First Interstellar Guide Chapter 120: Extra 21: Parallel World; Red Spider Planet

Chapter 120: Extra 21: Parallel World; Red Spider Planet

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Karai

Xie Ran climbed out of the battleship, feeling dizzy and disoriented. Not far away, Lu Zexuan also opened the hatch of his ship. The two exchanged glances, and Lu Zexuan hurried over to Xie Ran, nervously gripping his shoulder. “Ranran, are you okay?”

Xie Ran looked at him with mixed emotions. “You could have escaped, why did you follow me?”

At that moment, Xie Ran’s battleship was close to the wormhole, and he was sucked in before he could react. However, Lu Zexuan’s battleship was far away, and if he had immediately changed direction, he wouldn’t have fallen in.

Lu Zexuan stared into Xie Ran’s eyes, speaking softly. “How could I leave you behind and save myself? If it were you, would you abandon me?”

Xie Ran was speechless. If it were Lu Zexuan being sucked into the wormhole, he would have undoubtedly rushed to save him, rather than escaping alone. They had agreed long ago to face any difficulties together.

Thinking of this, Xie Ran couldn’t help but smile faintly and gave Lu Zexuan a gentle hug. “Luckily, we’re both okay and not torn apart by the wormhole.” He looked around. “Where are we? Why is there red mist everywhere?”

Lu Zexuan followed his gaze and indeed saw thick red mist all over the strange forest. The plants here were also very unfamiliar, indicating that they had been transported to an unknown planet by the wormhole.

Lu Zexuan activated the monitor on his wrist communicator, and a mechanical voice sounded in his ear. “The oxygen content in the air is sufficient, the environmental temperature is 27 degrees Celsius, humidity is 60%, and no harmful substances have been detected.”

“It should be a planet hidden beneath the wormhole,” Lu Zexuan said. “Do you know anything about it, Ranran?”

Although Xie Ran’s intelligence was like an encyclopedia in Lu Zexuan’s mind, he was also unfamiliar with the planet before them. After carefully observing for a moment, he shook his head. “I’ve never seen this planet mentioned in any data. Let’s explore cautiously.”

Lu Zexuan nodded. “Yeah, let me check if our ships are damaged.”

He turned back to inspect their ships. Due to timely activation of the defensive shield, the damage was not severe and could be repaired. However, even if they repaired the ships, they couldn’t return the same way. The gravity of the wormhole was irreversible, so they would have to find another way to leave this planet.

Suddenly, Lu Zexuan’s expression changed. “Be careful, there seems to be something in this forest.”

With keen senses, Lu Zexuan heard strange buzzing sounds in his ears. The sound grew clearer, and when he looked up, he saw many red “flying insects” flying towards them from the depths of the red mist.

Lu Zexuan said, “Many flying insects, resembling spiders. I wonder if they’re poisonous.”

Thinking that there might be a large number of spiders deeper in the red mist, Xie Ran couldn’t help but shiver. With a stern face, he said, “Let’s get out of here first.”

The two hurriedly walked in opposite directions. They left the area of ​​the red mist, but the plants ahead became increasingly strange. The roots of those trees were the same color as the soil, making it difficult to distinguish with the naked eye. Xie Ran accidentally got pricked by thorns on a root, and blood flowed.

Lu Zexuan stopped in his tracks. “You’re injured, let me treat the wound for you.”

Xie Ran was about to find a place to sit down when suddenly, the roots around them seemed to be activated, making rustling sounds.

Lu Zexuan’s face changed. “Not good!”

Almost as soon as he finished speaking, all the roots buried in the soil suddenly shot up into the air. They resembled monstrous claws, swiftly joining together to form a giant web, enveloping the two of them layer by layer.

Only then did Xie Ran see that the “vines” were covered with sharp thorns. The vines were eager and crazily wrapped around them.

Lu Zexuan drew out his electromagnetic knife and decisively slashed, cutting off the vines entwined around them! He had initially planned to carry Xie Ran and fly out of the forest, but at this moment, countless vines suddenly swept over from a distance, covering their heads. The entire forest had become a huge web made up of vines, and they were just prey caught in it.

Xie Ran said, “These must be bloodthirsty plants. Let’s get out of here!”

Lu Zexuan was incredibly skilled in combat, as fast as lightning. The white light of his knife flashed around him, swiftly cutting through the vines that came close to them!

However, there were too many vines. In the blink of an eye, the light from above was blocked by them. They were like “dumplings” wrapped up by the vines.

