Chapter 361: Extra: Wedding. Team Building

Chapter 361 Extra: Wedding Side Story: Team Celebration

The guide and sentinel's wedding was scheduled for half a month later.

Lu Liu personally delivered invitations to each of his hosts, receiving a heap of blessings in return. Qi Yi handed out invitations to his colleagues, only to be met with a heap of... teasing.

Ji Xiuyun flipped through reports while a fox perched on his shoulder flicked its tail in displeasure. "Oh? Sending me an invitation? Who’s your partner? Lu Liu? What was it you said back then?"

The rhino-doctor chimed in with a mocking impression, "What? I like Lu Liu? *Absolutely* impossible!"

The grey-wolf gunner tsked. "If I recall correctly, didn’t you make Lu Liu sleep in a prison cell and forced him to scrub the deck? Huh? Was that you, boss?"

Ji Xiuyun smirked. "Oh, I also remember back in school when Lu Liu asked you to dance, and you just turned away, saying, *‘Don’t bother me.’*"

Finally, they all sighed in unison, "How does a sentinel like this even get a guide?!"

Qi Yi: "..."

The sentinel slammed the invitation onto the table, stone-faced. "Come or don’t. Whatever."

Red-faced with anger, he turned and stormed off.

Ji Xiuyun and the others cracked up as they snatched up the invitations among themselves.

Though they were teasing him, when it came to their boss’s big day, the sentinels didn’t hold back. They pitched in—money and effort—and rented a resort villa at the White Tower’s edge as the venue, setting up four banquet tables.

There were thirty guests in total, but Lu Liu had requested five tables, leaving two empty.

He remembered—when Wen Xian got married, a seat had been reserved just for him too.

As the banquet began and the sentinels took their seats, Ji Xiuyun and the others couldn’t help but eye the empty Lazy Susans in confusion.

Qi Yi didn’t ask, but Lu Liu explained, "They’re for some... friends who can’t make it."

Qi Yi ruffled the guide’s hair, smoothing down the stubborn bedhead.

Though Lu Liu tried to hide it, the sight of the vacant seats still left him feeling a little lonely.

On such an important day, his closest friends couldn’t attend.

Lu Liu had awakened as a system, built from core code with basic settings. He had journeyed with each host through so much time together, and each host had subtly shaped him—until he became the Lu Liu of today.

So, while Qi Yi greeted his friends, Lu Liu quietly snapped a pic of the two empty banquet tables and sent it to the group chat: "Cheers!"

But this time, the hosts didn’t reply immediately.

Even Jiang Xun, who was usually always online, was nowhere to be seen. The group chat was dead silent.

Lu Liu’s bedhead sagged sadly.

"..."

He thought sadly, *Why aren’t they here?*

He had told them days in advance—today was his wedding.

Qi Yi, having finished greeting his colleagues, circled back to Lu Liu and asked, "What’s wrong?"

Lu Liu sniffled and pasted on a smile. "N-nothing! Haha... Let’s just get on with the next part of the ceremony."

What he didn't know was that in the other ten worlds, everyone was busy.

Xie Yu was trying on his newly bought suit while Shen Ci tied his tie—a deep red one, perfect for a wedding groomsman. Beside him was a box of electronic storage devices. Considering that Lu Liu was no longer a system and couldn't search the world for movies and TV shows himself, Xie Yu had packed all the newly released films and TV series over the years, including standalone games, intending to send them as gifts. He had specifically selected many teen romance movies.

Lin You was writing greeting cards, while Lanen was packing the latest model of interstellar aircraft—civilian spacecraft from the Zerg race were top-tier in the galaxy, and this was the gift they had prepared.

Imuir had long known about Lu Liu's existence from Bai Yu. To thank the system for bringing the doctor to him, the esteemed Duke of Illyria prepared two dove-egg-sized rubies and sapphires, perfect for the newlyweds' wedding rings.

Xiao Shao was also trying on new clothes. His and Qi Yan's ancient attire was too conspicuous and out of place in the interstellar setting, so he asked Jiang Xun for suit designs and had the imperial tailors make them. This gave the tailors a hard time—ancient fabrics lacked the stiffness of modern suit materials, and the finished garments were limp. With a quick decision, Xiao Shao had them altered into short-sleeved T-shirts, opting for a casual summer look. The outfit exposed both arms and legs, something Qi Yan, who hadn't worn anything so bold in eight hundred years, found utterly embarrassing. After much coaxing from Xiao Shao, he finally agreed to put it on.

As the most "old-fashioned" member of the group, Xiao Shao was unsure what gift to give. Earlier, Lu Liu had mentioned decorating his new home, and coincidentally, the craftsmanship of their dynasty was flourishing with unparalleled aesthetics. Xiao Shao collected imperial artisan manuals, such as those on filigree, mother-of-pearl inlay, and intricate weaving techniques, and compiled a pattern handbook featuring designs like hundred-bats motif, cloud scrolls, and vine patterns for easy reference.

