The Creatures That We Are

Chapter 498: Not Really

Boom!

Leaving a sparkling, sacred trail across the night sky, the white shooting star landed before the red torii, sending ripples of white shockwaves in all directions, too quick to avoid.

The four of them were hit. A familiar numbness spread through their bodies, and their energy short-circuited for a second.

Compared to the last time, the white shooting star’s landing was quite gentle.

A few seconds later, the four of them got a clear look at the newcomer.

It was a woman with long auburn hair, dressed in black, fitted long-sleeved turtleneck, black gauze dress, and a pair of flat ballet shoes. Wearing all black, she stood tall and upright, her figure slim, looking elegant, mysterious, and dignified. Under the moonlight, she reminded one of a graceful black swan.

Gao Yang recognized at first glance that she was the woman he had seen holding an evil ritual at a crossroad at midnight, captured by the hidden camera on the rooftop.

He got a clear look at her face.

Not only wasn’t her identity a surprise to him, it made so much sense that it almost felt surreal.

She was Zhuang Mei, a living life monster.

Zhuang Mei recognized Gao Yang at first glance too. She smiled faintly at him as a greeting, her impassive face shrouded in foggy white light, making her look holy.

Gao Yang couldn’t find the words to say. He looked up to see an unconscious woman hovering above Zhuang Mei’s head.

She was dressed in blue pajamas, her feet bare, and she hovered in the air like she was being carried on the palm of an invisible hand, her arms, legs, and black hair hanging down naturally. Her protruding belly was noticeable, as well as her sickly complexion.

“Su Xi!” Officer Huang shouted. He felt a fury stronger than ever before, but he didn’t dare to make a reckless move.

He knew that Su Xi was at Zhuang Mei’s mercy.

Paying the four of them no mind, Zhuang Mei slowly turned around and raised her right hand, lowering Su Xi to the center of the torii.

Rumble.

Ancient white patterns appeared on the red gate, glowing a sacred white. A circular altar suddenly emerged from the gray land around the torii, flickering in the same color. The pattern at the center of the altar was the familiar white bird.

Swish, swish, swish.

The white patterns on the torii broke free of the wooden structure and morphed into snaking white chains, wrapping around Su Xi and tying her to the center of the gate in a splayed posture.

It seemed clear that Su Xi and the child she carried had been chosen by Zhuang Mei as sacrifices for some ritual, and the pregnant woman was going to give her life.

Officer Huang could never allow that to happen.

Bang, bang, bang!

Officer Huang fired, emptying the two guns in two seconds, the bullets aimed at all the vital parts of Zhuang Mei’s body. However, the bullets crumbled as soon as they hit Zhuang Mei like flies flying to their deaths, falling silently to the ground.

Zhuang Mei continued to move, as if she didn’t even feel the attacks.

A few seconds later, Zhuang Mei slowly turned around, having finished the initiation process. She looked at Officer Huang. “Do you know what you’re doing?”

“She’s my wife!” Officer Huang quickly reloaded his guns, shouting, “Let her go.”

“Ha.” Zhuang Mei sounded intrigued. “An awakener risking his life for a monster. Wonders never cease.”

Bang, bang, bang!

Officer Huang made ten shots in a row, aiming for Zhuang Mei’s weakest parts this time: her eyes.

Clink, clink, clink.

However, the bullets clinked brightly like they had hit a pair of indestructible marbles before falling to the ground. Zhuang Mei didn’t even blink.

At that moment, Gao Yang was hit with an indescribable despair.

Zhuang Mei’s body seemed as invincible as the white skeleton they had fought back in No.7 Winery.

Zhuang Mei ignored Officer Huang and turned to Gao Yang, speaking naturally like an adult stopping a neighbor’s child from doing something foolish. “You don’t have to get involved, Yang Yang. Go back.”

Gao Yang didn’t say anything.

Zhuang Mei turned to the others. “You too. Just go. I won’t kill you.”

She paused, her eyes landing on Heavenly Dog’s face and stopping for two seconds.

“Ah...” Her smile was a mix of surprise and interest. “Little Ran.”

Heavenly Dog was silent, his eyes long reddened. He had recognized at first glance that the life monster was the mother who had abandoned him.

“Mom...” he said hoarsely, trying to control the emotions running wild in his heart. He asked the question that had been tormenting him the past eighteen years, “Why did you abandon me?”

Zhuang Mei blinked, still smiling. “You’ve awakened already, Little Ran. You should know that I’m not your real mother.”

“But you are.” Heavenly Dog’s gaze glinted with heartbreaking stubbornness.

Zhuang Mei sighed softly. “I was naive and tried to be human once, tried to live a normal life, but I was only fooling myself.”

Her gaze was difficult to read. “Humans are too troublesome to be. I couldn’t do it, so I gave up.”

“So you aren’t from Island Nation.”

“From Island Nation?” Zhuang Mei paused. “When have I ever said that I was?”

“You said that you were going to Island Nation, that you were going home and couldn’t take me with you...”

“Ah.” Zhuang Mei finally remembered. “I was coming here to deal with something. I didn’t mean it when I said that I was going home. Silly boy, you took me at my word.”

Heavenly Dog stared at Zhuang Mei in disbelief. He couldn’t accept that this was the answer he had been waiting for the past eighteen years.

His mother wasn’t from Island Nation. What he had been doing all these years was foolish, laughable.

He had been nothing but a joke the past eighteen years.

Meanwhile, Gao Yang had been tamping down his fear and quickly thinking. The summer eighteen years ago would be the Crimson Tide before the previous one. Zhuang Mei said that she had matters to attend to; did that have something to do with her being a life monster?

Heavenly Dog clenched his fists, his reddened eyes broken yet fierce. “All these years, have you ever loved me, Mom? Even for a second?”

Zhuang Mei seemed surprised by the question.

She smiled faintly like she was saying something trivial. “Not really.”

Heavenly Dog paled.

“But well, I don’t hate you. You were an obedient kid who didn’t cry or make trouble, like a meek little puppy. Who doesn’t like puppies?”

Zhuang Mei was still smiling.

Heavenly Dog stood rooted to the spot. The distant memories that had been etched into his mind burned inside him, scorching his chest and boiling his blood.

“Little Ran is the most obedient!”

[I’m not your real mother.]

“Little Ran, Mom doesn't have anything but you. I only have you.”

[I didn’t mean it when I said that I was going home. Silly boy, you took me at my word.]

“When Little Ran grows up, you should protect Mom.”

[You were an obedient kid who didn’t cry or make trouble, like a meek little puppy.]

“Mom loves you, Little Ran.”

[Not really.]

Mom loves you. Not really. Mom loves you. Not really. Mom loves you not really mom loves you not really mom loves you not really...

No.

Never loves you.

Mom’s never loved you.

...

Spatial Dissection reached level 6!