Chapter 29: Ji Xun’s Decision (Minor Revision)

"Tower received. A01, turn left to heading 300 for Runway R2."

"Unable. I need to make a straight-in emergency landing."

"Understood. A01, proceed straight to land on Runway R3."

"Runway R3, copy."

"Brother Hang, I'm right behind you."

As the fighter jet attempted its emergency landing, the watching Guides held their breath, overcome by an involuntary tension. The hall was so silent you could hear a pin drop.

Everyone was linked into Fu Shuhang’s cockpit view. As the ground loomed closer and closer, before anyone else could even make out the terrain, Fu Shuhang spoke: "I have visual on the runway. A02, what’s our heading?"

His teammate replied, "Heading 020, five miles out."

Fu Shuhang’s voice remained steady. "Deploy landing gear."

His communication was concise, strictly focused on what was necessary. The chaotic, nerve-wracking "beep-beep" of the warning alarms never ceased, but Fu Shuhang’s calm voice provided a profound sense of security to every tense Guide watching the screen.

Until the air traffic controller’s voice crackled over the radio again: "A01, please watch your descent rate. Your speed appears to be too high."

Ji Xun’s heart tightened.

Fu Shuhang replied, "Tower, A01 here. Hydraulic system failure. I need to maintain speed to keep the aircraft under control and prevent a stall."

Ji Xun clenched his fists in anxiety.

The Tower warned, "A01, check your heading. You are currently not aligned to land on the runway."

"Copy. I will get it onto the runway."

The ensuing landing was absolutely heart-stopping!

Because Fu Shuhang had to focus entirely on piloting the jet, he fell silent. For a time, all anyone could hear were the urgent, rhythmic "beep-beep" alerts of the failing systems.

The atmosphere grew increasingly suffocating.

Because the landing speed was too high, the jet’s system display flickered violently upon touchdown. The view the Guides saw on their screens trembled erratically. Some of the more knowledgeable Guides cried out in panic, "It’s over, it’s over! It’s porpoising! He needs to go around!"

But Fu Shuhang’s judgment was decisive. He held the rudder firmly. After a brief, violent vibration, the jet skidded for a long distance before finally coming to a smooth stop in the middle of Runway R3.

Only then did the sound of ragged, relieved breaths fill the hall, accompanied by people patting their chests and exclaiming how close that had been. Someone began to clap, and soon, the entire hall erupted into enthusiastic applause.

Qian Peng slapped his thigh and shouted, "So cool! I’ve got goosebumps all over!"

After the successful emergency landing, the voice of his teammate came over the radio, exhaling deeply: "Holy crap! Brother Hang, you’re a legend! That was way too dangerous; I really thought we weren't going to make it."

Ji Xun heard a faint chuckle from Fu Shuhang in response, as if he hadn't even considered it a big deal.

Ji Xun rubbed his arm, thinking to himself that it really was, in fact, quite cool.

The morning session ended, and the afternoon was dedicated to the synchronized combat assessment for Sentinels and their spirit beasts.

The hall had been packed since early that morning. Some Guides hadn't even gone to lunch, having friends bring food to the venue just to secure a good viewing spot. It was rumored that Fu Shuhang would manifest his spirit beast—a Bengal white tiger—during this test.

Since today’s scores would serve as a key evaluation metric for the Sentinels' future entry into the military academy, Fu Shuhang, who was bound for the Imperial Military Academy, was certain to aim for a top-tier result.

It had been nearly a year. No one at the Sanctuary had ever seen what that little white tiger looked like. The rumors had grown increasingly mystical, and everyone’s curiosity had long since reached its peak.

That was the legendary King of Beasts! A white tiger spirit beast that no one had ever seen! Coupled with Fu Shuhang’s successful emergency landing that morning, the young Guides were even more infatuated.

The front rows were a sea of heads. Ji Xun, who had thought he’d arrived early, simply gave up and sat honestly in the back.

Zhou Xiaoyun and Zhu Liying, who had also arrived late, held hands and quickly squeezed into the gaps in the crowd with sheer determination. They managed to wedge themselves into spaces where there seemed to be no room at all, a sight that left Ji Xun in awe. He had never seen them this passionate about anything.

Holding a drink, Ji Xun propped his feet up. Because he was sitting so far back, he truly couldn't see anything in the arena. Then, he heard some Guides behind him whispering:

"I heard Fu Shuhang’s white tiger spirit beast is even bigger than Zhao Zhanlei’s leopard."

"Size doesn't matter; a tiger is the King of Beasts! What’s a leopard? They might technically both be felines, but there’s no comparison between the two."

"You can't say that. Whether a feline wins depends on its build and mass. If you put an adult leopard against a tiger cub, I don't believe for a second the tiger would win!"

"That’s why I just said Fu Shuhang’s white tiger is large."

"It must be at least a year old by now."

"Really? That’s insane! Tigers reach the size of an adult golden jackal by just four or five months!"

Listening to them, Ji Xun thought to himself: Fu Shuhang’s *General* is more than a year old. It is already a full-grown Bengal tiger. A majestic, powerful adult tiger weighing over four hundred pounds—let alone a cub spirit beast, even an adult spirit beast would be no match for it.

In an environment like this, Ji Xun didn't really believe Fu Shuhang would bring *General* out. But no sooner had that thought crossed his mind than a deafening roar of surprise erupted from the front rows, nearly blowing the roof off the building: "Holy—!!! Wow!!!"

