Chapter 78 Guide 6
After parting ways with the squad at the outpost, Lu Xuejin walked into the tower alone.
Both being commanders, sentries have fixed army subordinates, while guides, due to frequent relocations, generally do not have fixed teams. In the past two years, Lu Xuejin has cooperated with all the squads on the southeastern border, and everyone is his subordinate, taking pride in having been commanded by him.
During the height of the pollutant buildup, there weren't many people in the tower. Most were still fighting on the battlefield, and the few remaining were either on rest and rotation or were logistics or tower garrison officers. Lu Xuejin walked in, and his room was located at the top of the sentry post, surrounded by many sentries below.
"Commander Lu, you're back! You've worked hard. Is there anything you'd like to eat?"
"Commander, when will you open the crowd control measures? I miss you so much."
"Commander Lu..."
"Commander Lu..."
Wherever he went, people, whether cheerful and lively or gloomy and withdrawn, would greet him excitedly. They were overjoyed to receive just a gentle smile or response from Lu Xuejin, showing no trace of the infamous executioner in the eyes of outsiders.
Guides are rare in the military, and gentle guides like Lu Xuejin are even rarer. She opens applications periodically, providing guidance services to all sentries regardless of rank. Who wouldn't like a guide like that?
The same applies to Dong Yao's storyline for Lu Xuejin—as an S-rank guide, he selflessly dedicated himself to the Federation, providing free mental support to the Sentinels for many years, including the male protagonist. After becoming the chief guide, he felt an even greater sense of responsibility, working tirelessly day and night until he fell ill and passed away. Before his death, he devoted everything to clearing away the male protagonist's mental damage and building a powerful mental defense system, enabling him to later become the leader of humanity and guide humanity forward in the era of great pollution.
In summary, it was a selfless blood donation.
The male protagonist's greatest object of devotion is the preparatory course he arrived at today.
"So it's Lu Xuejin. I was wondering why I saw that group of gloomy and violent freaks change their expressions from afar." A curly-haired sentry strolled up to Lu Xuejin and stopped, followed by a dozen or so unfamiliar sentries at a distance.
"These little brats I just got assigned to, and they made me be their trainer? I just made them stand at attention. They're so troublesome and difficult to manage. Are fresh sentries really this annoying?" It's really strange. Lu Xuejin's class wasn't this unruly; they were all very well-behaved.
The sentries lined up in two rows, with one extra person trailing at the back. While the others stood tall and proud, that one person at the very end hunched over, his posture languid, his eyelids drooping as if he hadn't woken up yet. When Lu Xuejin glanced at his face, she paused almost imperceptibly.
...This person's appearance is not entirely unrelated to the silence, but they are exactly the same, though their temperaments are worlds apart.
Without Dong Yao even needing to remind her, Lu Xuejin knew that this must be the male lead.
The male protagonist squinted as if he was daydreaming, but the next moment he suddenly turned his head and looked straight at him.
[Dedication Points +1]
Dongyao teases: 【Baby, the male lead is captivated by your beauty.】
Lu Xuejin: "..."
"Look at them, they're not even standing properly, is that any semblance of decorum? And the smell they have... If these kids were thrown onto the battlefield, I doubt any of them would come back alive." Curly-haired guy grumbled, arms crossed. He was a chatterbox, always ready to talk to anyone he could find, and he was especially talkative with Lu Xuejin, saying whatever came to mind. "Who knew that taking a vacation would result in being assigned a mission? The Black Tower's bunch of idiots should really be hung on the lighthouse."
Unlike the White Tower, which pays special attention to guides and is as lenient as a loving mother, the Black Tower is strict and indifferent in its control over sentinels, showing no trace of warmth. This is a necessary measure; there are too many sentinels, and they pose too great a threat, so there is no need for comfort.
It's hard to say that the frequent psychological and mental health problems among sentinels are unrelated to this training method.
Lu Xue asked, "Is your injury healed?"
Curly Hair only got a short vacation because he was seriously injured in the battlefield.
"It's all healed now, that little injury is nothing." Curly waved his hand.
Lu Xuejin laughed: "It's really nothing, it just made me scream in pain for a while."
When Curly was carried back, it was Lu Xuejin who performed emergency medical treatment. He knew all too well what kind of person the Sentinel was back then.
Curly-haired man blushed: "Hey, hey, it's all in the past. There's a saying that goes, 'Today's me is not yesterday's me.' Now I'm polished from head to toe, brand new!"
After a few banter, Curly suddenly turned around and stared at several lazy prep students, who snapped to attention. He then slowly turned back, gestured with his lips, and signaled Lu Xuejin to come with him.