Jiang Xun and Shen Que were both low-key individuals. They studied archaeology—one a professor, the other a student. Put nicely, they were on digs every day; put bluntly, they were digging dirt. The former emperor of the Previous Dynasty went through his belongings but couldn't find a single high-value gift to offer.

Jiang Xun frowned. "If only I'd buried some funerary objects for myself. Now I'm broke."

Shen Que calmly replied, "Even if you had, you wouldn't have access to them. They'd all be in museums by now."

With Emperor Wen's tomb practically empty, save for two preserved loquats now displayed in a museum, Jiang Xun could only "admire" them through glass cases.

Jiang Xun sighed. "Maybe I should write slash fiction to make money. Seems more promising than digging dirt."

Shen Que nodded. "I can edit your drafts."

In the end, Jiang Xun, considering Lu Liu's new role as White Tower's director, prepared *Management Fundamentals*, *Leadership*, and *Game Theory* for him.

As for Shi Lv, what did a college student know? He only planned to attend the banquet.

Liang Xu dragged him back, bringing two bottles of premium vintage wine and forcing Shi Lv into formal wear.

Shi Lv grumbled, "Come on! It's just 66's wedding. Do I really need to dress up?"

Liang Xu ignored him and called for the hairstylist. "Come, put some hair gel on him."

Eluvier, ever the homebody, usually holed up in the Mother Tree growing mushrooms. This time, he miraculously got up early to pack gifts into a box.

Percy covered his eyes, unable to bear the sight.

The Gods packed not only conventional occult specialties but also various auxiliary talismans, feathered hair ties, special-effect potions, and other miscellaneous items. As fellow pleasure-seekers, the Gods believed Lu Liu would appreciate Mr. Succubus's carefully selected gifts—things that, once tried, couldn't be stopped.

Wen Xian had it much easier when preparing gifts. Having supplied snacks for years, he knew exactly what Lu Liu loved. Considering the absence of this world's chocolates in the Sentinel and Guide world, Wen Xian cleared out the wholesaler's stock, packing several full boxes.

As for Xie Shu and Xiao Wu, when Lu Liu sent the invitations, they were traveling the world. Upon seeing the invite, they made a special trip back to Wuwang Palace to drag Wu Buke along.

The former Lord Wuwang declared, "Brew two cauldrons of each—elixirs from the cultivation world, those that revive the dead and heal wounds, cure colds and external injuries."

"..."

Why did Wu Buke always get the short end when the former Palace Lord and his wife attended weddings?

Wu Buke was clueless too.

He answered with a wry smile.

Also from the Interstellar Era, Ye Wang's timeline had slightly more advanced technology than the Sentinel-Guide world. He prepared a new handheld laser weapon for the combat-challenged Guide's self-defense.

While they were racing against time, an ethereal blue door silently hovered beside them—unsupported, floating in the void, gaping open to reveal endless stars beyond.

Earlier, a voice had simultaneously rung out in the minds of all ten Su Zhu.

"I am the Central Administration's mainframe," a smooth male voice announced. "Today is Lu Liu's wedding. Wanna come?"

Of course, everyone nodded without hesitation.

Thus, the following scene played out.

Across ten different worlds, all ten Su Zhu checked their watches simultaneously and stepped through the door as the countdown ended.

In the Sentinel-Guide world, the wedding ceremony had begun.

Lu Liu still felt a little down, occasionally glancing at the empty group chat, but he managed to pull himself together and prepare for the next part of the ceremony.

The officiant scanned the room and noticed the two empty tables, asking the couple, "Ready for the vows?"

Qi Yi glanced at Lu Liu, who mustered a smile and said, "Alright, let's st—"

He didn't get to finish the word "start" before a knock suddenly echoed from outside the hall.

The officiant paused. The Sentinels looked confused, but Lu Liu immediately turned toward the door.

A wild hope surged through his mind.

Qi Yi sensed the Guide's anticipation and slipped an arm around his shoulders. "Come on, I'll go with you to open it."

Lu Liu: "Mm."

They walked toward the entrance together.

"Shit, we didn't miss it, did we?" Xie Yu whispered to Shen Ci outside.

At the door, everyone was bunched up, while on the lawn sat Lin You's massive flying vehicle (his wedding gift).

Two minutes earlier, they'd materialized right outside the venue.

By then, the doors were already shut. After exchanging looks, everyone promptly pushed Jiang Xun forward.

Jiang Xun: "?"

Shi Lv muttered, "Think we might be late. You're Lu Liu's favorite—you knock. Even if he's upset, he'd never take it out on you."

Nods all around.

Jiang Xun: "..."

Under everyone's hopeful stares, he gave the door a reluctant rap.

Xie Yu: "Why's no one answering?"

Lin You: "Maybe knock again, Jiang Xun?"

Jiang Xun: "..."

