Chapter 6: “Giant-Toothed Sharks Are So Cool.”

To be honest, You Fuzhou wasn’t surprised at all that Yu Yan would say something like that.

He just wasn’t good at interpersonal relationships—he wasn’t an idiot. From what he’d seen last night, You Fuzhou had sensed that Yu Yan wasn’t entirely harmless. The man undoubtedly had his own schemes and calculations.

But so what?

Given Yu Yan’s background, his status as an S-Class Guide, and that face of his, it was only natural for him to want to survive.

As long as he wasn’t hurting anyone, there was nothing wrong with it.

That was why You Fuzhou didn’t call him out on it. Everyone had their own way of getting by… especially since Yu Yan had clearly picked up some unhealthy, twisted ideas because of those people. There was no denying that.

If it weren’t for them, why would Yu Yan have developed such survival tactics in the first place?

You Fuzhou gazed at Yu Yan, who curved his eyes in a slight, gentle smile. “Then I’ll give it a try?”

You Fuzhou knew Yu Yan had been using his mental energy to soothe him this whole time, absorbing all those awful emotions of his. So he said, “Don’t you want to rest a bit first?”

“It’s fine.”

Yu Yan released You Fuzhou’s hand. “I’m an S-Class Guide, after all.”

He spoke softly, but You Fuzhou caught the confidence and resolve gleaming in his eyes.

Compared to that soft, fragile image—like some vine that could only cling to others to grow—You Fuzhou found this version of Yu Yan far more dazzling.

It shone with a completely different kind of brilliance than his delicate beauty.

So You Fuzhou smiled too. “Alright.”

He opened the hatch of the medical pod, and Yu Yan gently placed his hand on Rong Yao’s forehead, closing his eyes.

In that instant, You Fuzhou could have sworn he heard the sound of waves crashing.

A massive wave rushed toward him, carrying the damp saltiness of sea wind yet wrapped in a vast, serene calm that steadied the heart. It wasn’t the oppressive force of raging storm surges.

It was more like being softly embraced and lapped by the sea…

Come to think of it, Yu Yan still hadn’t released his own spiritual body. Was it not easy for him to do so?

An ocean-type spiritual body? That was rare.

When Yu Yan stepped into Rong Yao’s spiritual world, he found nothing but darkness.

He sensed danger lurking everywhere, but he didn’t back down or let any fear bleed through to affect Rong Yao.

Rather than doing nothing and waiting for Rong Yao to open the door for him, Yu Yan acted in a way that didn’t match the personality he’d shown in front of You Fuzhou at all.

He boldly deployed his immense mental energy to construct an environment his spiritual body was accustomed to right there in her world—

An endless ocean beneath a tranquil, star-studded night sky.

Yu Yan stood on a small boat as a massive shadow glided through the waters below.

Rong Yao didn’t reject him.

That caught Yu Yan off guard.

By all rights, she should have reacted at this point. Even if she’d shut her spiritual world voluntarily, her instincts should kick in against an intruder…

“…”

Yu Yan wasn’t controlling anything, but a faint breeze suddenly stirred across the sea’s surface.

It was Rong Yao’s mental energy.

So subtle it was almost inaudible. If Yu Yan’s mental power hadn’t been powerful and sensitive enough, he might have missed it entirely.

He focused and captured that drifting gust, finally hearing an uncertain, distant call within it—

“…Brother?”

That’s when Yu Yan understood why Rong Yao hadn’t rejected him.

He’d been soothing You Fuzhou earlier, so his mental energy carried You Fuzhou’s “scent.”

She wasn’t defenseless; he’d essentially entered carrying a key.

But the key was incomplete. It couldn’t fully unlock her door or convince her she was safe.

Yu Yan had an idea. He withdrew from Rong Yao’s spiritual world, bringing his waves and spiritual body with him.

Her world fell back into dead silence, utterly still.

When Yu Yan opened his eyes and pulled back his hand, You Fuzhou was watching him anxiously. “You okay?”

Yu Yan paused just as he was about to explain the situation to You Fuzhou. Then he curved his eyes, his gaze filling with a solid, genuine warmth and smile.

He might look wildly cool and act a bit like a bandit boss, but… You Fuzhou was the gentlest Sentinel Yu Yan had ever met.

“I’m fine,” Yu Yan said softly, “but I know why Rong Yao hasn’t woken up.”

You Fuzhou froze, surprise and joy flashing in his eyes. “Why?”

Yu Yan thought for a moment. “…She’s waiting for you.”

It was simple, really. Rong Yao had sealed her spiritual world. Only You Fuzhou’s presence would make her feel safe enough to open it again.

But while it sounded easy, pulling it off was next to impossible.

