First Interstellar Guide Chapter 113: Extra 14: Parallel World; Tunnel

Chapter 113: Extra 14: Parallel World; Tunnel

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Karai

Under Xie Ran’s “after-school tutoring,” the students of Class 7 not only became more obedient but also made significant progress in their grades. Attack-type guides have some healing abilities, but their healing abilities are relatively weak. The healing knowledge taught by the teachers is also very simple, covering only the most basic guidance and maintenance of mental landscapes.

The students of Class 7 are all attack-type guides and aren’t particularly interested in healing courses. It’s Xie Ran who paid keen attention during class. Apart from what the teachers teach, he reads a lot of books and even self-studied healing courses borrowed from the library.

The classmates thought that Xie Ran must have finished studying the attack-type courses and is just researching healing courses out of boredom. What they don’t know is that Xie Ran is self-studying healing courses because he has a good sentinel friend.

Sentinels naturally have unstable mental energy and are prone to mental breakdowns, even madness or distortion. Lu Zexuan is an S-class sentinel. In case he goes berserk in the future, without the help of a guide who understands his mental landscape well, he might not be saved.

Xie Ran wouldn’t allow such tragedies to happen. So, at a young age, he started self-studying healing courses. His healing ability was only at a B level. But Xie Ran thought that learning a bit more can’t hurt. In case something happens to Lu Zexuan in the future, or if his sentinel comrades face the danger of mental breakdown, he can at least offer some help, rather than just anxiously watching from the sidelines. Although his healing ability was weak, his learning ability was strong; he could understand the contents of books with just one read.

The Guide Academy has a dedicated healing course laboratory with intelligent robots where students could come to simulate practice. Xie Ran went to the lab every day after school to find a sentinel robot, and tried to repair its mental landscape.

The mental landscape and mental energy level of the robot can be freely adjusted. Xie Ran started with lower-level robots for practice. With practice, he gradually became proficient in healing B-level robots and could perform simple guidance on A-level robots.

But he could never break through the mental barrier of an S-class sentinel.

If healing doesn’t work, why not try an attacking approach? Xie Ran used the fiery tendrils of his fire fox to burn away a large part of the robot’s mental landscape, then attempted to repair it. Under his continuous “torture” of attack, repair, and attack, the red light flashes on the robot’s forehead.

“Warning, warning, system malfunction!”

When the dean came to inspect the laboratory, he happened to see this scene and helplessly said, “This Xie Ran, why did he mess up the robot so badly?” He knocked on the door and looked at Xie Ran, asking, “Xie Ran, I heard you’ve been studying healing courses recently?”

Xie Ran replied, “Yes, Dean, I’ve learned almost everything about attack-type courses.”

So fast? It’s been just over a month since the start of the school year, and he’s already proficient in using mental tendrils. Truly gifted. The dean asked, “Why are you suddenly interested in healing courses?”

Xie Ran said, “My healing talent isn’t strong, but learning some skills might come in handy in the future.”

Looking at his earnest eyes, the dean smiled slightly and said, “Alright, stop torturing the robots. I’ll personally teach you.”

Dean Xie always treasured talents. He has been paying attention to Xie Ran’s performance. He himself is an S-class healing guide, and his spirit body is a lovely silver-throated long-tailed mountain finch. Under his personal guidance, Xie Ran’s mastery of healing techniques has significantly improved.

Gradually, Xie Ran wasn’t satisfied with practicing on robots in the healing laboratory; he felt that robots lack souls. The mental landscape, injuries, and mental energy levels of robots can be set and adjusted in the light brain. However, humans are extremely complex beings. Most patients don’t follow textbook illnesses, and the mental landscapes and injuries of sentinels are not exactly like those of robots.

He wants to practice on real sentinels.

Ordinary sentinel students wouldn’t agree to be his “practice models” because of his young age. Only Lu Zexuan would believe in him. Unfortunately, during his time at the Sanctuary, there’s no communication allowed between the Guide Academy and the Sentinel Academy. He wondered how Lu Zexuan was doing in the neighboring Sentinel Academy?

That night, Xie Ran tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. Why did they erect such high barriers between the Guide Academy and the Sentinel Academy? Since sentinels and guides are destined to assist and protect each other, shouldn’t they cultivate understanding between them from an early age?

The more Xie Ran thought about it, the more unreasonable it seemed. The high wall not only isolated friendships between sentinels and guides but also separated everyone’s understanding of each other. He really wanted to go to the Sentinel Academy, but the wall was too high to climb over.

If climbing over the wall isn’t feasible, then… how about digging a tunnel? With a spark of inspiration, Xie Ran thought, why not check the school’s surveillance tomorrow, and then find an opportunity at night to see if he could go underground!

