The Creatures That We Are

Chapter 394: Empress

Gao Yang’s smile froze, and he was silent for a long time. The scene was so familiar to him, a dream he had once had.

But this wasn’t a dream, nor was it an illusion.

Gao Xinxin took a step forward, still smiling, as if she had just asked about the weather.

“What did you say, sis?” Gao Yang played dumb.

Gao Xinxin’s smile dropped suddenly, and her eyes grew icy. “Do you know, Brother? I want you to wake up more than anyone, but at the same time, I want you to never wake up more than anyone.”

“...”

“Only then would you be my brother forever. But you woke up. Do you know how heartbroken I was at that moment?”

“Gao Xinxin...” Gao Yang said hoarsely, holding onto the armrests of the wheelchair tightly. “I told you that whatever happened, we’d always be...”

“Don’t be silly,” Gao Xinxin cut him off with a smile.

Gao Yang paused.

“The moment you awakened, Brother, I stopped being your sister. The Gao Xinxin you know is already dead.”

Gao Xinxin took another step forward with her chin lifted, her tone cold and prideful. “What you’re seeing right now is the embodiment of Heavenly Way, leader of all monsters, the maker of all rules, the weaver of fate, and the only descendent between the Creator Witch and the First Fallen Angel, Nai, the Thorn Empress.”

She lifted her right hand at Gao Yang.

“Goodbye, Brother.”

Gao Yang disappeared from the wheelchair the next second.

Bam!

Before Gao Xinxin could react, Gao Yang had already grabbed her by her thin, frail neck, knocking her and a bedsheet hanging off a wire rope into the wall of the water tank. The bedsheet fluttered as it slowly fell, draping over the two of them.

Under the sunlight shining through the pristine white bed sheet, Gao Yang’s expression was cold, his eyes glinting with piercing killing intent. His grip around Gao Xinxin’s neck tightened a little, ready to break her bones any second.

Meanwhile, he had seized her two slim wrists with his other hand and pinned her hands to the wall above her head, making sure she couldn’t fight back.

“Who are you, and why did you pretend to be my sister?” Gao Yang asked coldly.

The girl disguising herself as Gao Xinxin scoffed. “You’re good, mortal. When did you see through this Empress’ disguise?”

“From the very beginning.” Gao Yang stared at her coolly. “There’s wasabi in the takoyaki, and Gao Xinxin hates it.”

“People’s preferences change, just like the hearts of the common people. Only this Empress, the incarnation of order, truth, light, and justice, may defend against the corruption of dark power and save all people in the world...”

“There’s another reason,” Gao Yang cut her off. “Your earlier introduction and what you just said are way too chuuni, and my little sister hates that the most.”

“What, what’s so chunni about that?!” The girl’s aloof front dropped, and she got immediately worked up like Gao Yang had hit a nerve. “How dare you mortal insult—argh! Ouch, owww...”

Gao Yang had lost his patience. He tightened his grip and demanded, “Start making sense.”

“Don’t kill me! I’m on your side!”

Gao Yang scoffed. “So you can talk like a normal person.”

“I, I was...the vice-captain of the Guild’s second team, Nainai, now joining the fifth operations team. I’m here...to report to duty.”

—Activate Lie Detection.

The target didn’t lie, and she was benevolent.

Gao Yang loosened his grip a little rather than letting go completely. “What’s your Talent? Why are you able to turn into my sister?”

Sensing that she was no longer in danger, her expression turned arrogant again. “How dare you! This Empress’ divine power isn’t one to be glimpsed by a mortal—owww... My Talent is Scale, and last month, I acquired Shapeshifter.”

Scale, serial number 35, Support-type. It allowed one to increase and decrease the size of their body at will.

Meanwhile, Shapeshifter had belonged to Joker from the Hundred Rivers Union. It seemed that after Joker’s death, the Talent had been allocated to Nainai, allowing her to disguise herself as his sister.

Gao Yang let go of her and lifted the white bed sheet covering them, going back to his wheelchair.

Nainai broke free of the bed sheet as well. She was still dressed in his sister’s highschool uniform, but her appearance had turned back to her own.

She looked young, about his sister’s age, with pale face and shoulder-length grayish purple hair with curls, her puffy, diagonal bang covering her left eye. Her right eye was ink black with pronounced shadow under it, almost as if she had put smokey eye makeup on. She had a small nose, full lips, and an upcurved mouth. From the gap between her lips, pearly white bunny teeth could be seen.

Gao Yang sat back down on the wheelchair and eyed her inquisitively. “Did Elder Azure Dragon send you?”

“No, Guildmaster Qilin appointed me,” Nainai said proudly before adding, “The two teams under Elder Azure Dragon are now one team, while this Empress is sent to the fifth team to assist you.”

“What about those under Elder White Tiger?”

“They joined Elder Vermilion Bird’s team.”

Gao Yang thought about it for a moment. Many were lost in the Crimson Tide, leaving only three surviving Elders. It made sense for the Guild to restructure the organization.

Whether Qilin had sent Nainai to help him or to watch him, however, was another story.

Gao Yang nodded. “Got it.”

“Ha, this Empress has brought Guildmaster Qilin’s decree!”

She reached back to grab a piece of A4 paper from the side pocket of her bag, on which were terribly handwritten words. It was clear that Nainai had jotted down the line herself with a marker.

“Elder Seven Shadow, receive the decree...”

Before she could finish, Gao Yang teleported to her and grabbed the piece of paper from her, making her jump.

It said, ‘Three o’clock in the morning, Blue House, group session.’

Crackle.

The paper was immediately burned into ashes and scattered in the wind. Gao Yang returned to his wheelchair and took a deep breath, playing a regular patient and giving her a gentle smile. “Please take me back to my room, Miss Nainai. Thank you.”

Nainai paused before crossing her arms with a scoff. “Hmph, since you’ve asked so sincerely, mortal, this Empress will grant you the wish...”

“Nainai,” Gao Yang stroked his chin with some exasperation and said in concern, “Have you always been like this, or did you start today?”

“Huh?” Nainai didn’t get it.

“Hm, nothing.” It was better not to ask for trouble. Gao Yang decided to keep his mouth shut.

...

In the afternoon, Wang Zikai visited Gao Yang at the hospital.

He knew that Gao Yang was perfectly fine, but he still kept up the act with Gao Yang and watched the nurses help Gao Yang with physical therapy. It took him all his self control to not burst out laughing while Gao Yang pretended to be weak, his face so flushed that it looked purple.

Around seven o’clock in the evening, Gao Yang’s mother, getting off work from the gold jewelry shop, brought some home-cooked food in thermal lunch boxes. Knowing that Wang Zikai was at the hospital too, she prepared two portions.

Wang Zikai dug in with gusto and praised her cooking to heaven and back, speaking so sweetly his mouth might as well be dripping honey. Gao Yang’s mother couldn’t stop smiling.

She had taken a liking to Wang Zikai over time, the grievances she held against him long forgotten.

Ten o’clock at night, Gao Xinxin left evening self-study early to visit Gao Yang, buying some late night snacks on the way. They ate as they videochatted his father.

Gao Yang told his family that he had been making good progress with his PT, and he would be able to get out of bed in a week and go to school.

Half an hour later, the light went off in the building. His mother, sister, and Wang Zikai took their leave. The room became quiet again.

Gao Yang took a short nap before rolling off the bed, taking off the patient gown and inhaling deeply. Time to train!

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