Morning sunlight spilled across the bedside. Shen Huaiyun’s helmet was abruptly snatched away by Shen Tangmo. Still groggy from being forced awake, he opened his eyes to see Shen Tangmo’s stern expression and immediately shrank back, forcing a dry laugh. “Uh… morning.”
“You went to bed early last night, so you secretly used the helmet until you fell asleep,” the now much taller young man exposed the “mischief” he’d been up to, staring straight into his eyes. “Tonight, I’ll see what time you actually go to sleep. My psychic tentacles will tie you up no helmet for you.”
Shen Huaiyun had braced himself for having his helmet confiscated today, but he hadn’t expected this kind of punishment. His expression went blank. “Huh?”
Isn’t this a reward?
“What ‘huh’? Get up now.” With that, Shen Tangmo’s psychic tentacle darted out and flicked him on the forehead.
Shen Huaiyun threw off the covers, slipped out of bed, and shuffled into the bathroom in his slippers. He turned on the faucet, cupped his hands under the cold water, and splashed it on his face to shake off the last traces of sleepiness.
As he lifted his head, his gaze instinctively fell on the mirror. He wiped away the water droplets sliding down his jaw and tilted his face to examine the long, narrow scar left by a shard of alien carapace.
The face in the mirror had matured considerably. The once slightly rounded cheeks had sharpened into clean, defined lines. The faint scar now added a touch of fierceness to his features, somehow blending in harmoniously.
But it would definitely be gone by next week, sparing him from Shen Tangmo spotting it and triggering some peculiar reactions.
Like frowning and leaning in close, tracing the scar with a fingertip, or having a psychic tentacle press against it, sending a cool sensation deep into his skin.
Not that there was anything wrong with those actions, really. It was just that whenever he was treated like that, a strange, subtle shiver would run from the depths of his heart all the way down his spine. And besides.
“Does Shen Tangmo even realize how lethal his face is? What’s the point of being so good-looking.” he muttered, pulling out a tissue to wipe the water off the bathroom counter.
The person in question happened to walk over just then, leaning against the doorframe. “Talking about me behind my back again?”
With a Guide’s hearing, he must have caught every word. Remembering this, Shen Huaiyun paused for a second, tossed the tissue into the trash, and quickly brushed past him, leaving only a parting remark: “Saying you’re good-looking!”
From Shen Tangmo’s position, he could clearly see Shen Huaiyun’s ears flushed red. His hair hadn’t been trimmed in a while, and the ends had grown long enough to cover the nape of his neck. Untamed from just waking up, it looked a bit like it was standing on end.
Even though he’s four years older now, he’s even easier to tease than when he was little, Shen Tangmo thought.
Four years had passed since the accident that shattered Shen Huaiyun’s mental landscape. Under his older brother’s meticulous care, it had long since healed completely and resumed growing. However, his development had ultimately been delayed by a step, and doctors predicted his differentiation period would be correspondingly postponed.
Now seventeen, Shen Huaiyun still showed no signs of differentiation. Fortunately, he had persisted with his training, and both his mental landscape and psychic energy remained in good condition.
According to recent retests, there was an 80% chance he would differentiate into a Sentinel. Due to the previous shattering of his mental landscape, his level couldn’t be accurately measured, but both the doctors and Shen Tangmo believed it wouldn’t be lower than A-rank.
“Professor Ning sent a message yesterday saying you’re needed today to help test the new training scenario. Don’t forget.” Shen Tangmo pulled the work badge from his backpack and handed it to Shen Huaiyun, who was eating breakfast. “Come find me after you’re done. I don’t have classes this afternoon I’ve booked a restaurant so we can eat out.”
“Mhm.” The boy swallowed a mouthful of century egg and lean pork congee and took the badge. “Got it.”
During the first few months of his recovery, because the fragments of his mental landscape hadn’t been fully sorted out yet, Shen Huaiyun couldn’t use his psychic abilities and was also restricted in how long he could engage in physical training.
