“This Optical Brain…” Feng Zhi drew out the words.
Feng Chi’s breathing grew shallow. He didn’t quite dare look at Feng Zhi’s reaction; his eyes stayed fixed on the two Optical Brains as he waited for the verdict.
Feng Zhi glanced at Feng Chi’s reaction and let out a soft laugh. “They’re pretty nice. You’ve got good taste. Once you awaken tomorrow, we can save up and buy this red-and-blue pair.”
It was as if fireworks had gone off in Feng Chi’s mind. Overwhelmed with delight, he felt dizzy, and didn’t know what to do with his hands.
Couples’ Optical Brains.
She’d agreed?
She hadn’t refused when he’d suggested renting a place and living together, either.
So she did have feelings for him.
“I… I’ll go wash the dishes.” His heart was pounding. At that moment, Feng Chi didn’t know how to face Feng Zhi, so he hurriedly picked up the plates from the table and strode into the kitchen.
He put them in the sink, then suddenly wondered: could they buy matching couple plates, too?
As he rinsed the cups, he remembered that they could buy matching couple cups as well. He’d heard there was some saying about a cup lasting a lifetime.
He picked up the towel beside him and wiped down the counter, then wondered if they could get matching couple towels, too.
His thoughts were in a muddle. By the time he’d finally pulled himself together and come out of the kitchen, Feng Zhi had already returned to her room. There was no sign of her in the living room.
He stood there for a while, then went over to the sofa and sat where Feng Zhi had been sitting. It seemed he could still feel her warmth.
Feng Zhi returned to her room and worked overtime, making Ability Fluid. By noon the next day, she had sent out not only the 100 bottles ordered the day before, but also the 50 ordered that day, and still had 60 left.
After seeing the robot off, she went back to her room and stared absently at the Guide Pheromone on the table.
The Guide Essence Patch that collected Guide Pheromone was glowing red now, which meant it was full.
But she wasn’t a Guide. The crystal stone at the Guide-Sentinel Center hadn’t reacted at all yesterday.
So what exactly was this Guide Pheromone? Should she find someone to try it?
After thinking it over, she opened her Chip and sent Feng Chi a message.
【Feng Zhi: What were your test results? Did you awaken?】
【Feng Chi: I was just about to tell you.】
【Feng Chi: I awakened as a Sentinel.】
【Feng Zhi: Okay. When you get back later, help me with something.】
【Feng Chi: Mm-hmm.】
Feng Zhi didn’t send another message. Staring at the messages on his Chip, Feng Chi fell into a daze.
He’d had a strong feeling he was likely to awaken as a Sentinel. He’d never imagined he would awaken at S-rank. That meant he would definitely be able to become an SSS-rank Sentinel.
Under normal circumstances, he would have been thrilled. But Feng Zhi was an F-rank Guide.
The difference between their ranks was too great. He was afraid Feng Zhi wouldn’t want him, which was why he’d hesitated for so long about telling her.
The bond between a Sentinel and a Guide was a bond between their Soul Bodies. Once bonded, a Sentinel could only accept Purification from their Bonded Guide and would reject Purification from any other Guide.
And when the difference between their ranks was too great, the Purification would have almost no effect.
That meant the Pollution Level of a Sentinel’s Spirit Body would keep rising, with no way to bring it down.
Once the Spirit Body’s Pollution Level exceeded 95, the Sentinel would be on the verge of madness, liable to lose control at any moment and attack everyone nearby indiscriminately.
The authorities would send Sentinels in that state into a Contamination Zone, where they could make use of the last of their lives.
That was why Sentinels and Guides generally chose to bond with someone whose rank was close to their own.
In truth, that part didn’t matter much. As long as he avoided contact with pollutants, he wouldn’t need Purification. He could make money by selling Ability Fluid.
But there was also the difference in their life spans.
In the Sentinel-Guide World, Ordinary People lived an average of 120 years. Sentinels and Guides lived considerably longer, and the higher their rank, the longer their life span. An SSS-rank Sentinel could live to 500.
If their ranks differed too much, their life spans would differ, too. Feng Zhi was F-rank and would eventually become D-rank, with a life span of 200 years.
After she died, the Sentinel bonded to her would suffer a severe blow. His Spirit Body and rank would both decline; in more serious cases, he might die outright. And he would never again be able to receive Purification from another Guide, spending the rest of his life alone and miserable.
Feng Chi himself didn’t care. Ever since Feng Zhi had found him, she had been everything to him. If she died, he would surely follow her in death. A world without Feng Zhi would have no meaning for him.
But he knew Feng Zhi. If she learned his rank, she definitely wouldn’t bond with him. She would be afraid of holding him back.
The more Feng Chi thought about it, the more uneasy he became. He couldn’t shake the feeling that Feng Zhi might abandon him at any moment.
His chestnut-brown hair looked dull as it fell over his face, hiding the faint gloom in his eyes.
After standing still for a while, he turned to head home, but a figure blocked his way. A middle-aged man spoke. “You must be Mr. Feng, then? An S-rank Sentinel, an Independent Sentinel?”
Feng Chi glanced sideways at him.
Feng Chi was a full 1.8 meters tall, while the middle-aged man in front of him was only about 1.75 meters and an Ordinary Person. Just looking at him was enough to make the man feel an oppressive presence.
But the middle-aged man remained calm, a peaceful smile on his face as he handed Feng Chi a card. “Mr. Feng, I’m with Yaoyang Group. You’ve probably heard of our company.”
“Our company would be delighted to have you join us. We can offer you the very best. You can think it over.”
As he spoke, the middle-aged man looked Feng Chi over carefully, as if assessing an object. “As it happens, our Sis is an S-rank Guide. You’re exceptionally handsome. If you became our Sis’s Bonded Sentinel, you’d never have to worry about a thing again. You wouldn’t have to risk your life going into Contamination Zones, either.”
“Our Sis has always been generous to her Bonded Sentinel. S- to SSS-rank Ability nuclear weapons, the latest Optical Brains and hovercars, starships—just make sure you take good care of our Sis, and none of that will be a problem.”
Feng Chi’s expression didn’t change.
He’d heard of Yaoyang Group, of course. It was one of the top 500 companies in the universe, and immensely powerful. He believed the middle-aged man’s claims; Yaoyang Group’s Sis could easily provide everything he’d mentioned.
But…
He refused outright. “I’m sorry. I chose to become an Independent Sentinel because my Guide is an Independent Guide. I already have a Bonded Guide, and I don’t intend to join any faction.”
He’d heard that after awakening, Independent Sentinels and Independent Guides with sufficiently high ranks would be recruited by powerful organizations.
The end of December was the annual period when awakenings were arranged. It was also the time when many Sentinels and Guides without family connections could rise to prominence overnight.
He just hadn’t expected these people to come looking for him so quickly.
The middle-aged man remained composed. “Young man, don’t be so quick to decide.”
“The Guide you mentioned is Guide Feng Zhi, isn’t she? But from what I know, she’s only F-rank. The difference between your ranks is too great. Surely you understand what could happen if you bond.”
“Besides, you used to be an orphan. There are many things you’ve never experienced—wealth, status, connections, influence… What Yaoyang Group can offer you might be beyond anything you could earn in a lifetime of hard work.”
“Of course, we won’t force you. We can give you time to think it over. If you change your mind, you can contact me at any time. But allow me to remind you: our Sis likes her Sentinels pure.”