The Guide Always Wants to Run (GL) - Chapter 54

Yan Ningjin had not been known for romantic escapades. In her thirty-five years of life, there had only been one scandal that the citizens of Capital Star still gossiped about. Perhaps out of consideration for the guide involved, since once such news spread, the guide’s reputation would be ruined and her marriage prospects greatly affected, Yan Ningjin had later issued a harsh warning. In time, even that sole piece of gossip was buried and forgotten.

It just so happened that at the time of the incident, Feng Ming had only recently come under Yan Ningjin’s command. She was responsible for overseeing intelligence across the entire Xiao Corps. The job involved heavy confidentiality, and Feng Ming’s promotion had largely been a stroke of luck. She had already served under Yan Ningjin for a year when it all happened.

That incident took place seven years ago, at a grand and prestigious matchmaking banquet. These events were organized jointly by several aristocratic families, the Guide Academy, and the royal family under various pretenses. Yan Ningjin had just been promoted to General and was widely favored by the major houses. Some among them, eager to gain her favor, hatched a ridiculous scheme by plying her with drink and then arranging for a guide deemed highly compatible to seduce her.

Upon hearing this, Qin Xiao grinned and hurriedly asked, “And? What happened next?”

Feng Ming cast a suspicious glance at her. She had the distinct feeling that Qin Xiao was barely concealing a trace of glee. “The General stormed out of the venue absolutely livid. Her face was a thundercloud, and the look she gave everyone terrified them. Unfortunately, her outer coat had already been stripped away and she bore a lipstick mark on her face from that guide. Her image was completely ruined. Everyone thought she had forced herself on that young nobleman and should be held accountable.”

“Oh? So it was a male guide?”

Qin Xiao clicked her tongue in disbelief. For someone like Yan Ningjin, who clearly wasn’t skilled in flirtation or sweet talk, it was surprising that she had been so relentlessly pursued by guides. The fact that such a ridiculous act of forced intimacy had actually taken place was almost unbelievable. Too bad I’m not a sentinel, she thought. If I were, I bet there would be a line of guides trying to marry me too.

“Then what? Which family’s guide was bold enough to strip Yan Ningjin’s clothes? What happened to them afterward?”

Feng Ming was now sure she hadn’t been mistaken earlier. The General’s partner truly seemed a bit gleeful. She cleared her throat and quickly clarified, “Madam, please don’t misunderstand. The General never had any interest in that nobleman. In fact, after this incident, she became very strict about the sexual orientation compatibility when selecting guides. Since then, she has avoided both male and female guides like the plague, except when she met you.”

Qin Xiao returned home with that barely-contained smile still tugging at her lips.

Her original intention had been to dig up some juicy gossip, to understand Yan Ningjin better. After all, repaying a life-saving debt required getting to know the person’s preferences. Yet despite all the time she had spent around Yan Ningjin, she had never found anything the General particularly liked or anyone she especially favored.

So she had turned her attention to Feng Ming.

What she ended up hearing was a ridiculous scandal from years past. After seeing Feng Ming off, Qin Xiao could not help but burst into laughter. Only after she had laughed herself sore did she collapse onto the sofa, staring absentmindedly around Yan Ningjin’s home.

The decor was minimal and elegant. Aside from the most basic furnishings, there was nothing else. The place felt cold and lifeless. Now she understood why Yan Ningjin was so reluctant to come home.

The house suited Yan Ningjin’s personality, but it lacked any trace of warmth. Realizing she might be stuck here for the next two or three years, Qin Xiao, bored out of her mind, logged into the Star Network and ordered some plants and decorative pieces to brighten up the space and make it feel more human.

“Hunqiu, how much do you think that extra batch of Hongmeng flowers could sell for? If we can make good money, we should collect more next time we go on an adventure. Then we could exchange the credits for energy crystals. Wouldn’t that be nice?”

“Squeak.”

The little Hunqiu excitedly bounced around in her arms for quite a while, rubbing up against her face every time it leapt. After getting its fill of affection, it curled up contentedly in her pocket.

Qin Xiao sighed. The little creature only ever acted this sweet when there were energy crystals involved.

Yan Ningjin did not come home that night.

Qin Xiao had waited and waited until she fell asleep right on the couch. When she woke up, her back and waist ached terribly. The discomfort left her in an awful mood.

So when Feng Ming came to pick her up, she received a very cold welcome.

“Take me to your military base. I want to see Yan Yan.”

Feng Ming hesitated. “Madam, the General said she would return once this phase of work is done. She asked you not to worry. She also said—”

Qin Xiao gave her a sidelong glance. “She also said what?”

