The Creatures that We Are

Group support session at the Blue House Psychiatric Clinic, three o’clock in the morning.

Attendees: Qilin, Vermilion Bird, Azure Dragon, Seven Shadow.

Gao Yang was the last to arrive. Qilin had made coffee for everyone by then. Vermilion Bird helped take the coffee to the table, and they each took a seat.

“Sorry for your loss, Seven Shadow,” Qilin was the first to speak up. Vermilion Bird and Azure Dragon followed.

“Sorry for your loss.”

“Sorry for your loss.”

Gao Yang nodded slightly.

“This may seem intrusive for you,” Qilin said earnestly. “But I’m a psychiatrist. If you have trouble moving on, I can offer you counseling.”

“Thank you, Guildmaster,” Gao Yang said politely. “I’m okay.”

Azure Dragon took over, turning to Gao Yang, who was sitting across from him. “Yellow Ox, Su Xi, and your mother Lin Yue. We only got the gist of it from Green Snake. Hopefully you can explain in detail.”

“Of course.” Gao Yang explained from start to finish without any emotions. He had omitted nothing but his relationship with the Spectres.

Twenty minutes later, the explanation came to an end.

Vermilion Bird felt conflicted. “So you’ve guessed that your mother was a life monster, Seven Shadow, but you didn’t tell the organization.”

“Yes,” Gao Yang admitted.

“Then you learned of Yellow Ox’s betrayal, but you didn’t say anything,” added Azure Dragon.

“Yes.”

“Seven Shadow,” Azure Dragon, ever the blunt one, pointed out in a serious tone. “Although you and your parents ended up saving us all, and I am grateful to you on a personal level, considering how you got here, your method was senseless and childish. It can even be considered a betrayal to the Guild.”

“Yes.”

Azure Dragon continued with his questioning. “It’s the same as what happened with Black Tortoise. You’ve always been extreme and failed to see the big picture. If you’d told the Guild beforehand, we could’ve faced everything together, and things might not turn out this bad.”

“I was selfish and overestimated myself,” Gao Yang said calmly. “I selfishly wished for my family and companions to be alright. I overestimated myself and believed that I could take care of everything. But I failed.”

Azure Dragon was taken aback by how readily and earnestly he admitted to his mistake.

“Seven Shadow follows his heart, Azure Dragon,” Vermilion Bird said. “We see things more clearly as outsiders. Yes, he did have more reasonable options, but he did what he had to do as the one intimately involved. We are in no place to judge him, and he did save us.” řἈ𐌽ꝊβЁᶊ

“That’s a separate issue,” Azure Dragon argued. “Rules exist for a reason. There’s a great element of luck involved in his success, and things can turn out differently the next time…”

“Enough,” Qilin chimed in.

The room fell silent.

Qilin thought carefully for more than ten seconds before looking up. “Seven Shadow.”

Gao Yang met his gaze.

“You held important information but didn’t report it. That’s your mistake. You risked your life to stop the Malediction. That’s your merit.”

“On a personal level, I understand and thank you, but as the leader of the Guild, I have to punish you to make an example.”

“I’ll willingly accept it,” said Gao Yang.

“First, Elder Azure Dragon will take your place as the leader of Team Heavenbreaker from now on.”

“Second, you shall not leave Li City in the short term, and your location will be tracked by the Guild.”

“Third, you will help the three organizations acquire the Guard Rune Circuit. Then we’ll talk about reinstating your rights and positions, as well as your rewards.”

“Any question?”

“No,” Gao Yang said calmly. “I’ll do as the Guild demands.”

“Okay.” Qilin’s eyes glinted. “Aren’t you going to ask where the Guard Rune Circuit is?”

“Green Snake told me that it fell into the abyss left by the Malediction. My blood can counter the Malediction’s curses. I should be able to enter the abyss.”

“Seven Shadow,” Vermilion Bird coaxed. “There’s no knowing what dangers await you inside the abyss, and you’ll be going on your own. You may end up getting killed without acquiring the Guard Rune Circuit. You should think carefully.”

