You Aren't Jealous, Are You?

Wu Xi was much more forthcoming than Yun Jin. He chattered away for ages, covering almost every big and little thing he could think of.

Xin Lan's attention wandered as she listened. He had been quiet for quite a while before she realized he had finally finished.

"All right, shut up and wait for my decision. Next."

It wasn't that Xin Lan disliked Wu Xi. She was simply a little sleepy.

After all, though the boy talked a lot, he really was, as he'd said, an excellent way to liven up a dull life. With him around, her leisure time might actually become more eventful.

"Okay!"

Wu Xi obediently went back and sat down on the sofa.

Yun Jin turned to glance at him. He started to speak several times, but in the end, he just frowned and said nothing.

What could he say?

Wu Xi had said everything he could have said. Apart from their looks and physiques, sentinels didn't have that many special talents or advantages to begin with. They were already doing well to keep their emotions under control with riot values in the nineties and not look like lunatics.

So even if Wu Xi had told him all this beforehand, he wouldn't have said it.

It was too affected.

Like a pathetic dog.

He only wanted to be a person, not a dog begging to be adopted...

While the two quietly sparred, Mo Xiao had straightened his clothes and risen to bow to Xin Lan, giving her a hat-tipping salute.

Compared to Wu Xi and the others, his manner was humble but not servile. He was even as composed as if he were discussing a transaction with her.

"Guide Xin Lan, it's an honor to have been matched as your guard sentinel, but as you can see, I don't have any particular strengths."

"However, if you're willing to accept, I may be able to use my position to secure some special privileges for you."

Mo Xiao kept his statement short and to the point.

But Chi Ming and the others were still somewhat shocked that he would openly talk about bribery and pulling strings.

They were all somewhat surprised, but none of them voiced a word of doubt.

After all, Xin Lan was the only guide in their K9 District. If the administrator didn't dote on her, who else would he dote on?

Besides, the administrator's riot value had always been the highest among them. It would have been strange if he hadn't shown this much sincerity.

"What sort of special privileges, for example?"

Xin Lan was very interested in his offer, but she didn't trust him.

After all, he looked like the sort of person who could endure a great deal. He had even endured his rampaging mental power under the extreme circumstances of having no guide to soothe him and become the highest authority in the entire region.

With that kind of endurance, he could succeed at anything.

But people like him were generally deeply twisted and perverted.

So she wouldn't trust him unless he offered something concrete.

Mo Xiao understood what she meant and smiled as he put his offer on the table.

"I can raise your entire compensation package to match that of an SSS-class guide. I can also grant you some of an administrator's authority, such as direct enforcement powers in certain matters, the right to attend meetings at the Sanctuary, voting rights, the right to be informed of administrative matters, and so on."

Well, damn.

He really is a pervert.

As the person in power, he was actually willing to share even his authority.

Appreciation shone in Xin Lan's eyes. For once, she took the initiative to extend her hand. "You're very sincere. I look forward to working with you."

Mo Xiao froze for a moment, clearly not expecting her to be so straightforward.

But he quickly smiled, pulled off his glove, and gave her hand a light shake. "I look forward to working with you."

"All right, that's it for today. Chi Ming stays. The rest of you can leave."

Unexpectedly, there hadn't been any hair-pulling drama, and Xin Lan found it very dull.

She was sleepy and wanted to hold the ice-cold anaconda while she napped.

As for which of these sentinels she would make permanent, she had no thoughts on that for the time being.

But once she'd told them to leave, the hair-pulling began after all.

Cang Leng suddenly released his mermaid-form spirit body and gazed at her pitifully with his smoky violet eyes.

"Miss Guide, if you'd like to sleep while holding something cool, my spirit body is very suitable too. He's easier to hold than an anaconda, prettier, and nicer to touch."

"Think about it. When you hold him, he can hold you too, but he won't make you feel hot. His arms and tail are covered in scales, so wherever they touch you, they'll feel cool. And you can do whatever you like with him; he absolutely won't move around. He's a perfect human-shaped cooling body pillow."

The pale purple mermaid spirit body, who was about the same height and build as Cang Leng, looked very docile, a stark contrast to Cang Leng himself, who was far too much of a bootlicker.

Xin Lan finally understood why he'd said his spirit body had a mind of its own.

If this spirit body didn't have a few thoughts of his own, he probably wouldn't have been able to stop himself from pouncing on her with drool streaming from his mouth long ago.

Still, the boy's spirit body really was beautiful.

Although he looked somewhat like Cang Leng, he had more mermaid features, and his upper-body muscles bore many intricate, beautiful patterns.

Taken on his own, he didn't look all that much like Cang Leng after all.

"All right, you can stay too."

Xin Lan happily accepted this beautiful, obedient mermaid-shaped body pillow. She had no interest in watching the others come over to fight, so she turned and went straight to the bedroom.

Chi Ming's lips moved. He had wanted to say something, but ultimately gave up.

Forget it. Lanlan is destined never to belong to me alone. I just need to meet her needs and be obedient.

Cang Leng, however, was ecstatic and chattered nonstop as he followed Chi Ming.

"Ah! Miss Guide touched me! Her hand was so small and soft~"

"Huh, she really is interested in my ear fins! It tickles so much when she touches them, hahaha."

"Wow, wow, wow, she's really holding me! I'm going to die of happiness! Chi Ming, is this how it feels when your spirit body is held too? I'm so happy! Miss Guide smells so good! It's the scent of lily of the valley! Such a fresh, captivating fragrance. I don't think I'll ever forget it for the rest of my life!"

Chi Ming: ...

The ninetieth floor was so huge, with places to rest everywhere. So why did Cang Leng have to follow him around, barking nonstop?

"Are you done yet?"

He frowned, his deep golden eyes full of violence, with even a faint hint of murderous intent stirring in them.

Cang Leng, however, wrapped his arms around himself and blinked, suddenly wearing a stupid expression as if he'd realized something.

"Chi Ming, you aren't jealous, are you?"

Chi Ming: ...

His fists clenched. He wanted to kill someone!

Cang Leng acted as if he hadn't seen a thing and kept asking relentlessly.

"Is it because Miss Guide is so busy cuddling with my spirit body that she's neglecting yours? But guides have never liked snake spirit bodies. Shouldn't you be used to it by now?"

Two veins throbbed at his temples. Chi Ming walked on with a gloomy expression, his face dark, without saying a word.

But Cang Leng kept trampling all over his sore spots, even giving him a hearty pat on the shoulder.

"All right, all right, don't be jealous. None of us can be Miss Guide's one and only anyway, so what's the point of getting so angry? Even though Miss Guide obviously likes my spirit body more right now, didn't she let you stay too?

"As ambitious guard sentinels, we should learn from those exclusive sentinels who successfully became permanent. Learn from their magnanimity..."

Bang-

Chi Ming couldn't listen anymore and slammed a fist straight into his face.

"Shut up!"

His icy gaze locked onto Cang Leng, like a cold python flicking its tongue, ready to constrict its prey to death at any moment.

But even with blood at the corner of his mouth from the blow, Cang Leng showed no intention of fighting back.

He merely wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth in astonishment. Then his eyes immediately filled with tears, and he ran pitifully toward Xin Lan's bedroom.

Chi Ming: ?!!!

Fuck!

Did he do that on purpose?!