The Creatures That We Are

Chapter 652: Excuse

Even though Dr. Jia’s incredibly capable, the Medicine C he made doesn’t act as gently and smoothly as those made with Pharmaphist.

Gao Yang knew that despite the surface wounds having been quickly healed, the deeper damage to the internal organs would take more time to recover fully. With both his Constitution and Endurance at about 500, he would have to rest for two days.

If he wanted to get better immediately, he would need Fat Jun’s Healing, Vermilion Bird’s Equivalent Exchange, or Lovely Lamb’s Injury Transfer.

While the physical pain hadn’t knocked him down, his regret, guilt, and frustration gnawed at him.

Qiu Qiu slowly rose to his feet under the billboard; he had transformed into a monster completely.

It was over two meters tall with thick, hard brown hair from head to toe. Its eyes glinted with a cold dark green. With a long snout, its mouth opened to reveal sharp white fangs. Its nails had turned into fierce claws.

The neon light of the billboard flickered and changed, backlighting the strong, fierce, and cunning “werewolf”.

A summoner.

Qiu Qiu stared at Gao Yang with a dark and insane look in his eyes. “Haha, I didn’t expect my dear roommate to be an awakener.”

Gao Yang looked at the now transformed Qiu Qiu gravely, eyes red.

He hadn’t activated Psychic Armor. He had to make himself remember this moment, this moment of great stupidity. He had repeated the mistakes, again and again, being a right fool.

Hum.

His head rang, and the world spun around him.

The hum soon faded into the backdrop. Then the voice of a little boy took centerstage. It sounded like the little Gao Yang back in the orphanage.

—Haha, you made another mistake. Why did you always make a mistake?

You can’t blame me. Luqi had appeared so suddenly that I didn’t have the time to react.

—Of course you are to blame! When Zhou Jing called out to you, why did you turn around? Why didn’t you just go?

I was worried that she would get suspicious.

—That’s an excuse! You wanted to turn around. You couldn’t help but get nosy.

That’s not true.

—Why bother to answer Zhou Jing? Why bother to deal with Qiu Qiu? Don’t you remember? You’re no longer Gao Yang. That identity no longer matters. You had so many chances to just leave, but you didn’t.

...

—Answer me, Gao Yang! Why didn’t you just leave?!

I wanted to comfort Qiu Qiu so that he wouldn’t be too sad. I did it out of kindness. I wanted to be kind...

—Excuse! It’s all excuses! You just can’t help being nosy!

—You’re weak! Foolish! Overconfident! Prideful! Indecisive! Greedy! Hypocritical!

—You want everything! What gives you the right to have everything?!

—Because of you, Qiu Qiu died!

—Because of you, Li Weiwei died!

—Because of you, Wan Sisi died!

—Because of you, Granny, Dad, Mom, Officer Huang...all died!

—It’s all your fault! It’s your fault! Yours!

—The more you struggle, the sooner you’ll lose everything!

—Hahaha! Hahahahaha!

Shut up, shut up... SHUT UP!!

Activate Psychic Armor.

Ding.

The ring faded, and so did the little boy’s voice.

His face was impassive as a single drop of tear streaked down his pale cheek.

He turned to Qiu Qiu and spoke up in an emotionless tone.

“Who are you?”

Qiu Qiu’s head jerked up. He didn’t respond.

“Where are you going?”

Qiu Qiu’s chest bulged, and his throat writhed violently.

“Do you choose forgiveness, or death?”

Qiu Qiu opened his mouth to the limit, tipping his head up to howl.

His voice, however, was stopped short. Gao Yang had teleported to him and grabbed his neck, but instead of breaking the neck, he pierced Qiu Qiu’s heart with a Black Gold dagger.

Qiu Qiu threw up blood, a few crimson drops hitting Gao Yang’s impassive face.

Gao Yang let go, allowing Qiu Qiu to slowly fall. He went up to lay Qiu Qiu on the ground properly.

Nearing death, the summoner’s strong body quickly shrunk, and the fur disappeared. The face reverted to that of a human, too.

“Ah, ugh...”

Blood foamed in Qiu Qiu’s mouth. He panickedly held onto his chest and looked at Gao Yang. “Little Gao? What...what happened to me...what...”

Gao Yang didn’t say anything.

“Am I...dying?” Tears of despair leaked out of the corners of his eyes. His consciousness slowly faded and blurred. “Mom, Mom...it hurts... It’s cold...”

Gao Yang remained silent.

Qiu Qiu raised his bloodied hand and reached out to Gao Yang with great difficulty.

“Save me... I don’t wanna...die...”

His hand fell, his teary eyes darkening until they became lifeless with dilating pupils.

Gao Yang closed his eyes for him.

The next second, Psychic Armor was deactivated.

Gao Yang stood up and took three deep breaths with his eyes closed.

When he opened his eyes again, he calmly wiped the blood on his face and disappeared in a flash.

...

Li River Community, midstream of Li River, one o’clock in the morning.

Most of the residents had gone to bed. The light was only on for some villas. Among one of the still-lit houses was the new base for the Nine Scions.

The secret base hidden inside the unfinished building was no longer safe.

Their scout, Lithe Snake, found out that members of Team Azure Dragon were quietly searching the typical hideouts in the city, including the unfinished buildings and abandoned sites. It was only a matter of time for them to find the Nine Scions.

After some discussion, the Nine Scions decided to do the counterintuitive thing: head to the community Wang Zikai’s villa was located in and pick a house left empty due to the residents’ absence, “borrowing” it for a while.

They took whatever they could carry with them from their temporary safe house and burned the rest, making sure that the Qilin Guild couldn’t track the items to them.

It was a real possibility. Dick’s Tracking, for example, could be used for that. If someone at the Qilin Guild had acquired it, the risk would be great. Gao Yang had to eliminate all possibilities for them to be found.

At the moment, Lithe Snake, Nine Frost, and Gray Bear were keeping watch, disguised as the security guards of the community for the night shift.

The others were ready to retire to bed. Gao Yang sat on the sofa. He could be pondering something or simply staring into space.

Can and Hong Xiaoxiao were busying around in the kitchen. Wearing disposable gloves, Can stacked panfried spam, leafy green, and salad before topping them with another piece of toast and pressing it down. Then she heated it in the microwave, and a simple sandwich was made.

She cut it in half with a knife. The bigger one was for Captain, and the smaller one was for herself.

“Hurry, hurry,” Can urged quietly.

“Alright, alright...”

Hong Xiaoxiao had made two cups of coffee.

Can placed the sandwich on a tray and took off the gloves. Hong Xiaoxiao then placed the two cups of coffee.

Can lifted the tray, glancing at Hong Xiaoxiao. “How do I look?”

“Good!” Hong Xiaoxiao gave her a thumbs-up. “Oh, wait, your bang’s a little messed up.”

“Hurry, smooth it for me.”

Hong Xiaoxiao sorted out her fringe and smiled. “Ten out of ten!”

Can knew those were only words of encouragement, but she was still happy to hear them. She took a deep breath. “I’m going!”

“Go.”

Can walked out of the kitchen quickly with the sandwich and coffee. Her feet stuck to the floor as soon as she made it across the threshold, and her smile stiffened.