Chapter 164 As You Wish

Chapter 164: As You Desired

Two days later, Fang Ran was finally discharged from the treatment room.

Zhong Wan, who had originally said he would pick him up, was nowhere to be seen. Instead, a message popped up on his terminal.

"Fang Ran, can I crash at your dorm for a few days?"

Fang Ran couldn't help but laugh out loud when he saw the message.

Zhong Wan and Lu Wenchuan, those two…

He shook his head with a smile.

It seemed the rule that "sentinels are forbidden from entering guide dormitories" was more of a suggestion.

"You can have it for as many days as you want."

After replying to his friend, Fang Ran began to ponder where to stay for the next few days.

The center had granted all sentinels and guides involved in the operation an extended leave. Fang Ran had originally planned to head straight back to his apartment—this was what he had murmured into the sentinel's ear that day.

"Fu Zhangzhou, for the ten days of leave… you can stay over at my place the entire time."

But not long ago, he received a message from the building manager.

The apartment's power and psionic facilities had suddenly been damaged and wouldn't be repaired until tomorrow.

He gave a helpless look at the sentinel beside him.

"Fu Zhangzhou, it's not that I don't want you to stay, but…"

"Fang Ran," the sentinel interrupted him, "I know a place."

"Where?"

Before Fang Ran could react, the sentinel activated his teleportation ability.

A few seconds later, Fang Ran could just make out the sound of waves.

He opened his eyes abruptly, and the salty sea breeze instantly hit his face.

Gazing out into the distance, he saw an endless coastline.

The sunlight was brilliant, the water a brilliant blue, and the sky clear—a truly breathtaking view.

He looked back; it seemed they were standing in front of a villa by the sea.

"What is this place?"

Fu Zhangzhou looked down and said in a deep voice, "It's our place."

Fang Ran was confused. "Our place?"

The sentinel smiled and handed him his terminal.

It displayed numerous listing photos of various villas.

Fang Ran swiped through them one by one.

There were every style imaginable—some by the sea, some in the mountains, and even some in snowy areas.

Judging by the terrain and scenery, they weren’t all located in District 4.

"These houses…"

Fang Ran looked at him questioningly.

The corner of Fu Zhangzhou's mouth lifted slightly. "Back then, I really wanted to hide you away, but I didn’t know what kind of place you’d like, so I wound up buying all these places before I knew it."

"…"

"Fu Zhangzhou, don’t say insane things like it’s nothing."

The sentinel laughed softly again and suddenly reached out, pulling him close.

"Fang Ran, be mine already."

"That way, I won’t be so afraid of losing you."

Fang Ran leaned against his chest and heard that familiar heartbeat again.

Ba-dump, ba-dump—it was utterly soothing.

"Okay."

***

In the evening, Fu Zhangzhou made dinner himself.

Unexpectedly, the sentinel was quick and precise, with quite impressive cooking techniques.

Before long, the aroma of food filled the entire villa’s living room.

Fang Ran knew he wasn’t much help, so he just watched from the side, even thinking that the sentinel looked really good wearing an apron.

Though it was a little indecent—under the apron, he wore only a very thin tank top.

He had only been admiring him for a short while when he heard the sound of rain pattering outside.

Fang Ran looked up and saw trails of water streaking across the living room’s floor-to-ceiling windows.

It was raining again.

"The weather really changes on a dime."

He turned and slowly walked toward the window.

Outside, the rain grew heavier. Huge waves rolled in the distant sea, and low, muffled thunder grumbled in the distance.

Raindrops pelted everywhere, the downpour relentless.

For a moment, Fang Ran was transported back to the night he first met the sentinel.

That rain had been just as fierce.

"What are you thinking about?"

A deep voice whispered in his ear, and a pair of strong arms slipped around his waist.

The sentinel pressed against his back, holding his guide close.

The two stood there together, gazing at the rain outside the window.

"Fu Zhangzhou."

"Mm."

"That night... did you see me?"

"..."

"Mm."

So that's how it was.

The sentinel flying through the rainy night that day was indeed Fu Zhangzhou.

Some things seem fated from the start.

Fang Ran watched the intensifying rain outside, his consciousness suddenly blurred.

***

"Run! Get out of here!"

"Hey, man! What are you standing there for?"

