Chapter 40: Soul Typing

Chapter 40: Soul Typing

Shen Tingyu sat by the bed, his gaze fixed unwaveringly on Xu Qingran.

It wasn’t until the nurse’s announcement had fully settled that he regained his composure.

He heard his own voice, calm as he asked, "What?"

The nurse, unaware of his turmoil, repeated joyfully, "Mr. Xu’s soul type is D-type!"

"The dean and others are on their way here!"

"Who knows how long it has been since the empire last saw a D-type of S-rank or higher! The last D-type detected was only a B-rank. I heard that B-rank lady later successfully paired with an E-type from the Tower of Evil, and now, that E-type is indeed very obedient!"

The nurse’s tone was cheerful and delighted, not noticing that Shen Tingyu’s hand resting on his leg had clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

After speaking, she frowned and remembered, "But... Mr. Xu seems to already have a compatible partner, right? I remember the compatibility was quite high, so that’s a shame."

"Later, we’ll need to conduct more detailed confirmations and checks to ensure there are no errors in the data, and then we can announce the results!"

After finishing, the nurse hurriedly prepared to leave. Before exiting the ward, she turned back to remind, "By the way, although Mr. Xu’s soul state has temporarily stabilized, the three days following typing are a critical period that requires extra attention. If not handled well, there could be mental instability."

"General Shen, if you know of a highly compatible partner for him, you might want to invite them over."

"If there are any fluctuations in spiritual energy during his sleep, having a partner’s comfort would be best. If not... it’s okay, you can always call the medical station in an emergency!"

The sound of the door opening and closing softly.

The not-so-large room returned to quiet after the excited nurse left.

Shen Tingyu sat rigidly for a long, long time before he reacted.

He blinked once, slowly unclenching his tightly clenched fist. The weight in his heart had been lifted, but it felt as if it was dragging his entire heart down into a colder, deeper abyss.

A chill ran through his entire body.

Shen Tingyu felt somewhat dazed.

Why, of all types, D-type?

His expression had never been as grim as it was at that moment. The usual gentleness he displayed could no longer be feigned.

The nurse’s earlier words still echoed in his ears.

For everyone, the greatest value of a D-type is as a tool to control E-types. They are gentle, easily influenced, and easy to control. Essentially, by controlling them, one can then use them to restrain their compatible E-type.

No matter how powerful an E-type is, once they have a weakness, their life is largely ruined.

Just the thought of it made Shen Tingyu feel an immense resistance. He didn’t even believe that choices dictated by the soul’s nature could be called 'love.' Such emotions repulsed him.

He thought he had eliminated all possibilities that could become his weaknesses, but he never expected—Xu Qingran would appear.

Shen Tingyu knew Xu Qingran was about to undergo soul typing, and he had prepared for him to type into other special categories. He had even considered that with such a miraculous soul, he might break the rules and type as an E-type.

He just never thought it would be D.

The person on the bed had his eyes closed, breathing deeply.

The spiritual energy aura, which had become particularly strong after typing, was very pure, unlike any he had ever encountered. Just like the person himself, so special that he couldn’t be ignored, and one couldn’t help but want to get closer.

Shen Tingyu instinctively stood up and took a step back.

He wasn’t repulsed, just feeling a bit disoriented, unsure how to face Xu Qingran in his current state.

In the end, he had no choice but to leave the ward first, stepping outside to calm down alone. He tried to come to terms with the fact that a friend he had just wanted to get closer to had suddenly become the D-type that most restrained him.

As he sat in the lobby, lost in thought, he saw a group of authoritative figures in formal attire hurriedly walking upstairs. Suddenly, a blonde woman broke away from the crowd and ran out, the clacking of her high heels on the floor quite loud.

She finally approached him and exclaimed, "Shen Tingyu?"

It was Xie Nanyi, Xie Nanjun’s sister.

Xie Nanyi was a 3S-level I-type, showing exceptional talent in scientific research from a young age. She had just graduated with a Ph.D. last year and was studying in her father’s research lab.

As it happened, the dean of this hospital was her second uncle, Xie Shaoheng.

"...Shocked! The newly minted S-level D-type is actually your fiancée, the renowned eldest son of the Xu family!"

In the hospital’s private office, Xie Nanyi set down one of the cups of hot coffee she was carrying in front of Shen Tingyu.

