The Creatures That We Are

Chapter 751: Talk in Private

Entrance to the abandoned amusement park, twenty minutes later.

Fat Jun carried a packed-up birthday cake in his left hand and a bag of snacks and drinks in his right hand, looking around to make sure there was no one in the area before walking through the ajar rusty gates.

Earlier today, when Fat Jun was going to nap after lunch before going to War Tiger for training, he received a message from White Rabbit. He took a glance and almost fainted from excitement.

Sister Rabbit asked him out! It was to celebrate Lovely Lamb’s birthday and there would be other people, but a date was a date. Before, Fat Jun had gone on missions with White Rabbit alone, but work was different.

The fact that White Rabbit thought of asking him for this occasion reflected a substantial change in their relationship. It was a small step for White Rabbit, but a big step for Fat Jun.

He was seeing the initial effect of the charisma course Teacher War Tiger tailored for him.

War Tiger had said that to win a woman’s heart, he must improve his hard and soft power.

Hard power referred to money and strength in a battle, but the former wasn’t as important as the latter in the world of awakeners; Wu Dahai, his senior, was the best example.

Soft power referred to looks, temperament, manners, and personality.

While Fat Jun worked himself to bone training and dieting, he had also read all the novels White Rabbit had been following to appeal to her, especially the one titled My Buddy is the Chosen One.

Fat Jun didn’t think highly of the novel. The author wrote like an elementary student. The powercreep problem was serious. The plot was cliche. The protagonist was a useless Gary Stu and a playboy. It was tragedy porn. And there was a liberal use of lyrics to increase the word count. Fat Jun forced himself to read the whole thing three times just to have something to talk to White Rabbit about, though, and he might as well be the biggest fan of the work.

In the past, White Rabbit rarely talked to Fat Jun about anything outside work, but recently, they often messaged each other until late at night, and they always liked and commented on each other’s social media posts. They were getting closer.

“You were a little difficult to win over, you said.”

“You wanted me to see the trouble and give up.”

“Gifts don’t have to be the most expensive.”

“Just ask for the fallen leaves from Champs-élysées.[1]”

Fat Jun was feeling good thinking about all that and started humming. He skipped his way through a shaded path and almost broke into a dance. His every step brought up the fallen leaves pelting the ground.

The Ferris wheel wasn’t far away.

Wait for me, Sister Rabbit. I’m coming!

Suddenly, Fat Jun came to a halt like someone had paralyzed him by hitting his acupuncture point. An unfamiliar chilling energy spread through his body. His pupils dilated, and his expression contorted with pain.

“Help...me...”

Fat Jun tried to struggle, but he couldn’t move. He couldn’t even speak to call out for help.

He stared at the Ferris wheel, eyes red and face muscles twitching with frustration.

No, no.

I’m not dying here.

...

Under the Ferris wheel, ten minutes later.

“Sister Rabbit!”

Beaming, Fat Jun ran up to them with a cake and a bag of snacks, covered in sweat. He wore a link pink shirt under the casual suit jacket. The top few buttons had fallen off.

White Rabbit and Dead Pig had been chatting. They turned to him one after the other.

“What took you so long?” White Rabbit frowned.

“Something came up and delayed me.” Fat Jun wiped the sweat on his face with his elbow. “Here’s the cake. And the snacks and drinks.”

“Thank you for making the trip, Adept Horse.” Dead Pig took the cake and the snacks with a wide smile. “Cute Little Lamb and Heavenly Dog are still riding the Ferris wheel. Once they get off, we’ll find a place to have the cake.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Fat Jun turned to White Rabbit with an eager smile. “I have something to tell you, Sister Rabbit.”

“What is it?” asked White Rabbit.

“Um.” Fat Jun rubbed the back of his head embarrassedly. “I’d like to talk to you in private.”

White Rabbit’s heart sank. No, really? Are you confessing to me already? That can’t be. That’s out of character for you. Since when have you become so decisive?

