Chapter 52: Calming

Ding Hua had many subordinates in Freedom City.

Some had pledged allegiance to her after she arrived, while others had defected alongside her from Starlight City.

They took turns maintaining order, and at that moment, two of them were patrolling Freedom City Commercial Street.

Aside from those two, another pair of Ding Hua’s men were present, there to buy their daily necessities.

All four of them had seen the famously capable “Mister Li” before. But this figure that Ding Hua was treating with such deference was not him.

“City Lord…” One of the men approached Ding Hua, curiosity all over his face.

Ding Hua knew exactly what he was curious about. She had no intention of explaining, simply ordering: “Old Zhou! Perfect timing. Take a unit out immediately and hunt some Mutant Beasts. Remember—I need them brought back intact.”

After saying this, she rattled off the names of several beast species that Xiang Ye had mentioned as particularly delicious, instructing him to prioritize hunting those.

“Yes, City Lord!” Old Zhou acknowledged. Unable to hold back, he asked, “City Lord… what do you need them for?”

“I have a use,” Ding Hua answered.

Old Zhou failed to get the answer he wanted, but he still decided to follow her orders to hunt.

But just then, the grating shriek of an alarm siren split the air from the distance.

The moment he heard that dreadfully familiar alarm, Old Zhou’s face turned ashen. Without hesitation, he bolted toward the source of the sound.

The Sentinels shopping or manning stalls along the commercial street sprang into action as well.

The lower-rank Sentinels scrambled frantically toward the “Shelter Dens.” Once inside, they slammed the heavy doors shut and hid.

The higher-rank Sentinels… some also fled into hiding, but others—just like Old Zhou—charged straight toward where the alarm sounded.

Such alarms were common in Freedom City. They meant a Sentinel’s Mental Sea had broken down, plunging them into the Berserk state.

According to Freedom City’s mutual defense pact, any Sentinel with the ability was supposed to make every effort to stop a rampaging comrade from attacking others. Afterward, Ding Hua as City Lord offered a reward.

In the past, whenever this happened, Ding Hua was always the first to charge ahead.

But this time, she didn’t rush in recklessly.

For one, she had already sensed the source’s Mental Power. The rampaging Sentinel wasn’t strong—only C-Rank. Old Zhou and the others could handle it.

For another… she had sworn to Ying Li. Come hell or high water, protecting Xiang Ye was her absolute first priority!

Thinking this, she glanced over at Xiang Ye. “Elder Ye, a Sentinel has fallen into Mental Sea Berserk.”

Xiang Ye understood precisely what Berserk entailed. “Let’s go take a look.”

The rampaging Sentinel wasn’t far from them.

The two swiftly reached the scene. They spotted him—a middle-aged Sentinel clad in ragged clothing, eyes blood-red, veins bulging across his forehead, wildly attacking the Sentinels surrounding him.

The encircling Sentinels weren’t passively taking hits. They’d erected a “wall” of Mental Power to prevent the Berserk Sentinel’s crazed mental force from hurting bystanders. At the same time, they were struggling to block his physical attacks and wear down his stamina.

What they were wearing down, perhaps, was not mere energy, but his very life force.

Once a Sentinel entered the Berserk state, his Mental Power vented out of control. A Sentinel of the same rank simply couldn’t resist that kind of feral mental onslaught. Even those of a higher rank struggled to suppress it.

Without special intervention, the poor soul would burn out their Mental Power and physical stamina in their madness until death claimed them. Or, they’d be killed before that point.

Every Sentinel currently fighting this Berserker shared a deep, communal despair—the sorrow of the fox at the hare’s death.

The Sentinels living in Freedom City… none of them had Guides. Dying from a Mental Sea riot was just their fate.

If they’d been living in Starlight City, they could’ve paid to have a Guide comb their Mental Sea, maybe prolonging their lives. But here? No matter how many credits they had, there were no Guides to hire.

Old Zhou’s heart was particularly heavy.

He was a B-Rank Sentinel. In his younger days, he’d fallen in love with a C-Rank Guide. They’d been just one step away from forming a permanent Mental Bond… When suddenly, he’d been expelled from his Hunting Team. No other team would take him afterward.

Hunting alone out in the wilds, the rented vehicle he relied on was stolen, leaving him drowning in debt.

His Guide stayed with him through the bitter hardship for a while. Eventually, unable to endure, she left him.

It was only then that he discovered the truth. Someone else had coveted his Guide, scheming to take her. The entire ordeal had been designed to destroy him.

After successfully seizing his Guide, the conspirator still wanted him dead.

He had no choice but to flee Starlight City and make a life here in Freedom City.

He wasn’t young anymore. His own Mental Sea worsened with each passing day… how much longer could he even hold on?

Suddenly, a gentle, supple wave of Mental Power bloomed across the battlefield.

Old Zhou froze. That was a Guide’s Mental Power! There was a Guide present!

And more than that… an insanely powerful Guide!

His entire body trembling, Old Zhou felt that wave of mental force enshroud the rampaging Sentinel.

The Berserker spasmed, his frenzied attacks weakening.

But Old Zhou didn’t breathe a sigh of relief. He and the other Sentinels around him knew the harsh truth too well. Even with a Guide intervening here and now, it was hopeless.

