Chapter 14 You’re Different

Chapter 14 You're Different

The hovercar was passing through the most bustling central area of District 4.

Bright lights, vibrant nightlife, and bustling traffic showed no signs of post-apocalyptic decline.

As the sky gradually darkened, lights flickered on in the towering buildings, and neon glows shimmered on the streets, casting a dreamlike shimmer over the Sentinel's face.

Fang Ran looked at the person before him.

This guy had a mesmerizing face.

Though he radiated an aggressive presence, he possessed these eyes full of depth.

He had imagined countless times how he would get even when he saw this person again.

Yet, at this moment, he found himself speechless.

A voice inside him seemed to scream: Stay away from him!

Stay away from this dangerous lunatic!

But his gaze was completely uncontrollable. The conflicting emotions brewing inside made his eyes repeatedly meet the Sentinel's, until finally, they locked together.

Outside the window, the lights were dazzling.

The shifting patterns of light and shadow danced across the Sentinel's face, his pupils changing with the glow like an unfathomable abyss, luring him closer bit by bit.

Fang Ran was mesmerized, the sound of his heartbeat amplifying in his chest. A faint, elusive scent of oranges even began to emanate from him.

An intimate, ambiguous fragrance secretly flowed between the two.

Until a "ding-dong" sounded, and the hovercar began its gradual descent.

Fang Ran jerked, his senses abruptly snapping back to reality.

After a moment of shock, he quickly turned his head away.

He had lost his composure!

Fang Ran gazed out the window, slowly exhaling to adjust his breathing, trying hard to calm his racing heart, but his hands clenched involuntarily.

He had almost been enchanted by this person.

He hated this feeling of being manipulated.

In the previous world, Omegas were constrained by pheromones, suppressed by Alphas at every turn.

Now, as a Guide, though he could lead the purification of Sentinels, the real authority in this world still lay in the hands of these battle-crazed madmen.

What made this Sentinel any different?

Just then, the hovercar came to a stop, and the door automatically opened. The other passengers hurried off, leaving only Fang Ran and Fu Zhangzhou inside.

The Sentinel showed no intention of leaving yet remained silent.

He simply tilted his body slightly, watching Fang Ran as if his back were utterly fascinating.

After a moment, the door closed, and the hovercar started moving again.

The car was quiet, with only the occasional sound of system announcements.

This person had come with a purpose today.

Fang Ran didn’t want to be led by the nose anymore and decided to take the initiative.

"Aren’t you supposed to be in the mandatory purification chamber?" He looked out the window, but his attention was focused behind him.

"Oh." The Sentinel's voice was deep, seemingly casual.

"But I wanted to see you..."

Fang Ran’s brows frowned slightly. "Why see me?"

"Because you're different."

Fu Zhangzhou lazily tilted his head, his tone slower than before.

He looked at the faint reflection in the window, fixed his gaze on Fang Ran’s downcast eyes, and slowly explained:

"Actually, I can’t be purified at all."

"Before meeting you, it was just a boring and painful ordeal for me."

Fang Ran was inwardly shocked; this was the first time he had heard a Sentinel say such a thing.

A Sentinel’s obsession with purification was innate.

Constantly battling monsters, gradually being eroded by darkness, not knowing when they might become monstrous themselves—only a Guide could lead them out of the darkness.

How could there be a Sentinel in this world who couldn’t be purified?

Fu Zhangzhou’s tone carried a hint of sarcasm. "They always talk about how sacred and wonderful purification is, but every time I hear it, I want to tear their mouths apart."

"The energy of those people simply can’t enter my Spiritual Sea."

"You’ve seen it, right? It’s like a graveyard—utterly lifeless." The Sentinel let out a scornful laugh.

"Even using machines for forced purification, each time only slightly reduces the Corruption Value."

"But it hurts me, Fang Ran."

"It hurts me badly."

The Sentinel’s voice grew increasingly deeper, as if trying to convey that pain to the person beside him.

As if bewitched by his voice, Fang Ran’s Spiritual Sea suddenly flashed with a sharp pain, leaving his whole body numb and his nerves stretched to the breaking point.

But the sensation vanished in an instant, as if it were just an illusion.

He raised a hand to his forehead, feeling the fine beads of sweat that had formed there.

Was this the reason Fu Zhangzhou refused purification?

Purification should have been a Sentinel’s salvation, but for him, it had become a source of agony.

This certainly explained Fu Zhangzhou’s various crazed actions.

But he didn’t know whether to believe this person.

However, all signs indicate that the sentinel isn’t planning to let him off.

Just as Jin Ming said, they are paranoid and unscrupulous—once they fixate on a Guide, they never let go.

Yes, how could a drowning person ever give up the driftwood right in front of them?

If there’s no way to avoid it...

Fang Ran lifted his gaze slightly, and through the reflection in the car window, he could see the sentinel’s tall figure.

Their gazes met once again.

Fu Zhangzhou had a smile playing at the corner of his mouth, his eyes deep and even flickering with a hint of red.

"..."

He almost forgot—this man had escaped from the mandatory Purification chamber!

Earlier, Fu Zhangzhou’s eyes had seemed a little off, but Fang Ran thought it was just the reflection of the neon lights. Could it be...

He jerked his head around, wanting to get a clearer look at the sentinel’s condition.

As if to humor him, Fu Zhangzhou rested his hand on the back of the seat and leaned closer to him.

The presence of an aggressor suddenly drew near.

Staring at the face just inches away, a chill of dread shot through Fang Ran.

This time, he clearly saw the red light in the sentinel’s eyes.

Shit!

This guy is pretty much about to go berserk!

What the hell is headquarters doing?

Letting an S-Class Sentinel who’s about to lose control run around loose!