The Beloved Guide Was Forced in a Love-Rival Shura Field - Chapter 56

“G—good… good…” The old emperor coughed a few more times, but his voice was somewhat stronger than before. “To make that little wolf pup Xiao Lin say ‘my person’… it seems that little thing is even more special than we thought.”

He confirmed it.

That guide named Ning Ning was not just a weapon—he was a leash capable of controlling the empire’s strongest blade.

As long as they captured him, it would be like capturing Xiao Lin, like controlling the entire military.

At that moment, the door to the bedchamber opened silently.

The Second Prince, Gu Qingfeng, stepped in gracefully. The crisp, woody scent emanating from him instantly cut through the nauseating smell of medicine lingering in the room.

He seemed to ignore the kneeling attendants entirely, walking straight to the emperor’s bedside and elegantly adjusting the covers.

“Father, you should rest.” Gu Qingfeng’s voice was soft and mellow.

The old emperor waved his hand, dismissing the attendants. They scrambled out as if granted amnesty.

“You’ve heard, haven’t you?” the emperor said, staring at Gu Qingfeng. “Xiao Lin dared to defy my decree, all for a guide.”

Gu Qingfeng’s face retained its perfect, gentle smile. He picked up a cup of warm water, offering it to the old emperor. In a soft tone, he said, “Father, Marshal Xiao Lin is a sharp sword, loyal to the empire. But he is, after all, a sentinel—straightforward and impulsive. When protecting someone… he tends to be reckless.”

He paused, then shifted his words, threading in a carefully measured hint of concern.

“But Ning Ning’s current state is like a masterpiece just out of the kiln—fragile. You cannot use a battle axe to do the delicate work of embroidery. Steel fortresses can keep enemies out, but they can also suffocate the treasures inside.”

Lowering his gaze, long lashes shadowing his eyes, he continued with hidden calculation.

“Father, I am an S-class guide. Only I know the most gentle way to ‘restore’ this treasure, to return him to his best state, for you, for the empire. Marshal Xiao Lin’s protection… is too crude; it could destroy him.”

Every word exonerated Xiao Lin, yet every word subtly implied that Xiao Lin, a blunt soldier, was unfit to hold Ning Ning.

He, Gu Qingfeng, was the professional, the suitable one.

The old emperor silently watched him, his aged face betraying no emotion.

Ambition.

This son of his, like he once was, had ambition as high as the sky. The throne, and that so-called “Moon God” Ning Ning—he wanted it all.

But that did not matter, as long as the ultimate control remained in his hands.

“Well said…” The old emperor wheezed, his frail fingers tapping lightly on the silk bedding. “Since Xiao Lin refuses to release him…”

He paused, a serpent-like coldness flashing through his murky eyes.

“Then we’ll give him… a reason he cannot refuse.”

The emperor’s gaze shifted to Gu Qingfeng, his voice carrying the weight of command.

“The empire needs a celebration feast. To honor our war heroes at the highest level. You will personally invite him. I want to see—before the entire empire—if Xiao Lin still dares to defy an imperial decree!”

Marshal’s Residence, Bedroom

After Gu Qingfeng left, the bedroom door gently closed, and the suffocating tension slowly dissipated.

Xiao Lin turned, seeing the small figure still hiding behind him.

Ning Ning’s tiny hands clutched his coat, face pale, those beautiful violet eyes misted with tears. He looked like a frightened kitten, trembling slightly.

Xiao Lin’s heart, hardened by rage, softened in an instant.

The fury he had been holding back transformed into an almost overflowing tenderness.

He bent down silently, using those hands accustomed to holding guns and taking lives, clumsily and carefully lifting the bare-footed little rabbit back into the warm bed.

The blanket sank softly, enveloping Ning Ning’s small frame.

Yet Ning Ning’s hands refused to let go, gripping his sleeve as if it were a lifeline.

“Will… they still come to take me?” Ning Ning’s voice was tiny and soft, trembling with tears, making Xiao Lin’s heart tighten.

“No.”

Xiao Lin’s voice was hoarse, deep—a tone he had never used before. He sat at the bedside, his tall body like a mountain, shielding Ning Ning from all unease.

He reached out, gently running his rough fingers through Ning Ning’s soft silver hair, a touch filled with an unspoken care even he didn’t realize.

“I’m here.”

He paused, dark-golden eyes locking onto Ning Ning’s, speaking each word solemnly, like a vow.

“With me here, no one can touch you.”

Those words, a promise born of absolute power, instantly soothed Ning Ning’s nearly explosive panic.

Looking at the man’s determined jaw and focused gaze, his nose tinged. Tears almost fell.

[System… he’s so good…] Ning Ning sniffled in his mind.

[Ding! Maximum boyfriend power! Ultimate security! Host, this system officially declares: Marshal Xiao Lin is the essential companion for home life, travel, and monster-fighting upgrades! Hold onto his leg tightly!] System 89 exclaimed, voice practically breaking.

Seeing Ning Ning’s red-rimmed eyes, Xiao Lin frowned tightly.

He didn’t know how to comfort him, couldn’t speak pretty words—so he expressed his care in the most direct way.

He stood, walked to the room’s control console, and raised the temperature. Feeling it insufficient, he entered the bathroom.

Soon, he returned with a warm, damp towel, kneeling beside the bed, carefully wiping Ning Ning’s cold little face and bare feet.

His movements were stiff, almost awkward, yet the concentration and seriousness were more effective than words could ever be.

The warmth from his hands traveled to Ning Ning’s feet, making him shiver, freezing in place.

He… he’s wiping my feet?!

The empire’s marshal, wiping my feet?!

Ning Ning’s face burned crimson, from cheeks to ears.

“I… I can do it myself…” he whispered, trying to pull his feet back.

“Don’t move.”

Xiao Lin didn’t look up, voice low and commanding. He wrapped the small, fair foot in the warm towel, gradually warming it with his palm.

When finished, he stood, towering over the blanket-bound little rabbit, whose only visible features were two fiery red ears. The violent anger inside him completely dissipated.

His treasure.

It should be pampered and protected like this.

Anyone who hurt him even slightly would feel Xiao Lin dismantle their bones, one by one.

“Hungry?” Xiao Lin asked, eyes landing on the bowl of snow-ear porridge that had completely cooled, his gaze instantly hardening.

It had been brought by Gu Qingfeng.

Ning Ning instinctively shook his head, then nodded slightly, his mind blank, unsure how to react.

Xiao Lin didn’t ask again. He contacted the kitchen via terminal, commanding tersely: “Heat a bowl of seafood porridge, make it light, and bring it to my bedroom.”

After ending the call, the room returned to quiet.

Xiao Lin didn’t leave. He stood stiffly at the bedside, like a silent guardian.

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