Chapter 4: Shi Yan—On What Basis Do They Get Zhuang He’s Soothing?
“…I’m sorry.”
Lu Yin apologized very quickly. After all, he didn’t want Zhuang He to know what he was just thinking that caused his slip.
Although Zhuang He was a bit displeased, he still seriously corrected every single movement.
Consequently, Lu Yin’s arms, the backs of his hands, his waist, and even his thighs were all touched by Zhuang He.
The person touching him didn’t have any lingering amorous thoughts, but Lu Yin couldn’t help but despise himself.
Isn’t he just a Guide who’s a bit prettier and a bit stronger? Is it necessary to be this infatuated?
Yet even self-loathing couldn’t hide the trembling sensation that reached even Lu Yin’s scalp.
The faint fragrance from Zhuang He’s body frantically drilled into Lu Yin’s nose. He had to control himself to not make mistakes while simultaneously suppressing the urge to ask Zhuang He what perfume he used.
Soon, the entire morning passed amidst Lu Yin’s heavy sweating.
The other students walked toward the canteen in groups of two or three, chatting as they went.
“I heard that the seniors from previous years never saw Chief Zhuang demonstrate personally.”
“It must be because of that SSS-grade Sentinel.”
“Definitely. Otherwise, how could the Chief have explained things so meticulously?”
“We’re benefiting from his presence…”
They talked while secretly glancing at Lu Yin. The subject of their conversation was currently trying his best to control his trembling legs as he followed behind Zhuang He.
Lu Yin was wailing in his heart. Why was he an SSS-grade?! Why did he end up with a teacher like this?!
But his pride didn’t allow him to show his vulnerability, so his expression remained perfectly controlled. He followed behind Zhuang He like an obedient student.
Zhuang He looked back at him once, not exposing the boy’s little thoughts. He simply led him directly to the third floor.
“Teacher, I can just eat on the second floor.”
Lu Yin didn’t want others to see him using Zhuang He’s privileges. He didn’t like using such so-called privileges either.
Zhuang He gave him a cold glance. Then, he walked up to Lu Yin’s pretending-to-be-steady legs and rubbed his foot against Lu Yin’s calf.
With just that one move, Lu Yin almost knelt directly before Zhuang He. However, relying on his powerful self-control, he didn’t kowtow to Zhuang He.
Lu Yin looked at Zhuang He with difficulty as he leaned against the wall. He saw a rare look in the other’s face—one of slight mockery.
“…I’ll eat with Teacher.”
Zhuang He turned and left, not caring whether the person behind him followed.
Lu Yin closed his eyes and tried his best to ignore the soreness in his legs. But that sensation of something rubbing against his calf through a layer of fabric just now was truly enough to drive him mad.
It was too ambiguous—so ambiguous that he almost thought he was Zhuang He’s lover.
Lu Yin limped after Zhuang He into a private room. As soon as he entered, he immediately threw himself into a soft sofa, letting out a sigh.
After Zhuang He closed the door, he tapped a few times on his light-brain without even looking up. “You’re resting this afternoon. You don’t need to participate in training.”
Happiness came too suddenly. Lu Yin didn’t snap out of it for a long while. Only when he saw Zhuang He’s expression did he realize he was talking about him.
“This… isn’t that a bit bad?”
Zhuang He cast him a pitying look, his tone as cold as ever. “If you can endure it, you can continue.”
“Teacher, I think I need to rest.”
Lu Yin immediately straightened up. He was a human, not a machine. This was only the first day; if he worked himself to death, what would he do in the coming days?
Zhuang He didn’t respond. He pulled out a chair and sat down. His light-brain interface spread out before him. He tapped something, and Lu Yin heard his own light-brain beep-beep twice.
He opened it to see a communication request.
On it were two words: Zhuang He.
Beside the name was a photo—a headshot. Zhuang He’s vivid features appeared on it with a cold and indifferent expression, looking directly at Lu Yin.
“I’ve sent you the schedule.”
