Chapter 696: The Dark Sentinel 7

 Lu Tong quickly realized that Tang Wan had seen fragments of his memories.

His gaze sharpened immediately as he stared at her, cold and probing, carefully observing every subtle change in her expression while simultaneously sensing the fluctuations in her emotions through their connected spiritual link.

He was prepared to see fear.

Or disgust.

Or even rejection.

But there was none.

What he saw instead—

Was worry.

And something even softer.

Distress.

The emotions flowing from her spiritual realm were equally clear. There was no trace of fear, no resistance. What he felt was concern, warmth, and an unmistakable sense of acceptance.

For a brief moment, Lu Tong’s heart trembled.

This was the first time a guide had ever looked at him like this.

The first time someone had touched his world without recoiling from it.

A strange sense of satisfaction rose within him, sharp and undeniable.

As expected, she is mine.

Different from those useless cowards.

—

It was not as if the White Tower had never attempted to assign him a guide.

Even for a dark sentinel, there was always the possibility of losing control. The committee had tried more than once, carefully selecting guides with compatibility rates above eighty percent.

On paper, those matches were excellent.

In reality—

They were meaningless.

Every time he connected with them, the emotions he received were the same.

Fear.

Resistance.

Avoidance.

They feared him.

Feared the blood, the violence, the uncontrollable darkness that followed him like a shadow.

None of them truly wanted to be the guide of what they saw as a weapon of war.

And Lu Tong had no interest in forcing it.

If they feared him, they were unworthy.

If they resisted him, he would not lower himself to pursue them.

Besides, he was well aware that assigning him a guide was not simply about stability. It was also a means of control. The White Tower intended to use the guide as a leash.

After several such attempts, he had rejected all further arrangements without hesitation.

He did not need anyone.

He could live perfectly well on his own.

—

But Tang Wan—

Was different.

The emotions he felt from her were light, warm, and steady.

There was no fear.

No hesitation.

Only a quiet sense of ease, and an almost instinctive closeness.

It was a feeling he had never experienced before.

And once experienced—

It was impossible to ignore.

—

During the connection, Lu Tong’s favorability rose rapidly, reaching sixty points in a short span of time.

This was not surprising.

For a sentinel, encountering a guide with perfect compatibility already created a natural affinity. Once their spiritual realms connected, it became even harder to conceal anything. Emotions flowed freely, unfiltered, making deception nearly impossible.

As long as neither side harbored malice, trust would form quickly.

This was also why perfectly matched pairs often developed an unparalleled level of understanding.

—

After a while, the connection between them gradually stabilized.

The spiritual link was complete.

From this moment on, they were bound.

Even without physical proximity, they could sense each other’s presence, perceive each other’s emotions, and even communicate across distance through their shared connection.

—

At their feet, the white tiger lowered itself before the Persian cat.

Then, without any hesitation, it rolled over and exposed its soft belly completely, offering its most vulnerable point without defense.

The gesture was instinctive.

Absolute trust.

—

Tang Wan glanced at it, then at Lu Tong.

The contrast between his cold expression and the honesty of his mental body was almost amusing.

—

When Lu Tong withdrew his spiritual thread, Tang Wan suddenly felt as though all the strength had been drained from her body.

A deep exhaustion washed over her, heavy and unavoidable, leaving her limbs weak and her mind slightly dazed.

Before she could react—

Her body was lifted.

—

Lu Tong had already picked her up.

The movement was natural, effortless, as if there were no need for permission.

A wave of quiet exclamations spread through the surrounding crowd.

But Tang Wan did not care in the slightest.

She simply leaned her head against his chest, her body relaxing without resistance.

She was truly tired.

And for the first time since arriving in this world—

She allowed herself to rest.