Chapter 95 Guide 23
Lu Xuejin is a lover with a terrible personality. In front of Wan Hong, she is not at all as gentle and harmless as she is in public. Even the comforting contact between the two is filled with Lu Xuejin's undisguised harm. He would laugh and grab his lover's messy hair, try to touch the iris of the sentry covered by his eyelids, or at more critical moments, control him.
At Wan Hong's most joyful moment, he spared no expense in using mental synapses to "torture" the sentinel's barren, pitiful, and pale appearance.
But it was far from destructive; it only brought Wan Hong pain. After the pain subsided, Lu Xuejin quickly comforted her lover with kisses, hugs, and tender touches.
Wan Hong's expression revealed nothing about his opinion. This sentry was always carefree and lacked the serious demeanor expected of a soldier. He accepted the chief's tricks without question, showing neither anger at being manipulated nor fervent love or admiration, only a faint indifference.
This kind of tranquility is reassuring and more worth savoring than passionate, impulsive emotions.
Lu Xuejin stroked Wan Hong's shoulders and back, the skin beneath her palms burning hot. Only in this intimate warmth could she seem to recall everything from his youth. The icy touch of falling snow, the suffocating feeling of her feet sinking into the snow, the warm comfort of a sip of hot tea in winter that awakens her entire being—the more something is lost, the more she needs to hold on to it.
Lu Xuejin hasn't experienced a winter like that in many years.
He enjoys pursuing all sorts of people and feelings, enjoys being surrounded by others' love, becoming the center of their world, and enjoys seeing them angry, crying, and grieving for him... Emotions are such wondrous things, ethereal yet tangible, light as a feather yet heavy as Mount Tai, carrying memories, tears, and so much more, even the past.
He simply loves love itself, whether it's healthy and sunny or twisted, dark, or even base and depraved. Every kind of love has its own unique flavor, and the love that each person gives is vastly different.
Lu Xuejin was obsessed with this, but he didn't care about specific people; he only cared about the feeling of others investing their emotions in him.
Love is like a curtain that plays out emotions; it needs to be raised when the light is just right. Once the emotions become too intense—too dazzlingly bright—it loses its appeal and overshadows the main theme. Wan Hong's performance was perfectly timed to this point, neither too boring to make Lu Xuejin lose interest, nor too passionate to make her want to avoid him.
He was the best follower, the object of desire.
Unleashing all her dark and cold emotions on Wan Hong, Lu Xuejin emerged as the gentle, flawless, and beautiful chief once again.
Those who suffer terribly in the fall will feel some of their burden lifted just by seeing him, and will fall into even more fervent admiration.
That day, Ji Yangxia found Lu Xuejin again, but not to invite him to dinner or give him a gift. Instead, he asked him to go to the council hall with him.
"There's something...we need to get your opinion on."
As the center of federal power, the Capitol Building is where every policy and major plan is issued. Anything that can be discussed in the Capitol is a major event concerning the Federation, but what does it have to do with him? Lu Xuejin could only think of war.
War is also acceptable; crushing and destroying everything in the angry, resentful, and heartbroken eyes of the enemy is a pleasant experience. But war is too cumbersome; the preparations before tasting its deliciousness are too long, and unexpected events often occur.
Lu Xuejin was idly thinking when Ji Yangxia pushed open the door. The huge round table was full of people, each of whom held power and influence in the federal system. If the council building were attacked remotely at this time, the impact on the federation would be devastating.
He even saw Roman. With his seniority and position, he was certainly not qualified to be at the round table. He was originally not even qualified to step into the council chamber. But he probably got on his father's coattails. Roman was sitting in the observer's seat behind Councilor Roman, with a cold and even somewhat gloomy expression. In addition to him, there were a large number of staff members from the tower in the seats.
They were like sunflowers; as soon as Lu Xuejin appeared, they all turned their heads to follow him.
Many of them were familiar faces who had received counseling from Lu Xuejin. Now their expressions were very similar: anger, confusion, and disbelief.
After Lu Xuejin took her seat, Ji Yangxia brought up his suggestion again.
“I am reiterating my proposal once again—to open up the qualifications of Lu Xuejin as a guide.”
Although it was a topic that had been brought up before, the atmosphere inevitably tensed up when Ji Yangxia brought it up again. Many people immediately showed clear resistance on their faces, but there were also some people... whose expressions did not change, as if this proposal that challenged the federal system was nothing.
Even the person involved remained calm.
Ji Yangxia paused after seeing Lu Xuejin's expression before continuing, "This is based on realistic considerations. A week ago, four A-level guides and six B-level guides fell into a trance, their minds wandering continuously. Only one person woke up midway, but quickly fell back into it."
He could see Lu Xuejin's smile gradually fade, her brows furrow slightly, and her expression become serious.
"Until yesterday, the White Tower reported that half of the people had become completely vegetative."
Hearing this, Lu Xuejin could no longer hold back and said, "Why didn't you come to me sooner? What about the rest of the people? I'll bring them out now."
The guide is extremely aggressive when he is in a trance, but Lu Xuejin is a rare and unique S-class, and if he wants to, no one can resist his invasion.
