Chapter 5: Are You Crazy?! The Guide Dared to Keep Secrets?

He wasn’t incapable of granting Huo Lin access; it was simply that he couldn’t set such a precedent. Otherwise, the bloodthirsty sentries would run amok. Huo Lin should understand this reasoning. Given his current condition, why would he want to run off alone? Nyx had attended the same military academy as Huo Lin and knew something of his character—he wasn’t the type to do such a thing.

But looking at Huo Lin now, Nyx felt as if he might pounce at any moment to snatch his terminal. He instinctively touched the knife at his waist. “Since you’re so generous, here’s the figure.”

Without hesitation, Huo Lin nodded at Nyx raising a finger. “Agreed.”

Nyx said, “That’s not one million star coins—it’s ten million.”

“Agreed,” Huo Lin replied again.

Seeing Huo Lin’s unwavering gaze without even a blink, Nyx finally understood how resolute he was about leaving. Almost no sentry here could afford such a price. The figure Nyx mentioned was both a test and the price set by the group behind them—ten million star coins as a ‘special arrangement.’

Nyx raised his brow. “Whoa, you’ve gotten rich as a mercenary?”

Huo Lin wasn’t the only mercenary here; they made up at least a third of the sentries, but even they couldn’t pay this sum.

Without hesitation, Huo Lin opened his terminal. “Half now, half after we get out.”

Nyx didn’t respond. He wanted to see what secret Huo Lin was hiding.

Less than five meters away, Huo Lin had concealed a precious guide.

Inside a large vat, Yu Xia was drowsy. Huo Lin had set up a mental barrier so she couldn’t hear their conversation, but through the gaps, she vaguely saw seven or eight men as robust and tall as Huo Lin entering the room.

Each man was lanky with broad shoulders and thick chests. Their combat suits clung to their bodies, outlining bulging muscles. Their arms looked thicker than her waist—strong enough to crush her skull with a single punch. From her perspective, they were like giants.

Compared to these strangers, she trusted Huo Lin more and had no intention of moving.

She sensed a volatile aura emanating from them, instinctively feeling they were dangerous.

Suddenly, a shell flew in from afar like a meteor, striking near the sentry post and instantly demolishing half the building.

This was a sentry post relatively close to the rear lines, classified outside the safe zone defined by the rear. To prevent the mutants from crossing this line and to stop the sentries from slacking off, the rear forces periodically bombarded the area.

The attack was sudden. These sentries, already mentally damaged and on the brink of losing control, couldn’t activate their mental shields in time. The nearby explosion nearly deafened them, their minds buzzing incessantly, causing dizziness and nausea.

They were somewhat lucky—the shell didn’t hit their building directly but only the shockwave affected them, shaking the entire post and breaking or toppling many things, including the large vat where Yu Xia was hiding.

* * *

The vat cracked with a sharp “crack!”

At that moment, dust stirred inside, causing Yu Xia to cough several times.

When she recovered and looked up, she saw a roomful of sentries staring dumbfoundedly at her.

Their eyes fixed unblinkingly on the tiny figure curled inside the vat. They thought their minds were failing and murmured to themselves:

“Is my vision blurry? I think I see a petite woman.”

“I think... I see her too. Beautiful pink hair, eyes sparkling like sapphires. Oh, she’s looking at me. It’s an illusion. It must be an illusion. Could it be a mental projection compensating me for nearly thirty years of singlehood before death?”

“I’m doomed—I’m having hallucinations. The mental projection must be collapsing.”

“I’m even worse—I think I smell a guide’s scent. A dying dream, perhaps?”

Huh...? A guide?

A guide?!

The sentries snapped back to reality, eyes wide, blood rushing to their heads as they gasped, “Damn! A guide!!”

Their mental energy overflowed violently, affecting Yu Xia’s little dolphin, which let out a tiny cry.

The dolphin’s clear, melodious call in such a place was like heavenly music.

Seeing her spiritual form, the sentries were now certain she was a guide.

“Who the hell brought her here? Are they crazy?”

Even if she were placed safely at the rear, it wouldn’t be a big deal—they’d just send her for mental recovery.

But directly bringing her into the contaminated zone? Forget about mutants and pollutants—the toxic mist here would kill her.

After the sentry spoke, everyone silently agreed on the most likely suspect.

They all turned slowly, in unison, to look at Huo Lin.

Nyx was the first to realize what Huo Lin had done. He projected his mental form, intending to protect the small guide.

A majestic yet graceful giant snow wolf leapt toward Yu Xia, while a black leopard dashed from behind her, clashing with the snow wolf.

Huo Lin stood in front of Yu Xia, drawing a sharp, gleaming steel blade from his waist. Holding it horizontally before his chest, the silver edge reflected his fierce eyes. “Anyone who dares come near, I’ll kill!”

The snow wolf returned to Nyx’s side, crouching low and growling at Huo Lin.

“Are you insane, Huo Lin? You dare hide a guide?” Nyx said, “Now I see why your spirit is so high!”

Nyx finally understood why Huo Lin was so determined to leave the contaminated zone.

If they hadn’t left soon, that little guide surely wouldn’t survive.

* * *

Yu Xia hid behind Huo Lin, clutching the little dolphin, barely daring to breathe.

They were so fierce!

“Don’t be afraid. I won’t let them hurt you,” Huo Lin noticed her unease, turned back to comfort her, his tail curling around her wrist.

“We won’t harm you,” Nyx quickly told Yu Xia, “We’ll help you get free from Huo Lin’s control.”

To them, Yu Xia was clearly being secretly controlled by Huo Lin.

The other sentries were poised to attack on Nyx’s command.

Seeing the tension between them, though she didn’t fully understand, Yu Xia realized she was the cause. She defended Huo Lin: “He saved me. He didn’t hurt me.”

Nyx frowned. “Saved you? Here?”

Yu Xia nodded.

The sentries exchanged glances. Though they wanted to believe this beautiful little guide, this was the contaminated zone—she couldn’t have come alone.

If she was indeed Huo Lin’s secret guide, it wasn’t strange for her to defend him.

Nyx was willing to hear Huo Lin’s explanation. In this situation, fighting a mentally robust S-rank sentry was unwise and could endanger the guide.

Even if Huo Lin had broken the guide protection regulations, they had to stabilize him first.

Nyx raised his hand, calming the restless sentries, his gaze cold as he looked at Huo Lin. “What exactly is going on?”

“She was brought in by other sentries,” Huo Lin said. If not for necessity, he wouldn’t want to fight them. Now, everything was for Yu Xia’s sake.

Nyx was one of the more trustworthy sentries. He could help Yu Xia escape.

The contaminated zone was perilous, and Yu Xia needed greater protection.

Seeing Yu Xia gripping Huo Lin’s tail, trusting him, Nyx waved to his squad.

The sentries lowered their weapons, and the tense atmosphere eased.

Huo Lin frowned, glancing at them. “Keep your pheromones in check! Don’t choke her.”

These sentries released pheromones excitedly whenever they saw Yu Xia, the smell so strong it made him want to kill them one by one.

The sentries were speechless.