Chapter 13: Temporary Markings

Temporary markings can also trigger mating heat, though not as inevitably as direct markings do.

But facing Yu Xia, who knew nothing, Huo Lin felt this wasn’t fair to her.

At the very least, she needed to understand what it was.

Nyx saw him hesitating and stepped forward, “If you can’t do it, I will.”

Huo Lin pressed down on his shoulder and said coldly, “Don’t scare her.”

Yu Xia’s expression suddenly grew serious as she asked, “What’s wrong? Is there something wrong with my pheromones?”

Huo Lin took a deep breath, grasped her shoulders, and helped her sit on the sofa. “Yu Xia, I need to temporarily mark you. This way, I can mask your pheromone scent so no one will detect it.”

Yu Xia nodded. “Alright, mark me then.”

Huo Lin’s gaze was deep as he looked at her. “Do you know what marking means?”

“What does it mean?”

Yu Xia answered straightforwardly. She knew that most of what Huo Lin and the others did was for her sake.

She had quickly accepted her identity in this world—whether as an ordinary person or a guide, her genes were fixed and unchangeable. She would fulfill her duties in this role without giving up who she had been before.

But now, she was still in danger. Once things settled, she could think about her future.

Huo Lin explained the marking: “I will temporarily imprint my pheromones on you to cover your own scent.”

Yu Xia didn’t see any problem and cooperated readily. “Okay, I understand.”

Huo Lin’s voice softened. “This is... something only partners do. Are you willing to let me do this?”

Oh, partners...

Hmm? Partners?

Yu Xia suddenly caught on. Before she could reply, Nyx’s voice cut in, “It’s just a temporary mark. Don’t worry. You won’t smell the pheromones, and the chance of triggering mating heat is very low.”

Mating heat? What was that?

Yu Xia still had many questions, but now wasn’t the time to ask. She just inquired, “Temporary marking doesn’t count as being partners?”

Nyx glanced meaningfully at Huo Lin. “As long as you don’t want it, a temporary marking means nothing.”

Only a permanent mark would create an unbreakable bond between a guide and a sentinel.

Time was urgent; a new wave of mutant beasts was about to arrive. They couldn’t explain more to Yu Xia now.

“Alright then.” Yu Xia straightened her back, ready.

At a time like this, she had no room to be picky.

Even though she didn’t know how marking worked.

A thunderclap cracked through the gray sky, signaling an impending storm.

Huo Lin no longer hesitated. He pulled Yu Xia onto his lap, loosened her collar to reveal her pale, delicate neck.

Yu Xia watched as Huo Lin’s head drew closer, a flutter of unknown nervousness rising in her heart.

His warm breath brushed against her skin; his lips lingered briefly over the gland on the back of her neck.

She heard him swallow, his breath growing heavier.

Not only Huo Lin, but others in the room also swallowed audibly.

The sentinels looked at her with eyes full of a certain kind of yearning.

When Huo Lin’s cool lips touched her skin, Yu Xia shuddered slightly. The word “vampire” popped into her mind inexplicably.

“Are you going to suck my blood?”

Huo Lin paused his movement, a bit amused and helpless. “No, don’t be afraid.”

Why would she think he was going to suck her blood? Had someone done that to her before?

Ah, that damned bastard sentinel.

Yu Xia’s interruption seemed to dissipate some of the heat radiating from Huo Lin.

He wrapped his arms around her, voice softer than before. “Relax. It’ll be over soon.”

His sharp teeth lightly pierced the gland, injecting a trace of pheromone.

At the moment the sentinel’s and guide’s pheromones merged and collided, Huo Lin’s pupils instantly narrowed into vertical slits. He tightened his grip uncontrollably, wanting to inject more, break through more.

Nyx hurriedly reminded him, “Enough, Huo Lin.”

Seeing no reaction, Nyx stepped forward to separate him from Yu Xia. “Huo Lin!”

“Cough!”

At Nyx’s touch, Huo Lin released Yu Xia and covered his mouth, turning his head aside.

Yu Xia saw his ears and neck flush red. His other hand clenched the sofa’s backrest so tightly veins stood out on his hand and neck. It seemed the marking was uncomfortable for him.

She herself felt nothing much—just a slight sting and tingling where his lips had bitten her neck.

But Huo Lin... seemed a bit off. Her gaze dropped, then lifted to meet his. “You...”

Huo Lin pressed his lips tightly, a deep emotion held back in his eyes.

He turned his head, glanced at Yu Xia, then set her down on the floor. Suddenly, he rose swiftly and strode toward the guidance room.

Nyx sniffed in front of Yu Xia. Her pheromone scent had faded considerably; once she stayed with Huo Lin, it would be completely masked.

He squatted with his back to her, patted his own back, signaling her to climb up. “He’s fine. Let him be for a while. We’ll go ahead; he’ll catch up soon.”

Yu Xia looked anxiously at the closed room. Seeing the sentinels waiting for her, she had no choice but to lie on Nyx’s back.

Nyx held her legs as she climbed up, feeling her weight. His brows furrowed slightly. She was too light—he’d have to take good care of her later.

Once outside, Yu Xia shivered in the cold wind.

Today’s temperature was indeed much lower than yesterday.

The desolate streets were covered with fallen leaves and various plants. The gray sky and the eerie silence created a stifling atmosphere.

It felt as if something was lurking nearby. Yu Xia sensed a strong gaze fixed on them.

Nyx carried her across the street, following the route they had scouted yesterday, quickly heading toward the rear exit.

Yu Xia felt their running pace nearly matched that of vehicles. She marveled inwardly at how powerful the human genes in this world were.

They could leap nearly ten meters onto rooftops and land as lightly as cats.

She thought that if her father were alive to see such strong humans, he would be eager to study sentinel genes.

Her father had been not only a doctor but also a biological researcher. Like others in the field, he had devoted his life to researching how to make humans stronger.

After all, the human body was too fragile—prone to injury and illness, with trivial wounds sometimes proving fatal.

Nyx quickly led her out of the ruined city district. Yu Xia saw the familiar black earth plains, though here there were more ruins overgrown with moss and various puddles of water.

Seeing the puddles, the urge to soak in water returned to her.

But when strange bubbles began to rise from the puddles, her desire immediately vanished.

Suddenly, she felt something following them from behind. Turning around, she saw nothing alive in sight.

For a moment, she thought it might be Huo Lin, but the faint sense of dread felt more like something else.

“What’s wrong?” Nyx turned to look at Yu Xia.

Yu Xia glanced back again. “I keep feeling like something is following us. Maybe it’s just my imagination.”