Chapter 90

Chapter 90

The next morning.

Luo Ci awoke, his stomach rumbling from a long night without food, his tiny belly feeling quite empty.

Rubbing his sleepy eyes, he kicked his short legs, wriggling out from under the covers, a fluffy little head popping up.

Facing the unfamiliar room, he vaguely recalled having voluntarily come to Chen Wang's room, intending to keep him company. But lying down had been so comfortable that he had unknowingly fallen asleep.

Bolting upright, he glanced around—Chen Wang was indeed no longer in the room.

His ear tips drooped, and the little cub couldn't help puffing up his cheeks. How could he have slept so soundly that he didn’t even notice when Chen Wang had left?

Just then, the door opened, and Chen Wang returned, immediately noticing the little cub, sprawled with his small paws outstretched, was now awake.

Luo Ci perked up his fluffy little ears, his whole body like a small cotton ball as he lunged toward Chen Wang. Once caught, he rested his chin on Chen Wang's arm, tilting his face to nuzzle against his chest.

"Jiyi."

The milk-white furball, no bigger than a fist, felt almost weightless even when cradled in the palm of a hand.

Chen Wang gently tapped the little snowball's head: "Who taught you to willingly approach a berserk Sentinel? Hmm?"

Luo Ci tilted his head, blinking innocently with wide eyes, deliberately feigning ignorance as he burrowed his face deeper into Chen Wang's chest.

Chen Wang gently stroked the little one's warm back, murmuring, "When I woke up and saw you curled up beside me, that feeling..."

"When A Jin and the others held you, I thought about doing the same, so I kept restraining myself... I couldn’t get close to you, couldn’t risk hurting you."

Luo Ci vaguely sensed Chen Wang's concern. Clutching his arm with tiny white paws, he sweetly tilted his head up, trying to charm his way out of the situation—until his stomach betrayed him with a loud grumble. "Grrr..."

"The little snowball has been sleeping all this time," Chen Wang said, his expression softening as the corners of his lips lifted. "Hungry, aren't you?"

Luo Ci nodded eagerly.

Chen Wang carried the little snowball to the living room, where the rest of the core squad was gathered. Zhong Shijin set aside his work and stood up from the sofa. "Little Snowball's awake?"

Chen Wang replied, "Little Snowball's hungry. Notify logistics to bring some food up."

Zhong Shijin immediately went to make the call.

"Let me see, let me see!" A Jin rushed over, inspecting the little snowball from all angles before finally sighing in relief. He pinched Luo Ci's soft, chubby cheeks. "Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been these past few days? How could you run into the President’s room? If he’d gone berserk, you’d have been toast, you know?"

The fact that the little snowball had been in Chen Wang's room had left A Jin pacing the living room in anxiety—at least a good three thousand laps.

Luo Ci knew A Jin was just concerned for him and grinned, shaking his head playfully.

Roland said, "I'll take the cub to change clothes."

After shifting to his human form and changing into fresh clothes, Luo Ci was led by Roland to the dining area. Perhaps due to his Arctic Hare genes, he now had a stronger preference for fruits and vegetables, which he hadn’t cared much for before. The chef had gone all out with special dishes to accommodate him.

Chen Wang propped his chin on his hand, leisurely watching the little snowball eat. The little snowball clutched crispy osmanthus crisps in his chubby little hands, munching with his tiny teeth, clearly savoring every bite.

Ah.

...So cute.

One could tell what the President was thinking just by looking at his expression.

Zhong Shijin, while reporting on the progress of the SS Gate, observed the President’s expression. If before, Chen Wang had been subtly doting on the little snowball, now it was completely obvious.

Sentinels naturally got possessive, and once a deeper bond formed, it only intensified. A Jin’s way of constantly clinging to the little snowball might eventually provoke the President. It wasn’t uncommon for Sentinels to imprison Guides—though given how much Chen Wang cherished the little snowball, he probably wouldn’t go that far.

Zhong Shijin shook his head, dismissing those unnecessary worries.

Once his belly was full, Luo Ci toddled into the living room, automatically looking for his toys.

The little cub had amassed so many toys that most were stored in his room, with only a few favorites kept in the living room.