“That’s why I suggested you and the Sentinel get together,” Ji Yangxia said calmly. “To date, the White Tower has not yet solved the cause of the delusional disorder. While there are remedies and treatments for berserk disorder, delusional disorder can only be cured by the patient on their own, or by others risking their lives to bring the patient out of the spirit world.”
"And this autumn, the number of people suffering from delirium is the sum of the previous ten years. No one knows why it is so severe this time, let alone whether delirium has changed—for example, become contagious."
Ji Yangxia gave Lu Xuejin a deep look: "Once you are disturbed, no one can break through the S-level barrier, no one can save an S-level, unless another S-level guide is born, we can't afford to take the risk. But if you combine with a high-level sentinel, at least when you are in a dream state, there will be someone who can find your vision."
Lu Xuejin's smile vanished, and a rare look of displeasure appeared on her face: "I will not fall into delusion, nor do I need to unite with the Sentinels."
Lu Xuejin has absolute confidence in her abilities.
At this moment, a senior official spoke up: "But Xuejin, you have shown symptoms of delirium before."
This was no secret among the higher-ups; during that time, a tense atmosphere prevailed, and the atmosphere throughout the White Tower was heavy. They possessed the world's most advanced medical technology and the most powerful team of guides, yet they were helpless in the face of Lu Xuejin's coma.
The importance of S-rank guides is undeniable. Faced with ferocious and savage sentinels and bizarre contaminants, guides are still too vulnerable. However, Lu Xuejin's godlike abilities made many people subconsciously overlook his vulnerability until he lost consciousness, at which point they suddenly realized the truth.
We would rather lose the southeastern border than lose Lu Xuejin.
So even after Lu Xuejin woke up, many people still demanded her immediate recall. But strangely, the usually quick and decisive Baita was unusually slow at that time. Fortunately, no problems were found in Lu Xuejin's medical examination report.
Not long after this incident, a group of people with delusions broke out, which made people worry about Lu Xuejin. This is why the higher-ups did not directly reject this seemingly absurd proposal. They could not afford to lose an S-level guide. Even if the combination would dull the guide's ability to guide and make a large number of berserk sentinels lose the possibility of being saved, the sentinels were dead. No matter how high-ranking a sentinel was, it was not as important as Lu Xuejin.
Upon hearing this reason, Lu Xuejin pursed her lips slightly, a wavering look appearing on her face.
Ji Yangxia said, "Please forgive me for making a match for you without my permission. The results show that among the registered sentinels, only your subordinate Wan Hong has the highest compatibility with you, reaching an unusually high 100%."
"I believe that this rare match may be the secret to curing delusions, just as the guide can soothe the sentinel, the sentinel can also solve problems for the guide."
After Ji Yangxia finished speaking, many people expressed their dissatisfaction and doubts.
"But that's not a reason to allow the pairing. Besides, Lu Xuejin is the only S-rank. Why would we pair him with a Sentinel who is highly unpredictable and could die at any time? I think the risk is higher than the possibility of the Chief developing delusions. If something goes wrong, who will be responsible!"
"Chief Strategist, your proposal is absurd. Since its establishment, the Federation has strictly prohibited the combination of Sentinels and Guides. This is an important system to protect Guides. Your proposal to lift the ban is far too hasty!"
"I cannot agree with handing Chief Lu over to a sentry."
"What's wrong with Parliament? Letting a madman spout nonsense."
From parliament to the military, from the White Tower to the sanctuary, voices of opposition were heard incessantly. Strangely, as the proposer, Ji Yangxia seemed to have no desire to explain, silently allowing the opposition to spread.
Luo Mang suddenly interjected, "Chief Ji seems to have forgotten one thing—guides are not a race born alongside sentinels. Everyone here knows that the current appearance of sentinels and guides as a perfect match, like swords and sheaths, is the result of sentinels deliberately using their mutated genes to attract guides."
"The fact that the guide can generate bonding heat and bond with the sentinel is already a marvel of nature. To then pin the cure for delusional disorder on the sentinel?" Roman didn't say it too harshly, but the sarcasm and disdain in his words were evident.
Most of those present were sentinels, but their expressions remained calm, showing no anger at Roman's sarcasm towards his fellow soldiers, as this was a fact well known to the higher-ups.
And what about the same kind? There are no such things as the same kind. In the world of the Sentinels, there are only guides and enemies.
"Alright, the elders will consider these matters. Do you need to show off?" Luo's father turned around and glared at him, signaling Luo Mang to shut up.
His son appeared polite, calm, and restrained, but only his father knew what kind of monster lurked beneath that facade. He had previously gone mad, even killing his own family members—a clear extremist. Luo's father was terrified that Luo Mang would rush up and kill Ji Yangxia, so he kept a close eye on his every move.
Fortunately, his son still knew propriety and shame in front of Lu Xuejin, and quieted down after making sarcastic remarks.
The representative from the White Pagoda then spoke up: "Ji Yangxia, do you have any data to prove this?"
Ji Yangxia: "The time was too short, so I was unable to conduct a control experiment."
The White Tower representative said, "This sounds like wishful thinking on your part, a fantasy without any evidence."
