First Interstellar Guide Chapter 62: Yu Ran’s Memory Part 1

Chapter 62: Yu Ran’s Memory Part 1

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Karai

 

Lu Zexuan stood at the entrance of the memory palace, and Yu Ran’s gentle voice sounded in his ears, “Lu Zexuan, welcome to the underwater world. When I sealed off this part of my memories, I was worried that my identity would be exposed if anyone found out. I spent all my mental energy setting up a very thick mental barrier at the bottom of the lake—unless you have my permission, no one can break in here. Since you can come in, it means you have obtained my authorization, and our mental fusion should be very successful. Go in and find the truth you’ve always wanted to know.”

Yu Ran didn’t want to personally open his scars in front of Lu Zexuan and then see Lu Zexuan’s sympathetic eyes… That was a memory he didn’t want to recall. If Lu Zexuan wanted to know about his past, let Lu Zexuan understand it by himself.

Before the mental fusion, Yu Ran planted a suggestion in the lake. As long as Lu Zexuan found this place, the mental barrier would automatically open.

Choosing mental fusion meant that the two would henceforth share everything in the mental landscape, and it would be difficult for secrets to exist between them. Lu Zexuan would eventually learn all this, so it was better to let him know sooner, to prepare him psychologically, so as not to expose himself in the future.

The gate in front slowly opened, and Lu Zexuan walked step by step towards Yu Ran’s memory palace. It was a huge underwater palace, with many rooms inside, hiding all the memories of Yu Ran since his childhood.

Because of his parents’ excellent genes, he awakened as a guide at birth, and his spirit body companion was a flaming red fox. His mother named him Xie Ran, burning Ran.

General Xie’s spirit body was a flame-red wolf, and Professor Qin’s spirit body turned out to be a deep-sea jellyfish. No wonder no one had ever seen his spirit body, because the deep-sea jellyfish had extremely strong invisibility abilities.

Lu Zexuan was shocked to see this—A deep-sea jellyfish, the same spirit body as Marshal Qin?

In the memory bubbles, three-year-old Xie Ran was celebrating his birthday. His grandfather, General Xie, had not yet passed away at that time, his aunt Xie Chen was still studying, his mother was already working in the Starlight Corps, and his father had gone to the Central Academy of Sciences to conduct research.

During the birthday banquet, a mysterious old man appeared at the Xie family in a black hovercar—it was Marshal Qin.

When Xie Ran saw him, he immediately smiled and reached out his hand, “Grandpa, hug…”

Marshal Qin picked him up and touched his head, “Ranran is obedient. This is Grandpa’s birthday gift to you.”

It was a very cute fox doll, and Xie Ran happily hugged it.

General Xie stood up and respectfully said, “Marshal, if the President knows you’re here…”

Marshal Qin said, “Don’t worry, I drove here myself, and no one knows my whereabouts.”

Qin Luo stepped forward and said softly, “Dad, Ranran’s talent is very high. He can communicate with his spirit body at the age of three. His spirit body inherited my invisibility ability and Xiaoxi’s attack power. It’s a flame fox that can turn invisible. He’s too young, and I’m worried he won’t be able to control his mental energy well and hurt himself.”

Marshal Qin thought for a moment and said, “Seal his mental energy temporarily, and when he’s thirteen, we’ll release it and let him go to the Sanctuary for school.”

Qin Luo nodded, “That’s what I was thinking.”

Most young high-level sentinels and guides had their abilities temporarily sealed by their elders because they were worried about mental damage.

Three-year-old Xie Ran listened to the conversation curiously and asked, “What does sealing mean? Will my fox disappear?”

Qin Luo gently rubbed his head and said, “The fox is your spirit body and will always accompany you. It won’t disappear, just return to your mental world. When you close your eyes and concentrate, you can see it in your mind. Sealing will temporarily prevent you from using mental energy to attack others. Don’t be afraid, Ranran, this is a kind of protection for young guides.”

Xie Ran thought for a moment and nodded earnestly, “Okay, I’ll listen to Grandpa and Dad’s arrangements!”

Xie Xi looked at his son’s obedient and cute appearance, smiled slightly, and said, “Ranran, in the future, if you want to play with the fox, you can go to your own mental world to play. Also, remember not to call the Marshal Grandpa in front of outsiders, okay?”

Xie Ran was puzzled, “Why?”

Qin Luo coaxed him softly, “Because Daddy is the Marshal’s son, this is a secret. Ranran, you have to help Daddy keep the secret, okay?”

Xie Ran nodded, “Okay, I’ll help Daddy keep the secret.”

