“Haha!” Old Seven doubled over. “Don’t worry, Brother Kai. I’ll be eating shit with you! And relax, Brother Yang can’t be the Malediction!”

Fresh peals of laughter erupted.

Gao Yang observed them, his expression unchanged. Yet beneath his calm mask, he was ready to burst into tears. Not from sadness, despair, or anger. Neither was he pleased, moved, or wronged. He didn't know what it was. He just felt a prickle in his nose. His brows twitched. His tear ducts were acting up.

Good thing he had Psychic Armor.

A minute later, the interlude ended. The bonfire weakened, and Lying Wood rose unprompted to add more firewood.

“I’ll keep going, everyone. It’s a known fact that Surnamed Li’s goal is to kill me. Meanwhile, Qilin’s target is getting the twelve Rune Circuits. Killing me comes second.”

“Based on that, I’ll meet him tonight. If I go against him and prevent him from getting the Rune Circuits, he’ll most likely target me rather than the hostages.”

“The reasons are manyfold. First, I’m one of his biggest enemies. If he kills me and turns me into a puppet…”

War Tiger hissed dramatically. “Unimaginable!”

“He should eat shit!” Wang Zikai jumped. “With God Kai here, no one’s touching a hair on you!”

“Calm down. It’s just speculative.” Gao Yang smiled. “Qilin may not kill me, but instead try to control me and turn me into a hostage. That may help him achieve his goal more.”

“Let’s suppose that level 8 Puppeteer will allow him to possess me and share my memories. Then he can easily collect the rest of the Rune Circuits through me given I know everything about it.”

The others fell silent, terrified of the possibility.

“So whatever happens tonight, as long as Qilin’s there, and I refuse to cooperate after meeting him, he will not let me go.”

Gao Yang turned to One Stone. “You said that Eidos could kill the hostages instantly from a short distance, right? That’s a good starting point.”

“Huh?” One Stone blinked.

I only said one line. How much have you broken it down? You’re writing a whole story based on that tagline.

What is this? You’re using my words as an answer?

Please stop showing your charming side. In the past, I would’ve made you the protagonist of my fic.

“I mean that we should give up on saving the hostages from the beginning. It can’t be done. What we should do is…” Gao Yang leaned forward, the firelight casting sharp shadows across his face. His lips curled into a cold smile. “...We kill the hostages before Qilin does. Then Qilin won’t have the chance to kill the hostages. He can only turn to me.”

“Huh?”

“Huh??”

“Huh???”

Everyone was stunned into silence. It sounded like an absurd joke.

Only Qing Ling, Nine Frost, and War Tiger remained calm. It was typical of Gao Yang. They had seen it all.

“Haha, here it comes.” War Tiger rubbed his hand stogether in anticipation. “Finally, our Little Yang Yang is giving us a show!”

He jumped off the tires and stretched. “Everyone, we’re confiscating all of your phones. You have five minutes of free time. Use the toilet. Eat something. Drink water. We’ll be spending a few hours on the strategic meeting.”

They all stood up and handed their phones to Nine Frost.

“As usual, move in threes.” War Tiger put on a friendly smile and pointed at his eyes with two fingers before turning them to the others. “My eyes are the rules. If any of you dare to act on your own, I’ll deal with you as a spy.”

The tension thickened after temporarily lifting. Everyone started a game of looking for friends.

Gao Yang stood up, too.

The wind blew from the ocean. The dawn broke. A ray of red light cut through the darkness and lit up his sight.

…

The meeting didn’t end until ten o’clock in the morning.

Outside of the patrols, the other members returned to the house to rest, preparing for the final fight tonight.

Dr. Jia was an exception. He was putting all his effort into developing the “mouse trap”. He had planned to make it two days later, but he had to finish it now.

On the clearing, Gao Yang remained seated in the worn sofa before the bonfire. Heavenly Dog and Hong Xiaoxiao had picked it up from a secondhand furniture seller. She knew that Gao Yang couldn’t sleep anywhere except on a couch.

Truthfully, Gao Yang hadn’t had a wink of sleep since the eighth day of the Lunar New Year, not even a ten-minute rest.

Now, crouching before the bonfire with his hands propping his chin, he kept going over the plan in his head, worried that he had left some details out.

System.

“Here.”

The dorm keeper, wearing a winter sweater and long dress, sat down by Gao Yang’s side. Legs tucked and hands clasped on her lap, she tilted to the side with a gentle smile.

“What can I help you with?”

“Status screen.”

“Please look ahead.”

The dorm keeper raised her left hand. The bonfire before her surged, sending sparks flying. The embers hovered and took the form of golden words and numbers like a hologram.

[You have accumulated 2677 Luck points.]

[Constitution: 3439 Endurance: 3291]

[Strength: 2401 Agility: 2675]

[Willpower: 2583 Charisma: 3662]

[Luck: 2020]

[Absolute Defense lv7]

[Teleportation lv7]

[Replicate lv7]

[Fire lv7]

[Gecko lv3]

[Double lv7]

[Psychic Armor lv7]

[Lie Detection lv7]

[Lucky lv5]

Gao Yang had a quick look. He knew what he wanted to do. “Wishing fountain.”

“Making a wish will take 2000 Luck points. Do you confirm?”

“I do.”

The bonfire surged once more. The texts of embers rearranged, turning into an abstract golden face. It shifted and shimmered, like it would be scattered by the wind anytime.

“You may make your wish.” The dorm keeper smiled.

Gao Yang stated, “I’d like to comprehend Time-Space Spirit.”

“Deduct 2000 Luck points. You have 677 points remaining.” The dorm keeper looked at Gao Yang. “Your wish has reached the fountain.”

Whoosh. The golden face scattered into flying embers in the wind, reflected in Gao Yang’s deep, brooding eyes.

Gao Yang sighed silently. It took too long for Luck points to accumulate. Even though he would be able to comprehend Time-Space Spirit with one try after making the wish, he still needed more than three thousand Luck points. Without any bonuses, it would’ve taken him more than two months.

…

“Gao Yang.”

Gao Yang looked up to find the dorm keeper gone. Qing Ling had come up to the sofa at some point.

It seemed that she had something to say to Gao Yang, but she didn’t voice the words. Instead, she looked down at the sofa.

After a pause, Gao Yang said in a calm, gentle voice, “It’s been a while.”

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