Chapter 59 The Holy Statue in the Church

Chapter 59: The Icon in the Church

Late into the night.

Fu Zhangzhou lay on the living room sofa, lost in thought.

Just as his eyes began to drift shut, he thought he heard a sound from the bedroom. His amber eyes snapped open. This time, he distinctly heard faint, broken murmurs, intermittent.

Fang Ran seemed unwell.

"......"

The sentinel's gaze fixed on the bedroom door, his eyes deepening with intensity.

With a swift movement, he was on his feet, standing before the door.

His hand rested on the doorknob.

The lock was a mere trifle to him; he had only refrained from forcing it these past few days to maintain his good behavior in front of his guide.

The sentinel smiled, applying a gentle pressure.

"Click."

The door opened.

The room inside was unlit.

In the dimness, one's senses became acutely heightened.

An intense fragrance instantly enveloped him, almost suffocating in its richness.

Fu Zhangzhou was momentarily stunned.

As a high-ranking sentinel, few things could truly affect his senses.

He had first noticed this fragrance emanating from Fang Ran during their initial encounter.

What was once fresh with a hint of bitterness had now transformed into a cloyingly sweet aroma.

A restless energy stirred within him, as if something was burgeoning beneath the surface.

The sentinel adored this scent.

Every time he felt himself teetering on the brink of an abyss, this fragrance would pull him back.

He had known from the very beginning.

Fang Ran was different.

His guide.

Held his own secrets.

By the faint slivers of light filtering through the blinds, Fu Zhangzhou discerned Fang Ran's form.

He was curled up on the bed.

His lips slightly parted, he uttered fragmented words in a hoarse voice.

"Inhibitor... medicine..."

"Inhibitor..."

Fu Zhangzhou took a few noiseless steps forward.

He stood by the bedside, his gaze dark and profound, as if admiring a cherished possession.

After a moment, the sentinel leaned down and touched Fang Ran's forehead.

"You have a fever." His guide seemed unwell, his body temperature alarmingly high.

Fang Ran's eyelids fluttered incessantly, his eyes half-open in a daze.

His gaze was vacant, as if he could no longer process thoughts.

The area around his eyes was faintly red, as though he had been crying recently.

"Inhibitor."

He repeated mechanically.

"Medicine... I need inhibitors..."

"Fang Ran."

Fu Zhangzhou's eyes flickered as he asked in a low voice.

"What do you need those medicines for?"

He had been following Fang Ran today, intending to remain unseen.

He hadn't anticipated Fang Ran going to such a place.

That couple were Free Sentinels.

In this era, these unregulated, rogue Free Sentinels were even more terrifying than monsters.

Yet Fang Ran was on such familiar terms with them.

He had even asked them to facilitate black-market transactions.

Fu Zhangzhou recalled the small cryo-chamber in Fang Ran's hand.

It likely contained some kind of medication.

What did Fang Ran need these drugs for?

The room was silent for a long moment.

Fang Ran seemed unwilling to answer his question.

His face was flushed with an unnatural redness, his gaze alternating between the person before him and a blank stare. His mouth continued to repeat the same words.

"Medicine... inhibitors..."

"There you go," Fu Zhangzhou gently stroked his forehead, continuing to coax patiently, "Tell me why."

"Just give me a reason, and I'll give you the medicine."

The sentinel's voice was low and enticing.

Fu Zhangzhou felt he had never been this patient in his entire life.

He had an intuition.

As if knowing the guide's secret would bind them together forever.

This person...

Might truly belong to him.

Fang Ran's gaze flickered, his long eyelashes fluttering incessantly.

He seemed hesitant, his lips moving several times before he finally spoke:

"Because..."

Fang Ran paused, thinking for a long time before continuing:

"Because of Fu Zhangzhou..."

"Oh?"

Seeing him so dazed yet mentioning himself, the sentinel's interest was instantly piqued.

"Because of me what?"

The corner of his mouth curved into a smile, like a hunter luring his prey.

"Because of Fu Zhangzhou what?"

"Because... Fu Zhangzhou is... this damn sentinel!" Fang Ran's face suddenly flushed with a deeper crimson, half his face scrunching up in agitation.

Fu Zhangzhou couldn't help but laugh.

So adorable.

He tilted his head, his eyes deepening further.

"You're absolutely right, I am a damn sentinel."

Fang Ran agreed with his words, nodding dazedly.

"Damn sentinel!"

"My glands... it's all because of him."

"Medicine, give it to me..."

In his daze, Fang Ran was clearly dissatisfied.

He had answered the question, but the other person seemed unwilling to cooperate, making him so anxious that tears welled in his eyes.

Fu Zhangzhou laughed again at his reaction.

"Fang Ran, you're not telling the truth at all."

"Why did you really get these medicines?"

Fang Ran grew extremely irritated by his questioning.

This guy kept nagging, asking him questions, and even after answering, he refused to give him the medicine.

He was just a liar!

He grabbed the covers and pulled them over his head, repeating incessantly: "Medicine, suppressants... give me the medicine."

"It seems you don't want to say it."

"If you won't say it," Fu Zhangzhou made a move to stand up, "I'm leaving."

"And I won't give you the medicine either."

"Don't!" Fang Ran immediately pulled the covers down, his expression uneasy.

His entire body seemed steamed by high heat, not just his face but his whole body flushed red.

The heat inside him surged wave after wave, and he trembled as he spoke:

"Suppressants..."

"Because... because I'm in heat."

"In heat?" The sentinel couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

This answer was unexpected.

"Because I... am an Omega." Fang Ran said dazedly.

"Omega?"

"What is an Omega?"

......

Fang Ran felt as if he were stepping on clouds, his body turning into steam, rising into the air.

Right, he had a fever.

He opened his eyes dazedly.

It was very quiet.

The living room was dim, with only a few rays of moonlight filtering in from the balcony.

Where was he?

His vision seemed covered in a layer of gray.

Maybe he was dreaming?

Hadn't he locked himself in his room? Why was he lying on the sofa in the living room?

The evening breeze blew from the balcony into the living room, making the white organza curtains flutter like dancing ghosts in the deep night.

Fang Ran tilted his head to look.

Someone was standing on the balcony, hands resting on the railing, as if watching the distant scenery.

His figure looked familiar.

Tall, broad, and exuding an undeniable presence.

By the time Fang Ran realized he was moving, he had already walked up behind the man.

"You’re awake?"

The sentinel turned to look at him. "Still feeling unwell?"

"What?"

Fang Ran didn’t know how to respond.

Perhaps the high fever hadn’t fully subsided yet—his head was still foggy.

The man’s profile appeared sharp and profound under the moonlight, yet his eyes carried a gentle glow.

Fang Ran mumbled,

"Unwell."

The sentinel let out a soft laugh. He turned around.

"Fang Ran."

"You are my guide."

"I am your guide?"

Fang Ran repeated his words dazedly.

The sentinel suddenly dropped to one knee before him.

"We shouldn’t have secrets between us."

Fu Zhangzhou tipped his head back, starlight catching in his eyes.

"Don’t push me away anymore, alright, please?"

The sentinel closed his eyes and raised his chin, as if waiting for Fang Ran to approach.

Moonlight washed over his face.

Reverent, like a church icon.