Zhuang He was still sparing with his words. Lu Yin opened the schedule he sent, and his vision immediately went dark.
“Teacher, do I even have time to rest?”
Zhuang He glanced at him without speaking. Lu Yin subtly understood the other’s meaning: he had no room for refusal or negotiation.
Lu Yin held a breath of frustration in his chest. Isn’t he just a stronger Guide! He was also SSS-grade! Once he graduated, he wouldn’t necessarily be worse than Zhuang He!
He didn’t know if other students were like this, but his thoughts had changed. He wanted to train faster and harder until he could pin Zhuang He to the ground!
“Teacher, did my seniors have this schedule too?”
Lu Yin asked, still somewhat unwilling to give up. Zhuang He didn’t look up from whatever he was browsing. “You’re the first.”
The anger and grievance Lu Yin had felt just now vanished instantly. His entire body shivered, and his aura calmed down.
Zhuang He looked at him strangely. How could he be angry one moment and calm the next? Was he an emotion-regulating machine?
“Am I Teacher’s first student?”
Lu Yin’s voice was drawn out very slowly. Zhuang He only felt it was somewhat “sticky,” though he couldn’t put a name to the sensation.
“Yes.”
Lu Yin licked his molars, his heart filled with a strange sense of satisfaction.
He was Zhuang He’s first student. He felt he would also be the only one, unless a third SSS-grade appeared in the Empire…
Soon, food with excellent color, aroma, and taste was served. Lu Yin looked at the unfamiliar dishes before him in confusion.
“I thought Teacher would drink different flavors of nutrient solution.”
Zhuang He slowly looked up at him. His eyes were no longer like a pool of dead water but carried a hint of exasperation.
“Eat something meant for humans.”
He rarely spoke with emotion. Although his words were very unpleasant, Lu Yin obediently shoveled food into his mouth.
Since Lu Yin was resting in the afternoon, Zhuang He had no reason to go to the training ground. Consequently, the Chief whom the freshmen were eagerly awaiting never showed up.
The SSS-grade Sentinel also vanished.
Some speculated whether they had gone for private lessons, but they were soon trained by the instructors until their consciousness blurred.
Zhuang He lay on his bed with his eyes closed, merely resting because he couldn’t sleep.
He needed Soothing Agents every night to fall asleep, but they only served an auxiliary role. He would feel very uncomfortable after waking up, though he was already used to it.
Before he could rest for long, the beep-beep of his light-brain sounded. Zhuang He sat up and opened it; it was an internal academy request for a soothing session.
Zhuang He was an SSS-grade Guide. Almost no stranger would request a soothing session from him, except for a few very close friends.
And the one requesting a session this time was indeed one of his friends.
He changed into a loose set of loungewear. The off-white long-sleeved T-shirt completely covered his physique, and the matching loose trousers hid his beautiful long legs.
Picking up a white hair tie from the table, Zhuang He tied his long hair up, took his light-brain, and went out.
Internal soothing requests would be assigned a dedicated room. Since both Zhuang He and that Sentinel were high-ranking figures in the Academy, the assigned room was naturally of the highest grade.
After Zhuang He input his retinal scan, the door opened automatically. The space inside was about a hundred square meters, with two bedrooms, a living room, and two independent bathrooms.
The only flaw was the lack of a kitchen, though the people coming here didn’t seem to need one.
The room was empty. After entering, Zhuang He first scanned his light-brain with the door lock to confirm he had accepted the soothing request.
Then, he curled up on the sofa to rest. The fire phoenix also curled up beside him to nap.
He didn’t know how much time had passed before the clack of the door lock sounded. He opened his eyes and looked at the opening door. A tall man was walking in.
“Arrived so early?”
The man was wearing an academy uniform, the same style Zhuang He had worn before. The silver belt shimmered in the sunset. He locked the door behind him and walked confidently to Zhuang He’s side. He extended a long arm, completely enveloping the person on the sofa in his shadow.
“I happened to be at home.”
