The Creatures That We Are

Chapter 362: House

“Scarlet Fox!” Vermilion Bird shouted.

“Invitation succeeded!” Scarlet Fox said confidently. At some point, he had appeared behind Miao.

After being thrown to the ground by Vermilion Bird’s punch, Miao had used plants to protect herself without moving, in case Vermilion Bird made a follow-up attack.

That, however, made her neglect Scarlet Fox.

When Miao realized that there was someone behind her after a few seconds, she hadn’t paid it much attention, having made up her mind to bring her enemies down at the cost of her life.

She didn’t know for how long the buff on Vermilion Bird and Colorless would last. It could be a short moment, or it could be a long time, and Miao didn’t stand a chance if the latter was true.

She wasn’t going to bet on that. She came here for a mission, and she would complete it no matter what.

Therefore, she quickly made the decision to bring mutual destruction, and she believed she could do it.

She, however, had underestimated Scarlet Fox.

The cage of green vines locked everyone in. Demonic flowers were supposed to bloom along the vines to kill everyone.

But they never did.

Miao could no longer move, nor could she manipulate her energy further.

Gold light shone from Scarlet Fox’s eyes. He shouted at Miao.

“House!”

A translucent golden barrier extended from Scarlet Fox’s feet, forming a hemisphere to trap himself and Miao.

Inside, five golden chips in energy form appeared, floating between the two of them.

House, serial number 12, the top Support-type Talent.

After Gao Yang acquired the Summon Rune Circuit and the Support Rune Circuit, Scarlet Fox had used the Support Rune Circuit to level up House to level 4.

As long as he stayed within ten meters from the target and kept it unmoving for 5 seconds, he could trap anyone in House’s domain, forcing the target to gamble five times with him. He, the dealer, was allowed to make the rules, and his winning rate was 51%.

The ability might as well be useless when facing an enemy who could rival him alone, but it could be incredibly effective facing someone weaker than him—or in this case, Miao in her weakened state.

“First round, coin tossing!”

Scarlet Fox extended his left hand. “Token: left hand! Make your bet!”

Miao stared coldly at Scarlet Fox without saying anything.

She wanted to kill him, but realized that she couldn’t move a muscle.

A giant coin in energy form appeared between them. It spinned madly for a few seconds before stopping.

Head.

Boom!

Miao’s left arm exploded, scattering blood and flesh everywhere, painting half of her wrinkly face red.

Miao swallowed her shout of pain, but her face paled instantly.

Scarlet Fox announced, “The player made no bet. The house wins!”

“Second round, coin!”

Scarlet Fox extended his right hand. “Token: right hand! Make your bet!”

“Head.”

Miao understood now that she could not resist the rules, that she had to play the game.

The energy coin glowing gold appeared again, spinning quickly before stopping after a few seconds.

Tail.

Boom!

Miao’s right hand exploded as well.

“Hmph—”

This time, she couldn’t help but make a sound in pain.

She had lost her two arms in quick succession, her body covered in blood and becoming even more hunched.

She lowered her head and panted, her face bloodied, yet a derisive smile tugged at her lips. “Is this House? Interesting. Again!”

“Third round, coin!” Scarlet Fox touched his left lung. “Token: left lung! Make your bet!”

“Head.” Miao made the bet.

The golden coin appeared and spinned before stopping.

Head.

Scarlet Fox threw up a mouthful of blood.

Losing the round, his left lung had been completely destroyed.

“Scarlet Fox!”

Vermilion Bird had been watching from outside the domain, her heart burning with anxiety.

She told herself that it was okay, that it would only take four months worth of energy to repair Scarlet Fox’s lung, and she still had enough.

Scarlet Fox grinned and wiped his mouth. “Keep going!”

“Yes, let’s!”

Miao felt no fear. She had already decided to die with her enemies in the sea of flowers, turning into an everlasting beauty.

Now, she allowed fate to make the decision. Perhaps that was a more fitting end for a pride monster.

“Fourth round, coin!”

Scarlet Fox pointed at his own eyes. “Token: eyes! Make your bet!”

“Head,” Miao called out without hesitation, continuing the game.

The coin appeared and spinned before stopping.

Tail.

Blood gushed out of Miao’s now empty eye sockets. Her eyes had been cruelly taken from her by an intangible power.

Her face was even paler, but the pain was no longer a threat to her, and she said with some regret, “I lost again.”

“The last round...” Scarlet Fox paused, unable to go into the bet immediately.

