The Creatures that We Are

"For survival!"

Thick Earth raised his non-alcoholic pineapple beer in one hand and a lamb skewer in the other. "Cheers, bro!" he shouted.

He had initially planned on draft beer, but with the great fight looming, War Tiger had forbidden everyone from drinking alcohol—himself excluded. Alcohol affected him as much as water; his tolerance was on another level.

"Old Earth!" War Tiger plopped down next to him, a can of beer in hand and a toothpick in his mouth. He looked satiated from the food and drink he'd had. "You're bold, man. You dared to use the Qilin Guild's rally here?"

"Haha, my damn mouth." Thick Earth slapped his own face. "I was just in the mood to shout something! Couldn't think of anything else, only the phrase we chanted back in the Crimson Tide."

War Tiger glanced at Dead Pig, who was patiently peeling lobsters for Lovely Lamb. "Old Pig, what's the Twelve Zodiac Signs' chant?"

"Hoho, since when do we have one?" With disposable gloves on, Dead Pig shallowly dipped the soft, white shrimp in sauce before feeding it to Lovely Lamb.

Lovely Lamb opened her mouth wide and took it in one bite, her eyes twinkling like stars. "Oh! It's yummy!"

"We don't have one?" War Tiger shook the beer can in his hand, discontent. He raised his head and hollered, “Grandma[1]! Where are you, Grandma?”

A gust of wind swept past the top of their heads with a swoosh. A purple-haired girl in a sailor uniform, a black and white blanket around her shoulders, glided from the mansion's balcony to the front yard's entrance.

She stood on tiptoes atop the lamp post, affecting a haughty look as if gazing down at all life. "Mortal, you call for this Empress?"

"Grandma, what's the Nine Scions' chant again?" War Tiger asked.

"Hmph!" Nainai stood arms akimbo. "This Empress will only say it once. Listen well! We must walk the path we must walk..."

"Too long, won't listen!" War Tiger cut her off impatiently. "What's the last line? Something about the darkness?"

"Born in the dark, we chase the dawn," Ke Yo answered casually as she stood behind War Tiger. She had put her hair up and donned an apron and gloves. She was now working the grills.

Such a boisterous occasion had never been her thing. She always felt out of place. Thus, she'd rather find something to do and keep busy. That eased and comforted her.

Wang Weiyan stood beside Ke Yo, holding a bottle of coconut juice. "Sister Ke Yo, I want roasted fish."

"Of course." Ke Yo smiled at Wang Weiyan. "Just a minute. It'll be done soon."

"Born in the dark, we chase the dawn! Commit the words of this Empress to your heart, mortals. It will grant you the power of faith!" Nainai, anxious after Ke Yo had taken her line, quickly asserted her copyright over the chant.

"Hahaha! Alright! Alright!" Thick Earth, finally moving past his earlier slip, raised his bottle of pineapple beer and toasted War Tiger. "Here! Cheers to the dawn!"

Three hours from now, they would be heading into all-out war. They had come to the Spectres' Mansion and prepared grills and a small buffet. Amid the smoke and aroma, more than twenty people were enjoying a barbecue together.

This was the rallying gathering for the Nine Scions and the Twelve Zodiac Signs, held by Gao Yang.

Nine Frost looked down at the boisterous crowd from the balcony on the second floor of the mansion. He suddenly felt like they weren't fighters about to go to the frontline, but old friends having a reunion after years apart.

"Sometimes I wonder how your brain works," Nine Frost said, shaking his head resignedly.

Gao Yang, resting on the living room sofa behind Nine Frost, replied coolly, "The strategy's planned out. Better to create some happy memories rather than have a serious rally." ʀάꞐọΒЕS̩

"You speak like this would be their last meal." Nine Frost smiled wryly.

"Don't they seem happy?"

"Have you considered if they are merely pretending to have a good time?"

"And we become what we pretend to be." Gao Yang opened his eyes and smiled. "Stop pulling a long face, Nine Frost. Get down there and have a drink with them. Chat with them."

"You're the captain. I'll do as you said." Nine Frost jumped down from the balcony and joined the barbecue gathering.

Gao Yang's smile dropped. There was something he had been agonizing over. Should he tell Dead Pig that Lovely Lamb was his biological daughter?

Ba Qiuchi must have had a reason for this arrangement, though. In the end, Gao Yang decided to respect Ba Qiuchi's will. Ba Qiuchi was Lovely Lamb's mother, and she wouldn't do something to hurt the girl.

Gao Yang checked his system for Luck points. He didn't have enough to comprehend a Talent, and he had gone over the strategy for tonight many times. It seemed that he had little to do now.

Then he heard footsteps coming upstairs.

Gao Xinxin brought a roasted chicken leg and a bottle of sports drink to Gao Yang. "The oh-so-busy Captain Gao, have some food. Even if you were made of metal, food would be your source of steel."

Gao Yang said resignedly, "Call me Brother."

"Oh, how can I? Captain Gao's the leader of the Nine Scions, the savior of humanity. He's such an esteemed person that I never get to see him usually. How dare I call him something that intimate?" Gao Xinxin threw shade at him.

Gao Yang chuckled, taking the chicken leg from his sister and having a bite. "Hm, it's good."

"Of course. I'm the chef." Gao Xinxin sat down next to Gao Yang. She was going to joke more, but she wasn't in the mood.

After hesitating, she said, "Brother, I…"

"No," Gao Yang insisted.

"I promise I won't drag you down…"

"No," Gao Yang repeated. "Take Lovely Lamb and Wang Weiyan back to the secret base in the sewers later."

"Gao Yang!" Gao Xinxin lost her calm. "What should I do if none of you return? Have you considered my feelings?!"

"Sacrifice is unavoidable, but it's unlikely for us all to die." Gao Yang sighed and held Gao Xinxin's gaze solemnly. "And even if we all die, you must live. You have two children to take care of. Vermilion Bird too."

"Brother!" Gao Xinxin's eyes reddened. "That's selfish of you! I'm only a high school freshman. What can I possibly do? I don't know how. I'm scared…"

"Don't be scared, Xinxin. Even if the worst-case scenario does become reality, you'll know what to do when the time comes."

Gao Yang patted her head with his clean hand. "Brother was just like you. I was afraid of this and that and everything, but somehow, I stumbled my way to where I am today. You can do the same. People are more resilient than we thought."

Gao Xinxin lowered her head and fell silent, clutching the hem of her shirt with both hands.

After a long while, she took a deep breath and let go of her shirt. She opened her arms and gently hugged Gao Yang. "I'll do as you said, Brother, but promise me that you'll be okay."

"I'll do my best." Gao Yang patted her back.

"Alright!" Gao Xinxin let go of Gao Yang and wiped the corners of her eyes with the back of her hand. She cheered herself up. "I'm gonna give Gregor a few more pointers. I won't be there this time, and I'm worried."

"Go." Gao Yang smiled.

Gao Xinxin went downstairs. Listening to the staccato of her footsteps, Gao Yang was momentarily lost in his thoughts.

Then suddenly, Gao Yang's brows furrowed. He had picked up on something.

1. War Tiger may be calling Nainai Grandma because of her hair color. There’s a popular choice of color in China for hair color that’s known as Grandma Gray, and it’s gray with a purple tint. ☜

Houseau3's Thoughts

The contrast is stark, the two sides.

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