The Creatures That We Are

Chapter 170: Confrontation

“Are you two alright?” Gray Bear went up to them and asked.

“Yeah, we are.” Xiran seemed apologetic. “Ronnie and I were going to stop the intruder, but they moved too quickly and jumped over the gate easily before vanishing.”

“Where did they go?” Gao Yang asked.

“Toward the shaded path,” Ronnie responded.

That didn’t tell them anything. The shaded path could lead to anywhere in the school.

“It’s either an awakener or a monster,” Nine Frost concluded. “Can’t be a regular human.”

Gao Yang agreed, but his conclusion differed a little. “It’s unlikely to be an awakener.”

Nine Frost turned to him. “Reason being?”

“If they were an awakener, they would be someone from a different organization, and in that case, they must have come here to investigate the Rune Cave. However, this is the Guild’s territory, and their intrusion would be an open violation of the rules. In that case, they should’ve just attacked us head on or observed from the dark until the opportune time rather than going through the main entrance. As it is, they ended up caught by Xiran and Ronnie and alerted us.”

“True, there are many ways to enter the school.” Nine Frost looked around. He began to see Gao Yang differently.

“I don’t think it’s an awakener either,” Gray Bear chimed in. “Why would an awakener go against us two teams? Wouldn’t that be suicide?”

Not necessarily

, Gao Yang shot back silently. Were it someone as strong as or stronger than War Tiger, we would be the ones getting killed.

“Yes,” Gao Yang added. “Monsters are different. They don’t care about such things.”

“Does that confirm for us the existence of a Rune Cave since it’s attracted a monster’s attention?” Yellow Butterfly turned to Nine Frost. “What do we do, Captain?”

“We wait.”

Eyes sharp, Nine Frost said level-headedly, “As long as we’re here, we’ll find the target sooner or later.”

Gao Yang’s impression of Nine Frost changed as well. The man might seem like an arrogant narcissist, but he was rational when he made decisions.

Which made sense. Power alone wouldn’t make possible a three-year record of zero fatality. Caution was a must too.

“Investigate, Yellow Butterfly,” ordered Nine Frost.

“Roger that.” Yellow Butterfly put her thumb and forefinger in her mouth and made a lilting whistle.

Soon, a piercing and long-lasting shriek came from the sky in response. Gao Yang looked up to see a giant black eagle diving toward them against the backdrop of the night sky. It didn’t take long for the eagle to land on Yellow Butterfly’s shoulder while flapping its wings, chirping.

Its head was a brownish black and its body a red brown, faded into gold at the tips of the feathers. And its wingspan was a staggering two meters.

“Is this...a golden eagle?” Gao Yang asked with uncertainty.

Yellow Butterfly nodded with a smile. Like a mother caressing her child, she stroked the eagle’s head, then its feathered wings. “Go. Find the enemy.”

The golden eagle flapped its wings open, sending a strong current through the air before taking flight with impressive speed.

At some point, a dozen more smaller birds gathered to follow it like smaller vessels protecting the aircraft carrier.

Yellow Butterfly tidied up her wind-tousled hair and said to everyone, “Give it a moment. They’ll find the target soon.”

Gray Bear came up to Gao Yang and whispered into their new captain’s ear, “Her Talent is Avian King.”

Gao Yang nodded silently.

Avian King, serial number 62, Summon-type. It allowed the user to communicate with birds and compel a certain number of them to serve the user.

The Summon Rune Circuit hadn’t been found yet, so Yellow Butterfly’s Avian King was at most level 3.

Nine Frost then turned to the bald man in his team. “Buff, Old Joe.”

The bald man named Old Joe nodded and wiped his right hand on his pants before offering it to Nine Frost. Nine Frost held it for one second and then let go.

Old Joe shook hands with each of his teammates. Then he came up to Gao Yang and offered his hand. “How about your team?”

Gao Yang could tell that Old Joe must have a Support-type Talent. He took the man’s hand without hesitation.

As expected, Replicate detected the only replicable Talent. Condition, serial number 77, Support-type.

It allowed one to strengthen or weaken the target’s condition through physical contact.

Nevertheless, Old Joe’s hand felt like any regular man’s, rough, warm, and Gao Yang didn’t sense any energy coming into his body.

After letting go, Old Joe went on to hold the hands of the other fifth team members.

Gray Bear seemed to have read Gao Yang’s thoughts, and he explained with a smile, “Level 3 Condition gives buffs with a delay rather than showing effect immediately.”

Gao Yang nodded in realization.

“Xiuyi, ranged cover,” Nine Frost gave another order.

“Roger that.”

Gao Yang saw the young man whose slanted eyes seemed to never open properly take a composite bow off his back. With practiced ease, he nocked an arrow and tested the string, making sure his weapon was in working order.

This time, Gao Yang didn’t need Gray Bear to tell him what the man’s Talent was.

God of Archery, serial number 73, Damage-type. It significantly increased the user’s proficiency in archery.

“Black Sparrow, Dark Li, get ready.” That was the last order Nine Frost gave.

Black Sparrow raised her brow, looking confident as she loosened the bandages on her right hand, which was revealed to be an eerie dark violet. Under the moonlight, the hand looked poisoned.

Her Talent must be Drunken Master.

Serial number 57, Poison-type. Her punch would partially paralyze the target and take away their mobility. It was quite a good Talent for close combat.

And the man called Dark Li was the middle-aged man whose face was perpetually stuck in a disingenuous smile. He took out a black blindfold to cover his eyes and tied a dead knot behind his back.

That was Mind’s Eye, serial number 72. In exchange for covering his eyes, he could increase his senses, reflexes, and power. It was perfect for fighting in the dark.

The fourth team had gotten ready for a serious battle.

Nine Frost turned to the fifth team. Although he didn’t sound as overbearing as he had been initially, there was still a trace of derision in his voice. “We’ll take care of things from here. Do whatever you want. Just don’t get in the way.”

“What the fuck did you say?!” Gray Bear lost his temper immediately.

Gao Yang reached out to stop him.

“Make the call, Captain!”

Gray Bear sounded eager. He wanted Gao Yang to give them orders for a proper tactic as well. He didn’t want the fourth team to take all the spotlight in the coming fight.

“Ahem.” Gao Yang cleared his throat and turned to his team. “Did you hear Captain Nine Frost? Hide behind the fourth team and don’t get in the way.”

“Captain!” Gray Bear almost threw up blood.

“That’s an order.” Gao Yang raised his voice, his expression serious.

Gray Bear swallowed his words and sighed unhappily, raising a hand to have everyone stay behind the fourth team.

Nine Frost scoffed, his lips curved into a thin smile.

Then a shriek pierced through the sky. The golden eagle and the other birds were hovering over the roof of the auditorium.

“Target sighted,” said Yellow Butterfly. “It’s in the auditorium.”

Nine Frost quietly thought for a few seconds. “Let’s go. And report to Elder Black Tortoise just in case.”

“Roger that.” Yellow Butterfly took out her phone.