Qin Xiao and Qin Luo glanced at each other, and several deep blue mental tendrils stretched out simultaneously, gently sending the Flame Red Fox back to Xie Ran’s mental world. They reinforced a thick barrier in the mental world to ensure that Xie Ran would not be harmed and could not use mental energy to attack others.

Children are lacking in judgment. This child has such strong mental energy. If he accidentally harms someone while playing with other children, the consequences would be unimaginable. Temporarily sealing his powers is the best solution.

Xie Ran’s childhood was very happy. His father, Qin Luo, was a very gentle person. The Academy was not far from home, so he would come back every day to make delicious food for Xie Ran, including various kinds of grilled skewers and stir-fries, raising his son to be chubby and healthy. Although his mother was busy in the Starlight Legion, she would also make time to come home on weekends, and the family of three would play together. The parents were very loving, and the family atmosphere was harmonious.

When he was six years old, he accompanied his parents to attend the annual meeting of the Military Department.

The annual meeting was crowded with people, very lively, and many generals from various legions were present. His parents were busy exchanging pleasantries with others, and for a moment, they didn’t pay attention to him. Seizing the opportunity, Xie Ran slipped away and ran to a corner of the buffet area, secretly nibbling on a chicken leg.

Lu Zexuan, a young child at the time, turned around to go to the restroom, puzzled by the noise coming from the corner. Sentinels naturally had keen hearing, so he curiously walked over and saw a child secretly eating a chicken leg.

Dinner hadn’t started yet. Was this kid so hungry that he came to steal food? Lu Zexuan was speechless.

The little guy in front of him had a very cute baby face, and his big eyes carried a hint of pleading.

Lu Zexuan felt a bit soft-hearted for some reason and said, “Alright, I didn’t see you.”

The little boy smiled, his eyes curved, “Thank you.”

Lu Zexuan turned and left, at that moment, feeling a complex mix of emotions looking at the clear image in his memory.

— So, they had met many years ago.

Lu Zexuan could never have imagined that the little kid he had seen at the age of six during the annual meeting was Yu Ran, also known as Xie Ran.

The young Ranran, so cute and lively… If he hadn’t experienced so much pain and hardship later on, he wouldn’t have grown into the calm and sharp person he is now. He had so many loving family members…

Lu Zexuan took a deep breath and continued walking forward.

From the age of six to thirteen, it was a very simple time in Xie Ran’s memory. He spent most of his time at home reading books. Professor Qin Luo had a study with a rich collection of books, covering everything from astronomy and geography to history and folklore. Xie Ran read a large number of books and historical records, finally understanding why his father didn’t want others to know he was the Marshal’s son.

It was because of the sentinel rebellion two hundred years ago. At that time, two legions colluded with each other and surrounded the presidential palace on New Year’s Eve, capturing all government officials and forcing the president to abdicate. Countless lives were lost in that war, and in the end, the Lu and Xie families joined forces to suppress the rebellion.

After the incident was settled, the representatives of the congress had a fierce debate for a day and a night, and decided to redivide the military into four major legions – a rule set after that rebellion.

The position of Marshal was quite special. The Marshals of previous generations were all guides, without military power, but able to use the advantages of being a guide to manage and coordinate several generals. The descendants of the Marshal, of course, couldn’t marry into the legions, to prevent “secret collusion.”

Qin Luo and Xie Xi fell in love freely during their university days. After learning each other’s identities, they struggled but ultimately, it was Marshal who decided. They could get married, but Qin Luo’s identity had to remain a secret, and the children born would take the Xie family name.

No one knew that the refined Qin Luo, Professor Qin, was actually the Marshal’s biological son, and Xie Ran was the Marshal’s grandson.

At the age of thirteen, Xie Ran went to the Sanctuary’s guide academy to study, entering the same year as Lu Zexuan.

He was too clever. After the seal on his mental energy was lifted, his learning speed was several times faster than his peers. In less than three months, he expanded his mental landscape to an unimaginable degree, graduating from the Sanctuary.

Due to the excessively aggressive nature of his Flame Red Fox and his young age, the high-level officials of the guide association consulted with his father. They decided to jointly seal Xie Ran and send him to the church for a one-year mental cleansing to learn to cultivate benevolent thoughts.

In reality, during that year in the church, Xie Ran didn’t quietly recite scriptures or listen to stories. Instead, he secretly learned various combat techniques from the instructors.

That so-called church was actually a place arranged by the Marshal to deceive people. He arranged for a trusted instructor from the Starlight Legion to teach Xie Ran combat techniques every night, such as climbing and jumping on building walls with special gloves, using invisibility to protect himself from being discovered, how to quickly subdue a sentinel, and how to escape from close combat with people, etc.

Marshal Qin Xiao’s original intention was to teach him combat skills so that he could protect himself when facing danger.

