The Creatures that We Are

Seeing Gao Yang getting ready for a smash, Chen Ying jumped up to block it.

It was a feint, however, and Gao Yang quickly slowed his swing, making a light tip.

X was no stranger to the trick, and he had been waiting behind Chen Ying. Taking two steps forward, he dug the ball with his arms held together.

The moment the ball made contact, though, X stilled for half a second. While the ball did fly toward Chen Ying, it was strangely weak.

Chen Ying noticed too. She came to a halt and watched the ball fall at her feet. It didn’t roll for long before it deflated quickly with the air inside leaking.

The volleyball was broken.

“Haha, it works!”

Green Tea had been watching with bated breath. Finally, he couldn’t hold it in and jumped up in excitement. “Fucking A, Captain Seven Shadow!”

Gao Yang turned to Green Tea and gave him a thumbs-up. “One-inch Punch is a great Talent.”

While Green Tea was physically fit, he wasn’t lacking in intelligence.

During his game with Gao Yang and Qing Ling, he had shown Gao Yang his Talent on purpose.

He had made his intention clear with his overexaggerated movement. Gao Yang wasn’t so stupid that he wouldn’t see that the ball he hit was already on the verge of breaking.

Gao Yang had seen through Green Tea’s plan, and on the surface, it seemed like Green Tea had exposed his trump card, failing to make it to the final to the benefit of X.

But actually, the move ended up making X less careful.

Gao Yang had noticed that Green Tea was up to something, especially since the man gave him a pointed look right after the match.

While Gao Yang rested on a beach lounger, Green Tea sat by him on purpose and started selling him on weight training, when in truth it was an excuse to have physical contact with Gao Yang.

His intention couldn’t be clearer. Gao Yang immediately replicated his Talent—level 5 One-inch Punch.

One-inch Punch, serial number 36, Damage-type.

By balling one’s hand into fist, one would be able to hit their target with impressive penetrating and damaging power. Once reaching level 5, the Talent could be activated with even the lightest touch.

Gao Yang realized then what Green Tea was planning.

One might ask why Green Tea didn’t use the trick on X himself. It was because he couldn’t do it.

Under normal circumstances, he and Vermilion Bird couldn’t defeat Gao Yang and Qing Ling. One of them had level 4 God of Blades, and the other, level 3 Teleportation. They were too agile and flexible.

Green Tea would have to cheat with One-inch Punch in order to win the match.

However, that would tell X about the trick.

Then X would be keeping an eye out during the final. He would be extra careful when he saw Green Tea touching the ball with his hand balled into fist, and he might choose to not touch the ball.

That would result in a psychological battle where X had to bet on if Green Tea had used One-inch Punch, while Green Tea bet on if X would take the chance to touch the ball.

The chance of victory would be fifty-fifty.

Green Tea never got into a battle he couldn't win. He wasn’t someone who would go for a fifty percent chance of winning.

So he picked someone to work with—the only one who could execute the plan.

Green Tea cheated so obviously that Gao Yang would notice, at the same time relaxing X’s guard.

Then he found the chance to ‘teach’ Gao Yang One-inch Punch.

As soon as Gao Yang replicated the Talent, he understood the in and out of it. He didn’t need to use a lot of force to trigger its effect.

Thus, Gao Yang seized the chance when he was tipping the ball to clench his fist, using One-inch Punch on the ball.

Usually, players hit a ball with their palm or set it with their fingers. One wouldn’t hit it with a fist under normal circumstances.

While X wasn’t watching out for the trick, though, he didn’t notice the split second Gao Yang made the move.

And so the ball, on the verge of breaking due to One-inch Punch, flew toward X.

X noticed that there was something wrong with the ball as soon as he dug it, but since he had already made contact, the ball was his.

It was he who made the rules; he could only accept defeat.

“Hey! How could you cheat?!” Chen Ying snapped. “That’s poor sportsmanship!”

“Ahem.” Gao Yang reminded her subtly. “We’re here on a mission, Miss Chen. Professionalism is more important in this case.”

Chen Ying paused and came to her senses. “Oh, we won! We succeeded, haha!”

She gave Green Tea a thumbs-up. “Good job, Green Tea!”

Vermilion Bird walked up to X with a smile. “X…”

“It’s Cross!” X shouted, looking dejected. It seemed that he was still reconciling with the fact that he lost.

“We won, Mr. Cross.” Vermilion Bird arched an eyebrow, enjoying his misery. “You made the rules yourself. You aren’t getting back on your words, are you?”

“Haha, hahaha, hahahahaha…”

Suddenly, X broke into laughter with a hand covering his face.

The sudden change in mood caught everyone by surprise.

It took a while for him to settle down. He glanced at Vermilion Bird, then those around her, scanning everyone present.

Finally, he let out a long sigh. “Perhaps this is fate.”

“What?” Vermilion Bird frowned.

“It’s not important.” X’s expression was calm again. “Alright, I’ll work with you.”

“That’s good…”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself. I have a condition.”

“What? Another?” Wu Dahai strode up to him angrily. “What is the volleyball game then? Just a farce? What’s all the hard work we’ve put in?”

“Yes, right, but do you have anything to do with our win?” White Rabbit came up to slap Wu Dahai on the head.

“Beautiful women, swimsuits, and beach volleyball. Didn’t you enjoy your time spectating?” X cracked a flippant smile.

“I can’t say you’re wrong…” Wu Dahai felt caught. Then he put on a serious look. “But that’s a lowly trick. Why didn’t you tell us you have another condition?”

“I’ve never claimed to be an honest man.” X shrugged carelessly. “It’s up to you. Take it or leave it. We may go our separate ways.”

“We’ll hear you out first.” Vermilion Bird stopped X.

X tugged his lips at her. “I’ll just tell you that you’ll benefit from it too. But if you want me to tell you more, you have to agree to help.”

“Sure, go on.” White Rabbit smiled. It was apparent that she didn’t take his words seriously.

Rumble.

Lightning struck, and droplets of rain fell, quickly evolving into a downpour.

X’s smile turned cold. “I meant what I said, pretty girl. If I tell you about it and you refuse to help then, I’ll kill all of you. Don’t think that I’ll show you mercy just because you’re cute.”

White Rabbit fell silent.

Gao Yang started. X was serious.

Unfazed, Vermilion Bird responded with a scoff, “I’d like to see you try.”

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