After rummaging through his little nest and the sofa without finding his plushie, Luo Ci padded around on his stubby legs, prompting Roland to bend down and ask, "What are you looking for, little snowball?"

Luo Ci gestured with his hands. "This big... Jimmy."

Jimmy was the name he’d given the plushie.

A Jin’s expression froze instantly, guilt washing over his face.

Suspecting it might have fallen under the sofa, Luo Ci transformed back into his small snowball form and squeezed underneath—only to find it empty.

Unable to bear the little snowball’s disappointment, A Jin cleared his throat. "Little snowball, is this your Jimmy?"

A dusty little head, covered in dust bunnies and a feather, popped up.

Luo Ci crawled out and, spotting the plushie in A Jin’s hand, lit up instantly. He dashed over and hugged it tight—but soon noticed something off. Jimmy’s ear felt strange, now sporting a bow. His expression turned puzzled.

A Jin had never been this guilty. "...I—I didn’t mean to."

He’d actually considered buying an identical replacement, but when he visited the store where it had been purchased, he learned the plushie was a limited edition, long discontinued. Contacting the manufacturer only yielded regretful confirmation—the fabric used was unique and couldn’t be replicated. Left with no choice, A Jin had carefully stitched it back together himself.

Luo Ci touched the bow in confusion, only to realize Jimmy was missing an ear. He pouted, and sniffled.

"What’s wrong, little snowball?" Chen Wang, having finished his conversation with Zhong Shijin, walked over. "Why the pout?"

"Yi." Clutching Chen Wang’s sleeve with one hand and the one-eared Jimmy with the other, Luo Ci peered up at him with puppy-dog eyes.

Chen Wang glanced at Jimmy. "Is it because Jimmy lost an ear?"

Luo Ci hung his head with a whimper.

"Little snowball, have you heard of Sanders? A Class-S restorer. He can fix Jimmy up good as new."

Luo Ci lifted his head, eyes wide and hopeful, as if asking, Really?

"Of course," Chen Wang replied with a smile. "It’s only a stuffed toy. He’s repaired Class-S weapons before."

A Class-S restorer for a toy?

Zhong Shijin took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. He could already imagine the look on Sanders’ face.

"I have a suggestion," Chen Wang said as the little cub, no longer upset, looped his little arms around his neck, nuzzling into him. "Tansapa could use a break. How about we go out for a bit? What do you think of Viktorya City?"

Luo Ci instantly perked up, his ear tips lifting. "Jiyi!"

***

Three days later.

Ten in the morning.

A villa by the famous scenic spot, the Prismatic Forest, in Viktorya.

The staff responsible for the regular maintenance of the villa had received the message early and were waiting at the entrance.

An unassuming black van slowly pulled up, its doors slid open to reveal Sha Ni Lu yawning as he stepped out from the back seat, with Roland, A Jin and others close behind.

The staff nervously guided them, their hearts racing as they faced so many S-class individuals for the first time.

Chen Wang casually scanned the surroundings, and as they bowed to the President, their postures lowered even further.

"Ee-ee." Suddenly, a childish chirp reached their ears.

Someone couldn’t help but glance up slightly and saw a fluffy white puff perched on the President’s shoulder. Of course, no one dared to mistake it for actual cotton. Even though they were only outer members affiliated with Tansapa, whose usual duties involved villa maintenance, their internal forums kept them well-informed.

Their shoulders trembled slightly, their excitement mounting. This was the beloved Little Snowball, the only S-class Guide, doted on by all the S-class Sentinels. Tales of Little Snowball being spoiled rotten were true—after all, wasn't the President letting him perch on his shoulder?

Sharing anxious looks, they reminded each other to be extra careful in their service and care.

"Wow." Luo Ci curled his tiny paws under his belly, his big eyes wide with curiosity as he looked around, his little mouth forming an 'O' of surprise.

The villa before them was enormous, sprawling across half the valley like its own village. Its unique design blended steel and concrete with a treehouse design, giving it the appearance of an elven dwelling.

Inside the treehouse, modern furniture and electronic setups revealed a completely different world within.

"Little Snowball, see that tree stump over there?" A Jin carried Luo Ci to the villa’s window, pointing at a massive stump so wide it would take ten people to circle. "That’s the boundary marker between Viktorya and Febile City."