Xie Ran learned quickly. In just one year, the young boy grew rapidly. On the day he left the church, he even easily knocked down his master in three moves. The sentinel instructor said with satisfaction, “Guides are not as strong as sentinels in physical strength. Grasping techniques is the key to victory. Ranran, you’ve graduated.”

Xie Ran smiled and said, “Thank you, teacher!”

At the age of fourteen, Xie Ran was admitted to the First Federal Military Academy’s guide command department. This major, which admitted only a dozen outstanding students each year, was secretly cultivated. Students didn’t know each other, and each person attended classes individually. The courses included various mechanical control, battlefield command, and psychology knowledge. Graduates from this major usually took command positions in major legions.

Xie Ran graduated successfully at the age of nineteen and attended the graduation banquet in the capital star.

At that banquet, outstanding sentinel and guide graduates from various prestigious universities gathered. Named a banquet, it was actually a blind date. Many people were too busy with their studies during their school years and didn’t have time for romance. The graduation ball was a good opportunity. If they met someone they liked, they could invite them to dance and exchange contact information.

Xie Ran had no interest in dating and couldn’t be bothered to join the crowd. He hid in a corner, quietly eating, and the delicious food made him happy. After finishing the food on his plate, he got up to get a freshly grilled steak and returned to his seat.

While cutting the steak, the sharp knife accidentally cut his finger, and a drop of blood flowed down his fingertip.

At that moment, Lu Zexuan, who also found the event boring, walked towards the corner of the banquet hall. The sentinel’s keen senses caught a special guide essence scent, a refreshing fragrance that flashed in his nose, but he found no one nearby.

Xie Ran, worried that the blood would reveal his guide essence scent, quickly wrapped his finger with a hemostatic patch and left the scene.

They brushed past each other at the banquet, but didn’t actually meet.

Lu Zexuan, looking at this scene in his memory, felt a mix of complex emotions.

If they could go back to the past, at that graduation ball, Lu Zexuan would definitely find Xie Ran, extend his hand, invite him to dance, and tell him: “Don’t let your parents go to battle together, it’s a trap, don’t go!”

But time couldn’t be turned back, and Lu Zexuan couldn’t stop the tragedy from happening.

After attending the graduation ball, Xie Ran officially reported to the Starlight Legion. General Xie was investigating the Dark Night Organization’s matter and had made some progress. They had found the organization’s largest experimental base.

General Xie decided to lead the expedition personally. Qin Luo went with her as a researcher. He was very familiar with the drugs targeting sentinels and hoped to obtain samples from the experimental base to see if they could be turned into antidotes.

Having just graduated from university, Xie Ran was curious about everything. He went to his father and said, “I want to go too.”

General Xie frowned, “You’re still young and may not adapt to the battlefield environment.”

Xie Ran earnestly assured, “My Flame Red Fox has an attack power of S-rank. Besides, I underwent special training at the church for a year, and my close combat skills are not weak. Even if I encounter danger, I can protect myself… Mom, I’ve grown up. You want me to serve as the Captain of the Starlight Special Forces in the future. If I don’t dare to go to battle with you now, how can I convince others?”

Qin Luo smiled at his wife and said, “Let the child go with us. Consider it an eye-opener.”

General Xie finally nodded, “Okay.”

— They underestimated the horrors of the Dark Night Organization.

In the year 494 of the star calendar, when the Dark Night Organization first emerged, they thought it was just a small group of crazy scientists conducting experiments on sentinels. Little did they know, the small fry on the surface was just the tip of the iceberg. Hidden beneath the surface was something unimaginably huge!

At that time, the Starlight Legion actually had an undercover agent from the Dark Night Organization, who had a clear grasp of their movements. Before the Starlight ship arrived at its destination, the traitor suddenly activated a self-destruct program and destroyed a large number of escape pods. At the last moment, General Xie, holding a sword, cut off the traitor’s neck, grabbed an escape pod, and forcibly stuffed her son into it.

…

That was the darkest day in Xie Ran’s life. He had just graduated from university, full of enthusiasm for joining the Starlight Legion, only to witness the scene where warriors and his parents were blown up.

That scene left a huge shadow in his mind.

For many years afterward, he often recalled the scene where his parents saved him with all their might. Even after falling alone to the Red Pearl Star, it was his father’s last words, “Live well,” that kept him going, time and time again.

Author’s Note:

Lu Zexuan and Yu Ran are now mentally committed, equivalent to cohabiting mentally, sharing the same mind.

In the mental world of guides, sentinels cannot enter without authorization, so when Ranran gave Lu Zexuan authorization, it meant he wanted him to understand him.

I can’t let Ranran explain “how my parents died” himself, that would be too cruel.