The Guide Always Wants to Run (GL) - Chapter 30

If anyone truly understood the Winged Tribe, it would be the fish that sank into the depths of the sea. From birth, these two species were destined to be enemies, not the kind that could be reconciled, but mortal adversaries locked in eternal hostility.

When she was little, Yu Jing often heard the elders speak of the Winged Tribe.

“The people of the Winged Tribe are despicable. They love to lurk in the shadows, waiting for the moment we leap out of the water.”

Little Yu Jing would ask innocently, “Then what happens next? What happens after that?”

The old folk would pat her adorable head and say, “They capture our females to make them bear children for their kind. So remember, whenever you see those feathered, flying ones… stay far, far away.”

…

Qin Xiao interrupted, “What do you mean ‘not necessarily’? Go on.”

Yu Jing hesitated. This was a clan secret. “You must promise. You cannot let anyone else hear this.”

Qin Xiao had no patience for her coyness. “Relax. You’ve never heard me mention you or that carp demon to anyone, right? So don’t worry. Whatever you tell me will stay between us.”

Yu Jing still felt some lingering wariness toward Qin Xiao. That carp demon, or rather Brother Li, had lived cautiously on Capital Star for years without ever being discovered. So how had everything been exposed the moment Qin Xiao appeared?

“Actually, those Winged people shed feathers quite often. I once saw one with its back feathers completely gone. It looked utterly bald and pitiful, but they grow back the next year. Their bodies react to the seasons, especially during the transitions. Feathers end up scattered all over our living space. It’s very annoying.”

“Aside from climate, is there any other reason?” Qin Xiao doubted that Quantum beasts, supposedly formed by spiritual energy, would respond to seasonal changes. If that were true, then wouldn’t Tuan Tuan spend more than half the year shedding fur?

Yu Jing glanced at her. “What kind of hawk is it exactly?”

Qin Xiao had never studied creatures that flew or crawled. Her path was one of cultivation, not beast-taming. “It has a long body. The crown, nape, and sides of its head are dark brown. From the chest down, it has white and brown stripes. It looks majestic, though a bit timid.”

Yu Jing sifted through her memories of the Winged Tribe’s transformation records. “Sounds like a Northern Goshawk. Fierce predators. Sharp vision. Excellent flyers. Alert and masters of concealment.”

Qin Xiao felt the conversation had drifted. “So why do they shed feathers?”

Yu Jing tilted her head, considering. “I once found a bird. It was completely bald and weak. But after some time, it recovered. It not only recovered but became stronger than before. So maybe it’s…”

She had meant to say it was a form of secondary evolution. But somehow, the word evolution didn’t quite seem to fit.

Qin Xiao, who deeply understood the trials of cultivation, suddenly leapt to her feet in realization. “Why didn’t I think of that sooner?”

Every time she advanced in her path, she had to survive heavenly lightning strikes. The process left her fragile and close to death. But once the tribulation was overcome, her power would leap forward.

“I need to find Yan Yan and confirm this.”

Yu Jing called after her several times, but the woman had already darted off like the wind, vanishing in a blink. “One minute it’s ‘Your Highness,’ the next it’s ‘Yan Yan’… the way she calls her is far too cozy.”

…

News of Qin Xiao being tormented in the mech room for an entire hour spread like wildfire throughout the Xiao Corps. Every member who saw her afterward gave her a look that defied description.

The connection between sentinels and guides was a strange and intimate one. Qin Xiao still wasn’t familiar with the layout of the place, so she followed her senses and wandered through a few corridors until she ended up in a training room. Inside, a group of men and women were locked in combat.

She walked past the rooms one by one, and soon found Yan Ningjin. The general was engaged in an intense and physical sparring match with Bai Xuan.

Both had shed their military uniforms, wearing only short sleeves. The muscles on their arms stood out with every movement. From up close, the definition was striking. Yan Ningjin had the upper hand, pinning Bai Xuan down with her legs. Bai Xuan’s forehead was bulging with veins as she gritted her teeth, clearly struggling and about to lose.