Because… Sentinels couldn’t enter a Guide’s spiritual world unless they bonded. Even family members could only share one after forming an eternal spiritual mark through bonding.

So as soon as Yu Yan finished explaining, You Fuzhou’s eyes dimmed.

He lowered his head, his chest tight with guilt. “It’s my fault.”

Yu Yan sighed helplessly. “It’s not like there’s no way.”

You Fuzhou looked at Yu Yan. “You have a way?”

Yu Yan nodded frankly. “With my mental power, if you bond with me, I can take you into her spiritual world.”

You Fuzhou: “…”

His ears turned red in an instant. He sucked in a sharp breath and stared at Yu Yan in disbelief, as if Yu Yan had just said something utterly scandalous that left him speechless.

Yu Yan looked back at him innocently and confused. “What’s wrong?”

You Fuzhou was like that monk from Journey to the West who’d been teased by the spider demoness—all he needed now was to leap up, press himself against the wall, and start chanting sutras with his eyes squeezed shut. “…You.”

You Fuzhou genuinely didn’t know what to say. He even stood up, his whole body burning so hot he wanted to bolt.

Yu Yan held back a laugh, still playing the part of an innocent white jasmine flower. He even deliberately acted like he’d misunderstood. “…Sorry.”

He lowered his eyes, his tone tinged with pitifulness. “I overstepped. I’m not worthy of you.”

He meant those last words, at least somewhat.

He wasn’t like You Fuzhou. You Fuzhou was like the sun—dazzling, pure, honest, and clean. He was the kind of person who made you want to clutch your heart.

But Yu Yan was accustomed to schemes and manipulation, delighting in reading and toying with people’s hearts. He was cunning and sly. Not only had he been born in the shadows of the gutters, but he’d chosen that path himself.

From the moment they’d met, You Fuzhou had been straightforward and upright, pure as daylight.

Yet Yu Yan had started things off with calculation, intent on manipulating him. Even now, he had no plans to apologize or confess what he’d done.

You Fuzhou picked up on it, frowning. “…No.”

He didn’t know how to respond. He’d never met anyone like Yu Yan before; it was tricky. “It’s not about worthy or unworthy, it’s just…”

He exhaled a hot breath. The burning flush in his ears had spread to his face, making him desperately want a cold shower right then. “The way you said it… aren’t you embarrassed?”

Yu Yan blinked lightly, looking puzzled as he gazed at You Fuzhou, as if he had no idea what he meant. “What?”

You Fuzhou couldn’t even say the word “bond” out loud—knowing full well what it implied. He sat back down, frustrated and flushed, exhaling again to try cooling off. His body still burned all over. “I’ll find a Guide later to teach you how to say it properly…”

The way he was talking to Yu Yan made him sound like a thug.

It was downright despair-inducing.

Yu Yan hadn’t expected such a big, tough guy to blush so easily. Unable to resist, he teased him one more time. “I don’t get it… why?”

He even seized the chance to play pitiful. “Did I say something wrong? That’s just how they all talk.”

Yu Yan dipped his head slightly at just the right angle—no need to force the tone; his words alone were enough to tug at You Fuzhou’s heartstrings. “They said they wanted to bond with me, wanted to strip me bare… said I was so pretty, that this face of mine belonged under them…”

“Yu Yan.”

The heat flooding You Fuzhou’s body vanished in an instant. He scowled deeply and cut Yu Yan off.

Yu Yan raised his head, gazing at You Fuzhou with a blank expression.

You Fuzhou’s fists clenched tight. “Do you remember who said those things to you?”

There was a new edge of menace in his voice.

Yu Yan asked, “Are you angry?”

You Fuzhou was more than angry—he wanted to unleash his spiritual body right now, track down those scum, castrate them one by one, and then kill them. “It’s wrong for them to talk to you like that. You know that, right?”

Yu Yan deftly sidestepped the question, savoring You Fuzhou’s fury. “But eighty percent of the people I’ve met talk to me that way.”

Yu Yan’s beauty wasn’t the fragile sort.

Compared to You Fuzhou’s wild, oppressive presence, Yu Yan’s looks were androgynous—strikingly masculine up close, laced with a dangerous allure. And that was precisely what stirred certain men’s basest instincts, that urge to conquer… The more aggressively alluring he appeared, the more they wanted to see him defiled.

You Fuzhou knew it all too well.

Along his path, he’d seen far too many Guides like that—shattered and broken.

The higher a Guide’s rank, the stronger their aggression. Their physical strength might not match a Sentinel’s, but it far surpassed that of ordinary people.

A trained A-Class Guide could go toe-to-toe with a B-Class Sentinel physically. Add mental energy, and it’d be a crushing victory.

