Chapter 16: Could It Be Related to Her Bizarre Dream Ability?
"What?!"
Su Wan shot to her feet, her face deathly pale.
Lin Zhenye also demanded urgently, "Explain! What happened?"
Lin Yueyao took a deep breath and spoke quickly. "The police department just contacted me. They said... Xiao Hao went to a bar last night, drank a lot, and somehow got into an argument with the people at the next table. Later... he accidentally injured a guide who happened to be there.
Although the other person wasn’t seriously hurt, a Sentinel attacking a guide in public without cause... a case has already been opened. Xiao Hao was also slightly injured. He’s in the police department’s attached medical office right now, temporarily under watch."
"Attacking a guide?"
Su Wan gasped, her legs giving way. She nearly collapsed, but Lin Yueyao caught her just in time.
Lin Zhenye’s expression had turned terrifyingly grim, a vein throbbing at his temple.
"That reckless brat! Get the car ready! We’re going to the police department!"
"Father, I’ll go with you!" Lin Yueyao said at once, then looked worriedly at the swaying Su Wan. "Mother, please don’t worry too much. Father and I will go and get to the bottom of this. We’ll definitely be able to bring Xiao Hao back."
Her face pale, Su Wan nodded repeatedly.
Lin Zhenye immediately rose and strode out, with Lin Yueyao following close behind.
The dining room fell silent in an instant. Yun Sheng slowly put down her knife.
’She never doubted Lin Hao’s impulsiveness and stupidity, but the timing... was a little too "coincidental."’
Just yesterday, after being sternly warned by Bai Ye for nearly attacking her with his spiritual power and then getting scolded by Su Wan, Lin Hao had run away from home. The very next thing he did was cause a scene at a bar and attack a guide.
’Even though Su Wan had defended her yesterday, how much of that guilt and protectiveness would remain now that she was consumed by anxiety and worry?’
"Shengsheng..." Su Wan spoke up suddenly, her voice trembling as if she were muttering dazedly to herself. "Do you think... Xiao Hao will be alright? Attacking a guide... that’s such a serious charge. He’s still so young. If this goes on his record, what will he do in the future..."
Yun Sheng looked up, her tone calm. "It’s already happened. Lin Yueyao and the others have gone to handle it. Worrying now won’t help. The specific assignment of responsibility and the consequences will depend on the police investigation and the other party’s attitude."
Her words were objective, but against the backdrop of Su Wan’s anxiety, they sounded somewhat cold.
The light in Su Wan’s eyes dimmed, and she lowered her head. "Yes... worrying is useless. That child just never lets you relax..."
The atmosphere in the dining room grew heavy and stagnant.
Yun Sheng knew that any words would be hollow at this moment.
Su Wan didn’t need logic; she needed a result that would put her mind at ease, or someone with whom she could share her anxiety and righteous anger.
And Yun Sheng could provide neither.
She stood up.
"Madam, you should get some rest. I’m going upstairs."
Su Wan looked at her daughter’s calm, distant face, opened her mouth, but in the end, only managed a weary nod.
Yun Sheng returned to her room, turned on her light-brain, and connected to the Star Network.
Her fingertips moved slightly as she typed keywords into the search box: "Star Alliance Sentinel Behavior Management Regulations, Article 7," "cases of Sentinels attacking guides," and "compulsory disciplinary education."
The search results popped up quickly. One after another, news headlines and official announcements filled the screen, detailing the price paid by Sentinels who had violated the regulations due to a momentary impulse or loss of control.
A B-level Sentinel who released spiritual pressure on a guide trying to break up a fight, causing no permanent damage, was still sentenced to 18 months of compulsory disciplinary education and had his file permanently marked.
Another young Sentinel lost control of his power during training, accidentally affecting a guide’s assistant. Though it was an accident and the injuries were minor, he was still sentenced to six months of disciplinary education plus two years of regular evaluations for "insufficient control."
Then there was an A-level Sentinel who deliberately attacked a guide, causing a fissure in their spiritual landscape. He was stripped of everything, sentenced to three years of high-level disciplinary education, permanently banned from related fields, and placed on a high-risk monitoring list.
...
Yun Sheng turned off her light-brain, her fingertips feeling a little cold.
’If all this wasn’t just Lin Hao losing control after drinking, but someone deliberately setting a trap for him...’
’Then the person behind it is truly vicious.’
Just as she was deep in thought, the light-brain on her wrist suddenly rang.
The screen displayed the caller: Capital Star Tower Control Center.
Yun Sheng’s heart tightened.
’The Tower?’
That was the highest authority, responsible for the registration, testing, and deployment of all Sentinels and guides, as well as handling all related affairs.
’She was just an ordinary person who’d been judged a "failed awakening" and didn’t even have a spiritual body. Why would the Tower be looking for her?’
Yun Sheng accepted the call.
"Hello, Ms. Yun Sheng," came a polite but cold female voice. "This is the External Relations Department of the Capital Star Tower Control Center. According to our system records and the latest arrangements, you are required to arrive at the Tower headquarters building, Block B, 3rd floor, Room 302, at 14:30 today. There are matters that require a face-to-face meeting with you for confirmation."
Yun Sheng frowned. "May I ask what this is about?"
"The specific details will be explained to you by designated personnel upon your arrival. This is a mandatory summons. You must arrive on time. If you are absent without a valid reason, the Tower reserves the right to take further action."
After speaking, the other party ended the call without even waiting for her to respond.
Yun Sheng stared at the dark screen of her light-brain, her brow furrowed slightly.
’A mandatory summons... and they reserve the right to take action if I don’t go?’
’What on earth does the Tower want? What is there about me that’s worthy of their attention?’
’Could it be... related to her strange dream abilities? Or is it related to running into Si Jin at the research institute yesterday?!’
Countless questions swirled in her mind.
It seemed she had no choice but to go to the Tower headquarters.
In the afternoon, Yun Sheng changed into a simple set of clothes and prepared to head out to the Tower.
She had just opened her door and reached the top of the stairs when she heard a commotion downstairs.
Lin Yueyao was back, helping support Lin Hao.
Lin Hao looked utterly wretched. His face was covered in obvious bruises and scrapes, the corner of his mouth was split, and his expression was one of unprecedented dejection and despair, completely stripped of his previous arrogance.
Walking behind them, Lin Zhenye’s face was ashen, and he was shrouded in a low-pressure aura so cold it could freeze someone to death.
Su Wan immediately rushed up to them with red-rimmed eyes. She reached out her hand, only to retract it, trembling. Heartache and lingering fear were written plainly on her face.
Lin Yueyao looked up and saw Yun Sheng coming down the stairs. She paused and explained softly, "Yun Sheng, Xiao Hao... we just brought him back. We’ve managed to smooth things over for now. The other party accepted a settlement... but Father had to pull a lot of strings, and the amount of compensation... was also very large."
After listening, Yun Sheng just gave a faint "Mm," her face showing no surprise, sympathy, or concern. She was as calm as if she were listening to a news report that had nothing to do with her.
She didn’t even spare the wretched Lin Hao a second glance, her gaze fixed straight ahead as she prepared to continue on her way out.
This detached, indifferent demeanor instantly stung Lin Hao.
"Sister Yue Yao!"
He snapped his head up and glared viciously at Yun Sheng, his eyes churning with shame, pain, and an unplaceable resentment.
"Why are you explaining so much to her? Does she look like she cares whether I live or die?! If it weren’t for her yesterday... I never would have run out, never would have gone drinking, and I definitely wouldn’t have gotten into that mess! It’s all her fault, that jinx! Ever since she came back, this family hasn’t had a moment of peace!"