Lu Zexuan’s arm veins bulged, and sweat covered his forehead. The layers of vines surrounded them so tightly that it was impossible to break free. The best way was to break through from the air. As long as he took Ranran with him and flew into the sky, these vines wouldn’t be able to harm them. Lu Zexuan decisively summoned his spirit body.

A crisp chirping sounded in the sky as the eagle spread its wings, attacking from above to assist its master. The sharp beak of the eagle viciously bit at the vines swinging in the air, quickly severing several layers of vines!

——Lu Zexuan is trying to cooperate with the eagle to create an opening in the air?

Xie Ran’s heart tightened. “Zexuan, be careful!”

When the spirit body cooperates in combat, the energy consumption of the sentinel doubles. If the consumption exceeds the limit, there’s a high risk of berserk or even mutation!

Xie Ran tightly grasped Lu Zexuan’s left hand, only to find that his palm was already covered in cold sweat.

Lu Zexuan had just led the eagle Special Forces to battle against the Star Pirates to rescue the Starlight Legion. Afterward, he helped Xie Ran deal with the tracking cannon and rushed into the wormhole to save people. He had already expended a considerable amount of energy, and now, by having his spirit body assist in combat, the consumption rate doubled… His mental energy was already on the verge of collapse, barely holding on. He couldn’t hold on for much longer, and Xie Ran couldn’t bear to see him in danger!

Xie Ran’s heart trembled, and he quickly extended his mental tendrils, saying, “This thing might be a highly intelligent creature. I can feel its emotional fluctuations. It’s hungry and wants to devour us. Zexuan, fly up with me and help me find its brain!”

Lu Zexuan took a deep breath, his left hand holding Xie Ran’s waist tightly, his right hand gripping the electromagnetic knife, viciously slashing a white arc toward the sky. Almost simultaneously, the eagle in the sky created an opening in the layers of vine webs, coinciding with the blade of its master.

A ray of light leaked in through the gap.

In just an instant, Lu Zexuan picked up Xie Ran and flew out violently through the gap! The giant white wings of the sentinel spread out from Lu Zexuan’s shoulders, carrying Xie Ran into the sky.

At this moment, Lu Zexuan was exhausted, his brain throbbing with pain. Xie Ran was carried into the sky by him, and the red mental tendrils spread rapidly from his palm, like densely packed threads, following the vines to reverse-search for their “brain.” Not enough, the distance wasn’t enough! Zexuan was about to give out. If he fell, they would surely die here.

Xie Ran’s mental energy erupted suddenly!

A red fox appeared behind him, its tail burning with fierce flames. The tail split into two, then into four… until nine tails opened up like a huge umbrella, enveloping the two under the blaze. The red mental tendrils surged out of Xie Ran’s palm like a tide, creating a towering wave in the forest, swiftly flooding the vines. They spread along the vines until they encountered the brain of the creature.

Xie Ran’s eyes sharpened, and he suddenly waved his right hand forward, and the mental tendrils pierced through the creature’s mental barrier like arrows. The greedy, bloodthirsty creature felt an instant blaze in its mind, and the intense pain of its consciousness being burned caused it to let out a painful roar!

Soon, the forest fell silent, and all the vines lost their vitality, drooping down with no more movement.

Lu Zexuan, exhausted from excessive energy consumption, held onto his last bit of rationality. Before losing consciousness, he saw Ranran’s fox splitting into nine tails…

“Zexuan!” Seeing Lu Zexuan faint, Xie Ran immediately reached out to hold him and shouted, “White Eagle, take us away!”

The eagle still had a hint of consciousness. Upon hearing the command, it immediately swooped down, carrying two people out of the forest as if it were a mount. Not far away, there was an open grassland where the eagle set the two down. Its body gradually became transparent, but before disappearing, it didn’t forget to instruct Xie Ran, “Save my master!”

Xie Ran noticed a cave ahead and explored it with his mental tendrils. There were no living creatures inside. With this discovery, Xie Ran helped Lu Zexuan into the cave and found a rock for him to sit on. Strange, normally if a sentinel’s abilities were overused, they would enter a berserk state. How come Lu Zexuan didn’t go berserk, but instead fell into a deep sleep?

Examining his face closely, Xie Ran noticed obvious traces of blood around Lu Zexuan’s lips. When they were fighting the vines earlier, those vines had many thorns, causing superficial injuries to both of them. Xie Ran had also bled quite a bit, and their blood mixed together…

Could it be that the guide essence in his own blood was beneficial to Lu Zexuan? It’s said that if two people have a high compatibility, the guide essence in their blood can act as a remedy to control a sentinel’s berserk state, rapidly restoring their consciousness and combat abilities…

Thinking this, Xie Ran decisively bit his own finger and placed it at Lu Zexuan’s lips, feeding him blood.

