The Creatures That We Are

Chapter 229: Surnamed Li

Gao Yang hid his confusion under a poker face.

Beside him, Chen Ying waved a hand, and the woman playing erhu immediately rose to her feet, walking out in small delicate steps and closing the three-pane folding screen behind her.

“Have a seat.”

Gao Yang and Wang Zikai obliged and sat down before the low longtable with their legs crossed.

Chen Ying looked at the elderly woman who looked younger than her age with deference. “This is the head of the Hundred Rivers Union. She knew you would come tonight and told me to prepare beforehand.”

“Greetings, I’m Surnamed Li.” The woman spoke gently, her eyes curved. “You may call me Madam Li.”

“It’s an honor, Madam Li.”

Gao Yang kept his face carefully impassive, when inwardly he couldn’t be more shocked.

It can’t be. I decided to contact Chen Ying last second, and the whole process took less than five minutes. Not even the most robust intelligence network would be able to predict my decision.

Or does Surnamed Li have a Talent of foresight?

That was a possibility, and a Talent like that must be among the top ten, or even the top five.

Gao Yang said politely, “Madam Li, do you know what I’m here for?”

Madam Li was still smiling. “To look for something.”

That’s it then! She can see the future!

Madam Li’s expression didn’t change.

Wang Zikai wasn’t interested in their conversation. He looked around and suddenly asked, “Why is this place called the Sea View Tower? There’s no sea around. Isn’t that false advertising?”

Bro, stop talking if you don’t know what to say.

Madam Li was still smiling as she slowly said in response, “My husband is from the Island Nation, and he grew up by the sea. Before he passed away from illness, he wished to return to his hometown for the view he grew up with, yet his wish ended up unfulfilled. I built this place as a memento of sorts to remember him by.”

“Oh, I’m sorry for your loss.” Wang Zikai looked at the tuna sashimi on the table. “I’m a little hungry. You don’t mind if I dig in, right?”

“Please go ahead.”

Wang Zikai picked up a piece of tuna by hand and dipped it in wasabi before taking a bite. The rush of heat made him tear up, but he gave a thumbs-up in an exaggerated manner and said, “Hm! It’s authentic!”

Madam Li chuckled. “I’m glad you like it.”

Chen Ying then whispered something into Madam Li’s ear.

Madam Li’s gaze on Wang Zikai changed a little.

“You’ve made interesting friends, Captain Seven Shadow.”

“I wouldn’t say that,” Gao Yang explained. “We’ve known each other for a long time.”

Madam Li nodded, understanding Gao Yang’s unspoken words: he had known Wang Zikai before his awakening.

Gao Yang filed that in his head. It seems that Surnamed Li can’t actually predict all the finest details about the future, or she wouldn’t have been surprised about me bringing a wanderer.

“Since Madam Li already knows what I’m here for, I’ll be frank with you.” Gao Yang took out a photo and handed it over.

Chen Ying took it instead and opened the folded paper to present it to Madam Li.

After a glance, Madam Li nodded without saying anything.

“I’d like to find the truck.” Gao Yang paused. “Well, I’m looking for a person, and they stole the truck. I don’t have any other clues, so I start with tracking it down.”

Madam Li turned to Chen Ying.

Chen Ying said openly, “It is my expertise to look for things. My Talent is Psychometry.”

Gao Yang dug into his memory and found information on the Talent.

Psychometry, serial number 81, Support-type.

It allowed one to touch an object and see what had happened to it in the past.

Chen Ying returned the photo to Gao Yang. “However, I need to touch the thing physically. A photo won’t do.”

Gao Yang took the photo and nodded.

He had guessed as much. The ability would be too OP if it allowed one to read the past from a photo alone, and the Talent wouldn’t have been so low on the list.

Madam Li chimed in, “If the car is found, Chen Ying will be able to help.”

Gao Yang looked up at her. What? It seems she has more to say.

Madam Li smiled. “The Hundred Rivers Union may look for the vehicle for you. If we find it in time, Chen Ying’s Psychometry will still work on it.”

Gao Yang asked, “And the condition?”

“Captain Seven Shadow is a straightforward man.”

Madam Li continued at a deliberate pace, “Let’s first define the scope of our work. We will find the car for you, and Chen Ying will get information on your target through the car. That’s the end of our work. Whatever you do after that, we won’t get involved, and we aren’t interested.”

Gao Yang nodded. “That’s for the best.”

“Now I’ll tell you our condition: the Qilin Guild has found the Support Rune Circuit. We’d like to rent it for a month, and we’ll pay the loan in full.”

She glanced at Chen Ying and smiled like the matriarch of a family. “There are many awakeners with Support-type Talents in the Union, so we need the Rune Circuit dearly.”

Gao Yang didn’t immediately respond. He did think her condition was sensible.

Earnestly, he said, “Please give me ten minutes, Madam Li. I have to bring this up to my superior.”

“Please do.”

Wang Zikai was still fully focused on eating. Gao Yang was worried that the idiot would spill everything he knew while Gao Yang left to make the call.

He patted Wang Zikai on the shoulder and said in a low voice, “While I’m away, use your mouth to eat, not talk.”

Wang Zikai frowned, giving him a peevish look that said, ‘I knew that already.’ Then he waved Gao Yang away, urging him to take care of his business.

Gao Yang walked out of the booth and found a quiet corner to call Black Tortoise.

As expected, Black Tortoise was still working, and the set was bustling. Gao Yang could faintly hear the director giving notes in an impassioned voice, “How many times do I have to repeat this? I want you to be sad with a hint of anticipation, expectant with a hint of frustration, frustrated with a hint of anger and jealousy. Do you get it...”

“Hello?” Black Tortoise said.

“Can you talk?”

“I’m at the set. A moment.”

After a while, the other end of the line quieted. “Go on.”

“I’ve made some progress with what you told me to look into.”

Gao Yang took two minutes to retell what he had found the past couple days. “I need the help of the Hundred Rivers Union, but they want something in return.”

He then briefed Black Tortoise on what happened tonight.

“That old fox.” Black Tortoise snorted. “Guildmaster should still be awake. I’ll bring this to him.”

Three minutes later, Black Tortoise sent him an encoded message: go ahead.

Gao Yang put away his phone and returned to the booth.

He had only been away for a few minutes, but when he went back, Chen Ying was already pouring Wang Zikai sake.

Holding a cup in his hand, Wang Zikai prattled with a flushed face and flailing arms, “You won’t believe how dangerous things were! A whole village of lizardmen were rushing toward us! A one man army, I blocked the door, killing every single one of the monsters coming my way! Swish, swish! A few swings were all it took...”

“Ahem.”

Gao Yang sat down by Wang Zikai’s side with a cold look on his face.

Realizing he had said something he shouldn’t, Wang Zikai smiled awkwardly. “Right, a real man doesn’t talk about his glorious past! Come, let’s drink! Cheers!”

I knew this idiot couldn’t be trusted to keep his mouth shut!

He really should bring Wang Zikai with him less, or even the color of his underpants would become an open secret.

Gao Yang turned to Madam Li. “I’ve talked to my superior. You have a deal. The Support Rune Circuit will be loaned to you in the next six months. We’ll decide the exact loaning period.”

Madam Li nodded slightly in thanks and raised her cup full of sake gracefully. “Pleasure doing business with the Guild. I salute you, Captain Seven Shadow. You may drink if it’s to your taste.”