Chapter 93

Chapter 93

Xie Yin found it unbelievable—the news of Tansapa’s successful return from the SS Gate had completely caught him off guard. Chen Wang had never undergone proper mental *guidance*, and during the previous mission to conquer the Distortion Gate, he had already been on the verge of going berserk. After entering the Origin Gate, he should have collapsed from overload, destroying both himself and the Origin Gate in the process, causing all gates to vanish.

With Tansapa’s downfall, the guild rankings would be reshuffled. Later, someone would have discovered the underground city, sparking a new round of power struggles. Xie Yin had publicly claimed to be a seer, but in truth, he had lived through all of this before—and died in the underground city.

The time reversal from the Dawnlight Core had sent him back two years upon awakening, and he believed this was his opportunity.

He deliberately chose the Tuyue Guild, which was easier to control, and lied about possessing prophetic abilities to gain the trust of the guild leader and Tu Lang. Over the years, they had hoarded supplies, co-opted criminals, and prepared for both the conquest of the underground city and the guild reshuffling.

As for why they recruited criminals, it was because the Tuyue Guild lacked the strength to conquer the underground city on its own. Recruiting capable individuals was a necessity. However, as a private guild, Tuyue’s appeal to skilled individuals was limited, so Xie Yin turned his attention to prisons.

After Tansapa’s collapse, there had indeed been a period of chaos—especially when all the gates disappeared, leading to the breakdown of social order worldwide. During that time, a large number of skilled individuals escaped from prisons.

Having lived through that era, Xie Yin saw no issue with helping criminals escape early. By that point, there would be no one left to maintain order, so no one would care about such matters.

He even believed he was doing a good deed—after all, using these criminals was like making use of discarded materials.

But now… where had things gone wrong?

Chen Wang had returned alive, and judging by the news, he seemed to be in decent condition. This meant Tansapa wouldn’t fall. But if that were the case, how would the guild rankings be reshuffled? How would the subsequent chaos unfold? How could Tuyue become the first guild to enter the underground city?

Without the chaos, the criminals they had recruited wouldn’t serve as their allies—instead, they would become evidence of their crimes. If they couldn’t enter the underground city smoothly, all the resources they had stockpiled over the years would lose their value.

The most crucial link had failed.

Xie Yin muttered to himself, “So what was the point of everything I did…?”

His mind kept replaying his past life. If there was one variable that had changed, it was the appearance of the Little Snowball. In his previous life, there had been no such thing as an S-class Guide. Now, discussions about the Little Snowball were everywhere—a being cherished by S-class individuals, the only one of his kind, a topic the media loved. Not only were other guilds eyeing him, but even within the Tuyue Guild, Xie Yin often overheard conversations about him.

It was precisely because of the Little Snowball’s immense fame that Xie Yin was certain he hadn’t existed in his past life—he had never heard any similar rumors back then.

Just then, chaos erupted in the guild hall. Heavily armed Sentinels stormed into the Tuyue Guild, their expressions cold and stern, all wearing the uniform of the Management Bureau. “The Tuyue Guild has harbored escaped criminals and instigated attacks against an S-class Guide. Detain all members of the Tuyue Guild immediately.”

The Tuyue Guild’s Sentinels instinctively resisted, but with their leader and Tu Lang already taken away in an ambulance, they were left without direction. The Management Bureau’s team consisted entirely of A-class Sentinels, and within moments, they had subdued the Tuyue Sentinels.

Everything happened too fast—Xie Yin didn’t even have time to react. Several escaped criminals were right beside him, and the Bureau’s personnel used virtual terminals to scan their faces, confirming their identities on the spot. It was a clear case of catching them red-handed.

What Xie Yin didn’t know was that Ao Qi had never stopped monitoring them. The moment they slipped up, Ao Qi had sent people to arrest them.

As for the group of escaped criminals who had gone to the Treehouse… Ao Qi was certain Chen Wang wouldn’t be unprepared. As a fellow Sentinel, he knew just how protective Sentinels were of their Guides.