White Rabbit was a little troubled. She was going to talk things out with Fat Jun even without Dead Pig’s reminder, but not now. She was waiting for the right time to do it so that she would hurt Fat Jun as little as possible.

She looked up and met Fat Jun’s heated gaze filled with excitement and anticipation.

White Rabbit felt a little guilty. She nodded. “Alright.”

Perhaps there is never the right time. Now’s the best chance to talk about it.

“Come. Let’s go to the haunted house.”

White Rabbit laughed after a pause. “What is it? Why the secrecy?”

“Haha, it’s important,” Fat Jun assured. “Trust me, Sister Rabbit.”

“Alright.” White Rabbit glanced at Dead Pig. “Keep an eye on Cute Little Lamb. We’ll be right back.”

White Rabbit followed Fat Jun across the abandoned amusement park and reached the haunted house. It had been home to the secret market organized by the Hundred Rivers Union, but after Fresh Snow’s “attack”, they abandoned the place.

Then there were fewer and fewer awakeners, and activities such as the flea market could no longer be held.

Thinking about it left White Rabbit with a sense of loss. Sometimes she wondered if it would be better to maintain the status quo a year ago, where awakeners and elite monsters stayed out of each other’s way and lived and let live under the restriction of the Heavenly Way without the encroaching threat of doom.

No, no. Then Captain would be dejected, and thinking about that made White Rabbit feel a pang in her heart.

It didn’t take long for the pair to reach the entrance of the haunted house.

“Can you talk now?” White Rabbit turned to Fat Jun.

Fat Jun gave her a mysterious look. “I still can’t, Sister Rabbit. This is important. We must go into the haunted house.”

White Rabbit was getting suspicious. “You’re acting weird today, Adept Horse...”

Then White Rabbit felt something grapple her. Shocked, she was going to run away, but her feet were already pinned to the ground.

Face pale, she was going to call out for help, but found her throat restricted by a cold power, silencing her.

“Don’t be scared, Sister Rabbit,” Fat Jun quickly explained. “Follow me. He, he doesn’t mean you harm.”

As soon as he said that, White Rabbit regained her mobility.

She calmed herself. She had guessed who it was.

“Get in.” She scowled, entering the haunted house with Fat Jun.

They reached the heart of the pitch-dark interior of the building. White Rabbit shone her cellphone flashlight on her and Fat Jun’s faces. Then she grumbled at the dark, “Come on out.”

Two seconds later, a tall, slim figure appeared in the shadow behind them.

He stood against a wall with his hands in his pockets, tipping his chin up with a playful smirk. It was Zhong He from the Hundred Rivers Union—he was now unaffiliated.

“It’s been quite a while, Sister White Rabbit.”

White Rabbit turned around with a frown. “You’re getting more and more impolite by the day. Is that how you greet someone?”

“Yeah.” Fat Jun was still reeling from the experience. “Your shadow suddenly grappled me like a viper. I was all goosebumps then.”

“Apology. I have to be careful and confirm your identities.” Zhong He shrugged with his right shoulder. “You may not believe it, but Phantom is a living thing. It can vaguely sense your energy, and I can confirm who you are through it. Conversely, you can also confirm who I am through it, can’t you?”

“What do you want from us?” White Rabbit asked bluntly.

“That’s direct. I like it.” Zhong He straightened up and marched toward White Rabbit. While she kept up a calm front, she felt pressured—not because of Zhong He, but because of his Phantom.

There was a reason the Talent was high on the list. When the shadow caught her in her moment of carelessness, she felt like a rabbit caught by a python, unable to resist at all.

“I’ll be frank with you.” Zhong He stared at White Rabbit in the dark, his playful smile dropping and his tone turning serious. “I resigned from the Hundred Rivers Union. I’d like to join the Twelve Zodiac Signs.”

1. Lyrics of Jay Chou’s Love Confession. ☜

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