But when Bai Xuan saw Qin Xiao, her expression lit up. Her eyes sparkled like she had just seen her savior. “Sister-in-law!”

Yan Ningjin applied more pressure, and Bai Xuan let out a cry of pain.

“Do you think distraction tactics will work on me? Focus when you’re fighting.”

Bai Xuan tried to sneak in a counterattack but failed miserably.

“Boss, just turn around and look! I swear she’s right behind you! Ouch, my arm is breaking!”

Qin Xiao couldn’t help but chuckle. “Yan Yan, I need to talk to you.”

Yan Ningjin froze for a beat, then released Bai Xuan. “Let’s talk while we walk.”

Bai Xuan collapsed onto the ground, panting hard. “Boss, I still have official reports to deliver.”

Yan Ningjin snorted. “If it mattered that much, you should have spoken up earlier. Xiao Xiao, come.”

Qin Xiao shared her theory and asked, “Yan Yan, have you ever encountered a case where a sentinel underwent a secondary evolution or advancement?”

Yan Ningjin led her to the military medics’ station. “Yes, once.”

It had happened a long time ago. New recruits regularly applied to join the Xiao Corps. One in particular had caught both her and Bai Xuan’s attention. The newcomer’s senses and consciousness cloud improved with each fight against different opponents. His growth was astonishing.

If consciousness cloud levels were ranked from G to SSS—G-F-E-D-C-B-A-S-SS-SSS—this man had leapt from a D-class to an A-class sentinel.

Qin Xiao tilted her head. “Was he just naturally gifted, or did he take some other shortcut?”

For cultivators like her, there were two ways to grow stronger. One was honest training. The other was shortcutting. Some shortcuts were cruel, involving the theft of others’ achievements through dark arts referred to as demonic cultivation. Others, like hers, involved taking advantage of opportunities, like dual cultivation through a cauldron body.

She was often labeled a demonic cultivator herself. Qin Xiao had long learned to scoff at such judgment.

Yan Ningjin shook her head. “He died. So we never found out if he was truly talented or something else. However, I have never encountered a case like Mi Lin’s, where the Quantum beast itself underwent evolution.”

“We’re not sure yet if Mi Lin underwent a secondary evolution. But if he did, wouldn’t the sentinel also experience something? How could he not notice?”

Yan Ningjin frowned slightly. Seeing Qin Xiao worry over another sentinel triggered a vague irritation. “Xiao Xiao, you seem very concerned about Mi Lin.”

Qin Xiao replied without thinking. “Of course I am. He’s my goldmine.”

Yan Ningjin: ….

Then a faint smile crept into her eyes. “Are you hoping Mi Lin and his team will help promote you? Do you need my assistance?”

Qin Xiao’s eyes lit up. “Yes, please.”

Realizing she had been a little too eager, she quickly added, “Would it be too much trouble?”

She had gained so much from Yan Ningjin, yet offered little in return. It felt oddly unfair.

Yan Ningjin was amused by her expression, which was filled with delight even though she was clearly trying to play it cool. Her voice turned soft. “Whatever you want to do, just tell me. Trust me. With one more person to share your burden, your goals will be that much easier to reach.”

Qin Xiao couldn’t deny she was right. Without power, status, or credit points, opening a store on Capital Star would be harder than cultivating from the Qi Condensation stage to Foundation Establishment.

“Then… can I exchange energy crystals for credit points?”

“…What?”

Yan Ningjin thought she had misheard. From the very beginning, she had known how obsessed her little guide was with energy crystals. She had even withstood thirty minutes of intense energy exposure just to absorb them. The memory brought a flash of regret to Yan Ningjin’s face.

“Why?”

Qin Xiao winced at the thought. “I want to open a store, but I have no credit.”

All she had were those freshly gifted energy crystals. Thankfully, she had not started absorbing them yet. Otherwise, she would have nothing left. She instinctively reached into her pocket. “Where’s Hunqiu?”

Yan Ningjin seemed to understand what was troubling her. She walked over and took the little guide’s hand. “What kind of store do you want to open?”

