Chapter 132 How Could You Be So Careless?

Chapter 132: Why So Careless?

After an indeterminate amount of time, Fu Zhangzhou finally released Fang Ran’s scent gland.

The Sentinel exhaled softly, resting his head lightly on the Guide’s hair, brushing it with a gentle touch.

A faint orange scent lingered between them—a fragrance that had always lingered in his mind.

This person was his.

The thought sent a flush of heat through Fu Zhangzhou, an indescribable sense of satisfaction rising within him. His arms instinctively tightened, embracing his treasure.

Fang Ran trembled in his embrace.

His pheromone levels had largely stabilized, his body heat gradually receding, and the inner restlessness and agitation slowly subsiding. In their place, however, was a deeper attachment to the person beside him.

This temporary mark seemed more successful than the last.

The room temperature had dropped as well.

Fang Ran instinctively clung to the warmth in front of him.

The Sentinel’s scorching body heat and strong, steady heartbeat brought him even more comfort and reassurance.

But the room was far too cold now. Fang Ran glanced sidelong at the temperature panel by the door and sighed—he had brought this upon himself.

Just as he reached out toward the control panel by the door—

“Bang!”

A sound came from the next room, as if someone had been slammed against the wall. Moments later, there was a flurry of frantic, rustling noises, accompanied by what sounded like Zhong Wan’s muffled yelps.

"......"

Fang Ran froze, jerking his hand back, startled.

Zhong Wan...

How dare he laugh at him?

What did he mean by "don’t get up to anything weird"? What was he doing himself?

“Hahaha!”

Fu Zhangzhou suddenly burst into laughter, his chest rumbling with amusement.

“I told Lu Wenchuan, that block of ice, that the soundproofing here was good. I didn’t expect them to actually take it seriously.”

He winked at Fang Ran. “Did they scare you? Newbies are like that—clumsy, reckless, and all over the place.”

“I have a feeling...” Fang Ran raised an eyebrow, “that you... seem quite experienced?”

Fu Zhangzhou looked at him meaningfully. “Freshly new, as you just checked last night, didn’t you?”

The Sentinel leaned close to Fang Ran’s ear and whispered, “Want to... check me again now?”

The warm breath against his ear made Fang Ran’s barely stabilized pheromones spike again, his face growing warm once more.

Frustrated, Fang Ran grabbed the new combat suit from the table and threw it at his head.

“Put it on.”

“This is a workplace, you know.”

Fu Zhangzhou frowned, his expression instantly shifting to one of feigned hurt.

“Fang Ran, are you pushing me away after using me?”

“What do you mean, ‘using you’?”

Fang Ran straightened up, took two steps back, and glanced at his terminal. “There are still 40 minutes left until the hour is up. Are you going to do the Purify or not?”

Fu Zhangzhou sighed helplessly. “Do I really have to wear this?”

Fang Ran nodded. “Of course, it’s necessary.”

*Necessary to keep you from seducing me again.*

The Sentinel stared at him for a moment before resignedly picking up the combat suit and taking his time putting it on.

“So, Guide Fang Ran, when do we begin the Purify?”

Once dressed, he casually pulled out the only chair in the room and sat down.

The room was barely seven or eight square meters. With the bed and cabinet taking up space, there wasn’t much room left. Fang Ran’s only option was to sit on the single bed across from him.

Perhaps it was the post-marking dependency, but Fang Ran felt no wariness toward this person now. Without a second thought, he moved to sit down.

But the Sentinel’s long limbs took up almost all the space between the bed and the chair.

As expected by someone, but unexpectedly for Fang Ran, he tripped and fell right into the Sentinel’s arms.

Fu Zhangzhou caught him and smiled gently.

“Why so careless?”

Fang Ran collected himself, then realized he had fallen right into someone’s trap again.

He narrowed his eyes and stared at the person in front of him. “Did you do that on purpose?”

“Mhm.” The Sentinel readily admitted.

“There’s no one else here. Why stay so far away from me?”

Fang Ran looked down at Fu Zhangzhou’s roving hands resting on his waist.

“How... are we supposed to start the Purify like this?”

Fu Zhangzhou looked at him, utterly unapologetic. “We’ll do the Purify just like this.”

“Just like this?”

Taking advantage of his momentary distraction, the Sentinel adjusted his position, showing no intention of letting go.

"......"

*Whatever.*

Fang Ran was well aware that after this temporary mark, he didn’t want to leave either.

While Fu Zhangzhou was still here, more contact could stabilize his own emotions; otherwise, once Fu Zhangzhou returned to the scene, those feelings of restlessness and irritability might resurface.

Thinking of this, Fang Ran let out a long sigh, composed himself, and took hold of one of the large hands resting on him.

They cast aside what little remained of their professional ethics, and the purification began.

The spiritual connection formed smoothly in the next moment.

Unlike before, the black rose was already waiting in the Sentinel’s Spiritual Sea.

Almost the instant Fang Ran stepped in, the black flower eagerly surged toward him.

This time, Fang Ran didn’t cautiously avoid it but allowed it to unfurl its branches and petals beside his own spiritual energy.

But he’d still underestimated Fu Zhangzhou’s cunning.

Fang Ran was fully focused on purifying.

Suddenly, the Sentinel’s scent brushed against the area around his gland again, and the electric-like sensation made him jerk his eyes open.

"Fu Zhangzhou, what are you doing?"

Fu Zhangzhou was nuzzling against the back of his neck, his voice husky as he said, "Fang Ran, I love your pheromones’ scent."

"......"

If this were said between two strangers, it would be harassment, but between the marker and the marked...

It was all part of the game.

Fang Ran’s face warmed slightly again, and he felt a flutter in his chest.

"Fang Ran, if I bite you again now, would that make the purification more efficient?"

"No!"

Fang Ran’s heart raced with fear, and he quickly spoke up to stop him, "Don’t!"

But before he could finish his words, things had already changed.

The rose in the Sentinel’s Spiritual Sea trembled as if in response, its petals suddenly spreading and rising, swiftly wrapping around Fang Ran’s spiritual energy. The two spiritual energies began to merge.

The pain at the back of his neck, combined with the growing heat from their merging energies...

Under this dual stimulation, Fang Ran almost cried out.