After entering interstellar civilization, under the influence of cosmic rays, a portion of humanity began to differentiate into two physical types: Guides and Sentinels.
Guides are leaders, possessing immense and powerful mental abilities, but with poor physical strength;
Sentinels, on the other hand, are born warriors, whose physical strength far surpasses ordinary people. However, their mental strength is low, and if not restrained and guided, they will immediately fall into a berserk state when provoked, endangering the lives of others and themselves.
Guides and Sentinels constitute only a small fraction of humanity. They frequently appear in pairs, and thus, once discovered, they are directly paired and managed by the Empire.
I became a Guide at eighteen. Normally, I would have soon been notified to report to the special training unit – the “White Tower” – but I waited until graduation, only to receive one message: I couldn't find a suitable Sentinel to pair with.
There were only two possibilities for this situation:
1 – My Sentinel had died prematurely in an accident;
2 – My Sentinel was a Dark Sentinel, a sovereign with strong self-control, who didn't need my guidance at all.
In recent years, wars between Empires had been frequent, and from a probabilistic standpoint, the first possibility was higher.
Gradually, I gave up hope and lived like an ordinary person.
However, it was incredibly difficult for a Guide to live in an ordinary environment.
Even though I maintained an open mental shield every single second, I was constantly disturbed by the information of everyday life.
The scorching summer sun, the whooshing sounds of aircraft streaking through the air, the blaring advertisement music in shopping malls, and people’s quarrels…
And then there was the racket of this kid, Wu Xiao, screaming and crying!
“Shut up!”
I covered my ears, unable to bear it.
“You’ve already eaten two boxes of chocolate and three ice creams today! Do you have to eat until all your teeth fall out?!”
“No, no! I want Shu Lei cake! I want it, I want it!”
Wu Xiao rolled around on the ground, then climbed onto a chair and bounced up and down.
It made everyone passing by cover their mouths to hide a smile.
Not far away, a dense crowd was approaching. Their loud voices and noisy chatter pierced through my mental shield, striking directly into my Mental Zone.
I broke down and yelled, “Sit down!”
Wu Xiao immediately shut his mouth in fear.
Meanwhile, the crowd not far away suddenly exclaimed in alarm, “General! General Memphis!”
I looked over, bewildered. In the sky, a giant black wolf was curling its tail, looking at me.
“Bai Xin, female, 28 years old, graduated from Lauston University of Civilization, currently working as a secretary at a publishing house, no partner.”
The sharp-looking man in military uniform closed the file. “Are these details correct?”
I awkwardly nodded. “Uh…”
The man said, “Your family has been safely returned to your parents. Please wait here for a moment; someone will come to call for you in half an hour.”
Seeing him about to leave, I quickly asked, “Where is this place?”
“Military Battleship Number One.” The man’s expression remained unchanged. “The person who wishes to see you shortly is the Empire’s most esteemed General. Please mind your etiquette.”
The Empire’s General…
Memphis Reynolds?
The madman who killed without batting an eye during the war?!
“Why does he want to see me?” I blocked the man’s path, my heart filled with terror. “I’ve never offended him!”
The man impatiently pushed up his glasses: "Don't you see the General's Spiritual Body?"
A Spiritual Body is the materialized form of the unique Spiritual Power of Guides and Sentinels. It usually appears in animal form, and only Guides and Sentinels can see it.
I lowered my head and looked into the eyes of the black wolf, which was persistently clinging to my leg, rubbing affectionately and seeking attention. This was Memphis's Spiritual Body?
That crazy Memphis?!
"But, but the White Tower said I don't have a bonded partner..."
"To prevent his records from being leaked, the General did not register with the White Tower." The man in military uniform irritably pinched his eyebrows. "The General is a Dark Sentinel; he fundamentally doesn't need any Guide. It's just that he was accidentally injured in the last war, causing his spiritual power to become unstable. Bringing you here is merely a precaution, just in case."
He hadn't even finished speaking when the black wolf began to lie down on the ground, exposing its belly to me.
Me: "..."
The man didn't seem to notice anything. He simply left behind a command, "Wait here obediently, and do everything you're asked!", then quickly departed.
Time ticked by. I waited in the empty room, constantly reorganizing the only impression I had of this General in my mind.
Interstellar civilization had been established for hundreds of years. Most Empires frequently engaged in conflicts over resources, and the Alpha Galaxy, where we lived, was no exception.
It wasn't until the beginning of this century that the Reynolds family of the Empire gave birth to a Dark Sentinel, Memphis, a rare sight in a hundred years.
This newly emerged monarch, relying on the physical prowess of a berserker and spiritual power comparable to the most outstanding Guide, won dozens of battles consecutively. In a mere twenty years, he established the Empire's crucial status in the Alpha Galaxy. From then on, the galaxy welcomed its long-awaited peace.
Our cities also relied on this stable peace to gradually establish, develop, and prosper to this very day.
Memphis was the hero in the hearts of the Empire's common people.
But...
"Whine—" The black wolf frantically wagged its tail to get my attention. Its posture was very much like a Husky.
