The Creatures That We Are

Chapter 959: Even

Clang. Qing Ling's fingers clenched, summoning her closest weapon—the Tang Dao—to intercept the boomerang.

The blade caught the spinning weapon at its center, halting its rotation but the momentum threw Qing Ling off balance.

Hundreds of red snakes struck from her left. Too late to dodge.

Violet light flashed in Qing Ling's eyes. Half a second later, the red snakes vanished as Colorless's concentration broke, her instincts screaming danger. She leaped backward as lightning bolts crashed into her previous position, turning the scorched ground brilliant white.

Colorless rolled to her feet, raising her hand to recall the boomerang.

As it returned, her brows furrowed. Something was wrong. The weapon should appear greenish-gray in the moonlight, but its surface held an odd violet sheen.

Dammit!

She dove sideways. As the boomerang whispered past her shoulder, violet currents exploded from its surface—lightning elements Qing Ling had infused into the metal.

Pzzt. While the discharge caused minimal damage, its paralyzing effect reached five meters in every direction.

Though Colorless cleared most of the blast, stray currents caught her right calf. The limb went numb.

She had no time to recover. Above, Qing Ling gripped her blade with both hands, channeling energy into the steel. Violet lightning erupted from her right hand, transforming the blade-aura-wrapped Tang Dao into a lightning dragon. It descended toward Colorless, trailing a blinding blue-purple path through the night.

Colorless gazed up at Qing Ling's silhouette. Against the dark sky, she resembled a lightning goddess wielding a dragon lantern.

Better this way!

Colorless gathered every scrap of her petrifying power, waiting for Qing Ling to enter range. Their final clash approached.

Whoosh.

A Black Gold dart struck from the side. Colorless jerked back, but too late. Though she avoided a killing blow, the spinning projectile slashed across her eyes.

Blood splattered across her face as darkness claimed her vision.

The injury crippled her psychic offense. Without sight, targeting became impossible – like firing a gun with a mangled barrel. Her attacks would carry barely twenty percent of their original power.

Still, Colorless chose to fight to her last breath. Her enemy deserved that respect, and she would give herself closure.

“Hah!”

Colorless shouted and unleashed all her psychic power at an enemy she couldn’t see in the unmelting darkness. What shot out from her weren’t hundreds of red snakes, but countless smaller red planktons, swimming in all directions.

They pierced through Qing Ling, turning parts of her body to stone and ravaging her energy pathways.

But it wasn't enough for a killing blow.

Qing Ling withdrew her lightning, focusing entirely on fighting the invading red plankton as gravity pulled her toward Colorless.

Two seconds later, she plummeted. Her Tang Dao carved a cold arc through the night, piercing Colorless's heart and pinning her to the ground. n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

Straddling her fallen opponent, Qing Ling fought to steady her breathing. The stone-like patches on her face receded, color returning to her pale skin.

Colorless spread her arms wide, blood streaming from her eyes, her pierced chest barely moving.

Rather than pain, her expression held acceptance. "Last time...I killed you... This time, you killed me... We're even..."

Qing Ling studied the woman, leaving the blade where it was. Removing it would only hasten death.

Her hair matted with blood, Qing Ling listened with cold focus. Even an enemy's last words might hold crucial information.

"Qilin's planning something... but I don't know what..."

Colorless reached for Qing Ling's hand. Qing Ling pulled away, but Colorless grabbed the Tang Dao instead, her fingers bleeding as they gripped the steel.

"They only...followed orders... Spare them... Blood, hatred, it ends with me... Will you accept that...?"

Qing Ling paused before answering coldly, "I'll tell Gao Yang."

"Do you..." Colorless broke into violent coughs, blood staining her chin. "Do you think...Gao Yang would kill them...?"

Another pause. Then Qing Ling said, "Gao Yang isn't the Malediction."

Colorless finally broke into a relieved smile. Her voice weakened further. “That’s...good...”

Her chest stilled. No more breaths came. Her sightless eyes continued bleeding, painting her face crimson. Her expression remained peaceful, free of regret.

Qing Ling withdrew her blade and stood, regarding the corpse in silence.

[Nine Frost: Report, Green Snake.]

[Qing Ling: Colorless is dead. Her team’s in the lab. No resistance from them.]

[Liao Liao: Flash news: everyone in the lab is unconscious.]

[Nine Frost: Colorless arranged their surrender?]

[Qing Ling: Yes.]

[Nine Frost: Secure them all. Stay alert for any changes.]

[Liao Liao: Got it.]

[Qing Ling: Colorless mentioned Qilin's planning something. She didn't know what.]

...

In the forest one and a half kilometers away, Nine Frost ended Telepathy and lowered his binoculars, face grim.

Adept Horse, Chen Ying, Hong Xiaoxiao, and Lying Wood stood combat-ready, awaiting Nine Frost's orders.

"What's the situation, Vice Captain?" Lying Wood asked, tension in his voice.

"Any casualties?" Adept Horse pressed.

Chen Ying closed her eyes, activating Sensory. "A powerful psychic user died. None of ours were hurt."

"The battle's over," Nine Frost said darkly. "Colorless died fighting. The others surrendered."

"That seems...too easy," Lying Wood said, disbelief evident.

"Something's wrong," Adept Horse frowned. "Even if his people lost faith in him, Qilin could have controlled them like puppets. This isn't his style."

Chen Ying maintained her focus. "But I detect no other enemies within three kilometers. Qilin and Surnamed Li have no backup..."

"No!"

Hong Xiaoxiao's cry cut through the night.

The others turned to her.

Her eyes reddened as she shook her head frantically. "No, nonono, impossible. I must be overthinking things..."