Chapter 98 Really Impressed by These Two

Chapter 98: These Two Are Something Else

The commotion in the dining hall had finally subsided.

Back in the dorm, Fang Ran waited for Zhong Wan to finish showering before coming clean about a few things.

"Holy shit!"

Zhong Wan, who was drying his hair, nearly tumbled off the bed in shock.

"Mental Resonance?"

"You and Fu Zhangzhou?"

Fang Ran almost clapped a hand over his mouth. "Zhong Wan, keep your voice down."

"No wonder..."

Zhong Wan grinned, glancing at him.

"When you passed out in the hospital and suddenly asked about Mental Resonance, I was really puzzled. Fu Zhangzhou is such a sly dog—he probably figured it out from the start. No wonder he wouldn’t leave you alone."

"But from how he’s acting now, I think he’s sincere..." Zhong Wan suddenly tossed the towel he was using to dry his hair onto Fang Ran’s head. "Don’t worry, I approve of this match. Hahaha!"

Fang Ran pulled the towel off and glared at him in exasperation. "Zhong Wan, be serious."

Zhong Wan laughed for a while before suddenly remembering something.

"But I remember your compatibility isn’t that high, right? It didn’t even meet the marking threshold. Doesn’t Mental Resonance require a very high compatibility?"

Hearing this, Fang Ran was reminded of Sentinel #279 with a 98.99% compatibility rate.

Logically, if he were to experience Mental Resonance, it should have been with that Sentinel.

But that person was shrouded in mystery.

The compatibility test results were visible to both parties on the spot, meaning that Sentinel had also discovered his existence that day.

For Sentinels, higher compatibility meant better purification effects, easier control over their internal Corruption Value, and significant benefits for breaking through and advancing in rank. That was why they were so eager to find Guides with high compatibility.

Yet, that person had managed to resist coming to find him all this time, which left Fang Ran somewhat puzzled.

But he wasn’t the type to waver. Since he had already committed to someone, he wouldn’t dwell on others.

Thinking this, Fang Ran said, "Compatibility isn’t everything."

It was just like ABO’s pheromones—even if they were destined partners, many still couldn’t escape the fate of their significant others cheating.

Zhong Wan nodded in agreement. "That’s true."

He lay back on his bed, staring at the grayish-white ceiling light.

"Actually, my compatibility with Lu Wenchuan isn’t that high either. The Lu family... has very outdated views. Even in this post-apocalyptic era, Sentinels and Guides aren’t free to choose their matches—they have to follow their family’s arrangements."

"So that’s why Lu Wenchuan kept it from his family and applied to come to District 4 on his own?"

"Exactly. Lu Tang encouraged him to do it. She came to District 4 many years ago for the same reason."

So that was how it was.

No wonder Lu Wenshan had been so cold toward Zhong Wan from the start.

"What are you and Lu Wenchuan planning to do?"

"Well..." Zhong Wan pulled the blanket over himself. "We’ll go back and retake the rank confirmation test. If it goes well, we’ll sign a contract first. If not..."

"Just mark each other directly."

Fang Ran was taken aback by this.

Direct marking?

But thinking about it, that was exactly the kind of thing Zhong Wan would say. His friend was always so bold and passionate.

Suddenly, he thought of the Sentinel.

Fu Zhangzhou’s way of thinking was actually quite similar to Zhong Wan’s.

When he liked someone, he was open and unabashed; when he loved, he was serious and fervent.

Fang Ran suddenly felt... that he had been too by the book in the past, always doing what others told him to do and rarely taking the initiative to fight for what he wanted.

What about this time?

That person had already taken ninety-nine steps toward him.

Shouldn’t he also take the initiative to take a step forward... toward him?

"Zhong Wan, what do you think about me and Fu Zhangzhou..." Fang Ran had only spoken half a sentence when he heard a long, steady breathing sound.

Turning his head, he saw that Zhong Wan had already fallen asleep.

Fang Ran couldn’t help but laugh softly. He reached out and turned off all the lights in the room, leaving only the bedside reading lamp on.

The dim light made the small room feel incredibly peaceful.

Leaning against the headboard, he picked up his terminal again.

The look in the Sentinel’s eyes when he gazed at the statue earlier that day still bothered him. Those who appeared unhinged on the surface were often hiding their true emotions.

After thinking for a moment, Fang Ran typed the Sentinel’s name into the search bar.

After a thorough search, he still found nothing.

There were only formal, official introductions, with no mention of his background or origins. It was as if an invisible hand had erased all traces of that information.

On some civilian forums, however, people had asked about it.

The answers were all over the place—some said he was a transformed monster, others claimed he emerged from a rock, and there were even those who insisted he was synthesized in a research institute. Fang Ran found these theories both amusing and absurd.

He leaned against the headboard and sighed again.

If he couldn’t find anything online, he would have to ask someone.

Fang Liyu was still on a business trip in District 12, and as for Wanqing... now wasn’t the right time to ask her.

"Fu Zhangzhou..."

Fang Ran stared at the Sentinel’s name for a while, suddenly...

He had an idea for a breakthrough.

Jin Ming.

If Fu Zhangzhou's data couldn't be found, what about Jin Ming?

Since he was Fu Zhangzhou's uncle, his sister would be Fu Zhangzhou's mother—and possibly even the prototype of that Sentinel statue.

Just as he was about to continue his search, a noise came from outside the room door.

It sounded like someone was tapping at the door, but the sound was muffled, unlike the crisp sound of knuckles rapping.

Fang Ran instinctively checked the time on his terminal.

It was already midnight.

Who would come looking for them at this hour?

His alertness immediately heightened, he got up quietly and slowly approached the door.

There happened to be a doorbell cam by the door. Fang Ran gently hit the activation button, the screen flickered, and the feed gradually cleared up.

But there was nobody there.

Fang Ran was baffled—was this some kind of ghost?

He looked down at the terminal in his hand.

If he reported this to the center using that as the reason, would he be laughed at?

"Knock, knock, knock."

The soft knocking continued.

Fang Ran placed his hand on the door and realized the source of the knocking was coming from the lower part of the door.

He suddenly thought of something.

After adjusting the camera angle downward, Fang Ran finally saw who was knocking.

Two fuzzy blobs, one black and one white, were sitting on the ground.

The little black dog kept patting the door with its paw, while the long-haired white cat stood solemnly behind him.

Hearing the sound of the camera adjusting, both of them looked up at the same time.

The little black dog: "Awoo~" Hurry! Open the door!

The long-haired cat: "Meow~" Let us in already!

"..."

Fang Ran stared at the scene, lost for words.

He was really at a loss with these two...