The Guide Always Wants to Run (GL) - Chapter 68

Perhaps it was because six people had gone missing, but the atmosphere was no longer as lighthearted as before. Everyone split into pairs and quickly formed ten small teams. Though it was supposed to be a time to rest, hardly anyone truly fell asleep. Most lay awake, tossing and turning, or staring into the darkness in silence, occasionally exchanging a few whispered words.

Qin Xiao was probably the most carefree of them all. She fell asleep almost instantly, leaning against Yan Ningjin. In just a few seconds, her head tilted and came to rest on Yan Ningjin’s lap, instinctively finding the most comfortable spot. She had dozed off without a care in the world.

When Bai Xuan arrived, she saw the general sitting with head bowed, gently stroking Qin Xiao’s head again and again. At the sound of her approach, Yan Ningjin lifted her gaze. The unguarded affection on her face was fully exposed in the dark.

“Boss, Madam just now—”

Yan Ningjin raised a finger to her lips. “We’ll talk tomorrow. Get some rest.”

Bai Xuan wanted to say more, but seeing how fully Yan Ningjin’s attention was focused on Qin Xiao, she reluctantly fell silent. She sat nearby, gazing up at the night sky of the Cursed Planet. The stars here looked no different from those above Capital Star, yet the air carried a distinct chill that made it hard to truly appreciate the view.

The next day, after a long absence, the sun finally rose. Its light slowly spread across the entire Cursed Planet. Perhaps it was because Aiwei’er had cleared the trees across a hundred-mile radius, but the area seemed especially bright.

“It’s morning!”

The sunlight was so intense that Qin Xiao could barely open her eyes.

Yan Ningjin lifted the coat draped over her and spread it wider to shield her from the light. “Xiao Xiao, how did you sleep?”

Qin Xiao adjusted to the brightness, then pulled the coat aside and glanced at Yan Ningjin’s thigh, which had served as her pillow through the night. She even gave it a playful squeeze. “I slept really well. What about you, Yan Yan? Is your leg numb?”

She had already figured out a pattern. As long as she was beside Yan Ningjin, she could fall asleep easily. But if they were apart, her sleep became restless. She chalked this strange dependence up to the natural instincts between Sentinel and Guide.

“Madam, when are we setting out?”

“Bai Xuan.”

Once she was up, Qin Xiao pulled Yan Ningjin up with her. She looked around and saw that everyone else was already geared up, clearly waiting on her. Embarrassed, she stuck out her tongue slightly. “Why didn’t you wake me up?”

Yan Ningjin flexed her leg. “There’s no rush.”

Bai Xuan, however, circled Qin Xiao with urgency. She had come to understand that the leadership had shifted. Wherever the Madam was, hers was the final word. “Madam, you said yesterday we should go look for a water source. Will Miss Yu Jing and the others be there?”

Qin Xiao corrected her, “Yan Yan and I will be looking for water. You’ll take a team and head in one of the four cardinal directions. Explore the land. Don’t chop down any fruit trees or anything useful. Just mark the area and return.”

Bai Xuan was momentarily speechless.

Yan Ningjin patted her shoulder. “Do as Xiao Xiao says. She’s now the ruler of this planet.”

Yan Ningjin then instructed Lu Xiang to leave a portion of the group behind to guard their base and begin constructing a proper camp. The day they had arrived, the sky was already dark, and after everything that had happened, no one had the heart to build anything beyond simple shelters for rest. But they needed something more permanent.

With everything divided into groups, Qin Xiao and Yan Ningjin took only ten people with them and headed east. From their time observing the area aboard the spaceship, they had noticed a bl00d-red river in that direction. Yu Jing had even warned them about it.

“Hey, what are you spraying there?”

“It’s weed killer, Madam.”

Qin Xiao pondered that. The wild grass here had grown taller than people. At night, with limited visibility and nothing around but trees and overgrown vegetation, it would be easy for someone to be dragged off under the cover of darkness. But if that happened, there had to be some trace left behind.

Yan Ningjin had clearly thought the same. “Everyone, keep an eye out for flattened areas in the grass.”

After walking a few hundred meters cautiously—

“General, the grass here is broken. Looks like it was cut by something sharp. And there’s bl00d.”

When one patch fell, it revealed a wide swath flattened beneath it. Qin Xiao lay down on it to test the shape. It matched the disturbed pattern perfectly.

A little farther ahead, they found more of the same. Several clusters of grass had been crushed. One of the Sentinels nearby commented, “General, looks like we’re on the right track.”

