"Hell to the no..."
__Bam!
The sentinel falls even harder this time. Xin Linhua had dropped him with zero courtesy or remorse.
"What the fuck!" Zhao Xi almost gets a mild heart attack "You just dropped him!"
"I...was guiding..." Xin Linhua draws his hand back "How the fuck is everything not going my way?"
His gaze shifts towards the most critically injured sentinel. He crouches in front of the unconscious figure, his hand slowly reaches out to touch the youth’s forearm.
The same phenomenon– a thin streak of hazy blue light...like smoke. A bit more concentrated now.
"Yeah, hell no." Xin Linhua retrieves his hand.
"You can actually guide!" Zhao Xi’s eyes shine with amusement "You can guide them while we wait–"
"I’m not doing that."
"...What?" Zhao Xi’s expression cracks "You’re kidding, right?"
"I’m not." Xin Linhua replies with a deadpan expression.
Zhao Xi closes the distance in seconds. He grabs his friend’s shoulders, shaking him lightly. He exhales like he’s holding himself back.
"Ancestor. My lord. Sire. Da-Shifu. Listen to me. They’ll either end up dead or in a coma if they’re not attended to. Look, i don’t know what the fuck is going on with you, like I love the new Xin Linhua thing you’ve got going, but you can’t leave them to die."
Xin Linhua’s gaze softens. He taps the back of his friend’s hand, leaning close.
"Ah Xi, I assure that I can leave them to die."
"Damn you..." Zhao Xi gives up "If you’re not going to help, forget about it."
He puts up a brave front, throwing out words that make him so sure that Xin Linhua will cave in and help.
Xin Linhua on the other hand can’t be bothered to care. He leans against the doorway with his arms folded.
Thus, with great effort, Zhao Xi drags the unconscious Sentinels into the classroom. All through the process, he cuss his friend out in his mind.
"Fuck..." Zhao Xi straightens up "I hate you so much right now."
"The thought is appreciated." Xin Linhua pats his shoulders.
"Get off my ass!" Zhao Xi swats him aside "When will the institute get here?"
"I don’t know."
"Linhua..." Zhao Xi clenches his fist "You contacted the institute like I told you to, right?"
"Oh..." Xin Linhua touches the tip of his nose guiltily "I’ll go do that right now."
A shoe flies towards his direction. He dodges, running outside to make the call. Follow the newest chapters on g.com.
"Damn, that guide!"
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"They’re stabilized now."
Xin Linhua stares at the four sentinel hooked up to bluish IV drips with furrowed brows. They look battered and broken.
"Xin Linhua." Director Chen turns to him "Thank you. Both you and your friend."
"It’s nothing. Ah Xi did most of the work."
"Thank him on my behalf."
"I’d rather not." Xin Linhua scoffs "I owe him enough favors wrapped in karaoke."
"Ugh..." A voice echoes.
Director Chen, the three Doctors on duty and Xin Linhua turn to the awakened sentinel.
"You’re awake." The lead doctor exhales.
"What...happened?" The sentinel holds his head.
"We miscalculated." Director Chen explains "The rifts required C-Rank Sentinels. Luckily, Xin Linhua was around."
"Xin... Linhua?" The sentinel turns sharply "You..."
"What?" Xin Linhua assesses him warily.
Without warning, the sentinel springs up from the bed, knocking over his IV drip. He closes the distance real fast, grabbing Xin Linhua’s wrist.
Xin Linhua’s body moves fast. His brain kicks into overdrive. He grabs the sentinel, twisting his wrist and knocking him back.
"The fuck..." He rubs his wrist "Is this how you thank the guy who saved your ass?"
"Saved me...?" The Sentinel coughs, staggering to his feet "I heard you...telling your friend to leave us to die..."
Xin Linhua’s expression changes. He coughs guiltily, avoiding eye contact. He wears a wronged expression instead.
"Really...?" The Sentinel’s gaze locks on him like a predator "You dropped me so hard, my brain could have been damaged. All because you didn’t want to come in contact with me. Like now...you don’t want to guide me by accident."
The room goes quiet real quick. Xin Linhua’s expression finally takes on a new form. Murderous. Quick and subtle but they all catch it.
"You..." Director Chen blinks "Xin Linhua, what is he talking about?"
"I must have dropped him harder than I thought." Xin Linhua replies nonchalantly "He’s delusional. Check for a concussion, doctor."
"Do you dare to prove it?" The Sentinel approaches him again.
"Back off. You do not want me to repeat my actions." Xin Linhua’s tone turns cold.
"Don’t worry, I have a few more bones left for you to break."
The Sentinel grabs him again. This time, when Xin Linhua tries to break free, he changes tactics, gripping his forearm instead. The two remain in a dead lock.
Then they see it.
Hazy. Blueish yet grey, maybe white. Thin, extremely thin, like it’s non-existent but it’s there. It swirls between them, seeping into the Sentinel’s skin.
"Ah..." The Sentinel shuts his eyes "I knew it...that feeling..."
"Director Chen, I might kill this one."
The moment those venomous words drop, the Sentinel’s body flies across the room without dignity.
He crashes through a bed or two, some tray and carts before colliding with the wall.
Silence. Pin drop silence.
"Damn..." Xin Linhua rubs his forearm "Sentinel and placing their shitty selves on a high pedestal. You’re a D-Rank. You think I can’t take you?"
"That’s enough." Director Chen’s voice rings out loud and clear.
Xin Linhua clenches his fist, taking a step back as a form of acknowledgement.
Just now, when the Sentinel had acted out of pure madness, the director had not said anything and watched it happen. Now that it seems like Xin Linhua might kill the Sentinel, the director intervenes. Biased.
"Xin Linhua." The man turns to him "What’s going on?"
"I don’t know." Xin Linhua answers honestly "I’m a defect. The whole institute knows that. I shouldn’t be able to guide anyone."
"Ah..." The man sighs.
The three attending doctors are already lifting the Sentinel now, placing him back on the bed.
Indeed, he’s unconscious and he has broken a few more bones.
"Xin Linhua, did you really refuse to guide them?" Director Chen’s expression is hard.
"Why should I?" Xin Linhua turns his face.
"Xin Linhua. You’re a guide under the institute’s banner. Four Sentinel were dying and you refused to help despite having the capability. Do you understand your actions?"
"Yes, I do. And I believe that the institute will not force me to do things I feel shitty about. They have their own guides, let them take care of their Sentinels."