The Creatures that We Are

“A match?”

Vermilion Bird’s heart sank. The man sure was strange and unpredictable. Was this really the time for a fight?

One on one, none of them would be his match.

If they fought him together, though, it would be a dishonorable victory even if they won.

While Vermilion Bird agonized over the matter, X said bluntly, “Yes, let’s have a match of beach volleyball!”

“Huh?” Vermilion Bird paused, wondering if she had heard him wrong. “Are you…being serious?”

“Of course!”

X gave her a confident, charming smile. “Look at all of you and your nice bodies. It’d be a waste to not play beach volleyball!”

“Ahem.” Wu Dahai couldn’t help but chime in. “Objectively speaking, he is right.”

“You know me, my friend!” X gave him an enthusiastic thumbs-up. “I told you that you had limitless potential.”

Vermilion Bird ignored the idiot Wu Dahai and exchanged a look with White Rabbit and Chen Ying, quickly coming to a decision.

“Alright, how do you want to do this?”

“It’s simple. There are twelve of us, the right number to form six teams. If one of yours ends up winning, I’ll join you. If I end up winning, deal’s off.”

White Rabbit thought of a few issues with the arrangement. “Given what we are, the matches will hardly be fair.”

“There are rules, of course.” X swung his arm. “First, no Talents can be used, but the physical enhancement they grant doesn’t fall under the limitation—it’s impossible to take it away anyway.”

White Rabbit smirked. I’ve got the upperhand!

“To address the issue of some of us being too strong physically, though, there’s an additional rule,” X added expertly. “You may play however you want, but if the volleyball breaks, the pair that has the ball is automatically eliminated.”

Gao Yang filed that in his head. The rule could determine the result of the matches.

“Alright. How do we split the teams?” Chen Ying seemed confident.

“We leave it to chance.” X took a deck of pokers from the casino table and split it into two decks, holding one in each hand. With practiced ease, he shuffled the cards with long, delicate fingers and pulled out twelve cards like he was showing off his skills. He then shuffled the twelve cards.

Half a minute later, he placed the cards in the center of the table. “Here. Each of you takes one.”

Everyone reached out to pick a random card.

Gao Yang chose the one closest to him and flipped it. King of Spades.

After everyone had gotten their cards, X picked up the last one and revealed it on the table—Ace of Spades.

“Where’s Ace of Hearts?” X asked with a smile.

Following a two-second silence, Chen Ying, who was closest to him, frowned in distaste. She threw her card on the table. It was Ace of Hearts.

“Darling!” X was pleased. “We’re meant to be a team!”

“You may call me Miss Chen.” Chen Ying tamped down the urge to request a swap, giving X a nod as a response.

“I’ll speak frankly, Miss Chen, you must not go easy on our opponents on purpose.” X pointed at his own eyes before pointing at Chen Ying. “If you do so, I’ll notice, and the game will be obsolete.”

“Don’t worry.” Chen Ying had a serious look on her face. “I always honor my end of the deal.”

“Oh, yeah!” X gave her a thumbs-up. “I prefer women who are serious to a fault about everything. I like them volatile!”

Gao Yang gaped at them.

X and Chen Ying seemed to be polar opposites personality-wise. Chen Ying hated X, while X seemed to be attracted to her. It was an instance where the common belief that opposites attract didn’t apply.

“I’m Queen of Hearts!” Wu Dahai said excitedly, glancing at the women.

“I, I’m Queen of Spades,” Can said quietly with a card in hand.

“Ugh, why you?” Wu Dahai deflated. He was expecting to team up with beautiful women like Vermilion Bird or White Rabbit if not Qing Ling!

“You, you, you watch yourself!” Can flushed red. “You think I want to team up with you?!”

White Rabbit sighed in relief. It was a good thing that the two unsporty ones ended up a team. At least the pair wouldn’t drag other people down, and their chance of winning would be higher.

“I’m Jack of Hearts.” White Rabbit laid down her card.

“Jack of Spades.” With the card between his two fingers, Joker sent the card flying to the table before White Rabbit with precise control.

Good, White Rabbit smothered a smile. Joker seems like the agile type. His disguise as a middle-aged, out-of-shape local is interfering with my judgment though.

“Can you change your look, Joker?” White Rabbit was open about her disapproval.

“What’s your type?”

“Good-looking young man with a sunny disposition. The sporty kind.”

“That’s me, isn’t it?” Wu Dahai teased.

White Rabbit retorted, “Your opposite.”

“I’ll try.” Joker searched through the database of people in his head, covering his face with both hands.

Five seconds later, Joker lowered his hands, having transformed into a handsome young man with pronounced facial features.

“How about this?”

“Wow, nice.” White Rabbit was quite satisfied. “Change your voice too, and your hair. I like flaxen blond.”

“As you wish.”

Joker put his hands on his forehead before brushing his fingers through his hair, and instantly, his hair turned flaxen.

Then his Adam’s apple shifted slowly until his voice turned into a rich lower baritone, speaking with a slight accent. “And now?”

White Rabbit marveled, “I feel like I’m doing character creation in real life.”

“Joker, I’ve got an idea…” Wu Dahai cackled.

“Shut up!” White Rabbit glared at him. The pervert was embarrassing as a companion.

“Mine’s Ten of Hearts.” Vermilion Bird shook the card in her hand.

“Mine’s Ten of Spades.” Green Tea followed suit and gave Vermilion Bird a friendly yet respectful smile. “Let’s work hard together, Elder Vermilion Bird.”

“Yes, let’s.” Vermilion Bird smiled in response.

“Nine of Spades,” Ronnie said, looking at the three remaining teammates, Gao Yang, Qing Ling, and Scarlet Fox.

Scarlet Fox held his card with his pinky extended, speaking in a voice that was just a little too gentle and high-pitched, “Mine’s nine too.”

He sighed softly, eyeing Vermilion Bird with plaintive, slanted eyes. “If you had picked the card on the left, Elder, we would’ve ended up as a pair.”

“And why would I want that?” Vermilion Bird huffed.

“We’ve always been the perfect duo, Elder!” Scarlet Fox sounded a little wounded, but his tone was also brimming with pride he couldn’t hide.

“That’s when fighting, not playing sports.”

Scarlet Fox’s eyes curved as he glanced at Green Tea. “Volleyball requires flexibility. Your teammate is going to be a worse choice than me, Elder.”

“Oh, really?” Vermilion Bird saw his point and threw Green Tea a questioning look. “Green Tea, are you…”

Green Tea smiled regretfully. “I’m a pro in weight training, but sports? I’m a total amateur.”

Vermilion Bird facepalmed. “Alright. It seems that we can already call it quits.”

That left Gao Yang and Qing Ling.

Qing Ling cast him the King of Hearts in her hand. Gao Yang caught it easily with a smile.

“Pleasure working with you, Green Snake.”

Qing Ling said with an impassive face, “Just keep up.”

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