The Creatures That We Are - C.327: AlcoholicMar 09, 2024

Qilin turned to look out of the car window. They were on a patch of lawn by the Green Lotus Lake.

“Wait in the car, Little Tian,” Surnamed Li said gently.

“Okay.” Little Tian blinked with his large, clear eyes before closing them, keeping his senses extended.

“Thank you for your hard work, Goldthread,” Surnamed Li added.

“Yes, ma’am.”

Goldthread got out of the door and opened a long black umbrella, walking to the tail of the car to open the truck and retrieve the folding wheelchair.

He quickly returned to the left side of the car and set up the wheelchair before opening the door. One hand holding the umbrella, he extended his other hand to Surnamed Li, who was in the backseat.

Her body immediately became light, and she floated slowly out of the car, landing on the wheelchair.

Still holding up the umbrella, Goldthread pushed the wheelchair forward with his other hand.

Qilin followed after them, his gaze sharpening.

Goldthread’s Talent was likely Gravity, serial number 31, Time-Space-type. It allowed the user to manipulate the gravitational pull of themselves and everything around them. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝑒𝒷𝓃𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝑚

Most members of the Hundred Rivers Union had a Talent outside the top 100, but there were formidable awakeners among their team leaders. It seemed that the Union wasn’t as weak as generally believed to be.

Holding a long black umbrella with one hand and his cane in the other, Qilin slowly caught up with them.

A spacious, worn-down RV parked by the Green Lotus Lake. It must have been there for a long while. A canopy had been set up at the tail of the car, under which was a small table and a folding stool.

A varying assortment of things were stacked around the car, mostly commonplace cans and bottles, including ones for beer, distilled spirit, grape wine, and medicinal wine. It looked like the collection of an alcohol bottle fanatic.

Goldthread pushed Surnamed Li to the RV, while Qilin followed with his cane, his movement a little uncoordinated despite his best effort.

For a moment, Qilin wondered how pathetic they must look.

Two people with disabilities were seeking the help of an alcoholic who got wasted every day in order to save all humanity. What an absurd story.

“Alcoholic,” Surnamed Li called out.

There was no response from the RV. Rain continued to play a staccato on the car windows while misty wind swept over the rundown exterior. The picture painted was quite a sorry one.

“Isn’t it impolite to call an elderly woman Alcoholic?” Qilin asked with a smile.

“She’s only gonna lose her temper if anyone dares to use honorifics with her,” Surnamed Li explained with a smile. “She’s always been defiant in the face of aging.”

“Alcoholic!” Qilin called out too now that he knew it wasn’t a concern.

Clang!

A commotion came from the RV. Then orange light lit up on the other side of the window. The old, sorry-looking car gained a lived-in sort of warmth.

“Who is it?” asked an old woman’s voice. It was hoarse and cranky, but spirited.

“It’s me, Muzi[1],” Surnamed Li answered loudly. “I’m with Qilin. We’ve arranged to meet up tonight.”

The owner of the RV quieted for a moment, seemingly in a struggle to remember the arrangement.

Then she said irritably, “I’m sleeping. Come back tomorrow!”

“You agreed to meet us tonight, Alcoholic.” Surnamed Li started playing the pity card. “It’s pouring outside. I’m in a wheelchair, and he’s walking with a cane. It’s not easy for us to come all the way here. Are you really going to turn us away?”

Qilin felt even more pitiful.

“Shut up! I’m not meeting you. I’m going to sleep...” The voice grew even more irritated.

Qilin had a box under the arm holding the umbrella. “Alcoholic, knowing that you’re a drinker, I brought you an aged bottle from 1995.”

“Ah.” A pleased, lively laugh came from the car. “You didn’t have to bring a gift with you. Come on in.”

A few seconds later, the door opened to the side, and a slope was extended down to the ground.

Surnamed Li and Qilin shared a resigned look.

Alcoholic was a mischievous elderly woman.