Yan Ningjin stuck close to Qin Xiao, worried she might recklessly lie down again. “Do not let your guard down. Normal beasts wouldn’t be smart enough to disguise themselves using uniforms from the Xiao Corps or wear those human-skin masks.”

Qin Xiao responded instantly. “So it’s people.”

No one had considered that possibility. “People?”

She blinked and said it as if it were obvious. “Of course. Otherwise, how could a couple of dumb beasts think of something so cunning? If they could, they’d have figured out how to escape this cursed place by now. Someone must be controlling them. They’re just puppets.”

Someone added, “But those beasts look very human. They have hands and feet, even if they can’t talk.”

Qin Xiao bristled at the word “beasts.”

“Yan Yan, you said this was the Cursed Planet. What about all the Sentinels who were left here to fend for themselves? How did you confirm they’re dead?”

Mentioning the Sentinels who had been abandoned due to incurable mania changed everyone’s expression. Many of them had once admired or served under those same people.

Qin Xiao couldn’t resist pushing the thought further, a mischievous tone in her voice. “What if they’re not dead? What if they’re hiding and planning to kill us?”

Yan Ningjin frowned. Her voice turned icy. “Xiao Xiao.”

Qin Xiao rolled her head lazily. “Alright, alright. I was just kidding. But honestly, none of you can be sure those Sentinels are actually dead. Fate has a twisted sense of humor.”

Yan Ningjin had to admit, the possibility wasn’t small, but she didn’t hold out much hope. Life on this planet was brutal.

“Most would’ve gone mad and died. Either they attacked others or turned on themselves.”

Qin Xiao gave a noncommittal “oh.”

From then on, the group focused in silence, carefully scanning for any trace.

Every sign they found suggested that someone or something very large had passed through the grass. Patches were crushed underfoot. One person called out, “General, Madam, there’s a mark here.”

It looked like someone had disturbed the soil. And on that soil was a print.

Yan Ningjin took one glance and confirmed, “That’s a fist. A human one.”

Qin Xiao tested her own hand against it. “It’s bigger than my fist. Might even be larger than Yan Yan’s palm. A man’s handprint, most likely. He struggled here, then was dragged away. Oh, and there’s water.”

They realized the ground was unusually soft. Each step sank deep into the soil. That softness was likely why the print had been preserved. But someone noticed something chilling. “There’s only the one fist mark. Nothing else. What dragged him away?”

“Yeah, there should be other prints.”

“Not necessarily.”

Qin Xiao was unconcerned. “If there’s water, it could’ve washed away the rest. Don’t spook yourselves. That fist mark clearly shows someone struggled. The six missing people are probably still alive.”

Those words brought a collective sigh of relief.

They kept moving forward. The further they went, the muddier the ground became. It was like the area had recently been flooded. It hadn’t been obvious before, but as they reached a slightly brighter spot and looked back, they saw that the water trailing behind them had turned red, like bl00d. The realization that they had just walked through it sent a cold shiver through everyone.

Qin Xiao crouched by the river that shimmered like bl00d. “It looked terrifying from above. But Yan Yan, look, there’s greenery around here. These flowers—”

Yan Ningjin grabbed her hand at once. “Don’t touch anything. The plants and animals here are not your friends.”

Qin Xiao pulled her hand back sheepishly. These tiny white flowers, blooming beside the bl00d-colored river, only made the crimson water seem more ominous. The river flowed steadily onward, and when she stood, she could not see its end.

“Yan Yan, do you know why the river is red?”

Yan Ningjin frowned slightly. “It’s said this planet used to be prosperous. The lord here once obtained a treasure and was ecstatic, but the treasure was cursed. Anyone who touched it suffered misfortune. Then a great war broke out, and everyone on the planet died. Their bl00d dyed the river red, and it has never run clear since. Xiao Xiao, why are you looking at me like that?”

Qin Xiao looked deeply skeptical. “Yan Yan, that sounds made up.”

Yan Ningjin hesitated for a long moment. Under Qin Xiao’s pointed stare, she finally muttered, “I read it in historical records. I don’t know if it’s true.”

Qin Xiao pointed back the way they had come. “So, if what you said is true, and we’ve touched this bl00d river, does that mean the curse is on us now?”

Yan Ningjin was speechless. She could not even muster a rebuttal.

Then Qin Xiao did something that made her bl00d run cold.

Qin Xiao reached into the river, splashed a handful of the crimson water, then dabbed a drop onto the palm of her other hand. “Looks fake. See? No bl00d smell.”

