Chapter 18: The Yellow Sparrow is Behind

Gao Yang could strongly sense that something unusual was in the air coming from the alley behind him. He really didn't want to keep playing this game of cat and mouse anymore: "If it's fortune, it's fortune; if it's misfortune, it's unavoidable, just rush in!" However... he still had to hold back a little.

He glanced at Wang Zikai. "Come with me."

"No problem!" Wang Zikai eagerly responded.

Gao Yang stepped into the alley. The entrance of this alley was old and rundown, with buildings slated for demolition, long abandoned by residents. Only one or two streetlights remained, flickering faintly, giving the place a creepy atmosphere.

Gao Yang and Wang Zikai slowly walked deeper into the narrow, dark alley. At first, Wang Zikai was full of excitement, but as they went deeper, he began to feel nervous, swallowing his saliva. He picked up a brick from the ground and gripped it tightly in his hand.

Suddenly, Gao Yang held out his hand to stop Wang Zikai and shouted into the darkness ahead, "Who's there? Come out!"

A few seconds later, a figure stumbled out. It was a man, short and plump. The figure slowly walked into the light from a streetlamp, and Gao Yang could finally make out the person's face.

"Fat Jun?"

Fat Jun, wearing a dull gray t-shirt, had a pale face and looked dazed. His steps were unsteady. When he heard Gao Yang's shout, he mumbled in response, "Eh?"

"What are you doing here?" Gao Yang asked.

"Yeah… what am I doing here…" Fat Jun rubbed his head, as if suddenly remembering something, and then screamed, "Ah!"

Fat Jun rolled and scrambled over to Gao Yang, grabbing him by the arm. "Yang Ge! Help me! Help!"

"What happened? Tell me slowly."

"I... I don't know… I'm not feeling right… I was bitten…" Fat Jun's thoughts were scattered.

"Bitten by what? Where were you bitten? Be clear." Gao Yang grew anxious.

"My hand... my hand…" Fat Jun stretched out his right hand. "It feels wrong…"

Gao Yang took a quick look. It was a perfectly normal hand with no issues at all.

"There's nothing wrong," Wang Zikai chimed in, coming over to take a look. He scoffed disdainfully, "You probably jerked off too much or something, and now you're hallucinating…"

At that moment, Fat Jun's fleshy hand made a soft "gurgling" sound. Suddenly, a blood-red eye appeared in the palm of his hand.

"Wah—!" Wang Zikai screamed and jumped back, "What the hell is that?!"

Fat Jun trembled violently, his emotions unraveling. "I don't know... help me... help me…"

Gao Yang immediately felt that something was wrong. Just as he was about to step back, Fat Jun's right hand shot out, grabbing Gao Yang's neck with abnormal strength. Then, his hand began to swell like dough rapidly fermenting, transforming into a massive, fleshy tumor in mere seconds.

The tumor seemed to have a life of its own, gurgling and writhing, slowly engulfing Gao Yang's head. Gao Yang didn't feel any pain but a sense of suffocation and heaviness, as if he were being tightly wrapped by a rotting, slimy mass.

Gao Yang quickly pulled out the small knife hidden in his pocket and stabbed it into the mass—no use. The tumor devoured both the knife and his hand, then spit them back out with a "puff."

Wang Zikai was terrified and ran off. "Help—someone help!"

Gao Yang was lifted off the ground. The same terror he felt when Li Weiwei almost crushed his skull came rushing back. He flailed his arms in a futile attempt to break free.

Fat Jun remained standing in place, his grotesque, bloated hand clearly out of his control. Fat Jun cried out, "Help! Someone save me... what's happening to me...?"

Just as Gao Yang was about to lose consciousness from the lack of oxygen, a familiar voice shouted, "Stop!"

It was Wang Zikai!

During his brief escape, he had managed to overcome his fear and turned back. He rushed at Fat Jun and kicked him hard in the face. "Let him go!"

Wang Zikai's kick sent Fat Jun flying backward, and the tumor-like hand was forced to release Gao Yang. The hand followed Fat Jun's body, but as Fat Jun was about to fall, the hand quickly spread out to brace him against the ground.

When Fat Jun regained his balance, the tumor-like hand attacked Gao Yang again.

Gao Yang was still on the ground, coughing violently and unable to move in time.

"You son of a—" Wang Zikai stood in front of Gao Yang, his voice furious, "Try touching my brother again!"

