The wing of the institute was way quieter than the rest of the base. Not deserted, though. Just... intentionally quiet. Shoes made a softer sound here, doors closed with less of a bang, and people seemed to smile a bit more. Honestly, that was what made it all feel even more unsettling.
Mu Chen walked alongside Lin Lan, keeping his hands perfectly still inside his black gloves. They'd felt warm at first, but by the second hallway, that feeling was long gone.
Scanner doors slid open, one after another. Green light. A soft click. Open.
Lin Lan's face was smooth, but Mu Chen caught her eyes flicking towards the cameras more often than not. She wasn't nervous, though; she was counting them.
At the last door, a woman in a pale uniform was waiting. "Lieutenant Mu Chen," she said. "This way."
Lin Lan stepped forward. "I'm his escort."
The woman gave a polite, almost practiced smile. "You can wait outside."
Lin Lan's jaw tightened. "That wasn't the order."
The woman's smile didn't budge. "Updated clearance."
Mu Chen felt that familiar tightening in his gut – the trap snapping shut. Lin Lan held the woman's gaze for a beat too long, then turned to Mu Chen. "Only answer what they ask," she said, her voice low.
Mu Chen gave a slight nod. "I know."
Lin Lan lowered her voice further. "If the room changes, notice it."
Mu Chen looked at her, realizing that wasn't just a casual piece of advice. It meant the institute had more than one kind of testing room. He gave one small nod and followed the woman inside.
The room was white. Almost painfully white. White walls, a white table, a white chair, and a soft light shining down from above. No visible cameras, which pretty much guaranteed there were a lot of them.
Dr. Qiu sat at the table. He smiled as Mu Chen entered. "Lieutenant Mu," he said warmly. "Please, have a seat."
Mu Chen sat down. The woman left, and the door closed with a soft sound that still felt utterly final.
Dr. Qiu folded his hands. "How are you feeling today?"
Mu Chen kept his answer simple. "Fine."
Dr. Qiu nodded, as if that was a particularly charming response. "You say 'fine' quite a lot."
Mu Chen didn't reply. Dr. Qiu tapped the screen on the table, and a file opened, showing Mu Chen's photo, his rating, and some notes. "Officially," Dr. Qiu said, "you're a C-class guide. Late awakening. General support. No fixed assignment."
Mu Chen kept his expression neutral.
Dr. Qiu looked up. "Do you believe that rating is accurate?"
Mu Chen answered with deliberate care. "It's the rating in my file."
Dr. Qiu smiled. "That wasn't my question."
Mu Chen held his gaze. "I work within my limits."
Dr. Qiu's smile thinned just a touch. "And yet your field results are rather unusual." He tapped the screen again. Images appeared: the gate, the parking structure, the moment Mu Chen raised his hand. Mu Chen's stomach dropped, but his face remained calm. Dr. Qiu watched him, a pleased expression on his face. "We cleaned up the footage," Dr. Qiu said. "Removed the interference. It's very clear."
Mu Chen said nothing. Dr. Qiu leaned back. "Would you like to explain what happened here?"
Mu Chen glanced at the image for a second, then back at Dr. Qiu. "I reacted," Mu Chen said.
Dr. Qiu smiled. "Very well." He changed the screen, now showing footage of the warehouse gate. Ye Fan freezing, Mu Chen right behind him, and the slight dip in Ye Fan's mental pressure reading. Dr. Qiu's voice remained light. "And here?"
Mu Chen kept his breathing even. "We were under attack."
Dr. Qiu steepled his fingers. "Lieutenant Mu. You seem to have a knack for being close to Major Ye Fan when his readings improve."
Mu Chen didn't respond. Dr. Qiu let the silence stretch. Then he asked, "Do you know what compatibility is?"
Mu Chen nodded. "Yes."
"Explain it," Dr. Qiu said.
Mu Chen chose his words carefully. "A guide and a sentinel affect each other differently. Some pairings are more stable. Some are not."
"Good," Dr. Qiu said. "And in high compatibility cases, effects can appear before a formal pairing."
Mu Chen felt his fingers clench inside his gloves. Dr. Qiu saw it. His smile deepened slightly. "Do you think you are compatible with Major Ye Fan?" Dr. Qiu asked.
Mu Chen answered immediately. "I'm not assigned to him."
Dr. Qiu tilted his head. "Again, not my question." Mu Chen looked at him and remained silent.
Dr. Qiu tapped the table again. A panel slid open in the wall. Mu Chen's body went rigid. Inside was another chair, not for a person, but a restraint frame. It wasn't heavy or dramatic, just enough straps to hold someone still while pretending it was for medical purposes. Dr. Qiu's voice stayed kind. "Relax. It's only for stability measurements if needed."
Mu Chen's heart rate didn't change, but something old and cold stirred beneath his skin. Orphanage infirmary. Hands that held too tight. People saying it was for his own good. He kept his face blank.
Dr. Qiu watched him carefully. "You've seen restraints before."
Mu Chen said nothing. Dr. Qiu's eyes sharpened. "Where?"
Mu Chen looked at the white table and answered softly, "I grew up in an orphanage. People there liked control too."
Dr. Qiu was quiet for a moment, not out of sympathy, but calculation. Then he smiled again. "That explains your composure."
Mu Chen looked back at him. "Does it?"
Dr. Qiu's eyes warmed with a false sincerity. "It explains why you don't cry when cornered."
Mu Chen didn't answer. Dr. Qiu changed the screen. This time, it showed a chart. Major Ye Fan: A-class sentinel. Baseline instability: high. Observed calming around subject Mu Chen: repeated. Probability of unusual compatibility: rising. Mu Chen's stomach churned. Dr. Qiu let him read it, then said, very softly, "You are not assigned, Lieutenant Mu. That means there is still room to place you correctly."
Mu Chen lifted his eyes. The room felt smaller now, brighter, even whiter. He understood the real test: not his class, but his obedience.
Dr. Qiu smiled across the table. "If I told you we could protect you, give you better housing, safer work, proper pairing, and medical priority… would you agree to transfer?"
Mu Chen's voice came out calm. "No."
Dr. Qiu blinked once, almost surprised. Then he laughed softly. "Straight answer. Rare."
Mu Chen kept his gaze fixed on him. "You asked."
Dr. Qiu nodded. "I did." He tapped the table one last time. The screen went dark. "Then let's measure you another way," he said.
The lights in the room shifted. Warmer. Dimmer. Wrong. Lin Lan's warning flashed in his mind: *If the room changes, notice it.* Mu Chen sat very still. Dr. Qiu watched him over folded hands. And Mu Chen understood the first test had ended. The real one was starting now.