The Creatures That We Are

Instantly, blood gushed out and splattered on Lithe Snake’s chest and one side of his face, covered in a long scar. Nainai got a few drops on her shrinking face as well.

Whoa, is he crazy?

Why did he mutilate himself all of a sudden?

He’s more chuuni than I am!

Nainai didn’t understand, and from a distance, Gao Yang, Qing Ling, and the injured Officer Huang were shocked as well.

What was Lithe Snake doing?! Had he gotten lost in hatred and come to resent his helplessness?

Soon, they got the answer.

After cutting off his own left arm, Lithe Snake dropped the shortsword in his right hand to catch his fallen left arm instead, hurling it down at the skeletal bird.

A few seconds later, his left arm, still holding onto the photo, fell through the gap created by the combined effort of Gao Yang’s Fire Punch and Nainai’s raw power, reaching the chest cavity.

Boom!

A second later, a tremendous explosion triggered inside the skeletal bird’s chest, the blinding golden light seeping through the gaps between the rib bones.

Nainai jumped off the skeletal bird in time while quickly shrinking. Both she and Lithe Snake got hurled into the air by the resulting shockwaves.

Gao Yang squeezed one more use out of Teleportation and caught Lithe Snake, now missing an arm. They landed safely.

Qing Ling followed shortly, having ridden her blade to catch Nainai, who was now normal size.

The explosion lasted only a few seconds. Hyena’s head was rendered into ashes.

Without the center of control, the giant skeletal bird quickly fell apart, the bones scattering all over the hill like a large-scale storm of white hails. They dodged the projectiles until thirty seconds later, the hailstorm died down.

The reanimated white phoenix ‘died’ again.

The battle was over.

Holding onto his bleeding stump, Lithe Snake had an impassive look on his face.

Supporting him, Gao Yang asked calmly, “When did you acquire Self-Detonate?”

“Two days ago,” Lithe Snake said hoarsely, his face pale from the excessive blood loss.

Gao Yang fell silent. He had more or less put things together.

The one who acquired a Damage-type Talent two days ago was Lithe Snake, and the Talent was Self-Detonate, serial number 112!

Officer Huang said that Lithe Snake had been cutting off his pinky. Now it all made sense.

Lithe Snake wasn’t a pervert who took joy in mutilating himself, neither had he been leaving behind clues to sell them out. Instead, he had been experimenting with detonating parts of his body to level up Self-Detonate.

Judging by the power of the explosion, his Self-Detonate must have reached level 3.

Originally, Self-Detonate was as good as useless, but it had surprising synergy with Lithe Snake’s Gecko. Gao Yang couldn’t help but admire him.

That’s real nasty, Lithe Snake!

“You’ve finally gotten your revenge, Lithe Snake.” Officer Huang went up to him and let out a long sigh.

“It’s said that revenge only leaves one feeling more empty.” Lithe Snake scoffed. “I disagree. I feel quite good.”

Gao Yang paused, unsure of what to say.

Right then, Lithe Snake threw up a mouthful of blood.

“Lithe Snake?”

Gao Yang crouched down to help him up.

“I’m fine...” Lithe Snake grinned. “Just tired. I’ll be alright after getting some sleep.”

Gao Yang sighed. The mad man must have been cutting off his fingers nonstop the past two days to quickly level up Self-Detonate to level 3, all for getting his revenge.

“Medicine C, come on!” Gao Yang reached out to his teammates.

Nainai limped toward him and offered the half dose left after her treatment. “This is the last we have.”

“It’s enough.”

Gao Yang took the syringe and injected Lithe Snake’s shoulder. Soon, the stump of his left shoulder stopped bleeding, and white bones slowly grew like a sprout breaking out of soil.

It would take quite some time for Lithe Snake to regenerate his left arm wholly.

Qing Ling and Officer Huang were exhausted as well. They plopped down on the ground and panted, dignity be damned.

Nainai sat down with some difficulty too.

Still supporting Lithe Snake, Gao Yang turned to Nainai. The girl's MVP tonight.

With a smile, he suddenly exclaimed, “Gratitude and praise to the Empress, the only descendent of the Creator Witch and the First Fallen Angel, the forger of order, truth, and destiny, the only savior of the universe!”

“The glory of victory belongs to Your Majesty! Let us offer Your Majesty a cannon salute!”

He swung his right hand and threw a small fireball into the air.

Boom!

Now able to manipulate fire from a range, he made the fireball scattered into a firework above their heads. They all looked up at the spectacle, the brilliant light scintillating over their profiles.

Nainai stared up at the makeshift firework, light and shadow dancing on her face, dirtied with blood stains and dirt.

Her eyes reddened, unbidden.

She shot to her feet and turned around, breaking into bright laughter with her arms akimbo. “Muhahaha! Mortal, this Empress accepts your praises! The glory of the victory belongs to you too!”

Dawn broke then as if in response to her exclamation.

The first ray of light emerged from the horizon of grayish blue sky, lighting up the now barren hill and everyone’s face.

Gao Yang smiled softly.

The day had arrived. The sunrise was stunning.

He could never get tired of the sight.

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