With nothing much to do, he used the helmet’s built-in course system and online learning apps to self-study all the subsequent course material, passing both the academy’s and Professor Ning’s assessments.
Since there were few precedents for this, and he already had an integrated training helmet, Ning Yanfeng simply submitted a request to carve out a separate section for him, also loaded into that helmet, with Professor Ning as his mentor arranging his subsequent study and training plans.
“Truly a first-time bride getting married,” Ning Yanfeng had sighed during the video call back then, before straightening up and taking a sip of strong tea from his enamel mug. “Even after your treatment is complete, you won’t need to attend classes like before. I’ll apply to the school for a few more exotic species to intensify your ability training.”
He’d had Old Liu recount Shen Huaiyun’s performance that day several times in detail and was quite interested in the black psychic blade he had condensed.
So, over the three years since recovering from his injuries, whenever Shen Huaiyun went to school, he was either holed up in the training room battling exotic species or looking for Shen Tangmo.
Zhu Ji had even come knocking on a weekend once, seriously asking if he’d slacked off on his studies after lying around for a year.
Back then, his face was full of exasperation: “Comrade Huaiyun, you can’t do this. Last weekend, I saw your game profile showed you’d drawn a new character again. Tell me the truth have you been gaming all day!”
“Tsk.” Shen Tangmo, standing nearby, looked displeased. “Why are you always checking his game profile? Is it because you want to play games with him?”
“Hey, don’t worry, it’s a single-player turn-based game no multiplayer mode!” Zhu Ji ignored him and continued staring at Shen Huaiyun, his gaze disapproving yet mixed with a hefty dose of envy. “You’re only fourteen, you should focus on studying. But if you have free time at home, could you help me grind my account.”
Before he could finish, Shen Tangmo elbowed him aside.
Shen Huaiyun was both amused and exasperated, silently showing him his test paper.
“Huh? 97? Well, that’s fine then.”
Just as Zhu Ji looked away, he suddenly sensed something off and turned back. “Wait a minute isn’t this the sixth-year exam??”
Shen Tangmo brought over the other papers, unable to suppress a proud smile at the corner of his mouth. “Here, there’s also the seventh-year exam. Huaiyun has already finished all those courses and is training with Professor Ning now.”
“?!”
Zhu Ji didn’t understand. Zhu Ji was utterly shocked.
“What kind of study monster are you?! Shen Tangmo, you deliberately didn’t tell me to watch me make a fool of myself, didn’t you?! Damn, don’t tell me you’ve already self-studied everything too?!”
“If my little brother has finished, of course I have to keep up.”
“Damn, you two really are from the same family both study monsters!!”
In the end, he left carrying their test papers and notes. He was smiling quite happily as he walked away after all, he’d suddenly gained two more people to copy homework from.
Not to be outdone by his younger brother’s efforts, Shen Tangmo, as the elder brother, also excelled. He graduated with the top grades in his entire year, then underwent two years of guide training at the academy. Due to his outstanding performance and the recommendation of his mentor, Lin Ziyan, he was retained as Lin Ziyan’s assistant, responsible for teaching certain courses in graduate training.
Others believed he could continue down the academic path and achieve significant results. After serving three years of mandatory military service on the front lines, he could retire and return to become a professor. Alternatively, he could join the military and take the Tower’s assessment. As a rare S-class guide, his promotions would be swift, and he could become a high-ranking officer within a few years.
In short, Shen Tangmo’s future was boundless.
Shen Tangmo himself, however, had never given it much thought. He simply aimed to secure a position at the academy so he wouldn’t have to part ways with Huaiyun before his differentiation. Once Huaiyun differentiated, they could join the Tower together and perhaps even reunite with their parents at the Belya Tower.
If Huaiyun didn’t plan to spend his entire life on the front lines and wanted to pursue other work, Shen Tangmo would be there to support him however he could.
Zhu Ji’s assessment: a max-level brother-con, beyond all hope of redemption.