The Creatures That We Are

Chapter 255: Crimson Tide

Taiping Bridge Cemetery, eight o’clock in the morning.

It was a sunny day. The sky was empty of clouds, and the temperature moderate. Gentle breeze swept over the mountain, which was covered in thriving green.

Ghost Horse was buried once more, for the last time.

Outside of Dragon, all other members of the Twelve Zodiac Signs were in attendance.

Dressed in dark formal wear, they each had a white flower to their chest as they circled Ghost Horse’s tomb.

Gao Yang and Vermilion Bird attended as representatives of the Qilin Guild and watched from afar, keeping a polite distance.

Holding a white daisy, War Tiger stood among them and said in a booming voice tinged with sorrow, “We’ve gathered here today to see Ghost Horse off.”

“A month ago, we were also here to send our old friend on his way. At the time, our sorrow was overpowered by anger, confusion, and conflicted feelings.”

“Today, we returned, but with the knowledge that Ghost Horse was no traitor, that he was our most trusted friend, companion, and family, that he had never and would never betray the Twelve Zodiac Signs.”

“Don’t be too heartbroken, my friends. It was Ghost Horse’s own decision to walk the precarious path of a double agent. He was determined and held fast to his goal, completing his mission splendidly.”

“Although he passed away, his will stay with us. We’ll walk the rest of the path for him!”

War Tiger paused and looked around, putting on a smile. “I’m done. Let us give him the flowers.”

They each went up to lay down a white daisy on the newly set up tombstone. In the black-and-white photo on the tombstone was a thin, tired-looking middle-aged man.

He did his best to curl his lips into a smile. Although it looked forced, there was also a hint of awkward gentleness that was unique to him.

Never did Gao Yang think that the first time he saw Ghost Horse smile would be in the last photo the man had prepared for himself, and the same was true of many members of the Twelve Zodiac Signs.

Many of their eyes turned red. Holding onto White Rabbit’s legs, Lovely Lamb had been crying nonstop.

He kept saying, “Uncle Ghost Horse wasn’t the Big Bad Wolf, he wasn’t...”

White Rabbit petted her on the head without saying anything; she worried that she would burst into tears as soon as she opened her mouth.

They finished paying tribute with flowers not long after.

Among the members dressed in black, Songstress was the only one wearing a plain white dress. She was holding a bouquet of blue forget-me-nots.

Lifting her beautiful dress with one hand, she slowly knelt down to place the forget-me-nots on the tombstone.

She reached out, fingertips gently kissing the dead man’s smiling face in the black-and-white photo.

Tears streamed down her face in quiet mourning.

She opened her mouth suddenly. Then her gentle, captivating, yet sorrowful singing voice echoed in the mountain.

—Outside the pavilion, by the ancient road, green grass extended to the sky.

—Night wind swept the willow trees amid the faint tune played on flute, beyond the mountain lit by sunset stood another mountain.

—Outside the pavilion, by the ancient road, green grass extended to the sky.

—Night wind swept the willow trees amid the faint tune played on flute, beyond the mountain lit by sunset stood another mountain.

—To the edge of the dome, to the end of the world, our dear friends part ways.

—Most precious in life is the time of reunion, and more often we separate.

—To the edge of the dome, to the end of the world, our dear friends part ways.

—Most precious in life is the time of reunion, and more often we separate.

...

The singing reached Gao Yang’s ear. He could sense the strong emotions and the energy from Requiem imbuing it, seeping quietly into his body and cleansing his soul.

Strangely, Gao Yang didn’t feel drowsy.

He soon realized why: Songstress’ Requiem had reached level 5.

It took extreme situations for a Talent to go from level 4 to level 5, such as a sense of extreme danger, fury, fear, relief...

For Songstress, it was probably her overwhelming heartbreak triggering her level-up.

After she finished singing the song, she smiled at Ghost Horse and said the words she had wanted to say to the man since long ago.

“I’ll love you till the end.”

...

“Let’s go.”

Vermilion Bird seemed to have remembered something, and her gaze was wistful.

She was dressed in a pair of jeans, a loose, black T-shirt, a baseball cap, and a surgical mask. She turned around with her hands in her pockets.

Gao Yang followed her out of the cemetery and got into the red sedan parked by the road.

Vermilion Bird took the driver’s seat, but didn’t immediately start the car. A few minutes later, War Tiger and White Rabbit came up to them.

War Tiger knocked on the door, “Mind giving us a ride, Miss Xia?”

Vermilion Bird waved a hand. “Come on in.”

War Tiger threw Gao Yang a secret glance and opened the door to the backseat with a smile, getting in with White Rabbit.

From the passenger seat, Gao Yang turned to Vermilion Bird questioningly. “Miss Xia, what is...”

“It didn’t feel right to tell you earlier. I just got a message that we have to work overtime today.”

“Work overtime?”

“Yes, Madam Li of the Hundred Rivers Union has urgent matters to discuss, and she asked the Guild to send Elders as representatives.”

Gao Yang nodded. “Ah.”

He glanced at War Tiger and White Rabbit through the rearview mirror and said in a deliberately distant tone, “Then they must be the representatives the Twelve Zodiac are sending to the Hundred Rivers Union.”

“Yes, Madam Li asked us to send someone immediately as well.” War Tiger smiled. “Might as well get a lift from you.”

