Oh! Clothes Are Bursting Off~

A clear, bright voice rang out, tinged with intense fervor and delight.

He looked up at her, a strange, crystalline warmth glowing in his pale gray eyes.

For a moment, Xin Lan could have sworn a little white puppy was crouching before her, its tail spinning like an electric fan.

Unfortunately, she wasn't much interested in furry things.

Nor was she used to close contact with strangers.

Making no attempt to hide her distaste, she vigorously rubbed the back of her hand against her clothes.

"How did you find me so quickly? Do you live nearby?"

In fact, if he hadn't said the key words and she hadn't been a little reluctant to strike after taking so much from him, Xin Lan's first reaction wouldn't have been to wipe her hand, but to slap him.

What a presumptuous fellow.

Different customs were no excuse for touching her without permission.

"No, I live in the North Tower, a long way from here. I was just so pleasantly surprised that I couldn't wait to meet you, so I ran straight over as soon as I received the matching notification."

Wu Xi continued staring directly at her, his pale gray eyes shining in the sunlight. Whether he hadn't seen her look of distaste or the way she wiped her hand, or had seen them but simply didn't care, his tone remained eager and joyful.

"Oh, I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm Wu Xi, commander of the North Tower in K9 District, and the guard sentinel the Star Brain matched with you half an hour ago. It's an honor to have been matched with you. You look even more beautiful than in your photo..."

He started showering her with compliments the moment he opened his mouth, which fit her stereotype of Europeans perfectly.

Xin Lan waved a hand, a little impatient.

"Thanks. Can you make strongly seasoned food? I'm starving right now."

Sentinels' five senses were extremely sensitive, so all the food sold on the market consisted of plain diet meals without any seasoning.

If those things hadn't looked so unappetizing, she wouldn't have chosen to buy nutrient solution earlier.

Who could have known that such expensive nutrient solution would taste so disgusting? She'd wasted fifteen hundred star coins.

Xin Lan's face darkened, her expression gloomy.

Wu Xi's eyes lit up at her words, however, and he immediately stood and invited her into his hovercar.

"Yes! I can cook dishes in all sorts of flavors! I can make you anything you like, Miss Guide! But the ingredients and seasonings are at my place..."

"Wu Xi, Miss Guide is hungry. You should invite her to the South Tower nearby to eat and rest. Why take her all the way to the North Tower?"

Before Wu Xi could finish, another hovercar, black with gold trim, pulled up beside them.

The voice arrived before the man.

When Xin Lan saw the man striding toward them, her fine brows immediately rose with interest.

He was a dark-skinned hunk with black hair, golden eyes, long, muscular legs, and exceptionally well-developed pecs.

He wore the same style of black-and-blue combat uniform as Wu Xi. His black hair curled naturally around his ears, and against his wheat-colored skin, his deep golden eyes looked cold and bloodthirsty. His powerful, full muscles seemed ready to burst out of his uniform, and his whole person radiated a dangerous, captivating wild beauty.

From what he said, he was probably another sentinel the Star Brain had matched with her.

And he clearly didn't get along with Wu Xi.

Xin Lan folded her arms across her chest, finding herself, for once, in the mood to enjoy a show despite her hunger.

There was nothing more entertaining than watching handsome men fight.

"Greetings, esteemed Miss Guide. I'm Chi Ming, commander of the South Tower, and another guard sentinel the Star Brain matched with you. I'm terribly sorry to interrupt your conversation, but please forgive me. I simply can't allow you to be misled."

Chi Ming likewise came before her and knelt on one knee, intending to kiss her hand.

But Xin Lan didn't offer it.

With no other choice, he looked up at her face and explained.

"It takes at least an hour to reach Wu Xi's North Tower from here. I believe you need a delicious meal as soon as possible, rather than taking the long way around and waiting another hour. Miss Guide, don't you agree?"

"Can you cook, then?"

Xin Lan looked at him calmly without answering his question directly.

She didn't mind waiting a little longer, but it would be even better if she could eat a delicious meal right away.

"I can, and it takes only half a minute to get to the South Tower from here."

Compared with Wu Xi's eagerness, Chi Ming's voice was steady, composed, and very restrained.

Xin Lan nodded, looking at him with a little more appreciation.

"All right, let's go to the South Tower and try your cooking."

"It would be my honor to serve you. What would you like to eat?" Chi Ming's brows twitched slightly, and a hint of delight quickly entered his steady voice.