My head was throbbing, feeling like it would split open.
The genes in my body frantically urged my glands to produce Guide pheromones. The potent scent almost suffocated me within the suppressor.
But I tried my best to endure, not daring to release even a bit.
It wasn't until the clock slowly completed half a rotation that the black wolf, which had been noisily rolling around on the ground, seeking attention, suddenly vanished with a 'poof'.
I stood up, preparing to face the unknown storm.
3
The main control room of the warship was made of a new type of metal with nearly infinite density.
The four silver walls clearly reflected human figures. In the center was a massive hibernation pod.
Memphis, wearing a mask, was sleeping soundly inside. His form-fitting clothes accentuated his rippling muscles.
The moment we entered, his eyes immediately opened.
According to government information, Memphis was 197cm tall. At first, I had no concept of this number, until he actually stepped in front of me.
He was truly like a giant sculpted from marble.
"Are you my Guide?"
His short blonde hair was still soaking wet, dripping water. His icy blue eyes, cold as a frozen sea, stared at me emotionlessly as he said in a normal tone, "Release your Spirit Body."
My heart pounded fiercely; I didn't dare move.
The man in the military uniform spoke up, "General, she hasn't undergone systematic training yet. I'm afraid she might not be capable enough to control her Spirit Body..."
Memphis swept a cold glance at him, and the man immediately shut his mouth and retreated.
I knew I couldn't disobey him, so I could only stammer, "Um... I haven't practiced in a long time, so it might... not be very pretty..."
Memphis didn't reply. He just stood a little further away from me and said, "Release it. Open your shield too."
I took a deep breath.
Alright, I'm going to be laughed at sooner or later anyway.
The shield slowly opened, and my Guiding Substance slowly enveloped the space.
I closed my eyes and activated my Spiritual Domain.
"Meow—"
A palm-sized kitten appeared before the three of them.
Memphis: "..."
This really isn't my problem.
Any Guide without a Sentinel would decline like this!
I cursed inwardly and bowed my head, not daring to look into the Sentinel's eyes.
Memphis seemed to be greatly struck. After a long silence, he finally said, "Give me a command."
Then he added, "The heavier, the better."
I completely failed to understand what this Imperial General was thinking.
The heavier, the better? Good enough to kill someone!
I quickly sought help from the man in the military uniform with my eyes, but he was also helpless, only returning a look that meant: just enough will do!
He was deliberately trying to make things difficult for me, that fat tiger!
I bit my lip lightly, and under those impatient blue eyes, I struggled to open my mouth: "Kneel!"
Thud!
Almost simultaneously, a twisted expression appeared on Memphis's face as he involuntarily bent his knees and fiercely knelt down.
4
The atmosphere around the Sentinel stirred restlessly.
I could feel his emotions on the verge of collapse, so I quickly ran over and cupped his face with my hands.
Beneath his gradually drying blonde hair, his blue eyes were filled with moisture and a faint reddish hue.
Blue veins bulged, running from his forehead down to his neck.
"Calm." I enveloped his body with my Guiding Substance, carefully guiding his emotions. "Good boy, calm."
The redness in his eyes disappeared, and Memphis's body gradually relaxed.
"Good boy." A smile appeared on my face as I gently stroked his back and shoulders, feeling his entire body's muscles tremble slightly under my palms, as if both his body and spirit were deeply satisfied.
But it wasn't enough.
"Release it, okay?" I pressed my forehead against his. "Let me soothe it."
Memphis's blonde eyelashes, like tiny fans, fluttered slightly. A hoarse "Okay" escaped his throat, and then a large black wolf emerged from his body.
As soon as the black wolf appeared, it immediately darted towards the kitten. Its pitch-black paws were even larger than the kitten's entire body, but it wagged its tail and lay down in front of the kitten like a little boy, purring ingratiatingly and whining affectionately.
The little cat meowed, its entire fluffy body flopped against the black wolf's ear with a soft thud, and it extended its small pink tongue to lick the wolf's fur.
I breathed a sigh of relief.
Once the Spirit Body had taken over, direct physical contact was no longer necessary.
I let go of Memphis, intending to step back, but he suddenly grabbed my wrist.
"Don't go..." Unwilling to let go, he rubbed his face into my palm, murmuring softly, "I've been alone for too long, you have to stay with me..."
The eyeballs of the man in uniform beside us were practically popping out.
I was also quite embarrassed; how did things get so out of control?
But satisfying a Sentinel's desires was a Guide's greatest duty. My instincts had been dormant for over ten years; suddenly having someone to dote on was like an abundant spring finding barren land. Guide energy surged ceaselessly, penetrating my skin and seeping into the Sentinel's Spiritual Zone, soothing his agitated emotions.
I don't know how much time had passed, but the satisfied black wolf licked the kitten from head to toe once, then wagged its big tail and returned to Memphis's body.
I also felt the muscles under my palm visibly tense up.
"I didn't mean to do that!"
