Chapter 36

The zither strings were plucked, accompanied by a faint water sound, the melody lingered in the pavilion, the piece unfinished, a wind chime softly rang from the waterside pavilion outside the corridor.

Yin Zhu touched a string of green wind chimes, looking upon the water pavilion tower, the water flowed gently.

The blonde-haired girl's long hair flowed, her figure slender, she wore a pale gold robe, kneeling at one side of a table, her pale fingertips glided over the blue strings, leaving a cascade of melodious notes.

She truly seemed like offspring raised by a wealthy family piling gold and jade.

But Fu Guang's background was that she came from an orphanage.

She silently walked to the pavilion beside Fu Guang, and Fu Guang happened to press down on the trembling strings.

The small gift from the Military Department was a "Cave Heaven," also called Space Folding Technique.

Fu Guang constructed this water pavilion tower according to her wishes.

"Have you seen the new mission from the Military Department?" Yin Zhu leaned on the railing nearby.

Fu Guang put away the zither, rose to her feet, her sleeves drifting down like clouds.

"I think the Military Department is making things difficult for me." Fu Guang tugged at the corner of her mouth, dispelling the just‑elegant atmosphere.

"Isn't this already out in the open?" Yin Zhu flicked her nails, gazing at Fu Guang's expression, "If it really won't work, just accept the assigned Sentinel."

"Besides, you won't lose out."

She stared intently, and Fu Guang glanced at her with a look that said "no."

Not long ago, the order to match low‑rank Guides with Sentinels caused a huge uproar in the White Tower.

The newly differentiated Guides were young and naive, still possessing some excess kindness—almost a few words could lead someone away.

As for the Sentinels, each one was a silver‑tongued warrior forged through countless battles.

On one hand, these rough fellows know nothing of cherishing fragrance and jade—what becomes of the Guides' safety? On the other hand, Sentinels can easily find a chance to control the Guides.

Easily turning into a single person's blood‑sucking pouch.

This was all discussed among the high‑rank Guides inside the White Tower who had heard of it.

Fu Guang also glanced over it, paying more attention to the document's supplementary clauses—for example, B‑rank Guides, who, according to duty, must undertake two missions per month.

If accepted, it can be reduced to once a month, lowering mission frequency.

If not accepted, it becomes three times a month.

This instead exhausts the Guides' function.

Fu Guang dislikes contact with people, let alone ill‑meaning strangers, so she naturally ends up working for the Military Department and the White Tower.

For a useful mule, the Military Department naturally makes good use of it.

She had just sent her application that morning, and by noon the mission was already assigned.

A long‑shelved A‑rank mission, the team composition remained the same as before—plus Shu Tong and Liu Yun—making a seven‑person squad.

"This mission isn't easy to handle; many teams have gone before and returned empty‑handed."

"Within the Sentinels, they call it the Library Incident."

The mission site is the Wu Ran Qu, a library of unknown age, sealed within the Dark Forest.

"By the way, do you have an access token for the Dark Forest?"

Fu Guang smiled and replied, "No."

"Oh, then applying to the Xue Yuan for one isn't a hassle." Yin Zhu tapped her light‑brain; to outsiders such tokens are rare, but students of the Alliance University can obtain them simply by applying.

"First, prepare for the mission—I've sent the materials to you, Captain; remember to check them." Yin Zhu blinked, "By the way, have you dropped the Captain's Individual Combat Course?"

"If you haven't dropped it, there's class this afternoon."

Since Fu Guang displayed extraordinary talent, wherever she went Sentinels surrounded and tailed her, trying to sell themselves to her.

Yes, that's the selling.

Even now, when Fu Guang recalls the Sentinels' fervor, she shivers.