The Creatures That We Are

Chapter 122: Sha Ye

Entering the infirmary on the side of the office hall, Chen Ying placed Jiang Hao on a surgical bed. She turned to the three of them. “Thank you. You may rest in the reception room.”

“It’s fine. We’ll stay here.”

Gao Yang didn’t want to miss the opportunity to watch another’s Talent in action.

The door opened then, and a woman in her thirties with medium-length hair walked in. She had big eyes, round face, and clear skin. Her baby face made her look more youthful than she was.

Under the white coat she wore were an office shirt and skinny jeans, and she was walking on a pair of stilettos. With a serious expression and both her hands in her pockets, she looked experienced and aloof, a stark contrast from her youthful appearance.

“What happened?” Sha Ye asked in a composed, lower voice.

Chen Ying said, “Jiang Hao’s arm got bitten by something, and he lost consciousness. I suspect it may be a curse.”

Face darkening, Sha Ye strode up to the bed.

Leaning toward her patient, she lifted his eyelids and shone the flashlight at his eyes for two seconds. Then she felt his pulse by pressing a hand to his neck. Her inspection moved to his forearm next, and she took a close look at the faint bite mark.

Sha Ye turned around and opened the door on the side of the infirmary. “Carry him inside.”

Chen Ying picked up Jiang Hao and entered.

Gao Yang exchanged a look with Qing Ling and Officer Huang before quickly following.

The room wasn’t large. The square interior was minimalistic with a hexagonal altar at the center, each vertex set up with an unassuming candle stand. Judging from their texture, they seemed to be made with Black Gold.

Gao Yang didn’t have to ask to figure out that the candle stands were items for Talent amplification.

While Chen Ying put Jiang Hao down on the altar, Sha Ye quickly lit the six candles.

“Keep your distance.”

Sha Ye took off her white coat and rolled up her sleeves while she warned them.

They all took a few steps back obediently, keeping their distance from the altar.

Sha Ye took a deep breath and closed her eyes, putting her hands together before her chest while muttering. Then she opened her hands and placed them on Jiang Hao’s forehead. “Cleanse.”

The candlelight seemed to surge for a moment, and Jiang Hao’s body was enveloped with a faint layer of white glow.

Immediately after, the six candles went out at the same time, and the white glow dissipated.

Sha Ye pulled back like she had been electrocuted and stared at Jiang Hao in disbelief.

His face was lifeless and pale, and his brows knitted tightly. Trembling, he muttered, “No, don’t come any closer... Stay away from me...” His weak voice spoke in starts and stops until he lost consciousness again.

“How is he?” Chen Ying asked anxiously.

Sha Ye didn’t immediately respond. She walked out of the room and gently closed the door.

Her gaze landed on Chen Ying and then Gao Yang. “Let’s move this elsewhere.”

...

The five of them went to the reception room.

Sha Ye made herself a cup of instant coffee, while Chen Ying poured Gao Yang and his two companions hot tea.

Stirring the coffee in the mug with a long, small spoon, Sha Ye said, “There’s an impure energy in Jiang Hao. It’s a curse.”

“Have you cleansed it?” Chen Ying asked.

Sha Ye shook her head. “I’m not sure.”

“What do you mean?”

“The curse in his body is some kind of energy.” Sha Ye tried to find the right words with a frown. “It’s similar to an awakener’s, but different. I’d say it’s stranger and more chaotic.”

“Can it be a monster’s doing?” Chen Ying said in surprise, but then she shook her head and answered her own question. “No, monsters can’t inflict curses.”

“Who knows?” Officer Huang disagreed, holding a disposable cup in his hand. “We know very little about monsters. Perhaps the more powerful kinds do have a variety of Talents.”

Chen Ying was quiet.

“That is a possibility,” Gao Yang said in support. He had a guess about what had happened, but it wasn’t something he could say with present company. It was obvious that Jiang Hao had been cursed by Fresh Snow, and Fresh Snow was a hundred percent a ‘ghost’, a member of the Spectres.

War Tiger had said that the Spectres were awakeners too, but different.

No matter how different they were, however, they should have Talents if they were awakeners.

Sha Ye must not have come into contact with their Talents before. That was why she found it so foreign.

“Anyway, I’ve done what I can.” Sha Ye sighed softly. “It’s up to Jiang Hao whether he can recover.”

Chen Ying lowered her eyes with a bitter look on her face. “I hope he will. I don’t want to lose any more companions.”

Sha Ye’s hands around the mug trembled. She turned to the side, pretending nothing had happened.

Even so, Chen Ying realized she had spoken insensitively, and she looked up at Sha Ye. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to...”

“It’s fine.” Sha Ye cut her off. “I’m not that fragile.”

Chen Ying then said like she just remembered something, “Ah, have you come to a decision about your daughter?”

When Sha Ye didn’t respond, Chen Ying softened her voice and said, “Whatever your decision is, we’ll respect it.”

“I’m still thinking about it.” Sha Ye swayed the mug in her hand with her head lowered.

“Okay.”

Officer Huang checked his phone and stood up. “There’s nothing for us to do here. We won’t overstay our welcome.”

“Ah, right.” Chen Ying got to her feet too. “My thanks to the three of you for today. I’ll give you the reward as promised and arrange your ride back.”

Gao Yang and Qing Ling stood up as well.

“Wait,” Sha Ye called out to them suddenly and looked up at Officer Huang.

“May I help you?” Officer Huang met her gaze.

“You must be Yellow Ox of the Twelve Zodiac Signs.”

“I am.” Officer Huang nodded.

“Thank you, for not giving up on Wang Fei til the end.” Sorrow flashed through Sha Ye’s eyes. “Even though he didn’t make it.”

Officer Huang was stunned for a moment. “Are you...”

“His wife.”

The air went still.

After a few seconds, Chen Ying broke the silence and turned to Officer Huang. “Why don’t you stay here for a little longer? I’ll keep an eye on Jiang Hao.”

She left the reception room.

With some hesitation, Officer Huang sat back down on the couch, and so did Gao Yang and Qing Ling.

“I’m sorry for your loss, ma’am,” Officer Huang said remorsefully.

“I don’t need words of comfort.” Sha Ye smiled with composure. “And just call me by my name.”

Officer Huang nodded, at a loss for words.

“I’ve heard about what happened to Wang Fei in the Rune Cave.” Sha Ye looked directly at Officer Huang. “I believe that you were telling the truth. That is exactly the kind of man I know Wang Fei as.”

“He was a good man, as well as a good husband and father.” Officer Huang’s eyes flickered. “There’s a question I’d like to ask you, Sha Ye. I hope you don’t take offense.”

“Go ahead.”

“Knowing how dangerous the world is, why did you and Old Wang choose to have a child? Don’t you think it’s cruel to bring a child into such a world?”

Sha Ye didn’t say anything for a moment. Instead, she stared down at the cup of coffee in her hands.

Officer Huang took out a cigarette by habit, but he didn’t light it. “To tell you the truth, if I had known that my wife could bear children, I would have avoided getting her pregnant. Now that she’s already carrying our child, however, things are different. I’m willing to give my all for the child. Do you understand what I’m getting at?”

After a brief silence, Sha Ye looked up to meet his eyes.

“I can answer the question for you.”