He hadn’t expected the Bureau to act so quickly…

Xie Yin was unwilling to accept this. He had thought this second chance would be his opportunity, but now, things were worse than in his past life. If he were imprisoned now, how many years would it take for him to escape? He couldn’t accept this!

His hands cuffed behind his back with mechanical restraints, Xie Yin twisted his body restlessly, completely unaware of the pair of hate-filled eyes glaring at him from nearby.

Xin Jila’s gaze was filled with resentment and loathing. His voice hoarse, he asked the Bureau Sentinels, “What about my other companions? The ones who went to Viktorya… What happened to them?”

“Oh, them?” The Bureau Sentinels exchanged glances before sneering. “Daring to lay hands on Tansapa’s Guide—had they lost their minds?”

Xin Jila’s eyes instantly flooded with blood, his head lowering slowly as his pupils turned a piercing golden.

As an A-class Sentinel, he had failed to protect his own child. After his child died without a Guide’s mental *guidance*, Xin Jila had repeatedly attempted to force himself into a berserk state to kill Guides, making him the prison’s most notorious inmate. Due to his unique explosive abilities, the authorities refused to give up on him, arranging numerous psychological *guidance* sessions. But Xin Jila’s mental state never improved—he believed hatred was necessary for survival.

Before, he had hated Guides. But when Xie Yin helped him escape, he had promised that the underground city might hold special items capable of reviving his child. Though he knew the chances were slim, he had clung to that hope. Now, everything was ruined.

Even the fellow inmates he had painstakingly befriended in prison had all been killed because of Xie Yin.

Due to his tendency to kill guides, no guide was willing to provide him *guidance*. For many years, Xin Jila had not received any *guidance*. The intense physical pain and hatred caused him to enter a berserk state in an instant. A thick aura of malevolence emanated from him, and the Sentinel responsible for putting on his mechanical handcuffs was taken aback by his sudden transformation.

In that moment, Xin Jila broke his own arms with his bare hands, freeing himself from the mechanical restraints. His eyes, filled with resentment, locked onto Xie Yin like a predator spotting its prey.

Xie Yin became the target of his backlash. At this moment, Xin Jila's greatest hatred was directed at him.

In his berserk state, the Sentinel had lost all reason. All he knew was that the person he hated was right there.

He lunged forward in a frenzy, his bulky body charging at Xie Yin like a wild buffalo.

When Xie Yin saw those eyes brimming with murderous intent, he felt fear and wanted to flee, but a Guide's speed could never match that of a berserk Sentinel.

"Boom—" The massive explosion destroyed the entire Tuyue Guild hall, leaving only a deep, circular crater about ten meters wide. Even the statue of Tuyue vanished without a trace.

"Cough, cough, cough..." Dust and debris filled the air. The Sentinels from the Authority managed to assess the situation amidst the ruins. As seasoned front-line Sentinels, they had seen similar scenes before and calmly counted the survivors. The casualties were even more severe than they had anticipated.

Although Tuyue Guild was classified as an A-grade Guild, most of its members were B-grade Sentinels. Caught in the energy wave from Xin Jila's explosion, many lay bleeding on the ground, their fates uncertain.

The Sentinel reported the situation to his superiors: "Yes, President of Tuyue Guild and Tu Lang are not here. I will go to the hospital later to take them into custody."

It was fortunate for the president of Tuyue Guild; if he had witnessed the guild's devastating state, it would have been another blow to his heart.

However, harboring a serious criminal is also a grave offense. The president of Tuyue Guild and Tu Lang would likely spend the rest of their lives in prison. Tuyue Guild would cease to exist.

...

News of Xin Jila's rampage at Tuyue Guild made the headlines that day, but with the public's attention focused on Tansapa's assault on the SS Gate, it did not cause much of a stir.

Viktorya Treehouse.

Luo Ci was carried out of the bedroom by Chen Wang. When she saw the chaotic scene in the treasure room, her little mouth slightly parted, still not understanding what had happened—why did it look like a disaster zone here?