The Guides in the back row stood up in an instant to join the commotion!

Ji Xun completely lost his view. He stared at the backs of the students in front of him, hearing the countless gasps of shock, excited babbling, and even people screaming and pulling at their hair as if overstimulated.

—"So cool!" "Look at that size, it must be an adult Bengal tiger!" "Fu Shuhang is too incredible! How old is he, and he already has an adult spirit beast?!" "Are those things on the other side of the white tiger just ants?" "I hit the jackpot, I can't believe my eyes!" "I’m losing my mind! Is this even real?!"

Some were even using their smart devices to take photos and record videos. It was chaotic—more boisterous than a wet market. Some Guides in the back began to shove desperately toward the front. Ji Xun was jostled several times. He couldn't hear a thing; while he felt a bit disdainful of how everyone was making such a fuss as if they’d never seen the world, a secret sense of pride—a feeling of "glory by association"—began to bloom in his heart.

*It’s your first time seeing it. I’ve been watching General grow up since I was little!*

But this proud, happy mood didn't last long. Ji Xun thought to himself—*Fu Shuhang is Fu Shuhang, and I am me.*

Instructors came to maintain order, trying to steer the students crowding the front back to their seats. But Ji Xun didn't want to watch anymore. He stood up; the front was crowded, but the back was empty. He walked out of the testing building alone.

In the vast Sanctuary, all the Sentinels were participating in the test, and all the Guides were watching the spectacle. Only Ji Xun was left behind.

He wandered aimlessly onto the Reverse-Flow Bridge. Instead of heading back to the Guide quarters, he sat down on the bridge, hugging the railing and watching the water of the Reverse-Flow River shimmering in the sunlight.

In the world of ordinary people, there are many standards to measure a person—intelligence, wealth, family background, career path, looks, personality, and so on. But in the world of the Awakened, there is only one standard: the strength of one’s psychic power.

If your psychic power is strong, you are destined to make outstanding contributions to the Imperial government, allowing you to rise higher and higher until you become an unattainable existence that everyone looks up to. Those with low psychic power, while still useful, lack such halos and are likely to live a life of obscurity.

Fu Shuhang and he were people from two completely different worlds. The applause, the cheers, and all the wonder belonged to Fu Shuhang.

As for him, if people tried to rack their brains to remember him, they would probably only manage: "Oh, you mean that twelve-year-old Guide, Ji Xun, the one who still doesn't have a spirit beast?"

*Is that all there is to it?*

Ji Xun looked at his own reflection in the water. His expression was crestfallen, like a wilted eggplant hit by frost. They say that fighting is all about momentum and striking first. If he was already dejected and cowardly, how could he ever defeat an opponent?

But what could he do? He was just a little "useless" child who didn't even have a spirit beast.

Ji Xun lay back on the bridge. The sunlight was blinding, causing his eyes to turn slightly red. He raised a hand to shield them, his small Adam's apple bobbing as he pressed his lips together tightly.

Ji Xun didn't let anyone see his sadness.

The test results were released that same day. Unsurprisingly, Fu Shuhang took first place overall, becoming the top Sentinel in the Primary Sanctuary of Star Navigation District 12.

But Ji Xun knew that Fu Shuhang wouldn't just be the top Sentinel of District 12. Some people score a hundred because the maximum is a hundred. Fu Shuhang was the top Sentinel of District 12 only because he was currently staying in District 12.

Once he entered the military academy and reached the battlefield… he would be the Imperial Empire’s top Sentinel. By then, there would be even more…

*Wait!*

Ji Xun stopped. He was standing in the middle of a crossroad in the neighborhood he had walked through his entire life. Continuing straight led home; to the left was the way to Zhao Zhanlei’s house, and to the right were other paths leading to other people's homes.

Ji Xun had never felt so clearly that he was standing at a crossroads. Perhaps because Sentinels matured earlier than Guides, they had long since planned out their futures. Ji Xun, however, had never given it any thought.

Even that night when Fu Shuhang walked him home after the celebration banquet, when he had blurted out that he, too, was going to the military academy, it had just been a casual comment. He had said it offhandedly, and Fu Shuhang had heard it just as casually. Neither of them had taken it seriously.

*But what if I did take it seriously?*

Sentinels can go to the military academy, and Guides can too. If Fu Shuhang can go to the military academy, why can’t Ji Xun? Why should he be considered inferior? Uncle Gao was a Guide, and wasn't he powerful?

He might not have a spirit beast yet, but he could already feel his own strength within his psychic realm. Being weak now didn't mean he would be weak in the future, just as being strong now didn't guarantee future success.

With this decision, Ji Xun felt a lightness in both body and soul!

That evening, he had a great appetite and helped himself to an extra bowl of rice. His mother glanced at him repeatedly, eventually unable to resist, and asked with a smile, "Xunxun, what good news happened at the Sanctuary today? You seem to be in such a good mood."

Ji Xun swallowed his food and said, "We Guides didn't have classes today. Brother Hang and Stone and the others were doing their big Sentinel assessments."

"Wow, that must have been lively," his mother said.

"That’s for sure!" Ji Xun replied. "Brother Hang even manifested *General*. The scene—my goodness, it went out of control immediately, and it scared so many instructors into rushing over to restore order!"