Chapter 85: Observer

Chapter 85: Observer

“Who is it?!”

Officer Huang pulled out his gun at lightning speed, aiming at the reed bushes. In the darkness, the reed shook along with the wind, catching the faint light every now and then.

“Show yourself, or I’ll shoot!” Officer Huang warned.

A few seconds later, two figures emerged from the reed bushes.

Officer Huang aimed the gun with one hand and turned on his flashlight with the other, resting it on the gun to illuminate the uninvited guests. It took a moment for him to accept that his eyes weren’t playing tricks on him. He slowly lowered his gun.

“Gao Yang, Qing Ling, why are you here?” Officer Huang frowned. “You followed me?”

Exposed, Gao Yang should be feeling nervous, but for some reason, he was more embarrassed than anything. “Um, Officer Huang, the thing is...”

Qing Ling cut him off with an impassive expression, “Are you the spy?”

It took a moment for Officer Huang to catch on, and he laughed awkwardly. “No way, why would you suspect me?”

“The Talent list,” Qing Ling said coldly.

Gao Yang tentatively added, “You didn’t get it from Wu Dahai, did you?”

“Ah...that!” Officer Huang nodded in realization and holstered his gun. “Alright, it’s all a misunderstanding. Come take a seat. We’ll talk as we drink.”

Gao Yang walked up to them, but Qing Ling stopped him with an arm.

“Who is that?” Qing Ling asked, staring at Sir Jiang. “Is he a human, or...”

“A monster,” Sir Jiang said, waving Qing Ling over. “Don’t be scared, young woman. Take a seat. I won’t hurt you.” The debut release of this chapter happened at N0v3l--B1n.

Gao Yang was stunned into silence.

“What kind of monster are you?” Qing Ling was still wary.

“You awakeners call those like me pride monsters.” Sir Jiang took a sip of liquor and smacked his lips. “However, I prefer ‘observers’. It’s more dignified.”

...

Ten minutes later, the four of them sat by the river, laying everything out in the open.

Officer Huang met Sir Jiang half a year ago. He had been an awakener for three years then.

“That I can answer.” Officer Huang turned to Qing Ling. “Simply put, Sir Jiang is a pride monster, and pride monsters are at a much higher level than regular monsters. The identities and souls of the person and the monster coexist in the body rather than them switching between the two states.”

Officer Huang lit a cigarette for himself. “Pride monsters are rare. There may only be one out of every hundred thousand monsters. And according to their positions, they can be categorized into...”

Officer Huang turned to Sir Jiang. “Can I tell them?”

“You’ve started already,” Sir Jiang said with a huff. “Don’t pretend to care about my opinion.”

“Heh, I’ll tell them then.” Officer Huang turned to Gao Yang. “Pride monsters can be categorized into lightbringers, shadowstalkers, and observers. Lightbringers help awakeners, and they are a needle in an ocean of haystacks. Shadowstalkers hunts awakeners. And observers are those like Sir Jiang. They maintain a neutral stance and take no sides. What they do or say depends entirely on their whims.”

Then Officer Huang added, “Oh, and pride monsters follow the Heavenly Way as well. They never hurt unawakened humans, and they don’t go after awakeners actively, either. You can consider them hidden NPCs who only react when an awakener bothers them. They either help them, kill them, or stay a neutral party.”

“That’s why I called you lucky. That you ran into me.” After filling his belly to his heart’s content, Sir Jiang tightened the windbreaker jacket around him and picked up his fishing rod again, casting the line into the river. “You would’ve died terribly if you bothered any other pride monsters.”

“Are you strong?” Qing Ling questioned, unconvinced.

Sir Jiang slowly turned around to look at her, still smiling. “You are welcome to try if you don’t believe me, young woman.”

“Then I’ll...”

Gao Yang hurriedly covered her mouth. “That’s a joke, Sir Jiang. Please don’t take it to heart!”

Sir Jiang burst into laughter, his face creasing in an endearing way. “You’re fun! You’ve got some interesting friends, Young Huang!”

“Why don’t you befriend them as well if you like them?” Officer Huang subtly egged him on.

Sir Jiang didn’t answer. Instead, he stared at the dark river, feeling the chilly night wind hitting his face.

After a long while, he sighed quietly. “I’ve been fishing here for too long, Young Huang. It’s time for a change of scenery.”

“Where are you going?” Officer Huang was surprised. “How am I going to contact you?”

“Contact me?” Sir Jiang scoffed with equal parts amusement and exasperation. “Do you really think I’m one of yours? Perhaps I’ll eat you the next time we meet.”

“That won’t happen. You’re a good man, Sir Jiang. Don’t scare me.”

“What do you know about us, Young Huang?” Sir Jiang’s voice sounded sorrowful with an undercurrent of complicated resentment.

Officer Huang didn’t know what to say.

“You know nothing.” Sir Jiang turned to Gao Yang and Qing Ling. His eyes were kind again. “It’s best for you that we never meet the next time. It’s best for these two kids as well.”

After a moment of silence, Officer Huang said insistently, “Thank you for taking care of me the past six months, Sir Jiang. I really don’t want to lose you, but I respect your decision. Would you please give us a word of advice before we part ways?”

Dimply illuminated by the warm gas light, Sir Jiang looked old, his eyes muddled with the many years he had lived through. He gazed at the scintillating river and said slowly, “Do not open the Gates of Closure.”