"I was able to render myself unseen to a naked eye and wandered into the city. No one discovered my presence and I learned a lot during that time. Then, when I came back here, the battle had already started and that clumsy Yessie was slaughtered by human hands. In the end, I only saw a man squeezing another's neck...
"I was afraid to remove my camouflage, afraid to be killed. And so I learned a lot about humans, about your strategies. I even tailed Qing Shui to the research institute and discovered that he was a great person of this era. Without him, I wouldn't have my offspring."
Though the creature was polite and sincere, Chang never loosened his guard. After all, the creature must have certain prejudices and defensiveness against humans.
Chang learned that from how Liu Xin treated him.
He had never met a human before and his values were instilled to him by the creature. From how Liu Xin treated Chang initially, he didn't think the creature was as friendly as he displayed.
"I'll show you my place." The creature stood up as he calmed Chang. "It was designed and built in accordance to human aesthetic approach and amphibia habitat. Come with me please."
The creature waved his tail, facing Chang with his back, then walked back to the sand hole. Liu Xin followed after when the two of them entered.
Chang knew well his own situation. He was sandwiched between two amphibias which made sneaking away from them simply an impossible task.
The creature turned his head to Chang upon coming next to the hole, nodded and jumped into it. Chang wasn't sure if he would be hurt from jumping into this seemingly deep hole but he had no choice so he followed suit.
He landed on a soft pile of sand and what was ahead of him was a castle. The whole room was spacious with traces of digging and flattening evident all around the place.
The creature even pressed a button on the wall and the space lit up.
"How did you get the electricity to here?" Chang almost shouted out in astonishment.
"Electro-techniques aren't hard and I stole all these devices and cables from humans." The creature smiled. "You don't mind this, do you?"
"Not at all, humans can't use them anyways. But where does the electricity come from?" Chang continued asking.
"I also stole a small power generator on my way, it runs on gas." The creature laughed. "Don't ask about the gasoline, I stole it too."
"Alright, no more questions."
Chang chuckled while nodding.
"Papa, he hurt me." Liu Xin starting howling to get justice for his injuries. "Since he is acquainted with Qing Shui, you should make him a hostage and exchange for the thing you want from Qing Shui..."
"Stop!" the creature yelled at Liu Xin when he interrupted their conversation.
The creature's voice was deep and sandy yet sonorous. It wasn't hard to guess that his vital capacity and cardiopulmonary function were at their peak.
The small amphibia pursed his lips; he was too startled to speak more.
Chang did the same thing—he stayed quiet.
The creature led him around the whole castle, showing it off. There were human captives, equipment that were built by the creature, and he even had his own lab.
The last place the amphibia led Chang to was his own room in which four of his kids were playing around. The creature asked them to leave the room in a soft voice and then asked Chang to sit down.
"Mr. Liu, you came for me today, didn't you?"
The creature poured Chang a cup of tea, or more precisely—a bucket of tea. The creature sat back on his heels and tail and straightened his back for the formal conversation.
"After all, the poison zone at the north of the city seldom has visitors. And I just happen to notice you have my scent on you. I think Qing Shui handed you something of mine, "
"You aren't wrong." Chang nodded. "He asked me to find you, he seemed to be interested in you."
"Hahahaha! Mr. Li has been interested in me for a long time. I saw his traps in the city and jungle but just didn't approach them at all." The amphibia laughed, nodding. "We're smart from our birth. I think our intelligence is close to a human with Encephalon Mutation. Mr. Li has underestimated me.
"He really is taking a big step here. I wonder for his motivation of sending you here, he must have thought of the possibility of you being captured."
"Don't try to sow dissension in our relationship."
Chang's heart almost froze for a heartbeat.
"Of course I won't, I'm just telling you the truth." The amphibia picked up his cup, taking another sip. "He knows my abilities and he knows about my habitat. It isn't surprising then that you were likely to be discovered by me, because I am better than you in all aspect. So I discovered your presence long before you found a trace of me.
"And you... How can you slip away from my fingers? Though you are probably one of the strongest humans, compared to me..."
The amphibia stopped .
"I know how this will go, I can't fight you nor your son."
"Well, it was your bad luck to meet him today, I've been busy the whole day, it was my negligence." The amphibia's mouth curved upwards. "Though it's the same result."
"Well... According to you, Qing Shui sent me here to you, what does he want from me then? To kill me? He could have done it himself by flipping his palm, he doesn't need to plan out all this. "
"I see, you've got me wrong on this, son. Mr. Li knew that I wouldn't kill you even if you were captured." The amphibia put down his cup. "I think he must have known what I'm thinking, adding to it the fact that I've met you four years ago, he had confidence in sending you here without losing your life."
"Then, what was his purpose? Tell me."
"For this conversation that we are having now. As you see, even though I can reproduce asexually now, I can't grow my species fast." The amphibia frowned. "I thirst for a rapid reproduction ability, and Mr. Li can lend me his hand.
"And human, I bet you guys encountered some unsolvable problems. Thus, he might need my help as well," the amphibia analyzed. "His purpose is simple and obvious—he wanted to meet me, someday. And you are the perfect chip that he gifted to me."