Zhong Qing (Cherish) - Chap 10
Shen Zhuofan was one of those model students who stood at the top of the pyramid when he was at Averio Academy. Legend has it that he had already read all the books on guide’s skill management before graduation, and he was very good at guiding mental power, guiding tendrils and consciousness manipulation.
“Consciousness hypnosis is a very important thing. Although many of them are banned in the guidebook, I think it is very useful.” Shen Zhuofan earnestly taught Qin Yun, “The guide can even self-hypnotise. Of course I haven’t verified this. It’s said that only those at the god-level can achieve it.”
Qin Yun glanced at him suspiciously, “So you have hypnotised a sentinel?”
Shen Zhuofan: “…Although you are bad at learning, your sense of gossip is quite impressive.”
“Actually, it’s not difficult to guess.” Qin Yun shrugged, “I’m not a fool… I have brought you a special heat stabilizer for two years… Only guides who have undergone the final marking experience will have a forced heat period every month.”
Qin Yun glanced at Shen Zhuofan’s face, “Well… Why did you separate from your sentinel?”
“…” Shen Zhuofan was silent for a while and said calmly, “To protect him.”
Qin Yun was puzzled, “You can protect him by letting him forget about you…?”
“Actually, I don’t know.” Shen Zhuofan sighed as if he was laughing at himself, “Maybe I am the coward… Regardless, I was the one who gave up on him first.”
When Moschery returned to the living room, he saw his guide holding his chin in his hand in a daze. In front of him was a giant Mickey Mouse headband with half a rhinestones attached, and the tweezers in his hand were spinning.
“What are you thinking about?” Moschery unbuttoned the collar of his uniform, took off his gloves and threw them casually on the bed, frowning, “Don’t show Zhongyan this style; do you want it to wear these ridiculous ears all day?”
“…” Qin Yun: “I think it really likes them… wearing them occasionally won’t hurt.”
Moschery’s face didn’t look good, and he muttered, “Women like to pamper their children.”
Qin Yun didn’t hear clearly, “Huh?”
“If you want to paste it, paste it quickly.” Moschery said impatiently, “We have other places to go today.”
“Oh!” Qin Yun quickly packed up his things, “Then let’s go.”
Moschery, “Aren’t you going to finish pasting?”
Qin Yun said proudly, “No worries, I can paste the same ones on the way. My skills are top-notch now!”
While Moschery piloted the aircraft, he endured Qin Yun neatly arranging rows of rhinestones on the co-pilot seat. Surprisingly, Qin Yun was still in the mood to joke, “Have you ever considered sticking the rhinestones on the aircraft? That way, when Zhongyan comes out to fly, he’ll be super, super happy!”
Moschery laughed out loud, “Do you think the emperor would drive out in a shiny aircraft?!”
Qin Yun imagined the scene for a moment: “Well, it’s not impossible… Sparkling with a luxurious and imposing golden light, a royal tycoon gold aircraft!”
Moschery: “…”
It was only when he was almost done pasting on the headband that Qin Yun remembered to ask Moschery, “Where are we going?”
His Majesty the Emperor felt a headache when he saw those shiny Mickey Mouse ears and said angrily, “The residence of Grand Duke Garcia.”
Qin Yun blinked: “Isn’t he your biggest political enemy…”
Moschery’s face turned dark, “And who did you hear that from?”
Qin Yun: “That’s what they all say on the internet… Don’t you read All Universe 818? Regarding the best attire for iron ladies in the political arena, General Lane Tristana is leading the way from afar. There’s also the undeniable affair between the Secretary of State and General Skarter, but the highest-clicked documentary remains the century-long political drama of love and rivalry between the Tyrant and Duke García.
Moschery: “…”
“Universe Picks had your masks as their best seller.” Qin Yun enlarged the store photo and showed it to Moschery, “Is it made exactly the same?”
Moschery took one look and almost went crazy with anger, “…How could they have the nerve to say it’s the same model?! The dragon pattern on it was designed by me myself!! This is copyright infringement! Infringement!!!”
The Garcia family could be said to be the last nobles in the Empire. The Grand Duke Garcia Senior was not optimistic about the weak Emperor Helu at the time and preferred Cabinet governance. As the Duke who controlled half of the Empire’s military power, with his support, the Cabinet held immense influence in both court and country. This continued until Moschery ascended the throne, and the Garcia Senior changed into the Garcia Junior.
Arthur Garcia inherited Garcia Senior’s iron-fisted approach, but his temperament was more unpredictable. He was colder and crueler than his father, just like the spiritual link of their family—the Ruthless Lion.
