FT DR Chapter 81:  The Scent of Hunting

Chapter 81:  The Scent of Hunting

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Karai

With the two-month exchange training coming to an end and the semester more than halfway through, Twin City entered winter, and the weather gradually turned cold.

Mu, now pregnant for over five months, had his maternity leave approved by the Aston Main Campus. Sienna arranged a dedicated operating room and ward for him at the Saint Martin Research Center. They were just waiting for the end-of-term meeting to conclude and the Tungusic’s group to leave before he would be transferred there for childbirth.

Wu Chenghe, having dropped two basic courses last semester, faced an even heavier workload this semester. On top of dealing with his frequent episodes of St. Mary’s Disease, he struggled to find time to communicate with his boyfriend, who was stationed at the Tianque Spaceport, feeling extremely stressed.

On the other hand, Jin Xuan’s progress went smoothly. Despite military regulations prohibiting contact with family during missions, he managed to find ways to send messages to Wu Chenghe. Thus, Wu Chenghe frequently received encrypted emails from unidentified sources. Fortunately, after escaping from Hannibal, Jin Xuan had taught him a lot of hacker knowledge, so he could understand most of the messages. However, lacking Jin Xuan’s high level of technical skill, he couldn’t reply and could only silently write responses and hide them in the drafts folder, answering his own questions.

Chen Miaomiao’s university life was like a fish in water. His outgoing personality and strong academic foundation quickly won him friends among his classmates. He even managed to infiltrate Marlow’s social circle and established his own network at the Strategy Academy. Wu Chenghe admired him greatly. His talent seemed innate, and Wu Chenghe believed that even if Chen Miaomiao wasn’t a sentinel, relying on his exceptional intellect, he could possibly inherit his mother’s legacy and become a General.

A week before the end-of-term meeting, Mu received an official letter from the Tungusic’s Base. In addition to further confirming the meeting’s agenda and attendees, the letter specifically mentioned the highlight of the meeting—professional competitions.

This was a tradition of the end-of-term meeting. The Tungusic’s teaching curriculum primarily focused on medicine, with students divided into twenty levels. Starting from Level 7 (around twelve years old, equivalent to the first year of junior high school), basic medical courses were introduced. To avoid being out of touch with the Federation’s environment, they would send some students each year to participate in friendly competitions with ordinary medical students, including written knowledge competitions, medical debates, practical competitions, and more.

Mrs. Balon’s suggestion was to focus more on practical skills than written knowledge in this year’s competition, especially since it was their first time at Aston University. They specially selected ten students, forming a strong lineup.

Mu frowned tightly as he looked at the long list of competitors. Among the ten students, there were even two hummingbird guides from Level 20, equivalent to doctoral graduates, whose mental abilities and observational skills were undoubtedly top-notch. He didn’t understand Mrs. Balon’s intentions behind this arrangement—whether she had ulterior motives or was solely considering teaching aspects. What he was certain of was that he would face an extremely tough test this time.

With so many guides coming to the college, security was a major issue. Aston University had too many sentinels, and if they encountered compatible partners, it could trigger pheromones and possibly cause widespread chaos. Mu informed the Main Campus’s Academic Affairs Office to send armed campus police to maintain order. He also called the affiliated hospital and requested ten psychiatrists to be on standby on campus. If any student showed signs of mania, they would administer stabilizers and send them away immediately to avoid losing control. If it escalated to the point where the Euthanasia Bureau had to intervene, he, as the Dean, would likely face serious consequences, not to mention the complaints from students’ parents.

Next, they had to select the competition roster. Since the opponents were guides, the college could only send ordinary people. Mu sent out the enrollment notices, and the next day, he received the selected lists from each grade group. Wu Chenghe, with excellent grades and everyone knowing his relationship with the Dean, naturally had his name included. However, Mu immediately excluded him and chose two other outstanding clinical students.

