The Creatures That We Are

Chapter 939: Whatever the Case

[Gao Yang: Why are you suddenly saying that?]

[Qing Ling: Haha, just a random thought. Forget what I said. Once I return, let’s go have hot pot together.]

[Gao Yang: Okay.]

[Qing Ling: I’ll go to be now. Goodnight.]

[Gao Yang: Goodnight.]

Gao Yang tucked his phone away, but not before catching Liao Liao's knowing smirk in the rearview mirror. "Captain, can Double reach level 8? You should quickly gain the ability to make a real long-term double, or your charm will be your downfall."

"You know who I was texting?"

"If it was work, you would either send short messages or make a call for efficiency. But you taking the time to slowly type and wait for responses?" Liao Liao's eyes danced with mischief. "I would eat my phone if you weren't flirting." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Pfft." Chen Ying's composure cracked despite her closed eyes as she used Sensory.

Even Heavenly Dog, usually lost in his headphone bubble, broke his silence with a soft, "Cool."

"You really have a silver tongue, Captain." Liao Liao's grin widened as she turned the wheel. "I remind you of your past self? Remind you what?"

The car glided toward the curb as she continued, "Look at you. You're ridiculously popular among women! Then look at me. No male creatures have ever shown interest in me since I was a wee child! The rich become richer, and the poor become poorer. Such is the way of the world."

"Pfft."

"Cool."

"It seems you have a deep misunderstanding of me." Gao Yang affected his most dramatic sigh. "It seems we'll need another heart-to-heart."

Liao Liao stomped the brake. "I'll drop you here, Captain. We need to go back to work!"

"Thanks."

Gao Yang got out of the car and watched them go. After taking a few steps, his phone rang. The caller ID was “A Best Bro”.

Wang Zikai had stolen his phone and changed the ID himself, adding an A to make sure his contact would be at the top.

"Gao Yang! The New Year's coming! Where the hell are you?!" Wang Zikai's irritation crackled through the speaker.

"Sorry, I don't think I can make it back in time. It'll take at least an hour."

"Didn't you replicate Fly?!"

"I can only fly for thirty seconds," Gao Yang explained with resignation. "Then I'll fall. And using Absolute Barrier instead will make me stand out too much. I don't want to draw a monster swarm."

"Yeah, yeah. Tell Fresh Snow yourself."

Wind rustled, then: "Gao Yang! This is Fresh Snow."

"I'm sorry, Fresh Snow. I can't welcome the arrival of the New Year with you."

"It's fine. I and Stupid Kai...ow! I'm having a good time with Brother Kai. We lit some firecrackers earlier. Brother Kai said that it was meant to drive away the nian beast, that it ate people[1]. Haha, isn't that talking about Spectres? But I'm not afraid of firecrackers at all..."

Her voice brightened. "Wang Zikai and I launched so many fireworks, Gao Yang. And the fire...no, the sparks are like a colorful waterfall. It's so pretty. I took a video. I'll send it to you later. Still, I think it's best to watch in person..."

"I heated up dumplings in the kitchen for you, Gao Yang, and your favorite spam. If you're hungry once you get home, you should eat them. Wang Zikai and I don't feel like sleeping just yet. We're gonna play some games first..."

Fresh Snow's happy chatter continued as Gao Yang walked the festive street and looked for a taxi, black coat cutting through the celebration around him. One hand stayed warm in his pocket, the other held his phone as his eyes scanned for taxis. The weight of leadership—the constant calculations, the endless decisions—seemed to lift from his shoulders. For a moment, he felt like just another office worker, hurrying home after overtime to join the celebrations.

“Ah!” Fresh Snow suddenly shouted. “Look at the sky, Gao Yang!”

Before he could ask why, light erupted overhead. A rumble like summer thunder rolled through the city as a massive purple firework bloomed against the night sky. The sparks danced and shifted, forming a brilliant mouse that cast its glow across all of Li City.

Standing beneath the shimmering display, Gao Yang had no idea that the spectacular show had originated from the Millennium Tower's rooftop.

The Millennium Tower's Ferris wheel turned steadily, a ring of light marking time's passage. As the pod marked "12 o'clock" reached its apex, New Year's bells rippled across the city like waves. From the wheel's base, a white orb of light shot skyward.

Boom!

The night split open. Twenty seconds later, another burst of color scattered across the black canvas of the sky, golden sparks raining down until they coalesced into a magnificent ox hovering over Li City.

"Did you see that, Gao Yang? The fireworks are so pretty!" Fresh Snow's voice trembled with excitement through the phone.

"Yeah, I'm seeing it. It is beautiful." Gao Yang's smile softened his face as he gazed upward.

"Gao Yang! Happy New Year! I'm super happy to be able to watch the same fireworks under the same sky!"

"Me too. And we'll do this again in the future. Happy New Year."

...

In a ward at the Shanqing Hospital, an old man lay sickly and weak on his bed. His hair had all fallen off, and his skin was ashen. Many IV drips were connected to his body. Old Man Liu, with terminal cancer, was counting down the days, merely holding onto his life.

It was like a piece of rotten wood preserved with effort, only to have a few pale flowers bloom for a fleeting time, soon to wilt and die.

Like a withered tree forcing one last bloom, precious and fleeting, before surrendering to winter.

His shallow breaths ghosted against the oxygen mask, chest barely moving. For a brief moment, his skeletal arms took on a greenish-gray hue, patches of scales emerging like spring shoots in the wrong season. Ten seconds later, the unconscious transformation faded, as if it had never happened.

Boom!

Light suddenly flooded through the window. With monumental effort, Old Man Liu's clouded eyes dragged toward the brilliance. The oxygen mask fogged with each labored breath.

It's the New Year.

I'm too old and too weak now, or I would've made a table of good food for my brother no matter what.

...

On the river shoal, golden light washed over the gathered crowd, painting them in celestial radiance. Silence held them spellbound.

Then War Tiger's joy exploded.

"Whoa! Hahahaha!"

"Fucking awesome! You're awesome, Electric Mouse!"

These New Year fireworks, launching from the Millennium Tower, were Wu Dahai's final gift to the city. When the Twelve Zodiac Signs had become whole again—with Gao Yang, Qing Ling, and Officer Huang joining their ranks—Electric Mouse had invested heavily in his dream: a zodiac-themed firework show visible to every soul in Li City. Though annual fireworks were a tradition, Wu Dahai had envisioned something grander.

War Tiger had backed the plan immediately. It would showcase the Zodiacs' might, and someone else was footing the bill—what wasn't to love?

Unfortunately, the Crimson Tide arrived halfway through the project, and Wu Dahai was killed in action. He specified in his will that the project must go on even after his death, though, and it would receive the funds it needed.

November saw construction complete, the display poised to welcome the New Year. Then came the unthinkable attack on the Twelve Zodiac Signs. When the Millennium Tower fell, the specially crafted fireworks had been lost in the destruction.

Although the Heavenly Way had restored the building quickly, War Tiger wasn’t sure if the fireworks had been restored, too. If not, the project team wouldn’t be able to recreate the fireworks in time. If the Heavenly Way had done its job, though, the project team would have launched the fireworks at twelve tonight according to Wu Dahai’s will.

It seemed that the Heavenly Way had done well this time.

That was a good sign to War Tiger. The heaven was on their side!

Boom!

1. A myth related to the Lunar New Year. It’s said that the nian beast comes out then to eat people, so people sacres it away with firecrackers. ☜