Chapter 91: Si Jin, Where Are You, Tell Me, What’s Wrong With You
In the original story, Qi Yao should have been on a high-risk mission in the Western Desert at this very moment. After a near-death experience, he was supposed to have a fortuitous encounter and break through to SS Level in one fell swoop.
Half a year later, he would return in glory and become a new star of the Empire.
It was at that point that her predecessor first crossed paths with him. Deceived by his "gentle and friendly" demeanor, she had become hopelessly entangled, which ultimately led to her doom.
’But now, he’s actually here ahead of schedule?’
A thin layer of sweat instantly broke out on Yun Sheng’s back.
’Is this the butterfly effect of my arrival? Or is it just a coincidence?!’
She forcefully suppressed the turmoil in her heart, her expression remaining calm. She even managed a faint, somewhat stiff smile. "Mr. Qi, hello."
"Let’s not just stand here. Please, sit down," Su Wan said with a smile, pulling Yun Sheng down onto the adjacent sofa. She turned to Qi Yao and asked, "Ah Yao, you’re back from your mission. You weren’t injured, were you? I heard the conditions out west are very harsh."
Qi Yao settled back into his seat with a relaxed posture and a gentle smile.
"I’m sorry to have worried you, Auntie. Everything went smoothly. I only had some superficial wounds, and they’ve long since healed. I guess you could say I got lucky. The S-Class pollutant, the Sandstorm Worm, wasn’t as tough as we expected, which is why I was able to finish the mission early and return."
Yun Sheng lowered her gaze, her fingertips unconsciously tracing the armrest of the sofa.
’In the original story, that Sandstorm Worm was supposed to be an incredibly powerful S-Class pollutant. Qi Yao’s team, which had two S-Class Sentinels (including him) and one A-level guide, was nearly wiped out.’
’If he hadn’t been gravely injured and fallen into quicksand, where he accidentally found a piece of Energy Baryte, he probably wouldn’t have made it back in one piece.’
’But now the Sandstorm Worm was taken care of that easily?’
’And what about that crucial piece of Energy Baryte? Does this mean it was never found?!’
At this moment, Lin Yueyao chose to speak, her voice soft and pleasant.
"Mom, Qi Yao has rendered a great service this time. He’s sure to be promoted again upon his return. He also mentioned that the Tower is going to hold a special commendation ceremony for him in a few days."
"It’s what Ah Yao deserves."
Su Wan nodded in approval. Then, as if remembering something, she looked at Yun Sheng, her voice holding a faint hint of expectation.
"Shengsheng, you’ve only just returned, so you may not be familiar with matters concerning the Tower, Sentinels, and guides. Ah Yao is young, promising, and very experienced. In the future, if you run into anything you don’t understand during your training at the Tower or just in general, you should feel free to ask him for help."
The words sounded like nothing more than well-intentioned advice from an elder, but inside Yun Sheng’s mind, alarm bells were blaring.
’In the original story, Su Wan had also tried to set her predecessor up with other talented young men, but it had only pushed her into an even more awkward position.’
She lifted her gaze, her eyes meeting Qi Yao’s as he looked over.
He still wore that impeccably gentle smile, his tone modest. "Auntie, you’re too kind. We can learn from each other. Miss Yun, if you need anything in the future, please don’t hesitate to ask. Yue Yao mentioned that you’ve joined the Tower’s Preparatory Guide training program. If you have any questions, you can ask me anytime."
’Lin Yueyao told Qi Yao she was in the Preparatory Guide program?’
Yun Sheng scoffed inwardly, but her expression didn’t betray a thing. She merely replied with polite distance, "Thank you for your kind offer, Mr. Qi. The training has dedicated instructors, and I plan to study diligently. I wouldn’t want to trouble you."
Qi Yao seemed unfazed by her refusal. He simply smiled, then turned his attention away from her, striking up a conversation with Su Wan and Lin Yueyao about recent gossip on Capital Star and the latest news from the various prominent families. The atmosphere grew warm and congenial.
Yun Sheng sat quietly to one side. She appeared to be listening, but her mind had already drifted far away.