"Hey," he whispered to the Gods and the cultivators, "Do either of you have any prophetic or divination abilities? What's going on inside? They haven’t started making out already, have they?"

Elu slightly closed his eyes, a golden glow flickering in his eyes as he slowly spoke, "No need. Lu Liu is already coming over."

The next second, the hall doors burst open.

A Guide with silver hair and ocean-blue eyes stood in the doorway, his cowlick bouncing in the breeze, his face full of disbelief.

Though no one had ever seen their system in human form, the moment the guide appeared, every host instinctively thought, "He should definitely look like this."

"Ah, has the ceremony already started?" Jiang Xun apologized, "Sorry, preparing the gifts took a bit longer, so we all ended up running late..."

His response was the guide rushing over to hug him.

Lu Liu: "Jiangjiang! I missed you like crazy!"

Jiang Xun patted him on the back, "I missed you too."

"Hey now," Wen Xian interjected, "Don't you miss me? Forgetting about the chocolates and cakes I prepared for you, or all the Western and Chinese meals I took you to?"

Lu Liu: "I did!"

He rushed over and gave Wen Xian a hug as well.

Lu Liu hugged each person present, while Qi Yi stood behind the door, narrowing his eyes slightly as his cold gaze swept over everyone.

Who were these people?

They were either handsome or noble, with extraordinary temperaments, each one exceptionally good-looking, their attire and speech unlike ordinary people, and they seemed very familiar with the guide.

How come he didn't know the guide was acquainted with them?

The presence of an SS-class sentinel was extremely oppressive. Jiang Xun quickly pulled Shen Que over, tucking himself into his teacher's embrace before extending a hand, "Hello, I'm Jiang Xun, Lu Liu's friend. This is my beloved, Shen Que."

Shen Que placed a hand on Jiang Xun's shoulder, holding the sentinel’s gaze without showing any emotion.

"Buddy, stop staring," Commander Ye Wang wasn't intimidated by the sentinel's aura. He also pulled Jiang Qi closer, "We're all Lu Liu's friends, totally platonic, I swear. This is my beloved, Jiang Qi."

Iris General Lanen shielded the Insect Emperor Lin You beside him. Catching a whiff of kinship from Qi Yi, he stepped forward with his polished noble’s smile, "Sir, dial it back. We have no ulterior motives—everyone here is already spoken for."

Lu Liu tugged at Qi Yi, "They’re just friends—let me explain."

He pulled the sentinel aside and muttered an explanation. The sentinel's eyes widened slightly, gobsmacked. After a long pause, he finally coughed and said, "Please, come in."

The tension dissolved.

They took their seats one by one.

The wedding proceeded smoothly.

Before the officiant, Lu Liu and Qi Yi exchanged vows, rings, and then a kiss. Afterward, they made the rounds to toast guests.

When the couple made it to the sentinels' table, the sentinels began to tease. Ji Xiuyun started heckling, "Lord Lu Liu, if Qi Yi ever bullies you after marriage, just tell us—we'll kick his ass for you!"

Qi Yi rolled his eyes and waved them off, but Lu Liu earnestly said, "He would never bully me. Qi Yi’s obsessed with me, okay?"

Then he added, "Of course, I’m crazy about him too!"

——Always show affection and make your partner feel secure. This is also what Jiang Xun taught.

"..."

Qi Yi held the guide's hand, unconsciously straightening his posture and looking down at his friends with pride.

The Sentinels all looked green with envy.

Then, they moved to the table where the Su Zhu were seated. Wen Xian, recalling the Sentinels' earlier defensiveness, raised an eyebrow and deliberately teased, "Our Lu Liu is so adorable—how exactly did you manage to win him over?"

Eluvier also spoke coolly, "Though Lu Liu has no family in this world, we will always look out for him."

They were clearly giving him a hard time.

Qi Yi broke into a sweat, giving him that awkward in-law meeting feeling. Just as he was about to raise his hand and swear his devotion, Lu Liu pushed him aside and blurted out, "Because I really like Qi Yi! He’s handsome, amazing, has a great temper, makes me chocolate cake every day, and his Spirit is the cutest! He’s the most perfect Sentinel in the world!"

"..."

The Su Zhu all facepalmed, feeling that bittersweet mix of "a grown child no longer needing their care."

Despite all the craziness, the wedding proceeded smoothly to the end.

They opened several bottles of fine wine, ate, drank, joked around and had a blast.

Before leaving, Lu Liu hugged each of the Su Zhu one by one: "I’m so stoked you all came!"

Xie Yu: "Yeah, we're always texting in the group chat, but I never thought we’d actually meet—and all together like this!"

Lin You suggested, "Let's get a picture!"

Everyone loved the idea.

So, they grabbed the wedding photographer for a group shot. Eleven couples stood in the center of the hall, throwing up peace signs at the camera.

3, 2, 1—

When the countdown hit zero, they all grinned from ear to ear:

"Cheese!"