Chapter 7: Captain
Xu Xunyue didn’t pause for long.
After answering that extremely simple question, he added, “A fair trade. Think again. What else do you want?”
Zhu Hui fell into a brief silence.
At first, his lips parted, as if he had words ready to spill out, but he didn’t say them. Instead, after a moment, he said softly, “Then I want your mental soothing.”
“My mental soothing?” Xu Xunyue expressed his surprise. Both of Zhu Hui’s choices had surprised him. “I have no experience with mental soothing, and besides, I’m an Offensive Guide. It will most likely be painful.”
“But our compatibility rating meets the standard.”
“…”
This time, it was Xu Xunyue’s turn to be silent.
“Compatibility rating meets the standard.” Was Zhu Hui referring to that 60.01%?
He would bet his first-place grades in compatibility theory from the Guide Academy that a mental soothing with a genuine 60.01% compatibility rating was definitely less effective than the best-selling artificial Guide pheromones in the Imperial Capital.
Of course, that was assuming it was a genuine 60.01%.
When he got out, perhaps he could retest their compatibility with Zhu Hui.
Although he had used mental suggestion and induction in their subsequent interactions, and the kissing and hugging would have intensified the physical reaction, it was an indisputable fact that Zhu Hui had been thrown into a bonding heat the moment he entered the room.
For a Sentinel, there were three ways to alleviate agitation and overload: establish a one-on-one intimate relationship and bond with a Guide; seek general soothing at a mental soothing chamber or from a military doctor; or purchase the various artificial Guide pheromones developed by the White Tower. The difficulty of obtaining these three options decreased in that order.
Finding a fated partner required luck, but artificial Guide pheromones had been a project of the White Tower for centuries.
They were affordable, widely applicable, and fast-acting. Even a Sentinel from an ordinary background could save up a few days’ salary to buy this life-saving item. The current best-seller in the Empire, although its effects varied slightly from person to person, was generally equivalent to the soothing of a Guide with 65% compatibility. The only insignificant drawback was that it wasn’t as “vivid” as a real person, which was easy to understand—after all, frozen food was never as good as freshly made.
Then there was Zhu Hui himself. After the marriage contract, Xu Xunyue had looked up his compatibility list.
The compatibility list was the result of matching a test subject’s data with all the personnel data in the database. The operator would get a list of everyone with a compatibility rating of 60% or higher with the test subject. Every Sentinel or Guide in the Empire who reached the age of twenty-five would have their data entered into the system for calculation, and every year thereafter, they would receive their own compatibility list.
The compatibility list did not trigger any mandatory procedures; it was actually a form of matchmaking, encouraging those who had not yet found a partner to take targeted action.
Personal terminals couldn’t perform this test; it required specialized equipment that was only available in relevant departments and among a few noble families. Xu Xunyue was on good terms with the Minister of Finance, so he had found an opportunity to visit him shortly after the marriage was announced and had taken a look at Zhu Hui’s compatibility list.
Zhu Hui’s compatibility list was of a rather rare type.
There were no Guides with a compatibility rating of over 70% with him. There were a few above 60%, with most of the data scattered between 67% and 62%. His 60.01% with Xu Xunyue was, without a doubt, the lowest.
A blank compatibility list didn’t have a major impact on a Guide, but for a Sentinel, it was an early death notice. Zhu Hui wasn’t at such a critical stage, but the situation was still very unfavorable.
No compatibility rating above 70% meant that no matter how good the doctor, they could only provide the most basic treatment for a patient. They would be helpless against severe mental wounds.
Fortunately, Zhu Hui’s spiritual landscape had always been in a relatively stable state. Xu Xunyue hadn’t found any records of him visiting a mental soothing chamber, so he had probably been dealing with it himself or buying artificial Guide pheromones.
So… why would Zhu Hui want his mental soothing?
Xu Xunyue wasn’t opposed to the activity. Mental soothing could be said to be an innate ability of every Guide. Previously, he had been unable to apply his knowledge and insights due to compatibility limitations. Now that he had the opportunity for practical application, he was actually quite interested.
