The Guide Always Wants to Run (GL) - Chapter 51

Qin Xiao silently observed for a while. When she saw Dreambringer and that little rascal endlessly playing around, she noticed a tiny soft paw sneak out. The moment it touched the ground, it vanished.

If she had not been watching closely, she might have been fooled by the little creature.

“Hunqiu, come here.”

“Squeak.”

The little ball had been rolling back and forth, sticking closely to Dreambringer. When it heard Qin Xiao’s call, it froze for a moment. A few seconds later, it reluctantly rolled over.

Qin Xiao caught it and flipped it over several times to inspect it thoroughly. She did not find anything unusual. There was no trace of any tiny paw. It felt like everything she had seen just moments ago had been an illusion. What she did get was the creature squeaking incessantly from being pinched between her fingers. If it had facial expressions, it would probably look very wronged.

“What exactly are you?”

The little ball lay in her palm and squeaked twice.

Qin Xiao gave it a couple more strokes. She noticed the texture had changed. What was once a soft dough-like thing that could be squished and molded had become firmer. Not giving in, she pinched it again. She did not use much strength, but the little one squealed and twisted, trying to escape.

“How odd.”

Taking the chance, the puffball leapt from her hand, rolled next to Tuan Tuan, and disappeared into its thick golden fur.

Qin Xiao had intended to grab it again and study it further, but her gaze fell on Tuan Tuan, lying motionless. This immediately reminded her of Yan Ningjin, who was still inside the healing pod. For reasons even she could not explain, she quietly sat beside Tuan Tuan, absentmindedly stroking its soft furry back.

She muttered bitterly, “Tuan Tuan, I really hate owing people favors. And now, just great, I owe Yan Ningjin not only a ton of things but also a whole life.”

How was she supposed to repay that?

Qin Xiao pondered for a long time and still could not figure out what Yan Ningjin lacked. People like her who lacked energy crystals, credit points, and countless other essentials were easy to understand, whereas Yan Ningjin appeared to have everything.

What a strange person.

When Yan Ningjin woke up, the first thing she saw was her little guide sprawled across Tuan Tuan, seemingly exhausted. That puffball was pressed up against Qin Xiao’s cheek, half-covered by Tuan Tuan’s fur. The puffball kept rolling around, which caused the fur to brush against Qin Xiao’s face, tickling it.

As soon as the puffball noticed Yan Ningjin was awake, it instantly vanished into Tuan Tuan’s fur again.

Yan Ningjin glanced down at her own injuries. Most had healed, even the ones that had looked terrifying earlier. Her skin had closed up entirely, as though she had never been gravely wounded.

Tuan Tuan remained still but let out a couple of soft whimpers. Its big round eyes rolled slightly while letting Qin Xiao continue using him as a cushion.

Yan Ningjin was about to approach when she heard footsteps coming their way.

“Aya, it’s about time. Boss should be healed by now, right?”

“…Huh?”

Qin Xiao was jolted awake by Ironhead’s booming voice and practically jumped up from the floor.

Seeing her groggy face, Ironhead frowned. “You don’t look well. Are you feeling okay?”

Since coming back, Qin Xiao had not told them about defeating Wu Yu, nor had she mentioned the damage to her mental strength. Even Yan Ningjin’s injury was casually brushed off with a single sentence.

“Just sleepy. Nothing serious.”

The two of them walked over to the healing pod. Inside, Yan Ningjin lay quietly with her eyes closed, looking just like a sleeping beauty.

Ironhead checked the timer and other readings on the pod. “Weird. Boss should’ve woken up by now. Did something go wrong?”

Qin Xiao was not exactly an expert with healing pods, but Ironhead’s unsure tone made her heart skip a beat. “Brother Ironhead, maybe you should get Auntie Amy. She’ll probably know what’s going on.”

Ironhead scratched his head in frustration. “Alright, fine. Aya, stay here and watch over things.”

After they left, Qin Xiao circled the pod twice before decisively pressing the release button. The pod lid slowly opened, and a pair of bloodied hands reached toward Yan Ningjin’s neck. Then came a check for breath.

Everything seemed normal. “Why is she still unconscious?”

She even placed her hand over the wounded area, lifting Yan Ningjin’s shirt and preparing to examine further.