***

The next day, Xie Ran pretended to take his classmates to clean up, checking the surveillance along the way from the dormitory to the isolation wall. He quickly discovered a path at the dormitory entrance that wasn’t monitored. Near the isolation wall, there was a big tree that conveniently blocked the view of the surveillance cameras from above.

Xie Ran mapped out a plan in his mind and calmly withdrew his gaze.

That night, at half past midnight, Xie Ran quietly slipped out of bed and sneaked out of the dormitory.

The lights-out time for the Guide Academy was 11 pm, so all the students were asleep by now. The entire academy was quiet, with no one in sight. Xie Ran summoned his fire fox to diminish his presence and quickly walked along the wall towards the isolation wall.

He had already explored this route in advance and confirmed that it wouldn’t be caught on surveillance. Upon reaching near the isolation wall, Xie Ran swiftly hid behind the big tree and took out a folding shovel from his pocket, starting to dig vigorously.

Fortunately, the soil here was relatively soft and easy to dig. However, Xie Ran’s strength was not as great as a sentinel’s. After digging for over an hour, he only managed to dig a small pit. He found a wooden board and covered it with a layer of dry leaves to conceal the hole before sneaking back to the dormitory to sleep.

The next evening, he once again came to the back of the big tree, lifted the wooden board, and jumped into the pit to continue digging…

Because the fire fox could help him become invisible, and he avoided all the surveillance cameras perfectly, and also chose the late night when his classmates were fast asleep to act, for three whole days, no one noticed his little actions.

Today was Friday, and Xie Ran finally dug the tunnel all the way to the neighboring Sentinel Academy. Only a thin layer of soil remained above his head, and he would soon break through.

Xie Ran was overjoyed, wiping the sweat from his forehead, and continued digging upwards. At the same time, in the woods near the isolation wall of the Sentinel Academy, Lu Zexuan was practicing martial arts. His punches were as fast as lightning, and despite his young age, his movements were clean and sharp, bearing resemblance to his father, General Lu.

Lu Zexuan’s face was serious, practicing very earnestly. Suddenly, there was a rustling sound not far away, as if there was a monster trying to burrow out from underground.

Lu Zexuan, with keen hearing, quickly noticed that something was amiss. He walked towards the source of the sound with a puzzled expression, frowning at the ground, his fists clenched in a defensive posture, ready to knock down the emerging monster with one punch.

The commotion underground grew louder. Soon, the “monster” actually broke through the ground, revealing a furry head.

Lu Zexuan was about to throw a punch, but at the moment when he was about to hit the face of the other person, he abruptly halted.

“…Ranran?” Lu Zexuan looked at the figure in front of him in disbelief.

Though he was covered in dirt, Lu Zexuan recognized those eyes at a glance. Xie Ran emerged from underground, and as he squatted beside the pit, he and Lu Zexuan stared at each other in astonishment.

After a moment, Xie Ran quipped, “What are you doing here in the middle of the night?”

Lu Zexuan replied, “…Shouldn’t I be asking you that, Xie Ran?”

To emerge from underground like this, it was truly beyond words. The Guide Academy couldn’t contain this Buddha statue, so you dug a tunnel and ran to the Sentinel Academy?

Lu Zexuan frowned, looking at him, “How did you come out from underground?”

Facing Lu Zexuan’s complex gaze, Xie Ran smiled broadly, “If I said I missed you and dug a tunnel to see you, would you believe me?”

Lu Zexuan: “…”

Xie Ran knew this reason was a bit far-fetched, so he coughed and explained, “I was just curious about what courses the Sentinel Academy is really studying, so I came to take a look, and incidentally, I saw you here.”

Seeing Xie Ran’s disheveled appearance, Lu Zexuan helplessly pulled him out of the hole, brushing off the grass from his hair, and said, “By violating the school rules like this, if you get caught, what will you do?”

Looking into Lu Zexuan’s eyes, Xie Ran said, “Only the two of us know about this. You won’t betray me, will you?”

Lu Zexuan felt extremely helpless. This fellow Xie Ran always loved mischief. He thought he could study peacefully at the Sanctuary, but instead, he dug a tunnel and sneaked into the Sentinel Academy, truly audacious!

But this was also the Xie Ran that Lu Zexuan knew. Fearless, he did things according to his own will.

Lu Zexuan sighed, “Forget it. I can keep this secret for you, but from now on, you can’t come over…”

Xie Ran interrupted him, “That won’t do. I’ve already dug the tunnel. If I don’t come over, wouldn’t it be a waste of effort?”