Feng Ming stepped back a pace and lowered her head. “The General said you may do as you please.”

Qin Xiao let out a snort. “Well then, since she said that, what I want right now is to see her. Lead the way.”

Feng Ming had no rebuttal.

Meanwhile, Bai Xuan had pulled a clever little trick, but no one had expected that the newest suppressant developed by the Qin family would go horribly wrong. The first to notice the problem weren’t the sentinels of the Xiao Corps. It was several young nobles from the First Corps. After using the suppressant, they didn’t simply become agitated. Rather, they went completely berserk. Their condition was far worse than ordinary manic episodes. Mania only robbed them of reason, but those who had used the suppressant gained a terrifying boost in power. Their strength multiplied, turning them into killing machines.

Because the victims were wealthy nobles, the matter was declared a crisis-level emergency and a full investigation was ordered.

As Qin Xiao followed Feng Ming back into the Xiao Corps base, she could immediately feel that the atmosphere had changed drastically from her last visit.

“Madam, the General is with the medics right now.”

Qin Xiao noticed how tense everyone looked. The people moving through the corridors were in a rush. Even when they noticed her presence, all they did was nod quickly before hurrying away.

“Your sentinels also used that batch of suppressants, didn’t they?”

Feng Ming opened her mouth, then closed it again. “Apologies, Madam. I am not authorized to speak on anything related to the suppressant.”

That non-answer said everything.

Qin Xiao followed Feng Ming to the medical ward. The glass windows were sealed tight. Inside, Yan Ningjin stood with her back to them while a group of people in white coats bustled frantically. On the beds lay sentinels whose muscles were so taut with strain that they seemed ready to snap their restraints. Their expressions were twisted with madness, their eyes bloodshot and wild. Qin Xiao had seen those same crazed red eyes on the mutant rabbits from that desolate planet.

This was far more terrifying than a simple manic episode.

Feng Ming made a move to step forward, but Qin Xiao stopped her. “Go do your work. I’ll just wait here. Once Yan Yan turns around, she’ll see me. Let’s not disturb her.”

Left with no choice, Feng Ming went on ahead.

Qin Xiao watched as, each time a sentinel broke a restraint, Yan Ningjin would step in and fasten a new one. This simple act drew shrieks from the medics every time.

Any sentinel who managed to break free of one arm restraint would quickly use their strength to tear off the other. If no one reacted fast enough, they could escape from the bed entirely.

It was a constant test of endurance.

Qin Xiao saw the bucket beside Yan Ningjin was already filled with discarded restraints. She rubbed her fingers together subconsciously. Restraining berserk sentinels like this was like drinking poison to quench thirst. It was a temporary fix at best.

“Bring me a stabilizing agent, quickly.”

“On it.”

Someone happened to be leaving the ward. Taking advantage of the open door, Qin Xiao slipped inside.

The assistant medic headed for the stabilizers grabbed her wrist. “Hey, who are you? I’ve never seen you before. No newcomers are allowed in here. Get out.”

Qin Xiao shouted toward Yan Ningjin.

Yan Ningjin turned, and when her eyes landed on Qin Xiao, her pupils contracted sharply. She strode over and seized Qin Xiao’s wrist.

“Xiao Xiao, I told you to stay put on Aige Street, no, I meant to stay home. Things are chaotic outside. You shouldn’t have come out, and you especially shouldn’t be here. Do you have any idea—”

Qin Xiao cut her off and pointed behind her. “I don’t know what you’re trying to say, but that sentinel just broke one of their restraints.”

Yan Ningjin immediately spun around and caught the berserk sentinel’s punch head-on.

“Ah—!”

“Everyone back! Don’t panic.”

“The General is here. She won’t let anyone get hurt.”

…

Qin Xiao stood behind Yan Ningjin, locking eyes with the sentinel’s red pupils. She whispered softly, “Your whole body feels sore. You are exhausted. You need rest. It would be best to sleep for three days and three nights. No one will wake you. You must remember this, three days and three nights.”

She repeated it three times.

That massive punch had knocked even Yan Ningjin back a step, but the feral sentinel’s eyes drifted closed. His head lolled to the side, and with a heavy thud, he collapsed to the floor in a deep sleep.

Qin Xiao’s vision dimmed. Her knees buckled, and she nearly collapsed as well.

“Xiao Xiao, are you feeling unwell?”

“Terrible headache. Aftereffect.”

