The Creatures That We Are

Chapter 705: Union’s Third Team

All twelve members of the third team of the Hundred Rivers Union were here: Chen Ying, Little Tian, Zhang Wei, Chestnut, Jiang Hao, Empty Life, Wild Range, Herb Snail, Miss, Shuang Shuang, Buzhou, and Donxote.

Zhang Wei paid for the meal with his money.

“Ladies and gentlemen, allow me a few words!” Zhang Wei stepped on his chair with a glass of liquor in his right hand, which wore a Cleansing Bracelet, and his other hand on his hip. He had a bright look on his face as he made a resounding declaration full of emotions.

“The night before yesterday, Sister Ying and Little Tian risked their lives to catch that bastard Dust, thus proving my innocence. They are the first ones I must thank!”

“And the rest of you, when I was suspected and put in the prison for capital offenders...”

“You’re being dramatic, Zhang Wei.” Wild Range picked up peanuts with his chopsticks. “You were simply locked up, but you were well-fed every day. How was that treatment for capital offenders...”

“Uncle Range!” Zhang Wei’s nose wrinkled. “You don’t understand my despair. I felt like I was going to be sent to the gallows!”

“Yeah, right, right!” Herb Snail, with middle-part green hair and gray unfocused eyes, raised a glass of orange juice and smiled mockingly. “Brother Wei is right.”

Zhang Wei ignored the mockery and continued to pontificate, “When I was suspected and put in jail, you were there for me. Especially...Sister Empty Life! You asked after me and comforted me, even giving me books to read!”

Empty Life sat beside Chen Ying. She had long black hair that resembled seaweeds, and she wore plain linen clothes and no makeup. She was thin, the wrinkles around her mouth a little pronounced, but her eyes were bright and clear. There was an easy grace to her, giving an air of serenity. She looked no older than forty.

When Zhang Wei brought her up, she didn’t stand up or salute him, but simply nodded with a faint smile.

“And Shuang Shuang!” Zhane Wei raised his cup at the young girl next to Empty Life. “That day, you stood outside my cell and spent a night reassuring me...”

“Ahaha, it’s nothing.” Shuang Shuang was around twenty-five and looked like the girl-next-door type. She had dyed her hair blond, but the original black color was already showing at the roots. It was a hassle to dye it again, so she put her hair into a bun.

Her face was chubby but her chin was tapered, and her dimples showed when she smiled. She waved a hand. “I don’t need to sleep anyway. I have all the time in the world.”

Shuang Shuang’s Talent was Sleepless, serial number 168, Life-type.

She hadn’t slept for three months since her Talent reached level 4.

“No!” Zhang Wei insisted. “You could’ve spent your time playing games, having food, watching drama, making babies with Buzhou...”

Buzhou almost choked on food.

The man in his thirties sat beside Shuang Shuang. He had a strong build and a shaved head, his facial features pronounced. With earrings on, he looked like the secretly wild type, and he was actually that.

His Talent was Heavy, serial number 165, Support-type.

When his Talent was active, whoever he touched with his hands would feel heavy physically and mentally to various degrees. Zhang Wei experienced it once, and he felt so heavy that he couldn’t even take a step.

A week ago, Buzhou luckily acquired One-inch Punch, boosting his physical strength and ability in melee fights substantially.

While his One-inch Punch was only level 3, with Heavy, his melee fighting ability was considered tier 1, more than enough to make him a deputy leader at the Hundred Rivers Union.

His mundane identity was a bassist of an underground band, and Shuang Shuang was his biggest fan when she was in college. They had a fling.

The mysterious hand of fate led them to awaken and join the Hundred Rivers Union one after the other, and under Surnamed Li’s matchmaking, they got married.

After the Crimson Tide, they had been considering having a child. They knew it would be selfish, but just like Sha Ye and Old Wang, the greater the despair, the more they yearned for hope and faith.

“Zhang Wei.” Buzhou grabbed a napkin and wiped his mouth. “If you dare to talk about it again, don’t blame me for what I’m going to do to you.”

