Chapter 77 I Have a Great Solution

Chapter 77 I Have a Good Solution

The coastline outbreak in the Fourth Security Zone raged for a full seven days and seven nights.

Its sheer scale and duration caught everyone off guard.

Since the establishment of the major Security Zones, a delicate balance had been maintained between humanity and monsters.

Though conflicts occasionally flared, both sides seemed to respect unspoken boundaries, and a strange calm had settled over the turbulent undercurrents.

After more than a century of retreating into the Security Zones, human life had gradually returned to its former rhythm. Once people began living relatively stable lives, many had forgotten the brutal reality the world had become after the disaster.

This outbreak, however, served as a stark warning.

Those monsters had always been seeking opportunities—lying in wait, steadily encroaching, never abandoning their ambition to devour humanity's living space...

Fang Ran was currently nestled on his dormitory bed.

He squinted, continuously refreshing the information on his terminal.

This mission had left a deep impression on him.

Over these seven days, he had rotated through the guide waiting point at the scene three times, while Fu Zhangzhou, apart from escorting him to and from the dorm, had remained on the battlefield the entire time.

The Fourth Zone headquarters had essentially deployed all available forces, but the monster outbreak was simply too vast. That very night, other factions within the Federation, such as the Guardians, joined the battle.

To quell the outbreak as quickly as possible, the Sentinel and Guide Center also proactively opened its guide waiting points to them.

According to Zhong Wan's later account, Zheng Mingyu had appeared at the villa several times, but Fang Ran happened to be rotated back to the dorm for rest each time, so it was Wen Qi and Shen Ke who performed the purification for him.

On the fourth day of the outbreak, central command mobilized forces from two other zones—the Fifth and Sixth Security Zone headquarters came to provide support. It was said that over twenty S-class Sentinels were on the scene, an unprecedented number.

The sea monsters seemed to have been planning this for a long time. In the early stages, most of the creatures that appeared were low-level variants. Although their attack power was not strong, their numbers were overwhelming. While the Sentinels could handle them, their energy was greatly depleted. Starting from the fourth and fifth days, high-level monsters began emerging in large numbers, even including ultra S+ variants.

What Fang Ran was currently reading was the "battle achievement statistics" from this fight.

With the tacit approval of the Federation government, some daring media outlets had livestreamed from the scene for several days. Certain viewers, eager for excitement, then tallied the "achievements" of various Sentinels in the comments section.

Topping the list was, naturally, the only 3S Sentinel currently in existence.

After Fu Zhangzhou's name followed a lengthy analysis and an impressive string of numbers.

Fang Ran carefully scrolled further down and discovered that not only were his achievements astonishing, but he had also single-handedly killed five ultra S+ variants.

"..."

This man's strength was even more terrifying than before.

No wonder he returned from the scene each time radiating such fierce killing intent.

It was hard to say whether the injury at DT332 had been a curse or a blessing for him.

Now, the media no longer obscured their coverage of him—the internet was flooded with photos and videos of him in combat.

Fang Ran casually clicked on a few.

This man indeed fought with ruthless precision, quickly identifying his targets' weaknesses and then crushing them with overwhelming force.

Simple and brutal, yet visually spectacular.

Coupled with the Sentinel's strikingly handsome appearance, the comments section was filled with people calling him "husband"...

"..."

Fang Ran silently closed the video and continued scrolling through the "achievement list."

The Sentinel in second place...

Was not Zheng Mingyu, as he had expected, but Lu Wenshan.

Fang Ran also glanced at the "achievements" listed after his name.

Remarkable prowess.

Though not quite on par with Fu Zhangzhou, it was still terrifyingly formidable. In fact, his combat ability clearly surpassed that of Zheng Mingyu in third place and Lu Wenchuan in fourth.

Fang Ran tapped his finger on the screen.

Lu Wenshan, huh...

This person wasn't even mentioned in the book, yet now his prominence overshadowed the protagonist.

Although the Eighth Security Zone bordered the Twelfth Zone, it had previously held little significance within the Federation. When people spoke of it, they mostly just mentioned its harsh climate and unsuitability for living.

Now, with Lu Wenshan's sudden rise to fame, many dug into his background and marveled at the Lu family's hidden depths. Quite a few were even comparing him to Fu Zhangzhou.

The online discussion about him had already far surpassed that of Zheng Mingyu from the Guardians.

Just as he was about to continue reading, a tapping sound suddenly came from the window.

"Tap, tap, tap."

"..."

He turned to look.

A blurred figure was visible behind the curtains.

Without even guessing, he knew who it was.

Fang Ran got up and walked to the window, sighed, and reached out to draw the curtains aside.

"Fu Zhangzhou."

He crossed his arms, staring at the Sentinel outside.

"The mission just ended yesterday. Can't you... just stay put in the treatment pod?"

"But I missed you," the Sentinel's eyes held a hint of grievance, his amber pupils glimmering. "My main body is staying there—the effect is the same."

"..."

Fang Ran was truly exasperated by this man.

In broad daylight, he was clinging to the window of the guide dormitory.

Fortunately, after the monster tide ended, headquarters had given most people time off, so there weren't many people inside or outside the dormitory now. Zhong Wan and Lu Wenchuan had also gone off somewhere.

He took another couple of glances at the Sentinel outside the window.

"Come in."

Fang Ran stepped back two paces.

The Sentinel smiled the moment he agreed. This time, he was properly behaved, carefully stepping over the wooden stool.

The dorm room was small and had no proper chairs or desk, so Fang Ran could only let him sit at the foot of the bed while he himself sat against the headboard.

They were separated by a short distance, yet the cramped space made it inevitable for their breaths to mingle.

A faint sweetness wafted in the air.

The Sentinel closed his eyes, drew a deep breath, and his expression grew even more relaxed.

"Are you so afraid of me?"

"Yes."

Fang Ran answered without hesitation.

Two guys alone together, with even Zhong Wan gone now...

Who else should I be afraid of if not you?

"I'm going to District 5 the day after tomorrow," Fu Zhangzhou suddenly said.

District 5?

Fang Ran paused. Was he here specifically to say this?

"To District 5... on assignment?"

"Don't know yet."

The Sentinel suddenly lay back, half-reclining on the bed. With his long limbs, the small single bed was hardly big enough for him, but this move closed the distance between them.

He closed his eyes and said, "Lu Tianlin asked me to go. Said there are lingering issues after that explosion."

Lingering issues?

Only after Fu Zhangzhou mentioned it did Fang Ran recall that the Alliance government hadn't yet released an official announcement about the explosion incident. Recently, the news focus had been stolen by the monster horde that erupted a few days ago.

What kind of problem would require a high-ranking Sentinel like Fu Zhangzhou to resolve?

"Will you be... gone long?" Fang Ran asked.

Fu Zhangzhou suddenly opened his eyes, turned over, and supported his head with one hand.

"Fang Ran, will you miss me?"

Fang Ran stiffened, his gaze darting away.

"...I just don’t want to stay in the dorm every day."

"Actually, I've got a perfect solution," the Sentinel suddenly laughed.

"What?"

"You come with me."

"......"

This man really...

The two of them haven’t signed a pairing agreement yet—how could I just follow you on an assignment?

"Did Lu Tianlin agree?"

"Of course he didn’t."

"......"

"But why should I need his permission?"

What?

Fang Ran stared in shock, watching as the Sentinel stood up and then suddenly dropped to one knee in front of him.

"Fang Ran."

The Sentinel’s deep-set eyes were fixed on him, his expression unprecedentedly serious.

"The only guide I recognize is you."

"Will you be my guide and come on this field mission with me?"