The Creatures That We Are

Chapter 935: Dramatic Pause

Gao Yang was silent for a second.

Holding his phone while continuing to wash dishes, he said calmly, “You aren’t done, are you?”

War Tiger's laughter boomed through the speaker. "That didn't get you? Yep, Hong Xiaoxiao brought him back. She gave him a hairpin beforehand. I heard it was your doing?"

"Yes."

"Nicely done, you brat," War Tiger said.

"I'll be right there." Gao Yang ended the call.

"Something went wrong?" Gao Xinxin's voice carried a note of concern.

"A little accident. I have to go back to the S Base."

"I'll go with you."

"It's fine..."

“Brother.” Gao Xinxin smiled gently. “I say this count as we having spent the New Year together. Lovely Lamb and Yanyan are still waiting for me. I should head back.”

Since she had made up her mind, Gao Yang didn't insist. "Alright. We go together."

When they reached the front yard, two fountains of sparks illuminated the darkness. Through the drifting smoke, Wang Zikai and Fresh Snow faced off, each wielding a cold sparkler.

"Take this!" Wang Zikai's strong swing shattered Fresh Snow's sparkler.

"Ah! My weapon!" Fresh Snow's cry echoed in the night.

Wang Zikai advanced with a triumphant grin. "Loser! Meet death!"

At Wang Zikai's boasting, Gao Yang snapped his fingers. The dormant sparklers on the ground sprang to life, spiraling toward Wang Zikai like a swarm of luminescent tops.

"Holy shit!" Wang Zikai scrambled backward.

Fresh Snow's laughter rang out as she lit another cold sparkler, but instead of pursuing Wang Zikai, she darted toward Gao Yang, offering him the sparking wand.

Gao Yang shook his head. "Fresh Snow, Xinxin and I have to go back to the S Base."

Fresh Snow swept her sweat-dampened fringe from her forehead, her smile unwavering. "Alright. Go ahead."

"Really? What's more important than the New Year?" Wang Zikai approached, his expression crestfallen.

Gao Yang offered an apologetic smile without elaborating. "Gao Xinxin is worried about the kids there. I'll be back as soon as I can."

"You can go, Gao Yang. No rush." Fresh Snow nodded. "We'll keep the fireworks until you're back. Right, Stupid Kai?"

"Yeah, yeah." Wang Zikai waved dismissively, too disappointed to even protest the nickname. “Don’t take too long.”

...

An hour and a half later, Gao Yang and Gao Xinxin slipped quietly into the S Base. The living room held everyone who wasn't out on mission, save for the two kids, Vermilion Bird, and Zhong He. The atmosphere, while not oppressive, lacked the usual New Year's cheer.

War Tiger stood in the entryway, arms crossed, an unlit cigarette clenched between his teeth as he fought the urge to light it. "Here you are," he said, flashing a grin at Gao Yang.

They quickly made their way to the living room, where Fat Jun lay unconscious on the sofa with Hong Xiaoxiao at his side.

"Who else?" Gao Yang asked, cutting straight to the point.

"Dead Pig's running a high fever." Hong Xiaoxiao's voice betrayed her anxiety. "I gave him a hairpin."

"And Zhang Wei?" Gao Yang scanned the room for any sign of him.

Gurgle. The sound of flushing echoed from the restroom. Zhang Wei emerged, brightening at the sight of Gao Yang. "Captain, when did you get here? Happy New Year!"

"Happy New Year," Gao Yang replied. "Not feeling well?"

"Oh, I ate all sorts of stuff for dinner. My stomach was acting up," Zhang Wei said with a shrug.

Gao Yang immediately stepped forward to examine Zhang Wei, tension leaving his shoulders only after confirming his condition. "It seems the Confidence grants high resistance to curses."

"Huh?" Zhang Wei's brow furrowed in confusion. He'd just had diarrhea. What did that have to do with curses? Was there a Diarrhea God? Or God of Constipation?

War Tiger laughed. "So it was a curse. Knew something wasn't right."

"What's going on, Captain Gao?" Quiet Book's voice came out weak.

The others turned to Gao Yang, tension visible in their postures.

“It goes back to a few days ago.” Gao Yang explained his speculation and his reasoning.

The last time Gao Yang was at the S Base, he heard that Zhang Wei had missed three teeth. Then he saw the state Fat Jun was in. His overly cautious mind reminded him of one person: Sunny.

Everyone knew about Sunny's level 3 Blood Curse—how she could curse targets through her own blood, causing anything from minor mishaps to death itself. But Gao Yang had considered a more troubling possibility. What if Sunny could curse people through their own blood and tissues within a certain timeframe? If not at level 3, then perhaps at level 4?

To increase the power on his side, Qilin had lent the Miracle Rune Circuit to Zero Hatred to get Elemental to level 4; it wasn’t out of the realm of possibility for him to do the same for Sunny’s Blood Curse.

Once the possibility occurred to him, Gao Yang had to do something.

He sought out Hong Xiaoxiao and had her keep a close eye on everyone’s health, giving those in a bad state insurance. Should anyone suddenly suffer a terrible ailment or even die, she would use Time Reset on them.

There were many instances proving that Miracle-type Talents operated on the same energy. A cursed target should shake off the curse after getting reset by Gamer—were Sha Ye still alive, it wouldn’t even be an issue; she could just use Cleansing on everyone.

Based on Nine Frost’s report of the battle, Gao Yang learned that those who had suffered a serious enough injury to leave behind their blood and tissues were Fat Jun, Zhang Wei, Wang Zikai, and Dead Pig.

The first three had gotten injured and bled a lot on the riverbanks or the shoals, and Dead Pig had had a serious fight in the center of the bridge.

The other members, while injured or bled, had been fighting in the air or the river. After the Heavenly Way restored everything, the Ocean River Union was unlikely to collect their samples.

Thus, Hong Xiaoxiao was to pay special attention to Fat Jun, Zhang Wei, Dead Pig, and perhaps Zhong He.

Wang Zikai was Gao Yang’s charge. He had replicated Gamer and prepared a hairpin.

To be honest, though, Gao Yang wasn’t worried about Wang Zikai at all. Given his ridiculous power as “the chosen one”, level 4 Blood Curse wouldn’t be enough to hurt him. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

The results proved his theory: Fat Jun had died from the curse, Dead Pig ran a fever but could fight it with his regenerative abilities—they'd save the precious reset unless absolutely necessary. Zhang Wei's toilet run was clearly curse-related, while Wang Zikai remained unaffected.

Gao Yang went over the matter. The others broke into cold sweat, shocked that death had been so close to them.

This was the true face of war—death could claim them even during a ceasefire, while they celebrated the New Year.

Gao Yang stayed as backup, knowing Hong Xiaoxiao's Gamer had limits on simultaneous resurrections. By eleven o'clock, when no new curses manifested and Dead Pig's fever subsided, the collective tension began to ease. After a brief word with Gao Xinxin, Gao Yang prepared to leave.

"Captain." Lying Wood's careful voice cut through the relief. "Is there a possibility that Sunny only cursed some of us, planning to curse the others later?"

“Possible,” Gao Yang said.