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 manโs 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, โLizโโ
Gao Yang shot to his feet and covered Wang Zikaiโs mouth. While he was a reckless one, Wang Zikai understood Gao Yang and didnโt resist. He simply gave his friend a questioning look.
โWait...โ 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 hadnโt 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 Guโs 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.
โWhy are you so quiet?โ Fourth Grandpa Gu asked with innocent confusion. โAnd why are you staring at me? You...canโt be suspecting me of killing them, can you?โ
โOf course not.โ Officer Huang broke the silence and put a smile back on his face. โHaha, donโt overthink it, Fourth Grandpa Gu.โ
โThatโs good. Iโm more eager to see the culprit caught than you all.โ The old man sighed in lamentation. โSuch a tragic fate for the family. What had they done to deserve this...โ
โItโs late, Fourth Grandpa Gu. Why donโt you go rest? Weโll return tomorrow.โ 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, โHuh? Weโre going just like that? He...โ
โCome on.โ Gao Yang shot him a look.
โFarewell. Forgive me for not walking you.โ Fourth Grandpa Gu slowly stood up and saw them out of the door.
...
The five of them didnโt have anywhere else to go, so they returned to Huaziโs 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.
โHeโs a lizardman! Why didnโt we kill him?โ Wang Zikai was still hung up on that. And he was still referring to monsters as lizardmen.
โFourth Grandpa Gu didn't seem hostile.โ Gao Yang gave Wang Zikai a pointed look. Then he explained to him what delusion monsters were. โNot all monsters are bad. Thereโs what we call wanderers...โ
โThen why did he transform before us?โ Wang Zikai didnโt get it. โJust to flex?โ
Officer Huang stroked his chin. โWanderers are the most harmless and stable kind of monsters. Even if we say weโre awakeners before them, theyโll usually filter it all out. Only a great stimulus will set them off and make them transform.โ
โWhat stimulus?โ asked Wang Zikai.
โLike...hurting them with our Talents,โ Fat Jun chimed in.
โIโve never seen a monster transformed for no apparent reason the way Fourth Grandpa Gu did, nor have I heard of it happening.โ Officer Huang glanced at Gao Yang. โWhat do you think?โ
Gao Yang had been thinking about what Baili Yi told him. He made a bold speculation, โI think he might be sick.โ
โSick?โ Qing Ling frowned.
โLetโs consider a hypothesis...โ Gao Yang extended both hands. โThereโs a switch inside all monsters, controlling whether they present the form and personality of a monster or a human.โ
Gao Yang clenched his left fist. โNormally, they present as human.โ
Then he relaxed his left hand and balled his right hand up. โUnder certain circumstances, the switch turns on, and they transform into monsters with the personality of one.โ
Officer Huang nodded, telling Gao Yang to continue.
โLike 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.โ
Gao Yang opened his hands and clasped them together. โNow, the old manโs switch is malfunctioning. Thatโs why his two states are overlappingโjust like a lightbulb flickering due to poor contact. However, because itโs a wanderer, the most harmless kind of monster, it isnโt aware of its condition.โ
Gao Yang was reminded of the summer when he was four, of his grandfatherโs arm that he had seen through the crack of the door. Perhaps his grandfather had been a sick monster as well.
โI wouldnโt have believed that monsters could get sick in the past. After all, Iโve encountered my fair share of old wanderers.โ Officer Huang clicked his tongue. โBut now, Iโm not so sure.โ
Wang Zikai yawned, his eyes misty for a moment. โAll that analysis doesnโt seem to mean anything. I say we slaughter everyone in the village if we canโt find the culprit. They are all lizardmen anyway. Itโs easier to just take them all out.โ
Gao Yang hid his shock. Youโre a monster yourself, Wang Zikai. Arenโt you being too cold to your kind?
โThatโs the typical gamer mindset, Brother Kai.โ Fat Jun licked his lips. โI donโt think things would be that simple.โ
โThen what do you suggest?โ Wang Zikai shot back. โShould we just wait for our deaths here?โ
Fat Jun stuttered and fell silent.
โI agree with Wang Zikai,โ Qing Ling said after having been silent the whole time. โWhatever we have to do, weโre not dying here.โ
โThat is a solution. Perhaps the culprit will show themselves if we initiate an attack.โ Officer Huang sighed. โBut thereโs no turning back, and the risk is high. The villagers wonโt 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.โ
โThen what do we do?โ Fat Jun asked anxiously. โWe canโt get out. We canโt win in a fight. Both paths lead to death.โ
โStop tucking your tail between your feet. Have you forgotten about me?โ Wang Zikai thumped on his own chest. โI can take on ten monsters myself!โ
โThat still wonโt be enough!โ
โYou know nothing! Perhaps my endless potential will be activated after killing ten monsters. Then Iโll just enter the zone and go beyond my limit again. Thatโll save us, right?โ
โHaha.โ Officer Huang was amused by Wang Zikaiโs naivety and optimism. โThis isnโt a movie. Are you sure youโll be able to exceed your limit just like that?โ
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.
โOf course I can!โ Wang Zikai lifted his chin further. โIโm the chosen one, ainโt I, Gao Yang?โ
โYou are...โ Gao Yang put on a smile that was more twisted than a grimace.
โThen weโll vote by a show of hands?โ Officer Huang proposed. โRaise your hand if you agree that we should take the offense.โ
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 didnโt think there was a point to him casting his vote.
โAlright!โ Officer Huang announced their decision. โWeโre clearing the village.โ
โWhen do we start?โ asked Qing Ling.
Wang Zikai was already rubbing his hands together in anticipation. โRight now, of course! What are we waiting for?โ
โWait.โ Gao Yang disagreed. โWe should rest for tonight and investigate further tomorrow. Thereโs something else Iโd like to make sure. Letโs start the operation tomorrow evening.โ
โIโm fine with that,โ said Officer Huang.
Qing Ling nodded.
Fat Jun didnโt really have an opinion, so he nodded as well.
โWhy are we dragging things on?โ Wang Zikai sounded petulant for having his parade rained on, but in the end, he decided to follow the decision of the majority. โFine, tomorrow evening it is!โ