Chapter 4: The Straight Top Takes a Second Hit

Chapter 4: The Straight Top Gets Hit Again

Qin Shu had to go out on a field mission today.

The mission location was a famous entertainment planet near the capital, and the task was to apprehend someone selling illegal drugs.

As for Qin Shu's job, he was the captain of the enforcement team at the Star Union Agency, similar to a police captain in modern times. Although he usually seemed idle, he got busy when there was a case to handle.

The position he was initially assigned to wasn't this one—it was a cushy post at the post-war military bureau where he just clocked in and did nothing else.

But for someone like Qin Shu, a life without the thrill of combat was unbearable. He figured that if he couldn't be a soldier, at least he could be a cop, so he asked his superior—the Marshal—to transfer him to the front lines of the Star Union Agency.

He led his enforcement squad on a stakeout for half the day, and finally, as night fell, it was time for the operation.

The mission itself wasn't particularly difficult, but infiltrating this high-end club was a bit tricky. To avoid alerting the target, they had to go undercover, getting several fake IDs and entering in batches.

Qin Shu touched up his disguise, made sure it was perfect, and swaggered in.

His ID was prepared by Li Wuya, so there was no issue—and it was a VIP pass.

...Maybe a little too VIP.

Someone led him to a private suite. The manager fawned, "Mr. Qin, why didn't you tell us in advance that you were coming? It's crowded now, so it's hard to clear the place out. I'm afraid it might ruin your fun."

Qin Shu: .

He said flatly, "It's fine."

Experience had shown that as long as he put on a cold face, others would automatically follow his lead and cut out ninety percent of their nonsense.

Sure enough, the manager bowed almost to the ground. "Mr. Qin, what kind of companion would you like? Have a look."

Despite his appearance suggesting he was a playboy, Qin Shu had never been to a place like this in his twenty-five years.

How the hell was he supposed to know what kind he wanted?

So he turned the tables: "What kind do you think I'd like?"

The manager trembled, scrambled away, and babbled, "Please wait a moment, I'll have someone come right away."

-

In truth, Qin Shu didn't care who came, because as soon as his team's signal sounded, he'd bolt.

Besides, whoever came would definitely be a guy—just thinking about it made him lose interest.

After a while, he saw the person who entered: long hair, big eyes, and a dress.

What?

Qin Shu blinked in disbelief.

It really was a dress, and the hair was genuinely long.

Her eyes were misty, her lips pale: "Sir."

Even the voice was female!

A girl! It was actually a girl!

Qin Shu inexplicably got serious. He quickly sat up straight, said seriously, "Hello."

Then, feeling it wasn't enough, he stood up, pulled out a chair for her, and sat back down.

He repeated, "Hello."

The last time Qin Shu had chatted with a woman "as the opposite sex" was with the cleaning lady at work.

-

She said, "Xiao Qin, don't jump off the building," but she didn't understand that jumping off was way more convenient than taking the elevator.

The time before that, he chatted with a woman "as the opposite sex" when he was drinking with a female Sentinel friend who had just broken up. A pretty girl walked up to him...

And asked for his Sentinel friend's contact info.

Forget it, it's a long story. In short, he had no idea what to talk about with a girl "of the opposite sex."

Silence. Heavy silence.

Qin Shu asked, "How old are you?"

The girl across from him lifted her long lashes slightly. "Eighteen."

WTF.

Qin Shu, an Earth-born male, quickly calculated her Earth age: This girl was a senior in high school?

Qin Shu was instantly shocked, his mind full of the thought that making a high school girl work at a club was completely inhuman!

After the mission, he had to shut this damn place down—no, he had to thoroughly investigate the entire area for miles in every direction!

"Sir, I..." The girl hesitated.

Biting back the "Good luck with your college entrance exams" that was on the tip of his tongue, Qin Shu said very seriously, "Do you want to go to school?"

Girl: ?

Nanzhi was very confused.

-

He had been resistant to this job. He didn't want to entertain any guests today, but the manager kept threatening him.

So he resorted to passive resistance: upon hearing the guest was a male Sentinel, he put on women's clothing.

His face was already androgynous, so it didn't seem out of place. He often wore women's clothes to please female Sentinels.

He was a Guide with little talent, his spiritual power was weak. Sentinels didn't rely on him for spiritual comfort, so naturally, they didn't care about his physical gender.

—They didn't care physically, but they cared about appearances.

In front of male Sentinels, he usually acted more masculine. If he wore women's clothes, male Sentinels would find it boring.

Nanzhi hoped the guest would lose interest in him. If the guest's resulting dissatisfaction or anger escalated to the club, all the better. He didn't care about his own fate.

He would drag this rotten place down to hell with him!

But now, this situation was different...

The Sentinel in front of him had an ordinary face but a pair of very striking eyes, cold and bright when they looked at him.

But what he said was very strange.

"Even if your grades aren't great, you could still go to a vocational school or something. At your age, it's better to be in school."

What?

For the first time in his life, someone was urging Nanzhi to study.

He pressed his lips together. "It's not like I can go just because I want to."

"Then do you want to?" the sentinel asked. "It'll be possible in a bit."

"Sir, please don't make fun of me..."

He was about to explain he wasn't joking, but Qin Shu heard the mission start signal in his earpiece.

His eyes went cold instantly.

The sentinel, who had been quiet and gentle just a second ago, now radiated a completely different aura.