Shen Tingyu looked up, a faint smile playing on his lips, his eyes coolly meeting hers: "Watch your words; she’s Tianyi’s fiancée."

Xie Nanyi rolled her eyes.

This lie might fool others, but who was it that tampered with the specimen chip back then? Did he really not know?

"Hey, but he’s an S-level D-type; there’s a chance he could help repair your spiritual pool! I really regret it now; I shouldn’t have helped you with that favor. Maybe you would have already sweet-talked him into your hands by now, and we wouldn’t have to worry?!"

If the empire had five people who could manipulate the registration information of specimen chips, Xie Nanyi was the hidden sixth. The old professor who mentored her in university was one of those who mastered this technology and, upon discovering her aptitude, secretly taught her the method.

Afraid it might bring her trouble, it was never mentioned publicly.

Only her father, Xie Nanjun, and Shen Tingyu were in the know.

Noticing Shen Tingyu’s untouched coffee and his obvious lack of interest, Xie Nanyi asked, puzzled, "I heard from Nanjun a while ago that you and Xu Qingran got along quite well. Why are you so resistant?"

The better they got along, the more he resisted.

Shen Tingyu thought to himself.

"But your fiancée is really something special. I’m not joining the crowd now, but on my way here, I heard from my second uncle and others that Xu Qingran’s typing data chart is quite unique."

As Xie Nanyi spoke, she pulled a pack of konjac jelly from the large pocket of her white robe and opened it: "It’s said that usually, people’s typing is like opening a blind box—unpredictable—but his D-type was his soul’s autonomous choice."

Feeling utterly confused and spaced out, Shen Tingyu finally reacted: "What do you mean?"

Xie Nanyi, with her mouth full of snacks, frowned for a long time before replying, "It’s hard to say."

"It’s not like he made a conscious choice, and saying it’s subconscious doesn’t quite fit..."

"Anyway, it’s said that the fluctuating data curve during his typing process was very chaotic. Normally, people’s fluctuations gradually align with the frequency of the typing direction, but his was all over the place, like picking treasures, jumping to whichever it landed on."

"Until the very end, it was impossible to predict what type he would become."

Hearing this, Shen Tingyu fell even more silent.

If it was a choice, then with Xu Qingran’s personality, he should not have become a D-type.

Could it be that the core within had changed again?

Or perhaps—Xu Qingran knew the truth about compatibility matching and deliberately wanted to use this restraint relationship to try and control him?

Xie Nanyi didn’t stay in the office long and soon headed to Xu Qingran’s ward to observe and conduct research with her second uncle and others.

Only Shen Tingyu stayed behind, sitting there from morning till night.

When Xie Nanyi returned, she mentioned that Xie Shaoheng had been praising how pure Xu Qingran’s D-type psychic energy was. It was so pure and exceptionally strong that it would excel in any field, and he even remarked that it would be even better if his psychic pool level were higher.

"They seem to be discussing whether to have him undergo another soul compatibility test with the E-types in the Tower of Evil."

Sensing Shen Tingyu’s gaze, Xie Nanyi quickly added, "I've already told them that Xu Qingran is currently in a relationship, and it's a 99% compatibility rate!"

"But you know, they’re clinging to the hope that there might still be a 98% E-type match."

Shen Tingyu didn't look very pleased.

"However, it’ll take about two months to re-extract the soul data sample. By then, Xu Qingran will still be training at the military academy, so the earliest would be after he graduates, you..."

She paused, then continued, "The pairing of D-types will definitely be managed by the Empire’s authorities, and I won't be able to help you then. If they discover that his true high compatibility match is you, there’s nothing I can do."

With that, she chuckled, "Why don’t you try to build some rapport with him over the next six months? Maybe the DE combination isn't as scary as you think?"

Shen Tingyu stood up and offered her a faint smile.

"Thank you," he said politely, then left.

Xie Nanyi pouted, took out a pack of crispy noodles from her pocket, and muttered while eating, "Hmph, based on my years of reading novels, men like Shen Tingyu—are bound to get their comeuppance!"

·

General Shen went back to Xu Qingran’s ward.

It was late at night, and the people who had come earlier to collect their data had all left.

He walked over to the small sofa farthest from the bed, not resting, just sitting there, still as a statue.

