Chapter 691: The Dark Sentinel 2

From the moment Tang Wan accepted the plot, the outline of this world became clear in her mind.

In the original storyline, the role she had taken over—the cannon-fodder female supporting character—had made a fatal mistake during this very “selection.”

She had fallen in love at first sight with one of the most outstanding sentinels present: Elvis.

Unfortunately, Elvis had already chosen someone else.

Zheng Wenjun.

A guide just like her… and also a man.

In this world, once a sentinel and guide formed a bond, it was absolute. Unless one of them died, that connection could never be broken. There were no second chances, no replacements.

But the original host had refused to accept that reality.

Driven by obsession, she had plotted against Zheng Wenjun, intending to eliminate him and take his place.

It had been a foolish move.

Sentinels were not ordinary people. Their perception was sharp, their instincts terrifyingly precise—and Elvis, in particular, was among the strongest of them.

Her scheme had been exposed almost immediately.

The result?

She was forcibly reassigned—matched by higher authority to a notoriously unstable sentinel. A man known for his violent tendencies and inability to control himself.

Without the ability to soothe him, she had been left completely defenseless.

And in the end—

She was beaten to death when he lost control.

—

Tang Wan’s expression remained calm, but her eyes darkened slightly as she continued reviewing the plot.

Because compared to that outcome…

The so-called “villain” of this world was far more interesting.

His name—

Lu Tong.

A dark sentinel.

Among sentinels, dark sentinels were anomalies—rare, powerful, and dangerously self-contained. Their mental stability far exceeded that of ordinary sentinels, and in theory, they did not require guides at all.

But “in theory” was not reality.

After returning from a mission, Lu Tong had suddenly lost control within the White Tower. The consequences were immediate—injuries, destruction, panic.

And because he was a dark sentinel—

No one could stop him.

At that critical moment, Zheng Wenjun happened to pass by.

With his exceptional mental power, he suppressed Lu Tong’s instability, calming the storm within him almost instantly.

And from that moment on—

Lu Tong noticed him.

But Zheng Wenjun was already bonded to Elvis.

And Elvis was not someone to be easily challenged.

Yet Lu Tong… was not the type to care about such things.

If he wanted something—

He would take it.

And so, inevitably, he clashed with the protagonist.

The outcome was predictable.

During a later mission, Elvis deliberately provoked him, pushing him into a full mental collapse. In that uncontrollable state, Lu Tong charged straight into enemy territory—

And was annihilated.

When Tang Wan finished reviewing everything, she let out a slow breath.

Then her brows knit slightly.

“Little Cutie,” she asked inwardly, “what happens if I don’t have a high compatibility with Tongtong?”

In this world, compatibility determined everything.

Below 40%, cooperation was unstable.

Above 50%, long-term pairing was possible.

Above 60%, bonding could be considered.

And at 100%—

There was no need for testing at all.

The moment the two met, the connection would be undeniable.

But Lu Tong was a dark sentinel.

A category that, strictly speaking, didn’t even require a guide.

If their compatibility was too low…

The White Tower would absolutely assign her to someone else.

And once that happened—

Even escape would be nearly impossible.

—

Little Cutie immediately rolled his eyes. “You’re overthinking it,” he said. “Did you forget? You and the villain have a 100% destiny match. No matter how the world is structured, you’re bound to be perfectly compatible.”

Tang Wan paused.

Then she exhaled, the tension in her shoulders easing slightly.

“…Good.”

If that was the case—

Then everything was manageable.

At that moment, footsteps approached.

A tall young man stopped in front of her.

Blond hair. Blue eyes. A striking appearance that stood out even among the crowd.

Without a word, he raised his hand.

From within his spiritual domain, a strand of golden light manifested—refined, controlled, unmistakably powerful.

It extended forward.

And in the next second—

Entered Tang Wan’s mind.

 

Chapter 693: The Dark Sentinel 4

For a sentinel, extending a spiritual thread into a guide’s mental world was the most direct way to test compatibility. Through that connection, they could determine whether the guide could soothe their mind and stabilize their senses.