In his daze, Lu Zexuan only felt a sweet taste, which was incredibly refreshing. He subconsciously opened his mouth, holding Xie Ran’s finger and gently licking it. Blushing slightly, Xie Ran didn’t withdraw his hand but let Lu Zexuan continue to ingest the guide essence from his blood.

Indeed, the guide essence worked wonders. In no time, Lu Zexuan regained consciousness. Realizing that he was tightly holding Xie Ran’s finger, Lu Zexuan’s cheeks flushed. He quickly let go and said, “Sorry, did I bite you?”

Xie Ran withdrew his hand, explaining, “I bit myself. My blood is helpful to you, preventing you from going berserk.”

With the scent of the potent guide essence in the air, Lu Zexuan felt overwhelmed. The fragrance was like the blooming of plum blossoms in the snow, stirring up his emotions. His heartbeat intensified, his body gradually warming up. His voice hoarse, he said, “Perhaps your guide essence has a high compatibility with me?”

To make everyone think they were just “friends,” they had never tested their compatibility. Perhaps their compatibility was indeed high? Otherwise, why would Lu Zexuan wake up so easily after ingesting Xie Ran’s blood? They glanced at each other, Lu Zexuan’s heartbeat almost uncontrollable. He immediately averted his gaze.

Looking at the blood on his body, Xie Ran softly said, “Let me check your wounds. Take off your clothes first.”

He reached out to remove Lu Zexuan’s military uniform, but as soon as his hand touched Lu Zexuan’s chest, the latter recoiled as if shocked, a blush spreading across his ears. His voice husky, he said, “No, it’s fine, I’ll do it myself.”

Puzzled, Xie Ran asked, “Why are you so hot? Are you running a fever?”

He placed his hand on Lu Zexuan’s forehead and indeed, it was hot. However, sentinels had excellent physical resilience and shouldn’t easily catch a cold. Could it be inflammation from the wound? Xie Ran looked at Lu Zexuan with concern.

Lu Zexuan stiffened, his face growing redder. His breathing became irregular, the exhaled air hot, his chest rising and falling as if he were trying to suppress something. “Ranran, I… I’m not running a fever, it’s just…”

Finally understanding, Xie Ran said, “Is it the bonding heat?”

This was Lu Zexuan’s first bonding heat as an adult, and the physiological response was extremely intense, making it hard to articulate. He struggled to turn away, but Xie Ran suddenly grabbed his hand.

“Let go…” Lu Zexuan didn’t dare to have too much contact with Xie Ran. He had liked Xie Ran for many years, and just now, he had almost suffered a mental breakdown, saved by Xie Ran’s guide essence. Perhaps it was precisely Xie Ran’s guide essence that triggered his bonding heat? If he stayed with Xie Ran any longer, the consequences would be unthinkable. During bonding heat, sentinels would desperately want to possess and mark their guides. He couldn’t harm Ranran…

Lu Zexuan forcefully pulled away from Xie Ran’s hand, wanting to leave the cave.

In the next moment, Xie Ran suddenly hugged him from behind, saying, “Lu Zexuan, there’s no hospital here. If you go out alone, how will you control your bonding heat? Do you want to have a mental breakdown and become a lunatic?”

Lu Zexuan, “…Let go!”

Xie Ran turned the sentinel’s body around, looking into his eyes earnestly. “You can mark me.”

Lu Zexuan’s pupils shrank suddenly. “Ranran!”

Standing on tiptoes, Xie Ran kissed his lips proactively, whispering, “I’m willing to be marked by you.”

Lu Zexuan, “…”

Seeing him stiffen, his chest heaving violently, obviously still struggling to restrain himself, Xie Ran couldn’t help but tease with a light laugh, “We’re both adults now. Are you still shy? Or perhaps you didn’t learn well in biology class, do you need me to teach you what to do?”

Unable to bear it any longer, Lu Zexuan suddenly pulled Xie Ran into his arms and kissed him fiercely. His scorching breath almost melted Xie Ran, who clung tightly to Lu Zexuan’s shoulders. The sentinel’s gaze was deep, his voice low and husky. “Are you really willing? Once our bodies bond, there’s no turning back…”

Xie Ran smiled at him. “With you, I don’t need a way out.”

Lu Zexuan’s heart skipped a beat. He took off his coat and laid it on the nearby rock, gently pushing Xie Ran down. On a strange planet, in the wild cave, the 19-year-old sentinel and guide embraced tightly. Outside, a sudden downpour obscured the deafening sound of rain, masking the intense moans in the cave.