Chapter Thirty-One: May I Sit Down and Eat with You?

The sound of a tray hitting the table echoed through the room.

"Major Wen Er, what a coincidence. You're here for a meal too?"

Lu Meng looked up, her chewing faltering.

It was him! That sentinel with the crimson eyes!

Wen Er gave him a side-long glance but said nothing. His expression seemed to ask, "What do you think?"

Ace paid him no mind, turning his gaze toward Lu Meng with a faint smirk. "Long time no see, little Guide! May I join you for lunch?"

Kassie and Hal, who had followed close behind and were sitting nearby, exchanged looks. They both saw naked horror in each other's eyes. What was the Captain doing? Could it be that he also had an interest in this Guide and wanted to snatch her away from Major Wen Er?

Kassie couldn't help but let his eyes sparkle with excitement. "The Captain is so bold! As sentinels, that's exactly how we should be. When you meet a Guide you like, you have to take the initiative, regardless of who the competition is! Long live the Captain..."

Hal quickly clapped a hand over Kassie's mouth.

Wen Er and Ace turned their heads at the same time.

Kassie: "..."

He sat perfectly still, humbled.

Seeing them both glance backward, Lu Meng couldn't help but look as well, though she saw nothing out of the ordinary.

Wen Er’s voice was cold. "The cafeteria is so vast, Major Ace. Can you not find anywhere else to sit?"

Major Ace? So his name was Ace.

Feeling the tension between the two was far from harmonious—perhaps they didn't have the best history—Lu Meng let her gaze dart between them. Unaware of the situation, she dared not speak.

"Was I asking you?" Ace turned back to Lu Meng, leaning in close. "May I sit here, little Guide?"

Wen Er’s expression chilled further.

Sentinels nearby began to look over one after another. Lu Meng glanced at Wen Er, but he remained silent. Feeling thoroughly bothered, she shifted inward. "Uh... go ahead."

Ace sat down with a swagger, his movements exaggerated; he even brushed against Lu Meng’s arm on purpose. Lu Meng assumed it was accidental and didn't pay it any mind.

Wen Er caught the gesture, his gaze turning even frostier.

Ace studied Lu Meng sideways. "Little Guide, are you... very close with him?"

It was obvious who "him" referred to. Lu Meng was startled, but without much thought, she replied, "Wen Er is a good friend of mine."

Wen Er’s eyes flickered. A good friend.

Ace chuckled, his tone ambiguous. "A good friend, huh..."

Lu Meng nodded. "Yes, why?"

Ace raised an eyebrow and looked at Wen Er with a provocative glint. "Nothing. Friends are great. I wish your friendship lasts forever!"

Wen Er met his gaze. One provocative, one cold. Neither would back down.

Lu Meng felt the atmosphere was all wrong; it felt as if the very air had dropped a few degrees. What was going on with these two? Were they arch-rivals or something? Oh no! Please don't let the war spill over onto her! She was just a little girl trying to eat her lunch!

She lowered her head and focused on her food, deciding to play dead. This conflict had nothing to do with her.

When she finally finished her meal, Lu Meng breathed a silent sigh of relief. But just as she was about to leave, Ace suddenly grabbed her arm.

Wen Er’s brow furrowed tightly, and he calmly brushed Ace's hand away.

Ace curled his lips, unbothered, and looked at Lu Meng with a smile like a big bad wolf. "Little Guide, let’s exchange Light-Brain IDs."

Lu Meng felt something was off about his smile, but she couldn't bring herself to slap a smiling face, especially since they had met twice now. Adding an ID didn't seem like a big deal.

"Sure. What's your ID? I'll add you."

"There, all done."

Ace looked with satisfaction at the new contact in his list, marked with a cat avatar and the note: [Little Rabbit Guide].

"I’ll be messaging you often, little Guide~ See you next time."

Watching him walk away, Lu Meng looked back at Wen Er, feeling completely puzzled. This guy... was so strange.

Kassie and Hal hurried to catch up with Ace.

"Captain, do you like that Guide?"

Ace’s tone was indifferent. "I don't."

"You don't?" Kassie and Hal exchanged bewildered looks. If you don't like her, why did you go sit there? Are you sick or something...

Hal stopped him with a glare: *Don't say it!*

Kassie shut his mouth, aggrieved.

Like her? Ace felt a trace of disdain in his eyes. He hated Guides more than anything in this life. How could he possibly fall for one?