Lu Zexuan couldn’t help but smile wryly, “Do you still want to continue digging tunnels to the Sentinel Academy?”

Xie Ran grinned, “Give me a copy of your Sentinel Academy’s schedule. Let me see if I can attend a few classes. Also, I’ve already learned healing techniques. I’ll be able to guide your mental landscape in the future. In the spirit of our many years of friendship, can you help me with that? My healing level is only B-grade, I promise not to harm your mental landscape. Even if we’re discovered, I won’t drag you down.”

Facing Xie Ran’s pleading eyes, Lu Zexuan softened once again. No way, Xie Ran was his nemesis. From childhood to adulthood, whenever Xie Ran asked him for something, he couldn’t bring himself to refuse.

Forget it. If Ranran’s tunnel digging was really discovered by the teacher, he would surely face punishment. At that time, he would say the tunnel was dug by both of them together, to share some of the pressure. Perhaps, the school might go easy on them considering they were “co-conspirators”.

Thinking about this, Lu Zexuan said, “Alright, I can help you. But promise me, you won’t misuse your guiding ability at the Sentinel Academy. There’s no guiding here, and if you use your mental tendrils, you’ll surely get caught. If you want to practice in the future, I’ll be your model, you can come to me for practice.”

Xie Ran excitedly lunged forward and hugged Lu Zexuan, “I knew you would agree!”

Lu Zexuan blushed and stiffened, “Y-you, let go of me, you’re covered in mud!”

Xie Ran released him, looking embarrassed at the mud on himself, “I forgot I just came out of the tunnel, I’m a bit dirty. Uh, hey, want me to wash your jacket?”

Lu Zexuan brushed off the dirt on himself, “Forget it, I’ll do it myself. You should go back now, it’s cold at night, don’t catch a cold.”

Listening to his concern, Xie Ran felt a slight warmth in his heart. Indeed, no matter what he did, Lu Zexuan would never blame him, but instead, he was always tolerant and supportive. That’s how it had been since childhood, and it was Lu Zexuan’s indulgence that allowed Xie Ran to have a carefree and unrestrained childhood.

He knew digging tunnels violated the school rules, but as long as he didn’t harm anyone, there was room for maneuvering. Even if he faced punishment, it would likely just be a warning, with some reflection required. Maybe, by the time the school found out, he would have already graduated!

Once this tunnel was dug, every night thereafter, he could secretly meet Lu Zexuan. Thinking about this, Xie Ran couldn’t help but feel a little happy.

Seeing him smiling so happily, Lu Zexuan couldn’t help but ask, “What are you smiling about?”

Xie Ran suppressed his smile and said, “I’m just happy to see you. I dug this tunnel, and the first person I see is you. Isn’t that a coincidence?”

Lu Zexuan said, “Probably fate, right? We were born on the same day, it’s already quite a coincidence.”

The two locked eyes. It was just after winter, and the early spring nights still carried a chill. The starry sky above was clear, and in that moment of eye contact, it felt like something soft was silently taking root in their hearts, spreading out gently.

The fate of being born on the same day, perhaps it had been destined long ago. When they were in school, they would sometimes turn back and see each other’s figures as if there was a telepathic connection between them.

This unexpected encounter wasn’t really a coincidence. The reason Lu Zexuan couldn’t sleep and came out to practice in the middle of the night was precisely because he was thinking of Xie Ran. He thought Ranran was so clever, he would surely progress quickly in his studies. Perhaps in a few months, he would have completed all the courses at the Sanctuary. He couldn’t fall behind. If Xie Ran graduated early, it would be best if he could graduate together. That way, they could meet again at university.

During this time, while Xie Ran diligently studied healing courses, Lu Zexuan also trained tirelessly day and night. Most of the Sentinel’s graduation assessment consisted of practical courses, and he had learned many combat techniques from his father since childhood. Now, with diligent practice, his skills were rapidly improving.

Xie Ran completed the telepathic tendrils-related courses in a month, and Lu Zexuan completed all the combat techniques in a month as well.

Both of them were working hard for each other, but they were unaware of each other’s efforts.

Lu Zexuan looked at Xie Ran, his gaze gradually softening, “We have classes tomorrow. Go back, take a hot bath, and get some sleep.”

Xie Ran nodded, “Okay, I’ll leave first.”

With that, he went back into the tunnel, only poking his head out and smiling at Lu Zexuan, “Goodbye, I’ll come to see you tomorrow night!”

Lu Zexuan, “…” What emerged from underground wasn’t a monster, but a living person. Would he come through here every night from now on? Lu Zexuan rubbed his temples with a mix of exasperation and amusement. Digging tunnels? Xie Ran, you really are something.