The two walked to a corner, and Curly, abandoning his nonchalant demeanor, said worriedly, "This batch is a bit unlucky. The sentries escorting them suddenly went berserk, and the kids are all emotionally corrupted and very restless. Also... we don't know if any of the images are affected. Lu Xuejin, could you help find a guide to take a look at them?"
After all, it was his first time leading a preparatory course, and Curly wasn't as cold and indifferent as his colleagues. He complained, but he was worried about everything, fearing that all of the dozen or so preparatory courses would be ruined.
Looking at Lu Xuejin's expression, he added, "If it's really troublesome, then forget it. We only have nine guides here, including you. They're probably still on their mission."
You have to understand that every day, a large number of sentries on the border are injured in the fighting and are waiting for guides to comfort them. Most of them have to wait at least half a month. If the sentries find out that the guides, who are already busy with their own affairs, are wasting their precious spots on a few newcomers who have not contributed anything, they will definitely not be happy.
Lu Xuejin thought for a moment and said, "I'll do it."
"Huh?" Curly's eyes widened.
"What's wrong?" Lu Xuejin chuckled. "I just went on vacation, aren't you welcome?"
"No, no," Curly stammered, his words incoherent. "Who are you? No, you... Oh, I'm just happy for the little ones!"
After the initial joy, a bitter feeling lingered. There were so many border sentries, and only a handful of lucky ones could get a turn with Lu Xuejin. Even Curly Hair, relying on his good relationship with Lu Xuejin, had only received guidance twice, the most recent being half a year ago. These little brats, fresh out of school, were able to receive comfort from the strongest guide. What incredible luck!
After pondering for a while, feeling uneasy, Curly-haired, with a jealous look on his face, strode forward and made the preparatory class line up.
"Stand still!" Curly Hair couldn't stand the preparatory class anymore, finding it utterly unpleasant. "I heard you had a tough journey and encountered some emotional turmoil, so Commander Lu has decided to give you some guidance."
"This is a perk that many people would kill for, but only you instructors have the thick skin to ask the commander for it. So, cheer up!"
The preparatory class recognized Lu Xuejin's identity as soon as their instructor eagerly approached her. The reason was simple: although the young man was tall and had long legs, he was still short compared to the sentries who averaged 1.9 meters tall. His skin was so white, and his neck was as long and straight as a swan's, with supple lines, like a flower branch that would break at the slightest touch.
With his gentle and refreshing demeanor and youthful and beautiful appearance, many people have been secretly watching him.
Upon hearing that a guide was going to direct them, some people immediately blushed: "Are we all coming? Or one at a time? Right here?... This is the first time in my life I've ever experienced this."
That's what I meant.
The person next to her immediately tugged at her arm, blushing as they corrected her, "What are you thinking! Mental counseling is purely a mental process. When both parties are of pure mind and there's no urge to get intimate, it's similar to getting a spa treatment."
The Federation strictly forbids Sentinels and Guides from mating. Such unions are believed to cause Sentinels to develop a terrifying possessiveness, leading them to attack any fellow Sentinels comforted by a Guide. Furthermore, Guides are psychologically alienated from outsiders, resulting in ineffective guidance and severely limiting and wasting their abilities. Therefore, even if a Sentinel and Guide are truly in love, mating is forbidden.
However, mental health counseling, as an intimate activity following marriage, has been forcibly transformed into a medical activity devoid of any erotic or sexual connotations to meet legal requirements.
Curly-haired guy laughed in exasperation and yelled, "Stop babbling! Stand still!"
Faced with the embarrassed looks and awkward postures of the students in the preparatory department, Curly Hair was too lazy to say anything. For students like you, Lu Xuejin doesn't even need to go to the counseling room; she can handle it standing up.
"Relax. This is the first time for most of you, so I'll be gentle."
The beautiful guide smiled at them, her bright blue eyes almost intoxicating the sentry. My God, is this paradise? My family, coming to the southeastern border was definitely the right decision!
The guide's spiritual tentacles spread silently, covering everyone's mental landscape without any sense of rude intrusion. It was like spring rain turning into sweet dew, bringing a relaxing warmth. Before many people could even react, their brows unconsciously relaxed.
Like clouds and mist, or even like raindrops brushing against the cheek, it feels like sitting in a spring breeze.
Even though the young sentinels were well-trained and had built up a strict mental defense, it did not hinder the tentacles. Gentle yet powerful, it quickly swept across the scene.
The crowd control efforts ended quickly.
[Dedication Points +5]
The scene, filled with exhaustion, noise, and restlessness, quickly calmed down. Some sentries looked at Lu Xuejin with lingering enthusiasm, as if hoping to come again, while others blushed and their hearts raced for some reason, unable to look the guide in the eye.
...How embarrassing!
