[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-x-guide":3,"chapter-the-x-guide-the-x-guide-chapter-228":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","The X Guide",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},1198923,1545,"Chapter 228: String (4)","the-x-guide-chapter-228",228,"\u003Cp>Khal’s fever had completely gone down by the next day as though he had never had one in the first place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are you sure, you’re okay?\" Devion asked, face filled with concern. \"Why don’t you rest for now?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unexpectedly, Khal agreed with his suggestion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ayen and Devion were very surprised at that; Khal laughed, seeing their expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What’s with the face?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ayen and Devion exchanged glances; the two did not expect Khal to agree at all. Khal’s lips curved seeing their gazes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wait, let me check if you still have a fever.\" Devion was not convinced and touched Khal’s forehead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Khal let him go with a soft smile, not making a fuss. In the first place. He was not the one to do that. Ayen watched him; for some reason, Khal seemed a little different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Khal’s gaze landed on him, and their eyes met. The smile on Khal’s lips widened slightly. Ayen was a bit taken aback. He almost forgot to respond to the smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that, Khal chuckled, seemingly amused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What’s with you?\" Devion confused. He shifted his gaze to Ayen, who was also bewildered by Khal’s behavior.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead of answering, Khal only laughed lightly. He put his arm around Devion’s shoulder and also pulled Ayen closer around his waist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I just had an interesting dream.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Dream?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What kind of dream?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Khal’s lips hooked up, his grin becoming weird.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Devion frowned, and Ayen was no better. If they had not known any better, they would think Khal was still being delirious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s a very long dream.\" Khal smiled meaningfully. \"Let’s eat first. I’ll tell you later. Sounds good? He shifted his gaze to both of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ayen and Devion exchanged glances and eventually nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter what, as long as Khal was now fine, then they could ignore his odd behavior. Probably still an effect of such a high fever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They went into the kitchen. This time, both Ayen and Devion were cooking for Khal. He was sitting like a princess at the counter, watching the two with that meaningful smile of his.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first, the two ignored it; Khal was only watching them anyway. However, Devion could not concentrate; Ayenb was the same.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Khal was grinning with a heated gaze, watching every action they made.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Devion sighed and put down his knife, looking at Khal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Can you stop that?\" He pointed at the grin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What?\" Khal pretended not to know, propping his chin in his clasped hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That... that smile. You look like a pervert.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Khal only chuckled at that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Maybe, I am?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Devion rolled his eyes and looked at Ayen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do you think... his fever damaged his brain?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That fever was no joke. Ayen also had a high fever before, but Khal’s was twice as high at that or even more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ayen’s backlash symptoms had stopped. He returned to his usual, but his expressions could be read easily. Obviously, he was agreeing with Devion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Khal did not even care or look offended. Instead, his gaze turned more heated. Devion nearly had chills at that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You... can you stay in the living room?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Khal was distracting him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I don’t want to.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, he was refusing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end, Devion decided to stop looking at him; even if he could sense his gaze, he focused on what he was doing. Ayen was doing his best to do the same.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once his gaze met Khal’s, there was like an odd but electrifying sensation that ran through his spine. It was not there before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The way Khal looked at him... changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They still managed to cook their breakfast even after Khal distracted them the whole time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Devion could not help but touch Khal’s head again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are you sure... you’re feeling okay?\" He had to ask him again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Really. I’m fine, Devion.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, Devion was finally convinced. Also, the smile was only distracting because... Devion could not stop looking at it. Devion wanted to bite those lips so bad.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the dining table, they began eating and started their conversation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Khal did not immediately tell them about his dream.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are you fine now, Ayen? About your symptoms.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ayen looked at him and nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I don’t feel tired. I’ll guide you later.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, Devion had to be guided, too, even if he was not being cleansed; as long as he was connected to both, the backlash would not occur.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Khal stared at him and, seeing he was telling the truth, dropped the issue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Okay,\" he agreed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The atmosphere was a bit strange, but not uncomfortable. Devion and Ayen were merely bewildered by Khal’s demeanor. There was not a slight cold emanating from him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So, what about your dream?\" Devion eventually inquired, bringing them back to the topic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s a dream that wants to make me choose.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Choose?\" Ayen’s voice sounded, feeling familiar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Khal’s gaze went to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes. Choose. Between saving you or killing Devion.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ayen and Devion fell silent. Khal knew that what he said might ruin the mood, but he did not hide it. There was no reason to do so.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do you want to know what I chose?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Devion was nervous, and so was Ayen. Both for different reasons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, they nodded. As Khal thought so, in this relationship, there was no need to hide this fact if they wanted this to work.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A relationship between two people was hard already; what was more, between three people? It was complicated, but simple at the same time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Truly confusing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I killed Devion.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Khal’s expression did not change; his tone was stable. Unlike in a dream, where he cried silently as he strangled Devion, his expression was so soft.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Completely unlike what he just said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ayen and Devion remained silent, not interrupting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I didn’t save Ayen either. I let him die.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Khal put down his fork. \"You wanna know why? Because they are not real.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the real one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You won’t make me choose. So I didn’t.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Simple but complicated, Khal let himself drown in the sea of blood. The guilt... went, but he woke up and listened to their conversation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Khal’s expression seemed to be softer but also determined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Did I do the right thing?\" His lips cracked into a smile that reached his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was a sense of oddity in them. But Ayen’s and Devion’s hearts skipped a beat. Both nodded and slowly rose in their seats.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Khal laughed and let the two embrace him.\u003C\u002Fp>",1069,"2026-06-03T13:50:14.135Z","2026-06-03T13:50:15.495Z",1,"novelbin.me","e277e21d8e72627dd92b281f485456d1099c811c0970549841b89731b6d8ca38","the-x-guide-chapter-229","the-x-guide-chapter-227",255,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-x-guide-cover.jpg"]