But there was an unspoken rule.

Respect.

A sentinel was expected to seek permission first. A guide’s spiritual realm was private—intrusion without consent could trigger a defensive backlash, even a violent rejection from the guide’s mental barrier.

Clearly—

The blond man in front of Tang Wan had no such considerations.

Before approaching her, he had already relied on his superior mental strength to forcibly break through the defenses of several other guides. None of them had been able to resist him.

Yet he remained dissatisfied.

And now—

He had set his sights on Tang Wan.

The moment his golden thread surged toward her consciousness, Tang Wan’s expression turned cold.

Without hesitation, she raised her own mental barrier.

It rose like an invisible wall—solid, impenetrable, absolute.

She would rather fight than allow this person to trespass into her mind.

The very thought of it made her skin crawl.

At the same time, as her mental power activated—

A figure appeared at her feet.

A snow-white Persian cat.

It stretched lazily, its fur immaculate, its posture elegant yet utterly unbothered, as if it had just woken from a comfortable nap.

Tang Wan froze for a split second.

“…Little Cutie,” she asked inwardly, her tone faintly incredulous, “is this… my mental body?”

Mental bodies were reflections of one’s inner nature.

Sentinels often manifested fierce creatures—hawks, wolves, beasts of prey.

Guides, on the other hand, tended toward gentler forms—small animals, soft, harmless, soothing.

But this—

A Persian cat?

Little Cutie immediately brightened. “Yes! Host, it suits you perfectly!”

Tang Wan’s brows twitched. “Where exactly?”

“It’s obvious!” Little Cutie replied enthusiastically. “Elegant, intelligent, a bit lazy, noble, spoiled, and very good at acting cute—this is completely you!”

Tang Wan: “……”

She genuinely considered deleting him.

Meanwhile, the blond sentinel’s expression darkened.

The appearance of her mental barrier made one thing very clear—

She was rejecting him.

Openly.

Blatantly.

For someone like him, who had grown accustomed to overwhelming others with sheer strength, this was unacceptable.

“You dare to resist me?” he sneered, his eyes turning cold. “Then don’t blame me for being rude.”

His mental power surged again.

This time, he released his mental body.

A vulture.

Its wings spread wide, sharp and predatory, diving straight toward Tang Wan’s barrier with ruthless intent.

But before it could strike—

The Persian cat moved.

It leapt lightly into the air, its movements graceful and effortless. Then, without hesitation, it raised its paw—

And slapped.

“Meow!”

The sound was crisp.

Decisive.

And utterly devastating.

The vulture didn’t even have time to react.

A flurry of rapid strikes followed—sharp, relentless, overwhelming. Feathers scattered instantly as the once-dominant predator was battered midair like a helpless toy.

The attack landed directly on the mental body—

And the backlash hit its owner immediately.

The blond sentinel’s face went pale.

His pupils shrank violently as he staggered back, his connection forcibly severed. He hurriedly recalled his mental body, his breathing unsteady.

When he looked at Tang Wan again—

There was shock.

And something darker beneath it.

“You…” His voice was tight. “Are you really a guide?”

That level of offensive power—

Even many sentinels couldn’t match it.

Tang Wan let out a soft, mocking laugh.

Her gaze was cold, her tone sharper than a blade.

“What? A guide can’t be stronger than you?”

She took a step forward, her eyes filled with undisguised disdain.

“With your pathetic strength, you think you’re qualified to force a match with me?”

“Who gave you that confidence?”

The blond man’s expression twisted instantly.

Humiliation burned across his face, but there was nothing he could say.

In the end, he could only glare at her with resentment before turning away abruptly.

Tang Wan watched him leave, her lips curling faintly.

Then she lowered her gaze.

The Persian cat had already landed back beside her, tail flicking lazily, as if nothing of importance had just occurred.

It looked up at her.

Calm.

Elegant.

Proud.

—

Tang Wan stared at it for a moment.

“…Still don’t think this suits me,” she muttered under her breath.

The cat blinked slowly.

Completely unconvinced.