Chapter 2331: S-Rank Guide Forced Love 16

You Zan no longer resisted Jin Chen's guidance and treatment, after all, the recovery of his body was genuine.

Old wounds scabbed and fell off, leaving faint pink traces; muscle lines became smooth again under rehabilitation and nutritional supplementation, and his mental landscape was no longer fragile.

But all of this was concealed by Jin Chen without a trace, unknown to the outside world.

To outsiders, You Zan remained the mad dog kept by the new-noble legislator on the top floor, his life or death unknown.

That afternoon, You Zan finished his equipment training early, harboring a… anticipation he was reluctant to admit.

As his body gradually improved, the Guide's reconstruction and soothing of his mental landscape became once every three days.

Each time, each time made You Zan prefer to sleep in comfort rather than wake up, and he gradually came to depend on that feeling.

You Zan knew this was the superficial dependence that arises when a sentinel long-term receives soothing from the same guide, but he still didn't want to change it.

Sweat soaked his training vest, outlining the bulging musculature; You Zan pushed open the door of his residence, and the rushing cold air made his pores contract, immediately his keen senses caught a foreign aura in the air, belonging to a high-ranking sentinel.

You Zan's steps halted in the entryway.

In the living room, a strange sentinel stood before the floor-to-ceiling window, his back to him.

He was broad-shouldered and long-legged, his stance the crisp result of long training, his mental power tightly restrained, his grade not low.

You Zan's brows knotted, an inexplicable irritation surged into his heart without warning, like a beast whose territory had been invaded.

He stared coldly, his gaze fixed fiercely on the stranger sentinel's back.

Xikes seemed to sense it; turning to see You Zan, he gave a slight nod, his attitude neither humble nor arrogant.

He knew this was You Zan, the sentinel the young master had taken a liking to.

How strange, Xikes thought; the young master would listen to nothing the old tower master said, except coming to the high tower and choosing a high tower sentinel as a partner—those two things he didn't reject at all.

Xikes didn't linger, heading straight to the sealed private conference room deep in the living room, swiped his clearance, and his figure vanished behind the door.

The door closed silently.

You Zan stood where he was, the nameless fire in his chest burning ever hotter.

【21> He irritably scratched his sweat-damp short hair, his gaze sweeping the living room and finally landing on the white wolf lounging on the sofa.

He irritably scratched his sweaty short hair, his gaze swept over the Living Room, finally landing on the white wolf lazily sprawled on the Sofa.

You Zan took a few steps over, brimming with ventless irritation, plopped down beside the white wolf, and reached out to roughly knead its thick fur.

The rough motion tousled its silky silver fur into a mess.

"Who is that person? Aren't you supposed to guard the house? How could he get in?" You Zan asked irritably.

The white wolf lifted his eyelids, his ice-blue eyes flicking at him once, a low growl rumbling in his throat, he stretched his neck and warmly licked the side of You Zan's neck in a soothing manner.

This affectionate lick failed to calm You Zan; he remained stifled and uncomfortable.

Jin Chen's spiritual form did not reject that sentinel just now.

An S‑Rank Guide… could never have only one sentinel.

This cold realization drilled into You Zan's mind.

Was that sentinel, like him, going to be controlled by Jin Chen, collared, and treated that way…?

This thought came out of nowhere, yet it instantly worsened the tightness in You Zan's chest.

He sprang to his feet, no longer looking at the white wolf, pacing irritably in the living room like a trapped beast.

I'm furious!

——

Inside the private conference room, the atmosphere was completely different.

Xikes stood before the holographic map, his voice steady.

"The old tower master sent a message, hoping you would soon gain more substantive authority in the Central District's high tower; the union of the Resource Military District and Kain is increasingly constraining us."

Jin Chen leaned back in the main seat, his eyes calm: "Understood."

He lifted his gaze, sharp-eyed: "Where are the things I want?"

Xikes immediately handed over an encrypted data crystal.

"The final screening is complete. Those on the list are the sentinels we can currently reach, whose strength and background are best suited to participate in this crystal stone mine exploration."

"The preliminary loyalty assessment is reliable, but…" he paused, "The High Tower Resource Department will definitely dispatch a special forces team; those on the list can only join as external mercenaries or non‑staff."

Jin Chen took the crystal, turning it between his fingertips: "Have them come see me in three days; I'll make arrangements."

"Yes." Xikes accepted the order, no longer continuing the topic: "The quiet room over at White Night has been prepared; matching tests can be conducted at any time."

……

Half an hour later, Xikes left.

Soon after, when Jin Chen emerged, the living room held only the white wolf's spiritual form lying on the sofa, looking a bit listless.

You Zan wasn't in the living room, nor did he let the black forest cat out to keep it company.

The white wolf slowly stared at Jin Chen, expressing dissatisfaction.

Jin Chen walked toward the bedroom.

The door wasn't locked; he pushed it open.

You Zan stood with his back to the door, sitting on the bed's edge, head lowered, his freshly washed short hair still dripping water.

The air was filled with a tense aura.

Jin Chen walked over, his fingertips carrying a soothing mental glow, probing toward You Zan's temple.

However, that gentle mental thread, upon nearing, was sharply rebounded; You Zan jerked his head to the other side, dodging Jin Chen's hand.

Resistance.

An unprecedented clear resistance.

Jin Chen's hand halted mid‑air, his eyes darkening with doubt; he then sat on the bed's edge, grabbed You Zan's chin, forcing him to turn his head to face him.

The skin under his fingertip was hot, carrying a suppressed agitation.

"What's wrong? Why are you resisting the soothing?" Jin Chen asked softly.

The question You Zan wanted to ask was like boiling water, tumbling in his throat.

Who is that sentry? Is he also your property? Do you also put a collar on him? Would you... also treat him that way?

But these words were like a thorn stuck in his throat, sour and astringent, impossible to spit out.

Damn it, You Zan felt like an unreasonable troublemaking idiot!

This inexplicable strong possessiveness made him feel unfamiliar and... embarrassed.

Intense shame made You Zan turn his face away again; he threw a punch, trying to use the most familiar violence to hide his inner turmoil.

Jin Chen seized You Zan's swinging wrist, instantly suppressing the sentry's explosive force.

Meanwhile, finer and more irresistible mental threads probed into You Zan's chaotic mental barrier to regulate and soothe it.

"Get out!" You Zan snarled, the restrained wrist straining, his body violently twisting, even lifting his leg as if to kick.

Zi...

A faint electric hum sounded, and the collar around You Zan's neck flashed a faint blue light.

"Uh!"

You Zan felt as if struck by an invisible whip; all his struggling and attacking intent were instantly forced to cease.

The intense electric shock's pain spread along his nerves—not fatal, but enough to sap his strength instantly.

He let out a muffled groan, curling up uncontrollably and collapsing onto the soft big bed, like a beast forced to have its claws and fangs held down, left only with ragged breathing and slight trembling.

Jin Chen then half lay on the bed, turning his side to approach the curled-up You Zan.

He did not immediately cancel the collar's microcurrent; his palm rested on You Zan's rising and falling back from his breath, slowly stroking down along his spine.

"Tell me," Jin Chen's voice sounded low and steady against You Zan's sweaty nape, "What are you angry about?"