After the list was finalized, Wu Chenghe came to find him after class that evening. “Dean, do they have some ulterior motive? Why did they send so many guides? And top-tier hummingbird guides at that!”

Mu’s belly had grown quite large. Because he was naturally thin with a narrow pelvis, his waist and abdomen curves were more pronounced. He wore loose-fitting T-shirts and cotton pants, reclining in a rocking chair and looking at the competition schedule. “Hmm, they’re still not giving up. Probably want to make one last attempt before it’s over.”

Wu Chenghe looked at Mu with concern. Over the past few months, Mu had been deliberately protecting him, not allowing him to appear in the sight of the Tungusic’s group. As a student, it was easy for him to hide, but Mu was the Dean and inevitably had to deal with those people. Especially during the end-of-term meeting, it was impossible for him to stay out of it. After thinking for a moment, Wu Chenghe suggested, “Shouldn’t you use your health as an excuse to withdraw from the end-of-term meeting? Let Sienna take you to Saint Martin early. That way, Mrs. Balon won’t have any leverage over you.”

“It’s not that easy,” Mu said with a faint smile. “The more I avoid it, the more she will suspect me. Besides, I am the Dean. If I flee at the last moment when the Tungusic’s group comes, I won’t even pass the first hurdle at the Main Campus. Vice Dean Minnie is still too young and inexperienced to handle such a big event.”

Wu Chenghe knew that Mu was used to handling everything himself and didn’t like to rely on others for help. He sighed and said, “Why is this so troublesome, Dean? Why don’t you find a boyfriend and let him mark you? That way, your condition will be much more stable, and even if they catch you, they won’t be able to do anything to you.”

“It’s not that easy,” Mu chuckled. “You don’t know how lucky you are to have encountered a sentinel like Jin Xuan, who has such strong self-control. Most sentinels can’t leave their guides. Once marked, they must stay by each other’s side. Imagine having someone stick to me all day long—I would have been targeted long ago. Moreover, the Protection Act stipulates that sentinels cannot mark unregistered guides at will. If discovered, they will face heavy penalties, and even be exiled to remote star systems to colonize. Their families will also be implicated, losing everything they have. Who would be willing to take such a huge risk to be with me?”

Wu Chenghe didn’t understand the law, so he was shocked to learn that Jin Xuan had taken such a big risk by sleeping with him. He couldn’t help but feel scared—what if they were discovered? Would the President be implicated?

“So you need to take care of yourself and your sentinel,” Mu said, patting his head. “You shouldn’t participate in the competition. Just be a standby, observe from the sidelines, and keep an eye on your little friend. He’s too active.”

Originally, Mu didn’t want him to go to the venue, but Wu Chenghe insisted because he was worried about him. Mu had to compromise. In fact, Wu Chenghe had a deeper consideration—both he and Mu were Icarus butterfly guides with similar consciousness cloud structures. Moreover, because of their master-apprentice relationship, their attack methods were also very similar. In case… maybe he could stand in for Mu.

This was the worst-case scenario. If possible, Wu Chenghe definitely didn’t want to take this step. But Mu hadn’t been marked yet, and he was pregnant. If forced to pair with another sentinel, it would be too cruel. Mu was already too marked by others, and for Mrs. Balon, he didn’t have much value to use. If caught, he would likely just be detained at the Tungusic’s Base for a while.

Mu was a great doctor, a great guide, and shouldn’t be confined by some high-ranking official to serve only one person. He should stay in the medical school, pursue his ideals, and protect the free guides hidden in various corners of the Federation.

“I’ll take care of him, and you take care of yourself,” Wu Chenghe said. “Is your formal attire ready? Are we eating together at the restaurant that day, or do you want me to prepare something for you at home?”

“You’re getting more and more nagging,” Mu rolled his eyes. “Just behave yourself at the venue, observe more, and don’t act rashly. Speaking of which, the Tungusic’s students do have some unique insights in medicine. Learn as much as you can; it will benefit you.”

“Got it.”