"Even if a 100% match can't cure Wang Dan, at least when Lu Xuejin is in a trance, the Sentinel can lead us to his vision so we can launch a rescue."
After a moment of silence, someone spoke up: "I think... Chief Ji's suggestion is not without merit. Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. This year's situation is terrible, pollutants are highly active, and even the slow-witted 'us' can sense the changes in the spirit world. Guides are close to the spirit world and are easily affected. We cannot gamble on a possibility."
Immediately someone chimed in: "After combining, the link can be severed. If all else fails, killing that sentinel is better than being helpless in the face of Wang Dan."
“That sentinel comes from the contaminated area; who knows if he's been contaminated himself? Let's find someone else; he's too dangerous.”
"But he is the only one who is the best match for Chief Lu. The difference between 100% and 99% is like heaven and earth."
It seems to have struck a chord with many people, and quite a few looked hesitant.
The White Pagoda representative looked at the silent guide: "Xuejin, what do you think?"
No matter how much they argued, if Lu Xuejin had no intention of getting together, no one could force her. All eyes were on the person involved. The guide's beautiful face remained calm, but her slightly furrowed brows revealed her inner turmoil.
In fact, Lu Xuejin wasn't even considering it; she was simply observing these people with great interest. They were exceptionally capable, intelligent, and farsighted in their external affairs, but when they sat in the council chamber, they were like a pack of ignorant wild beasts. One second they believed in Ji Yangxia, and the next they changed their minds. Their eyes were sometimes confused and sometimes clear, as if a hand was trying to blind their thoughts and push this absurd proposal forward.
Unfortunately, that hand failed.
Most people ultimately remain rational.
However, it wasn't a complete failure. The discussion continued into the afternoon, and the supporters and opponents eventually compromised. The restrictions on the union were not lifted, but after consulting Lu Xuejin, Wan Hong was allowed to stay by Lu Xuejin's side as her fiancé at all times. If Lu Xuejin's condition was not right, he would immediately release the Sentinel Element to trigger the union.
“Before that, you need to have a lot of contact with him, not just physically, but also emotionally,” the White Tower representative said. “Xuejin, are you sure you’re willing?”
It seems that with just a glance from Lu Xuejin, Bai Ta could overturn the proposal, and even Ji Yangxia was helpless.
But it was Lu Xuejin.
Lu Xuejin smiled calmly, seemingly unconcerned: "Everything is for the Federation."
As the meeting ended and the senior officials gradually left, Luo Mang tried his best to suppress his dissatisfaction with the outcome and wanted to go to Lu Xuejin's side, but his father stopped him and dragged him out of the council hall.
"What are you guys thinking?! You actually considered this kind of idiotic proposal?" Luo Mang's undisguised anger could be heard across the corridor.
Representative Luo scolded him in a disheveled manner: "You wretched child! Haven't you embarrassed yourself enough already!"
Lu Xuejin chuckled and shook her head, about to leave, when she caught sight of Ji Yangxia standing in the corner. The shadow magnified his cold and stern features, making him seem unapproachable. Lu Xuejin met his gaze for a second, and a flash of pain crossed the sentinel's calm eyes before he abruptly and awkwardly turned away.
Despite being the initiator, he seemed to be in more pain than the one who was "forced" to prepare for the union with the Sentinel.
Lu Xuejin left the council building with a smile on her face.
What a wonderful show.
You seem to really want silence to "get" me.
...
Wan Hong was later taken away for a thorough investigation, interrogation, and examination. The Federation made no attempt to conceal its distrust of him, issuing a series of warnings and educational sessions.
Several days later, he was finally allowed to return to Lu Xuejin's side. He now had an unsightly control collar around his neck.
“Fiancé.” Lu Xuejin tilted her head, a hint of mockery in her eyes.
Wan Hong glanced at him, then lowered his head to tidy up the counseling room, seemingly unaffected by the change in their relationship, everything proceeding as usual.
But the broadcast will not be false.
[Dedication Points +20]
[Dedication Points +20]
Is having a fiancé enough to make you this happy?
Lu Xuejin said to Dong Yao with a half-smile, "If I were to marry him, wouldn't that be the perfect outcome?"
Dongyao thought it was a good idea: "Baby, why don't you take this opportunity to get together with the male lead? Given your husband's current state, he's almost there."
Lu Xuejin ignored it.
After returning home, Baita sent several documents with notices. Lu Xuejin opened them, paused for a second, and then smiled helplessly while rubbing her forehead.
"Do they think I'm innocent and ignorant?"
The document is full of knowledge about sexual contact, and every few paragraphs the white tower emphasizes the importance of being careful, being wary of being deceived by the sentinels, and taking precautions.
They were genuinely worried that Lu Xuejin would be bullied.
“They thought I had nothing to do with you, and they felt sorry that I had to sacrifice myself for the Federation and was forced to have close contact with you…” Lu Xuejin smiled subtly, gently brushed away the stray hairs on Wan Hong’s forehead, and blew a breath into his dark eyes, “but they didn’t know that we had already been secretly carrying on our relationship.”
In secret, they embraced, kissed, and became intimately connected.
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