Nanzhi's words died in his throat. His instincts were screaming danger, and he was frozen by pure instinctual fear.

Qin Shu stood up. "Wait here for me. If anyone asks, just say you're with a client."

Though he doubted the commotion would reach this room.

From above, he suddenly noticed how thin her clothes were. Qin Shu silently added another mark against the club.

He took off his jacket, draped it over the girl, and turned to leave.

Nanzhi instinctively clutched the jacket.

It was clean, with a faint scent of mint.

-

"Kongtong Bu Yue 7432: A good deed for the day (1/1)"

"L51: Helped an old man cross the street?"

In the grand, gilded hall, no one was standing except Qin Shu and his team.

Boxes of drugs were being confiscated. Qin Shu casually wiped the blood on his hand onto the white shirt of someone nearby.

"Kongtong Bu Yue 7432: Found a girl who dropped out of school. Planning to sponsor her education."

"L51: ?"

"L51: Where are you?"

Local police surrounded the place. The club was quickly raided and closed, and all staff on-site were taken away. Qin Shu hurried back to the suite where the girl was.

He opened the door.

Froze.

Closed the door.

With his eyes closed, Qin Shu said calmly, "Miss, I'll come in when you're ready."

He had just glimpsed her back — a gentleman doesn't peek!

Nanzhi put his clothes back on, disappointed.

A minute later, Qin Shu pushed the door open.

Nanzhi was overjoyed—the club was actually really gone, and it couldn't have been easier!

He stopped pretending and let his voice go back to normal: "Sir, you're amazing..."

It was a clear, boyish voice.

He didn't notice Qin Shu's expression stiffen.

"Do I really get to go to school? Sir, you're so kind—I've never been to school..."

He grabbed the hem of Qin Shu's shirt and pressed himself close.

Qin Shu had encountered situations like this countless times. He could have avoided it, but this time he didn't move.

He was in despair; he wanted to confirm something.

A flat chest. A small Adam's apple.

...

...A femboy?

What the hell—this was actually a femboy?

What the hell was wrong with this world?

Qin Shu fell into deep thought.

-

Outwardly, he simply stepped back to keep a safe distance from the boy.

Nanzhi panicked for a second.

Then, being quick to read the room, he caught on and pitched his voice up again: "I'm sorry, sir. I thought the manager told you I'm a boy..."

Would that answer work?

His heart was in his throat for a moment. Once the Sentinel had thought it through, he actually seemed to give his shoulder a sympathetic pat: "Whatever. It's not easy looking like that anyway."

Nanzhi: ??

But whether male or female didn't affect Qin Shu's promise. He gloomily added the femboy's contact info and led him to the temporary shelter, where his team members were stationed.

The next second, Qin Shu knew he was screwed.

Being too approachable as a captain had its downsides. A bunch of young sentinels swarmed around him, pushing up close with no respect for rank.

"Captain, Captain, who's this!"

"Finally found a guide you like, Captain? Congratulations!"

Qin Shu coughed twice, feeling he needed to clear up the misunderstanding, and spoke calmly: "Cut it out."

There was a beat of silence, then the team members grew even more excited.

"We get it, we get it, Captain. So this is already..."

Footsteps.

A calm and cold voice: "What is it now?"

-

The silent, handsome sentinel stood tall, dressed in a neat military uniform with three bars and seven stars, accompanied by an adjutant.

The splendor of this place only made him seem colder. His military boots struck the floor tiles with a terrifying clatter.

Everyone fell silent. Those unaware trembled in fear, and Nanzhi shook like a leaf.

An oppressive aura like a collapsing mountain loomed—blood seemed to freeze bit by bit, and his eyes held a chilling, intimidating light.

Whether it was his imagination or not, Nanzhi felt this terrifying sentinel was after him!

Yet the person beside him was still oblivious.

Qin Shu was merely surprised.

"Wuya, why are you here...?"

Li Wuya said, "Just happened to be on a business trip around here."

His gaze shifted faintly to the "girl": "And this is?"

Qin Shu said, "A kid I rescued during a mission... What was your name again?"

"...Nanzhi, sir. My name is Nanzhi."

Li Wuya said nothing.

Qin Shu finally noticed the tension in the atmosphere. He walked over, clapped his friend on the shoulder, and pulled him aside to speak in a low voice: "Just a small mission. It's done now. Did you need something from me? Let's head out now."

Li Wuya dropped his gaze: "A stray girl?"

"…A misunderstanding."

"You were standing very close to him."

Qin Shu: "He's a guy."

"You're going to sponsor his education."

Qin Shu: "He's only eighteen."

"You like them young."

Qin Shu: ?

He didn't like them young at all!

Annoyed, he said: "What's with the random replies? Old Li, can you just talk normally?"

Li Wuya said calmly: "I just think Ah Shu is very unlucky, being deceived by a man who looks like a woman."

At this, Qin Shu’s expression turned complicated: "Forget it, Wuya. It was just my misunderstanding. A grown man looking like that—I think it's hard on him too."

Li Wuya: …

Hard on him? Looking like that makes it so easy for him to lure you in.

He thought indifferently, casting a glance at the pale young guide.

"Are you going to support his schooling? Let me handle it." Li Wuya said unhurriedly. "I'll take care of everything."

When he got the message, he happened to be available, so he made a quick spatial jump and arrived just in time.

Luckily, this guide wasn’t actually a woman. Qin Shu would never have a chance with him. Otherwise, Li Wuya didn’t know what he would have done.