The arrangements for the end-of-term meeting were finalized, and in the blink of an eye, the day of the meeting arrived.

In the morning, there was a review of the training results. The team leaders from Tungusic and the teachers from the Medical School took turns to evaluate and comment on the performance of the participating guide teachers. Wu Chenghe sat with Chen Miaomiao among the audience, attentively listening to the entire session, feeling greatly benefited.

After lunch, it was time for the competition, which was the highlight of the day. The Experimental Center of the Medical School was under full military lockdown by the armed school police sent by the Main Campus. All sentinels were evacuated to a radius of five kilometers away. At two o’clock in the afternoon, the shuttle from Tungusic’s Base brought the guide students to the top floor of the Experimental Center, escorted by special police, and entered the competition venue.

There were a total of ten guides participating in the competition, except for two minors, the rest were mature guides about to graduate. They were dressed in the uniform of Tungusic, with a white stand-up collar top and light blue trousers or skirts, finely crafted with a classical charm, noble and elegant. The Tungusic school badge was embroidered on the chest, with a small blue cross below, which was the uniform symbol of the guides.

Due to their genetics, most of them had slender figures and handsome faces. The girls were graceful, and the boys had gentle temperament. It was said that every qualified guide was made of a triple-height golden statue, enjoying the best treatment and resources from the Federation. Each of them was a model of Federation education, the epitome of the epitome.

Wu Chenghe was initially overwhelmed by the ethereal aura emanating from them. Compared to these authentic guides, he felt like a scruffy duckling raised in a small rural ditch!

Speaking of which, Jin Xuan’s aesthetic taste was really unique… But with his character, he probably wouldn’t last long enough to reach the level of participating in blind dates, right? Thinking of this, Wu Chenghe felt that he had somewhat lived up to Jin Xuan’s handsomeness.

“Hey, senior, stop staring like that, okay?” Chen Miaomiao saw his eyes wandering and poked him with his elbow, teasingly saying, “Are you aware that you’re drooling over someone else when you have King?”

Wu Chenghe blushed. “Can’t I appreciate it a little?”

“They are all packaged beauties, but King is naturally beautiful. Is your sense of aesthetics lame?” Chen Miaomiao whispered, “Although King isn’t here, I still have to protect your chastity. So—no looking!”

“Get lost!” Wu Chenghe flicked his forehead.

Chen Miaomiao held his head, “What’s so good about them? All guides are like this. When my dad was young, he was even more stylish than them. My mom said when she just married my dad, he was only eighteen, as tender as a tofu, she couldn’t help drooling every time she saw him.”

Guides usually married early because their offspring had a greater chance of being guides, so they usually started matchmaking after reaching adulthood. When Chen Zhen married Popova, he was just eighteen, which was considered appropriate. However, Popova was already in her thirties at that time, so this couple was a typical case of “old cow eating tender grass.”

“…Your dad isn’t here, why are you kissing up to him like that?” Wu Chenghe rolled his eyes. His gaze swept across the crowd and was pleasantly surprised to find Monica among them. He hadn’t seen the little girl for over a year, and she had completely changed. She no longer had the innocent and infatuated look she used to have, but had become a full-fledged lady, with her curly blonde hair cascading over her shoulders, as beautiful as a doll.

“Who’s she? Why are you staring at her so intently?” Chen Miaomiao asked suspiciously.

Wu Chenghe briefly told him about the Mayflower incident and said, “I didn’t expect her to change so much. What kind of place is the guide school? It feels like even her soul has been reshaped.” He frowned, “But I still prefer her previous self, naive and lively, more genuine.”

“I hate brothers and sisters!” Chen Miaomiao grimaced. “You big flirt!”

Wu Chenghe couldn’t stand his behavior of always drumming up support for Jin Xuan at every opportunity, so he quietly moved to another seat. “Let me keep my distance from you, Mr. Chen.”

“My surname is Chen!”

“As long as you know.”

