The creatures of level 3 were there.
Twelve of them.
Kai saw them and smiled with his whole face.
"Hey there," he said.
---
The creatures of level 3 were bulky — one-ninety tall but twice as wide, their bodies built in layers of visible muscle beneath translucent gray skin that showed the structure underneath like a map.
Four arms, the upper ones longer with permanently closed fists, the lower ones shorter with three fingers each used for gripping.
No neck — the head came straight out of the torso, small in proportion to the body, with a single strip of black eyes stretching from ear to ear.
All staring at Kai.
Kai stared at them.
Qi active from his feet. Flowing.
'Twelve.'
'Good.'
The first one charged.
---
The upper right fist came at Kai's chest — the blow arrived with all the mass of the arm plus the speed of the charge, not much precision but maximum impact arriving with everything.
Kai didn't dodge it.
