Mu Chen figured Ye Fan would call him back in.
But he didn't.
And that was somehow worse.
After their training session, Lin Lan filed the usual report without a word. Zhou Xiao wasn't cracking jokes. Nobody met Mu Chen's eyes for too long. It was like the whole team sensed a shift but couldn't quite put their finger on it.
Mu Chen ate lunch by himself.
He tried to focus on the food, but he couldn't. His mind kept replaying that split second on the mat, the way Ye Fan froze, the sudden change in the air between them.
Mu Chen was holding his power in so tightly it felt like he'd been holding his breath for hours.
Later that afternoon, Lin Lan told him to head to Medical for some "routine checks."
Mu Chen knew exactly what that meant.
Not care.
Data.
The medical area on their floor was small, but it was hooked into the main institute network. The hallway outside had an extra two cameras and a scanner that read more than just fingerprints.
Mu Chen walked in and saw a guy in a white coat sitting at a desk.
He looked up and gave a friendly-looking smile.
His badge read: Dr. Qiu.
"Lieutenant Mu Chen," Dr. Qiu said. "Have a seat."
Mu Chen sat.
Dr. Qiu tapped on a tablet. "You're a C-class guide, late awakening. Assigned to a high-demand team. That's a lot to handle."
Mu Chen replied simply, "I can manage."
Dr. Qiu's smile didn't waver. "We'll see."
He tilted the tablet so Mu Chen could see a chart. Lines. Bars. Ratings.
"Compatibility is the foundation of stable work," Dr. Qiu explained. "We protect sentinels by pairing them with guides who are a good match. We protect guides by keeping them with sentinels who can maintain control."
Mu Chen nodded.
Dr. Qiu tapped the screen again, and a list of names popped up.
Ye Fan was near the top, and a note next to his name made Mu Chen's stomach clench.
Low compatibility. High risk.
Dr. Qiu's voice was smooth. "Major Ye Fan is… special."
Mu Chen kept his expression neutral. "Yes."
"He has a history," Dr. Qiu continued. "His senses are incredibly sharp. His mental pressure is immense. Without the right guide support, he can become unstable."
Mu Chen stayed silent.
Dr. Qiu glanced at Mu Chen's file. "And you're new. A late-awakening guide is often more sensitive to sentinel pressure."
Mu Chen chose a safe response. "I've trained."
Dr. Qiu nodded as if he'd heard that a million times. "Training helps. Compatibility helps more."
He leaned forward slightly. "You trained with Major Ye Fan today."
Mu Chen didn't bother asking how Dr. Qiu knew. The cameras knew. The reports knew. The base always knew.
"Yes," Mu Chen confirmed.
Dr. Qiu's eyes were polite but cold. "How did that feel?"
Mu Chen kept his answer brief. "He's strong."
Dr. Qiu smiled. "That's not what I asked."
Mu Chen met his gaze. "It felt intense."
Dr. Qiu's smile widened a tiny bit, like he approved. "Any headaches? Any ringing in your ears? Any nausea?"
Mu Chen shook his head. "No."
Dr. Qiu tapped something. "So a C-class guide feels no side effects near an A-class sentinel with high mental pressure."
Mu Chen's fingers grew cold.
Dr. Qiu looked up. "Interesting."
Mu Chen kept his voice even. "Maybe I'm a good fit."
Dr. Qiu's smile didn't budge. "Fit is measured. Not guessed."
He stood up. "We'll do a simple test."
Mu Chen followed him into a small room with two chairs and a screen on the wall. The chairs were placed facing each other, a little too close. The screen showed a timer.
Dr. Qiu gestured. "Sit."
Mu Chen sat.
Dr. Qiu picked up a small device, like a thin metal ring. "This measures mental output. It's not painful."
Mu Chen didn't respond.
Dr. Qiu placed the ring on Mu Chen's finger, then stepped back and opened the door.
Ye Fan walked in.
Mu Chen's stomach tightened again.
Ye Fan's face was expressionless, but his eyes were sharp. He looked at Dr. Qiu first, then at Mu Chen.
"Why am I here?" Ye Fan asked.
Dr. Qiu's voice was calm. "Routine compatibility check. Sit down, Major."
Ye Fan didn't sit immediately.
His gaze lingered on Mu Chen's hand, on the ring.
Then Ye Fan's eyes moved up to Mu Chen's face.
Mu Chen remained still.
Ye Fan finally sat in the chair opposite him.
Too close.
Mu Chen could feel Ye Fan's senses like a wave of heat.
Dr. Qiu tapped the timer. "For two minutes, you will maintain eye contact. No linking. No physical contact. Just presence."
Ye Fan's mouth tightened. "This is pointless."
Dr. Qiu smiled. "Indulge me."
The timer started.
Mu Chen lifted his gaze.
Ye Fan was looking directly at him.
Mu Chen kept his face calm.
Ye Fan's stare didn't waver.
At first, it felt like nothing.
Then Mu Chen felt Ye Fan's mind pushing outward, like a wave. Not a link, not a touch, but a strong presence.
A normal C-class guide would have flinched.
Mu Chen didn't.
He stayed still, breathing slowly.
Ye Fan's eyes narrowed, as if he were listening for a crack and couldn't find one.
Thirty seconds.
Mu Chen felt the ring on his finger warm up slightly. Data was being collected.
One minute.
Ye Fan's control tightened. Mu Chen could see it in his jaw, in the slight tension around his eyes.
Mu Chen knew what Ye Fan was doing.
Ye Fan was stretching his senses out a little further, testing if Mu Chen would break.
Mu Chen didn't move.
Not because he couldn't.
But because he wouldn't give the institute any proof.
One minute thirty.
Mu Chen felt something else now.
Not pressure.
Relief.
Ye Fan's storm was still there, but its edge softened around Mu Chen. It was as if Ye Fan's senses had found a place where the noise didn't hurt as much.
Ye Fan's eyes flickered for the first time.
Surprise.
Then anger, like he hated needing that.
Two minutes.
The timer beeped.
Dr. Qiu stepped in, looking pleased. He removed the ring from Mu Chen's finger and checked the data.
"Hm," Dr. Qiu murmured. "Very stable."
Ye Fan stood up quickly. "Are we done?"
Dr. Qiu nodded. "For now."
Ye Fan turned to leave.
At the door, he paused and spoke without looking back.
"Don't go to the institute alone," Ye Fan said.
Mu Chen blinked.
Dr. Qiu's smile remained fixed.
Mu Chen's voice was quiet. "Why?"
Ye Fan's shoulders tensed. "Because they don't ask twice."
Then Ye Fan left.
The door clicked shut.
Dr. Qiu looked at Mu Chen with a calm, bright smile. "Congratulations, Lieutenant. You might be more useful than we thought."
Mu Chen's skin went cold.
Useful.
That word felt worse than weak.
Mu Chen stood up slowly. "Am I done?"
Dr. Qiu nodded. "Yes. For today."
Mu Chen walked out again, back under the cold lights.
His hands were steady.
But inside, his thoughts were racing.
Ye Fan had warned him.
Ye Fan didn't give warnings for free.
And the institute had just gotten its first real look at him.