“Xiao Xiao!”

Yan Ningjin scolded her, quickly wiping the water off her palm with her own sleeve. “What if it’s poisonous?”

Qin Xiao tilted her head, still arguing. “If it were, these plants wouldn’t be thriving. Look how well these little flowers are growing.”

She even reached out again to poke the white flower.

Yan Ningjin: …

Just as Qin Xiao tried to touch the river water again, Yan Ningjin grabbed her. “Stop messing around. This river clearly isn’t normal. Don’t touch it. Besides, we’re here to find people.”

Qin Xiao rolled her eyes. “Maybe the missing people were dragged under the river. I can swim. I’ll check.”

Yan Ningjin was nearly at her wits’ end with Qin Xiao’s rebellious streak. “You think Yu Jing followed the current and ended up in this river, so now you want to go in after her?”

Qin Xiao did suspect that Yu Jing had gone into the river. After all, Yu Jing was a fish. Fish yearned for water. If she had taken off her clothes and dived in, and someone happened to pick them up afterward, it would not be all that surprising.

“Of course. She’s a beastkin. She can control water.”

“Then I’ll go down.”

Qin Xiao’s eyes widened. “Didn’t you just say the river was dangerous?”

Yan Ningjin had already begun to undress. “Even if it’s dangerous, it’s still better that I go than you. Stay on the bank. I’ll check if anyone has really been hidden in the river.”

Qin Xiao didn’t know what to say. “Yan Yan, you really don’t have to—”

Yan Ningjin cupped her face and gently touched her forehead. “I’ll just be gone a moment. Stay by the river. Don’t worry.”

Qin Xiao couldn’t describe what she was feeling. A little sweet, a little sour. Bittersweet, really. For a fleeting moment, she even wanted to give up searching for Ah Qin. Staying with this person felt… enough.

Mainly, this person was kind of stupid. If someone bullied her, she wouldn’t know what to do.

While Qin Xiao’s mind drifted, Yan Ningjin dove into the bl00d river with a loud splash. Some of the water splattered across Qin Xiao’s face. The surrounding search team rushed over.

“Madam, where’s the General?”

Qin Xiao wiped her face and pointed to the river. “We suspect the missing people were hidden under the river. Yan Yan went in to look. Just be patient.”

This was, after all, where the trail had completely vanished.

She glanced back at the road they had come down. The once-thick wild grass had been mostly wiped out by the weed killer. Qin Xiao rested her head on her hand. “It all feels… deliberate.”

Everyone: …What?

She handed her clothes to one of them. “If anything seems off, go find Bai Xuan or fire a signal flare. All ten of you must leave together. I’m going to find Yan Yan.”

Before they could react, she dove into the river with a splash.

Under the surface, the river looked even redder and far more disgusting. Imagine your entire body soaked in bl00d. What kind of feeling was that?

Qin Xiao swam deeper. Along the way, she spotted many underwater plants. Each had vine-like tendrils, almost identical to those she’d seen on Lion Star. Like that sea creature she once encountered. Damn. What were the odds?

“Xiao Yu~~”

“Yan Yan~~~”

She wrapped her voice with spiritual energy and let it echo far and wide. As she swam, those tendrils suddenly sprang to life, rushing toward her with alarming speed.

Qin Xiao remained still. As they closed in, she pulled a smooth orb from the inner pocket of her undershirt. The orb was palm-sized and glowed faintly. It resembled Hunqiu from her childhood.

The tendrils instantly recoiled. As eager as they had been to approach, they now fled even faster.

Huh, she thought. That Xiao Yu gave me something useful after all.

With the orb in hand, she carefully explored the riverbed. She found stones and old bones. The bones seemed to have been here for years. She picked one up and used it to poke around.

Suddenly, the current surged. A figure swam toward her at high speed. Upon closer look, it was not entirely human. It appeared to be a fusion of person and fish.

Qin Xiao instinctively raised the bone like a weapon. But it felt odd in her hand. She tossed it away and pulled out the Dreambringer Flute from her back.

As the figure approached, she looked closely. It really was Yu Jing.

Yu Jing’s loose hair floated like seaweed, and her bright blue tail shimmered strangely in the bl00d river. She pointed behind her, trying to say something.

Qin Xiao didn’t hesitate. She swam forward and grabbed Yu Jing’s cheeks with both hands.

Yu Jing had been completely unprepared. As Qin Xiao tugged on her face, her tail thrashed, sending waves rippling through the water.