“Hoho, keep going, kid.”

The now armless Miao stood where she was, staring at Scarlet Fox with her bloodied eye sockets.

Scarlet Fox was still silent.

“You’re afraid. I can sense it.” Miao smiled with her bloodied face. “It’s the last round. You better make it big. If you let me survive the game, I’ll ensure I take everyone with me.”

She burst out laughing. “Come, let’s bet on our life. What about the heart, or the brain? That’s the only way for you to save your companions!”

“Either you win, or we die together! Let’s leave it to fate!”

Face dark, Scarlet Fox looked up slightly at Vermilion Bird through the barrier.

“Don’t listen to her, Scarlet Fox!” Vermilion Bird yelled. “We’ll win! Leave the rest to us! We can defeat her...”

Scarlet Fox smiled at her. He knew she was lying.

They couldn’t win if he didn’t. As soon as Miao survived the game, and the barrier disappeared, she would immediately take everyone to hell with her.

“No! Stop!”

Vermilion Bird rushed up to the barrier and knocked on it hard, but it was futile.

She shouted, “Stop! That’s an order! Scarlet Fox, that’s an order, you hear me?!”

Colorless had lost her consciousness. Supporting her, Amon stood near their other companions, unsure what to say at this moment. All around them was the cage of densely intertwined vines, and their lives were in Scarlet Fox’s hands.

Scarlet Fox looked back at Miao. “You underestimate House, you damn crone!”

When he shouted again, his voice was—for the first time in his life—dignified and booming rather than gentle and soft, “Last round, coin!”

“Token: heart! Make your bet!”

“Head!” Miao was getting excited.

A coin appeared between them. It spinned quickly before it started to wobble. Just when it was going to fall on head—

“Force stop! Take away all bets!”

Veins popped out of Scarlet Fox’s forehead, and blood burst from his eyes. He shouted at the top of his lungs, House reaching level 5 at that moment.

Swoosh.

The coin disappeared.

Blinded, Miao couldn’t see anything, but could sense the strange flow of energy. A look of confusion flashed through her face. “What did you do?”

“Ha, the house always wins. As long as the game seems fair, I alone have the final say.”

He smiled, his face pale. “The last round is thrown. All tokens are taken. That’s fair.”

Miao stopped talking. She knew what was happening already.

She let out a soft sigh. At the last moment of her life, she was suddenly feeling conscious of her hair. She wondered if the flower she wore was askew.

What a shame. She couldn’t make it right without her hands.

Scarlet Fox slowly looked up at Vermilion Bird with eyes full of yearning. He opened his mouth, but didn’t voice his words.

Still, Vermilion Bird read his lips loud and clear.

—Goodbye, Sister.

Boom, boom!

Miao’s and Scarlet Fox’s hearts exploded at the same time, blowing up their chests as well. Clumps of blood scattered and spread like fog.

They toppled down silently, the golden barrier around them disappearing. All the while, the cage of vines retracted to the ground before vanishing altogether.

“Scarlet Fox!”

Vermilion Bird rushed at him.

Amon, on the other hand, grabbed her boomerang and rushed up to cut Miao’s head off after laying the unconscious Colorless on the ground. Then she cut the other vital parts of the pride monster, making sure that Miao could never come back to life.

Meanwhile, Vermilion Bird was on her knees, pulling Scarlet Fox’s body into her arms.

“Why! Why did you do that?!” Vermilion Bird demanded, the pain so great that it threatened to hollow her chest. “Why! You were always such a disobedient kid. And you’re still the same now. Why didn’t you listen to me?!”

“I won’t let you die, Little Fox. Just wait. Sister is going to bring you back...”

Vermilion Bird hugged him tight.

She knew that Scarlet Fox’s heart had been crushed completely, that she didn’t have enough reserved vitality to save him, that she might not be able to bring him back even if she gave her life—

But she didn’t care. What kind of sister would she be if she couldn’t even save her little brother?!

“Equivalent Exchange!”

Vermilion Bird injected Scarlet Fox with all the vitality she had in her.

Suddenly, however, she felt a sting in her neck.

Two seconds later, she slumped down on the ground, blacking out.

Standing behind her, Crimson Bee had tears running down his face, his expression twisted with guilt. He had injected Vermilion Bird with a paralytic poison. It wasn’t lethal and would only make her lose consciousness.

“I’m sorry, Elder Vermilion Bird. I can’t let you do something foolish. The living still need you.”

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