“That’s true.” Azure Dragon sighed. “However, the last Rune Circuit is right within our reach, and we’re running out of time. If Seven Shadow doesn’t do this, no one can.”

“Seven Shadow.” Qilin looked at him calmly. “You may think about it.”

“No need. I’m going.” Gao Yang paused. “But please give me some time.”

“Of course.” Qilin nodded. “But for what?”

“I want to go to the Twelve Zodiac Signs and level up Psychic Armor to level 4 and then push it up to level 6 first. Then I’ll be more confident in making the trip.”

There was a gap between level 3 and level 4 for a Talent, and another gap between level 6 and level 7. Reaching level 8 would require the corresponding Rune Circuit, and there could be other requirements that needed to be fulfilled.

Azure Dragon nodded. “A life monster radiates great psychic corruption. As an offspring of a life monster, the Malediction could’ve left corrupting energy or monsters inside the abyss, which is proven by the fact that Black Fish had gotten injured and lost his memory. It’s right for Seven Shadow to level up Psychic Armor.”

“Speaking of which,” Vermilion Bird said in a strange tone, “You really have been comprehending new Talents much more quickly than others, Seven Shadow. Is it because you’re the Divine Scion?”

“Perhaps,” said Gao Yang.

“That’s decided then,” Qilin said.

The four of them then talked about their other work, including the investigation into the Godbearer Cult, Sir Jiang, and the death monsters, as well as the collaboration and check and balance between the three organizations.

At five in the morning, the group session came to an end.

Before leaving, Azure Dragon took out a bracelet made with Black Gold, putting it on Gao Yang’s wrist.

It worked like an electronic tag, but for awakeners, and it would be tracking Gao Yang in real time. If Gao Yang took it off by force or destroyed it, or if he used any active Talents while the bracelet was on, Azure Dragon would know.

In other words, Gao Yang was free as long as he didn’t leave Li City and didn’t use Talents. It could be considered a suspended sentence.

Qilin did this to prevent Gao Yang from acting before reporting, on one hand, and to make sure they had an eye on something as special as the Divine Scion, on the other hand.

Gao Yang knew all that, but he allowed the bracelet to be put on without showing any resistance or negative emotions.

He walked out of the building to find Vermilion Bird smoking by the road. Night wind rustled her hair and scattered the white smoke she exhaled. Face slightly pale, she looked elegantly tired like a working woman would.

She turned around and offered naturally, “A ride?”

“Thank you,” said Gao Yang.

The car started. Vermilion Bird put out the cigarette and rolled the window up. “Where to?”

“The Li River Community.”

Vermilion Bird’s eyes shifted. The community housed a cluster of villas at the midstream of Li River, and the residents were all rich people. She had given Gao Yang a few rides before. He either headed home or to his school. Why would he head to the villa area this late at night?

But then she put two and two together, and she smiled faintly. “You’re visiting the special wanderer?”

“Yeah, I miss him,” Gao Yang said simply, turning to look out of the car window.

Vermilion Bird nodded as she drove. “It’s good to have a chat with your friend.”

She noticed that Gao Yang had changed quite a lot again.

His bone-deep reservation and caution were gone. It wasn’t that he had become arrogant, but that he no longer cared as much.

And underneath the indifference lay a more well-concealed mind.

Before, Gao Yang was like a small boat floating on a lake in pouring rain. Although only barely, one could see the shaking boat trying to reach shore with difficulty.

Now, Gao Yang was like a thick fog.

Shout, and one would get a response from the fog, but there was no telling if there was a lake or a boat in the fog, and one couldn’t even tell if the response had come from a person.

Vermilion Bird felt a sense of loss.

She had been a mix of a colleague and a friend to Seven Shadow. Sometimes they were closer, and sometimes they were more distant, but in the end, they both knew there was a bond between them.

Now, they truly were nothing but colleagues.

Neither of them talked any more during the drive. Soon, the car reached the gates to the residential community.

“We’re here,” said Vermilion Bird.

“Thank you.” Gao Yang got out of the car and closed the door gently.

Without turning back, he walked into the night, his lonesome figure quickly disappearing.

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