The Creatures That We Are-Chapter 1142: Magic

“I don’t know what it is exactly, but that’s the only word I can come up with.” Gao Xin thought for a moment. “It’s basically the resistance to my Talent. The greater one’s authority, the weaker the restraint I can put on them. If I try to force it, it’ll be harmful to myself.”

His expression darkened. “I had a feeling that Pride could’ve resisted my rules then, but with a price.”

“That’s possible?” War Tiger asked with visible surprise. The others were equally shocked.

“Is that not possible?” Gao Xin asked.

Vermilion Bird smiled bitterly. “Uncle Xin, we have never heard of anyone breaking a rule-based domain by brute force after it’s taken shape.”

Gao Xin laughed self-deprecatingly. “I’ve only acquired Judge for a few days. I didn’t know it was that strong.”

Silence fell over the room. Judge was known to be powerful. If Pride could resist it by force...

War Tiger pulled everyone from their pessimistic thoughts with a clap. “Keep your head up, everyone. Uncle Xin’s Judge is only level 3. Once it reaches level 7, Pride may not be able to resist it.”

“You’re right!” Zhang Wei agreed loudly.

“Right my ass,” Gregor shot back. “Do you think Pride will give anyone the chance to use a rule-based Talent again after what happened?”

Zhang Wei pursed his lips and turned to War Tiger for support. War Tiger suddenly found the ceiling fascinating.

“We’re getting off track. That’s something we should talk about later.” Vermilion Bird refocused their discussion. “When did you awaken, Uncle Xin?”

Gao Xin narrowed his eyes in remembrance. “Two months ago.”

“What’s your first Talent?” Vermilion Bird continued.

“Magic.”

Gao Yang thought back to the information provided by the Talent list. Magic, serial number 120, Miracle-type. It allowed one to use magic.

“Whoa!” War Tiger’s eyes lit up. “I’ve never seen that Talent in person!”

And it was obvious that the others hadn’t seen it, either. They all turned to Gao Xin.

Their heated gaze embarrassed Gao Xin. He smiled awkwardly. “It’s not much, really. It’s quite useless.”

“But it’s magic!” Hong Xiaoxiao said expectantly, already imagining all sorts of spells.

“What magic can you use?” Nine Frost asked the practical question.

Gao Xin thought about it. “I can sort of do the magic tricks you see in movies.”

“Really?” Hong Xiaoxiao raised her voice.

Nainai put on a derisive expression, but her eyes were glued to Gao Xin.

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Gao Xin hurriedly added, “But the success rate is low. The more powerful a magic is, the more difficult it is to use. I may not succeed even once out of hundreds of times.”

“Show us a few tricks, Uncle Xin,” Zhang Wei urged.

“Yeah!” Hong Xiaoxiao was eager, too, but then she remembered: “Maybe not. Uncle Xin hasn’t recovered.”

“It’s okay. I’ll do the simplest one now.” Gao Xin picked up the small spoon in the coffee mug with a smile, raising it before him. He stared at it for three seconds and then called out, “Change!”

Nothing happened. The spoon was still very much a spoon.

“Ahem.” Gao Xin cleared his throat awkwardly. He focused even more intensely on the spoon, almost getting cross-eyed.

“Change!” he called out.

Still a spoon.

“Change!”

“Change!”

“Change!”

...

The word "Change!" echoed through the room a dozen times. The atmosphere grew increasingly strained. Some lowered their heads, unable to watch. Others dug their toes into the floor, secondhand embarrassment making them squirm. Yet no one could bring themselves to stop him—it would be too cruel.

Vermilion Bird kicked Gao Yang's shin.

“Change!”

“Change!”

“Change!”

Mustering his resolve, Gao Yang nonchalantly said, “Uncle, why don’t you—”

Puff! The spoon in Gao Xin's hand exploded in a shower of colorful light, sparkling like popping candy before fading. In its place appeared a cute doll—a chibi version of Hong Xiaoxiao, complete with large eyes, round face, tapered chin, and side-parted hair with a pin.

“Whoa!” Hong Xiaoxiao crowed in glee. “It’s magic!”

“Finally.” Sweat beaded on Gao Xin's forehead as he smiled gratefully at Hong Xiaoxiao, the only one whose enthusiasm never wavered. “Little Hong, isn’t it? This is for you.”

“Me?” Hong Xiaoxiao lit up with surprise. “Really?”

“Of course.” Gao Xin shook his head. “I don’t want to have to change it back.”

“Thank you, Uncle Xin!”

Sitting across the wide meeting table, Hong Xiaoxiao called the doll to her with Telekinesis.

Gao Xin blinked at her. “What is...the Talent?”

“Telekinesis,” Hong Xiaoxiao said.

“Your power seems more like magic to me,” Gao Xin said.

“I thought you were being humble, Uncle Xin, but your Talent really is useless,” Zhang Wei said bluntly.

Gao Xin laughed awkwardly.

“Useless? No Miracle-type Talent is ever useless!‘ War Tiger snapped. “Zhang Wei, apologize to Uncle Xin!”

“Oh.” Zhang Wei quickly obliged. “Sorry, Uncle Xin. I don’t have much of a filter. Don’t take it personally.”

Gao Xin waved off the apology. “It’s fine.”

“Uncle Xin.” War Tiger put on a fake smile. “Little Yang Yang and I are tight. We’re brothers from different parents! So that’ll make me your nephew, yeah? As a family member, may I say something to you?”

“Go on,” Gao Xin said, nervous all of a sudden.

“You must know how dangerous the Mist World is. If something happens to you, Little Yang Yang and I will be heartbroken. So maybe, have you considered retiring and giving your Talents—ow!”

Vermilion Bird pinched War Tiger’s ear and yanked it up. “If you don’t stop, I’ll throw you out!”

“Sister!” War Tiger begged. “I’ve made a mistake! I’m sorry!”

“That’s just how he is,” Vermilion Bird said with an apologetic smile. “Don’t mind him, Uncle Xin.”

Gao Xin chuckled and reassured, “It’s okay. To be honest, the mood here is better than I expected. You’re like an extended family... It’s comforting to know this is the group Yang Yang belongs to. You must have been taking good care of him.”

That silenced the room once more. The “extended family”, as Gao Xin put it, hadn’t been a harmonious one. They'd belonged to different organizations, their relationships evolving from mutual surveillance to suspicion, then to killing and resentment. They'd nearly destroyed each other.

It was Gao Yang, the young man Gao Xin deemed needing their care, who united and saved them. They were the ones under Gao Yang’s care.

“Uncle Xin.” Vermilion Bird steered the conversation back to business. “Who told you about the Mist World?”