Qin Xiao had not yet recovered from the spiritual exhaustion she suffered after killing Wu Yu. Now, she had forced another suggestion onto that berserk sentinel. Her eyes remained unfocused for a while before her vision slowly cleared. The burly man who had collapsed earlier had already been carried back to bed. Thick restraints held him down, and this time, he did not struggle at all.

A group of white-coated medics gathered around him, appearing to study his condition.

Qin Xiao felt drained and leaned against Yan Ningjin’s shoulder to catch her breath. “Yan Yan, how many people in the corps were affected?”

Yan Ningjin opened her mouth. “Many.”

Most of the Xiao Corps’ supplies were managed and distributed by Bai Xuan. The suppressants were handed out based on a soldier’s merit, similar to a military stipend. Many sentinels preferred to store their suppressants in the corps’ warehouse, only using them when absolutely necessary. This strict discipline had spared most of the unit.

Only a small group had been on the verge of mania and collected their doses from Bai Xuan. Those who used the suppressant first became the initial wave of berserk soldiers.

The only correct decision Bai Xuan made at the time was to immediately forbid anyone else from using that batch. Even then, she had not truly believed the suppressants were the problem. It was not until the entire Capital Star began to blame the Qin family that the truth emerged. Among the three major military groups stationed there, the Xiao Corps had the fewest casualties.

However, even a few dozen were far too many for Yan Ningjin.

Qin Xiao had assumed it was a hundred or so. “Yan Yan, you should find guides to use suggestions on them. Make them sleep. These restraints don’t seem to be doing much good.”

The medics nearby did not wait for Yan Ningjin’s orders. They immediately gathered to attempt suggestions on the berserk sentinels. However, none of them could achieve what Qin Xiao had done. At most, they could only lull a sentinel to sleep for half a day, or even less.

The entire medical team descended into chaos. The sentinels’ danger rating had reached SS. The more timid guides dared not approach. Just one shout from a sentinel would leave them in tears.

“General, maybe we should let this young lady help. There are still several soldiers who haven’t fallen asleep yet.” The speaker was clearly panicked and, having seen Qin Xiao’s success, made the suggestion directly to Yan Ningjin. In response, he received a glare so sharp it could cut.

“Go to the Guide Academy and request reinforcements. Tell them we need guides with strong spiritual power.”

With that, Yan Ningjin scooped the small guide into her arms and left.

Qin Xiao noticed the stunned expressions on the medics behind them and could not help but laugh. “Yan Yan, you just walked out like that. Aren’t you afraid they’ll say you’re abusing your authority for personal reasons?”

Red veins were visible in Yan Ningjin’s eyes, likely from staying up all night. Her exquisitely beautiful face was long and tight with exhaustion and anger. “They can say whatever they want. Xiao Xiao, you must stop using your abilities to suppress these manic episodes. You need rest. Until your mental cloud recovers, you cannot continue like today.”

Qin Xiao had been unusually sleepy lately, likely due to her unstable spiritual sea. However, seeing those sentinels stirred her saintly instincts once more. She just could not bear to see Yan Ningjin struggle alone, so she added with quiet insistence, “My method works better than yours.”

Yan Ningjin was left speechless, her expression turning even darker.

Qin Xiao noticed some people carrying out a stretcher. A thin white cloth covered it, and a body seemed to be lying beneath.

“Why does everyone look so grim? Is there another issue besides the suppressant?”

The man carrying the stretcher saw them first and quickly saluted. “Major General.”

Yan Ningjin cast a complicated glance in that direction. “More than twenty soldiers used the suppressant and suddenly went berserk. Including those who tried to stop them, the number of injured and dead has reached over fifty.”

Qin Xiao fell silent. No wonder the atmosphere felt so tense. After a moment, she patted Yan Ningjin’s shoulder and gently consoled her. “Don’t be discouraged. We’ll find a solution.”

Yan Ningjin carried her to the resting quarters. “Lie down here for a while. I still need to check on things.”

The moment Qin Xiao entered the room, she was enveloped in Yan Ningjin’s familiar scent. It was unique to sentinels. Since the two had established a bond, that scent now made her feel incredibly at ease. She lay on the sofa, comforted by it.

Nearby, Tuan Tuan, influenced by his master, had placed both front paws on her back and was kneading her like dough. The pressure was just right.

Qin Xiao had been feeling exhausted lately. With Tuan Tuan’s gentle massage, she quickly fell into a deep sleep on the sofa.

It was the best rest she had had in a long time. When she awoke, Tuan Tuan was still curled beside her, his fluffy fur tickling her cheek.

“Xiao Xiao, are you hungry?”

“Not really.”

