The Creatures That We Are

Chapter 265: Repayment

Chapter 265: Repayment

Ten minutes later, White Rabbit met up with Gao Yang and Vermilion Bird and took them to the underground sixth floor, leading them to the meeting room inside the Mouse Door.

White Rabbit hadn’t stopped scowling on the way.

Gao Yang really wanted to tell her that she didn’t need to play guide if she didn’t want to. He could find his way just fine.

Once they reached the door to the meeting room, White Rabbit said in a frosty voice, “Captain is waiting for you inside. I’ll leave you to it.”

Gao Yang and Vermilion Bird exchanged a glance. Then Gao Yang took the lead and opened the door.

Inside, the room had an elegant, classical style with an extravagant, scintillating chandelier, a quaint rectangular conference table, and the famous painting The Last Breakfast on the wall.

Under the painting was the main seat, where an androgynous young man sat. His skin was pale, and his heterochromic eyes captivatingly beautiful.

The familiar sight made Gao Yang feel a pang of nostalgia.

More than a month ago, he had attended the first full-member meeting of the Twelve Zodiac Signs in this room. He helped Dragon question Ghost Horse and saw Dragon ‘execute’ the man.

At the time, he was a freshly-awakened nobody who wasn’t even among the top 100 awakeners.

Now, though, he had become an Elder of the Qilin Guild and ranked 15th, sent here to talk business with Dragon.

Dragon smiled at Gao Yang, sparing no glance for Vermilion Bird.

“Here you are, Dark Horse.”

“He’s Seven Shadow now,” Vermilion Bird corrected coldly.

“Apologies. I woke up not long ago and still feel a little drowsy.”

The smile remained on Dragon’s face, but his gaze seemed loaded with unspoken words. “Names are but a way to address someone and don’t mean much. What matters is where one’s allegiance lies. Don’t you agree, Miss Vermilion Bird?”

Under the poker face, Gao Yang was shouting in his mind, Dragon! My man! Please stop!

I haven’t changed sides! You don’t have to warn me like that! If she takes it seriously, how am I going to stay in the Qilin Guild going forward?

“You’re right, Mr. Dragon,” Vermilion Bird scoffed, giving as good as it took. “It just so happens that our guildmaster is adept at reading people.”

Gao Yang’s butt clenched. And what are you doing, Sister Xia! Why does this feel like a weird love triangle?!

...Ah. Belatedly, realization dawned on Gao Yang.

Dragon was going about it the right way.

Vermilion Bird was smart. If Dragon had treated Gao Yang in an aloof or even hostile manner when they met, it would seem like a cover-up. By saying things that framed Gao Yang as suspicious, Vermilion Bird would take it as an attempt to drive a wedge between Gao Yang and the Guild, which would actually convince her that Gao Yang had truly cut ties entirely with the Twelve Zodiac Signs.

And Vermilion Bird had retaliated smartly.

She was insinuating that the guildmaster Qilin, a powerful awakener, had tested Gao Yang personally, and Dragon’s attempt to sow doubt was pointless.

It was true that Qilin’s Eidos was formidable. If not for his system, Gao Yang would’ve been executed by the man this noon.

The real masters truly went for the throat.

Gao Yang fake-coughed. “Mr. Dragon, Elder Vermilion Bird and I have come to negotiate a deal with your esteemed organization on behalf of the Qilin Guild.”

“White Rabbit told me.” Dragon lifted his hand. “Please, have a seat.”

Vermilion Bird and Gao Yang sat down on the other end of the conference table, more than ten meters away from Dragon.

“I heard that you’re here to trade for a Rune Circuit,” said Dragon.

“We’d like to trade for the Time-Space Rune Circuit for seventeen days.”

Dragon nodded. “Until the end of the Crimson Tide, you mean.”

“Yes.”

“With which Rune Circuit of yours?” Dragon asked calmly.

“Unfortunately,” said Vermilion Bird. “Not the Miracle Rune Circuit.”

Dragon didn’t seem surprised or disappointed.

Gao Yang quickly continued, “But we’re making you a worthy offer.”

“That so?” Dragon blinked. “You have my attention.”

“The Buff Rune Circuit or the Summon Rune Circuit. You may pick one to exchange for seventeen days. And we’ll give you the Support Rune Circuit as a free bonus, as well as twenty thousand jinwu.”