Curly couldn't stand it anymore. He felt that his tall and mighty image in front of Lu Xuejin was being ruined by this group of unruly brats. He put his hands behind his back, called for them to line up, and quickly led them away.
Before leaving, he made sure to invite Lu Xuejin to dinner: "I've been all alone these past few days, so bored. Lu Xuejin, don't forget me, don't be silly and go off with someone else. Remember! I'll come find you after get off work."
The sentries in the preparatory section looked at each other and shook their heads: It's a disgrace to have such an instructor!
Wan Hong slowly followed the group. The instructor wasn't strict, and many people were talking quietly as they walked. He heard someone on his left asking about Lu Xuejin.
"Commander Lu, the guide surnamed Lu, that must be him, right?"
Which one?
"That's him, damn it. An S-rank guide, with excellent grades in every course, he was promoted to commander in less than two years. The improvement in the situation on the southeast border is mostly due to him. It is said that after the war ends and he returns to District 1, he may be promoted to chief."
"Most importantly, he looks exactly like my wife..."
6.
"With such a gentle and beautiful guide on the outpost, I wouldn't trade this life for anything! Those people still laugh at me for coming to the southeastern border. They're the ones who should be crying."
Everyone took a liking to Lu Xuejin at their very first meeting. Her appearance, smile, temperament, demeanor, and most importantly, her guidance skills—everything about her struck a chord with the inexperienced sentries, leaving these greenhorns completely captivated.
Wan Hong lagged behind, seemingly lost in thought.
They were all like babies in front of Lu Xuejin, completely defenseless. Their mental world was like a highway, allowing him to guide them freely. He could guide so many people in an instant... and also shatter their vision in an instant.
In this respect, the guide is arguably the most efficient killing weapon.
After the preparatory course, Wan Hong returned to his dormitory.
The preparatory students lived on the second floor of the guard post, in rooms with four people, bunk beds and desks. The conditions weren't great, but the dormitories were equipped with a filtration system and played white noise at regular intervals at night, which was enough for these new recruits to get a good night's sleep.
It's inevitable that young and strong sentries living together will have friction. When Wan Hong came out after taking a shower, he heard the two of them arguing loudly. The sound was extremely grating, which made him frown deeply.
Steam billowed out, and the two arguing people subconsciously stopped talking. They looked at Wan Hong, whose hair was wet and disheveled, and one of the sentries looked at him with disdain.
"From a contaminated area..."
Wan Hong ignored him and went straight to his seat to dry his hair.
The sentry assumed he had backed down, snorted, and turned back to continue arguing.
After the lights were turned off, the two arguing sentries started chatting again.
"After the observation period ends, won't we be assigned to teams? Is it possible for us to work under Commander Lu? After all, he gave us some guidance today, so he must like us."
“The guide… he’s so different from those cold, grumpy guys at the White Tower. How can he smile so beautifully?” This sentinel, who had been flying low for years, couldn’t think of a way to describe his feelings upon seeing Lu Xuejin. In the end, he could only awkwardly and passionately say, “I like him.”
"Hey, what are you thinking about?"
"Don't tell me you haven't thought about it."
"...It's no use thinking about it. Apart from the first few years, have you ever heard of a Sentinel-Guide combination?"
The sentry deftly rolled over: "I've heard that the feeling of union is wonderful, more blissful than ascending to heaven, where you are in me and I am in you, and the sensation of release is even more comfortable..."
Someone couldn't stand it anymore and interrupted the two's longing for and secret affection for the guide: "Is Commander Lu's dedication to the Federation a reason for your disrespect towards him?"
"Tch. This isn't District 1, it's all preparatory school. Don't be too ambitious for official positions."
Even so, the two of them pursed their lips and didn't continue the conversation, clearly still wary of that person.
Finally, they shut up.
Wan Hong lay there like a corpse, slowly closing his eyes.
Perhaps because of his unknown origins, his vision differed from others. The core area had shrunk into a dark fog, which even he himself could not enter. As a result, the garbage in the innermost part kept piling up and was difficult to clean, causing him to spend every day in neurotic pain. But today, when the guide touched the dark fog area, the almost numb pain suddenly lessened.
Like parched land finally receiving sweet rain, the raindrops fell softly—
Whipping.
The mental barrier has ruptured.
A scene crumbling inch by inch.
The sleeping sentry's breathing gradually quickened, and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.
Go, kill them all. A gentle voice whispered in my mind.
The sentry turned to look at the sound and caught a glimpse of a boy in the shattered world. He had a beautiful face, eyes more translucent than jewels, and slightly parted rose-colored lips.
Is he laughing?
The sentry tilted his head in confusion, an irrepressible urge surging through his body. He clutched his chest, and a soft command suddenly rang in his ears.
The gemstone was dull, and the boy's eyes were filled with malice.
Go, end it all.
He said.
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