However, interest was one thing. Protecting, repairing, and healing were all much more difficult than destroying.
Destruction only required a single oversight, a single misstep. Repair, on the other hand, required complete trust and focused attention.
“If you want it, of course you can have it,” Xu Xunyue concluded, turning his gaze to the memory leaf in his palm.
The scene that met his eyes was a classic view of the Central Districts.
Xu Xunyue knew that Zhu Hui and the other four had traveled all the way from the Imperial Capital, through the Central Districts and the Undeveloped Zones, to the border of a certain Cataclysm Zone.
The Central Districts were not developed, but they were safe. Snow covered the rooftops and streets, a thin layer of frost coated the walls, and icicles hung from the bare trees. Unlike the Imperial Capital, this place had a sense of tranquility mixed with a touch of decay.
The sun hung weakly in the sky, serving only as a source of light, posing no threat to the frozen puddles.
Even so, having the sun out at all was considered rare good weather.
The image on the leaf moved forward as the vehicle advanced, accompanied by the sound of snow being crushed by the wheels. The camera—that is, Zhu Hui’s line of sight—also moved, landing on the entrance of a roadside courtyard about a hundred meters away.
A bearded middle-aged man was squatting there, his hand covering his chin, a cigarette with a faint ember in his mouth. When the wind blew, the ash flickered and singed his stubble.
He was against the light, squinting at them.
“Attention.”
A voice, much clearer and colder than the ambient sound, emerged.
“One hundred and thirty meters ahead, there’s the smell of low-quality tobacco.”
Xu Xunyue recognized the voice as Zhu Hui’s.
A Sentinel’s five senses were highly developed. Smelling the pungent odor of low-quality tobacco without any warning could easily cause agitation and discomfort. His reminder was timely.
The rustling sound of fabric followed, likely from someone adjusting their posture.
“It’s true, that old man is smoking. Cigarettes are so expensive these days. Don’t tell me he’s smoking something from before the Cataclysm that’s been sitting around for over a decade?” This was a clear, bright male voice.
Another crisp female voice said, “Roger that. All three mental links are adjusted.”
“Mm.” Zhu Hui’s gaze began to turn to the left. The car window and the seatback were swept over one by one, revealing the other four young people in the car.
One Guide, three Sentinels, plus Zhu Hui himself—a “4+1” five-person squad, the smallest combat unit in the Empire.
In the Empire, there were three paths for military enlistment: forming a squad to roam the various Undeveloped Zones where incidents occurred, staying at a fixed outpost in an Undeveloped Zone, or guarding the Imperial Capital. Those without connections who had just graduated, or students from the White Tower who had obtained early enlistment qualifications, would usually join a squad.
Xu Xunyue had led such teams before, several of them. Because he was an Offensive Guide with a blank compatibility list, his team composition was a unique “3+2,” with one extra Guide and one fewer Sentinel.
In the image, the baby-faced male Sentinel who had just spoken was still talking: “Captain, how can you sense it from so far away and remain so calm? You’re so stable, it’s amazing!”
“Eyes,” Zhu Hui said calmly.
“…”
“Pfft-hahahahahahaha.” An extremely thin young man sitting next to him burst out laughing, then said as if it were a matter of course, “The captain is the captain. It’s not like he’s been this stable for just a day or two.”
Beside him, the short-haired, sharp-looking female Guide nodded in agreement, her eyes filled with admiration.
“The captain is the closest person to a Dark Sentinel I’ve ever seen.”
A Dark Sentinel was a legendary concept, referring to Sentinels with extremely powerful mental strength and self-control. They could manage their own emotions and had almost no dependence on Guides.
There were no verifiable records of Dark Sentinels in the Empire’s archives, but people were accustomed to calling the very few individuals who had lost their bonded Guides but survived and remained lucid—individuals who were calmer and more independent—”acquired Dark Sentinels.”
