The Creatures That We Are

Chapter 225: First Mission

“Come here, Wang Zikai.”

Gao Yang put down the binoculars and picked up the pen and the sheet of paper clipped to the clipboard on the nightstand. He sat down by a small table and started drawing a map.

Wang Zikai dried his hair as he leaned over Gao Yang to look at the map, drops of water falling on Gao Yang’s hair and neck like rain.

Gao Yang grumbled inwardly, but his tone was patient as he spoke.

“This is an assassination.”

“Assassination?” Wang Zikai scoffed. “Why not go after whoever it is head on? You have me. What’s there to be afraid of?”

Gao Yang smiled wryly. “Even if we attack him head on, he may not take it head on. And since he can teleport, it’ll be difficult for us to catch up if he flees.”

“Ah.” Wang Zikai pulled a chair and sat down. “Alright, tell me about the plan.”

“A moment. I’ll finish the map first.”

As he drew, he went over the situation at hand. Regarding this matter, Gao Yang had three options:

First, he could make a move on his own, but the success rate would be low, and the risk high.

Second, he could take the fifth team with him. The success rate would be higher, and the risk lower—but that would be due to part of the risk transferring to his companions. And afterward, the Guild would surely question and investigate them, making things more complicated.

Third, he could take Wang Zikai with him. The success rate would be higher, and the risk manageable.

Wang Zikai was for sure stronger than he was now.

And Wang Zikai was a tank with great raw power and defense, making him a perfect counter for an assassin like Ghost Horse.

Even if Ghost Horse did end up hurting Wang Zikai, Wang Zikai would live as long as his heart and brain weren’t entirely destroyed.

With Gao Yang by his side, it should be nigh impossible for Ghost Horse to land a fatal blow on Wang Zikai.

Before, Gao Yang had considered assassinating Ghost Horse with a sniper rifle. After deliberation, though, he gave up on the idea.

For one, he had to make an application to the Guild to get a sniper rifle, which would lead to trouble. Moreover, the alleyway Ghost Horse had shown up in was narrow and filled with obstacles, making it difficult to gun him down.

And if the shot missed, Gao Yang would be too far from Ghost Horse as the sniper, while it would be impossible for Wang Zikai to kill Ghost Horse on his own.

Yes, he planned to kill the man.

He had never even considered catching Ghost Horse alive. It was basically impossible, and Ghost Horse wouldn’t tell him anything even if he managed to do it, which was clear from the result of Dragon’s interrogation.

Thus, Gao Yang planned to ambush Ghost Horse and kill him. Then he would take his body to Vermilion Bird and ask her to question the body directly for answers.

Gao Yang finished drawing the map.

Sitting by his side, Wang Zikai seemed to be looking at the map seriously, but judging from the confusion on his face, he didn’t really understand it.

“This is where our target is likely to appear.” Gao Yang pointed at the map with the pen. “This is the alleyway the window of this room is facing.”

“Left of the alleyway is the hotel we’re at, which is very tall. Right of the alleyway is a five-storied residential building. Going south, the alleyway ends at the Sunfacing Road, while the north end of the alleyway leads to the Starlight Road.”

Listening to the explanation, Wang Zikai nodded hesitantly.

“If my guess is right, the target is likely to show up on the south end of the alleyway before eight o’clock in the morning or after eleven o’clock in the evening.”

Those were the opening and the closing times of Songstress’ flower shop. Only then could Ghost Horse see her from across the road.

Gao Yang didn’t deem it necessary to tell Wang Zikai that.

“Stake out on the south end as a pedestrian—the Sunfacing Road, I mean. As soon as the target appears, chase after him. He will move back into the alley and head north.”

Gao Yang pointed at the north end of the alley with the pen. “Then I’ll be here to surprise him.”

Wang Zikai finally got it. The mission was more simple than he thought. “So we’re flanking him on both sides.”

Gao Yang nodded. “It’s the ideal scenario, but it may fail.”

“Why?”

“His Talent is Teleportation, which I only know a few things about. The maximum range for level 3 Teleportation is 7 meters, but I’m not sure if the Talent will allow him to go through walls.”

“Oh! That’ll make things difficult.” Wang Zikai smacked his lips. “If he can just go through walls, how are we going to catch him?”

“Yeah.” Gao Yang sighed with resignation. Then they would have to accept failure.

Still, Gao Yang didn’t think level 3 Teleportation would let Ghost Horse go through walls. Otherwise, Ghost Horse could have fled back when he was exposed in the meeting room on the underground sixth floor of the Millenium Tower rather than going head to head with Dragon.

Of course, there was also the possibility that Dragon had deprived him of the ability to go through walls with his Talent.

A thought occurred to Gao Yang then. “Wait, there’s an adjustment we have to make.”

...

After fleshing out a plan, Gao Yang and Wang Zikai took a short rest in the hotel room. Then before seven o’clock in the morning, the alarm woke them up, and they set out.

Disguised as a young man who had gotten wasted, Wang Zikai sat on the curb near the alleyway, waiting for their target to show up.

Gao Yang hadn’t waited by the other end of the alley as he initially planned, but instead waited on the rooftop of the five-storied building on the right side of the alley.

Ghost Horse was a spy. He was cautious and cunning. When Wang Zikai chased after him, he might run into the alley on instinct, but soon, he would realize that Wang Zikai couldn’t have come after him without preparations, and that there must be an ambush awaiting him on the other end of the alley.

Provided that Ghost Horse couldn’t go through walls, he would’ve climbed up the five-storied building and escaped through the rooftop.

With his agility and Teleportation, scaling a five-storied building wouldn’t even make him sweat.

Gao Yang would be waiting on the rooftop. As soon as the man showed up, he would shoot.

Against awakeners playing the roles of a fighter or a tank, Gao Yang’s Fire would be more effective. Against an assassin with high damage output but low defense, on the other hand, an unexpected bullet would be the better choice.

Gao Yang checked the wall of the five-storied building, and based on where the condenser units and the signboards were, he mapped the most efficient route for Ghost Horse to climb up and figured out roughly where Ghost Horse would emerge.

Then Gao Yang hid behind the obstacles on the rooftop and cocked the gun, waiting for Ghost Horse to show up.

“Target not sighted, bro,” Wang Zikai said via the in-ear radio.

“Stop talking and be patient.”

“But it’s so damn boring. I’m falling asleep...”

“Shut it.” Gao Yang couldn’t believe this brat.

They waited from seven o’clock to nine o’clock, but Ghost Horse never showed up.

It was as expected. They would have to get unrealistically lucky to succeed the first time.

Wang Zikai and Gao Yang went back to the hotel to rest.

Gao Yang looked out with the binoculars every now and then, but as expected, he found nothing.

At noon, they ordered pizza and two glasses of fruit milk tea, having lunch in the hotel room.

Wang Zikai got oil all around his mouth. Sucking on his finger and thumb, he looked up at Gao Yang, but immediately averted his gaze when their eyes met and played dumb.

“Just talk already,” Gao Yang said.

“Haha.” Wang Zikai grinned with uncharacteristic embarrassment. “I’ve got a question for you, bro.”

“Go on.” Gao Yang put down his milk tea, feeling ominous.

This guy isn’t up to something strange again, is he?

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