The Guide Always Wants to Run (GL) - Chapter 65

Qin Xiao glanced again at the fish covering her face, too embarrassed to look their way. She understood everything in an instant. Biting her lip, she struggled a bit and said, “Yan Yan, can we talk about this?”

Yan Ningjin lifted her chin with a cold expression. “Let’s hear it.”

Qin Xiao stood on tiptoe, trying hard to whisper into Yan Ningjin’s ear. “Help me pull down Bai Xuan’s pants. I want to see what’s under her… her backside—ah! Yan Yan, what are you doing?!”

The world spun. Qin Xiao was suddenly flung over Yan Ningjin’s shoulder like a sack of grain. Upside down, she caught sight of several legs, but Bai Xuan’s pale one stood out most clearly.

Yan Ningjin let out a cold snort. “I’ll let you see as much as you want when we get back.”

Qin Xiao: …

Who even wants to see that? Who the heck… would even want to see that… what?!

She screamed the whole way, and when they passed Yu Jing, she still managed to shout angrily, “You idiot! They came, and you didn’t even warn me! That’s so not cool… ahhh!”

Yan Ningjin left one sentence behind. “Feng Ming, wake up Bai Xuan.”

Feng Ming responded, “Yes.”

Yu Jing dared not say a word in front of Yan Ningjin. She stood helplessly for a while as Qin Xiao was carried off. Then a furious voice echoed behind her. “What the hell! Who took off my pants?!”

Yu Jing covered her face and sped away like a fleeing criminal.

Yan Ningjin carried Qin Xiao into the military department, slamming the door shut under the amused stares of everyone present.

Qin Xiao had not expected such a strong reaction. Seeing Yan Ningjin’s stormy face, she suddenly remembered the argument they had had in the treatment room. Panicking, she pressed both hands on Yan Ningjin’s shoulders. “Wait, Yan Yan, this is a misunderstanding! I can explain! It was all Yu Jing’s idea, not mine.”

Yan Ningjin’s face darkened further. Without a word, she began to unbuckle her belt.

Qin Xiao’s eyes widened in horror. Without thinking, she jumped onto Yan Ningjin like a monkey, trying to stop her. “It really was Yu Jing! She said she was looking for someone who has a red birthmark on their backside! That’s why I used a trick to get Bai Xuan to jump into the river and take off her pants on her own!”

Yan Ningjin’s hand paused mid-motion.

Qin Xiao, without even stopping to breathe, blurted out everything from beginning to end. When she finished, she looked up at Yan Ningjin cautiously. “It’s true. If you don’t believe me, go ask the Xiao Yu. She just wanted to see if Bai Xuan had that mark.”

Yan Ningjin gave a soft “Oh.”

The belt that had been halfway pulled out was quietly tucked back into place.

She picked up the little guide and briskly walked toward her office. “From now on, you are not allowed to go near Bai Xuan.”

Qin Xiao’s head drooped immediately. She pouted in protest. “Yan Yan, but I promised Yu Jing I’d help her with this. You can’t expect me to go back on my word, can you?”

Yan Ningjin remained unmoved. She carried the little guide to a large screen showing the distribution of star systems. “That is Yu Jing’s business. Look at this, then pick one.”

Qin Xiao blinked in confusion for a moment before realizing what she meant. But with the position she was in now, she had to tilt her head sideways just to see.

Yan Ningjin simply set her on the desk. “Pick whatever you like. Consider it a game of luck.”

The word luck lit a fire in Qin Xiao’s eyes. She studied the distribution map intently. Each speck on the map glowed in different hues, forming a grand image of the galaxy.

“Yan Yan, what is this?”

Yan Ningjin smiled slightly. “A starfield map.”

The stars seemed to shift and shimmer. Qin Xiao, following her instinct, reached out and pointed at one. “This one.”

Yan Ningjin’s relaxed smile vanished as she saw the planet. Her face tensed. “Xiao Xiao, do you really want this planet?”

Qin Xiao blinked and looked back. The planet’s light was soft and gentle. Among all the others, it was the most comforting to her. She always trusted her sixth sense, and this time was no exception. “So this is about picking a planet? Then I’ll go with this one.”

Seeing her insistence, Yan Ningjin assumed she didn’t know the full story and explained, “That is an ominous planet. The Empire has always dumped Sentinels suffering from manic episodes there to fend for themselves. Based on the number of Sentinels who die from these episodes each year, that planet holds the remains of tens of thousands, maybe even over a hundred thousand corpses. Xiao Xiao, pick another one.”