Buzhou had been Zhang Wei’s senior, and they were tight. He knew all about Zhang Wei’s embarrassing past.

“Haha.” Zhang Wei quickly changed the topic. “And you, Donxote! Thanks for the message! Although it was only one message, and it contained only a question mark. I know you care about me. Sometimes, men only need a question mark to show that they care!”

Donxote sat beside Buzhou. He was small and skinny with gray hair and blue eyes, his cheeks sunken and complexion pale like those of a zombie.

He raised his glass of beer carelessly.

His Talent was Organ Puzzle. Three days after the Crimson Tide ended, he woke up to find that his sixteen-year-old orange cat had passed away quietly on the toilet lid.

He touched it, and it quickly came alive and made wild swipes at the plunger. Only then did Donxote realize that he had comprehended Corpse Herder.

Zhang Wei wasn’t yet done with his impassioned speech. He turned to the bald man picking up food beside Donxote.

“And you! Brother Miss! I love the puzzle you sent me during my imprisonment! But please don’t go for men wrestling with men the next time. I prefer women getting out of baths!”

The bald man was Miss, in his forties. He was quite good-looking, but he always had his eyes narrowed, and with the perpetual dark circles around his eyes, he looked exhausted like someone overindulging in carnal desires.

“I got two puzzles. One for you, and one for myself. The shop owner packaged them wrong,” Miss had a bite of the steamed sea bass and responded nonchalantly.

His Talent was Dodge, serial number 156, Guard-type. When he activated the Talent, he had a 33% chance of perfectly dodging all attacks in all forms for 60 seconds, with a cooldown of 3 hours.

Two weeks ago, he comprehended Tracking.

“And Chestnut and Jiang Hao!”

Chestnut was dressed in a casual suit with her hard brown hair in a handsome slick-back. She was gulping down beer, and when her name was suddenly called out, she looked up.

Jiang Hao was in his thirties with Talent: Enchantment. A month ago, he comprehended Keen Smell.

He had fine facial features and a mild temperament. He wore a checkered shirt, jeans, and black frame glasses with a black backpack next to him. He quickly put down his chopsticks when he was mentioned.

Both of them looked caught and confused. They hadn’t done anything!

“During my imprisonment, one of you was immersed in smithing, and the other in enchanting. Neither asked after me. I know it’s because you’ve always believed in my innocence. There was no reason for you to ask anything.”

Chestnut and Jiang Hao paused before giving him an awkward but polite smile.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, Brother Wei is right!” Herb Snail laughed even harder. “That’s trust.”

“Right, trust.”

“Yes, I’ve always believed in your innocence.”

Chestnut and Jiang Hao hurriedly agreed and raised their glasses of beer.

“Here! I salute all of you! To the eternal third team! Tonight, we drink until we’re wasted!” Zhang Wei tipped his head back and downed the whole glass of liquor.

The others each had a drink of their alcohol or other beverages.

Chen Ying shook her head with a resigned smile, feeling a headache brewing. I wonder how many of them are gonna get wasted tonight. Will my car be big enough to send them home?

She made the toast with tea instead of alcohol. Her phone rang as soon as she had a drink.

She checked her phone, her heart sinking.

Shooting to her feet, she grabbed the suit jacket she had draped on the back of her chair and said as she put it on, “I’m heading back to HQ. Enjoy the celebration.”

“Sister Ying, really? Your seat’s barely warmed!” Zhang Wei was disappointed.

“It’s work. Can’t help it.” Chen Ying glanced at Wild Range. “Stop drinking, Old Range. You’re in charge of driving them later.”

“Don’t worry.” Wild Range gave her an OK sign.

“Little Tian, come with me.”

“Yeah.” Little Tian lowered the coconut juice in his hand and obediently stood up.

Chen Ying grabbed a napkin and crouched down to wipe his mouth for him. Then she walked out of the booth hand-in-hand with the boy.