“That’s great. I want to be like the captain, too. Then I could try what cigarettes taste like,” the baby-faced Sentinel began to daydream.
“Is that all you aspire to? You want to be a Dark Sentinel just to smoke? So cringey,” the thin young man began to mock his companion.
“You don’t get it! My brother is a Guide, and I don’t know what kind of cigarettes he smokes, but they smell amazing. When I was little, I used to love having him blow smoke rings of different shapes for me to play with. I awakened early, and before I awakened, I was too young and my family wouldn’t let me smoke. After I awakened as a Sentinel… sigh, don’t even get me started! It doesn’t matter if it’s low-quality or high-quality, the smell is just too strong.”
“Your brother? I think I’ve heard of him. Is he a teacher at the White Tower?”
“Yeah, yeah, he’s super amazing. Someone like you who doesn’t have a brother wouldn’t understand, hehe.”
“Get lost!”
The two young men began to bicker and trade insults.
“Um… dear team doctor,” a new voice that hadn’t appeared before spoke up. It was the fifth member of the squad who had been silent all along. He had thick bangs and looked very introverted. “Could you lower my hearing for me? Thank you.”
The female Guide understood. She pursed her lips, unable to hold it in, and finally burst out laughing.
The thin young man was horrified.
“What? You think we’re too loud? Captain, do something about him! We’ve only said a few words. This is not good for internal unity at all!”
This person liked to use expressive particles in his speech. Xu Xunyue couldn’t help but analyze it.
The image turned, and Zhu Hui’s gaze swept over the four young faces looking at him. Xu Xunyue faintly heard a sound like an exhale that was also a laugh.
Zhu Hui must have smiled too. After a moment, he said in a deep voice:
“This mission was specially assigned to the team by the Emperor. The content is to collect plant samples from the borders of all the Undeveloped Zones in the Diamond Sea. The planned entry point is the Diamond Sea B1 Zone. Although this area is relatively safe, we can’t be too relaxed. We’re about to leave the Central Districts. The car won’t be able to go any further after another day’s drive. Everyone, be prepared for hiking and diving.”
“Yes, sir!”
“Okay, Captain.”
“Roger that.”
Hearing the reminder, the previously chattering team members shed their relaxed demeanor, and each of them straightened up, full of spirit.
It was clear that this was a team with a good relationship. The members were all around twenty years old, with slightly different military ranks, but there was no barrier in their conversation.
Compared to when he was in front of Xu Xunyue, Zhu Hui appeared more composed in this memory. The four team members respected him but were not afraid of him. He had absolute leadership over this team.
He was the captain of this team.
Every squad that conducted rescues in the Undeveloped Zones or carried out missions in the Cataclysm Zones needed a captain who was good at observation and decision-making. In a crisis, the members would execute orders with 100% compliance and fully support the captain’s actions. The captain also had to bear the heaviest responsibilities and pressure, acting as the sharpest spear of the team.
Xu Xunyue was extremely familiar with this position. He had been called by this title countless times by his comrades and the residents of the Undeveloped Zones. He knew that this position was the most vulnerable to attack and had an extremely high mortality rate.
But now, having lived this long, the people who had once walked alongside him were gone, and the number of names to remember kept growing.
Even though the flame of his survival instinct had never been extinguished, and he knew that a certain degree of skill was a factor, Xu Xunyue sometimes still thought that his luck was just too good.
Everyone had fought desperately to live. Why was he the one who walked out of the Cataclysm Zone?
He felt ashamed of it.
Luck was truly a difficult thing to control. He detested everything uncontrollable, because uncontrollable meant accidents, meant being caught off guard, meant being helpless.
Parting and death could be just around the corner, tomorrow.
In the blink of an eye, the scene in the memory leaf shifted to the bottom of the sea.
At the very edge of the frame, floating ice could be faintly seen on the surface of the sea. The water was very clear, and in the center of the view was a sizable algae cluster.
Colorful fish swam around the Sentinel’s long legs, as if curious about the rare two-legged visitor.
The Diamond Sea, B1 Zone.
