The Creatures That We Are

Chapter 878: Forget Life and Death

Zhong He regained his vision, but the sight before him froze his blood. The shadow covering his face retracted, revealing what lay beneath. His expression crumpled in pain and disbelief, rejecting the reality before him.

Ten seconds earlier, when Rules of Jianghu's binding power had failed, he'd panicked in his blindness. He'd conjured two shadow daggers—one piercing Nomad's abdomen, the other finding its mark on the right side of his chest.

Nomad had screamed then, grabbing Zhong He's hands. His curses had died quickly, too quickly.

The corpse stared up with unseeing eyes, bloody foam staining its nose and mouth. Zhong He's entire body shook as the truth sank in. Nomad was dead. Completely, irreversibly dead.

This wasn't supposed to happen. He'd known the Ocean River Union members took resurrection pills. He'd meant to give Nomad a chance to return.

Memory struck like a knife. They'd been close once, sharing drinks and stories in the Union. Unlike Zhong He's cautious nature, Nomad had been fearless, almost reckless. Despite his low-ranking Talent, he'd always volunteered for the frontline, seeking out conflict with savage joy.

"Forget about life and death. Just do it. The more you fear death, the more likely you'll die!"

Zhong He had worried endlessly, pleading with him to stop. "Why don't you ask Donxote to shift your heart with Organ Puzzle? That may save your life."

"Coward! I look down on those like you!" Nomad had spat the words with disgust.

The bitter irony twisted in Zhong He's gut. Nomad had taken his advice after all, undergone the operation—and that very change had sealed his fate at Zhong He's hands.

The more you fear death, the more likely you’ll die.

So it was true.

Something snapped in his mind.

I killed Nomad! I killed him!

No, he asked for it! He was going to kill me earlier! He did it first!

This is war! I've done nothing wrong! It wasn't my fault!

Zhong He's face drained of color as he struggled against the corpse's grip. But Nomad's hands remained locked like steel vises, refusing to release their final hold.

"Let go, let go...let go now!"

Zhong He broke down and slashed at Nomad's hands with Phantom. He staggered backward and fell. When he scrambled to his feet, the severed hands still clutched his wrists.

"Don't touch me! Fuck... don't touch me!"

He flailed wildly until the hands fell away, but their bloodied prints had already seared into his soul.

Behind him, a gun barrel tracked his movements, yet the trigger remained unpulled.

First Firelord clenched his teeth, face contorted with fury. At this range, putting a bullet through Zhong He's skull would be child's play. Yet his hands trembled, refusing to complete the action.

What are you waiting for, First Firelord! Shoot him!

He's not the same attention-seeking coward anymore—the one who'd act cool while collecting office gossip to share over drinks!

He's an enemy now, with Phantom at his command! He just killed Flower and Nomad!

Shoot! Kill him, kill him!

Bang!

The shot rang out—but not from First Firelord's gun.

Thick Earth had pulled the trigger a split second faster. His bullet found First Firelord's left chest, right through the heart.

Bang! First Firelord's delayed shot went wide, striking the ground at Zhong He's feet. Sparks scattered across the concrete.

Bang, bang, bang!

Thick Earth fired three more times, driving First Firelord backward. The gun slipped from his fingers as he crumpled to the ground.

Zhong He turned, staring dumbly at First Firelord's fallen form.

"Lordy!"

He scrambled to First Firelord's side, cradling the body. Four wounds punctured the chest, each pumping out rivers of blood.

"Fuck..." Blood foam spilled from First Firelord's lips as he fixed Zhong He with bloodshot eyes. "Indeed... hesitation... kills..."

"Medicine C!" Zhong He screamed at Thick Earth. "Give me Medicine C!"

Thick Earth remained motionless, watching the scene with cold eyes. The heart shot was fatal—no medicine could help now. And First Firelord was their enemy. Had Thick Earth hesitated, Zhong He would be the corpse cooling on the ground.

"Lordy, stay strong..." Zhong He pressed helplessly against his friend's heart, but First Firelord's life continued bleeding away between his fingers.

"Old Zhong..." First Firelord's words slurred weakly. "Gao Yang... what... is he?"

Zhong He paused. The Nine Scions and the Twelve Zodiac Signs believed him to be the Divine Scion, while Surnamed Li prophesied that he was the Malediction. Zhong He couldn’t say for certain what he was.

However, Zhong He remembered that First Firelord had his answer, or at least an answer he wanted to believe.

Zhong He grabbed his hands and said, “Gao Yang’s the Divine Scion!”

“I...knew it...ack, ack!”

First Firelord's cough sprayed blood across Zhong He's face. A pained smile crossed his lips. "I envy you... for following the right guy... pull your weight..."

His eyes dimmed as a single tear traced down his cheek. The hand in Zhong He's grasp went limp.

Zhong He couldn't look away from the lifeless face before him. Another memory surfaced unbidden: six months ago, nursing First Firelord through heartbreak, the three of them—Nomad, Zhong He, and First Firelord—sprawled in his messy apartment, surrounded by hot pot and empty beer bottles.

First Firelord had stumbled to the balcony, drunk and defiant. "Women's nothing to me! I have friends! What do I have to fear!"

...

"Old Zhong!" Thick Earth approached, clutching his wounded arm. His face had gone pale, cold sweat beading on his skin as the bullet’s poison took effect.

"Get up. This isn't the time to dawdle..."

He helped Zhong He to his feet, panting. "I knew you were close. If you have to hate someone, hate—"

Thick Earth's eyes widened as he spotted the danger with no time to avoid it. "Watch out!" He shoved Zhong He aside instinctively.

Swoosh.

The Black Gold boomerang carved vertically through Thick Earth, from left shoulder to abdomen, splitting open his chest.