Chapter 42: Sick
The air curdled with tension.
Gao Yang, Qing Ling, and Officer Huang sat across from Fourth Grandpa Gu, their expression unchanged while their three pairs of arms sprung into action under the table.
Gao Yang took out a small dagger from his pocket and aimed it at the old man’s heart, ready to activate at any moment the Talent he replicated from Qing Ling, God of Blade.
Qing Ling had secretly conjured her Tang Dao under the table, finding the right angle to swing her blade.
And Officer Huang had a hand on his holster, prepared to make a shot at a moment's notice.
Wang Zikai and Fat Jun had been arguing not far from the table. Just as their argument grew heated, they finally noticed that something was wrong.
Wang Zikai gaped for a moment when he turned around. Then he opened his mouth wide and raised his fist, “Liz—”
Gao Yang shot to his feet and covered Wang Zikai’s mouth. While he was a reckless one, Wang Zikai understood Gao Yang and didn’t resist. He simply gave his friend a questioning look.
“Wait...” Gao Yang whispered.
In the few seconds they confronted each other, Gao Yang had not felt even a trace of murderous intent from Fourth Grandpa Gu. In fact, that was the reason Officer Huang and Qing Ling hadn’t made a move either.
Fourth Grandpa Gu was behaving in a very strange way.
It was strange that he was serene and at ease, no different from how he acted before his transformation.
Then something unbelievable happened. Fourth Grandpa Gu’s half-transformed body became wholly human again. Throughout the entire process, he had been savoring his tea, and only when he put down the teacup and looked up did he notice that everyone in the room was staring at him nervously.
“Why are you so quiet?” Fourth Grandpa Gu asked with innocent confusion. “And why are you staring at me? You...can’t be suspecting me of killing them, can you?”
“Of course not.” Officer Huang broke the silence and put a smile back on his face. “Haha, don’t overthink it, Fourth Grandpa Gu.”
“That’s good. I’m more eager to see the culprit caught than you all.” The old man sighed in lamentation. “Such a tragic fate for the family. What had they done to deserve this...”
“It’s late, Fourth Grandpa Gu. Why don’t you go rest? We’ll return tomorrow.” Officer Huang stood up.
Gao Yang and Qing Ling rose to their feet as well. Fat Jun quickly caught up to them, looking eager to get out of the house.
Conflicted, Wang Zikai said, “Huh? We’re going just like that? He...”
“Come on.” Gao Yang shot him a look.
“Farewell. Forgive me for not walking you.” Fourth Grandpa Gu slowly stood up and saw them out of the door.
...
The five of them didn’t have anywhere else to go, so they returned to Huazi’s place. This time, they left the light in the living room off to avoid attracting attention, and they shut all the windows and doors before lighting up a corner with a flashlight. They sat around the light.
“He’s a lizardman! Why didn’t we kill him?” Wang Zikai was still hung up on that. And he was still referring to monsters as lizardmen.
“Fourth Grandpa Gu didn't seem hostile.” Gao Yang gave Wang Zikai a pointed look. Then he explained to him what delusion monsters were. “Not all monsters are bad. There’s what we call wanderers...”
“Then why did he transform before us?” Wang Zikai didn’t get it. “Just to flex?”
Officer Huang stroked his chin. “Wanderers are the most harmless and stable kind of monsters. Even if we say we’re awakeners before them, they’ll usually filter it all out. Only a great stimulus will set them off and make them transform.”
“What stimulus?” asked Wang Zikai.
“Like...hurting them with our Talents,” Fat Jun chimed in.
“I’ve never seen a monster transformed for no apparent reason the way Fourth Grandpa Gu did, nor have I heard of it happening.” Officer Huang glanced at Gao Yang. “What do you think?”
Gao Yang had been thinking about what Baili Yi told him. He made a bold speculation, “I think he might be sick.”
“Sick?” Qing Ling frowned.
“Let’s consider a hypothesis...” Gao Yang extended both hands. “There’s a switch inside all monsters, controlling whether they present the form and personality of a monster or a human.”
Gao Yang clenched his left fist. “Normally, they present as human.”