I quickly stepped back and, as expected, saw the Imperial General's face about to erupt in fury.
5
Memphis threw me into the White Tower's training camp.
According to the man in uniform beside him, I had failed to control my Spiritual Power when giving the command, causing his esteemed General to suddenly lose control.
The consequence was that his already chaotic Spiritual Power became even more turbulent, exceeding the treatment scope of existing medical methods.
I blinked a few times in a daze and only asked the question I cared about most: "When can I go home? If this continues, I'll lose my job!"
The man gritted his teeth: "Your salary here is three times your original pay! Until the General fully recovers, you must stay by his side, not leaving him for an inch!"
The so-called "not leaving him for an inch" meant me sweating profusely on the training ground while he happily sat drinking tea in the monitoring room.
How insulting!
After three hours of physical training, I collapsed onto the floor like a dead person.
I hadn't run more than 800m since graduating from university.
Let alone 5000!
This was definitely a challenging task!
"Why is the newcomer so weak?"
A flushed, innocent face appeared in my line of sight.
I turned over and continued to lie flat, ignoring the taunts of the young people around me.
Although human lifespan had almost exceeded 200 years, seniority was still calculated in the traditional way.
Everyone training here were newly awakened Guides, with an average age of only 19. I was 28; in terms of seniority, I was practically their aunt.
Can a thirty-year-old possibly compare to a twenty-year-old!
"Half an hour break, then control practice! Everyone can notify their Sentinels!"
The instructor shouted.
Everyone happily called their Sentinels.
I just lifted my head to glance at the camera, then lowered it again.
How could I call that big shot out to help me with such basic training!
Forget Memphis, that man in uniform would eat me alive!
Half an hour quickly passed, and in the two rows, I was the only one standing alone.
The person with the baby face from earlier stood right in front of me, intimately holding hands with her tall, burly Sentinel.
Guides and Sentinels easily developed into life partners. Besides physical and spiritual compatibility, there was also the ironclad rule of one partner for life after marriage.
Because the spiritual bond is too profound, if one side dies too early, the other often cannot bear the pain and commits suicide.
To call it a bond, in reality, it’s heavy chains binding them tightly together.
I used to admire it greatly, but now...
Forget it, right now I’m just a temporary, necessary tool.
Once he recovers, I’ll have to play the role of an ordinary person, alone, for the next hundred-plus years. What’s the use of thinking too much?
I shook my head with a bitter smile and stepped forward to stand before the Guard I was about to spar with.
“You’re the Guide?” The other party looked hesitant, pointing at their own watch. “My physical ability is A-class; if I accidentally lose control, you’ll be in danger.”
I smiled and said, “It’s alright, I—”
Before I could finish speaking, a gasp of surprise echoed from not far away.
“Look who it is!”
“Is that—the General?!”
“It’s him! He’s so imposing!”
I stared blankly.
I saw Memphis, clad in a training uniform, steadily advancing towards me, step by step.
6
“General…”
Today, all his hair was pulled back and fixed behind his head, revealing a smooth forehead and a chiseled, strong face under the lights, no less magnificent than a sculpture of David.
Especially those eyes; after all emotions had completely vanished, they revealed a cold blue like the deep seabed, and just one glance would draw you in.
“Step aside.”
He ordered me with a cold attitude, his imposing figure standing in the middle of the arena like a mountain. Looking around, he said, “All of you, come at me.”
Perhaps angered by his contemptuous attitude, or perhaps it was a rare chance to witness the abilities of the God of War, those young Guards, one after another, jumped up to attack him without hesitation.
Guards were all powerhouses of physical ability with keen five senses; when truly unleashed, they moved so fast that a Guide’s eyesight couldn’t distinguish them.
I stood far away, only able to hear the howling wind from within, as dark figures intertwined, forming a seamless net around Memphis.
But the expression on his face remained unchanged, and his dodging and defensive movements were still effortless.
My feelings were very conflicted; I was both worried he would get hurt and brimming with pride, with an urge to show the whole world—*Look, this is my Guard! My most adorable and perfect warrior!*
But I immediately and fiercely suppressed this emotion.
Instincts were truly terrifying; we had only met for less than two days.
And it was still a hostile relationship.
I couldn’t help but sigh.
Just then, a dark figure in front of Memphis retreated.
It was the Guard who had been sparring with me moments ago.
On his face and body were various injuries, both light and severe, and the red glow in his eyes grew darker and darker.
My heart leaped in alarm—*Not good, he’s about to lose control.*
I hurriedly turned my head to look for the baby-faced girl, only to see her gazing at Memphis with an expression of adoration, completely oblivious to the problem with her Guard.
The trainer sensed something and quickly rushed towards us, but it was too late.
The Guard flashed a malicious smile, full of murderous intent, then jumped up and raised his fist towards me.
In just one second, he leaped ten meters to stand before me.
A fierce gust of wind brushed right past my face. I instinctively raised my hand to block, but I didn’t feel the pain I had imagined.
At the same time, the trainer’s shout echoed in my ears.
“General! Don’t kill him!”