The Creatures That We Are

Chapter 682: Reintroduction

There was a pile of wrinkled pajamas on the floor, and a white cat curled up on it, sound asleep. A faint white fog lingered in the air.

Fresh Snow had used up too much energy when saving Qing Ling and turned into a cat.

Gao Yang felt a heavy guilt. Once you wake up, Fresh Snow, you can have a bite of me. No, you’re welcome to have many bites...as long as it’ll fill you up.

He knelt to gently pick Fresh Snow up, walking out of the bedroom.

When he opened the door, Gray Bear, Nine Frost, and Hong Xiaoxiao were standing outside, looking worried.

“How did it go, Captain?” Gray Bear asked.

“The heart’s intact. Fresh Snow brought her back.” Gao Yang spoke in a low voice with a calm expression, having activated Psychic Armor again.

Gray Bear’s shoulders sagged in relief. “Shit, heaven has mercy!”

Nine Frost and Hong Xiaoxiao let out a long breath, too.

“Hong Xiaoxiao, give Qing Ling a hairpin and keep an eye on her,” said Gao Yang.

“Will do!” Hong Xiaoxiao declared, marching into the room.

“Captain, today...”

Nine Frost’s question was interrupted by Gao Yang. “Let’s not get into it now. We’ll talk once Can and Nainai are back.”

Nine Frost nodded. “Okay.”

Gao Yang walked through the gap between Gray Bear and Nine Frost, going downstairs to put Fresh Snow into the soft pink cat house. He patted her head and whispered, “Thank you.”

Then he rose and went into the restroom, locking the door and flushing the toilet. The next second, Psychic Armor came to an end.

Kneeling and curling up beside the toilet, he muffled his mouth with both hands as his entire body shook. Tears burst out. He bawled without making a sound.

...

Room 5003, 50th floor of White Lake Hotel, nine o’clock at night.

Vermilion Bird sat on the sofa in the living room, feeling uneasy.

In the afternoon, the Black Tortoise building had seen an attack from the Nine Scions. Gao Yang failed to seize the Rune Circuits as a lone agent, and before his escape, he detonated his double, razing the building to the ground and doing substantial damage to the entire Walled City of Ten Dragons.

Since the area bordered the downtown, the cleanup was a nightmare.

Thankfully, Heavenly Dog and Liao Liao had taken out two summoners in time, or the consequences would be dire. Only when Vermilion Bird gathered members to clean up the mess did she realize that Azure Dragon and Ke Yo were gone. They weren’t picking up their phones.

Then she called Qilin and Yan Liang. Neither of them picked up, either.

At that moment, she felt like a student suddenly abandoned by her close friends.

Vermilion Bird didn’t dwell on it. She cleared her head and focused on treating the injured members. It was fortunate that Nainai the Giant had made such a great commotion that it acted like an alarm that evacuated everyone beforehand. Thus, Gao Yang’s detonation of his double didn’t claim any lives.

Thinking back, Gao Yang seemed to have answered War Tiger under the guise of a taunt to warn War Tiger, which allowed those in the room more time to react to the explosion. Otherwise, even if all of them survived, a couple of them would’ve gotten seriously injured.

Vermilion Bird had a mix of feelings.

She was glad that Gao Yang was still the kindhearted college boy she knew. He wouldn’t hurt his own kind unless absolutely necessary.

On the other hand, she was worried. Kindness wasn’t necessarily a good trait for a leader.

Dealing with the elite monsters attracted by the commotion and treating the injured members occupied Vermilion Bird and her colleagues until night fell. Still, she didn’t see and couldn’t reach Ke Yo.

Azure Dragon did pick up her call, though.

Instead of answering her question, he simply told her to go back to the White Lake Hotel to rest. Vermilion Bird could hear the unspoken instruction: wait.

She had been waiting at home for two hours. And she had takeout with One Stone. She didn’t have much of an appetite, though, and she lowered her chopsticks after a few bites.

Agitated, she went to the balcony for a smoke.

One Stone came over after a while in a yoga outfit. “Still thinking about Ke Yo?”

“I haven’t seen her since the explosion.” Vermilion Bird didn’t hide her concern. “I thought the Nine Scions were after the Rune Circuits and didn’t pay attention to Ke Yo. Could it be that she was taken by Gao Yang?”

“Then Elder Azure Dragon would’ve told you. Don’t worry. That’s not the case.” One Stone offered words of comfort.

“Yeah. I hope I’m just overthinking.” Vermilion Bird sighed.

Then the door opened. Vermilion Bird perked up and turned to go to the living room. Ke Yo was back.

“See, I told you...” One Stone trailed after Vermilion Bird, but then her smile stiffened.

Vermilion Bird was shocked, too. In the entryway, Ke Yo had come in with Yan Liang.

Ke Yo was wearing a well-fitted black coat and a diamond qilin brooch, her hair combed back and neatly tied into a short ponytail.

For some reason, she remained the mundane-looking girl in her twenties, yet she held herself and presented herself in a completely different way. Her gaze was no longer harmless, but fierce and even vicious. Her usually pursed lips were now curled into an indecipherable cold smile.

Vermilion Bird asked after two seconds of stunned silence, “Ke Yo, where did you...”

“Elder Vermilion Bird,” Ke Yo cut her off and offered her a hand. “Allow me to reintroduce myself. From now on, I’ll be the new Elder Black Tortoise. Looking forward to working with you.”

Vermilion Bird didn’t take the hand. The girl might as well be a stranger. It was as if she didn’t even know her.

“Haha.” Yan Liang smiled under his mask. “Ke Yo’s done well. Through Liu Qingying’s Sweet Dream, the Nine Scions attempted to recruit Ke Yo. She played along and set the Nine Scions up. Thanks to her, we gave the Nine Scions a heavy blow today.”

What?!

Vermilion Bird was so shocked that she wasn’t even sure where she should start.

Yan Liang sighed and lamented, “What a shame. If not for the Spectres’ intervention, the war would’ve concluded already.”

“Elder Yan Liang.” Ke Yo turned to the side and spoke respectfully. “What do we do with Liu Qingying?”

“No rush. She’s just an opportunistic information broker. She hasn’t actually joined any side. We still have use of her. We’ll deal with her once things settle down.”

“Of course.” Ke Yo hesitated for two seconds. “Elder Yan Liang, although the mission isn’t a complete success, I have done my part. About the Support Rune Circuit...”

“Don’t worry. I’ll borrow it from the Hundred Rivers Union for you.” Yan Liang added after a pause, “And I, Azure Dragon, and Vermilion Bird will each assign a couple of our members to you for your own team.”

“Thank you, Elder Yan Liang.” Ke Yo nodded with visible joy.

“That won’t be necessary. Guildmaster is a fair man who rewards good deeds. You should thank him.”

“Where’s Guildmaster? I want to see him.” Vermilion Bird tried her best to control her anger.

“Guildmaster has business to attend to and won’t take any visitors for the next week. In the meantime, I’ll be in charge of matters of the Guild.”

Vermilion Bird stopped talking. One Stone remained silent, too. She didn’t think she was in any place to speak up when the Elders were conversing.

Yan Liang said with business-like concern, “You’ve all done much today. Rest well.”

“Good night, Elder Vermilion Bird.” Ke Yo gave her a polite but fake smile before leaving with Yan Liang.

Vermilion Bird watched the door close.

Her shoulders trembled. She took a deep breath and tamped down the shock, confusion, and rage in her heart.

Calm down, Vermilion Bird. Calm down.

Fuck it!

Eyes glinting fiercely, she rushed out of the door.