Qin Xiao gave a sheepish smile and whispered, “If I opened a shop on Capital Star that specializes in soothing manic sentinel syndrome… would it earn credit points?”

Yan Ningjin stopped in her tracks, her deep eyes fixed on the little guide with fascination. “Of course.”

Not far from them, a large lion-tiger beast also rose to its feet. It dared not move its head, only rolling its eyes upward to watch a round little ball tumble endlessly on its head.

The ball squeaked.

The golden-furred beast grunted.

Yan Ningjin moved quickly. The very next day, she took Qin Xiao out to explore. Transportation on Capital Star mostly hovered above ground. The maglev trains stopped at several designated stations. This time, they had not taken Aiwei’er. Instead, they took the train, getting off at every stop to explore the area.

“This place doesn’t seem very crowded.”

“The busiest area is probably Aige Street,” Yan Ningjin answered without hesitation. “But that street is mostly food stalls. Would a store like yours feel out of place there?”

Qin Xiao disagreed. The first manic sentinel she ever met was there. What a fated location. “Let’s look around more. If we find nothing, we’ll go back to Aige Street. But with that kind of traffic, shops there must be scarce and expensive.”

Yan Ningjin did not seem worried. “If you decide on Aige Street, I actually have an empty shop there.”

Qin Xiao gave her a strange look.

Back on the abandoned planet, they had spent days surviving on scraps. Yan Ningjin had always been methodical with her food. That rabbit meat had been tough and unpleasant, but she ate it without flinching and even consumed several pieces.

“What?”

Qin Xiao smiled awkwardly. “You seem to prefer nutrient paste over actual food.”

Qin Xiao had arrived at this conclusion after evaluating the stockpile of nutrient paste stored in her home supply box. The stash would last at least two months. One tube of nutrient paste could satisfy hunger for an entire day. With over sixty tubes in the box, that meant a solid sixty-day supply.

After eating it a few times, she quickly lost her appetite for it. Aside from filling her stomach, it had no flavor whatsoever. It was convenient for travel, but that was its only merit.

Yan Ningjin’s lips curved into a faint smile. “That shop was a coming-of-age gift from Mama Aige and Mama Mara. Technically, it is my personal property. But I have been away all these years and never had time to manage it. The store has stayed vacant. Since you need it now, you will be the one to look after it.”

Qin Xiao felt as if she had stumbled into a great bargain. She gave a modest smile and quickly waved her hands. “When I saw Mara on Sunstar, that was her, right? You call them both Mama… do we need to notify them about the trial marriage?”

Yan Ningjin was touched by her little guide’s thoughtfulness and answered without hesitation. “Mama Aige and Mama Mara are my foster mothers. They took me in when I was very young. As for the trial marriage, yes, we should invite them.”

“Foster mothers?”

“I am an orphan.”

“That’s all right. I am an orphan too.” Qin Xiao blurted it out, only to realize afterward that this body actually had a mother. But if Eva knew Aya was dead, she would surely be heartbroken and would probably not come looking for her. In a roundabout way, she had made this body an orphan, too. That thought made her sigh.

Yan Ningjin assumed she had touched a sore spot and quickly changed the subject. “Come, I’ll take you to see the shop.”

Aige Street had been named in honor of General Aige. Not every store on the street belonged to her. However, because of her immense contributions to the Empire, the street bore her name when the area was designated.

Qin Xiao had no idea. She simply assumed it was a coincidence that they shared the same name. Her mind was filled with her future shop, her credit points, her energy crystals, her cultivation… and her Ah Qin.

The economic foundation determines the superstructure.

Yan Ningjin’s shop was huge. It had only one level but spanned over a hundred square meters. It was perfectly situated at the intersection of Aige Street and Mochou Street, far from the food stalls.

Qin Xiao had imagined a small fifteen-square-meter corner unit. Seeing it for herself, she realized just how wrong she had been. The place was nearly fully furnished. It was spotless, and not the dusty mess she had expected. The frosted glass windows sparkled with clarity, and a faint fragrance drifted through the entire room.

