Chapter 7: Yu Yan Just Grabbed His Wrist Like That…

Because it was best to avoid taking any action for the time being, everyone settled into a quiet routine aboard the ship, pairing off for sparring sessions.

With some time on his hands, Yu Yan changed into a fresh outfit suited for a guide.

He also performed daily remote guidance sessions for You Fuzhou without making physical contact, and You Fuzhou didn’t refuse.

It wasn’t entirely a case of double standards on his part.

First, he didn’t reject Yu Yan’s mental energy. Second, Yu Yan’s mental energy was strong enough that guiding him had no adverse effects. And third, with hope on the horizon for Rong Yao’s situation, You Fuzhou’s own mental state had begun to improve. He was looking forward to seeing if Yu Yan could come up with another solution.

As Yu Yan had said, he was an S-class guide—a rarity not just in the present day, but throughout history. Maybe he really could find a way to reopen Rong Yao’s spiritual world?

After a couple of days of rest, You Fuzhou rummaged through the warehouse again. He then cleared out an empty room and dove into his work, hammering and banging away inside.

It was at that moment that he received a communication request from Elada.

When You Fuzhou’s communicator lit up, he glanced at it. He waited until it was about to auto-disconnect before freeing his hand to accept the call—but he rejected the video request, switching to audio only.

“You Fuzhou?”

“Yeah.”

You Fuzhou was still polishing a sheet of glass. “Something up?”

Elada sounded exasperated. “What do you think?”

You Fuzhou replied, “If it’s about the training, I’ve thought it over. Send me a list later, and I’ll help plan their regimen.”

Elada said, “You Fuzhou, you know I’m not calling you at a time like this to talk about that. I’m asking about the Yashe Empire.”

You Fuzhou let out a casual “Oh.” His tone stayed light. “We rescued Yu Yan from the Yashe Empire. You know him. I asked him to check on Rong Yao. He said her condition isn’t too bad—her spiritual world has just shut down, but it reacts to my mental energy.”

Elada paused, stunned. After a few seconds of silence, his voice shifted. “So… can he wake Rong Yao up?”

There was a hint of hope in his tone, and You Fuzhou’s own attitude softened in response. “Not sure yet. He said he’d try.”

Elada acknowledged it. “Got it.”

He added, “Stay hidden for now. The Yashe Empire is tearing the universe apart looking for you—they’re going mad. Your bounty has doubled, to two hundred billion. Unheard of.”

You Fuzhou joked, “Really? Nanzi’s going to be thrilled.”

Elada seemed about to say something, but considering the possibility that Rong Yao could wake up, he held back. “If you need anything, just tell me. And don’t come back to the Freedom Alliance yet. Give me a heads-up beforehand so I can prepare.”

You Fuzhou said, “Sure.”

He wasn’t just brushing Elada off.

Truth be told, some things were clear to Elada, the leader of the Freedom Alliance branch. They were equally clear to You Fuzhou, who had already been burned once.

But for certain reasons, the two men tacitly avoided dwelling on them, to prevent an ugly fallout.

Elada needed You Fuzhou, and for the moment, You Fuzhou needed Elada.

A politician could handle things neither of them wanted—or could—do themselves.

Still…

After ending the call, You Fuzhou looked around the room’s setup, and his mood dipped a little.

So he placed a call to Yu Yan.

Yu Yan picked up quickly.

“You Fuzhou?”

Yu Yan always addressed him by his full name. You Fuzhou didn’t mind how he was called—he just found Yu Yan’s voice gentle.

You Fuzhou said, “Yeah. You free?”

Yu Yan chuckled softly. “Just got out of class.”

You Fuzhou had indeed found a guide to teach him.

Yu Yan found it both exasperating and amusing, but he’d gone along with it obediently, attending the lessons properly.

He thought You Fuzhou had a bit of a natural devious streak, but it was kind of endearing.

Yu Yan didn’t mind playing along.

His voice warm, Yu Yan asked, “Can I come find you?”

You Fuzhou figured Yu Yan knew exactly why he was calling, but he had no idea why Yu Yan phrased it that way.

You Fuzhou had always respected boundaries, so he didn’t pry. He just nodded. “I’ll come get you.”

They met every day—sharing meals, chatting about nothing in particular. Even so, You Fuzhou always found Yu Yan refreshing to be around.

Today, Yu Yan wore a simple white casual shirt paired with black relaxed pants. The straightforward outfit only made his face stand out more, unadorned by distracting colors, drawing the eye straight to it.

And dressed like this, Yu Yan truly seemed older than him.

Not older in an aged way, but with the steady poise of an adult.