Qin Xiao sat up and noticed that Yan Ningjin had returned at some point and was flipping through books. She leaned over curiously. The books were ancient texts filled with medical jargon she could not understand.

“Are you researching the suppressant issue?”

Yan Ningjin shook her head. “I’m looking through historical cases to see if anything similar has happened before.”

Qin Xiao offered no opinion. She had little interest in such things. “To me, the sentinels’ condition looks like a mix of mania and strength boosters. No, more like the effects of Mirror-Breaking Pills.”

Yan Ningjin’s interest was piqued. “What are these strength pills you mentioned?”

Mirror-Breaking Pills were a rare kind of elixir. They allowed a person to ascend one realm beyond their current cultivation level. The side effects were severe. Anyone who used one would be stuck in that level for life.

Even so, many people still sought them out. Cultivation was dull and grueling, and the world of cultivation had never lacked people willing to take shortcuts.

Qin Xiao thought for a moment, then simplified her explanation. “Strength pills are the kind that can turn someone too weak to lift a chicken into a powerhouse. However, once the effect wears off, they collapse from exhaustion. Those sentinels who took the suppressant seemed much stronger than usual. If someone had combined a strength pill with a mania-enhancing drug, it could definitely cause people to become both crazed and frighteningly strong.”

In the past, some had used forbidden techniques to boost soldiers’ morale by eliminating their ability to feel pain; however, the price was always devastating.

Qin Xiao leaned toward the theory that someone was trying to unlock the sentinels’ potential; however, such a method harmed both the user and those around them.

Yan Ningjin looked at her, half understanding. “Is there any solution?”

Qin Xiao’s fingers began to rub together subconsciously. The only thing she knew to do was wait for the drug to wear off. Still, with this suppressant, even that might not be enough to stop the side effects.

“I want to test something on someone.”

“No.”

Yan Ningjin refused without hesitation. “Your spiritual cloud is still unstable. Besides, when they are berserk, they recognize no one. All they know is how to kill. They will not open their spiritual cloud for you to examine. The answer is no.”

Qin Xiao stayed quiet.

“Yan Yan, have you forgotten? I can use suggestion.”

“Still no. It is too dangerous.”

Yan Ningjin, usually soft-spoken, was now firmly unyielding. No matter how Qin Xiao tried to persuade her, she blocked every attempt with that same answer. Her face was taut, her jaw clenched.

Qin Xiao was not particularly eager to save people either. However, since Yan Ningjin was busy with the corps and rarely home, this was the only way she could help. Strictly speaking, Yan Ningjin was also a patient.

Just then, Bai Xuan knocked on the door. She nodded toward Qin Xiao as she entered.

“General, the First Corps heard we subdued the berserk sentinels. They want to know how. Should I let them in?”

“No.”

Bai Xuan nodded, then hesitated. “The royal family also sent someone. They say Her Highness Yuzhu has been berserk for a full day. Not even chains can hold her. His Majesty is heartbroken, so he sent a close aide to find out what method we used.”

Qin Xiao shot to her feet. “Who did you say?”

Bai Xuan was startled by her reaction. Her eyes darted between the two women several times. Only after Yan Ningjin nodded did she answer. “It was Her Highness Yuzhu.”

Qin Xiao opened her mouth but struggled to speak. After a moment of thought, it made sense. Since all sentinels and guides needed to use suppressants, it was not unusual for even a royal to be affected.

Bai Xuan gave Yan Ningjin a meaningful look, but the General’s expression remained blank. With no response, she asked again, “General, they are still waiting outside. Should I send them away?”

Qin Xiao spoke up quickly. “The method is simple. Have guides with strong spiritual power use suggestion to calm the berserk sentinels. Once they are asleep, we can take our time finding a proper solution.”

Yes, she still had three days to figure something out.

Just thinking of Ah Qin, actually, the Princess who looked exactly like her, going berserk made her anxious and uncomfortable. She needed something to distract her.

Yan Ningjin’s eyes were dark and focused. “Go ahead. Tell them what my wife said. The solution is simple.”

The mood in the room instantly changed. Bai Xuan felt it. Moments ago, the air had been warm and gentle. Now it was ice-cold. It was strange. She nodded quickly and made her exit.

Qin Xiao paced back and forth, completely unaware that Yan Ningjin had left her desk.

Suddenly, Yan Ningjin strode forward and grabbed her shoulders. Her deep black eyes searched her face.

“Xiao Xiao, I can tell you are extremely anxious. Especially after hearing the name from the royal family. Then tell me, what is making you so anxious? Or who?”