Ch 13: Interplanetary Planting Master

Embrace

Su He ran fast, but Lu Li’s instincts were faster.

In the blink of an eye, both Su He and Lu Li had disappeared around the corner, leaving Wei Na and Reno standing there.

Reno: “What just happened?”

Wei Na didn’t connect Su He with the little treeman but guessed what had happened based on Lu Li’s reaction. She smiled slightly, wondering if the boy they saw was their boss’s guide. She couldn’t smell any pheromones, indicating that the boy had used a suppressor. Although it was just a glance, Wei Na’s sentinel senses had already taken in Su He’s appearance. He didn’t resemble a typical Federation-trained guide. Instead, he exuded a wild, fearless courage and vitality that unexpectedly suited Lu Li.

Just two turns away, Su He quickly jumped into an underground pipeline. He was very familiar with the nearby terrain and had already planned his escape route. Lu Li followed closely, jumping down and immediately sensing something wrong. Weak energy fluctuations came from under his feet, and suddenly, writhing vines grew out, tightly wrapping around him.

“Warning, warning, you have been targeted by a weapon.”

A round metal ball floated in front of Lu Li, flashing red. He smelled a faint sweet fragrance in the dark, suppressed his inner restlessness, and gave up struggling. The vines and robot might be effective against ordinary people, but they were useless against a sentinel. Lu Li had countless ways to break free from the current situation, but if appearing “controlled” could give Su He a sense of security, Lu Li didn’t mind showing weakness in front of him.

He wanted to talk to Su He about their relationship. Since the Iris had landed on Broken Star that morning, Lu Li had been battling between reason and instinct. Rationally, he didn’t want to succumb to his instincts and be influenced by a completely unfamiliar guide. He needed to control his desire for Su He. But instinctively, he longed to be near Su He. This longing had surpassed everything else. If he had never met Su He, he might have found a reasonably compatible guide or simply relied on suppressors for his entire life, becoming what they called a “suppressor sentinel.” But he had met Su He, and with their 100% compatibility, Su He’s influence on him was unparalleled. He would never consider bonding with another guide; from body to soul, the only one he desired and accepted was Su He.

The enticing fragrance behind him approached, much fainter than before. The Black Market suppressor seemed quite effective. If not for their perfect compatibility, Lu Li might have overlooked it like other sentinels. But because their compatibility was so high, Lu Li couldn’t resist Su He’s attraction.

In the darkness, Su He emerged cautiously with a gun, looking defensive. According to the original plan, he should have left immediately, with Xiao Bai waiting nearby with the cart. But Su He couldn’t explain why he wanted to take the risk of seeing Lu Li. Even though his internal cultivation technique had run countless times, suppressing his excitement, his legs still didn’t listen, bringing him in front of Lu Li.

Maybe he didn’t want to owe Lu Li a favor and needed to thank him for the suppressors. Su He tried to rationalize his uncontrollable behavior.

Lu Li tried to appear harmless and spoke first, “I mean no harm.”

Su He instinctively retorted, “Then why did you chase me?”

Lu Li paused, then said frankly, “Instinct. I can’t control it.”

Su He: “…”

Lu Li’s reason was too legitimate, and Su He couldn’t find a rebuttal despite trying. His puffed-up, angry look was too adorable, softening Lu Li’s gaze.

“I sincerely apologize for this morning. Losing control of my emotions was my mistake. I know you don’t want to be a guide, and I won’t force you. Although our compatibility is high, bonding should be voluntary for both parties. Any bond against one’s will is discouraged. Now, with suppressors and guide serum, I can stay calm. I want to talk to you, and you don’t need to run every time you see me.”

Su He didn’t expect Lu Li to say this and hesitated, “What if the suppressors and guide serum wear off?”

Lu Li, looking unperturbed, replied, “Don’t you doubt my… capability?”

Su He: “…”

Faced with Lu Li’s straightforward gaze, Su He looked down in embarrassment. How could he explain being overheard? He couldn’t exactly say he had proven Lu Li’s capability. He did feel a need to discuss their 100% compatibility with Lu Li. But before talking, Su He needed to confirm Lu Li’s sincerity. He tentatively extended his mental touch to sense Lu Li’s emotions.

Su He had never received formal guide training, only knowing scattered bits of common knowledge from Han Rui. He used sensing as a way to detect surrounding emotions, not realizing what it meant to touch someone with perfect compatibility.

Like fireworks blooming and galaxies spinning, when Su He’s mental touch connected with Lu Li, countless unfamiliar emotions burst into his mind. It felt like traversing a radiant ocean, with glowing memory fragments leaping like fish, drawing Su He’s attention.

Su He didn’t linger, instinctively knowing this wasn’t the endpoint. His mental touch extended until the ocean’s end, where all light suddenly vanished. He seemed to be in a vast, dark space, with a dead black planet floating silently before him.

He felt a heavy oppression, an overwhelming sadness like a tidal wave engulfing him. Falling into this flood of sorrow, Su He looked around blankly. It seemed like a Federation city, but unlike any city he remembered. High-rise metal buildings towered, various floating vehicles whizzed by in the sky, and pedestrians walked past with hollow expressions.

Su He sensed something was wrong, as if something was off. Looking around, he suddenly realized the entire world was devoid of color. Buildings, vehicles, and people appeared as black shadows. The world was silent and colorless, like a black-and-white projection. A gust of wind blew, and everything vanished except for a gaping black hole.

Shuddering, Su He saw a black hawk emerge from the hole. It silently looked at him, then spread its wings and flew away. Understanding its glance, Su He followed instinctively. The hawk led him through countless collapsed buildings, and in a moment, he was at a small villa.

Unlike the city’s oppression, this place relaxed Su He. Unknown flowers bloomed in flowerbeds, clear streams wound through rock gardens, and an 8-year-old boy jumped playfully from a low tree. His gentle mother, strict but caring father, and indulgent grandfather surrounded him, a harmonious family.

A breeze blew, and mother, father, grandfather, and garden slowly faded, leaving the boy standing alone. In this monochrome, silent world, the boy’s figure seemed thin and pitiful. The hawk reappeared, quietly nestling beside the boy, its black eyes watching Su He. Feeling a pang of sorrow, Su He understood the feeling of being abandoned by the world. When his master passed, he felt the same way. Uncontrollably, Su He stepped forward and hugged the boy tightly.

Under their feet, green grass sprouted, spreading like waves across the yard. Green grass, red flowers, and the stone flowerbed… the world had its first colors. Su He heard the wind, the flowing water, the rustling leaves, and the boy in his arms asked him, “Who are you?”

Who are you?

This question stumped Su He. His silence seemed to signal something, and the world’s changes halted. The villa in front of him, the surrounding garden walls… everything beyond remained silent and dead. Colors, sounds… life existed only in this small courtyard.

In the underground pipeline, Su He woke up. He still held the same posture as in his mental world, but the boy had grown up, and Su He was tightly embraced by Lu Li, nestling close together.

Su He: “…”

🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺

Thingyan: I have to say, I like this ML’s style 🤤