You Fuzhou thought.

A bit like those politicians.

Not that Yu Yan was cunning or sly… You Fuzhou couldn’t quite put it into words.

Just… really good-looking.

Yu Yan watched You Fuzhou stand there silently for a few seconds and curved his eyes in a smile. “Didn’t we agree I’d come to you?”

You Fuzhou’s gaze drifted slightly. “I didn’t agree.”

He really hadn’t nodded.

Yu Yan hadn’t expected this side of him—it made You Fuzhou seem inexplicably cute. “Alright then. Where to?”

You Fuzhou gestured. “Follow me.”

He led Yu Yan to the space he’d designated. As Yu Yan watched him scan his access privileges, he wondered what secret spot it could be. But after passing through an empty room, what greeted him was a floor littered with tools and several enormous sheets of glass stacked up, leaving barely any room to step.

Yu Yan: “…?”

He looked down at what appeared to be specialized aquarium glass. Even he couldn’t fathom what You Fuzhou was up to.

You Fuzhou’s mental fluctuations were normal. They’d even dipped a little upon first seeing him, but that unexplained low mood lifted the moment their eyes met.

As an S-class sentinel, You Fuzhou might not perceive mental energy directly, but he was still S-class—sensitive to such things.

Yu Yan didn’t want to probe too deeply into You Fuzhou’s thoughts. If he were caught… You Fuzhou wasn’t like other sentinels. Yu Yan didn’t want to risk something uncertain that could lead to trouble.

Still puzzling over it, Yu Yan heard You Fuzhou clear his throat lightly. Bluntly, he asked, “Your spiritual body… is this room big enough?”

This was the largest room he’d selected from the empty ones. It had originally been slated for a training room, but various issues had shelved that, making it perfect for conversion into an aquarium.

Even accounting for the breeding tank setup and equipment that would take up space, there was still room for a massive enclosure.

You Fuzhou had checked: the largest megalodon on record was only thirty meters long. This space could accommodate a fifty-meter-long, sixty-meter-high tank.

Yu Yan froze for a moment, instantly realizing what he meant.

He hadn’t even considered it… so his first reaction was genuine surprise. He stood there, staring straight at You Fuzhou.

You Fuzhou… had spent these past few days building him a fish tank?

A complicated mix of emotions tightened in Yu Yan’s chest.

Unlike the impulsive uplift he usually felt, for the first time, he thought of himself as a failure of a guide. He couldn’t even sort out his own heart.

Yet You Fuzhou’s pure sincerity shone like a bright flame, impossible to look away from.

You Fuzhou said, “It might still be a bit small, but it should be fine for letting it out now and then to stretch its fins.”

A fifty-meter tank? More than fine—it was plenty.

Yu Yan couldn’t understand why You Fuzhou thought it needed to be that long.

Remembering what he’d said, Yu Yan wondered if You Fuzhou had simply googled the size of megalodons and assumed a guide’s spiritual body matched that.

Tactfully, Yu Yan asked, “You never took any classes about guides?”

You Fuzhou didn’t hesitate. “I’m a sentinel.”

Yu Yan fell silent for a few seconds.

He knew sentinels did learn some basics about guides… Sentinel-guide compatibility was practically fated. They were natural partners and needed to understand each other.

So…

Before Yu Yan could say anything, You Fuzhou cleared his throat again and admitted, “Actually… I didn’t pay attention.”

As a young man, he hadn’t seen the point. Now, standing before an older guide, confessing to skipping classes or being selective back in his school days felt oddly awkward and embarrassing.

It was like being quizzed by a parent about his grades.

By the end, You Fuzhou’s voice had grown much quieter.

Yu Yan smiled faintly, without mocking him. He was just curious. “Why not?”

You Fuzhou answered without thinking. “Back then, I never planned on finding a guide. Seemed like too much hassle. I figured having Rong Yao would be enough.”

Yu Yan paused slightly. “You never thought about finding a guide?”

You Fuzhou nodded. “I thought it’d be exhausting, being with me.”

He could try his best to treat a guide well, but he hailed from Ares Planet’s nobility, and as an S-class sentinel…

At that time, You Fuzhou hadn’t considered leaving Ares Planet. Immersed in it, he felt conflicted and pained at the idea that his future spouse would suffer.

There were too many obligations, too many watching eyes.

No one could truly live carefree amid endless gossip and malice building up over time.

Some things were like seeds, buried in the heart, waiting to erupt someday.

You Fuzhou disliked the aristocratic atmosphere, but back then, he was lost, unsure if he could change it.

