The Creatures That We Are

Chapter 164: The Fourth Operations Team

“Are you Niu Xuan’s classmates?” He walked in with a smile.

“Yeah, and you are?” Cucumber quickly took the bag of fruit and left it on the bedside table.

“Oh, I’m a police officer. Niu Xuan’s case is now my responsibility. I visited him because I heard he woke up.” Gray Bear took out his badge as he spoke.

“Didn’t I tell you already?” Niu Xuan was irritated, and maybe a little scared too. “I lost consciousness and...and I don’t remember anything.”

“Relax, boy.” Gray Bear pulled a chair and took out a notepad and a pen. “It’s just a standard procedure I have to follow. You should think about it further, but it’s fine if you don’t remember. Just tell me honestly. I promise not to trouble you afterward.”

Intimidated by the seriousness of the matter, Fat Hu and Cucumber gave Gao Yang a hesitant look. “Why don’t we leave for the day, Gao Yang? We don’t want to bother the officer.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Fat Hu quickly agreed. “We’ll visit you tomorrow, Young Master Xuan.”

Niu Xuan opened his mouth to say something, but in the end, he simply nodded.

Gao Yang rose to his feet and gave Gray Bear a look. “We’ll take our leave.”

...

Gao Yang, Cucumber, and Fat Hu walked out of the hospital. Making up an excuse, Gao Yang sent the two away and turned back, sitting down under a pavilion before the small flower bed outside the inpatient building. After less than twenty minutes, Gray Bear walked out.

He spotted Gao Yang immediately and came up to him with a smile. “You’re here to investigate as well, Captain?”

“We’re classmates,” Gao Yang said on purpose. “Isn’t it natural for me to visit him?”

“Haha, stop playing dumb! You must be here for the Rune Cave!” Gray Bear snickered. “By the way, have you heard, Captain?”

“Heard what?”

Gray Bear grinned. “The fourth team spent the whole night investigating the Eleventh High School but found nothing! Hahaha!”

Gao Yang facepalmed. “The whole hospital will hear you.”

“Captain!” Gray Bear couldn’t contain his excitement. “You’re new. You don’t know how arrogant the fourth team has been. All the members look down on anyone and everyone. Shit, I’ve been wanting to knock them down a peg for a long time. But ha! Look who’s laughing now?”

Gray Bear’s spiel was interrupted by his phone.

Gao Yang’s phone rang as well. It was an encoded message from the Qilin Guild.

—Come to the third meeting room at the Black Tortoise branch at once. No exception.

Gray Bear’s smile widened, and he yelled, “Captain! It must be about the Eleventh High School!”

Most awakeners had their mundane identity to maintain, meaning they either had to go to school or go to work, and awakeners required much less sleep than normal people. The risk of exposure was lower if they moved at night. Therefore, the Qilin Guild mostly summoned people for missions in the small hours.

Gao Yang didn’t let any of his emotion show, but inwardly, he was grumbling. Seems like we’re going on an urgent mission.

It was one thing for him to risk his life alongside the Twelve Zodiac Signs and his close companions, but coming to the Qilin Guild, his plan had been to play the part of a watchful eye and nothing more. He didn’t want to do anything dangerous.

...

Gray Bear drove Gao Yang to the Walled City of Ten Dragons.

On the way, Gao Yang heard that Gray Bear hadn’t managed to get anything out of Niu Xuan, so he told Gray Bear what he had learned.

“Memory from his past life?” Gray Bear dismissed it with a scoff. “A wanderer, recalling his past life? His brain probably just got messed up by the Rune Cave.”

Gray Bear’s explanation was possible, and it was actually very likely to be true.

Gao Yang didn’t share his opinion just yet. He was still thinking. There were many things he hadn’t figured out.

...

At about midnight, Gao Yang and Gray Bear reached the third meeting room of the Black Tortoise branch. The members of the fifth team had all arrived, and they waited in the break area of the meeting room.

Can curled up on the sofa and was solely focused on her game. She didn’t want to waste even a minute on not playing. Meanwhile, Xiran and Ronnie were discussing something with great enthusiasm, most likely their theories about the truth of the world.

As for Lithe Snake...Gao Yang looked up to find that, yes, the man was dangling from the ceiling dressed in a stealth suit, like an unsociable gecko that wanted to be left alone.

“Captain, Uncle Bear, here you are.” Xiran rose to greet them.

Ronnie nodded at Gao Yang and Gray Bear too.

Instead of responding, Gray Bear strode up to the sofa and ruffled Can’s hair roughly.

“Ahhh stop it! I’m losing!” Can whined.

“I’ll give you three seconds to put your phone away, Can! Or I’ll turn it into junk, junk that can’t even be exchanged for a stainless steel basin.[1]”

“Yes, sir!”

Can quickly quit the game and shoved her phone into her pocket, driven by her strong self-preservation instinct.

“The fourth team is coming,” Gray Bear said seriously. “All of you need to behave, you hear me?”

“Understood!”

Gao Yang grumbled inwardly, Seriously, aren’t you being way too competitive?

Lithe Snake jumped down from the ceiling, landing before Gray Bear. “Are you sure the fourth team is joining us?”

Gray Bear puffed out his chest. “Hmph, I’m not exaggerating when I say that not one part of the Guild is free from my eyes and ears...”

Thud!

The door slammed open, cutting Gray Bear’s words short.

In came a tall, slim young man who walked with dramatic aplomb. He looked no older than twenty-five and was dressed in a dark gray long-sleeved shirt and a pair of pants of the same color. His attire was fashionable with a design that combined sportswear and tactical suit. The fabric was flexible and form-fitted.

On his chest was a glinting gold qilin brooch.

He had black short hair and light green eyes. His pronounced cheekbones and strong jaw accentuated his sharp, masculine facial features, and his eyes were haughty.

His five members followed after him—three men and two women. They were all dressed in the same uniform with a qilin brooch on their chests. They looked disciplined, serious, and radiated a strong presence.

Gao Yang had heard about the team from Gray Bear on their way here.

The head of the group was one of the Protectors of the Qilin Guild and the leader of the fourth operations team, Nine Frost.

His Talent was Weak Point, serial number 21, Damage-type.

It was quite a Talent.

Gao Yang maintained his poker face.

[Access granted.]

—System, give me detailed information on Nine Frost’s Weak Point.

[It takes 2 Luck points.]

—Hurry.

[Level 5 Weak Point: Within 40 seconds, attack the target in the same part twice and increase attack power by 5 times; attack the target in the same part a third time and increase attack power by another 5 times, the multipliers stacked.]

[Stats Bonuses of Level 5 Weak Point: Constitution + 450, Endurance + 450, Strength + 600, Agility + 350, Charisma + 120.]

—That is quite strong. No wonder he’s all high-and-mighty.

[Access ends.]

In that moment of distraction, Nine Frost came up to Gao Yang.

He was a little taller than Gao Yang and looked down at him with superiority. “Captain of the fifth team? You?”

“Yes, that’s me.” Gao Yang met his eyes without backing down.

“Tsk.” Nine Frost walked around Gao Yang and made it to the meeting table, turning his back to the fifth team in an overbearing manner. “The fifth team is hitting a new low. You may as well disband already if you’re going to let a random kid shit all over you as leader.”

Gao Yang was surprised. Although he had heard from Gray Bear that the fourth team were an egotistical bunch of overachievers, this was way worse than he had expected. The man didn’t even show basic decorum.

Mister Nine Frost, a bad personality may be salvageable, but you? You’re gonna end up dying alone!

1. In rural areas in China, there’s a tradition of exchanging broken phones for stainless steel wash basins. ?