Using a tree stump as a boundary marker—how odd.

Luo Ci chirped curiously.

Sha Ni Lu, with his hands laced behind his head, slowly walked over. "This villa straddles both Viktorya and Febile. Interestingly, Febile hasn't had living residents in years."

Roland warned expressionlessly, "Don’t scare Little Snowball."

Sha Ni Lu shrugged. "Just telling it like it is."

"It’s already been a year since Little Snowball joined us," Zhong Shijin adjusted his glasses, gazing into the distance. "Eight years ago, the first appearance of the Gate of Wisdom was in that direction."

Luo Ci’s round, liquid blue eyes watched them, his head tilting in confusion. For some reason, he sensed an inexplicable eagerness in the S-class individuals’ gazes toward Febile, as if anticipating something long-awaited.

But he soon forgot his curiosity. The treehouse was like a maze, full of exploration for a little one in a new environment. Hardly touching his lunch, he went scampering through the villa.

Zhong Shijin watched Little Snowball’s figure and bowed slightly to Chen Wang. "Preparations in Febile City are nearing completion. The SS Gate can be opened in a week."

A Jin rubbed his hands eagerly. "Can’t we speed it up? I can’t wait any longer!"

Opening the SS Gate had long been Tansapa’s core mission and the shared goal of the core team.

After working out the sequence of the gates, Chen Wang deduced that the first S Gate’s appearance marked the core gate’s location. Based on patterns, he concluded the core gate was at least SS-class. Its absence didn’t mean nonexistence—it was just lying dormant. Releasing energy from the crystal cores could forcibly activate the concealed gate.

Chen Wang drew up plans. These days, Sha Ni Lu and his Spirit had scouted potential gate locations, successfully opening several A-class gates using crystal cores.

As expected, releasing a large number of crystal cores would also force the SS Gate open early.

Sha Ni Lu crossed his arms, curious. "Forcibly opening the SS Gate is risky, isn't it? Why not wait for it to open naturally?"

"I did consider that," Chen Wang took a sip of coffee, his tone calm. "But as A Jin said, I'm too impatient. The gates don't interest me anymore. I want to see what comes after the gates disappear."

"...Terrifying," Sha Ni Lu murmured, then grinned. "But I’m looking forward to it too."

Luo Ci wandered around the treehouse and soon got lost, but he wasn’t worried. An SS-class Sentinel’s senses were sharp—he only needed to call softly, and Chen Wang would appear.

Though unasked, the villa’s security team closely followed Little Snowball.

Noticing he was lost, one guard stepped forward to guide him.

Luo Ci’s little ears perked up at the sound of flapping wings. Peeking around the corner, he spotted a golden-red falcon.

Worried about frightening him, the falcon kept its distance, beating its wings carefully. But Luo Ci wasn’t scared—not only did he wear numerous S-class protective gear, but he also had friends like grizzly bears and snowy owls.

The falcon’s golden-red feathers reminded him of the plump little bird he’d first seen at Tansapa Tower. Sadly, he hadn’t seen it since. Fond of chubby birds, he couldn’t resist grabbing the falcon and petting it like one.

The falcon’s steel-like feathers felt surprisingly soft. The little cub couldn’t stop stroking it. "Little Chubby, be good."

...He was a falcon, not some plump bird!

Before the falcon could react, it let out a startled "Chirp!" as tiny hands seized it.

Realizing Little Snowball was petting him, his entire body stiffened, trembling. His feathers puffed up before flattening again, terrified his razor-sharp plumage might accidentally harm the fragile child. He desperately tucked his wings tight against his body.

"Chirp... chirp..." His throat emitted shaky sounds.

Then, a familiar figure appeared. Luo Ci’s eyes crinkled with joy as he released the falcon and dashed over, hugging Chen Wang’s leg and raising his arms. "Brother found me!"

Chen Wang scooped him up. "If Little Snowball won’t come to me, I’ll come to him... Do you like it here?"

Luo Ci swung his little feet, nodding without hesitation. "Like it!"

"How so?"

He nuzzled Chen Wang's shoulder with his fluffy little ears, replying simply, "Because we’re together."