Qin Xiao sat cross-legged, propping her chin on both hands as she pondered. Yan Ningjin didn’t push her and simply waited patiently.

She remembered how, back in her treasure-hunting days, she would sometimes second-guess herself… and every time she did, she regretted it bitterly.

“Yan Yan, I’m not changing my choice. I’ll stick with this one.”

Out of so many planets, she just happened to pick the cursed one. That, too, was fate.

Yan Ningjin asked, “You’re really sure? No regrets?”

Qin Xiao hesitated. “Just this one. If it turns out to be a bad pick, I’ll just sell the whole little planet.”

Yan Ningjin opened her mouth to speak, but in the end said nothing. She no longer tried to persuade her. “Then it will be this one. Once His Majesty approves, it shouldn’t take long.”

Qin Xiao had assumed that not long meant a few days. She didn’t expect the wait to stretch on endlessly.

That day, a heavy rain fell on Capital Star.

After seeing off the last Sentinel, Qin Xiao spotted Yu Jing standing alone in a daze. She walked over and caught a soft sigh from Xiao Yu.

“What’s with the sighing?”

Yu Jing glanced at Guan Dong, who was helping clean up nearby. He was a full-fledged Sentinel now, with sharp senses and a strong physique. Gone was the silly boy who used to run after Qin Xiao calling her mama. That day, Guan Dong had taken down the Sentinel who mocked him, and from then on, no one dared speak ill of Qin Xiao in his presence.

“I miss home.”

“Rain makes you homesick?” Qin Xiao hadn’t thought much about the cultivation world lately. What she missed most were the treasures she had collected. Though she had recovered the Dreambringer Gentleman’s Flute, her spatial pouch had likely vanished along with her former body into the cosmos. “Tell me more about where you’re from sometime. I’m curious.”

Yu Jing didn’t answer. She sighed again, long and soft.

Qin Xiao leaned against the doorway beside her and sighed as well, sharing in the melancholy. We’re both exiles under the same sky.

“Xiao Yu, you don’t know. Since that day, every time Bai Xuan sees me, she bolts like she’s seen a ghost.”

Yu Jing silently agreed. She hadn’t seen Bai Xuan in a while, let alone found a chance to pull her pants down… ugh, no, not even to get close.

Qin Xiao kept shaking her head. “And Yan Yan won’t let me get near Bai Xuan either. She always finds a way to send her away. You know, if you had just held out a little longer that day… just a few more minutes… we could’ve known the truth. But now, who knows where Bai Xuan has gone.”

Yu Jing’s eye twitched.

As if she could have held out longer. General Yan had shot her that deathly glare, and her back still felt cold just thinking about it.

“Why didn’t you hold on a bit longer? If you had, I would’ve had reason to keep pushing.”

Qin Xiao: ….

She poked Yu Jing in the forehead. “You heartless Xiao Yu. I didn’t try? Which of your eyes saw me not trying? Yan Yan showed up, and I even tried to talk her into it, but she wouldn’t listen. What else could I do?”

Yu Jing surrendered immediately. “Alright, alright. But now it’s even harder to get close to Bai Xuan.”

This time, Qin Xiao had nothing to say. She had even less freedom than Yu Jing. Yan Ningjin now had Feng Ming escort her to and from home every day, right on schedule. If she wanted to go anywhere, Feng Ming would report it. Sometimes, Yan Ningjin herself would wait for her patiently at Cloud Pavilion.

Qin Xiao rubbed her fingers together. “We’ll wait. There will be a chance.”

A month later, the royal emperor officially granted Qin Xiao the cursed planet. It was recognition for her efforts during the suppressant incident. All the major noble houses sent their congratulations, including Mo Hui and Liu Ze.

Mo Hui rushed over the moment she saw Qin Xiao, sticking to her like a little fan. Her eyes sparkled with admiration as she said, “Qin Xiao, you’re amazing! You saved so many people. Ah Ze and I already talked. Because you helped us, General Fang is going to talk to my parents about our engagement.”

Qin Xiao suddenly stopped in her tracks. “Really? Then congratulations, Xiao Mo Hui.”

Mo Hui blushed deeply, her eyes glowing. She looked much healthier than the first time she had come to Cloud Pavilion, a little fuller too. “It’s all thanks to your idea. If not for you, I wouldn’t have known what to do.”