Yan Ningjin suddenly grabbed her wrist, her voice hoarse and slightly helpless. “Xiao Xiao.”

Qin Xiao nearly jumped out of her skin, then immediately brightened and helped Yan Ningjin sit up. “Yan Yan, how do you feel?”

Yan Ningjin held the injured area on her left side and let Qin Xiao support her out of the pod. Her expression remained serious. “I am fine.”

Qin Xiao did not believe it for a second. She swiftly lifted Yan Ningjin’s shirt and touched the area gently, unaware that the other woman had completely frozen.

“I swear, the time’s up, and she wasn’t waking up. I’m not lying.”

“I programmed the timer myself. It can’t be wrong.”

“Amy, I never said you made a mistake.”

“Then what do you mean—”

Amy and Ironhead bickered their way over. The moment they entered, they saw Qin Xiao halfway under Yan Ningjin’s shirt.

Still poking around, Qin Xiao asked, “Is it here?”

Yan Ningjin fell silent.

Amy yelped and quickly turned Ironhead around. “Sorry, sorry. We didn’t see anything.”

Ironhead had not seen a thing and was still trying to peek curiously. “What did we not see? Wait, we weren’t—”

Hearing the noise, Qin Xiao pulled back from under the shirt, looking confused. “What happened?”

Yan Ningjin saw the clear innocence in her guide’s eyes and let out a deep sigh. After a long pause, she forced out a lie that made her cheeks burn. “It still hurts a little.”

Qin Xiao’s eyes widened.

She quickly pulled up the shirt again, focused on the tender red area, and lightly tapped it with her fingertip. She dared not press harder.

“Is this the spot?”

Yan Ningjin’s body trembled, her face turning scarlet.

Qin Xiao refrained from further touching and instead gently tapped the healed skin repeatedly, trying to rationalize it. “Must be because the muscles are still reshaping after the bone injury, right?”

Yan Ningjin, unaccustomed to lying, turned even redder. “P-Probably.”

Qin Xiao nodded as if that explained everything. Even the best miracle medicine did not work instantly, and the more effective it was, the more side effects it had. “We should find a proper doctor to take a look. You need a good rest period. I’ll take care of you.”

Yan Ningjin stiffly nodded.

—

On the spaceship, everyone else’s injuries were superficial, none as serious as Yan Ningjin’s. When they saw her and Qin Xiao walk out of the healing room, they gathered around.

“Boss, how’s your injury?”

Yan Ningjin wore her usual blank expression. “It is healed. What about you all?”

Mu Yan’s earlier injuries had worsened after that ambush where the attackers tried to snatch Amy. He now had a leg wound that left him temporarily immobile, and Amy was tending to him.

Brother Mi and Liu Jiang had minor injuries and were mostly fine.

The only real loss was the Golden Cicada Spring, which had been stolen.

Amy added, “I’ve already contacted the black market to see if anyone’s selling Golden Cicada Spring. If we get word, we’ll know right away. No need to worry.”

Out of respect for Liu Jiang and Su Shu, who were recruited through the star network, everyone kept their words vague.

Qin Xiao looked at them curiously. “I never got to ask earlier, but who ambushed you halfway?”

Brother Mi and Ironhead exchanged glances. “We think they might be local adventurers from the Wood Element planet, but Liu Jiang and the others disagree.”

Su Shu snapped, “They didn’t seem local at all. More like those filthy adventurers from the Zerg planet. They love pretending to be other races so they can blame their crimes on others.”

Amy shrugged, clearly just speaking up to counter Su Shu. “Not necessarily. They could be adventurers from a different star system. Their faces were unfamiliar, and they weren’t with us the night we stayed at the inn. I agree with Brother Mi. They were probably locals.”

Su Shu scowled. “No matter how unfamiliar their faces, that stench of theirs gave them away. Definitely bug adventurers.”

—

Yan Ningjin and Qin Xiao stood to the side, watching the argument escalate. Amy and Su Shu were now yelling, nearly coming to blows.

“So none of you really know who they were.”

Her single sentence brought silence to the group.

Brother Mi scratched his head awkwardly. “They ambushed us hard, caught us off guard, and attacked from both sides. After grabbing the Golden Cicada Spring, they even tried to—” He faltered, his eyes darting to Amy and Su Shu.