In the competition area, Mu, representing the school, guided the students and introduced them to the competitors from the medical school, facilitating a brief pre-match communication. Wu Chenghe, as a backup member, was also called to the competition venue, finally getting a chance to talk to Monica.

“Senior, I finally get to see you!” Little Monica, with her starry eyes, looked at Wu Chenghe. In a corner where the teacher couldn’t see, she reverted to her infatuated and cute demeanor, sizing up Wu Chenghe. “How did you grow so tall? It’s incredible! You’re even taller than me by more than a head now.”

In a year and a half, Wu Chenghe had grown seven or eight centimeters. Now he was already one meter seventy-six, naturally towering over the fourteen-year-old Monica. He wanted to pat her head as before, but his hand hesitated—Monica was dressed so delicately, making him feel hesitant to approach. He smiled and said, “You’ve changed a lot, like a princess. I almost didn’t recognize you.”

Monica smiled shyly. “We have special etiquette classes, and we practice for a long time every day. Sometimes, when I look in the mirror, I can hardly recognize myself.” 

Wu Chenghe asked, “Are you still used to life in Tungusic? Do your family often see you through video calls?”

Monica smiled faintly. “It’s okay. The teachers are very kind, and the classmates are also gentle. But… well, I was a bit uncomfortable at first, but now I’ve adapted. As for my family, seeing them often makes it harder, so it’s better not to see them.” She shook her head with a hint of sadness but quickly cheered up. “But I’m already fourteen. Before reaching adulthood, if I complete my credits, I can attend the graduation ball. After getting married, my family can come to see me at my husband’s place.”

Life in Tungusic, no matter how comfortable, meant losing freedom. Wu Chenghe felt some sympathy for her but didn’t want to say anything discouraging. He said, “Then study hard, don’t slack off. When you get married, I’ll come to see you.”

“Okay,” Monica said happily. Her ragdoll had grown, with fluffy snow-white fur, chubby and cute. Previously lying obediently at her feet, it curiously observed Wu Chenghe. After talking for a while, it seemed to recognize him and suddenly rushed over, hugging his ankle and rubbing against it.

Wu Chenghe had become accustomed to being pounced on by quantum beasts like this, so he stood calmly pretending not to notice. Monica raised an eyebrow and lightly said, “Oops, sorry!”

“What’s wrong?” Wu Chenghe had a puzzled expression and followed Monica’s gaze to his ankle. “Did I wear the wrong socks?”

“Oh, it’s my quantum beast. It really likes you and is hugging your foot,” Monica said, staring at her ragdoll, her face stern as she scolded it. “Hey, why are you so infatuated? Do you forget your master when you see Senior?” 

But her peripheral vision swept Wu Chenghe’s face without leaving a trace, carefully observing his reaction.

Wu Chenghe lifted his foot slightly, the ragdoll didn’t hold on and fell, rolling over, whimpering sadly. Wu Chenghe gave it a signal of “You can’t see me” and asked Monica with curiosity, “Is it still there? Is it still on my foot?”

“No, it fell down and is acting cute to you,” Monica said, her expression unchanged, using her telepathic sense to call back her little cat. “It’s a pity you can’t see it. It really likes you. It’s super arrogant in school and doesn’t get close to other guides.”

“Uh, really?” Wu Chenghe put his foot down, smiled, and said, “Maybe I should switch careers and become a veterinarian.” Although Monica’s behavior seemed natural, he still felt a slight awkwardness. He felt Monica was observing him, whether unintentionally or for some special reason. So he glanced at the time, stepped back, and said, “I won’t delay you from communicating with your opponents. The competition is about to start. Go familiarize yourself with them, and we’ll chat at the evening party.”

“Okay, don’t forget,” Monica gave him a bright smile, then gently spun around and left, her light blue skirt fluttering like a beautiful butterfly. Wu Chenghe’s smile faded after she left. He didn’t want to believe Monica was testing him, but every registered guide was a potential danger to him. Long-term indoctrination made them strongly committed to discovering other guides, and Monica was likely no exception.