A Jin snorted. "Our little one is just like a sweet cake—everyone wants a bite."

Roland had no patience for those who coveted the little one. These cowards didn’t dare confront them directly, only striking when they were away, like rats scurrying in the shadows.

The little one was still dazed, only now slowly realizing that the earlier noise hadn’t been an illusion—someone really had broken in. She lifted her Little Ears and nuzzled them against Chen Wang’s palm. See? Chen Wang was always worried his abilities might hurt her, yet in the end, he had protected her.

"Speaking of which, the honey wine we brewed a couple of days ago should be ready to open," Chen Wang suddenly remembered. "Snowball, are you looking forward to it? Want to try some?"

"Mmm, yes! I wanna try!" Luo Ci’s little tail wagged rapidly behind her, her watery blue eyes lighting up instantly.

This whole thing had started because Sha Ni Lu kept teasing the little one with alcohol a few days ago, making Luo Ci crave it desperately. But younglings shouldn’t drink, so after researching online recipes, Chen Wang had brewed a jar of honey wine using flowers from around Viktorya. It was more like sweet floral nectar, completely alcohol-free, safe even for a youngling.

Luo Ci sat on the bar counter, swinging her short legs, her eyes full of anticipation as she watched Chen Wang take the honey wine jar from the fridge. Remembering the scent from when it was being brewed, she couldn’t help but swallow.

Sha Ni Lu had no interest in anything without alcohol. He grabbed two bottles of strong liquor from the cabinet while A Jin flopped onto the sofa, yelling at him, "Bring me something to eat too!" Normally, one would bring energy supplements for energy when entering the gates, but A Jin had forgotten this time and hadn’t replenished any nutrients yet.

"Haven’t you only gone three days without eating?" Sha Ni Lu raised an eyebrow, unbothered. "Someone who can go two weeks without food should get up and do it themselves."

Grumbling, A Jin sat up from the sofa and sniffed his jacket. "Ugh, no, this smell is awful. I’d better take a shower first."

Just then, the griffin soaring overhead seemed to notice something and signaled Sha Ni Lu, who shrugged. "Chen Wang, seems like we’ve got another guest."

A luxurious black helicopter approached the treehouse, landing steadily on the helipad. Its size was far larger than average, resembling a submarine soaring through the sky. The curved cabin doors slid open on both sides.

The rotor wash whipped their clothes as the Director of the Bureau, Ao Qi, stepped out first, followed by representatives from other guilds.

The uniquely designed treehouse villa came into view. The special valley climate allowed palm trees to thrive here, their dense leaves intertwining with the staggered treehouses. A suspended white glass walkway led to the central hall of the treehouse, and through the wide, transparent artisan windows, those inside and outside could clearly see each other.

The logistics team arrived quickly. Ao Qi noticed the personnel in Tansapa's logistics uniforms, fully geared up in hazmat suits, wearing goggles and filters, as they carried barrels of highly toxic substances onto the isolation vehicles.

So much poison... God knows how many years before this poison can be safely dug up...

Ao Qi frowned almost imperceptibly.

But this wasn’t his concern.

Upon entering the living room, he was greeted by an abundance of items belonging to the little one—various small toys, special cushions, and blankets—hardly anything for anyone else. He never pictured Tansapa's headquarters looking like this.

It was... unexpectedly cute and cozy.

Not just Ao Qi, even the other guild leaders were taken aback.

Chen Wang was in the dining area, feeding honey wine to Snowy. The little one sat in his arms, tiny hands clutching his clothes tightly as Chen Wang carefully spooned the drink into his mouth. Chen Wang wasn’t usually a patient man, but with Snowy, he was infinitely patient—so much so that Ao Qi was momentarily at a loss for words.

Somehow, their sudden arrival felt like an intrusion on the tender moment between Chen Wang and Snowy.

Especially Chen Wang... Who would have thought he was capable of such tenderness? He might as well try out for "Chief Caregiver" or something.

