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The Creatures That We Are-Chapter 42: Sick
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Chapter 42: Sick
The air curdled with tension.
Gao Yang, Qing Ling, and Officer Huang sat across from Fourth Grandpa Gu, their expression unchanged while their three pairs of arms sprung into action under the table.
Gao Yang took out a small dagger from his pocket and aimed it at the old manβs heart, ready to activate at any moment the Talent he replicated from Qing Ling, God of Blade.
Qing Ling had secretly conjured her Tang Dao under the table, finding the right angle to swing her blade.
And Officer Huang had a hand on his holster, prepared to make a shot at a moment's notice.
Wang Zikai and Fat Jun had been arguing not far from the table. Just as their argument grew heated, they finally noticed that something was wrong. freewebn ovel.com
Wang Zikai gaped for a moment when he turned around. Then he opened his mouth wide and raised his fist, βLizββ
Gao Yang shot to his feet and covered Wang Zikaiβs mouth. While he was a reckless one, Wang Zikai understood Gao Yang and didnβt resist. He simply gave his friend a questioning look.
βWait...β Gao Yang whispered.
In the few seconds they confronted each other, Gao Yang had not felt even a trace of murderous intent from Fourth Grandpa Gu. In fact, that was the reason Officer Huang and Qing Ling hadnβt made a move either.
Fourth Grandpa Gu was behaving in a very strange way.
It was strange that he was serene and at ease, no different from how he acted before his transformation.
Then something unbelievable happened. Fourth Grandpa Guβs half-transformed body became wholly human again. Throughout the entire process, he had been savoring his tea, and only when he put down the teacup and looked up did he notice that everyone in the room was staring at him nervously.
βWhy are you so quiet?β Fourth Grandpa Gu asked with innocent confusion. βAnd why are you staring at me? You...canβt be suspecting me of killing them, can you?β
βOf course not.β Officer Huang broke the silence and put a smile back on his face. βHaha, donβt overthink it, Fourth Grandpa Gu.β
βThatβs good. Iβm more eager to see the culprit caught than you all.β The old man sighed in lamentation. βSuch a tragic fate for the family. What had they done to deserve this...β
βItβs late, Fourth Grandpa Gu. Why donβt you go rest? Weβll return tomorrow.β Officer Huang stood up.
Gao Yang and Qing Ling rose to their feet as well. Fat Jun quickly caught up to them, looking eager to get out of the house.
Conflicted, Wang Zikai said, βHuh? Weβre going just like that? He...β
βCome on.β Gao Yang shot him a look.
βFarewell. Forgive me for not walking you.β Fourth Grandpa Gu slowly stood up and saw them out of the door.
...
The five of them didnβt have anywhere else to go, so they returned to Huaziβs place. This time, they left the light in the living room off to avoid attracting attention, and they shut all the windows and doors before lighting up a corner with a flashlight. They sat around the light.
βHeβs a lizardman! Why didnβt we kill him?β Wang Zikai was still hung up on that. And he was still referring to monsters as lizardmen.
βFourth Grandpa Gu didn't seem hostile.β Gao Yang gave Wang Zikai a pointed look. Then he explained to him what delusion monsters were. βNot all monsters are bad. Thereβs what we call wanderers...β
βThen why did he transform before us?β Wang Zikai didnβt get it. βJust to flex?β
Officer Huang stroked his chin. βWanderers are the most harmless and stable kind of monsters. Even if we say weβre awakeners before them, theyβll usually filter it all out. Only a great stimulus will set them off and make them transform.β
βWhat stimulus?β asked Wang Zikai.
βLike...hurting them with our Talents,β Fat Jun chimed in.
βIβve never seen a monster transformed for no apparent reason the way Fourth Grandpa Gu did, nor have I heard of it happening.β Officer Huang glanced at Gao Yang. βWhat do you think?β
Gao Yang had been thinking about what Baili Yi told him. He made a bold speculation, βI think he might be sick.β
βSick?β Qing Ling frowned.
βLetβs consider a hypothesis...β Gao Yang extended both hands. βThereβs a switch inside all monsters, controlling whether they present the form and personality of a monster or a human.β
Gao Yang clenched his left fist. βNormally, they present as human.β
Then he relaxed his left hand and balled his right hand up. βUnder certain circumstances, the switch turns on, and they transform into monsters with the personality of one.β
Officer Huang nodded, telling Gao Yang to continue.