Needless to say, Arthur caused Moschery a lot of trouble. He had strong military power and an unreasonable personal style. Although he did not show any political ambitions, he was still more pro-cabinet like his father.
“I remember that Duke Garcia sent troops when we attacked D Star…even though the cabinet opposed it.” Qin Yun recalled, “Is he leaning towards the royal family now?”
“No, Arthur is just neutral.” A look of disdain appeared on Moschery’s face, “He has been living as if he were dead in the past two years, but he has a grudge against Berlin. As long as Berlin opposes it, he supports it. It’s childish. Like a child.”
Qin Yun was embarrassed, “How come?”
Moschery glanced at him and said calmly, “Something happened to his guide. In order to prevent Arthur from having a mental breakdown, the guide seems to have hypnotised him and made Arthur forget about him. But how is it possible to simply forget after being marked for life? Even if Arthur doesn’t remember him, he won’t forget about who harmed the love of his life.”
Qin Yun frowned, thinking of the powerful iron lady, “But why did Mrs. Berlin want to harm the Duke’s guide?”
Moschery smiled sarcastically, “Of course it’s because he shook up the Cabinet’s power. In addition to the marriage, the military power possessed by Garcia is also what the Cabinet relied on to control the government for many years. Arthur’s lover, the guide, is Lin Dongliang’s schoolmate. Who do you think he will favour?”
There was 100% trust and obedience between the guide and the sentinel who had completed the final marking. They would give priority to each other, from their thoughts to their actions, influencing each other and respecting each other until they reached the most tacit understanding.
“Arthur’s lover trusts the royal family, and Arthur naturally values him. How can the Cabinet endure it when they find out that they are about to be sabotaged?” Moschery said coldly, “Berlin even planned to make Arthur suffer a mental breakdown and lose military power. It’s a pity that the guide in question is no pushover either. Consciousness hypnosis is a forbidden technique, and it poses considerable risks to oneself. By reaching this point, he seems to care little about whether he can survive or not.”
Qin Yun was silent for a long time and couldn’t help but ask, “Then did he… die in the end?”
Moschery shook his head, “I don’t know… Even if the guide is not dead, the guide’s ability will definitely be gone. The final consequences of the guide being injected with a brain nerve-destroying agent will be the same.”
Brain nerve-destroying agents were equivalent to the ‘death penalty’ in the guide world. Due to the existence of the All Universal Guide Protection Law, although a guide who had committed a felony would not be sentenced to death, he would be forcibly injected with a brain nerve-destroying agent and permanently lose his ability to guide. The unmarked guide would become no different from ordinary people, and the guide that had been their final marking would be in extreme pain, unable to soothe his sentinel mania, and his body would still be affected by the remaining pheromones of sentinel and be forced to go into heat every month. As they watched their sentinel collapse mentally, he would eventually die of depression.
“Arthur has been relying on the mania suppressant stabiliser in the past few years, but things are still getting worse.” Moschery parked the aircraft outside the Duke’s mansion, “He should really thank his guide for actually using consciousness hypnosis on him in the end. Otherwise, it wouldn’t just be mania suppressant now.”
Moschery said coldly and disdainfully, “A sentinel that cannot protect its own guide is simply trash.”
Qin Yun: “…” It’s very pitiful for him to have his household and the love of his life broken. Your Majesty, can’t you have some sympathy?!
The Duke’s Residence was not much smaller than the Imperial Palace. If Moschery hadn’t led the way, Qin Yun would probably have embarrassed himself, much like his first visit to the Imperial Palace.
The butler of the mansion was a young ordinary boy. Qin Yun felt a bit familiar when he first saw him but could not recall who he looked like for a moment.
Moschery nodded: “Long time no see, Ke Qing.”
Ke Qing smiled, “Your Majesty, you are truly too kind.” He looked at Qin Yun and bowed respectfully, “Welcome, Mr. Qin.”
Qin Yun hurriedly returned the greeting, still unable to figure out the other person as he stared at the other person’s face.
“Do you think he looks like someone?” Qin Yun couldn’t help but ask Moschery on the way to the back garden, “This face is just too ordinary, isn’t it…”
Moschery rolled his eyes at him, “It’s not common. Haven’t you noticed that every man in this house looks a bit like him?”
Qin Yun was startled. He took a peek around and found that it was actually true!
Moschery snorted coldly, “Even though the person is forgotten, there is always an obsession in the subconsciousness. This Garcia person is engraved with the word ‘persistence’ even in his soul.”
