For three days, Xin Linhua stays cooped up in the dorm, not daring to step out.
The news about the rift has spread to all divisions and even Rong Yizhan minimizes the amount of time he uses in the gym and training grounds.
Aside from the news, Xin Linhua is avoiding a certain Sentinel who may or may not attack him if they meet.
As much as he wants to ignore it, Director Chen has summoned him. He has to go and he can’t avoid Gao Chengi for long.
____
"Director." Xin Linhua pushes the door open "I was directed here by your assistant."
"Come in." The man waves him in.
Xin Linhua steps into the research laboratory, his heart pounding wildly in his chest. He tentatively walks to the man’s side.
"Acting timid now, are we?" The man sneers.
"Who knows what–"
"Shut it."
Director Chen turns to the researchers.
"Let’s get started."
"St-Started?" Xin Linhua stutters "What are we starting? What the–"
"It’s just a test." Director Chen cuts him off "To determine how vast your core is."
"Oh..." Xin Linhua nods.
He obediently takes off his coat and lays down as instructed. Blood is drawn from him and stored in a container.
"If you were gonna draw my blood only, you could have done that in the Infirmary." Xin Linhua flexes his fingers.
"Unless you want to announce to the entire institute about your abilities, you best keep your mouth shut." Director Chen shoots back.
"Oh...understandable."
"Please, take off your ra?ar." One of the researchers says.
Xin Linhua complies. He follows their instructions, standing on a white small platform. The surface glows white. It pulses faintly, letting out a soft noise. Read this novel at novelping . com for the best experience.
"We’ll now begin the test. Please hold out your arms and stay still."
The researchers tap a few times on their tablet. The faint light suddenly grows stronger.
A transparent ring of light slowly emerges from the platform, circling around Xin Linhua’s figure. It floats up then down and repeats the motion a few times.
"Done." The platform goes dead.
"That’s it?" Xin Linhua frowns as he steps down.
"Yes. We’re done for today."
"What’s the result?" Director Chen asks.
One of the researchers approaches them with a thin sheet of paper. He passes it to the Director.
"What? What does it say?" Xin Linhua cranes his neck.
The two read through the report as silence slowly descends upon them.
"This is impossible..." Xin Linhua takes the report.
"Your Rank didn’t improve, you’re still an F-Rank guide." The Director mutters.
"But my wavelength...what the fuck do they mean by they can’t read it?"
"Well..." The lead researcher adjusts his glasses "We don’t understand either. The rank is still F, but your wavelength is immeasurable and unstable. It shouldn’t be like that. F-Ranks don’t have guide abilities but you do, and it’s on a dangerous level."
"In simple terms, you shouldn’t be able to guide. Your wavelengths are harmful and dangerous considering the fact that you can’t control them. You’ll need more than one ra?ar as well."
"Why...?" Xin Linhua squeezes the report.
"The one you’re using can barely keep you contained. You might harm your Sentinel unknowingly and others as well. The ra?ar with you is used by E-Ranks. You need a new one. No, you need multiple."
"Are you kidding me!?" Xin Linhua kicks a table "I’ve seen the ra?ars you gave to my Sentinel. Do you think people won’t start guessing if I were to wear them as well? I’ll be fucked over! I’m practically announcing it to the world!"
"Eight..." Xin Linhua tugs at his hair "I’m fucking screwed..."
Tossing the report aside, Xin staggers out of the lab.
The higher your Rank, the more ra?ars you’re assigned. Hirano Asahi has three. Most Sentinels have four and the highest he has seen so far, is Sixteen– assigned to Rong Yizhan.
For a guide, having three to four ra?ars is considered high. If he were to wear eight, he’d be screwed over for real!
"I’ll just hide them..." He mutters as he walks out of the division "Yeah! Somewhere no one will see. Maybe I’ll ask for them to be a form of jewelry..."
"Found you!"
A strong grip latches on to Xin Linhua’s forearm.
He flinches slightly, clearly caught off guard. He raises his head. Gao Chengi.
"You little piece of shi–" Gao Chengi drags him forward "I almost thought you ran back to your family’s protection."
"Gao Chengi." Xin Linhua’s gaze darkens "You’ve caused quite a scene just to find me."
"Of course, it’s been a while since I last got a taste of such impeccable guiding!" His grip tightens "Where’s the other defect? I had you two are like–"
___BAM!
Gao Chengi staggers back, blood drips from his split lips. He touches the injury, stabilizing himself.
"Wow..." He laughs loudly "Your Rank may be fucking low, but your combat abilities are not. I’ve never seen such a violent and proactive guide before. Fuck! This is driving me crazy!"
Xin Linhua shakes off the feeling from his wrist. Hearing that crazy laughter coming from Gao Chengi, his panic from earlier and irritation from the past few days morphes into something else.
Having stepped out of the research division, they happen to be in an open and vast space. For people who have nothing better to do than fight monsters, gossiping is another hobby of theirs.
Fighting is prohibited. If you want to fight, keep it under wraps, on the training grounds, or take it to the stadium and be a means of entertainment for the others.
What more– people have heard about how Gao Chengi has been frantically searching for Xin Linhua. They know about what happened with the two mid-level gates and that Xin Linhua had saved him. They don’t know the details, just bits and pieces.
"What do you want?" Xin Linhua holds himself back.
"That’s more like it!" Gao Chengi closes in on him "You know what I want. Well, unless you want me to start spreading rumors, be my guide."