Chapter 57 FIFTY-SEVEN

Chapter 57: Chapter FIFTY-SEVEN

"Which fucked up human came up with this!? T-That is just..."

Xin Linhua stares at the book for a long time. Sheer horror is written all over his face.

Ever since he got here, he never bothered to do research about things like this. He knows the basics and he believes that it’s enough.

To think that everyone else knows about this ’devastating’ piece of news but him, the party involved...this is absurd!

"This can’t be real." Xin Linhua tosses the book into the cart "It can’t be. Maybe it’s a suggestion someone came up with."

Thus, standing alone in the cold and deserted corridor, Xin Linhua picks up books related to the topic of guiding and skims through it.

The more he flips, the more horrified he becomes. Absolutely not!

He pushes the cart back to the Sentinel Division. He dumps the whole thing in his room, locks the door manually three times and still uses the fingerprint lock.

He takes with him, the first book he had picked up. He shoves it in his coat and keeps it close.

One who sees his movement might think he was snuggling something inside the institute.

He arrives at the medical center. He stands at the door of the room for a long time.

"What do we have here?" Gao Shi turns to the door "Why did our dear team leader decide to grace me with his presence?"

"It won’t kill you to not be mean, you know." Naka swipes the curtain aside and peeps in from his own corner.

"You two are in the same room?" Xin Linhua asks.

"Yes. Apparently, it’s better this way."

"Uhn...sure."

"So, why are you here?" Naka raises an eyebrow "You look pale– no, distraught."

"Uhm..." Xin Linhua hesitates "I have something to ask you two."

"What is it?"

"The method...of guiding. Are they actually effective? No! I mean, do people actually use those methods?"

"Uhn?" The two blink "What methods exactly?"

Xin Linhua doesn’t know how he’s going to say it so he takes out the book and passes it to Gao Shi who’s closest to him.

The man takes the book with curiosity and flips through it. He has a strange expression on his face.

"You’re talking about Sexual guiding?" Gao Shi bluntly asks "It’s literally the most effective method. I mean, it’s what paired and bonded Sentinels and Guides do."

Xin Linhua’s entire world comes crashing down. His brain shuts down and does a slow reboot.

His knowledge about this world is extremely limited! He has to start from the very bottom!

"People...use sexual guiding methods?"

"Yeah."

"And you do too...?"

"Of course not." Gao Shi glares "I don’t have a guide. Not paired or bonded."

"Me either." Naka shrugs "I usually get a guiding session from unpaired Guides."

"Wait, why are you asking?"

Xin Linhua is biting his fingernailz now. He’s not really listening to whatever they just said.

"Wait– don’t tell me you’re discovering this." Naka sits up despite the struggle "Really? Being a pair, I thought you guys would guide through–"

"Shut it." Xin Linhua cuts him off.

"Woah..." The two exchange glances.

"This is fun for you two, isn’t it?" Xin Linhua snatches the book back.

"It is." Gao Shi nods "But, why are you so flustered?"

"Why? What do you mean, why? Who wouldn’t be? H-He-He’s a he."

Gao Shi stares dumbfounded. Even Naka is confused.

"That’s not a word." Gao Shi mutters "What do you mean he’s a he. Of course he’s a he, he’s male."

"Wait, don’t tell me you’re homophobic!"

"Homophobic your ass!"

Xin Linhua raises the book and with zero remorse or mercy, he hits the injured Gao Shi with it, his glasses fall crooked on the man’s nose.

"What the fuck! Why are you hitting me!?" The man protests "I’m not the one who made that comment!"

"You’re closer to me."

"What kind of twisted logic is that!?"

"But Xin Linhua, don’t you like Phantom?" Naka frowns.

"W-W-What!?" Xin splutters "False rumors! When did I ever say I liked him!?"

"Are you kidding?" Gao Shi fixes his glasses with resentment "You treat him like an egg. You follow him around like a tail and you even gave him a pet name that no one else is allowed to call him, Xin Linhua exclusive."

"The way you look at him." Naka stares at him "You look at him like the rest of us do not exist. Don’t get me started on the rift issue."

"Don’t worry, I’ll say it."

Gao Shi faces him with pure resentment of having his brain knocked around in his skull.

"In the rift, you keep staring at him like he’s your next meal. Literally. When you crashed, you were so worried, your soul left your body for a second. You were worried about him, a man who didn’t even feel a thing from that crash.

"Wherever he goes, you follow. You call him by that nickname so lovingly, people would think you’re married. When he got covered in blood, you looked so heartbroken like the blood was his. And lastly, you treat him far too good for just ’friends’."

Xin Linhua is way too quiet. The more they speak, the more he shrinks into himself.

"That’s not true–"

"Ask anyone in the institute." Naka argues "Everyone can see it. You care less for yourself, but whenever something happens with your Sentinel, you go feral."

"Xin Linhua, do we have to spell it out for you? Really? You’re smarter than that."

"Don’t–"

"You like him."

"I don’t." Xin Linhua grips the book "It’s because of this damn book I read. And you two, manipulative two-faced humans. Good at planting seeds of doubt, especially you, Gao Shi. I should have known better than to ask any of you."

Xin Linhua grips the book and storms out. More like fled, but without running.

"What the fuck was that...?" Gao Shi mutters "I got harassed and he even insulted me. Damnit!"

"You’re worried about that– I’m more worried about what’s going to happen next."

"What do you mean?"

"We just planted a seed of doubt in his mind. Xin Linhua will start viewing things from a different angle now. He either gets closer to him or put a large distance between them."

"That’ll affect the team."

"Yeap!"