Chapter 38: Failing to Keep Up with the Gossip

To be honest, Wen Li really did not know how to operate the fishing rod in her hands.

Cyril understood and helped her organize the equipment. With a few taps on the floating light screen, the rod assembled itself, leaving Wen Li only to find a spot to set it up. This experience, both retro and futuristic, felt incredibly novel to the young guide.

"Cyril, do you come here often?"

His long white hair was stirred by the breeze, strands clinging to the girl’s shoulders like a display of affection.

"I can't get in here; only the club’s guides can."

"Then, by bringing me here, aren't you..."

Cyril extended his index finger and pressed it against Wen Li’s delicate lips.

"Shh..."

"If we keep our voices down, no one will know."

His eyes curved into a smiling crescent. Just as Wen Li was about to reply, the fishing rod in her hand lit up with a red light. She pulled upward with force, and with a *whoosh*, a plump silver fish was dragged onto the bank.

"Wow, so fat!" Wen Li watched, her eyes shining.

Cyril stood up and grabbed the thrashing fish. Suddenly, the faint sound of an argument drifted over from the distance. At first, the two kept their voices low, but soon the woman’s tone grew increasingly agitated.

"You promised me! You said you would!"

The man opposite her replied with great coldness: "It was the club that promised you."

*Click.*

The sound of the argument vanished. Under Cyril’s feet, a leaf snapped. He gripped the fish, his eyes crinkling into a smile.

"Apologies."

Having been caught eavesdropping, Wen Li watched as the man behind the large tree hurried away, leaving the woman alone by the lake. The woman’s gaze was filled with gloom; as she turned to leave, she cast a warning glance at Wen Li.

Wen Li felt a bit awkward—she actually recognized the woman. It was Mu An, an SS-rank guide who had come to the club with her.

"It’s all your fault for being so bad at eavesdropping." She tossed a small pebble at the sentinel.

Cyril dodged nimbly and placed the fish into a bucket. "I’m actually helping you. If you heard something you weren't supposed to, you might never be able to leave this club."

Wen Li had had enough fun and stood up to leave. She looked at the fish in the bucket and asked, "What do you plan to do with it?"

Cyril held the bucket to his chest as if it were a precious treasure. "This is mine."

Wen Li rolled her eyes at him; it was clear he wanted to eat it himself.

To prepare for tomorrow's group competition, Wen Li needed to coordinate with Alpha Squad. The competition venue was a simulated battlefield where the level of pollutants would increase over time. The last team standing would be the winner. The rules seemed simple, but in reality, there was a lot of behind-the-scenes manipulation.

First and foremost, the team’s combat power was crucial. One SSS-rank sentinel could hold off three SS-rank sentinels. Therefore, the White Tower had deployed the high-combat-power Alpha Squad. This would save Wen Li a vast amount of psychic energy, facilitating a prolonged battle in the later stages. Secondly, there was no explicit rule against forming alliances between teams, so factions targeting the White Tower would surely team up and find ways to eliminate them first. Wen Li had to face dangerous pollutants while also guarding against backstabbing at any moment.

Finally, the simulated battlefield would introduce artificial pollutant factors, briefly spiking the aberration index of the combat sentinels. A team could have at most seven combat sentinels; if four experienced a psychic riot, the team would lose. This was where a guide’s role became essential, especially a healing-type guide.

The coordination of Alpha Squad went without saying. They were warriors who had been through countless polluted zones. Wen Li only needed to familiarize herself with their spirit beasts and purification methods beforehand.

Thus, Wen Li spent the entire afternoon surrounded by fluff. The Czechoslovakian Wolfdog in front of her perked up its ears and sat obediently. A chubby otter was draped over Wen Li’s back. While petting the big dog, she had to free up a hand to stroke the owl in her lap. It was... it was just pure bliss.

The next day, the highly anticipated simulated battlefield competition officially began. There were no spectators, only a few leaders from the event organizers watching. Everyone had to connect to a simulator.

Wen Li wore a bulky holographic helmet and shifted uncomfortably. Sterb, standing beside her, leaned over to adjust it to the most comfortable position for the young guide. Sensing the tense muscles in the girl's arm, he asked gently, "Are you nervous, Guide Wen?"

Hearing the cold voice of the sentinel beside her, Wen Li thought she looked pathetic and immediately shook her head to show she wasn't nervous. The light-gray-haired sentinel looked up, pretending to be indifferent, while his other hand clenched into a fist.

*I’m still hated, then.*

Wen Li’s nervousness wasn't due to the match, but because the enclosed helmet reminded her of the feeling of a medical examination. Her body was reacting subconsciously.

She took a breath to calm herself; the match was about to start.

Opening her eyes, the scene looked very much like the place where they had been forced to land on their last mission. Forests stretched out, layer upon layer, feeling somewhat oppressive. The sentinels finished installing their equipment. Both Wen Li and the sentinels were wearing black, streamlined combat uniforms. The medical sentinel and the sniper remained in the innermost circle, protecting Wen Li. The second layer consisted of three main combatants led by Sterb. The outermost perimeter was handled by highly mobile sentinels acting as scouts.

The seven-member team was experienced; without needing Wen Li to act, their formidable psychic power easily cleared the first wave of attacks. Other teams were likely still in the heat of battle, giving Wen Li time to study the pollutants.

Since the battlefield was a forest, the pollutants were naturally plant-based.

"Captain Sterb, what is the prototype for this pollutant?"

Wen Li poked the corpse lying on the ground with a branch. The sentinels, who were cleaning their weapons, stopped and looked up to see the small, blonde girl crouching next to the ugly pollutant, seemingly trying to move it.

*My dear little cake, what are you doing!*

Qi Min, the youngest sentinel in the team, was so scared he immediately moved the pollutant away, terrified the guide might get any filth on her. The otter spirit beast immediately ran to Wen Li, using its soft fur to wipe her hands.

"Guide Wen, we should be doing this dirty work."

Wen Li, who wanted to do research: "..."

"No, I was just curious about its prototype."

Qi Min glanced at the limp pollutant in his hand. *Are you curious about this and not about me? This ugly thing??*

The sniper, Enzo, answered her question. "D-rank pollutant. The prototype is a pitcher plant."

No wonder there was a thin membrane on the pollutant's head, and the opening at the top emitted an indescribable odor. Wen Li looked up and saw him holding a massive sniper rifle, with a very serious-looking owl perched on his shoulder.

When she had petted it yesterday, the owl hadn't been like this. Why the sudden attitude shift today? She couldn't resist petting it again, and only stopped when she saw the owl squint its eyes in comfort.

Enzo, the sniper, turned his head away shyly; fortunately, he was wearing a mask, or his beet-red face would have been exposed.

Soon, the scattered corpses nearby dissolved into fragments and vanished. The second wave of pollutants was about to strike.