The Creatures That We Are

Gao Yang sat back down on the sofa and glanced at Colorless. “May I touch it now?”

Colorless hesitated for a moment. According to the rules, he shouldn’t touch the Rune Circuit until he went to the monitored room, but Colorless knew that he was strong enough to touch or even grab the Rune Circuit by force, and she and Goldthread wouldn’t be able to do much.

Thus, she believed there was no need to be stuck on the details and risk getting on the bad side of an Elder from the Qilin Guild.

“You may.”

Gao Yang took the Support Rune Circuit and felt its weight. Instantly, he could sense the energy inside the Rune Circuit spreading at his fingertips, triggering a strange resonation.

Now, he could understand and resonate with a Rune Circuit much more keenly and deeply compared to other awakeners—perhaps it was a result of Gao Yang leveling up multiple Talents during his fight with Lilia, or it could be a hidden effect of level 4 Lucky.

It was nothing to write home about, though.

When Black Tortoise got the Summon Rune Circuit, he had leveled up Puppeteer to level 4 overnight, and Huai Wei had reached level 4 with Time-Space Spirit simply by touching the Time-Space Rune Circuit once.

Dragon, even more impressively, had acquired the Miracle Rune Circuit’s energy seed without direct contact, but through Gao Yang as a medium.

All that told Gao Yang that awakeners with higher-ranking Talents or multiple Talents were able to reach level 4 much more easily.

Gao Yang closed his eyes and sensed the energy radiating from the Rune Circuit. He got a hunch and opened his eyes. “Half an hour to an hour from now, I’ll reach level 4 with Double.”

“Seriously?” Colorless couldn’t hide her surprise. She had to admit that she was impressed by Seven Shadow just now.

“It’s not a certainty yet. Let me try,” Gao Yang said humbly. “If I fail, I’ll go to the monitored room with you.”

Colorless thought for a few seconds before nodding. “Okay.”

The next few minutes, the four of them sat across from each other and exchanged awkward looks, the atmosphere stiff.

Having had enough of the torture, Can mustered the courage to invite all of them to play HOK with her. To her surprise, Colorless and Goldthread agreed immediately.

Once the game started, Can was no longer the awkward and nervous small fry with inferiority complex, but a bigshot who roasted people like it was her nature.

On the other hand, Gao Yang, Colorless, and Goldthread became newbies willingly submitting themselves to humiliation. The three of them mumbled their words and struggled to find where to place their hands, getting crushed by the opponents while getting verbally abused by Can.

Can poured in all her effort to turn the tides, but still lost two matches.

Frustration translated into determination. The four of them reflected on their failure and started another match.

Like they had been born anew, they were on track to winning the match. During an important group fight in the later stage of the game, however, Gao Yang was suddenly hit with a sensation; a part of his energy had been reborn.

Forgetting about his teammates in the game altogether, he dropped the phone and closed his eyes, tamping down the pleasure that came with the level-up.

A few seconds later, Gao Yang opened his eyes and let out a long breath. “Level 4 Double.”

Rather than congratulation, however, what he got were matching angry glares from Can, Colorless, and Goldthread, who were holding their phones.

Gao Yang looked down at his screen. The five players in the game had been killed. The opponents had turned the tide, and they were sending mocking messages as they destroyed their base.

Gao Yang smiled awkwardly. “Why don’t we play another match?”

Sensing that they were still furious, he quickly added, “I’m playing support this time.”

The four of them played another game. Overcoming difficulty with the pride of awakeners on the line, they finally got their first win.

Satisfied, Colorless and Goldthread put away their phones, leaving with the Black Gold briefcase containing the Support Rune Circuit.

Gao Yang and Can were about to take their leave too when an adult woman opened the door to the reception room.

She had black, medium-length hair and a youthful face with small chin and fair skin. She was dressed in a tapered brown trench coat made of light fabric, a pair of skinny jeans, and black high heels.

While she seemed serious and sophisticated, there was a softness to her expression.

“Elder Seven Shadow, we meet again.”

Gao Yang recognized her and smiled at her. “Ms. Sha Ye.”

“I heard about you waking up. It seems you’re recovering well.”

“I’m doing alright.”

Gao Yang then spotted a girl who looked to be three or four hiding behind Sha Ye. Her soft, medium-length black hair was tied into a small ponytail. On her flushed, round face were a pair of glinting black eyes. Bashfully, she popped half of her head out, sneaking glances at Gao Yang and Can.

“Little Yan, come on, greet brother and sister.” Sha Ye patted her daughter on the shoulder.

The little girl timidly walked out from behind Sha Ye and greeted quietly, “Hello, Big Brother, Big Sister.”

“Little Yan!” Can went up to her enthusiastically and crouched down to take her hand. “What’s your name? How old are you?”

“Wang Weiyan, four and a half years old.” She spoke a little louder after sensing Can’s goodwill and enthusiasm.

“Oh, that’s a pretty name!” Can gently pinched her face. “I’m Can. Have you ever had it?”

“I’ve had canned orange...”

Gao Yang had seen Wang Weiyan before, on the 52nd floor of the White Lake Hotel during the Crimson Tide.

There had been too many people, though, and everyone was too busy dealing with the coming crisis, so he didn’t greet her.

Can and Wang Weiyan got on quickly. Can took out the chocolates she always had with her and gave Wang Weiyan one. “Here, one for you.”

Wang Weiyan looked back at her mother. Only after Sha Ye nodded at her did she happily accept the sweet.

“Has she awakened?” Gao Yang asked in a low voice.

Sha Ye nodded. “The last night of the Crimson Tide, we all lost consciousness. She wasn’t an awakener yet, so she didn’t get poisoned, and she quietly watched over me. She only started crying when I woke up. She awakened not long after.”

Gao Yang could picture it.

“What’s her Talent?”

Sha Ye smiled, her eyes glinting softly. “Iron Skin.”

Gao Yang paused for two seconds before breaking into a smile. “With Old Wang’s blessing, she will grow up safe and sound.”

“I believe that too.” Sha Ye nodded, her tone determined.

Can lifted Wang Weiyan into her arms, playing with her. It seemed that the two were already friends.

“Elder Seven Shadow.”

The door opened then. Chen Ying, in a professional outfit, came over with a few colored printed photos, looking a little confused. “Why are you still here? I thought you would be in the monitored room.”

“I’ve leveled up my Talent. I’m going back.”

“What?!” Chen Ying almost screamed. “You leveled up? Already?”

Gao Yang nodded.

Back when Chen Ying leveled up her Talent with a Rune Circuit, she had carried it with her for days, even when she was taking showers. She went so far as to buy various trinkets for luck on the internet. In fact, she hired a feng shui expert to adjust the layout of her bedroom. Only then did she level up.

Yet Gao Yang’s Talent leveled up while he lounged on their sofa, before the seat even got warm? For real?

Comparison can really kill someone with jealousy.

The more Chen Ying thought about it, the angrier she got. She even forgot the matter at hand for a moment.

“What do you need me for?” Gao Yang asked.

“Oh, right.” Chen Ying broke out of her thoughts. “We found something on the suspicious woman you encountered.”

“Already?” It was Gao Yang’s turn to be shocked.

Seriously, it’s been less than a day. Isn’t the Hundred Rivers Union too good at tracking people?

Comparison can really kill someone with jealousy.

Updat𝒆d fr𝒐m freew𝒆bnov𝒆l.c(o)m