Chapter 98

“YaoJin, you can’t judge a book by its cover,” Lian Yu said, resting his chin on one hand and sipping through the straw from the glass of cooled boiled water in front of him. “Although I skipped classes, got into fights, and even broke into the Guides’ dormitory at night, I’m still a good Sentinel. I had excellent grades.”

YaoJin and Pan both wore bewildered expressions, and Lian Yu burst into a hearty laugh. Cen Zhen, however, remained noncommittal. In his first life, Lian Yu was said to be the epitome of a good student, intelligent and diligent. Not only had he never skipped classes, but even being late or leaving early was a rare occurrence. Having excellent grades was perfectly normal.

Because of his “grandfather-grandson bet” with Fan, Lian Yu finally looked at the mock exam three days before the written exam—of course, he did so while lying on Cen Zhen’s bed, legs crossed. Meanwhile, Cen Zhen sat expressionlessly at his desk, watching Zhou Qingchang question him vengeancely: “How come you can understand such advanced theories of alien mind control on your own, but get five wrong on these basic questions that even an ape can handle?”

After his relationship with Cen Zhen blossomed, the White Tower student council president had become increasingly careless about his image…

Cen Zhen silently endured his private tutor’s emotional breakdown, while Lian Yu glanced at Zhou Qingchang from behind, his gaze almost spilled over the screen: “I dare you keep talking nonsense!”  

Zhou Qingchang felt helpless about Lian Yu’s brazen appearance in the Guides’ dormitory. Aside from the one time they’d just returned from vacation, he and his team had conducted several surprise inspections over the past month. Each time, Zhou Qingchang confirmed Lian Yu was hiding in Cen Zhen’s room, but he couldn’t catch him. He even recorded the scene, but the saved footage was all garbled text.

After a few incidents, Zhou Qingchang had to admit that there are always people who are better than you. This person was a nuisance, so Cen Zhen might as well keep him to himself. He also learned the best way to deal with Lian Yu: ignore him.

“It’s the last three days anyway. Relax, get the questions you know right, and guess the ones you don’t. You should be able to pass.” Zhou Qingchang didn’t bother assigning homework for the last private tutor session of the semester. He immediately closed the video call; out of sight and out of mind.

Cen Zhen finished organizing his notes and turned back to see Lian Yu meticulously arranging a floating screen of practice questions for each subject in front of him, his brow furrowed as he pondered something seriously.

“What’s wrong?” He sat down on the bed, lowering his eyes to examine the Sentinel exam. As expected, it was all incomprehensible.

“I was thinking… which subjects would be best to get full marks on…”

“I want to slap you.”

“Seriously,” Lian Yu said, turning his head. “In the past, there have been people who got full marks in all subjects, both Sentinels and Guides. If I get full marks in all subjects, I’ll be just like them, meaningless.”

“…So?”

“So I’m going to get only one point in one subject, and full marks in the others. A Sentinel with extreme academic bias. Isn’t this characterization quite novel?”

“……”

Cen Zhen pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to stay awake. “…Did you forget you have one subject you can be exempted from?”

“Huh?” Lian Yu had clearly just realized after this reminder. Recalling this, he immediately turned his head and flipped through the mock exam paper. “Then let’s use it on this one.”

Cen Zhen took a closer look: “Ideology and Morality”

“……”

To an observer, the mental strength test consisted of the examinee sitting in front of an instrument, is a tedious and boring process. The physique test, however, was far more entertaining. Speed, strength, jumping, agility, and so on, it was like signing up for all the events available at a full-on autumn sports meet. Even if one didn’t die, they’d be exhausted to the point of dying. Sentinels also had to test their five senses, and all the events were packed with activity, as endurance was a crucial component of a physique exam.

After the last written exam, YaoJin completely relaxed. The following mental strength and physique tests were just formalities for him. After all, as an S-rank Sentinel, he loses the luxury to experience the desperate need of keeping one’s B while fighting for a B+, cramming before the test just in case they could perform exceptionally well.