Her eyes reddened with emotion.

Startled, Qin Xiao quickly interrupted, rubbing her forehead. “Stop right there. Mo Hui, why do you cry so easily? You’re about to be a bride. Don’t cry. It’ll ruin your pretty face.”

Mo Hui sniffled. “I just feel a little sad. They don’t like Ah Ze.”

Qin Xiao replied casually, “He’s not an energy crystal. He doesn’t need everyone to like him. As long as you do, that’s enough. Now the two of you can make sweet little guides or Sentinels together.”

Mo Hui thought for a moment, then broke into a cheerful smile. “Qin Xiao, actually, besides coming to congratulate you and the General, I also have good news to share.”

Qin Xiao blinked in surprise. “More good news?”

Mo Hui looked around, then pulled Qin Xiao into a corner and lowered her voice. “Ah Ze and I are having a baby.”

Qin Xiao: …

She did the math. She had known Mo Hui for two or three months. Aside from that brief kidnapping incident, the timing lined up perfectly. It seemed like they had succeeded on the first try. Qin Xiao gazed up at the ceiling. These two sure were efficient.

She looked down and saw Hunqiu circling her feet. Her eyes drifted upward toward Mo Hui’s abdomen. After a long pause, she hesitantly asked, “Is it… in your belly?”

Mo Hui placed Qin Xiao’s palm on her stomach and nodded. “He’s still too little to feel you. Ah Ze and I have talked about it. We wouldn’t have come this far without your help. If you don’t mind, we’d love for you to be our little Sentinel’s godmother.”

Qin Xiao’s hand trembled. Godmother…

The word felt completely foreign. She stood there dazed, spacing out in front of Mo Hui.

“Qin Xiao? Qin Xiao?”

“Ah.”

Mo Hui looked anxious. “You don’t want to, do you? I know it’s a sudden request. I don’t have many friends, but I think you’re wonderful. I just thought—”

“Enough.” Qin Xiao always got a headache when soft-hearted girls cried. “Sure. I guess I’m getting a bonus child.”

What she had just been thinking was that babies must be fun. If it turned out to be a godson, she could play with him however she liked.

Mo Hui had no idea that the decision she made that day would become something she would deeply regret in the future. That, however, was a story for another time.

After dealing with the guests, Qin Xiao returned home and told Yan Ningjin the good news about Mo Hui. Then she grinned foolishly. “Now I have a godson, Yan Yan. Don’t be jealous.”

Yan Ningjin, seeing her so pleased, asked curiously, “Xiao Xiao, do you like children?”

Qin Xiao thought for a moment and then shook her head. “Not really. But seeing how happy Mo Hui was today made me happy for her. It’s a new life, and she’s waited a long time for this.”

Yan Ningjin already knew a bit about Mo Hui and Liu Ze. “Xiao Xiao, do you want me to send someone to clear that planet of yours first?”

Qin Xiao grabbed her arm excitedly. “No need! I want to go in person. Only by going myself can I know whether the planet holds what I’m looking for.”

Yan Ningjin hesitated. “Xiao Xiao, if you go alone, it’ll take at least a year or two to get through. Maybe even longer.”

Qin Xiao was stunned.

Yan Ningjin explained calmly, seeing how lost she looked. “Planets are categorized into small, medium, and large. Mine is a small one, mostly used for resource production. But yours… being a cursed planet, it’s vast and barren. From the beginning, it was classified as having no use. His Majesty had been fretting over what planet to grant you. When he found out you picked a cursed one, he approved immediately.”

Qin Xiao still looked confused. “What’s wrong with a cursed planet?”

Yan Ningjin replied, “Cursed planets are huge. Yours is between medium and large scale.”

Qin Xiao still didn’t quite get it. “What do you mean it was defined as useless from the start? His Majesty gave me a planet with no use?”

Seeing how upset she was, Yan Ningjin didn’t dare say, “You picked it yourself.”

She tried to calm her. “Xiao Xiao, don’t get upset.”

Qin Xiao guessed that the Emperor thought she didn’t have the proper status and wasn’t worth giving a valuable planet. So when she chose the cursed one, he used that as a perfect excuse. She cursed His Majesty’s entire ancestry in her heart.

“I’m not upset. Just explain what you meant about the planet being defined as useless.”