“Qin Xiao… gurgle… what are you… gurgle gurgle…”

A stream of bubbles.

Qin Xiao let out a breath. “There was a fake one before. I tore the mask off right there. Did you see Yan Yan?”

Yu Jing nodded and turned to swim back the way she came.

Qin Xiao followed. As they swam, she became aware of a hidden world beneath the river. A sealed archway emerged, leading to a completely different section. Inside the gate, the waters were split into two extremes. Because her view had been obscured earlier, she hadn’t noticed. But now, as she followed Yu Jing’s tail, she realized it was definitely her.

“Did you leave your clothes above the river when you jumped in?”

“It’s complicated.”

Yu Jing had indeed come here on purpose. But right after diving in, she heard movement onshore. When she came up again, her clothes were gone…

Since she hadn’t swum freely in a long time, she decided to make the most of it. She darted happily through the water until she saw someone dropping things down. One object, then another.

She recognized a few faces among those Yan Ningjin had brought. Realizing something was wrong, she hid nearby to observe how many Sentinels were being thrown in.

If the whole team died, at least she would still be here.

She waited all night. Five Sentinels had been thrown in, but no more followed.

Qin Xiao: !!!

Yeah, complicated was right.

After passing through the archway, Yu Jing swam upward.

“I don’t have clothes. What now?”

Qin Xiao looked down at her own outfit. It clung to her like a second skin. Practically useless. She whispered, “Do they all know… you’re a fish?”

Yu Jing’s head drooped. “No. But when the General jumped in, I thought another person was being thrown in. I was about to catch them…”

Qin Xiao had already told Yan Ningjin that Yu Jing was a fish. Her eyes went wide, even wider than Yu Jing’s fishy gaze. She nodded firmly. “If only Yan Yan knows, that’s okay. She keeps her promises. I’ll talk to her and ask her to keep it secret. She definitely will.”

Yu Jing’s eyes sparkled. “Qin Xiao, thank you.”

Qin Xiao gave a nervous laugh. Her conscience stung.

Taking Yu Jing’s words to heart, Qin Xiao emerged from the water. The moment her head broke the surface, someone pulled her into a hug.

“Why didn’t you listen? I told you to wait by the bank. Xiao Xiao, when will you stop making me worry?”

Qin Xiao glanced around and almost screamed. A group of people had appeared. All of them looked frail and worn, like elders at the edge of life. Their cheeks were sunken, their hair grey. But most disturbing were their black eyes, all staring directly at her.

She shrank into Yan Ningjin’s arms. “Yan Yan, what is going on?”

Yan Ningjin held her protectively. “Don’t be afraid. You were right. These are the people who were abandoned here. They saved Ah Hu and the other four.”

Qin Xiao: !!!

She looked more closely. “This doesn’t look like the same forest we passed through before.”

Yan Ningjin nodded softly. “Stay still, Xiao Xiao. Your clothes are soaked.”

Qin Xiao shoved Hunqiu into her shirt, shamelessly wriggled, and with the help of her little pet’s drying skill, the wet clothes were dried in an instant.

“Look. Hunqiu’s skill.”

“Squeak.”

Yan Ningjin chuckled despite herself, though Hunqiu’s little claws were a bit much. She shielded her as best as she could until her clothes were dry.

“Xiao Xiao, where’s Yu Jing?”

Qin Xiao slapped her forehead. “She has no clothes! Can you ask them for a set? Also, she can’t come out in front of these people like that. She’s still a girl.”

Yan Ningjin turned to ask. The strangers’ eyes remained fixed on Qin Xiao. Yan Ningjin scowled.

“Even if you saved Ah Hu and the others, if you keep staring at my Guide like that, I will not be polite.”

That was a sharp warning.

Qin Xiao had never heard Yan Ningjin speak so harshly.

These Sentinels shared two striking traits. All of them had been abandoned on this planet due to uncontrollable manic episodes, and many had gone their entire lives without ever laying eyes on a Guide. Now, in this forsaken place, seeing one for the first time left them unable to look away.

Qin Xiao thought their gazes were downright predatory. Far more intense than any Sentinels she’d met before. These weren’t exactly friendly folks.

Just as she thought Yan Ningjin’s words might settle them down, the group unexpectedly closed in. The leader, a gaunt man with claw-like fingers that were nowhere near as cute as Hunqiu’s, spoke in a hoarse voice.

“Leave the Guide. You can take the others and go.”

Qin Xiao: !!!