Chapter 97 This Is Your Fate

Chapter 97: This Is What You Get

The patrol captain picked up Zhao Hengming’s terminal and scanned it. The information that popped up on the screen made him frown.

“It’s actually this guy?”

He looked around and spotted Chen Yang standing not far away.

The uniform of an S-class Sentinel had an extra mark on the collar. Although this person looked somewhat unfamiliar, it was clear at a glance that he was a high-ranking Sentinel.

“Hello, Senior,” he nodded to Chen Yang. “Did you witness what happened?”

Chen Yang took a few steps closer to them.

“It’s true that this guy on the ground attacked my friend,” he said, patting Lu Wenbai on the back with a smile. “This young man is truly formidable—he actually subdued him.”

Whether it was true or not, what did it matter?

He was about to retire. He didn’t want to see what he shouldn’t see, and he certainly didn’t want to get involved in matters he shouldn’t. Since Fang Ran said it was so, then it was. After all, he was that person’s Guide—why not curry favor with a top-tier Sentinel?

Seeing Chen Yang also speaking up for them, Fang Ran instantly felt reassured and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

He didn’t want this special ability to be exposed.

The transfer of energy between Guides and Sentinels was unheard of in this world. Even Mental Resonance had never been known to achieve such a level. Moreover, the one lending him energy was the strongest Sentinel alive.

If the Research Institute remained persistent and continued to watch him from the shadows...

Fang Ran suddenly felt a wave of dread run through him.

In any case, it couldn’t be revealed now.

He subtly scanned the area out of the corner of his eye.

The surveillance camera in this corner... seemed to have been destroyed during the energy surge earlier.

Perfect.

As long as they insisted it was Lu Wenbai, no one would know.

After hearing Chen Yang’s words, the patrol captain thought it over.

The person on the ground had long been a key surveillance target for the patrol team. They had known for a while that his condition was somewhat unstable, but since he hadn’t done anything extreme, they couldn’t enforce mandatory isolation.

In such a state, it was plausible that he could be subdued by an A-class Sentinel.

He glanced again at Lu Wenbai, who still looked completely clueless.

That made sense.

Surges in Sentinel energy are always unpredictable, so it was understandable.

With that thought, he already believed most of what Fang Ran and the others had said.

The captain patted Lu Wenbai’s shoulder again, his expression full of admiration.

“Keep up the good work, young man. You’ve got a bright future ahead. I’ll write a report to the higher-ups later—you’ll probably be awarded a medal for bravery. When you have time, go take a reassessment test. Who knows, you might advance.”

All this left Lu Wenbai even more bewildered.

His eyes widened in shock as his mind replayed the scene over and over.

“Really?”

Just moments ago, he had clearly been sent flying by the energy emanating from that person...

But maybe he had also unleashed a burst of energy and taken the Sentinel out in self-defense. Otherwise... why was his head still spinning so much?

Besides, several of his cousins in the family had evolved into S-class Sentinels. He must have potential too.

“Thank you, Senior,” he immediately straightened his posture and gave the man a salute. “I’ll work hard.”

His earnest demeanor made everyone around him laugh.

In this easygoing mood, Fang Ran exchanged a smile with Zhong Wan.

Good.

Things were under control.

Zhong Wan slowly walked over to him, placed a hand on his shoulder, and said in a volume only the two of them could hear:

“Fang Ran, you’ve got some explaining to do once we get back.”

“......”

Fang Ran glanced at his friend.

Zhong Wan’s tone was definitive. He was sharp and observant—he had probably guessed that it was Fang Ran, not Lu Wenbai, who had taken down Zhao Hengming.

Oh well.

Fang Ran sighed inwardly.

Zhong Wan was like family to him in this world. Telling him wouldn’t hurt.

Just then, his terminal buzzed.

Fang Ran looked down at the name displayed on the screen.

Fu Zhangzhou?

Isn’t this guy supposed to be on a mission? And he was sending... a holo-call?

Without a second thought, Fang Ran pressed reject and then called him back on audio.

The Sentinel on the other end answered immediately.

“Fang Ran.”

Fu Zhangzhou’s voice still sounded lazy, with a touch of weariness.

“What were you up to just now? Why did you decline my video call?”

Fang Ran glanced at Zhong Wan, whose hand was still on his shoulder. They were standing very close, and Zhong Wan had clearly heard Fu Zhangzhou’s voice. When Fang Ran looked over, Zhong Wan shot him a knowing look.

“......”

“Fu Zhangzhou, I’m just in the cafeteria, nothing worth seeing.”

“You liar, still lying.”

The Sentinel on the other end gave a soft chuckle.

“I just felt it.”

“Darling, you almost sucked me dry.”

“......”

His words left Fang Ran at a loss for words, unsure how to respond.

“Hahaha!” Zhong Wan beside him suddenly burst into laughter.

He wiped the tears at the corners of his eyes, “You two—even a voice call is this raunchy?”

“No wonder you didn’t dare turn on the holographic video call. I’d be scared what you’d get up to.”

Fang Ran gave his friend an irritated look and pushed his increasingly closer head away.

“Zhong Wan, can you shut up?”

The Sentinel on the other end clearly heard Zhong Wan’s laughter.

“Fang Ran, who’s there with you?”

Fang Ran let out a slight sigh.

He glanced at Zhao Hengming, who was still sprawled on the ground. The man had completely lost consciousness, and the patrol team had to bring a stretcher to carry him away.

The situation was neither major nor minor.

Yet, Zhao Hengming’s relationship with his original self was awkward, and he couldn’t explain it clearly to Fu Zhangzhou right now.

In everyone’s eyes, this was just a complicated romantic history between Fang Ran and Zhao Hengming.

If the Sentinel found out—all hell would break loose. He might even rush back immediately.

After thinking it over, he said to the Sentinel on the call:

“Fu Zhangzhou, Zhong Wan’s here with me right now. I’m not hurt, and the situation isn’t as serious as you think. We can talk when you get back.”

“Hurt?”

The Sentinel seemed to only hear the word “hurt,” his voice rising sharply.

“Fang Ran, I have to confirm your safety first. If you don’t want to say anything, I’ll jump out of the float-car and come back right now.”

Fang Ran froze.

Come back?

Everything’s fine, why come back?

He was starting to suspect that Fu Zhangzhou was just using this as an excuse to bail on his mission.

“Fu Zhangzhou, I’m really fine. You don’t need to come back.”

The Sentinel didn’t respond. There were some rustling noises on the other end, and then Lu Wenchuan’s voice cut in.

“Instructor Fang Ran, what exactly happened? What about Zhong Wan? Is he hurt?”

“......”

Zhong Wan patted his shoulder, “Just let them take a look, or these two will really rush back.”

Fang Ran glanced at Zhong Wan’s shit-eating grin and finally switched the call mode—though only to simple one-way video.

He angled the screen toward the patrol team and Zhao Hengming.

The beaten-up Sentinel was unconscious, being lifted onto a stretcher.

Zhong Wan purposely leaned in close to Fang Ran’s comm device and said loudly:

“Fu Zhangzhou, see this?”

“If you dare mess with Fang Ran, you’ll end up just like him.”