Zhuang He’s expression was somewhat cold, but Shi Yan could sense his fatigue.
“I heard you took in an SSS-grade Sentinel. Is it hard leading him?”
“It’s alright. His talent is good.”
Zhuang He’s words were as sparse as ever. He pulled himself out from the sofa, moved a bit to the side, and turned to ask Shi Yan, “Out on a mission again?”
“Yes. A new wormhole was discovered. It took a while to clear it.”
Shi Yan sat down beside Zhuang He naturally. The next second, a majestic lion appeared before them.
The lion seemed very familiar with Zhuang He. It affectionately rested its large head on Zhuang He’s lap, letting out a satisfied purr from its throat.
Zhuang He stroked the lion’s somewhat coarse fur a few times. “Shall we start?”
Shi Yan nodded and leaned back against the sofa with his eyes closed.
Zhuang He also released his fire phoenix, letting it comfort the large lion, while he himself channeled his spiritual power to merge with Shi Yan’s.
Shi Yan was also a teacher at the First Academy and the First Commander of the military, second only to Zhuang He.
He was a double-S-grade Sentinel and was extremely dependent on Zhuang He’s soothing. The Academy had tried to find many other Guides of the same grade for him, but he had gently refused them all.
Zhuang He knew Shi Yan’s feelings better than anyone. It was just that he didn’t have any feelings for Shi Yan beyond being colleagues. Even during soothing, he controlled his spiritual power to intrude rather than entering through skin-to-skin contact.
By the time the soothing ended, the sky outside was dark. Shi Yan opened his clear eyes. Both his body and mind were incredibly clear. This was the power of a Guide; no Sentinel could live without a Guide’s soothing, or they would suffer a painful death due to spiritual power chaos.
“Thank you. The payment is as usual.”
Shi Yan smiled gently. Although his spiritual body was a fierce lion, his personality was exceptionally mild, especially toward Zhuang He.
Zhuang He nodded. He took his spiritual body and prepared to leave, but he suddenly heard Shi Yan’s voice from behind: “Use fewer Soothing Agents. They’re bad for your body.”
His footsteps paused for half a second. He gave no reply and continued walking forward.
In a place neither Zhuang He nor Shi Yan noticed, a cold gaze was watching them.
Lu Yin felt like he was going crazy. He just wanted to go to the canteen for dinner. How could he bump into Zhuang He? And bump into him coming out of a room with another man?
Moreover, the clothes Zhuang He was wearing were clearly loungewear. Was he already familiar with this man to such an extent?
Beside him, Liang Tong looked over and said, “That’s a soothing room, right?”
“A soothing room?”
“I’ve looked into it. There’s an internal program in our academy where you can request a session with a Guide who has high compatibility or one you want to see. After a successful booking, the academy assigns a room for them.”
Liang Tong told him what he had discovered over the past few days, but Lu Yin’s expression remained grim.
A single thought filled his mind: Zhuang He had soothed many people. Among them might be low-grade Sentinels or high-grade ones.
Zhuang He was very strong. There was almost no Sentinel he couldn’t soothe. Being soothed by him required no concern for compatibility because he was powerful enough.
Soothing… what an intimate scene that must be. The Sentinel would be close to the Guide, their spiritual bodies would be stuck together, and their spiritual powers would merge…
Lu Yin didn’t know how he felt, but there was a dull pain in his heart.
But he quickly convinced himself. It’s okay, it’s fine. No matter how high-grade others are, they can only reach double-S-grade. He is SSS-grade. This point alone makes him much stronger than any other Sentinel.
If he could be soothed by Zhuang He, he would surely be the most successful one…
A bunch of Sentinels who aren’t as good as him—on what basis do they get Zhuang He’s soothing?
Translator’s Note: For those curious about the term Shi Yan (师炎), “Shi” often refers to a teacher, and “Yan” means flame—very fitting for a commander! And Soothing (疏导) is a very intimate process in this genre, often described as a mental “merge.” No wonder our young wolf is growling! – SilverPhoenix
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