Gao Yang had a rapport with Vermilion Bird, so he asked without much hesitation, “Sister Xia, did you know Mr. War Tiger?”

“Did I know him? We have quite the history,” Xia Li said through clenched teeth with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes, kicking the accelerator.

The car started.

“A history of almost killing each other,” War Tiger said vaguely.

Feeling the tension in the air, Gao Yang decided to shut up.

White Rabbit changed the subject, “Congrats on your promotion, Mr. Seven Shadow. You’ve been going up after using the Twelve Zodiac Signs as a stepping stone.”

“Promotion?” Gao Yang was genuinely surprised. He turned to Vermilion Bird.

“With Black Tortoise dead, you are most likely to take his place.” Vermilion Bird didn’t keep it from him. “You’ve accumulated more than enough achievements, and you meet the low bar in terms of capability. As for your loyalty, it’s still a question.”

“Wait, wasn’t I supposed to be punished?” Gao Yang didn’t get it. “Why would I be promoted?”

Vermilion Bird said cryptically, “Believe me, becoming an Elder is your worst punishment.”

Gao Yang wasn’t sure what to say.

“I’m warning you here, Seven Shadow.” Vermilion Bird glanced at War Tiger and White Rabbit through the rearview mirror pointedly. “If you truly become an Elder, there will be many pairs of eyes on you. You should know where your allegiance lies and stick to it, or you’ll die a terrible death.”

“Oh, really? I can’t wait!” White Rabbit, who knew nothing of his mission, was beside herself. “Make sure to notify me when that happens. I’m attending the funeral banquet.”

“...”

Gao Yang kept up a composed expression, but inwardly, he was yelling, What is this? The freaking imperial court?!

Eight thirty in the morning was rush hour for people going to work. Due to the traffic, it took them an hour to drive to the Sea View Tower in the Nanji District.

The four of them took the elevator to the top floor. Just like the last time Gao Yang visited, Chen Ying was waiting outside in a formal, muted business suit.

She bowed slightly. “Follow me, please. Madam Li has been waiting.”

The three-pane folding screen opened.

The four of them entered the booth. Madam Li didn’t have makeup on today, and her hair was put up in a simple hairdo, strands of silver lining her temples.

Like the last time, she was kneeling on the floor, only wrapped in a black blanket with her face sickly pale and her eyes dim, even muddled.

Gao Yang was surprised. It was summer. The indoor air-conditioning wasn’t that strong. However, Madam Li seemed particularly prone to chill today.

“Apologies, this happens every time I use my Talent. I’ll be fine after half a day.” Madam Li shuddered, and there was a tremor to her voice too. She didn’t try to hide her spell of weakness.

“Madam Li, what is the emergency that you’d gather us here on such short notice?” Vermillion Bird asked politely.

Madam Li nodded. “Something of the utmost importance.”

Then she turned to War Tiger and White Rabbit. “Before I go into the details, as a show of goodwill, I’ll tell you about my Talent.”

Although none of them let it show on their faces, they were all taken aback.

All top ten Talents were considered S-class secrets, the trump cards of an organization not to be revealed unless absolutely necessary.

What was she planning?

“In truth, my Talent isn’t much of a secret. You should all know that I have the ability to predict the future.” Madam Li smiled faintly. “Still, you don’t know the exact mechanism behind my ability. I can tell you now...”

“Wait, Madam Li.” Vermilion Bird stopped her and took off her baseball cap, looking around before saying cautiously, “Are you being serious with this?”

Madam Li nodded. “Yes.”

“Would we get to walk out of here alive after hearing your secret, Madam Li?” War Tiger asked in a jesting tone, but his eyes were cold.

“How is an old woman like me going to keep the four of you here, given your ability?” she said genuinely.

“Alright.” War Tiger was the first to sit down on the tatami. “We’re all ears.”

Madam Li calmly said, “My Talent is Prophet, serial number 5.”

The only response she got was silence.

Madam Li looked at the four of them. “My Talent comes in three forms. First, I can predict what will happen around me in the next ten seconds.”

“Then you should know what I’m going to say, shouldn’t you?” she suddenly added. “That’s what you were going to say, right, Mr. War Tiger?”

War Tiger gaped. “Whoa! It was!”

After proving her first ability, Madam Li continued, “Secondly, I can predict something related to me three days beforehand.”

Gao Yang remembered something. “Then did you foresee me seeking Chen Ying out last time, Madam Li? That’s why you were able to prepare beforehand?”

Madam Li smiled. “It seems I don’t have to prove that ability to you.”

White Rabbit, Vermilion Bird, and Gao Yang sat down across from Madam Li as well.

After a brief silence, Madam Li spoke up.

“My final ability is prophetic dreams.”

“I may dream of major events that will happen in the future. Of course, it’s something beyond my control. It works more like a glimpse into the future the goddess of destiny allows me to catch.”

“Alright, I get it.” War Tiger snapped his fingers. “Let’s not drag things on. Tell us, what did you dream of?”

Madam Li’s pale face turned dead serious. “The Crimson Tide will arrive ahead of time.”

Vermilion Bird, War Tiger, and White Rabbit all scowled, silent.

Gao Yang was surprised too, but his expression wasn’t as tense since he had no personal experience with Crimson Tides.

Ten seconds later, Vermilion Bird asked in a low voice, “How much ahead?”

“It’s coming in ten days.”

[End of Act 2]

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