Until the early hours of the morning.

The two monitoring drones suddenly beeped, signaling some kind of warning.

Then, they announced, "Detected an increase in the patient’s soul fluctuation amplitude. Attention required!"

Hearing this, Shen Tingyu looked up.

Even in unconscious sleep, the person on the bed had a soul and psychic energy that, like his own, could shift from calm to madness in an instant.

Xu Qingran’s newly ascended psychic energy grew wildly chaotic as his soul became unstable. The ward was soon engulfed by the psychic field he emitted, heavy with oppressive energy, as if intent on destroying everything perceptible around him.

Shen Tingyu suddenly smirked.

This familiar feeling—the soul core hadn’t changed, but it didn’t seem like something a D-type should possess.

"Detected that the patient’s soul fluctuation has exceeded the safety threshold! Data is being compiled; uploading the latest information to the rescue station—"

Xu Qingran’s newly stabilized psychic energy was like a newborn, unaware of its surroundings, lashing out chaotically without distinguishing friend from foe.

Shen Tingyu rose and walked to the bedside, gazing at him with calm, slightly icy eyes.

The instinctive mindset of an E-type led him to his first thought—if he stood by and let Xu Qingran’s condition worsen, eventually damaging his own foundation, he could eliminate the greatest threat to his future plans.

The man on the hospital bed appeared to have been suffering all day.

After a long stretch of calm, his expression finally shifted slightly, his brows lightly furrowed, and beads of cold sweat forming, clearly experiencing unimaginable pain in his sleep.

Shen Tingyu's lips pressed together slightly.

He had always found pleasure in torment and killing, so witnessing his target in excruciating pain should have comforted him.

Yet, in this moment, his already foul mood not only remained unsoothed but grew even more irritable.

As Xu Qingran's soul's turbulent energy surged yet again, Shen Tingyu cut off his thoughts.

He recalled the nurse's instructions.

Under normal circumstances, gently holding the patient's hand and releasing a small amount of spiritual energy to regulate it would usually be enough. But when Xu Qingran had an episode, it was a reckless, frenzied state that ignored everyone's safety, rendering weak efforts useless.

After much hesitation, Shen Tingyu finally grabbed Xu Qingran's left hand, which was tucked under the blanket.

His movements maintained a gentlemanly touch.

The black glove remained on his hand.

He stared at it for a few seconds before removing the glove. On the back of his hand, the soul mark had darkened, now shimmering with a beautiful, starlight-like glow.

Shen Tingyu didn't know what others would think if they saw it.

But his self-control was sufficient to keep any inappropriate thoughts at bay.

His thumb hesitated just before making contact with the mark.

Then it gently made contact, lightly caressing.

Think of it as a test of soul compatibility.

If the compatibility data between him and Xu Qingran was accurate, their souls would resonate seamlessly.

The unique spiritual energy of an E-type surged through the soul mark like a tidal wave, flooding toward the person on the bed, attempting to soothe the storm-like, uncontrollable soul energy. However, the moment the two spiritual energies collided, it was like two ferocious beasts clashing, neither willing to back down, fiercely clashing and grinding against each other, refusing to blend.

The atmosphere in the room became even more suffocating.

What should have been the gentle, accommodating spiritual energy of a D-type was now more aggressive than an E-type, charging wildly.

Shen Tingyu had no time to dwell on the meaning behind this reaction. After a prolonged struggle with the spiritual energy, it still resisted merging. Seeing Xu Qingran's spiritual energy showing strong resistance, he considered withdrawing and giving up. But just as he pulled back, the once aggressive energy mellowed.

The spiritual energy that had been opposing him moments ago suddenly tugged at the calming energy he had released, drawing it back.

Even the erratic fluctuations of the soul began to subside.

They started to merge.

Shen Tingyu suddenly felt as though he were being toyed with.

It was as if—he had politely asked Xu Qingran if he wanted to be friends, and the latter, without a word, fiercely and madly fought him. Then, just as he thought he was being rejected and prepared to end the farce, Xu Qingran nodded arrogantly and said, "Sure."

Imagining this, Shen Tingyu laughed in frustration.

The soul of the person on the bed accepted the calming energy and gradually settled down.

