Chapter 9: “Wait for Me to Come Back—I’ll Show You the Gift…”

Yu Yan could guess what You Fuzhou wanted to ask, but he didn’t elaborate.

Telling You Fuzhou about his background was, of course, a sign of trust. After pulling him into his Spiritual World, You Fuzhou had become completely transparent to him—he could see right through the man. That was why he was certain You Fuzhou was trustworthy.

As for the fact that people could change… Yu Yan knew that all too well.

But no one could predict the future. If you spent all your time fretting over what might happen, you might as well not live at all.

For now, You Fuzhou was someone he could trust, and that was enough.

The reason he trusted him but still held back on sharing was simple: some things could be rushed, but others needed time.

He and You Fuzhou hadn’t known each other long—just a few days. Some truths had to be revealed gradually, or it would seem too calculated.

So Yu Yan didn’t pick up the thread as helpfully as he might have. Instead, he changed the subject, glancing at the glass on the floor. “I’m really looking forward to it.”

He turned his gaze back to You Fuzhou and said, “Thank you.”

As he spoke, those pitch-black eyes caught the overhead light, sparkling brilliantly. “This is the first time… someone’s made me a fish tank not to trap me, but to give my Spiritual Body some room to stretch its wings. After I escaped, my adoptive parents took me home, but I never dared tell them I was a mermaid.”

It was true.

Because Yu Yan had always felt like a monster.

You Fuzhou paused for a moment. Thinking of Yu Yan’s background, he couldn’t help imagining him confined in a cramped tank, barely able to move.

You Fuzhou knew all about it, because he’d seen humans locked in narrow display cases. Normal people could never fathom what those power-corrupted elitists—people who saw themselves as superior—would do just to flaunt their status.

And… some people had truly disgusting fetishes.

Looking at Yu Yan now, You Fuzhou just felt a deep ache in his chest.

That ache made him want to treat Yu Yan even better—and it added a touch of urgency.

This rotten imperial system had to be torn down, and the sooner the better.

But their strength wasn’t enough yet, and they couldn’t fully rely on the Freedom Alliance either. Elada was a politician, after all—or rather, most of the people with real sway in the Freedom Alliance were politicians.

They’d have to bide their time a little longer.

They needed to stir up more incidents, cause bigger disturbances, until the oppressed masses realized they could fight back—that they had the power to resist if they chose to.

The nobles, the imperial family… those people shared the same blood. They needed to learn that nothing was invincible, that no one was omnipotent.

A single act of rebellion or uprising required a great deal of buildup.

Not everyone was born knowing how to fight back. Some needed to be taught, guided.

~~~

These were lessons others had taught You Fuzhou.

~~~

After that, You Fuzhou kept working on the fish tank, meeting up with Yu Yan every day for chats.

He discovered that Yu Yan was incredibly knowledgeable, well-versed in all sorts of topics. They could talk about anything, and they always clicked.

And perhaps because Yu Yan had started to trust him, he no longer hunched his shoulders or acted subservient just to get by.

You Fuzhou truly ached for him. He’d seen plenty of Guides like Yu Yan, so he could imagine why the man had put on such a performance.

He also noticed that Yu Yan wasn’t picky about food—he’d eat anything edible.

And he never wasted a bite. He’d clean his plate every time, not leaving a single grain of rice behind. It was clear he’d known hard times.

Plus… Yu Yan was pretty popular.

He’d been on the warship for half a month, and he got along well with everyone.

One day, while You Fuzhou was sparring with Nanzi and the others, he overheard them talking about Yu Yan.

They said he was a great guy with a solid personality. Whenever they needed a hand, he’d step in without hesitation. And being S-Class, he could sense everyone’s mental states, even reminding them to get guidance sessions soon.

~~~

Sentinels weren’t great at self-awareness. By the time they noticed something was off mentally, it was often already serious.

~~~

Even Li Santian came over and asked him, “Boss, what do you think of Yu Yan?”

You Fuzhou had no idea what he was getting at. “Spit it out.”

Li Santian’s eyes lit up. “I want to pursue him! I want to be his Sentinel!”

You Fuzhou: “…”

Nanzi scoffed from the side. “You’re not even as tall as him, Mr. Yu. He’s clearly an aggressive Guide—you might not even beat him in a fight.”

Li Santian bristled. “So what if a Sentinel can’t beat a Guide? That just means he’s awesome! I’m trying to date him, not spar! Who cares if I can’t win? Mutual attraction is what matters most, okay?”

It made so much sense that Nanzi couldn’t argue back. Another Sentinel bumped Li Santian’s shoulder. “Didn’t you say you liked gentle Guides who call you ‘big brother’?”

He added, “You also said they should be a head shorter than you—so they’re cute to pick up and hold.”

Li Santian: “People’s ideal types change.”

You Fuzhou listened without chiming in right away.

It wasn’t that he was embarrassed—these were Sentinels, after all. He wasn’t one to blush over talk of crushes.

He was just picturing Li Santian and Yu Yan side by side… and couldn’t quite say who’d pass for the Sentinel and who the Guide.

