Chapter 38 THIRTY-EIGHT

Chapter 38: Chapter THIRTY-EIGHT

"If he hasn’t walked into that rift, I’d be dead by now."

Xin Linhua leans back as well, his head thrown back. He turns to Hirano who looks sentimental.

"I have to hand it to you as well, you’re the only one who dares to call him a friend."

"Because he is a friend." Hirano laughs "His my best brother, and my lifesaver. If he hadn’t played the hero, I’d have played a martyr.

"He almost died there. I was part of the last batch, so naturally, we were the ones who went in to scope the place out. I found him beneath a pile of bodies, covered in blood and unconscious.

"You’d think he has nine lives of something, he just didn’t refuse to die. I was the one who hurled him back, got him treated. I stayed by his bedside for days, but do you know what he said after waking up from a coma?"

Hirano raises an eyebrow. Xin Linhua returns the gesture.

"Is this Zhongjing Institute?" Hirano chuckles "That was his first question and his first sentence. It was suspicious as hell. We thought he was some spy sent from those ’holy sanctuaries’ that believe the rift is a punishment from the heavens.

"His second words were to ask for a blindfold. No matter what question they threw at him, he didn’t reply. As suspicious as the institute was, he looked harmless. Maybe a bit cold, indifferent and murderous at times, but he never truly harmed anyone. Well...not until they tried to control him."

"Control him?" Xin Linhua frowns.

"You must have heard about those guides that died in his hands."

"Yes. It was hard not to since everyone was so eager to warn me about my Sentinel."

"Pfft-" Hirano shakes his head "Yet, here you are. Alive and kicking, not dead."

"You said they tried to control him."

"Well, yes. I don’t have a guide, not because I don’t want one, but because I’m not ready for such commitment."

"Commitment? You make it sound like you’re getting married or something."

"Well, it’s something like that." Hirano suddenly snaps his head towards him "Wait...you don’t know? "

"Know what?"

"No wonder..." The man suddenly burst into a laughing fit.

"Now I wanna know what’s funny."

"Sorry, my bad." Hirano grins "But do you know that half of the Sentinels in this institution don’t have guides?"

"Well, that’s new. I’ve seen so many pairs."

"Yes. That’s because only the bonded ones are sent out to face a rift. The ones without a bond or guide like me aren’t sent out often."

"Why don’t you find a guide? There are dozens– thousands of them."

"No, thank you." Hirano shakes his head "If I find a guide, it has to be someone I like. Not a fan of compatibilities. A guide is someone you spend the rest of your life with, so you have to choose carefully. If you go with just anyone, you’ll become a pawn in their hands."

Xin Linhua nods. He seems to understand a bit. Guides are important to the institute, even though the institution sometimes acts shitty.

If a guide with dark ambitions is paired with a powerful Sentinel, they can manipulate that Sentinel. Reason being, the Sentinel’s life and death is in their hands.

So if a pairing occurs, and one party firmly rejects it, the institute will call it off. If both parties agree, they can’t break apart after the bond is formed, because both parties will lose their minds, go rogue and die.

It’s safe to say that bonded pairs are only people who are in love. Paired Sentinels and guides are the ones who trust each other with their lives.

Of course, Xin Linhua is thinking about the first half. All those things about love and commitment, his brain doesn’t think in that direction so he totally misses it.

"So...they tried to force a guide on him. Then when he lets down his guard, he’ll be manipulated by the guide who’s being used by the institute?"

"You got that right." Hirano exhales.

"That’s crazy."

"It’s also the reason he denied the pairing with you. Who’d think you’d challenge him, accept the pairing and even ask him to call you ’Xiong-ge’?"

"He still doesn’t call me that. He’d rather jump off a cliff."

"I’m glad he has you by his side." Hirano’s tone softens "He doesn’t have to be so cautious anymore– afraid they’ll send another guide who’ll end up dead in his hands."

Xin Linhua’s smile fades slightly. He sits up straight, legs folded beneath him.

"Senior, I have a question."

"What’s that?"

"Have you ever seen his eyes?"

"No..." Hirano replies.

"I wonder what they’re like."

"I guess I do too. Those guides– the ones who lose their minds, they’ve all seen his eyes. Makes me wonder if that’s why he asked for a blindfold the moment he woke up. He didn’t want anyone to look into them."

Xin Linhua exhales.

"He acts tough, but deep down, he’s still human like everyone else. He worries about people, but the institute wants a cold blooded, mindless and emotionless killing machine. They want him broken."

"He was already broken before he got here." Hirano stares at the lights above "The institute just made sure he never healed."

The two turn to each other. One is his guide, who acts all goofy and irritating around him, but cares about him the most. The other one is a friend who has quietly stayed by his side for seven years. The two are the only ones who genuinely care about him.

"Xin Linhua." Hirano says softly but seriously "I know you’re from the Xin family, but Phantom is important to me. If you hurt him–"

"Hurt him?" Xin Linhua laughs "Senior, don’t think so low of me. Yaras? is not just someone I chose on a whim. I care about him just as much as you do, maybe even more. If I ever hurt, feel free to drag my ass into a grave."

"I’ll remember that." Hirano laughs.

The two help each other up, laughing and untying their hand wrap.

"Senior, I have to go now. A friend of mine is hospitalized, but once he gets discharged, I plan to host him for lunch cause I want to introduce him to Yaras?. Will you be free to tag along as well?"

"A civilian?"

"Yes. Don’t worry, he’s the last person to go blabbing about my identity. He wouldn’t."

"Alright then. If there’s no high risk rift, I should be be able."

"Please, don’t say that. You’ll trigger the curse–"

"Are you Xin Linhua?"

The accused turns around, eyebrows raised in confusion.

These days, it seems like the only name travelling around the institute is his. He really needs to lay low for a while.