The Labyrinth of the Monsters

Chapter 7: Silencing (2)

"Bang!"

Officer Huang fired three shots in an instant, but because the frequency was too fast, Gao Yang only heard one gunshot.

At the moment of the gunshot, three splashes of sparks appeared in the air two meters away from Officer Huang, knocking down the three daggers that were attacking him.

However, the daggers were just a feint.

Officer Huang was startled as a black figure had already swooped down from his left side without him realizing.

"Swish!" A sharp white blade flashed by.

Officer Huang took out his pistol to defend himself within the limited time, but the pistol was like putty and was instantly cut in half. At the same time, his two fingers were cut off like spring onions.

Half a second later, Officer Huang's head was about to be separated from his body.

But that scene did not happen.

The slender and sharp Tang Blade pressed against Officer Huang's throat but did not strike. Soon, the skin at the man's throat split open, oozing out a small amount of blood, which was caused by the powerful blade aura.

Qing Ling retracted the blade and took two steps back. "You are not an Angry Beast."

Officer Huang covered his still bleeding fingers, his face pale from the pain, but he did not panic or fear. "How did you know?"

"If you were an Angry Beast, you would have chosen to block my attack with both arms in the last second." Qing Ling lightly ran her finger across the bloodless blade. The Tang Blade folded and disappeared in her hand.@@novelbin@@

"They are confident in their own bodies, it's an instinctive reaction. Humans are different, humans would choose to block my attacks with something they consider to be strong."

"That's right, I am also an Awakened Being." Officer Huang smiled. "Thank you for not killing me."

...

2 a.m. Shanqing District, Third Hospital Emergency Building.

Officer Huang's fingers had been treated and bandaged. Gao Yang and Qing Ling were waiting in the lobby.

Officer Huang walked out of the hospital with a smile. "Tomorrow, I will write a report stating that you two were robbed by street thugs and I intervened, accidentally getting injured."

Gao Yang and Qing Ling looked at each other and remained silent.

Officer Huang continued, "Are you hungry? Let's go eat something."

...

The three of them went to a late-night spicy hot pot stall near the hospital. At an inconspicuous alley entrance, there was a blue tent set up. Underneath it was a handcart with a spicy hot pot and small liquefied gas canisters. The dim lights and the aroma of the food made it a warm corner in the cold city.

The owner was a spirited old man in his sixties, full of energy when he spoke.

"Officer Huang is here! Oh, what happened to your hand?"

"Workplace injury."

"Your job is really not easy. You can't drink today, right?"

"Yes, everything else is the same as before."

"Alright." The old man started to arrange things and then looked at Gao Yang and Qing Ling. "What would you two like to eat?"

Qing Ling looked at the menu expressionlessly and quickly made up her mind. "1 skewer of mushrooms, 1 skewer of winter melon, 1 skewer of potatoes, 1 skewer of cabbage, 1 skewer of fish balls, 1 skewer of crab sticks, 1 skewer of fried gluten, 1 skewer of tomatoes, 1 portion of sweet potato starch noodles. Extra spicy."

Gao Yang was surprised. She really doesn't hold back.

Then I'll just follow suit.

"I'll have the same."

The three of them sat side by side next to the handcart, eating the delicious spicy hot pot. Officer Huang had a satisfied expression on his face. "Mmm, the feeling of escaping death is amazing. I thought I would never be able to eat this again."

Qing Ling remained silent, focusing on biting into the potatoes.

Gao Yang cautiously said, "Officer Huang, maybe we shouldn't discuss these things in public."

Officer Huang looked up and glanced at Grandpa Liu who was grilling meat. "It's fine, Grandpa Liu is a Lost One. He automatically ignores anything he doesn't want to hear, right, Grandpa Liu?"

Grandpa Liu looked up. "What's up?"

"I said the pig lung today is very crispy, give me another portion."

"Alright." Grandpa Liu smiled happily.

Gao Yang finally felt relieved. "Were you intentionally testing me and Qing Ling today?"

Officer Huang's smile was a bit helpless. "I knew you were an Awakened Being a long time ago, but I didn't expect your girlfriend to be one too."

"Not girlfriend." Qing Ling finished the potatoes and started eating the fish balls.

"Do you remember the mentally ill patient I killed that day?" Officer Huang asked.

"I remember." How could I forget? If it weren't for him, I wouldn't have all these troubles now.

"He was also an Awakened Being." Officer Huang's eyes were filled with regret. "But he was completely exposed and had no hope. Instead of letting him be tortured or eaten by Angry Beasts, it was better to send him off."

Gao Yang remained silent.

"That guy's Talent was 'Sense of Smell,' Serial Number 175. He could distinguish the scent of Beasts, so he lived in fear all day and eventually had a mental breakdown."

Officer Huang stared at the steaming hot pot, devoutly waiting for the pig lung that was about to be served. "He immediately smelled that you were human and told you to run. If I hadn't killed him, I'm afraid it would have brought you trouble."

"...Thank you." Gao Yang's voice tightened.

"You're welcome. We're all in the same boat."

"You mentioned Talents earlier," Gao Yang licked his lips. "Are there different Talents for each Awakened Being?"

"Of course." Officer Huang said, "My Talent is 'Gun God,' Serial Number 41. I am proficient in firearms, never missing a shot, and have an extremely fast shooting speed."

"What is my Talent then?" Gao Yang asked deliberately.

"You have always hidden it well, and I don't have the ability to detect Talents, so how would I know?" Officer Huang chuckled.

"Oh."

"Your girlfriend's Talent should be 'Metal,' Serial Number 20. She can control any metal element."

"She's not my girlfriend." Qing Ling finished the fish balls and started eating the mushrooms.

Officer Huang looked at Qing Ling with envy. "Besides that, she should also have the Talent 'Sword God,' Serial Number 32. With her swordsmanship and destructive power, she is not someone an ordinary person can match."

"Are there other types of Talents?" Gao Yang asked.

"Once humans awaken, they immediately possess one Talent. They can also comprehend more later, but I still haven't figured out the methods and rules of comprehension."

"How do you know so much about Talents?" Gao Yang was puzzled. Could Officer Huang also have a system? But that shouldn't be the case."I've lived longer than you and I'm a police officer, so I have access to more information." Officer Huang chuckled, "In fact, I've seen the complete Talent Serial Number list before. Based on my current experiences, I believe the information on that list is credible."

"How many Talents are there in total?" Gao Yang finished his fish balls and started eating cabbage.

"There are a total of 199 Serial Numbers. Theoretically, the smaller the number, the stronger the Talent." Officer Huang looked at Qing Ling with undisguised admiration, "You're very powerful."

Gao Yang felt heartbroken: My Serial Number is 199, I'm at the bottom, no wonder I feel so insignificant. And they call it "luck", luck my ass.

Qing Ling put down her chopsticks holding the cabbage, "Give me the list."

"There's no physical copy." Officer Huang pointed to his head, "It's all memorized here."

"Then tell me."

"I can tell you," Officer Huang smiled lightly, "It's not impossible."

"You have conditions?" Gao Yang guessed.

"Of course, there's no such thing as a free lunch in this world." Officer Huang smiled meaningfully, "Except for this meal of Hot Spicy Soup."