This Sentinel’s Mental Sea had already collapsed. There was no way for a Guide to conduct a Mental Combing now.

Once a Sentinel had totally fallen into the Berserk state, a Guide couldn’t even enter their Mental Sea.

Xiang Ye had realized the same.

He’d attempted the standard, orthodox Mental Combing methods others had taught him. But he couldn’t even breach the target’s Mental Sea!

Which meant he had to carve a new path.

Xiang Ye had once used his Mental Power to take complete control of Yu Juntao. Now, he manipulated his mental force, barging forcefully into the C-Rank Sentinel’s shattered mind.

The Sentinel might only be C-Rank, but breaking in was far harder than it’d been with Yu Juntao.

Still, Xiang Ye pushed through. The instant he was inside, his first action was to seize absolute control of the Sentinel.

To those watching, the sight was bizarre. The crazed, snarling Sentinel suddenly froze—then moved like a puppet on strings, making strange, jerky motions.

The rampaging waves of his Mental Power ceased venting outward.

The Sentinels who’d been fighting him saw this and instinctively pulled back their attacks, all glancing toward Xiang Ye beside Ding Hua.

They understood now. This man was the Guide who’d appeared out of nowhere.

What had he just done?!

Xiang Ye paid no mind to their confusion. Having the C-Rank Sentinel under his thrall, he attacked the man’s Mental Sea in swift, decisive strokes, scouring it clean.

When Guides combed Sentinels’ Mental Seas, they normally did it bit by bit—slow, painstaking work.

Xiang Ye didn’t want to spend the time. So, he used the same method he used for purging Corrosive Energy from Aberrant Beast Meat—weaving his Mental Power into a wide net and sweeping it through.

All the residual filth and impurities churned up by Corrosive Energy within the Sentinel’s Mental Sea… trapped in Xiang Ye’s net… violently ripped out.

Agony wrenched the Sentinel’s face. But under Xiang Ye’s absolute control, he could not break free.

Once the agony passed… the red haze in his eyes gradually cleared. His Mental Sea settled, returning to stability.

Seeing that, Xiang Ye withdrew his Mental Power without a moment’s hesitation.

He’d expended quite a lot of mental energy in this session. He needed to rest!

Freed from Xiang Ye’s control, the Sentinel collapsed to the ground with a pained grunt.

The fall itself wasn’t what hurt. But earlier, while Berserk, he’d fought without any regard for his own body. He’d been beaten, battered, bruised—even his arm was broken clean.

Yet despite that, he barely caught his breath before scrambling up and kowtowing violently at Xiang Ye’s feet. “Thank you, Your Excellency, for saving my life!”

He raised his head, staring at Xiang Ye with a fanatical fire in his eyes.

The other Sentinels present—Old Zhou included—gazed at Xiang Ye with exactly the same mad fervor.

A C-Rank Sentinel in the full Berserk state was as dangerous as a B-Rank Sentinel. A B-Rank Guide couldn’t soothe him. Only an A-Rank could.

Which meant… this Guide before them was A-Rank?!

Freedom City now had an A-Rank Guide?!

Then… they could live longer too?!

No wonder their City Lord was so reverent! An A-Rank Guide… this was someone who could even comb her Mental Sea! Such beings were every bit as rare as S-Rank Sentinels!

“Get up,” Xiang Ye said to the man.

The man spoke with fervor: “Your Excellency, you saved my life. From this day on, just say the word. Through fire or boiling water, I shall complete your every command!”

He struggled to stand. Then promptly passed out.

Xiang Ye: “…”

Old Zhou didn’t waste a breath. “Your Excellency! I too shall serve as your hound or horse! If you need anything—anything at all—just tell me.”

Old Zhou’s declaration unleashed a flood. The other Sentinels all surged forward, crying out their pledges.

This was an A-Rank Guide!

A Guide this powerful was out of their league for a Mental Bond… but he could comb their Mental Seas. He could give them years more life!

“Enough!” Ding Hua cut through the fervor. “I need to take Elder Ye back to rest now. You all—back to your duties! Old Zhou, get moving and hunt those beasts fast. You better get me several today!”

Old Zhou snapped to attention, barked an acknowledgment, and immediately left.

City Lord Ding had never made such a request before. It must be the Elder Ye who needed the beasts.

If he had a chance to serve the Elder Ye, he would do it perfectly!

To finish the task as fast as possible, Old Zhou grabbed every Sentinel nearby and sprinted out of the city at top speed.

The downed, unconscious Sentinel? Dragged off to the city’s clinic. Sentinel wound recovery was leagues beyond ordinary men; he wouldn’t die. And since he wouldn’t die, no need to fuss.

Once Old Zhou was gone, Ding Hua guided Xiang Ye back into her office. Her voice was laced with concern. “Are you hurt anywhere? Combing a Berserk Sentinel’s Mental Sea is dangerously reckless…”

“I’m fine. Just need to drink some Vine Sap.” Xiang Ye’s voice was low.

Ding Hua immediately produced the sap and handed it over. Then, her tone turned to something like awe. “What you just did was staggering. Xiang Ye, you will absolutely become an A-Rank Guide one day.”

Xiang Ye’s body hadn’t even reached full maturity yet, and he already possessed such terrifying ability.

Becoming A-Rank was practically a certainty.

This younger generation… truly was too terrifying.