Su Shu coldly finished for him. “They tried to take the women.”

Yan Ningjin understood, though one thing still puzzled her. “As long as everyone is safe, rest up. The ship has enough energy for two or three big jumps. In a couple of days, we’ll reach our destination.”

This trip had already yielded the hardest-to-find Gu Vine and Hongmeng Flower, so it had been worth it.

Back in their room, Qin Xiao finally asked what had been on her mind. “If they really wanted to take the women, why did they let you all go so easily?”

Saying that in front of everyone would have caused an uproar.

Yan Ningjin had not expected her guide to be this perceptive. She nodded thoughtfully. “Women are more important than treasures. If they attacked from both sides, they would never give up their spoils willingly. So why did they?”

Seeing her frown deepen, Qin Xiao simply pushed her down onto the bed and began undoing her clothes.

“You need to stop overthinking. Let me examine your injuries properly and see where it still hurts.”

Yan Ningjin froze and quickly grabbed her hand. “Xiao Xiao.”

Qin Xiao was both amazed at the healing pod’s effects and curious about where Yan Ningjin still felt pain. That way, she could treat her more effectively.

Yan Ningjin’s thoughts were in disarray, her voice unsteady. “I—I’m pretty much fine now. No need to check.”

Qin Xiao blinked pitifully, staring at her with wide, innocent eyes. “Just let me check, Yan Yan. Just a little.”

Yan Ningjin met those pleading eyes and immediately surrendered. All her resolve vanished. Her voice was strained. “Actually… it’s healed. Really.”

Qin Xiao thought Yan Ningjin was just being stubborn. Even wounded, she always acted composed in front of others. With swift movements, she pulled up the inner shirt, revealing a pale expanse of skin. Only one area on the left side remained slightly red.

But Yan Ningjin’s abdomen was clearly defined with firm lines from long-term combat training. The touch felt tough, not soft like a guide’s.

Qin Xiao leaned closer, cautiously tracing her fingers across the skin, inch by inch, completely unaware of how intimate her position was.

Yan Ningjin’s thoughts spiraled, and her eyes darted around in panic. She felt like she was suffering the consequences of her own decisions. The muscles under Qin Xiao’s fingertips trembled with each touch.

“Relax, Yan Yan. I’m just checking.”

Yan Ningjin swallowed hard and clenched her fists. Her mind filled with conflicting thoughts as she desperately avoided looking at the guide caressing her all over.

Qin Xiao mumbled, “This healing pod is amazing. Just twelve hours, and your wounds are gone. So if someone lost an arm or leg, would this fix that too?”

Fix?

Yan Ningjin nearly laughed at her phrasing. “Healing pods can repair injuries, but the materials needed are very costly. Ordinary sentinels can’t afford them.”

That was why Mu Yan, despite his injured leg, had not even considered using the pod.

Qin Xiao remembered the hibernation and repair pods Aya sometimes lay in. Eva must have spent a fortune over the years to keep Aya alive.

“Awoo.”

“What the—”

Qin Xiao had no time to react. Something landed heavily on her, pressing her down against Yan Ningjin. Her face ended up buried against Yan Ningjin’s stomach, and their skin touched warmly.

Remembering the injury, she shot upright. The furry creature that caused it darted away, still in the room.

“Sorry, sorry, Yan Yan. Did I hurt you?”

Yan Ningjin’s face was burning red. Her eyes dimmed with displeasure as she mentally communicated with Tuan Tuan, who had been chasing Hunqiu.

“Tuan Tuan rarely acts like this. Probably got too worked up playing with Hunqiu.”

Tuan Tuan whimpered sadly.

Hunqiu and Dreambringer, the two troublemakers, ran wild in the room, dragging Tuan Tuan into their chaos. That sudden collision had likely been their doing.

Qin Xiao looked over and saw Hunqiu hopping on Tuan Tuan’s head while Dreambringer darted around the corners. She rolled her eyes and turned back to the bed.

Standing tall above Yan Ningjin, she realized the woman’s entire body was flushed red from her face down to her neck and torso. The place where their skin touched felt scalding.

She had not realized she was sitting directly on her. Quickly, she climbed off and awkwardly licked her lips once, then twice. “Um, um… maybe… Tuan Tuan really likes Hunqiu.”