The Creatures that We Are

Everyone turned to Gao Yang.

“How?” Gray Bear’s face darkened as soon as he asked the question. “You aren’t going to lure a life monster here, are you, Captain?”

“How am I going to do that?” Gao Yang smiled wryly, turning to War Tiger. “Deputy, a word in private.”

“Sure.” War Tiger smiled brightly and put an arm around Gao Yang’s shoulders in a friendly manner. They walked to the side.

“Can I trust you, Uncle Tiger?” Gao Yang asked.

War Tiger narrowed his eyes at Gao Yang with a profound smile. “Did Dragon tell you something when he went to Island Nation?”

Gao Yang started. As expected of the man Dragon trusted the most. He caught on quickly.

With a serious expression, he said, “I can’t tell you, but I promise you that we’re on the same boat.”

At least until we open the Gates of Closure.

“That’s reassuring to hear, Uncle Tiger.” Gao Yang let out a long sigh. “Can Dr. Jia be trusted?”

“No,” War Tiger said without thinking.

“Huh?”

“He’s not malicious,” War Tiger said with resignation, “But he doesn’t know what a secret is, and he answers all questions anyone asks him.”

Gao Yang thought back to the way the man acted, and indeed, that was the case.

“Okay, then please have him leave for a moment.”

Gao Yang and War Tiger went back to the group. War Tiger glanced at Dr. Jia. “Dr. Jia, give us some space. We have things to discuss.”

Gao Yang was surprised. And you just told him that? I thought you would find an excuse.

“Sure.” Dr. Jia didn’t seem to care. He turned and left.

Once he was far enough away, Gao Yang turned to his teammates. “Gray Bear, Lithe Snake, Nine Frost.”

The three turned to him.

“Can I trust you?” Gao Yang asked.

The three of them paused. They didn’t expect their captain to ask the question like they weren’t a team.

But they weren’t so obstinate that they wouldn’t realize that this was an important conversation.

“You know me, Captain.” Gray Bear was the first to speak up. He pounded on his chest. “We’ve been through many life-and-death situations together. Although I’m years older than you, I trust and defer to you. I’ve long entrusted you with my life.”

“And you know me, Captain.” Lithe Snake sneered. “I joined the Qilin Guild to take revenge on Hyena. Now that it’s done, I have no reason to stray anywhere.”

“You know me too, Captain.” Nine Frost’s eyes glinted with anger. “I don’t care about anything other than erasing the Godbearer Cult. I believe you to be a man of his word.”

“Okay.”

Gao Yang was moved, but he still used Lie Detection.

Since they gave similar responses, the Talent applied to all of them together, but the results were given separately: Gray Bear didn’t lie, and Lithe Snake and Nine Frost were benevolent to him.

That should do.

Gao Yang nodded. “Then you are my people now. I’ll be frank with you, I’m planted by the Twelve Zodiac Signs.”

The three of them paused, but weren’t too surprised.

Gao Yang added, “However, I’ve never done anything harmful to the Qilin Guild. I’m mostly an eye for the Zodiacs.”

“Haha, started out as an eye and became an Elder in two months.” Gray Bear gave him a thumbs-up. “As expected of Captain!”

“I don’t care what organization you serve,” said Lithe Snake. “But why did you tell us that all of a sudden? Were I you, I wouldn’t have told the truth now.”

“Agreed,” Nine Frost said. “You didn’t have to tell us the truth so soon, Captain. Everyone who knows is a risk.”

Gray Bear said, “Captain trust us, Nine Frost.”

“I know.” Nine Frost was a meticulous one. “But if one of us gets killed, and Vermilion Bird questions the body, won’t Captain Seven Shadow get exposed?”

Gray Bear hissed. “I hadn’t thought about that.”

“So you better live.” Gao Yang smiled. “I was going to wait for the right time to tell you the truth, but there’s something I must tell you now, or I can’t proceed with the next step.”

He turned to War Tiger. “Since I’m with people I can trust, I’ll be honest. All this time, I’ve had contact with the Spectres.”

“The Spectres?” War Tiger frowned.

“Yeah.” Gao Yang then told them about the four Spectres, including his involvement with Fresh Snow and White Dew.

That was a great revelation to them all.

“Do you mean that you have half of Fresh Snow’s curse energy in you now, Little Yang Yang?” War Tiger concluded.

“Yeah, but I got resurrected once after Lilia carved out my heart. I’m not sure if I have any curse left in me.” Gao Yang looked at his right hand. “Still, I want to give it a try.”

“Do it.” Qing Ling could guess what Gao Yang was up to.

“Haha.” War Tiger had caught on too. “Do it then. There’s no harm in that.”

“Catch.” Lithe Snake drew his Black Gold dagger and threw it to Gao Yang. “Captain, you better make yourself a weapon to carry on your person. It’s unwise to rely on your Talent too much.”

“Okay.” Gao Yang agreed. “Thanks for the gift.”

Lithe Snake paused. Seriously?

“That’s a joke. I’ll pay you once I get paid.” Gao Yang walked to the center of the basin with the dagger.

“Ah, I get it now.” Gray Bear finally came to the realization. “Your blood, right? Spectres are born from life monsters, and Captain carries the curse of a Spectre, making him half a Spectre in a sense. Then Captain’s blood may contain a life monster’s energy.”

“That’s right.”

Gao Yang sliced his left palm open and lowered his hand, allowing the blood to drip to the sandy ground under his feet.

“My blood may activate the altar.” Gao Yang smiled. “Doesn’t hurt to try.”

Houseau3's Thoughts

...huh didn't know Lie Detection could work like that.

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