As the teacher was checking each test sheet and clicking upload, YaoJin glanced in Lian Yu’s direction. Sure enough, he saw him slumped over the table, sound asleep. From the moment the test began, Lian Yu yawned and slouched over the desk. After YaoJin finished a page, he looked up and found him still slumped over. When he finished the entire test, Lian Yu remained in the same position. An hour later, the test was over…he still had his head over the desk, sound asleep.

After the test, YaoJin immediately went to Lian Yu’s desk and roused him. “Lian Yu… don’t tell me you slept through this exam. This is the most scorable subject, ‘Ideology and Morality.'”

“Huh?” Lian Yu drowsily sat up. “…So this exam is ‘Ideology and Morality.'”

YaoJin: “……”

He felt stupid for even considering he might really underestimated Lian Yu after he went home that day…He thought this guy was a genius who could score high without attending class. But now…Even geniuses need to answer questions! Answers don’t just appear on the test paper! He’s such a hopeless sleeper! Wait till the make-up exam!

Timid during the exam, but fiercely motivated afterward. Even after turning in a blank paper for one class, Lian Yu remained completely unfazed. On the way to the White Tower with YaoJin to pick up their Guide, he was still excitedly planning where to eat and what to do next.

At the Tower’s main entrance, they encountered a beaming Fan, and next to him stood the reason for his radiant appearance—Chen Wuyou.

Dr. Chen greeted him graciously, but Fan looked as if he’d seen a ghost, wishing he could just disappear right then and there with Chen Wuyou.

“Doctor Chen, what brings you to the tower?” YaoJin, as the Little Sunshine male protagonist, naturally greeted him enthusiastically. Chen Wuyou replied with a smile, “Tomorrow’s the physique test. The Tower medical office is short-staffed, so I’ve been brought here to fill the void.”

“Would you like to have dinner together?” Lian Yu approached with a smile. Fan, never missing an opportunity to challenge Lian Yu, sarcastically said, “Is it raining red? You’re inviting us to dinner?”

“After all, you’re going to be my grandson soon. As your elder, I’m naturally more tolerant and generous…”

“Lian! Yu!”

……

Half an hour later, four Sentinels and two Guides quietly gathered around a small round table. Restaurants that accept Sentinel clients are, without exception, exceptionally quiet. Tables are spaced far apart, and the white noise of the drizzling rain adds to the hushed stillness of the area.

Pan was so embarrassed he dug his toes into the ground, nearly scraping out a four-bedroom apartment. He and the equally embarrassed YaoJin exchanged glances, each wondering who am I, where am I, and why am I even here.

Chen Wuyou had his head down exchanging some work related files with his colleagues at the Central Hospital, seemingly oblivious to everything. Beside him, Fan was also furious and embarrassed. He seriously suspected Lian Yu had invited him to the banquet solely to embarrass him to death. What a vicious and cunning Sentinel!

Cen Zhen sipped his tea quietly. He always appear quiet in public, so the others’ silence didn’t bother him. As for Lian Yu, he was playing with Cen Zhen’s left hand, which had been resting on his knee, like a moron who had never seen fingers.

Fan and YaoJin instantly discovered a way to lessen their embarrassment through Lian Yu’s behavior. One of them began straightening Chen Wuyou’s collar, sleeves, and hem… If no one interrupted the silence, Fan would have even squatted down to tie his shoelaces. The other began peeling peanuts for Pan, then sunflower seeds, until Pan was practically about to cry because he could not keep up with his pace and finish them all.

On the ground, after being twitched by the invisible spirit’s tail for the sixth time, the panda finally had a meltdown and hid behind the snow leopard, howling. Meanwhile, the ‘unknown creature’ wagged its tail triumphantly and, with the gait of a king, stalked its territory with a majestic aura. The snow leopard, witnessing the entire exchange, closed its eyes speechlessly and continued to nap on the ground. The panda waited a moment, realizing it could truly be undisturbed if he stayed by the snow leopard’s presence, and soon returned to its innocent amusement.