At the same rank, without using mental power, a Guide who put in several times the effort could hold their own against a Sentinel.

So no one was surprised by Yu Yan’s build.

They’d seen too many Guides who’d barely sprouted like saplings get snapped in half.

Those people… they loved breaking Guides like that.

As for how Guides, with their mental power advantage, still ended up captured by Sentinels… simple. Jammers that disrupted mental energy.

Those were the hunting rifles that the Sentinels had specially customized for Guides.

“That’s their problem.”

You Fuzhou spoke solemnly to Yu Yan. “Even in a romantic relationship, if one side feels uncomfortable with words like that, it’s wrong.”

Yu Yan watched as You Fuzhou turned serious in an instant. He really was different.

For so many years, Sentinels had held all the advantages and status. Most of them were just like the ones Yu Yan had encountered before… but not You Fuzhou.

He was so pure that Yu Yan even wondered if he was just imagining it.

Yu Yan nodded obediently. “I understand. If anyone talks to me like that again, I’ll tell you.”

You Fuzhou should have just nodded at that. But then he thought about how he’d rescued Yu Yan from those people, only for him to still hear such filthy talk?

An inexplicable irritation welled up in You Fuzhou’s heart. “You won’t hear words like that again,” he said flatly.

He realized right after how stiff his tone had come out and opened his mouth to soften it—only to see Yu Yan freeze for a moment. Then his eyes lit up bit by bit as he stared at You Fuzhou. “Does that mean I can stick with you from now on?”

You Fuzhou: “…”

He cleared his throat lightly and shifted his gaze away. “If you want to, of course.”

He was always straightforward. “You’re an S-Class Guide. If you’re willing to stay, it’ll be a huge help to us.”

But Yu Yan asked, “What if you start dating someone in the future? What if you find a Guide of your own? Can I still follow you then?”

You Fuzhou thought that was an odd question. “…We’re friends—not… Why wouldn’t you be able to?”

Yu Yan leaped straight to the conclusion. “So you’ve already got a Guide you like. That’s why you turned down bonding with me.”

You Fuzhou: “?”

His eyes widened a little. He had no idea how the conversation had jumped there. “I don’t…”

The words slipped out on reflex. He hissed softly, his ears heating up once more. “I told you not to talk like that.”

Yu Yan bowed his head. “Sorry.”

You Fuzhou: “.I’m not mad at you…”

He was truly at a loss. He pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a sigh.

You Fuzhou eyed Yu Yan, who was at least eighty percent deliberate about it. He had no idea why he didn’t just call him out on it. Instead, he said, “I don’t… cough, I haven’t thought about stuff like that.”

He couldn’t even bring himself to say “like”?

Yu Yan studied the young Sentinel before him.

So pure…

Way too easy to take advantage of.

If You Fuzhou didn’t have that fierce-looking face of his, he’d probably have been teased into a pitiful big kitten ages ago.

You Fuzhou had no clue what was going through Yu Yan’s mind. “And even if something happens down the line… we’re still friends. Everything between us is above board. Right now, you’re just reacting to those people… Never mind. That’s all stuff for the future. We’ll talk about it later.”

He paused, not quite daring to meet Yu Yan’s eyes. “And that kind of thing… it’s something you do with the person you love. So don’t bring it up.”

Yu Yan couldn’t bring himself to claim that he liked You Fuzhou just to make the man his own. It wouldn’t be fair to him. You Fuzhou was so good—Yu Yan wanted him treated right.

Truth be told, though, he didn’t fully understand what “liking” even meant. He had realized long ago that having a Sentinel would make his life a lot safer and easier.

These past years, he just hadn’t found one willing. His feelings now boiled down to one thing: if it was You Fuzhou, he could accept it.

You Fuzhou was the first Sentinel to make him feel safe. The first one he actually wanted to claim.

It wasn’t some obsessive urge. No, it was something positive, something that set his heart racing.

This was the first time Yu Yan had ever felt it.

So all he said was, “But it’s the only way to take you into Rong Yao’s Spiritual World.”

You Fuzhou drew a deep breath and shook his head firmly. “I already told you—I don’t want to save Rong Yao at your expense.”

He grew deadly earnest as he faced Yu Yan. “This isn’t just with me. No matter who you meet in the future, put yourself first. Worry about others after that.”

Learn to love yourself.

Yu Yan couldn’t quite put words to how You Fuzhou’s advice made him feel. If he had to describe it… it was like the moment You Fuzhou had smashed open his cage.

He wanted to reach out. Hold on tight and never let go.

He couldn’t name the emotion. Maybe it was as simple as… wanting to possess a You Fuzhou like this.

Was this love?