Wu Chenghe greeted a few other people and headed towards the stands. Just then, a guide teacher named Hans suddenly grabbed his arm. “Hey, it’s you. Why aren’t you participating in the competition?”

“Oh, hello,” Wu Chenghe shook hands with him. “My grades aren’t very good; I’m just a substitute.”

“It’s a pity, today’s practical competition. I heard you’re extremely skilled in this aspect, even better than senior interns,” Hans smacked his lips and said, “How about I talk to our principal and give you a spot?”

“No need, no need, it’s better not to violate the rules of the competition,” Wu Chenghe quickly waved his hand. Just then, there was a commotion on the other side of the competition area, with someone shouting for a doctor.

“What’s going on?” Hans frowned, looking at the crowd, and grabbed Wu Chenghe to go over. Wu Chenghe couldn’t forcefully shake him off, so he had no choice but to follow.

“Is it a seizure? Quickly plug his mouth with a wooden block to prevent him from biting his tongue!” someone said, and immediately a nursing student brought over a wooden block. 

Hans asked one of his colleagues, “What happened?”

“A student suddenly had a seizure. An ambulance has been called,” the colleague said. “Probably epilepsy caused by abnormal neurons.”

“Oh, epilepsy? That’s too dangerous,” Hans said. Wu Chenghe saw through the crowd lying on the ground a male student, who happened to be his classmate, eyes rolling, body convulsing, froth coming out of his mouth, exactly the appearance of a seizure.

“How could this happen?” Wu Chenghe frowned. He got along well with this classmate and had never heard of him having epilepsy. Why would he suddenly have a seizure now?

In the midst of the chaos, the ambulance arrived. Two attendants lifted the patient out with a floating stretcher, and service staff cleaned up the spilled tea and beverages. Mu and Minnie maintained order on the scene, calming everyone down.

“Oh, now aren’t you short of one person?” Suddenly, Hans remembered something and grabbed Wu Chenghe, beckoning to the teacher in charge of sign-ins on the scene. “Hey, buddy, the second-year group is short of one person. Let’s substitute him, Wu Chenghe.”

Wu Chenghe was originally a substitute, so there was nothing he could do but reluctantly shrug at Mu. Mu’s face was somewhat serious. He glanced at the expressionless Mrs. Balon and nodded.

The competition officially began, starting with a half-hour written knowledge Q&A. Everyone’s scores were similar in this round, after all, they were all top students selected from their year group. Wu Chenghe intentionally concealed his strength, deliberately answering a few questions incorrectly, blending in with the mediocre crowd, not attracting much attention.

Then it came to the practical stage. This time the school prepared an IMD competition, the full name being “Intelligent Medical Droid Diagnosis and Treatment Competition”, where each group of students was provided with an AI-core high-fidelity robot patient. They had to diagnose the cause of the patient’s condition based on their symptoms, provide treatment plans, and personally perform the procedures.

The second-year group was facing two twelfth-grade guide students, one male and one female. Because Mrs. Balon pointed out the advantage guides had in diagnosis, to be fair, the medical school was asked to provide one more auxiliary member for their side. So besides Wu Chenghe and another male clinical student, they were temporarily supplemented with a female nursing student, and unfortunately, it was Miss Lancer.

After the Black Pearl case, Miss Lancer became somewhat more peaceful towards Wu Chenghe, even with a hint of gratitude. But with the involvement of the Second Army in the case, she began to dislike Wu Chenghe again, even more so than before.

Standing in front of the IMD bed assigned to them by the organizing committee, Wu Chenghe met her disgusted gaze and really didn’t know why he had saved her in the first place. He could only convince himself that she was innocent. Even if her father wanted to rebel, it had nothing to do with her. Just treat her as a seasoned princess with a princess complex.

Hopefully, this IMD patient didn’t have a princess complex, otherwise, he really wouldn’t know how to treat it…

 

 

 

 

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