Fang Ran felt someone tugging hard at his arm. He collected himself and realized it was a total stranger.

Seeing him still motionless, the stranger freaked out and bolted.

Fang Ran looked around and found himself standing at a street corner in District 4.

The place was in complete disarray—nearby buildings were blown apart, charred.

Where was Fu Zhangzhou?

Where did the sentinel go? What had happened?

"Boom!"

The roar of energy eruption shook the heavens, almost throwing Fang Ran off balance.

Another passerby bumped into him. "You! Why aren't you running?"

Fang Ran quickly grabbed him. "What's going on here?"

"You don't know?" The man's face was full of terror. "That 3S Sentinel has gone berserk! Run, or we’re dead!" With that, he broke free from Fang Ran’s grip and took off running.

3S Sentinel?

Fu Zhangzhou!?

Impossible! Fu Zhangzhou’s condition was perfectly stable.

Just then, two figures appeared in the sky.

"Rumble!!!"

Energy exploded wildly as two sentinels clashed mid-air.

Fang Ran focused his gaze—it was Fu Zhangzhou!

But his condition was bizarre—his eyes were blood-red, his body covered in blood, roaring relentlessly at the other sentinel like a mindless beast.

The other sentinel, wearing a white uniform, was also battered. Frowning, he defended desperately, barely holding off Fu Zhangzhou’s frenzied attacks.

Zheng Mingyu!?

Fang Ran froze instantly. Wasn’t Zheng Mingyu’s Spiritual Sea destroyed?

Why was he here?

At that moment, several more figures flashed across the sky—Lu Wenchuan and Cui Ming arrived with two other sentinels.

"Captain!"

Cui Ming shouted and immediately joined Lu Wenchuan and the others in launching an attack!

Various energies exploded violently in the air.

The tide began to turn—Fu Zhangzhou’s injuries multiplied visibly.

Just as Fang Ran was frantic with worry, he heard Zheng Mingyu yell to the others, "Everyone, hold on! He hasn’t undergone Purification in a long time—he won’t last much longer."

Fu Zhangzhou let out a furious roar, countless patterns emerging on his body as blinding energy erupted wildly from within!

"Not good!"

"He’s going to self-destruct! Run!"

"Fu Zhangzhou!" Fang Ran screamed, rushing forward recklessly, but someone held him tightly from behind!

"Fang Ran, what’s wrong? I’m right here!"

The voice was urgent and worried, yet deeply familiar.

Fu Zhangzhou?

Fang Ran’s vision suddenly went blank as his consciousness finally returned.

"Fang Ran, what’s the matter with you?"

Fang Ran steadied himself and realized he was still standing in the villa’s living room, the rain pouring outside, the sentinel’s warmth against his back.

His heart was still racing wildly, almost leaping out of his chest.

He turned around stiffly, fear gripping him.

The sentinel was right before him.

Trembling, Fang Ran reached out, cupping the sentinel’s face—the touch beneath his palms was real.

Urgently, he kissed him.

The familiar scent...

This was real—what he’d just experienced was an illusion.

Though slightly stunned, Fu Zhangzhou gladly accepted his gesture.

"Fang Ran, you were frozen just now, then suddenly screamed—you scared me half to death," Fu Zhangzhou said.

"Dinner is ready. Let's eat first?"

He shook his head, still staring intently at him.

If he wasn’t mistaken, what he had just seen in the hallucination might very well have been Fu Zhangzhou’s original ending in the book.

So that’s how it was...

It wasn’t just Fu Zhangzhou—he himself had also been wavering.

Fang Ran suddenly felt an urgent need for something to prove the reality of this moment.

He suddenly reached out both hands, pressed firmly against Fu Zhangzhou’s shoulders, and shoved him hard.

Caught completely off guard, Fu Zhangzhou fell backward onto the sofa.

"Fang Ran?"

"I'm not eating."

"What?"

"Fu Zhangzhou, I’ll give you exactly what you want."

***

What Fang Ran hadn’t expected was that his one moment of initiative would lead to ten days of barely leaving his room.

Every corner of the villa... saw traces of the two of them.

Once the beast was let out, there was no holding it back.

It was only then that Fang Ran truly felt it... he realized the book he had transmigrated into was indeed a racy novel.

This book... is downright indecent.