Clearly, Yu Yan’s half-mermaid heritage had given him the edge in height.

Mermaids were natural Guides, but when they stood upright, they were tall and imposing.

Stats showed that a typical male mermaid measured around two and a half meters from tail tip to head—their tails were that long. On land, whether they shifted their legs or not, with the tail curled, they topped out at about two meters.

But mermaids varied by type—the strongest were the Shark Clan.

Yu Yan’s Spiritual Body made it obvious: half his mermaid blood came from the Shark Clan.

Adult Shark Clan mermaids were at least three meters long…

So at just under two meters, Yu Yan was actually held back by his human half.

You Fuzhou zoned out for a bit, lost in thought, when Li Santian called him again. “Boss.”

He snapped back. “Yeah?”

Li Santian: “You’ve talked to Yu Yan a lot. Has he mentioned what kind of person he’s into?”

You Fuzhou didn’t even need to think. “Ask him yourself.”

He grabbed his jacket. “I’m heading out. Hold down the fort—call if anything comes up.”

Nanzi jumped up. “I’ll come too!”

You Fuzhou didn’t look back. The White Lion materialized behind him, blocking Nanzi. “You stay.”

Nanzi wailed, “Boss!!!”

But they all knew that when You Fuzhou’s Spiritual Body stepped in, it was non-negotiable.

This time, though, You Fuzhou hadn’t told anyone about his outing—not even Yu Yan.

That evening, when Yu Yan didn’t see him, he paused and asked Li Santian, who’d sidled up. “Where’s You Fuzhou?”

“Boss?”

Li Santian noticed he was looking for You Fuzhou first and felt his chances slipping away. With a sigh, he said, “He went out.”

Yu Yan’s brow furrowed ever so slightly.

The storms outside hadn’t died down yet—the Yashe Empire was still frantically hunting. What was You Fuzhou doing out there?

Yu Yan pressed, and Li Santian replied, “We don’t know. Boss doesn’t usually report his plans to us. Maybe Elada needed him.”

Elada.

A Leader in one of the Freedom Alliance’s branches.

Yu Yan went quiet for a few seconds.

He decided he’d better sort out the Freedom Alliance issue sooner rather than later.

Lest his Sentinel get sold out by them one day without him knowing.

Yu Yan lowered his gaze, hiding the chill in his eyes. “I see.”

He deliberately let a hint of dejection and anxiety slip—emotions a Sentinel could pick up on. “When… when he gets back, could you tell him to talk to me?”

Li Santian sensed the shift immediately. “Yeah, sure. What’s up?”

Yu Yan shook his head, looking reluctant to say more. He even hugged his arms to himself. “Thanks… I’ll head back to my room.”

The next morning—early for You Fuzhou, aboard his fighter—he got a call from their mothership.

“Talk.”

“Boss.”

Li Santian scratched his head. “Yu Yan seems off mentally? Dai Wei said he skipped class this morning and didn’t show at the mess hall for breakfast. I went to his door, but he wouldn’t open up. He’s holed up in there, sounds scared.”

You Fuzhou’s brow furrowed as he plotted a return course on the fighter. “What happened?”

Li Santian was baffled too. “No idea… Nothing happened.”

He paused, thinking. “Uh, except you leaving?”

But weren’t Sentinels the ones who depended on Guides?

How come this Guide was depending on a Sentinel?

Li Santian mulled it over, then whispered, “Maybe all that toughness lately was just an act for us, so we wouldn’t worry? Deep down, he’s still scared. You leave, and boom—no sense of security.”

The more he thought about it, the more it made sense.

After all, You Fuzhou had personally carried Yu Yan out of that cage. It was natural for him to feel safe only with You Fuzhou around.

You Fuzhou ended his task and hit return nav. “I’m coming back now.”

He added, “Put the comm by Yu Yan’s door. I need to talk to him.”

It would take him hours to get back, and traveling between planets meant time dilation. For You Fuzhou, it’d be the next day, but by the time he reached the mothership, five days would have passed for Yu Yan.

Li Santian hustled the communicator over. “Yu Yan, Boss wants to talk to you.”

Hearing You Fuzhou’s voice, Yu Yan’s eyelids fluttered slightly, but he still did not open the door.

Li Santian could hear him walk up to the door, so he told You Fuzhou that Yu Yan was listening.

“I’m on my way back right now,” You Fuzhou said.

His tone betrayed little emotion. It was not particularly gentle, yet it carried an unmistakable sense of reassurance and resolve. “Interstellar jumps come with time dilation. By the time I reach the mothership, it will probably have been another two days for you all.”

He did not tell Yu Yan not to be afraid. You Fuzhou knew that if Yu Yan’s fear truly stemmed from his departure, such words would do nothing to help.

After a moment’s thought, he remembered that sometimes the purest, most unworldly souls could utter the most captivating words of affection. “I’ve brought you a gift.”

You Fuzhou hoped the anticipation would dispel Yu Yan’s panic. “Wait for me to come back. I’ll show you the gift.”