The Creatures That We Are

Chapter 714: Too Sudden

Sha Ye had always presented a sophisticated and composed image, but now, she didn’t hide how lost she was feeling. She lowered her head. “I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?” Chen Ying repeated.

“Yeah, I don’t know where’s the safest. The Qilin Guild must not be it. Old Wang was once a member of the Guild. He didn’t like Qilin. That was why he came to the Hundred Rivers Union.”

Sha Ye pinched the flesh between her thumb and forefinger. “I can’t tell for sure. I’ve been anxious. I dreamed of Old Wang many times. He kept telling me to take good care of our daughter... I’ve been training Yanyan to activate Iron Skin every time a danger hits, making it a reflex. She’s thrown a tantrum for that many times.”

Sha Ye forced a smile and looked up at Chen Ying. “Zhang Wei listed the advantages of the Nine Scions to me today. Although he’s usually quite unreliable, I agree with his analysis this time. And the Nine Scions have the Guard Rune Circuit. Yanyan’s Iron Skin is Guard-type. No matter how I try to protect her, it’s more important for her to get stronger.”

Sha Ye begged, “If you don’t trust me, Chen Ying, knock me out now. Kill me if you must. Just take Yanyan with you. I only want her to live. I don’t care if I die for it...”

She choked, a warm tear falling from her eye.

Chen Ying could no longer maintain the icy front. She softened and reached out to hold Sha Ye’s hand tightly. “Sister Sha, pack up tomorrow. Bring only the necessities and personal items. Whatever you can’t bring, destroy it. Don’t leave the Nanji District. Wait for a message from Zhang Wei and I.”

“Yeah, yeah yeah. Yeah.” Sha Ye kept nodding. “Thank you, thank you, Chen Ying. I’ll thank you for Old Wang and Yanyan...”

“Alright. We’re going to be companions going forward.” Chen Ying pulled back with a smile. “Go. Take Yanyan home and have a good sleep.”

...

Early the next morning, Chen Ying took Little Tian to the Golden Arch for breakfast.

Chen Ying didn’t have an appetite, so she only ordered a glass of hot milk.

She didn’t get a lick of sleep last night. To cover up her exhaustion, she put on heavy makeup and lipstick. With the office suit she had always worn over the years, she looked beautiful in a modest way, and she attracted the eyes of the men at the fast food place.

“Sister.” Little Tian lowered the half-eaten hamburger in his hand. He whispered, “That big brother’s looking at you secretly.”

“It’s fine.” Chen Ying was the class flower back in college, and she was no stranger to such stares. She dismissed it and wiped Little Tian’s mouth with a napkin, putting on a smile. “He’s staring because I’m pretty.”

Little Tian nodded and blinked proudly. “Yeah, Sister’s the prettiest in the world.”

Chen Ying propped her chin with a hand and looked softly at Little Tian. “If Sister gets married one day, Little Tian, will you come with me?”

“Yeah.”

“I may be married off to a distant and dangerous place. Things will be difficult. Even so, you’re still coming with me?”

“I go wherever Sister goes,” Little Tian said without hesitation. “I just wanna be with Sister.”

“Good boy.” Chen Ying stroked his head, feeling warmth filling her chest.

Two seconds later, energy flashed discreetly in her eyes, and a familiar flow entered her head.

[You and your people may come at any time. The Nine Scions welcome everyone who shares the same goal.]

[Alright. I get it.]

[What can the Nine Scions do for you?]

[Give me a time and a place.]

...

Jiang Hao’s place, residential community in the Nanji District.

It was Jiang Hao’s twenty-ninth birthday. He didn’t make it a habit to celebrate his birth, and he almost forgot about it.

Surprisingly, Chen Ying and Zhang Wei had gathered the whole third team with a birthday cake to “ambush” Zhang Wei at his place.

They split the work. Empty Life, Shuang Shuang, and Wild Range cleaned up his place for him—Jiang Hao’s home was a real mess.

Zhang Wei, Buzhou, and Donxote were on dinner duty. The three men were surprisingly good at cooking.

Chen Ying, Miss, and Herb Snail were in charge of doing dishes and cleaning up after dinner.

Little Tian, of course, was purely there to light up the mood. He only had to play to his heart’s content.

They had a sumptuous dinner and played a board game until nine o’clock at night. Zhang Wei then served the cake to celebrate Zhang Wei’s birthday.

Afterward, Chen Ying sent Little Tian and Zhang Wei a look.

Little Tian immediately closed his eyes and used Sensory to make sure there was no danger or suspicious targets around.

Zhang Wei glanced at Buzhou and Shuang Shuang. Buzhou turned to Herb Snail, who he was close to. The four of them rose one after another to shut the windows and doors, standing at particular places to make sure no one would escape.

Chen Ying took out a small jammer from her pocket, turning it on.

“I’m making an announcement, everyone.”

Those in the dark shared a nervous look.

They were celebrating a member’s birthday a second ago, but now the jammer was suddenly employed. They all realized that something serious was going to happen.

Chen Ying pulled a straight face and went for the sentimental angle. “You’ve been with me for years. Even our latest member, Donxote, has been with me for four years. What do you think of me?”

“What is this, Sister Ying?” Chestnut, not reading the mood, said bluntly. “You’re good. I think it’s good to follow you.”

“Same here.” Wild Range rubbed his nose with a thumb. “Our team isn’t the most powerful and sometimes gets looked down on. I originally thought you lacked backbone and failed to stand up for us. Thinking about it, though, I realized that was why we rarely lost any member.”

“Yeah, Team Leader’s reliable and always has our best interest in mind,” Jiang Hao chimed in.

The others said a few words, too. Some could be flattery, but they meant their words. In general, they all trusted Chen Ying.

Chen Ying waited for a few seconds, making up her mind. “I’ll be frank with you. This celebration is an excuse. I need this chance to tell you something serious.”

Chen Ying scanned the room and declared, “I’m joining the Nine Scions.”

For a moment, the living room was silent. Only the white noise generated by the jammer filled the air.

Chestnut shot to her feet after a stunned moment. “Sister Ying...for real?!”

Chen Ying nodded. “Little Tian, Zhang Wei, Shuang Shuang, Buzhou, and Herb Snail have already decided to come with me.”

She looked at Chestnut, Jiang Hao, Empty Life, Wild Range, Miss, and Donxote in turns. “Now, I want your answer.”

Those receiving her scrutinizing gaze fell silent.

“May I ask why, Team Leader?” Wild Range asked with a grave look. “This...is too sudden.”