Then he relaxed his left hand and balled his right hand up. “Under certain circumstances, the switch turns on, and they transform into monsters with the personality of one.”
Officer Huang nodded, telling Gao Yang to continue.
“Like humans, monsters are living creatures, and all living creatures go through the different stages of life with a particular lifespan. We age. As we get old, we become physically weaker, and we sometimes get sick. All kinds of problems may arise.”
Gao Yang opened his hands and clasped them together. “Now, the old man’s switch is malfunctioning. That’s why his two states are overlapping—just like a lightbulb flickering due to poor contact. However, because it’s a wanderer, the most harmless kind of monster, it isn’t aware of its condition.”
Gao Yang was reminded of the summer when he was four, of his grandfather’s arm that he had seen through the crack of the door. Perhaps his grandfather had been a sick monster as well.
“I wouldn’t have believed that monsters could get sick in the past. After all, I’ve encountered my fair share of old wanderers.” Officer Huang clicked his tongue. “But now, I’m not so sure.”
Wang Zikai yawned, his eyes misty for a moment. “All that analysis doesn’t seem to mean anything. I say we slaughter everyone in the village if we can’t find the culprit. They are all lizardmen anyway. It’s easier to just take them all out.”
Gao Yang hid his shock. You’re a monster yourself, Wang Zikai. Aren’t you being too cold to your kind?
“That’s the typical gamer mindset, Brother Kai.” Fat Jun licked his lips. “I don’t think things would be that simple.”
“Then what do you suggest?” Wang Zikai shot back. “Should we just wait for our deaths here?”
Fat Jun stuttered and fell silent.
“I agree with Wang Zikai,” Qing Ling said after having been silent the whole time. “Whatever we have to do, we’re not dying here.”
“That is a solution. Perhaps the culprit will show themselves if we initiate an attack.” Officer Huang sighed. “But there’s no turning back, and the risk is high. The villagers won’t all be wanderers. A few wrath monsters will be enough to back us into a corner. Moreover, there may be even more powerful monsters hidden somewhere.”
“Then what do we do?” Fat Jun asked anxiously. “We can’t get out. We can’t win in a fight. Both paths lead to death.”
“Stop tucking your tail between your feet. Have you forgotten about me?” Wang Zikai thumped on his own chest. “I can take on ten monsters myself!”
“That still won’t be enough!”
“You know nothing! Perhaps my endless potential will be activated after killing ten monsters. Then I’ll just enter the zone and go beyond my limit again. That’ll save us, right?”
“Haha.” Officer Huang was amused by Wang Zikai’s naivety and optimism. “This isn’t a movie. Are you sure you’ll be able to exceed your limit just like that?”
Gao Yang rolled his eyes. Putting aside whether Wang Zikai would become magically stronger, what if his brain was the thing that went beyond its limit, and he realized he was a monster? If he then turned on them, they would really be doomed.
“Of course I can!” Wang Zikai lifted his chin further. “I’m the chosen one, ain’t I, Gao Yang?”
“You are...” Gao Yang put on a smile that was more twisted than a grimace.
“Then we’ll vote by a show of hands?” Officer Huang proposed. “Raise your hand if you agree that we should take the offense.”
Wang Zikai and Qing Ling both raised their hands immediately. Officer Huang did so after thinking for a moment. Then Fat Jun followed suit hesitantly. As the only one left, Gao Yang didn’t think there was a point to him casting his vote.
“Alright!” Officer Huang announced their decision. “We’re clearing the village.”
“When do we start?” asked Qing Ling.
Wang Zikai was already rubbing his hands together in anticipation. “Right now, of course! What are we waiting for?”
“Wait.” Gao Yang disagreed. “We should rest for tonight and investigate further tomorrow. There’s something else I’d like to make sure. Let’s start the operation tomorrow evening.”
“I’m fine with that,” said Officer Huang.
Qing Ling nodded.
Fat Jun didn’t really have an opinion, so he nodded as well.
“Why are we dragging things on?” Wang Zikai sounded petulant for having his parade rained on, but in the end, he decided to follow the decision of the majority. “Fine, tomorrow evening it is!”
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