The Heartthrob Guide: Dodder of S-Class Sentinels

Chapter 133 Captive
Lin Nan was led into an unknown darkness. She felt like she was being carried by something, stumbling along the way. The darkness enveloped her like thick ink, and she could not see a thing.

Her consciousness became a little blurred in the pain and fear. She could only vaguely feel herself moving quickly, and the wind around her was whistling past her ears. After an unknown amount of time, she was abandoned in a dark corner.

A murderous and sharp aura was chasing after her from behind. Not long after the monster let her go, half of its head was cut off by a flash of a knife by the person chasing it.

The fishy smell filled the dark space, scaring Lin Nan so much that he kept dodging in the corner.

Xiu stood sideways in front of Lin Nan and fought fiercely with the unknown monster.

The light around was very dark, and Lin Nan could not see clearly. He only felt that there were short flashes of white knife light flashing in the air.

Xiuzhen was a seasoned warrior, and his combat instincts were very accurate. Because the cave was narrow, he did not summon his spirit body, but fought the monster naked in hand-to-hand combat for nearly half an hour.

"Captain... run..."

Just as Xiu's weapon was about to pierce the monster's skull and end its life, the monster suddenly began to mutter again.

The voice was weak but clear, as if it was the only obsession left by the deceased.

Xiu's offensive movements stopped.

Lin Nan was also stunned. This monster was actually—

At that moment, the monster's twisted face suddenly cracked into a strange smile, its rotting mouth stretched almost to its ears. Xiu regained his composure and attempted to continue his attack, but the split second of pause was enough for the opponent to strike back. The monster's head suddenly swelled, and the blood vessels beneath its skin erupted like a spider web, emitting a teeth-grinding rattling sound.

With a loud "bang", rubble began to fall from the top of the cave and the ground shook violently, as if the entire space was twisting and deforming.

Xiu instinctively wanted to retreat with Lin Nan, but it was too late. The huge rock fell, and with a loud bang, the top of the tunnel collapsed, and dust poured down, pressing the two of them underground.

Xiu protected Lin Nan under him. The gravel fell like raindrops and the dust made it impossible for people to open their eyes.

After an unknown amount of time, the collapse finally ended and the surroundings returned to dead silence.

Xiu raised his head with difficulty and shook off the dust on his body.

"Guide Lin?" Xiu called softly, his voice unusually hoarse.

"Ahem, I'm here." Lin Nan's mouth and nostrils were filled with sand and dust, and he felt so uncomfortable that he couldn't speak.

"I'm so sorry that we are trapped here, but please don't worry, give me some time." Xiu's voice was very low, with a hint of hoarseness and magnetism in the enclosed space.

Lin Nan could feel the vibration of his chest when he spoke, and the steady rhythm inexplicably soothed the fear in her heart.

Their bodies were so close that she could smell the scent of blood and dust mixed on him. It was a scent that had experienced life and death, but it made people feel at ease for some reason.

A black wolf, shrunk to its smallest size, appeared. It lowered its head, sniffed the ground, and began digging frantically. Soon, a narrow passage appeared before them.

Xiu held Lin Nan's waist from behind and lifted her up gently: "Be careful, there may be gravel ahead."

Lin Nan felt her heart skip a beat. The man's palm was warm and strong, a reassuring warmth through her combat uniform. She climbed forward cautiously, Xiu behind her, holding her legs to prevent her from slipping.

When they finally crawled out of the ruins, the sight before them made them gasp—the original passage had completely collapsed, and huge rocks completely blocked their escape route. If Little Black Wolf hadn't dug a connection to a nearby passage, they would have been trapped to death in this underground maze.

The wolf cub shook off the dust and slowly began to recover. It glanced back at the two of them, suddenly pricked up its ears, and let out a low, warning sound. Xiu's expression changed instantly. He suddenly lifted Lin Nan onto his back, his gaze fixed on the cave entrance they had just emerged from—from there, a creepy scratching sound...

That guy didn't die, he followed me.

"Damn it!" Xiu sneered and ran deeper into the passage with Lin Nan on his back.

The little wolf cub followed closely behind, looking back from time to time to be vigilant.

Lin Nan lay on Xiu's back, feeling a sticky and moist touch under her palm.

It was not until then that she realized that Xiu's back was already soaked with blood, and his combat uniform was torn to pieces, revealing the hideous wounds underneath.

Her fingers emitted a little green light, and in the faint light, Lin Nan noticed that the blood on his body was not only from the monster, but also from himself. Perhaps in order to protect her just now, the skin on his entire back was blown away by the explosion, and the bright red flesh and blood turned inside out, mixed with gravel and dust, and in some places even white bones could be seen.

With every step he took, more blood oozed from his wound. Even though he was injured like this, the man still didn't say a word.

Are all sentries like this?

Lin Nan was a little stunned.

"Is the person behind you your former team member?" Lin Nan asked in a low voice, trying not to touch his wound.

Xiu didn't answer, instead carrying her on his back and running. Silence stretched between them, with only the eerie sounds in the distance reminding them of the approaching danger. This silent acquiescence was more painful than any answer.

Lin Nan felt her heart being tightly gripped. At this moment, the vines in her brain came out uncontrollably. The emerald green vines glowed faintly in the darkness, and the soft vine tips gently wrapped around Shang Xiu's arm, like silent comfort.

From those tips, Lin Nan caught the suppressed pain, reluctance, and self-blame in his heart...

"Don't be sad." Lin Nan comforted him softly, silently erasing his painful emotions. "Some time ago, I heard a friend say that humans turning into alien species isn't necessarily a bad thing. At least they survived in another way. As long as we remember them, their will will never disappear..."

Number Five climbed onto the Sentinel's head and stroked him gently.

"You are a good captain, don't be sad anymore..."

Lin Nan's voice was like a clear spring, flowing in the silent tunnel.

Xiu's pace gradually slowed down and finally stopped in the middle of the dim tunnel.

His chest heaved violently, and the wound on his back was still bleeding, but at this moment, all the pain seemed to have disappeared.

The strange footsteps that were chasing after him disappeared the moment he heard the girl's words.

Xiu bit his lip and took a long time before he dared to raise his head and look back at Lin Nan. There was a complex light flashing in the man's reddish-brown eyes.

"Guide Lin, thank you, but..." He begged her, "Please don't help me anymore. I am embarrassed and lowly. I don't deserve your comfort..."

Inferiority complex little wolfdog.

(End of this chapter)