Invasion - Chapter 79

Chapter 79

"Guides are the treasures of the empire, sentinels' soulmates, the most beautiful and gentle flowers."

In Lin Yuan's living room, a recently popular imperial TV series played on the large screen.

A love story, set against a backdrop of hardship, about a male commoner Guide marrying into a wealthy family.

The sweet voices of a choir praised love, thanking the White Tower and the Queen for their protection.

The handsome Guide, in a pure white uniform, pristine and innocent, walked down the aisle, his arm held by his noble, female sentinel.

After marriage, he endured his hot-tempered wife, the discrimination and abuse from his parents-in-law, the malicious teasing from his sister-in-law, experiencing all sorts of hardships, all kinds of torment, and finally won the love of his sentinel wife.

"They’re always broadcasting TV series like this," Cao Yunyun looked away from the screen. "I've heard these words since I was little, and always thought they were true…”

Her voice gradually trailed off, many words churning in her chest, but she didn’t know where to start.

She had once been Lin Yuan's best friend. But since getting married, with two children, the tedious social life of a noble family, an arrogant and lazy husband, countless trivial matters had clipped her wings.

She had only barely managed to find time to see Lin Yuan, her best friend who was about to leave for that dangerous place again.

Xiao Suo brought tea and pastries to Cao Yunyun.

Her etiquette perfect, her movements elegant, flawless.

Having recently entertained more guests, the little crab had gained a lot of confidence. She even summoned up the courage to greet Cao Yunyun, calling her “Miss Yunyun.”

Cao Yunyun, enjoying the warm tea and pastries, looked at Lin Yuan's courtyard outside the window. The courtyard wasn't very tidy, but rose bushes bloomed even in winter.

Lin Yuan’s home used to be so desolate that it scared her a little, now it had become warmer, starting to resemble a real home.

Lin Yuan had also unknowingly changed, when they were little, in the White Tower, she had been all alone, only she, Cao Yunyun, as a friend.

Since Lin Yuan had left, she had clearly made many friends.

She now had a maid and a gardener at home, and often had guests over, even at those banquets, there were always quite a few people around her.

While she herself…

Cao Yunyun smiled at Lin Yuan, and handed her a stack of handwritten documents. "Back in student council, I happened to have done research on the Land of No Eyes, I've referenced some recent data, and reorganized it recently, I brought it here for you.”

She reached out across the table, holding Lin Yuan's hand, "Yuan Yuan, that place is very dangerous, you have to take care."

Her fingers were very cold, and Lin Yuan held her cold hand.

Perhaps because of her recent training, her grip was a little strong, as if she had pulled on a sore spot, Cao Yunyun softly gasped.

The air fell silent for a moment.

"Did he hit you?" Lin Yuan asked, her face expressionless, the air pressure dropping.

Cao Yunyun wanted to hide it, but she knew she couldn't hide it from Lin Yuan.

Both were Guides, they had known each other since they were young, and were very familiar with each other’s emotional fluctuations.

She could only lower her head, gently biting her lip.

When she had been leaving, her husband, knowing she was going to Lin Yuan's home, had stopped her, his face grim.

"I told you not to interact with that Lin Yuan anymore," the sentinel at home had said with a look of disdain, "She was dumped by her fiancé, yet she's always running around, spending all her time with sentinels, she's not a proper guide."

Cao Yunyun had been very unhappy, but held back from arguing.

"Yuan Yuan hasn't done anything illegal, nor has she hurt her partner’s feelings, she even saved many people in contaminated zones, why do you say she’s not a good Guide?"

She rarely talked back to her husband, guides were taught from a young age to be docile and virtuous, endurance was a virtue.

The enraged sentinel had grabbed her hair and hit her several times.

Sentinels were very strong, and she couldn’t get up for a long time.

"I heard several sentinels from the Royal Guard fought over her, are you perhaps envious of her? Do you also want to be a promiscuous Guide like that?”

The sentinel’s last words still echoed in her mind, Cao Yunyun held back her tears.

She was envious of Lin Yuan, envious that she had the courage to break free from all of this, and do what she wanted.

"It’s all like this, Yuan Yuan," she lowered her head, like a wounded bird, unable to fly. "There’s nothing I can do, I can only endure, it'll be over if I just endure it."

Perhaps at the beginning of their marriage, her husband had still maintained some courtesy towards her.

But the sentinel had gradually realized that in this small world of two, he held absolute power.

Once a person had absolute power, they would easily reveal their worst side.

The TV continued playing that TV series, the guide, after experiencing hardships and enduring pain, finally obtaining love.

The song of praise began, moving, making people cry.

"You can fight back," Lin Yuan held Cao Yunyun’s hand. "We’re not weak, we’re no less than anyone."

Cao Yunyun trembled, and as if knowing what Lin Yuan was about to say, as if it was something terrifying, she instantly withdrew her soft hand.

"He's a Sentinel, you know? I’m very scared, with a single punch from him, I won’t be able to even get up, Yuan Yuan, I’m not as strong as you, I can’t do it."

"You can also make him unable to get up, we are Guides," Lin Yuan said. "I can teach you, if you're willing.”

Her tone was very calm, but the tentacles were boiling underground.

