The Heartthrob Guide: Dodder of S-Class Sentinels

Chapter 226 The City is Breached

On the holographic screen at the White Tower, a perpetually playing image of a healing guide smiling and comforting the sentinels is shown. The healed sentinels have tears in their eyes, as if they have been reborn.

But no one will play the live recording of the S-class Sentinel's mental landscape collapsing.

When pollution levels exceed a critical point, those exquisitely crafted healing tendrils reveal their fatal flaws—too slow, too gentle, like trying to stop a tsunami with a feather duster.

Senior Su Ping's spiritual form was a butterfly with magnificent wings. At this moment, it had transformed into a very large butterfly and landed on its master's head. It stretched out its long antennae and slowly integrated its spiritual threads into the vision of those out-of-control sentinels.

"Look at me!" she said sternly, her voice laced with unyielding authority. "Calm down!"

The butterfly's wings fluttered simultaneously, transforming her command into a 360-degree, all-encompassing psychological suggestion. The most restless sentry suddenly froze, a struggle appearing in his dark eyes—his mental image was being forcibly molded into "calmness," as incongruous yet effective as stuffing a wild beast into a human suit.

As expected of an experienced old man, the sentries in the confinement chambers quickly stopped their mutations.

Because they are both insect-type, their mental control abilities are higher than other types. Although Su Ping is only A-rank, Lin Nan felt that her abilities should be close to reaching S-rank.

When the last sentinel was healed and the butterfly spirit disappeared, Su Ping collapsed, almost completely exhausted.

"Mom!" Su Rui, who had rushed over overnight, stepped forward to support the woman's body and said with concern.

"What are you yelling about?" Su Ping said hoarsely, but still obediently leaned into her daughter's arms.

"Thank you, Guide Su, for your hard work all this time."

At some point, Colonel Lauen also appeared on the scene, and he solemnly saluted Su Ping.

But it was obvious that Su Ping didn't want to pay attention to him. Instead, she patted Su Rui's hand and asked her to help her to rest.

"My uncle and guide Su Ping had a romantic relationship," Caesar whispered in Lin Nan's ear, sharing some gossip about his family. "Su Rui is their child."

"Huh?" Lin Nan was a little taken aback by being suddenly bombarded with gossip.

"But later, my uncle was marked by Her Majesty the Queen, so Guide Su Ping was separated from him."

Wow, that's unbelievable!
The vines immediately perked up, brought out small stools and plates, and started eating sunflower seeds while listening to gossip.

"Didn't Su Ping and Colonel Lauen have any markings when they were dating?"

"Uh...that seems to be true. These older folks always like to do things that are exciting..."

"..."

And then things went wrong, right?

In the minds of these sentries, emotion always trumps instinct.

When a more powerful and attractive guide appears before them, they easily abandon their old partner and throw themselves into the arms of another.

【Scumbag! 】

[A contemporary Wu Shixian!]

[He abandoned his wife and children and became impotent for life!]

Rotten cucumber!

In the picture, twelve vines are frantically scrolling across the screen. Caesar's lion seems to sense something, silently burying its big head under its paws, and its tail wrapping around Lin Nan's ankle in a flattering manner—although it has no idea what it did wrong, it's always better to admit defeat first.

"The rest can be handled by the other guides. Su Rui, take your mother back to rest first," Colonel Lauen commanded.

Su Rui nodded, and just as she was helping her mother to get up, the alarm blared again like steel needles piercing the night sky—

The entire white tower was instantly engulfed by scarlet warning lights, and a piercing mechanical female voice echoed through the corridors:

[Urgent Notice – Unidentified Biological Infection Found in Main Urban Area!]

[Pollution levels are rising!] [10%...20%...30%...]

[Security! Security!]

Suddenly, a series of static bursts from everyone's communication channels:

"This is Sector B1. The sentries on night duty have all been infected by an unknown creature!!"

"Report! Colonel, news from Sector B9!!"

"And there are sections B5 and B8..."

"Colonel, we've been deliberately attacked!!"

"..."

The last communications came to an abrupt end, and thick smoke suddenly appeared in various corners of the city outside the White Tower.

boom!
A deafening explosion echoed in the distance, and the explosion-proof glass trembled violently in the shockwave.

Inside the isolation room, the mutated sentinels, who should have been completely purified, slowly stood up, their eyes glowing with a red light...

"Attention all—"

Colonel Lawn's roar was like a thunderclap, shaking the glass in the corridor.

"First echelon, clear the way! Second echelon, bring up the rear!" He drew his sidearm with one hand, the metallic clang of a bullet being chambered particularly clear amidst the sirens. "All guides and civilian personnel, evacuate first. Sentry, provide cross-cover in groups of three—execute immediately!"

Before Lin Nan could react, Caesar's lion grabbed her and carried her on its back, propelling her out of the corridor and towards safety.

But in this world, where is there a place safer than the White Pagoda?

When the path down was blocked again by several Zerg Sentinels who had somehow become infected, the Golden Lion hesitated and stopped.

A deafening explosion came from the evacuation room below, and the shockwave made the entire stairwell tremble.

Lin Nan didn't need to look to understand that the sentinels must have completely mutated and gone out of control.

Caesar did not follow; as the captain of the guard unit, he should have been fighting on the front lines.

Lin Nan's vines instinctively entwined around the railing, waiting with the others for the aftershocks of this shock to subside.

Number Five caught a piece of metal that had been splashed up—it was covered in a strange black slime that was corroding the alloy with a hissing sound.

It tastes like something from another species.

When exactly did these things infiltrate the main urban area?

Now even the White Pagoda can't be detected.

If the sentries inside the tower are in this state, then what about outside—

Lin Nan looked out the window at the smog-shrouded main urban area and had a bad feeling.

—There are so many ordinary citizens and soldiers on duty outside…

"Let's go to the top floor first. The Queen's sonic transmitter is up there!" Su Ping said with difficulty as a sentry carried her on his back.

However, many people dare not go up to the top, because what if the tower collapses if they go up there?

"Don't worry, the White Tower won't fall." Su Ping was panting heavily. She had exhausted all her mental energy purifying those sentinels, and now she could barely walk.

"The top floor is the safest place in the White Tower, the closest to the Queen. At times like these, the Queen will protect us."

(End of this chapter)