The Beloved Guide Was Forced in a Love-Rival Shura Field - Chapter 59

“This brooch—I’ve imbued it with a trace of my mental energy. It can protect you in critical moments,” he explained softly, though his gaze seemed almost provocative as it landed on Xiao Lin. “Marshal, you wouldn’t mind if I added an extra protective charm for Ning Ning, would you?”

Before Xiao Lin could respond, he gently turned to Ning Ning and said, “Here, let me put it on you.”

In the image, he reached out his hand—and in reality, the brooch floated lightly, flying toward Ning Ning’s collar on its own.

“Snap!”

Xiao Lin caught the brooch with one hand. The icy touch against his palm made his expression even darker.

He glared at the nine-tailed fox as if he wanted to crush it into dust.

Yet in the end, he released his grip.

He took the brooch and, with deliberate force, pinned it himself on the high, ascetic collar of Ning Ning’s attire.

It was as if to declare: even if it was the possession of a rival, it could only be placed on his property by his own hand.

The cold brooch pressed against Ning Ning’s skin, and he could feel the faint, crisp essence of Gu Qingfeng emanating from it. Meanwhile, the fingertips of Xiao Lin, holding the brooch, were scorching.

Cold and heat intertwined over his chest.

Ning Ning glanced at Xiao Lin’s dark, stormy face, then down at the exquisite brooch engraved with the dark pattern of a nine-tailed fox. Suddenly, he realized that the upcoming state banquet in three days might be far more thrilling than he had imagined.

Night had fallen.

The Marshal’s residence was terrifyingly silent. Ning Ning could hear his own heart beating “thump-thump” clearly.

He buried himself in the soft bed, tossing and turning, his mind a complete mess, unable to sleep.

Nearby, the pure white formal dress chosen by Xiao Lin hung on a rack. Moonlight reflected off it, cold and unyielding. Its towering collar and tight tailoring resembled a lavish cage made just for him.

Thinking about tomorrow—about wearing this “armor” and stepping into the vortex called the state banquet, with countless eyes on him, especially the emperor…

Ning Ning buried his face in the pillow and kicked the covers in despair.

“I’m doomed, doomed, doomed! Tomorrow’s the trap banquet! They’re going to cut me up for research right in front of everyone, aren’t they?! Help!”

“Relax, host,” the soft, cute voice of System 89 sounded, “You have two S-class male leads protecting you. You’re the safest little one in the whole room.”

Ning Ning was about to exhale in relief.

“Ding-dong! To help the host better handle the crisis, a new main quest has been issued!”

The mechanical notification made Ning Ning’s heart skip a beat. A wave of ominous premonition washed over him.

The next second, a blue quest frame popped up before his eyes.

[Main Quest: The God’s Test]

[Quest Description: At tomorrow’s state banquet, clearly and completely recite the “God’s mumblings” you once heard in a dream in front of the Emperor of the Empire.]

Ning Ning’s eyes widened.

God’s mumblings?

The string of strange, tongue-twisting syllables automatically looped in his mind:

“Eldoria… Kael… thas…”

Boom!

Ning Ning felt all the blood drain from his body. His limbs stiffened as if frozen solid.

“System, are you insane?! You want me dead, don’t you?! Saying this in front of the old emperor is basically like dancing on the guillotine and telling the executioner, ‘Hey, hurry up!’”

“Host, trust the system’s judgment,” System 89’s tone remained gentle as an angel, yet the words felt devilish, “Completing this task may solve your current predicament.”

Solve the predicament?

This was basically shoving him straight into a death trap!

The more Ning Ning thought about it, the more terrified he became. The clearer his mind grew, the faster his heart pounded, his hands and feet icy cold.

Just as fear threatened to overwhelm him, the bedroom door opened with a soft click.

A tall figure entered the dimly lit corridor.

The man’s presence was overwhelmingly imposing, yet his steps were so light as to be almost inaudible, like a predator silently approaching its territory.

It was Xiao Lin.

He was still in dark loungewear, clearly sensing Ning Ning’s unease and coming over.

He approached the bed and looked at Ning Ning, curled up in the covers and trembling slightly. His dark golden eyes softened.

He assumed Ning Ning was simply afraid of the banquet tomorrow.

For the first time, Xiao Lin felt unsure of himself.

He was a soldier, used to giving orders, to solving problems directly. But facing this frightened little rabbit, any harsh approach would only worsen the fear.

As for comforting… the word didn’t exist in his vocabulary after all these years.

The man stood there, tall and rigid, like a statue unsure how to pose.

After a long while, he seemed to make a decision. He awkwardly and cautiously sat at the bedside.

His body was stiff as stone. He dared not get too close, worried that his burning heat and presence might disturb the boy, yet stubbornly remained, forming a silent but unyielding protective circle.

Ning Ning peeked out from the pillow with one eye, watching the man’s clumsy, awkward behavior. Somehow, a portion of his overwhelming fear was alleviated.

At that moment, a dense golden aura appeared beside Xiao Lin, coalescing into a form.

The glow dissipated, revealing a massive golden wolf, almost large enough to touch the ceiling, silently appearing on the soft carpet.

Its fur shimmered like molten gold, its muscular lines smooth yet explosively powerful. Its eyes, the same dark gold as its master’s, scanned the surroundings with intimidating ferocity.

This was the Empire’s strongest S-class spirit, the legendary Beast of Calamity, rumored to tear starships apart with its bare hands.

Ning Ning instinctively held his breath, frozen in place.

However, the beast emitted no threat.

It moved gracefully, like a feline, silently approaching the bedside. Then, to Ning Ning’s astonishment, it lowered its massive body submissively, almost as if seeking affection.

It rested its enormous, powerful head gently on the edge of the bed, just near Ning Ning’s hand peeking out from the covers.

A warm breath exhaled, carrying scorching heat, softly brushing Ning Ning’s cold hand.

It tickled slightly, but more than that, it was comforting warmth.

The warmth traveled from his skin straight to his heart.

The giant wolf lay there obediently, perfectly still, its golden eyes calmly watching him. Gone was the rumored ferocity, replaced by pure, unreserved protection and reassurance.

Like a… super gigantic, ultra-loyal puppy, waiting for its master’s touch.

Ning Ning’s heart melted in that instant.

The terror and panic that had surged in him due to the system’s suicidal mission was gradually smoothed away by that warm breath. His heart stirred with waves of tender, almost sour, softness, making his nose prickle with emotion.

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