She took a whiff. “What is that smell?”

Yan Ningjin countered with a question. “Xiao Xiao, what do you think?”

“Ah… it’s lovely.”

Lovely was an understatement. It was perfect.

If she had not just mentioned opening a store yesterday, she would have suspected Yan Ningjin had prepared all this in advance. Qin Xiao ran her hands over the wall decorations. “A store this size would rent for a fortune.”

She remembered that Yu Ji’s tiny fifteen-square-meter place cost three thousand credit points per month. Half a year’s rent was eighteen thousand. This store was about a hundred times bigger…

Her mind buzzed with the sound of credit points flying away. “Ahaha, Yan Yan, how about I provide regular mental cleansing sessions for your mania in exchange for the rent? Would that work?”

Yan Ningjin cast a glance at her with a teasing smile. “I assumed that since you agreed to our marriage trial and are clearing my mania, it was already included. So this is what you meant—”

Qin Xiao flushed bright red and quickly cut her off. “Ahem, Yan Yan, you heard me wrong. I meant your friends and family. If they need help managing their manic states, I can do it too. Consider that my rent. What do you think?”

Yan Ningjin murmured thoughtfully. “My friends and family? Are you sure about that?”

Qin Xiao thought to herself, So General Yan is not so easy to fool after all. She had hoped to talk her way out of paying rent, but clearly, that was not going to happen. She nodded solemnly. “Of course I am.”

Yan Ningjin opened her mouth, then suddenly asked, “Xiao Xiao, do you know how many new recruits the Xiao Corps brings in each year?”

Qin Xiao’s head filled with question marks. ???

Yan Ningjin smiled as she answered. “The Xiao Corps alone recruits between two and five thousand new members annually, and that is on the lower end. The First Corps brings in six to eight thousand. Then there’s the Third Corps and General Aige’s forces. Almost all of them know me.”

Qin Xiao: !!!

Yan Ningjin chuckled softly. “In a way, they are all my friends.”

Qin Xiao took a huge step backward and stared at Yan Ningjin with growing wariness.

Seeing her little guide so guarded, Yan Ningjin burst out laughing. It reminded her of the time on the abandoned planet, when that little beast had clutched the rainbow crystal like its life depended on it.

Qin Xiao nearly spat bl00d. By this logic, half the Empire could be counted as Yan Ningjin’s friends.

Yan Ningjin saw how drained she looked compared to a moment ago. “Xiao Xiao, I’m just teasing. When they come, just charge them as you normally would. Speaking of which, have you decided on your pricing yet?”

…

On the third day, just as planned, Mi Lin arrived alone at Yan Ningjin’s residence.

Qin Xiao had already curled up on the sofa, waiting. The little round ball had been playing with Tuan Tuan constantly over the past few days and had not come to bother her. Every day, she saw that golden-furred lion-tiger beast gingerly balancing the ball on his head. The sight was completely ridiculous but oddly entertaining. Tuan Tuan clearly loved playing with the round ball and tolerated its terrible attitude with surprising patience.

However, the moment Mi Lin’s Northern Goshawk appeared, the round ball immediately buried itself in Tuan Tuan’s fur. Being small and similarly colored, it was hard to spot unless you looked closely.

“Madam General.”

“Mi Ya is a very sensitive boy. If you don’t bring him, he will think the problem with your Quantum beast is unsolvable.” Qin Xiao had thought the same three days ago, when she still could not identify any issues. But things had changed. “It was not right to question you in front of Mi Ya last time. Now that we have the time, let us talk properly.”

Mi Lin noticed Tuan Tuan eyeing him like prey and wisely chose a seat farthest from Qin Xiao. “Madam General, I must thank you. Mi Ya is not very good with rules. If he caused any offense last time, I hope you can forgive him.”

Qin Xiao waved a hand dismissively. “You should be able to sense if your Quantum beast is unwell. As a sentinel, there’s no way you feel nothing. Yet you have never admitted it. Why is that?”

