The Creatures That We Are-Chapter 1216: Light in His Eyes

At twenty past five, the group of awakeners walked to the empty wasteland below Pride’s throne. Gao Yang stood in the front with his companions lining up behind him: Old Seven, One Stone, Dr. Jia, Zhang Wei, Liao Liao, Hong Xiaoxiao, Chen Ying, Nainai, Lovely Lamb, Gregor, White Dew, Adept Horse, Raven Shark, Quiet Book, Tang Xiaocong, and Sun Hu.

Wang Zikai looked down at them with a glint in his eyes. It could be joy or amusement. His gaze quickly zeroed in on Gao Yang.

Gao Yang met the gaze. “Should I call you Wang Zikai, or Pride?”

“Either is fine.” Wang Zikai’s lips curled. “I’m easygoing—provided the other party shows appropriate deference.”

His eyes darkened, his authority growing ten times stronger.

It pinned everyone down and made them distort and bulge until bursting into scattering green leaves and energy particles. All seventeen awakeners were fakes created with Plant and Substitute.

Wang Zikai calmly looked at the empty clearing with narrowed eyes. “I’d give you another chance to talk to me properly, Gao Yang. You should treasure it.”

Hong Xiaoxiao deactivated Invisibility. She had one hand on Gao Yang’s shoulder and the other on Raven Shark’s. Golden energy rose from beneath Gao Yang’s feet, forming an Absolute Barrier.

Raven Shark opened up Dimensional Storage to allow his companions out into the protective circle of the Absolute Barrier, while Gao Yang alone walked out to the bottom of the stairs, looking up at Wang Zikai.

“Good.” Wang Zikai smiled with satisfaction.

“Should I call you Wang Zikai, or Pride?” Gao Yang repeated.

Wang Zikai thought for a while, eyebrow lifted slightly. “Wang Zikai then. I like the name. It’s just a name, however. Don’t get your hopes up.”

Gao Yang nodded. “I know.”

Wang Zikai used his other hand to prop up his head. In a tone one would use to talk about the weather, he said, “Gao Xin’s dead. You should know, right?”

“I do.”

“Envy’s dead, too. Did you kill her?”

“Yes.”

“You must understand, Gao Yang. Both Gao Xin and Envy made their choices with my implicit permission. I allow the endings to happen.”

“You only stand here to meet your end due to my implicit permission, too. It will be too easy to kill you and those behind you. So easy that it’s boring.”

Gao Yang didn’t say anything.

“Oh, right.” Wang Zikai broke into a grin. “I said I would give you a birthday gift, Gao Yang.”

“Yeah.” ƒreewebɳovel.com

“My gift is this: I’ll give you the chance to make a choice.” Wang Zikai leaned forward like a pet owner talking to his pet from the couch. “First, challenge me with all your companions and die in despair. Second, fight me on your own.”

Gao Yang thought for two seconds. “And you’ll let them go whether I win or lose?”

“Sure. Their lives don’t matter to me.” Wang Zikai shrugged. “Even ants think they are important. I understand.”

Gao Yang didn’t respond.

“You only have to survive me for seven seconds, Gao Yang.” Wang Zikai raised his hand, curling his index finger. “As long as you live for seven seconds, I’ll die.”

Gao Yang stared at him.

It was absurd, beyond ludicrous.

But it made sense for Pride; only the most prideful person would be capable of making the offer.

“I’ll be allowed to use any Talents within those seven seconds?” Gao Yang asked.

“You can do anything,” Wang Zikai said, then repeated in a light tone, “As long as you live for seven seconds, I’ll die.”

After a moment of silence, Gao Yang asked, “I want to know your reason.”

“Reason?” Wang Zikai raised an eyebrow. “If I have to give you a reason...well, it’s because I don’t like how you look now. You seem like a lamb waiting to be slaughtered. I prefer you with light in your eyes, just for a few seconds. Then I’ll feel like killing you.”

Gao Yang pursed his lips.

“Don’t!”

Old Seven rushed out of the barrier to Gao Yang’s side. “Brother Yang, don’t listen to a damn word out of this bastard’s mouth!”

Enduring the fear filling his heart, he looked up at the haughty blond man. “Pride, you are strong, but you’re just a death monster. You aren’t God! We may not lose if we fight you together!”

He turned to Gao Yang. “Don’t fall for it, Brother Yang! He’s just trying to take us down separately. If you die first, the rest of us will have no—”

Suddenly, blood gushed out of Old Seven’s nose. His pupils dilated, and his face became ashen. He didn’t understand what was happening. All of a sudden, Wang Zikai was already by his side. None had seen him moving.

Their shoulders just short of brushing, Wang Zikai put a hand on Old Seven’s shoulder with his other hand in his pocket.

“You should thank Gao Yang. Every second you’re alive is because of my history with him.”

He lifted his hand and walked up to Gao Yang.

Old Seven threw up blood, collapsing to his knees and losing consciousness.

Wang Zikai smiled at Gao Yang. “No rush. You still have time to consider it.”

Gao Yang nodded. “Okay.”

In the blink of an eye, Wang Zikai was back on his throne, lounging in the seat with a hand propping his chin, his eyes slightly narrowed.

“I’ll be waiting.”