“You should head back to the car, Goldthread.” Surnamed Li glanced at Qilin. “I’ll be in your care.” fr(e)enovelkiss.com

“Of course.”

Goldthread took his leave. Putting away his umbrella, Qilin pushed Surnamed Li’s wheelchair up into the RV.

The RV was quite big. The front part was a living space with a dining table and a couch, while the back was divided into the kitchen and the elevated bedroom with a bathroom underneath it.

The kitchen sink was filled with unwashed utensils, and the floor covered in clothes, everyday items, and empty bottles and cans. Qilin almost didn’t have room to take his steps.

The owner of the RV was a frail old woman with frayed white hair and sunken, wrinkly face. The oversized men’s t-shirt of well-worn black fabric looked like a stretched dress on her. On her veiny feet were a pair of dirty flip-flops. It was an understatement to call her a mess.

Sitting on a recliner, she scratched her head with a foot on the seat, bleary-eyed. “Sit wherever.”

Surnamed Li was saved the trouble since she was already sitting on the wheelchair. Meanwhile, Qilin had the difficult task of scanning the interior for a place to sit.

In the end, he found a low plastic stool and sat down awkwardly, his limbs pressed together in an unfamiliar manner. He felt like an idiot.

Alcoholic’s yellowish skin hung loosely on her bones, and her eyes were so swollen that it looked like there were two waterskins dangling underneath, leaving her eyes two narrow slits. What could be seen through the slits, however, weren’t muddled, but sharp.

As soon as Qilin sat down, Alcoholic extended her bony hand to him. “Give it to me.”

Qilin handed her the box.

She took it excitedly and made quick work of the sophisticated box, her awakened state made obvious by the way she easily tore through the container.

Inside was a bottle of fine baijiu[2]. She uncapped it with her teeth with a pop.

Rubbing her reddened nose, she leaned in and took a whiff at the mouth of the bottle. A look of satisfaction smoothed out the wrinkles on her face. “Nice! What a fine fragrance! I can smell the years it’s gone through!”

She lifted the bottle and was going to take a gulp directly.

“Alcoholic,” Surnamed Li hurriedly stopped her. They couldn’t allow her to get drunk so soon tonight. They had to pace her and seized the time to talk business.

She smiled. “Isn’t it boring to drink such fine liquor on your own? Why don’t we share?”

“Muzi, you’ve finally started drinking too?” Alcoholic was taken by surprise. Then she said happily, “Great! You’ve learned! What else can we do with our troubles but to drink them away?”

“I’m making an exception today.” Surnamed Li glanced at Qilin. “Mainly to keep you two company.”

Alcoholic turned to Qilin. “Are you a drinker too, young man?”

Qilin nodded and said humbly, “I do drink red wine every now and then.”

“Haha, good!” Alcoholic brightened up. “Let’s not stop until we’re drunk tonight. Look at the rain outside. What great weather for drinking.”

She put down the bottle and looked around. “Oh, I don’t have cups.”

“Bowls will do,” Surnamed Li suggested.

“Sure. We’ll drink with bowls...wait, I haven’t washed them.”

“Allow me.” Qilin stood up and, without his cane, limped his way to the sink in the small kitchen in the back. He opened the tap and waited for the water to fill the sink. In the meantime, he first took care of the messy counter, throwing empty cans and take-outs into a trash bag and tying it up.

Holding the bottle of baijiu in her hands, Alcoholic watched Qilin do her chores and chuckled. “What an honor to have the leader of the Qilin Guild do my dishes.”

“You’re one of the founding members of the Elusive Sect. It’s only right for me to do this.” With his back to Alcoholic, Qilin talked her up in a humble tone.

“Good man!” Alcoholic’s mood brightened further. She turned to Surnamed Li and said straightforwardly, “Tell me, Muzi, why are you here?”

1. The character mu 木 and zi 子 are the two parts of her surname, li 李. ?

2. A colorless Chinese liquor commonly distilled from fermented sorghum. It looks like the Korean soju, but is much more potent, with an alcohol content between 35% and 60%. ?

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