The Creatures that We Are

Sea View Tower, Nanji District, one o’clock in the morning.

The elevator door opened. Chen Ying entered Surnamed Li’s place with her card.

Tight security systems were in place for the whole floor. As Surnamed Li’s assistant for over ten years, though, Chen Ying had the credentials to bypass them like they weren’t even there.

A minute later, she reached Surnamed Li’s personal library.

She found the fake book on the third large shelf, pulling it out. The bookshelves opened to the sides, revealing a Black Gold security door that was moderate in size. It was of course another high-tech handiwork developed by Dr. Jia.

Chen Ying reached out to touch the door, and the Black Gold door immediately resonated with Chen Ying’s energy to confirm her identity. With a click, it opened.

The chamber inside wasn’t big. The square room was pitch black.

Chen Ying turned on her flashlight and shone it on the roundtable at the center of the room. On top of it was a briefcase.

She went up to open the briefcase. There were two Rune Circuits inside. When Chen Ying turned the flashlight to them, she could see delicate strings of energy flowing along the circuits discreetly.

Chen Ying touched the hard, cool surfaces of the two Black Gold tablets. Yes, they were the Damage Rune Circuit and the Life Rune Circuit.

She closed the briefcase and jumped when she turned around.

“Ah!” she screamed reflexively and drew her Black Gold gun. If she hadn’t moved her flashlight at the same time, she would’ve pulled the trigger already.

“...Madam Li?” Chen Ying got a clear look at the woman. In her wheelchair, she stared quietly at Chen Ying from a corner of the room. It seemed that she had been waiting for a long time.

“Why…are you here?” Chen Ying was confused.

“If not here, should I sleep at home and wait for you to easily grab the Rune Circuits?” Surnamed Li put on a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

Chen Ying caught on immediately.

Surnamed Li continued, “I already suspected you, Chen Ying, so I had to come here to adjust the security system, canceling your right to access.”

Chen Ying nodded.

“You realized it beforehand and followed me here, making a grab for the Rune Circuits and defecting ahead of your plan.”

Chen Ying nodded again.

Surnamed Li looked at Chen Ying. “What are you waiting for? Shoot me. Don’t worry, the room’s insulated.”

Chen Ying pursed her lips, her eyes brimming with tears. “No, I can’t…”

“Shoot me.” Surnamed Li was calm. “To fool others, you must fool yourself first. We each have to play our parts.”

“...” Chen Ying slowly raised her gun, but her hand was shaking violently.

“Shoot!” Surnamed Li growled suddenly.

Bang!

Chen Ying pulled the trigger. Surnamed Li toppled backward, bringing her wheelchair with her and slamming into the wall with a clang.

Two seconds later, crimson blood bloomed on her right chest like a beautiful peony.

“Haha…” Surnamed Li paled. “You haven’t gotten rusty. Good… Come on, make another two shots… Outside of professional killers, people can’t just make one shot…when they are nervous…”

Chen Ying couldn’t believe that she had pulled the trigger. The woman was her family, her teacher, and her leader, yet she shot her.

“Chen Ying…what will you give…” Surnamed Li said in a weak, pained voice. “...for your goal?”

“Everything.”

A tear streaked down Chen Ying’s face. Her eyes hardened gradually as she took a deep breath, her fingers wrapping tightly around her gun.

“Same for me.” Surnamed Li smiled weakly. “What are you waiting for… Do it now…”

Bang! Bang!

The two bullets hit Surnamed Li in the abdomen and shoulder. She collapsed to the floor, her blood quickly forming a pool.

Her pale face was drenched in her blood. Her glasses fell off, her eyes looking unfocused and dim. She forced a word out of her clenched teeth.

“Go.”

Chen Ying put away her gun and turned to leave with the briefcase. She never turned around.

Surnamed Li’s life slowly bled from her. Enduring the pain, she counted to one minute. Then she pressed the emergency alert button. The next second, her consciousness plunged into endless darkness.

…

Chen Ying escaped the room and took the elevator to the underground parking lot of the Sea View Tower. Getting out of the elevator, she took big strides to a small truck transporting fresh seafood. The Sea View Tower had a restaurant. It only made sense that there would be trucks transporting ingredients often.

Zhang Wei was there, disguised as the truck driver. Wild Range had destroyed all the surveillance cameras in the parking lot. And the others were hiding in the trunk.

Little Tian had kept his Sensory activated, making sure there were no enemies or suspicious people around.

Chen Ying climbed into the passenger seat with the briefcase and quickly changed into a uniform, putting her hair up and wearing a hat to transform into a carrier.

Only once the truck left the parking lot did Surnamed Li trigger the alert from the secret room.

…

At three o’clock in the morning, nine members of Team Chen Ying, with the addition of Sha Ye and Wang Weiyan, headed to a street block near the long abandoned Eleventh Highschool in the truck. Then they got out of the truck and walked into the old auditorium of the school, carefully avoiding the surveillance cameras.

All the while, Little Tian had been making sure that no one was following them with Sensory.

The group of eleven entered the auditorium but dared not to turn on the light. They hid in the small room behind the stage. Wild Range covered all the windows, making sure that no light could go through. Then he turned on his flashlight and placed it on a small dusty stool.

They sat around the stool quietly.

“When are the Nine Scions coming?” Buzhou asked.

“Three o’clock.” Chen Ying checked her watch. “It’s been ten minutes.”

“Has something happened?” Sha Ya anxiously held onto her daughter’s hand, not letting go for even a second.

“Be optimistic, Sister Sha.” Herb Snail cackled. “Perhaps this is a trap set up by the Nine Scions, and they only want the Rune Circuits and not us…”

“Shut up already.” Chestnut glared at him.

“Patience.” Empty Life remained calm and composed. “Wait a little longer.”

Chen Ying glanced at Little Tian. “Keep your Sensory up and don’t relax your guard.”

Little Tian nodded and closed his eyes.

“Keep watch, Herb Snail.”

“Okay.” With an easy smile, Herb Snail took two steps back and blended quickly into the wall behind him, disappearing into it.

His Intangibility allowed him to go through and hide within walls, floors, or any other regular obstacles. He was the perfect choice for watch duty.

Just in case, Sha Ye gave everyone a temporary mark with Cleansing, which would effectively prevent curses for half an hour.

Time crawled by. The wait was difficult.

None of them said anything as they thought back to their defection.

It wasn’t until four that Little Tian opened his crystal-clear eyes. Keeping Sensory at full effect for so long left him exhausted. He spoke up weakly.

“One…two people are coming.”

Houseau3's Thoughts

Dang.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!