Luo Ci poked her soft little belly—she was starting to feel full.

Chen Wang spared them a glance amidst his busy task. "What brings you here?"

"...We have something to discuss with you," Ao Qi said, struggling to process the scene before him. He scanned the surroundings before getting right to it. "We heard the escaped convicts came by. Are they still alive?"

Chen Wang gently smoothed Snowy’s tousled hair, his tone casual. "Just a bunch of gutter rats. If they dared reach out, they should’ve been prepared to lose their heads, no?"

"..." A vein twitched on Ao Qi’s forehead. He knew those escapees were most likely dead, but he couldn't care less.

After all, sneaking around and daring to target someone else’s guide—especially one from Tansapa—this outcome was exactly what they deserved.

The convicts were small potatoes. Their main purpose today was the underground city.

"Gates around the world have vanished," Ao Qi said, taking a seat on the sofa. He observed Chen Wang’s expression—no surprise there. As expected, he had already foreseen it. "We detected a huge energy spike in a mining pit—likely an underground city. High concentrations of toxic miasma were also found nearby..."

While the adults talked, Luo Ci was sharing honey wine with her good friend, the grizzly bear. As a Spirit, the bear didn’t need to eat, but that didn’t stop it from accepting Snowy’s offering.

Luo Ci raised her chubby little hand, copying Chen Wang's moves exactly, and held the spoon to the grizzly bear’s mouth. The bear sniffed it before licking the honey wine clean without a second thought.

Watching from overhead, the griffin swooped down, transforming into the same small, golden-red form as before. It nudged its way in, its tiny body deceptively strong for its size as it shoved the grizzly bear aside. Luo Ci’s ears perked up in recognition. "Eh? Little chubby bird!"

Thrilled to see her old fluffy pal, she wobbled forward eagerly, tiny arms outstretched to hug the griffin’s golden-red feathers. Griffins were normally proud and impatient by nature, but they were indulgent with young ones. Snowy’s fluffy bunny ears occasionally brushed against its mane, and its tail twitched in restraint before its tongue lightly licked the snowy-white ear tips.

Luo Ci was completely absorbed in play when suddenly, her tail tuft was gently tugged. She turned to see the Snowy Owl and the viper. The viper slithered over gracefully, lifting its head as if wanting to coil around Snowy and pull her into an embrace. Seeing so many good friends at once made Snowy ecstatic—her puffball tail wagging furiously as her round little body bounced from one embrace to another.

To secure the spot closest to Snowy, the Spirits began their quiet turf war. The viper, taking advantage of its flexibility, rested its head on the child’s knee, coiling around it—only for the grizzly bear to silently yank its tail clear across the room and toss it aside, attempting to envelop the child in its own fluffy embrace.

Sentinels tended to clash, and so were their Spirits. But their squabbles never harmed the little one. Snowy was too fragile—whether it was the grizzly bear’s claws or the Snowy Owl’s talons, they were always kept out of reach.

When Snowy lowered her head to play with the honey jar, they fought. The moment she looked up in confusion, they pretended to get along again.

A Sentinel’s Spirit naturally gravitated to a guide, but protecting them was an even deeper instinct.

"Can't keep their Spirits in line," grumbled the bearded Eibarto, slamming his fist on the table. "Is this really appropriate for such a serious occasion?!"

No sooner had he spoken than two meerkats—one large, one small—scampered over, their soft muzzles gently pecking at Snowy’s shoes before nuzzling into her arms. They flaunted their fluffy tails like trophies before stuffing them into Snowy’s embrace—thick and springy, they looked like the perfect pillows.

Snowy’s soft little hands lifted the honey jar and shook it. It was nearly empty—just one little spoon left.

"All gone."

Who should get the last bit?

The Spirits pushed and scrambled for the final serving, the meerkats completely forgetting their dignity as they tussled with the others.

The bearded man fumed, his mustache bristling.

How could his Spirit act so shamelessly!