He truly hadn’t thought of leaving Ares Planet.

Yu Yan hadn’t expected that to be his reason.

So after a slight pause, not entirely unexpectedly, he curved his eyes into a smile. “…You’re really so gentle.”

Yu Yan explained to You Fuzhou, “A Guide’s spiritual body is different from a Sentinel’s. Guides can change the size of their spiritual bodies at will—it’s a manifestation of our control over mental power. And unless we deliberately alter it, keeping a smaller form is the most comfortable state. Have you had much contact with Guides?”

You Fuzhou nodded. “Mm, haven’t really paid attention.”

Yu Yan thought for a moment. “Do you want to see it?”

He asked softly, “My spiritual body.”

You Fuzhou was indeed quite curious. “The megalodon went extinct once… I’ve only ever seen the ones in aquariums—recreated by humans through gene encoding and bred in captivity. They say those are different from the real thing.”

Yu Yan curved his eyes in a smile. “Of course.”

He paused briefly. “Though spiritual bodies are still different from actual animals.”

You Fuzhou was destined never to lay eyes on a real megalodon.

Even so, he did want to see it—if Yu Yan was willing, it hardly counted as rude.

Yu Yan took a step closer, leaning in toward You Fuzhou.

Whenever he spent time with Yu Yan, You Fuzhou always let his guard down a little too much. It was probably because he’d grown accustomed to Yu Yan’s mental power… and by extension, to the man himself.

—That was also why You Fuzhou had always kept Guides at arm’s length.

A Guide’s soothing worked just like that, ensnaring Sentinels all too easily.

So in that first instant, You Fuzhou didn’t have time to dodge. Yu Yan simply seized his wrist.

Unlike the last time, when he’d flipped Yu Yan’s hand away, this time You Fuzhou shook him off on pure instinct.

Both of them froze.

Yu Yan made no further move, merely lowering his gaze.

Mm… far more vigilant than he’d expected. He’d thought You Fuzhou was starting to warm up to him.

By the time You Fuzhou realized what he’d done, his eyes met Yu Yan’s downcast ones. He hesitated, a pang of apology hitting him. “Sorry… I don’t dislike you.”

He worried Yu Yan might take it the wrong way or get upset—especially since Yu Yan so often seemed to undervalue himself. “You just… why grab me all of a sudden?”

A Sentinel’s senses were far too acute.

Yu Yan had only brushed his wrist, yet You Fuzhou could still feel that cool-warm body temperature and faint roughness clinging to his skin, as if it had seeped right into his flesh.

It felt strangely intense.

Yu Yan kept his head lowered as he apologized to You Fuzhou. “I wanted you to see my spiritual body. It was my mistake. They taught me that Guides have to keep their distance from Sentinels outside, to protect ourselves… Some Sentinels think even a simple touch from a Guide is harassment. Sorry.”

You Fuzhou suspected the “harassment” his hired teachers had drilled into Yu Yan didn’t mean quite the same thing Yu Yan thought it did. “…”

But it didn’t matter if their definitions matched or not. Just thinking about that particular misunderstanding made his ears heat up. “No…”

He sighed, already sensing that teaching Yu Yan was going to be an uphill battle. “That’s not the kind of harassment they meant, and I don’t think you’re harassing me.”

Yu Yan’s voice carried such dejection and unease, his handsome face dimmed with it, leaving You Fuzhou at a complete loss for what to do.

After all, he was the one who’d flung the other man away like a venomous snake…

You Fuzhou now regretted not paying better attention in class back in the day.

…Not that it mattered. Under the Ares Empire’s educational system, it probably hadn’t been worth learning anyway. Good thing he’d skipped it.

You Fuzhou stared helplessly at the Guide before him for a moment. This time, Yu Yan didn’t jump in to smooth things over, leaving You Fuzhou even more unsure.

So after agonizing over it for ages, You Fuzhou settled on the simplest solution.

He held out his hand to Yu Yan. “It’s really fine. You can touch me. I just wasn’t expecting it earlier.”

Truth be told, he still found physical contact with a non-related Guide awkward… but whatever. Better to soothe him first.

Yu Yan stared at the hand extended toward him—clean and strong. He didn’t move right away.

You could tell just from looking at You Fuzhou’s hand how diligent he was.

Calluses covered the surface, along with faint traces of old scars… not the hands of a typical twenty-year-old. Not in this non-wartime era, anyway.

Yu Yan shifted at last. Once more, he grasped the hand reaching out to him.

A scorching heat, warm enough to last a lifetime, something that tempted a person like him to tangle with it, bind it tight, and claim it completely.