【I’m angry!】

【Yes, use the skill Mr. Gardener just taught us.】

【Make his whole body go limp.】

【Make him cry and apologize.】

【Make him cry for three days and three nights.】

【Make him lose his functions.】

【Make him incontinent.】

【Hey, you guys should be a little more polite.】

Lin Yuan saw Cao Yunyun off. The two walked one after the other, through the messy courtyard.

When they reached the gate, Lin Yuan said calmly,

"As long as I’m still alive, as long as you’re willing to learn, you can come to me anytime."

Cao Yunyun was her best friend, but she didn't think she could control her friend's life. No matter how one wanted to live, which path one chose to take, it was their own decision.

Cao Yunyun, with her head lowered, dejectedly walked out. As she stepped out of the iron gate, she suddenly turned around and held Lin Yuan's hand, her grip tight.

"Teach me, Yuan Yuan, I want to learn, I want to know how we, Guides, can avoid losing to those scary sentinels."

"Come and practice with me these next few days before I leave," Lin Yuan felt that she might be smiling. "It'll be very tiring, and people will say that you're not a good Guide."

The day Ni Ji came to Lin Yuan’s house, from afar, he saw a beautiful snow goose let out a clear cry, flying out of the courtyard, soaring into the sky.

It was a Guide’s mental body. It spread its wings, flying very high, against the sunlight.

It made Ni Ji think of the little girl who had been taken away in the car, that six or seven-year-old child, whose mental body was a giant, beautiful bird, with a long tail and blazing flames.

He didn't know if there would be a chance in the future to see her again, to see that child freely flying in the sky like this.

Ni Ji arrived at Lin Yuan's door.

"Are you all packed? Ready to go?"

Lin Yuan ran out.

She had taken off her complicated Guide uniform, wearing a simple outdoor tracksuit.

A black backpack on her back, her long hair tied in a braid over her shoulder, a gun at her waist, and a dagger on her wrist.

She said goodbye to the friends and family at home, and without any hesitation, stepped towards her journey.

During these days before their departure, Ni Ji had been particularly busy, combat training and pre-mission preparations during the day.

At night, Ji Xuan would sometimes secretly take him to meet some people.

These people, when mentioning the Queen and the White Tower, no longer used honorifics. They were cautious, incredibly united, each with a fire burning in their heart, a shared goal.

"We have to figure out what the Queen really wants from the contaminated zones, Nether Stone is just an excuse, there must be something we don't know."

"We’ve always had no idea what her purpose is, what she’s trying to do. We only know that her actions have become more and more frequent these past few years, like she’s in a hurry."

"That place is very dangerous, you have to be careful, protect yourself.”

"As for that Guide, in times of danger, you don’t have to care about her life.”

"She might be a spokesperson for the Queen.”

If she were a member of the royal family, he would have been exposed in the ventilation duct of the Count's mansion.

But Ni Ji didn't offer any explanation.

He didn't want any unnecessary people to know his true relationship with Lin Yuan.

"Are we going the wrong way?" Ni Ji asked Lin Yuan, who was walking next to him. "There's an airship today that can fly directly to the area near the No. 338 Contaminated Zone. We can take it with our passes.”

"We’re not going to 338, I want to go to the Dongbin outpost first."

"To Dongbin?" Ni Ji was very surprised. Although his mission was to cooperate with Lin Yuan’s actions, Lin Yuan's actions were too unexpected.

"I miss that place a little, I want to visit first," Lin Yuan, on a whim, had casually changed the destination, "And, I think we need some real combat training."

She couldn't bring herself to be ruthless towards the gardener and the little crab, but at the Dongbin outpost, there were many strong friends and countless relatively safe contaminated zones.

Where they could get some real training.

Lin Yuan, as a Guide, was very perceptive in some aspects. She always felt a hint of urgency in the air.

It seemed like someone was in a hurry, wanting her to go to the Land of No Eyes quickly, even on the day of their departure, there “happened” to be an airship departing.

A single airship launch consumed a lot of energy stones, it was very rare for an airship to take off unless there was an important event.

Although she didn’t know why, she didn’t like being manipulated.

If someone was in such a hurry, she would, on the contrary, take it slow.

"Is that okay?" she asked the sentinel beside her.

"Yes, the real battlefield is the best training ground," Ni Ji clenched his fist, lightly bumping it against Lin Yuan's small fist.

This was the warriors' declaration of mutual encouragement before battle.

More actual combat, more training, more coordination, more preparation.

Going to the dangerous Land of No Eyes together, returning alive together.

If possible.

Xiao Niao, seeing Lin Yuan with a backpack appearing outside the outpost, her back sprouted wings, and she flew over, giving Lin Yuan a big hug, spinning her around three times.

"Xiao Yuan, I’ve heard so much about you, you’re so amazing, you opened the Golden Tree, we’re all very proud of you.”

"Rachel said he’s going to take the exam for the Capital Guard, he wants to go there and see you."

"My daughter, Xiao Yuan, keeps asking me about you every day, she’s driving me crazy, come to my house for dinner tonight."

"Oh, Guide Lin, you’re finally here, Dahu was very scared of you when you were here, after you left, he kept talking about your mental guidance."

Everyone came up, surrounding Lin Yuan, talking non-stop.

Only, they were slightly dissatisfied with Lin Yuan bringing a sentinel along like an accessory.

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