Wu Xi was very unhappy about being cut off halfway, but Miss Guide really didn't look well. After cursing the shameless, filthy, stinking snake dozens of times in his head, he quickly accepted reality and rolled his eyes at Chi Ming.

"Miss Guide, I'm a better cook than he is! Why don't you order a few more dishes and try my cooking too?"

Miss Guide's feelings came before everything else. For her sake, he could refrain from taking her to the North Tower, but he couldn't let this stinking snake oozing black water seize every advantage.

He had already caught her scent. Miss Guide had never formed a deep link with any sentinel!

He was the first to find her, so naturally he couldn't pass up the chance to become her first exclusive sentinel.

Especially not when it meant letting this stinking snake beat him to it!

"Sure. You can each make a few of your specialties."

Xin Lan got into Chi Ming's hovercar.

Having grown used to people currying favor with her and begging for protection in the apocalypse, she quickly adapted to her rare and exalted status as a guide.

But after arriving at the South Tower, she realized she had adapted too quickly.

There were simply too many sentinels in the tower, and they were all tall and long-legged, each handsome in his own way.

The moment the sentinels saw her, they swarmed around her like cats catching sight of catnip.

Held back by her exalted status as a guide and the cold-faced Chi Ming at her side, they didn't dare get too close, but they were still close enough to dazzle Xin Lan.

There were brilliant hair colors in every shade of the rainbow, earrings, ear cuffs, lip studs, tongue studs and all sorts of other piercings, and tattoos covering chests, backs, and arms. There were roguishly handsome types, cute types, youthful and sunny types, masculine types-every style imaginable.

Every one of them looked at her with fervent eyes, and the bold ones even burst out of their clothes and loudly declared their feelings for her.

"Miss Guide! Please look at me! I'm Qian Che, deputy commander of the South Tower and an SSS-rank sentinel! Unfortunately, I wasn't matched as your guard sentinel, but if you don't mind, I can get in line! Whenever you need me, I'm ready to join your sentinel guard at any time!"

Bursting out of his clothes the moment they met was a little too wild.

But he really did look good.

The pretty boys who had begged for her protection in the apocalypse had all been frail and delicate. Even if they'd stripped naked for her, she wouldn't have been interested.

It was Xin Lan's first time seeing such a powerfully built body, and she couldn't help staring.

Seeing that Qian Che's seduction had actually worked, the other sentinels were overjoyed and burst out of their clothes to imitate him.

"Miss Guide, look at me! I'm Ling Ye, an SS-rank sentinel! I can get in line too! My rank isn't high, but I'll work hard to level up!"

The sentinel who called himself Ling Ye patted his chest, and Xin Lan's gaze immediately shifted to the two silver studs there, connected by a metal chain.

Good lord!

Someone had actually gotten those pierced!

And if he had piercings there, then...

Her gaze was direct, and her undisguised curiosity and appreciation inadvertently gave the sentinels tremendous encouragement.

"Miss Guide! I have a piercing down there too! If you like, I can strip and show you anytime!"

"I have one too! I even have ten beads embedded..."

Bursting out of their shirts wasn't enough; they even wanted to tear off their pants.

The scene descended into utter chaos, with scraps of clothing flying everywhere and shirtless handsome men frantically showing off their bodies and special talents.

Xin Lan was dazzled by the sight. She didn't even feel as hungry anymore, and her eyes were full of appreciation for these male bodhisattvas.

She didn't know that, almost simultaneously, every sentinel had learned that an S-rank guide had arrived in K9 District the very second after she registered.

Although they didn't know whether the Federation would transfer her elsewhere in the future, that didn't stop the sentinels from going wild over her arrival.

After all, under the Human Development Code, no matter how many exclusive sentinels a guide had, they could use points to apply for purification and soothing from her.

And if they could win the guide's favor, they might even have a chance to become her exclusive sentinels. Then they would never again have to rely on guide essence or suffer the torment of mental landscape riots.

They were desperate to catch Xin Lan's eye, even if it meant becoming one of dozens or hundreds of guard sentinels.

Xin Lan was enjoying the view, but her stomach growled at an inopportune moment.

Sentinels had extraordinary senses, and Chi Ming immediately lowered his head. "Miss Guide, your health comes first. Shall I take you to eat?"

After a pause, he added in a low voice.

"If you like, I can strip for you later too."

Xin Lan turned her head in surprise. "Really?"

Wu Xi, who had still been glaring at the impudent sentinels, jolted, his gray eyes widening in anger as he looked at Chi Ming.

Fuck! How did this stinking snake oozing black water suddenly get so shamelessly seductive!?