Finally, Chen Wuyou finished handing over his work, closed the terminal, smiled sheepishly at everyone, took a sip of warm water, and then spoke naturally, “Cen Zhen, your physical condition is quite special. Should we explain to the White Tower and ask to use the Sentinel’s test equipment?”

Before he finished speaking, he received three gazes, as if staring at a savior. Chen Wuyou touched the tip of his nose in confusion, leaned over to Fan’s ear and whispered, “What’s going on?”

Fan grasped the back of Chen Wuyou’s hand and squeezed it firmly, saying earnestly, “Wuyou, you’re so handsome! Meeting you is my greatest fortune in the past twenty years.”

What’s going on?! Why did this person suddenly start giving his last word summarizing his life?!

Chen Wuyou’s suggestion suddenly dawned on the others. Pan nodded. “Doctor Chen has a point. Take the grip strength tester for example. If you, Cen Zhen, had used the one we use for Guides, you might have broken it…”

“The scale to measure jumping ability isn’t high enough either,” YaoJin said. “I think you could apply to come to the Tower and take the test with the Sentinels.”

Lian Yu’s eyes lit up. “YaoJin’s suggestion is feasible. Ana, apply to come to Tower Team 1, and we can…”

He didn’t finish his words before frowning and looking in a certain direction. YaoJin also moved at the same time, a hint of annoyance on his face. Fan and Chen Wuyou were a little slower to react, but the difference was only a second or two—a time for their hearing to adjust.

Pan looked up curiously. He followed the Sentinel’s gaze and saw a private room not far away, hidden behind a soundproof curtain. Two figures could be vaguely seen sitting opposite each other.

Cen Zhen also noticed this and guessed that the other party must have said something unpleasant. Since it had caused such strong resentment in Lian Yu, the content was definitely related to him.

As expected, the next moment, Fan coldly declared in a calm voice, “Think we’re exaggerating? That’s because you’re shortsighted. You have never seen a Guide with an S-level physique!”

YaoJin also spoke indignantly, “A part of an A-level team? So what? Even an A-level team can’t guarantee they don’t have shortsighted members.”

Soon, Chen Wuyou, usually a veteran and uncompetitive person, couldn’t help but shout, “Although they’re only students in the Towers now, their future is definitely brighter than yours.”

After hearing these words, Pan finally realized what was happening. He looked at Cen Zhen with concern, fearing that his mood would be affected. However, Cen Zhen was actually worried about Lian Yu. He hadn’t said a word the entire time. While the other three Sentinels might have argued a bit, or at most, ended up in a fight, if his troublemaker got angry, the lives of the two rude guys next door would be at stake.

The two sides exchanged barbs for a moment, then the two Sentinels nearby stepped out from behind the curtain. Equally malicious smiles adorned their faces, they each pulled a dark blue badge from their pockets and waved it maliciously at the six students. Their message was clear: ‘Go ahead and brag! Brag more if you can!’

They held union-appointed supervisor certificates. Apparently, they were both spectators for tomorrow’s physique test, hence their arrogance.

Fan leaped to his feet and was about to explode when Lian Yu’s deliberately subdued voice rang out: “Oh, it’s over! They’re actually officials! They’ll definitely be at the test site tomorrow. If they see us then… what’s going to happen?”

“…..” Fan froze for a moment, subconsciously sensing something was amiss with this statement. Then, reflecting on it, he realized it was truly diabolical, fitting the character of Lian Yu, the treacherous and cunning Sentinel.

​

Original Author’s Note:

Pan: Cen Zhen, they’re scolding you! I’m so pissed off, why aren’t you angry? QAQ!

Cen Zhen: Who would get angry at some dead person?

Pan: … (shivering)