Seeing that she had calmed down, Yan Ningjin explained in a measured tone. “After a planet is claimed by the Empire, a royal survey team is dispatched to study its ecosystem and soil. Their real goal is to determine if the planet contains anything valuable, such as energy crystals or minerals. They have specialized methods, and their conclusions are usually very accurate. That’s why His Majesty was so quick to gift the cursed planet to you.”

Qin Xiao’s eyes widened.

She tried to salvage the situation. “Can’t I sell it?”

Yan Ningjin frowned ever so slightly. “That planet is too well known.”

No need to hear more. That said it all.

Qin Xiao let out a disgruntled humph. “Those noble families just came to laugh at me, didn’t they? All so petty. Next time I get a chance to extort them, I won’t forget. I’ll remember each one.”

Yan Ningjin laughed helplessly. What else could she say? She had tried to dissuade her, too.

“But His Majesty did promise. From this moment on, no more mentally unstable patients will be sent to the cursed planet.”

Qin Xiao was unmoved. What was that supposed to mean? Her planet was a dumping ground for the dying?

“No. I have to go check it out. If it really has nothing, then fine. I’ll accept my fate.”

Fueled by frustration, Qin Xiao went home and started tossing Hunqiu around until it spun in place. Poor Hunqiu squeaked twice in protest but couldn’t escape. Its little claws flailed in the air, failing to flip itself over.

Yan Ningjin gave a glance to Tuan Tuan. Tuan Tuan padded over and nudged Hunqiu with his nose, helping the creature roll upright. Hunqiu squeaked madly and ran off, with Tuan Tuan trotting along behind.

“Xiao Xiao, that cursed planet hasn’t been surveyed in twenty or thirty years. There might be changes even the surveyors didn’t anticipate. Don’t be upset.”

“How could I not be upset? The things I pick always turn out special.” Qin Xiao huffed. “I’m just angry they all treat me like a fool. It’s disgusting.”

Yan Ningjin didn’t know how to comfort her. “Give me two days to prepare. We’ll take some people and go together.”

Qin Xiao perked up immediately. “Yan Yan, you’ll bring Bai Xuan this time, right?”

Seeing her expectant eyes, Yan Ningjin firmly shook her head. “Bai Xuan needs to stay at the military base. Feng Ming will accompany us.”

Qin Xiao whined, “Don’t be like that. It really was Xiao Yu who wanted to see. Why don’t you believe me? I didn’t want to look. I don’t even like Bai Xuan. That woman called me a circus freak once. I haven’t forgotten.”

Yan Ningjin’s stern expression began to soften.

Qin Xiao pressed on. “And anyway, she’s not as pretty as you. You’re way better looking, taller too, with longer legs. She doesn’t even come close. This is the perfect chance for Xiao Yu to get closure. Then she can stop obsessing. Yan Yan.”

Yan Ningjin felt the warmth rush to her head at Qin Xiao’s sweet voice and compliments. She felt like she was floating. Trying to stay composed, she asked, “Is that so?”

Qin Xiao nodded vigorously. “You’re the most beautiful in my eyes.”

Even better looking than Ah Qin, though their styles are different.

Yan Ningjin cleared her throat. “We’ll talk about it tomorrow. Xiao Xiao, start preparing. You should post a notice for those Sentinels looking to you for healing, so they won’t come in vain.”

Qin Xiao nodded obediently. “Alright, but think about it, okay?”

Yan Ningjin’s expression turned stern again. “Time for bed.”

Having already been on one expedition, Qin Xiao packed her things like a seasoned adventurer. After Yan Ningjin double-checked everything, the group boarded the starship.

This time, Yu Jing came along too. Because Qin Xiao had told her that Bai Xuan had been approved to join them.

Once on board, Qin Xiao looked around eagerly. When she spotted Bai Xuan, she nudged Yu Jing excitedly. “Yu Jing, look! Bai Xuan!”

Yu Jing covered her face and shifted away, pretending not to know her.

Yan Ningjin spoke a few words to Bai Xuan, then strode over and took Qin Xiao by the hand, leading her to the other side. As Qin Xiao kept glancing back, she saw Bai Xuan spot her and immediately turn and flee.

“Hey! What’s with her? Bai Xuan ran off again.”

Yan Ningjin emphasized again, “Xiao Xiao, that’s Yu Jing’s business. I didn’t tell Bai Xuan about your plan. That was already me being generous. Don’t test my patience.”

Qin Xiao instantly zipped her lips, looking like a scolded wife full of grievances.