βLike humans, monsters are living creatures, and all living creatures go through the different stages of life with a particular lifespan. We age. As we get old, we become physically weaker, and we sometimes get sick. All kinds of problems may arise.β
Gao Yang opened his hands and clasped them together. βNow, the old manβs switch is malfunctioning. Thatβs why his two states are overlappingβjust like a lightbulb flickering due to poor contact. However, because itβs a wanderer, the most harmless kind of monster, it isnβt aware of its condition.β
Gao Yang was reminded of the summer when he was four, of his grandfatherβs arm that he had seen through the crack of the door. Perhaps his grandfather had been a sick monster as well.
βI wouldnβt have believed that monsters could get sick in the past. After all, Iβve encountered my fair share of old wanderers.β Officer Huang clicked his tongue. βBut now, Iβm not so sure.β
Wang Zikai yawned, his eyes misty for a moment. βAll that analysis doesnβt seem to mean anything. I say we slaughter everyone in the village if we canβt find the culprit. They are all lizardmen anyway. Itβs easier to just take them all out.β
Gao Yang hid his shock. Youβre a monster yourself, Wang Zikai. Arenβt you being too cold to your kind?
βThatβs the typical gamer mindset, Brother Kai.β Fat Jun licked his lips. βI donβt think things would be that simple.β
βThen what do you suggest?β Wang Zikai shot back. βShould we just wait for our deaths here?β
Fat Jun stuttered and fell silent.
βI agree with Wang Zikai,β Qing Ling said after having been silent the whole time. βWhatever we have to do, weβre not dying here.β
βThat is a solution. Perhaps the culprit will show themselves if we initiate an attack.β Officer Huang sighed. βBut thereβs no turning back, and the risk is high. The villagers wonβt all be wanderers. A few wrath monsters will be enough to back us into a corner. Moreover, there may be even more powerful monsters hidden somewhere.β
βThen what do we do?β Fat Jun asked anxiously. βWe canβt get out. We canβt win in a fight. Both paths lead to death.β
βStop tucking your tail between your feet. Have you forgotten about me?β Wang Zikai thumped on his own chest. βI can take on ten monsters myself!β
βThat still wonβt be enough!β
βYou know nothing! Perhaps my endless potential will be activated after killing ten monsters. Then Iβll just enter the zone and go beyond my limit again. Thatβll save us, right?β
βHaha.β Officer Huang was amused by Wang Zikaiβs naivety and optimism. βThis isnβt a movie. Are you sure youβll be able to exceed your limit just like that?β
Gao Yang rolled his eyes. Putting aside whether Wang Zikai would become magically stronger, what if his brain was the thing that went beyond its limit, and he realized he was a monster? If he then turned on them, they would really be doomed.
βOf course I can!β Wang Zikai lifted his chin further. βIβm the chosen one, ainβt I, Gao Yang?β
βYou are...β Gao Yang put on a smile that was more twisted than a grimace.
βThen weβll vote by a show of hands?β Officer Huang proposed. βRaise your hand if you agree that we should take the offense.β
Wang Zikai and Qing Ling both raised their hands immediately. Officer Huang did so after thinking for a moment. Then Fat Jun followed suit hesitantly. As the only one left, Gao Yang didnβt think there was a point to him casting his vote.
βAlright!β Officer Huang announced their decision. βWeβre clearing the village.β
βWhen do we start?β asked Qing Ling.
Wang Zikai was already rubbing his hands together in anticipation. βRight now, of course! What are we waiting for?β
βWait.β Gao Yang disagreed. βWe should rest for tonight and investigate further tomorrow. Thereβs something else Iβd like to make sure. Letβs start the operation tomorrow evening.β
βIβm fine with that,β said Officer Huang.
Qing Ling nodded.
Fat Jun didnβt really have an opinion, so he nodded as well.
βWhy are we dragging things on?β Wang Zikai sounded petulant for having his parade rained on, but in the end, he decided to follow the decision of the majority. βFine, tomorrow evening it is!β