As he spoke, Wang Zikai's right arm swelled up like it was about to explode, tearing through his sleeve. His skin turned a rough, bluish-gray, and under the orange streetlight, it looked like bronze.

"Smack!" Wang Zikai's "bronze hand" caught the tumor hand firmly.

The two enormous, inhuman hands clashed, a battle of brute strength.

"Ahhh—" Wang Zikai's veins bulged as his eyes turned a deep green. His arm kept exerting pressure, and in just five seconds, he reached an astonishing grip strength of 1000kg.

The tumor-like hand was no match for this. It seemed to have some kind of life of its own, making frantic, distressed noises as it flailed, but it was too late.

"Smack!" Finally, Wang Zikai's "bronze arm" crushed the tumor hand, causing a burst of pale purple blood to spurt out.

When Gao Yang stood up, Fat Jun had fainted on the ground, and his arm had returned to normal.

Wang Zikai panted heavily, his chest rising and falling rapidly. His right arm, which had broken through his sleeve, slowly returned to normal.

Gao Yang looked at Wang Zikai's silent, grim back, and a sense of fear rose in his chest—was he really just a lost soul? Why did it feel like the potential within him far surpassed that of "Li Weiwei" and "Aunt He"?

Gao Yang couldn't decide whether to call Wang Zikai by his name or just run away.

At that moment, Wang Zikai slowly turned around, tears welling up in his eyes. He was on the verge of crying with joy. "Gao Yang! You didn't lie to me! I really got stronger!"

"Huh?" At that moment, Gao Yang's expression must have been very funny.

Wang Zikai rushed forward, hugging Gao Yang, jumping up and down. "Did you see that? My Kirin arm! That cultivation technique you gave me is amazing!"

"Well, well, it's mainly because you worked hard..." Gao Yang forced a smile, relieved that Wang Zikai wasn't too clever. Otherwise, the consequences could be unimaginable.

"Ah, right!" Wang Zikai, excited from his victory, finally remembered Fat Jun. "Didn't expect Fat Jun to be a traitor. Should I just kill him?"

"Don't," Gao Yang stopped him. After a moment of thought, he asked Wang Zikai, "Your house is nearby, right?"

"Yeah."

"I remember your parents are divorced, so you live alone?" Gao Yang asked.

"That's right, why?"

"Let's go to your place," Gao Yang pointed at Fat Jun on the floor, "Take him with you."

...

Fat Jun weighed over 180 pounds, but Wang Zikai carried him effortlessly, walking all the way to his house without breaking a sweat.

Gao Yang was secretly shocked: once the beast's abilities were triggered, they were truly terrifying. Wang Zikai was like a lamb among wolves.

Wang Zikai's house was ridiculously wealthy—his father was in real estate, and his mother was a famous public figure often seen on TV. The place he lived in was a high-end villa area by the river, where land was worth a fortune.

Wang Zikai's three-story villa had a private parking lot, swimming pool, entry garden, and a small landscaped garden. The price was far beyond what ordinary villas could compare to.

In the underground garage, Fat Jun had already been securely tied to a chair by Wang Zikai.

Gao Yang had intended to contact Qingling, but at this hour, phone contact would leave a trace, and contacting her too often would raise suspicion. Moreover, with Wang Zikai's current combat ability, he could easily protect himself.

Gao Yang asked Wang Zikai to get a basin of water, which he immediately obeyed. While waiting, Gao Yang opened the system and checked. Sure enough, the lucky points had doubled from the moment Fat Jun attacked him.

He closed the system and continued to wait.

A moment later, Wang Zikai returned with the water. Without waiting for Gao Yang's instructions, he splashed it straight over Fat Jun's head.

Fat Jun woke up with a start, "Where... where am I? Yang Ge... why did you tie me up... what happened to me?"

"Are you human or a beast?" Gao Yang asked.

"I'm human! I'm an Awakened!" Fat Jun shouted, "You knew that already!"

Gao Yang didn't respond immediately, deep in thought. Fat Jun had talent, and he had even helped Gao Yang before. He should be human. But the grotesque tumor-like hand earlier didn't seem like a human ability—it was likely a beast form. Gao Yang decided he had to confirm it.

Gao Yang turned to Wang Zikai. "Do you have any film?"

Wang Zikai was confused. "What film?"

"The kind of film..."