Dragon nodded, unfazed.

Objectively speaking, it was a great deal to get a Rune Circuit and twenty thousand jinwu as a packaged deal.

Moreover, Heavenly Dog, the only member with Time-Space Talents, had reached level 4 with Spatial Dissection and Fly. He didn’t need the Rune Circuit anymore.

“There’s a caveat though. The Support Rune Circuit is to be loaned out to the Hundred Rivers Union in three months. Should you agree to the deal, please comply with the prior arrangement too.”

What a cunning man you are, Doctor Su, Gao Yang couldn’t help but grumble to himself. Even the supposed free bonus comes with strings attached for the Guild’s benefit, however trivial.

Dragon thought for a moment. “It is a good deal. I don’t see a reason to turn it down.”

Vermilion Bird tried her best to make her resting bitch face seem a little friendlier. “What is your answer then, Mr. Dragon?”

“But I don’t see a reason to take the deal either.” Dragon’s eyes glinted, his voice steely.

The meeting room fell silent for a few seconds.

Dragon then said, “Our members don’t need the Buff, Summon, or Support Rune Circuit at the moment.”

“But these are Rune Circuits we’re talking about.” Vermilion Bird was taken aback. “It’s the most secure and important asset in the world of awakeners. The more the merrier, right?”

“Of course.”

Dragon picked up his cup of coffee and took a whiff. “However, the Qilin Guild refuses to trade the Miracle Rune Circuit and seems certain that the Twelve Zodiac Signs will be satisfied with a little gain. That’s...”

Vermilion Bird and Gao Yang were silent.

Dragon looked up with his eerily beautiful eyes. “Way too arrogant of you.”

Suddenly, the air around them changed in a subtle way. It was a familiar feeling to Gao Yang, being gently dominated and guided by the man’s will.

It wasn’t forceful, yet it couldn’t be ignored.

“Has the Qilin Guild decided if you’re agreeing to Madam Li’s proposal for the three major organizations to work together?”

Vermilion Bird’s expression darkened. She tried to resist the mysterious something around her, yet the more she did, the worse she felt. Once she gave up on resisting, the discomfort was gone, but the realization itself felt like humiliation.

She knew well that Dragon was taunting them on purpose to express his grievances about the Guild’s arrogance.

“We’ve decided to take the offer,” Vermilion Bird said in a low voice.

In an instant, the mysterious pressure was gone.

Gao Yang and Vermilion Bird both let out a silent sigh of relief.

“Then we’ll agree to the trade.” Dragon leaned back into the seat. “It’s for the greater good. The Crimson Tide is a crisis we’re facing together. There’s no reason to fight for something this trivial.”

“A wise choice, Mr. Dragon.” Vermilion Bird’s smile didn’t reach her eyes.

Dragon smiled as well, an innocent-looking one that belonged on a young man’s face. “Moreover, I owed Seven Shadow one during his time with us. I’ll consider this trade repayment for that.”

Gao Yang realized that it was a reward for finishing Operation: the Moon is Beautiful.

Now that he had inherited Teleportation from Ghost Horse, he needed the Time-Space Rune Circuit to reach level 4 with it. Dragon knew that very well.

Dragon must have decided beforehand that whatever offer the Qilin Guild made, he would agree to trading the Time-Space Rune Circuit since it would make Gao Yang stronger. Still, some posturing was necessary to let the Qilin Guild know that the Twelve Zodiac Signs was no pushover.

As expected of a clash between two leading awakeners.

Vermilion Bird was secretly relieved to hear Dragon’s response. At least she had completed the task Qilin entrusted her.

“Then we have a deal.”

“We do.”

Paying it little mind, Dragon went on to talk about the next issue. “We’re running out of time. Since the three organizations have decided to work together, I’d like Madam Li and Mr. Qilin to come to the Twelve Zodiac Signs for a meeting to discuss our strategies. And we can use the opportunity to trade the Rune Circuits.”

Vermilion Bird was reluctant. “Here, Mr. Dragon? Why don’t we find a neutral location...”

“Here. I’m quite partial to staying at home.” Dragon spoke in a casual tone, but left no room for Vermilion Bird to negotiate.

Caught off guard, Vermilion Bird tamped down her irritation. “I’ll bring this up to Guildmaster. Please give me a moment.”