Mi Lin’s eyes widened in shock. Qin Xiao’s cold gaze was locked onto him, and he felt as though she could see through him. His confident demeanor deflated instantly. “Even if I said it, what good would it do?”

Qin Xiao sat up straight. “You two brothers are something else. You are afraid that if Mi Ya awakens as a guide, he will be sent to the Guide Academy and you will be separated.”

Mi Lin’s face filled with alarm.

Seeing his expression, Qin Xiao knew she had guessed right. It had not been hard to figure out. Mi Ya had exceptional potential. He could hear Quantum beasts and even trace their flight paths or movements, abilities unique to a guide.

She did not know if Mi Lin had taken him to a hospital for evaluation, but it was clear Mi Lin had been misleading him. Even she had believed it. Surely his brother had noticed too.

But guides were rare and precious. Once discovered, even those from royal families had to be sent to the Academy. They were only allowed to see family twice a year.

They were like golden canaries in a cage, waiting for a master.

The more Qin Xiao understood the twisted logic behind the Guide Protection Law, the more she grasped the brothers’ choices. “Don’t look so shocked. Have you forgotten that I am a guide too?”

Mi Lin looked restless. “I… I—”

Qin Xiao cut him off. “Come. Let’s talk about your current condition. Besides feeling that Xiang Tian is getting weaker, have you noticed anything else strange?”

Mi Lin: …

Who could sit calmly and chat after their thoughts were completely exposed?

Mi Lin was clearly agitated. Xiang Tian flapped his wings wildly, shedding feathers all over the place. A Quantum beast mirrored its master’s emotions, and the falling feathers made the tension obvious.

Qin Xiao asked curiously, “If it keeps shedding feathers like this, will it go bald?”

Mi Lin had just composed himself, ready to speak. …

Xiang Tian: …

“All right, go on.”

“I—” Mi Lin straightened his posture and placed his hands neatly on his knees. His manner was textbook military. Qin Xiao had seen that kind of bearing among soldiers in Yan Ningjin’s corps. She guessed Mi Lin was a sentinel serving in the military, especially given that his airborne Quantum beast could be used for reconnaissance.

“Madam, when Mi Ya told me something was wrong with the Quantum beast, I didn’t want to believe him. Xiang Tian has been slower in flight and sheds feathers more often. But I feel fine. I have more energy than ever.”

“What is your mental rating?”

“B-rank. Both my mental strength and physical stamina are B-level.”

Qin Xiao stroked her chin. “Mi Lin, let me take another look at your consciousness cloud.”

Mi Lin hesitated and glanced toward Tuan Tuan. “Madam, after you cleared my manic state, I feel better than ever. I don’t think I need a checkup…”

Qin Xiao did not give him a choice. She stood and walked over. “I have a bold new theory. Your consciousness cloud can confirm it.”

A sentinel’s consciousness cloud never lied. It would reveal whether they were nearing death or approaching a second major breakthrough.

Upstairs, Yan Ningjin watched her little guide work. She used her mind to communicate with Tuan Tuan, who had to be restrained from biting the hawk until it turned bald.

Yan Ningjin thought her Tuan Tuan might be even more possessive than she was.

Her little guide had chosen the path of healing. Though the process had not been straightforward, and her motives were not entirely pure…

Whenever she thought of her guide’s greedy little face, Yan Ningjin felt the burden on her shoulders grow heavier.

Mi Lin had not lied. He had indeed been energetic lately. Qin Xiao’s deep scan of his consciousness cloud confirmed it. There were no red spots. Everything was clear and vibrant. There was no sign of impending collapse.

After a thorough check, she pulled away. “Ah. I think my theory might be right.”

Mi Lin, not used to being examined by a guide so thoroughly, felt utterly exposed. He stood, adjusting his posture, and looked at her with confusion.

Qin Xiao beamed and patted him on the shoulder. “Young man, congratulations.”

Mi Lin, who had believed he and Xiang Tian were nearing their end: !!!

Was Madam General congratulating him on dying early and reaching the afterlife faster?