Seeing him stabilize, Shen Tingyu slowly withdrew the energy he had released. However, during the interaction, the spiritual energy he had been suppressing found an opportunity to slip toward him, and his soul offered no resistance.

The next second, Shen Tingyu's eyes welled up with tears in silence.

The compatible D-type spiritual affinity is both honey and poison to the E-type.

Even knowing it’s toxic, you still get hooked after just a taste.

·

Xu Qingran had been in a coma at the hospital for three days.

During this time, his soul's fluctuations kept recurring, and Shen Tingyu gradually grew accustomed to it after initial hesitation and resistance. Otherwise, he made an effort to avoid any close or intimate contact with Xu Qingran.

Sometimes he would go out to make phone calls and handle the matters he had put aside.

Other times, he would sit in Xie Nanyi's office, seeking solace or distraction.

That day, he had just come back from the hospital cafeteria downstairs. As he entered the ward and glanced around, he was surprised to find the hospital bed empty. Just as he was about to search for someone, a sudden presence with a murderous intent lunged at him.

Shen Tingyu's years of combat experience had trained him to instinctively dodge and counterattack.

Only when the fruit knife in the other's hand was knocked away did he realize it was Xu Qingran, who had been in a coma for days.

Shen Tingyu fell silent, momentarily stunned.

For a moment, he was at a loss for words, and his rising anger dissipated.

Xu Qingran studied him and suddenly asked, "Shen Tingyu, what are you afraid of?"

He had just woken up, his mind still foggy.

The earlier irritability and soul-tearing pain had vanished, leaving him feeling as refreshed as if reborn. In his dazed state, he vaguely remembered that Shen Tingyu was in the room, but he was avoiding him as if he were contagious.

This left him puzzled.

Shen Tingyu wasn’t surprised that Xu Qingran had picked up on his concerns.

He only asked, "Do you know that your spiritual affinity has successfully stabilized?"

Xu Qingran had already guessed the situation from the changes in his body.

But with no medical staff around when he woke up, he didn’t know the result and casually asked, "So? What type did I stabilize into?"

Shen Tingyu replied calmly, "D-type."

Then he added, "Didn’t you choose it yourself?"

Xu Qingran frowned, confused. "What?"

Isn’t it said that the type of spiritual affinity is quite random?

System: "...It is random! Unless you understand your soul’s nature well, it’s hard to predict. Not every gentle and kind person ends up as a D-type!"

Xu Qingan was not very satisfied with the result he received: "I was out cold like a log, what could I choose?"

"Besides, if I could choose, I would choose A, not D."

Shen Tingyu did not respond.

Xu Qingran glanced at him again, noticing his unusually low spirits, and suddenly let out a soft chuckle: "Ah, I see. No wonder you’ve been keeping your distance."

If memory served him right, General Shen had a strong aversion to Type D individuals.

Shen Tingyu, however, countered: "What else?"

"Other than that, what else do you recall?"

Xu Qingran paused, taken aback, brought a hand to his lips, lost in thought for a long moment.

Finally, he furrowed his brow and shot back: "What else should I remember?"

His memories from that time were hazy, his mind was a jumble, like he’d been trapped in a series of tangled dreams, and he was utterly exhausted. It was a miracle he could even catch glimpses of Shen Tingyu’s presence during those rare moments of lucidity.

Shen Tingyu held his gaze for a long moment, then let a slow smile spread across his face.

His voice remained calm, though it seemed he was struggling to keep his composure: "No, everything’s fine. Nothing worth remembering."

Noticing the odd look on his face, Xu Qingran assumed he was fretting over the Type D situation.

So he comforted him: "Don’t sweat it. My official soulmate is that kid Shen Tianyi, so this mess won’t land on you."

If anything, he’s the one who should be worried.

Shen Tingyu hates Type Ds so much—how’s he supposed to carry out his future plans? Besides, Shen Tingyu’s straight and only sees him as a buddy, and it feels wrong to crush on a close friend.

Anyway, there’s no rush. I’ll just shelve it for now.

Shen Tingyu: "..."

Silence. Just silence.

Xu Qingran’s type classification hadn’t been made public yet.

Meanwhile, the Star Horizon forum, which had been quiet for several days, suddenly had a new post.

"Title: Xu Qingran losing it is bad enough, but dragging Shen Tingyu into it? Is he trying to wreck his career too?"