’Qi Yao’s early return, regardless of the reason, was by no means a good thing for her.’
She was desperate to contact Si Jin right now, to make him fulfill his promise and teach her what she needed to know. She had to gain the ability to protect herself!
"It’s getting late, Auntie, so I won’t impose any longer. I’ll come back for a formal visit another day."
A short while later, Qi Yao stood up to take his leave.
Su Wan politely offered a few words to make him stay, then had Lin Yueyao see him out.
Before long, Lin Yueyao returned to the living room, her usual gentle smile on her face as she walked straight toward Yun Sheng.
In her hand was an exquisitely wrapped, flat, palm-sized box.
"Yun Sheng, I heard the next stage of your training is live fieldwork. That’s not like being inside the Tower—it’s fraught with danger." She held the box out to Yun Sheng. "This is a Crystal Energy Shield I had specially prepared for you. When activated, it creates a one-time Energy Barrier, strong enough to block a single attack below S-Class. If you take it with you, I’ll be able to rest a little easier."
Yun Sheng’s gaze fell upon the box, her eyes narrowing slightly.
’Here it comes.’
’In the original story, Lin Yueyao had also "kindly" given her predecessor something just like this. As it turned out, not only did the item fail to work at a critical moment, but it also exposed her predecessor’s location.’
’It drew an even deadlier attack, one that nearly got her predecessor killed on the spot.’
’And now, that "gift" was once again being presented to her.’
Yun Sheng reached out and took the box.
"Sister Yue Yao, you’re so thoughtful," she said, her voice sincere and her smile radiant. "The fieldwork is definitely unnerving, but having this with me will make me feel much more secure. Thank you."
Lin Yueyao clearly hadn’t expected her to accept it so readily, let alone take the initiative to call her "Sister."
This unexpected show of "closeness" made the gentle smile on Lin Yueyao’s face freeze for a split second, and a flicker of scrutiny passed through her eyes.
"...There’s no need for thanks between sisters." She quickly recovered, her tone growing even softer. "The most important thing is that you come back safely."
Yun Sheng smiled and nodded, tucking the box into her bag as if she had just received a precious gift.
The moment she returned to her room and closed the door, the gentle smile completely vanished from her face.
She tossed the bag onto the table, not bothering with it for the moment.
Compared to the box, the heavy sense of unease weighing on her mind and that strange palpitation she’d felt were far more important.
Yun Sheng quickly opened her terminal and tapped on the contact named "Lin Mo."
Si Jin was the one who had insisted on adding it.
Yun Sheng: Are you there?
No response.
She tried making a video call. The ringtone chimed for a long time before the call disconnected automatically. Still, no one picked up.
The feeling of unease intensified. Just as she was about to try again, her terminal finally vibrated.
Lin Mo: Shengsheng, something urgent came up. I need to leave Capital Star for a while. As for what I promised to teach you, I’ve recorded it as a video and sent it over. Practice on your own for now. Be careful, and don’t push yourself too hard.
Immediately after, an encrypted video file came through.
Yun Sheng immediately played the video.
The man on the screen was indeed Si Jin.
The tutorial was incredibly detailed, covering everything from theoretical explanations to demonstrations of fine-tuned energy channeling. It was clear, methodical, and explained complex concepts simply. It had obviously been prepared with great care.
However, Yun Sheng found it impossible to focus on the lesson.
’Something was wrong with Si Jin!’
In the video, his face was unnaturally pale, and the faint sheen of sweat at his temples hadn’t been fully wiped away.
A flicker of crimson glinted deep within his dark blue eyes, as if he were suppressing something churning violently inside him. It was so intense that when he explained certain key steps, his speech would lag...
A weariness showed in his eyes. Though Si Jin had tried his best to hide it, it did not escape Yun Sheng’s notice.
Her heart sank to the pit of her stomach.
She immediately closed the video and tried video-calling Si Jin again.
Still no answer.
Yun Sheng quickly sent a text message, her fingertips trembling slightly from the force she was using.
Yun Sheng: Where are you? What the hell is going on? I just saw the video, something’s wrong with you! Tell me what happened!!!