The medication dragged Wenzhi under before he could think further and when he woke again, the exhaustion that had been gnawing at him earlier had completely faded.

Song Mei was the first to notice. "Your energy has fully recovered, Mr Lin!"

Mo Yiran stepped closer, already holding small vials between his fingers.

"These are Wavelength Stabilizers," he explained, his voice calm as he gestured. "You’ll need to inject them before any guiding session. They help prevent another guiding collapse."

Another container was placed into Wenzhi’s hand.

"Do not forget the Pills," Song Mei added. "You should take it after guiding."

Wenzhi glanced down at them briefly before tossing one into his mouth without much thought.

Song Mei smiled.

Wenzhi didn’t comment. He slipped the rest into his pocket, committing the routine to memory without effort.

The door opened without warning.

Armed personnel stepped in, their presence immediately shifting the air in the room.

"We are here to escort the guide to Director Shen Jue."

Of course they were.

Wenzhi exhaled quietly through his nose as he pushed himself to his feet, his movements steady, unhurried, like he had already expected this.

"I’ll come back for the stabilizers," he said, glancing briefly over his shoulder.

Mo Yiran nodded.

The journey upward was silent.

By the time they reached the top floor, far above the research levels, the cold air and the smell of antiseptic had disappeared.

The doors to the director’s office opened and Wenzhi stepped in, only to pause.

Shao Xinyuan was already there, sitting and waiting for him. He was dressed in a fitted black shirt and combat pants with his boots planted firmly against the ground.

His long hair was pulled back in a loose tie, though a few strands fell across his face. A pair of glasses rested neatly on his nose, softening the sharpness of his features just enough to make him look almost normal.

No. Controlled was the word.

He was visibly controlled, nothing like the storm Wenzhi had seen before. But the moment Xinyuan’s eyes landed on him, they lit up instantly.

His body reacted before his mind seemed to catch up, shoulders shifting like he was about to rise, to close the distance without thinking but a hand came down on his shoulder.

Doctor Bai.

Shao Xinyuan froze immediately under her touch, appearing obedient on the surface, but his gaze never left Wenzhi for even a second.

Wenzhi was the first to look away, as if none of it mattered.

His attention shifted to Shen Jue.

The man was already watching him with that same polished smile. He clapped and said, "You are exceptional, Mr. Lin."

His hand extended, gesturing toward the seat across from him. "Please, sit."

A brief pause followed, just long enough to let the weight of the room settle. Then, his smile deepened just a bit as he said, "Let’s talk about how we can make this beneficial for everyone involved."

"You could start by removing this restraint from my ankle." Wenzhi leaned back into the chair as he spoke, his posture loose and lazy like this wasn’t a negotiation that determined whether he lived freely or remained a controlled asset.

Shen Jue chuckled softly, amused. "You know I can’t do that."

Wenzhi nodded. "I figured. But I..."

"We’re here to discuss your position as Shao Xinyuan’s official guide." Doctor Bai cut in cleanly, her tone sharp enough to slice through whatever Wenzhi had been about to say.

Wenzhi turned his head toward her, and their eyes met.

"Yes," he said calmly. "I’m aware."

Silence stretched for half a second too long.

Neither of them looked away.

Shen Jue clasped his hands together. "So we won’t be having any... resistance moving forward?"

"No resistance," Wenzhi exhaled through his nose. "But I have demands."

He tilted his head an inch, his eyes sliding to Shao Xinyuan, who was watching him with a curiosity that hinted he wanted to figure him out.

"Demands," Wenzhi repeated, "that benefit me...and Xinyuan."

Shao Xinyuan’s eyes rounded.

Shen Jue smiled. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

"Alright," he said. "Let’s hear them. Just remember, there are limits."

"I won’t stay in the research facility," Wenzhi said without hesitation. "I want a private residence, a space outside this place where we can live. Somewhere he can return to after missions. Somewhere that isn’t a monitored cage."

"No." Doctor Bai reacted immediately. "That is not possible. Shao Xinyuan is a classified subject. He cannot be removed from the research environment."

The word subject hung heavy in the air.

Xinyuan’s reaction was subtle, but not invisible; his leg began a restless bounce, and his gaze dropped for a fleeting second before snapping back to Wenzhi.

Wenzhi didn’t look at him. His attention stayed on Bai Qinian.

"You can call him back whenever you want for checkups, evaluations, or whatever else makes you feel in control." Wenzhi’s freckled face creased into a deep frown. "But you don’t get to lock him in a box and expect stability, and I certainly won’t function in a place like that."

Doctor Bai’s eyes narrowed. "You are in no position to make demands."

Wenzhi smiled, just enough to show teeth. "Then let me die."

Even Shen Jue stopped smiling.

"You said it yourself, I’m valuable." Wenzhi lifted his restrained ankle, letting the faint hum of the device fill the silence. "So decide. Do you want a stable disaster-class Esper or the controlled corpse of a Guide?"

"No!" Shao Xinyuan spoke up suddenly, his voice thick with a startled rasp.

The unexpected sound made Wenzhi shoot him a sharp, warning look, a silent command not to interfere.

Shao Xinyuan fell silent, and strangely, that reaction seemed to satisfy Wenzhi. A ghost of a smile tugged at his lips.

Shen Jue chuckled softly, like he had just witnessed something mildly amusing rather than disruptive.

"Well," he said smoothly, "your wishes will be granted."

Wenzhi didn’t move. He hadn’t expected Shen Jue to fold so quickly.

"What?" Doctor Bai shot to her feet.

Her voice was sharp, disbelief written plainly across her face. "Director, you can’t simply agree to this. Shao Xinyuan is a critical research subject. He needs to remain within the facility to—"

"Shao Xinyuan has been under our supervision for nine years, Doctor." Shen Jue didn’t raise his voice; he didn’t need to. "I believe you have gathered more than enough data to continue your work without keeping him confined. As Mr. Lin suggested, he can return for evaluations when necessary."

He glanced briefly at Wenzhi. "Let him function like any other Esper. Now that he has a compatible Guide, the need for sedation and intervention has passed."

Doctor Bai let out a sharp, disbelieving scoff, her eyes cutting toward Wenzhi with undisguised hostility before she turned and stormed out of the room without another word.

The door slammed shut behind her.

Wenzhi leaned back in his seat.

Shen Jue’s attention returned to him almost immediately. "Do you have anything more to add, Mr Lin?"

Lin Wenzhi didn’t hesitate to speak his mind. "I don’t want this to be long-term,"

That broke Shao Xinyuan’s composure. His eyes locked onto Wenzhi’s, intense and focused, housing a sudden hardness that hadn’t been there a moment before.

"Oh?" Shen Jue blinked. "And how long were you...."

"One year."

Shen Jue studied Wenzhi for a long moment before a smile finally touched his lips. It wasn’t warm or kind, but purely satisfied.

"Deal, Mr. Lin."

It was too smooth, the finality of it leaving a bitter aftertaste.

Wenzhi glanced at Shao Xinyuan. He was leaning back now, a forced relaxation that didn’t quite reach his eyes. He looked away, distant and avoiding, but a certain tightness around his mouth spoke of a disappointment he couldn’t entirely hide.

A faint crease formed between Wenzhi’s brows as his eyes stayed on Xinyuan. He wasn’t under any illusions that this was an arrangement. It was containment, nothing more than a leash disguised as a deal. Yet, it was a step forward, and in this world, steps mattered.