If it was, then he wasn’t on the verge of falling anymore.

He’d already fallen.

Yu Yan nodded obediently. Then he latched onto another point. “So… if I said I liked you, would you say yes?”

This time, he obediently skipped the word “bond.”

You Fuzhou froze for a beat. Even so, his mental fluctuations betrayed a wave of clear embarrassment.

He looked utterly ill at ease.

But after a light cough, the young Sentinel murmured frankly, “I… don’t dislike you.”

You Fuzhou had never dated. He’d never even witnessed a healthy relationship growing up—just glimpses in books and stories. He had no real clue.

So when it came to saying whether he liked or disliked someone? He drew a blank. He knew Yu Yan felt a little different from other Guides. Special, somehow.

But he didn’t think it had reached the level of “like.”

It was only the second day they’d known each other.

Yu Yan hadn’t expected him to respond that way.

Tease him just a little, and his mental presence flared like he’d been ravished—yet here he was, brutally honest. No wonder he’d ended up with those experiences.

At his core, You Fuzhou was pure.

Pure enough to call “such a good boy.”

Yu Yan could picture it all too easily: how the Empire had duped him before, how the Freedom Alliance was using him now.

This wouldn’t do.

You Fuzhou had “saved” him.

Now it was his turn to save You Fuzhou.

Yu Yan’s eyes curved into a gentle smile. “Mm.”

He added softly, “I don’t dislike you either.”

They were on the same page.

You Fuzhou sensed the strange shift in the air. He coughed to clear it, then finally glanced at Rong Yao. “Let’s go.”

He rose to his feet. “Thank you.”

Yu Yan shook his head and stood with him. “I didn’t even help that much.”

“You helped plenty.”

You Fuzhou lowered his gaze. “Everyone told me there’s no saving a Guide after they self-seal. She’d just lie there like a vegetable until she wasted away… But you gave me a shot. A real possibility.”

Even if he couldn’t seize it, the simple existence of that chance meant there might be other paths.

They stepped out of the room as he spoke.

The White Lion, stationed in the corridor, flicked its tail. It padded over with obvious good cheer, trailing behind them but inching ever so slightly toward Yu Yan.

Yu Yan noticed. He found it hilarious—and a reminder that You Fuzhou had a cute side no one else seemed to catch.

He dropped the bonding talk because You Fuzhou truly was different. “I’ll keep thinking of ways too.”

You Fuzhou thanked him again.

Then something occurred to him. “Oh, right—is your spiritual body a sea creature?”

Yu Yan nodded. He lowered his eyes and struck a deliberate pose. “A Megalodon… Totally doesn’t fit a Guide.”

Higher-level Guides usually had softer spiritual bodies.

The S-Class Guides in the history books all had cute, docile ones. Nothing brutal like a Megalodon.

You Fuzhou paused. Then his eyes lit up. “A Megalodon?”

Yu Yan sensed the genuine delight in his mental fluctuations. He didn’t know what to say. And then You Fuzhou went on. “It suits you perfectly.”

Yu Yan: “…”

He could tell from You Fuzhou’s mental presence that the man knew he was putting on an act. But he also sensed You Fuzhou’s take: “He’s doing it because that’s how he survives. It’s his default way of handling the world.” And he blamed it all on those other people.

The repulsive nobles were part of it, sure. But Yu Yan knew better.

His own nature wasn’t pure.

So when You Fuzhou said that, Yu Yan had the fleeting illusion that he’d seen right through him.

Even if he hadn’t—even if You Fuzhou clung to that innocent view—Yu Yan still thought… he was just too damn pure.

He kind of wanted to devour him.

As if swallowing him whole would fill that empty space inside, complete what was missing.

Yu Yan said nothing. He just smiled, eyes crinkling. “Thanks. You’re the first one to say that.”

You Fuzhou meant it. It fit Yu Yan perfectly.

He was about the same height, same sturdy build. People would peg him as a Sentinel on sight. A Megalodon spiritual body? Made total sense.

And… Yu Yan just had that aggressive vibe.

In his body, his face—everything.

“Megalodons are so cool,” You Fuzhou said.

The White Lion flicked its tail behind them.

Spiritual bodies weren’t just mirrors of their owners’ deepest selves. They had a touch of independence too.

Right now, You Fuzhou’s was voicing its displeasure.

Yu Yan grinned. “Yours is even cooler.”

The White Lion swished its tail again. Happiness, this time.

Especially…

You Fuzhou coughed lightly. He dragged his gaze from Yu Yan’s dizzyingly handsome face. His ears went red once more.

Yu Yan stifled a laugh.

So easy to fluster… It was seriously testing his self-control.

He had to expend serious effort just to hold back from teasing him more.