Low-Level Guide

Xin Ruo is a low-level Guide.

The kind of Guide from Sentinel-Guide.

He has always thought his name was a poor choice. At first glance, it looks like “hardship,” and he really does have it hard. Since starting work, he has had countless cases to deal with every day.

Every single time he goes out into the field, it’s because of a Sentinel who has gone berserk.

Guides are scarce, so most Sentinels are unattached. When they enter their rut, they go out and lose control. They each act out in their own way: some become extremely aggressive, while others cling to unfamiliar Guides and beg for comfort... Either way, they’re a serious threat to public order.

What sets Xin Ruo apart from other Guides is that he can soothe any Sentinel, regardless of their compatibility. His mental power is so weak that he can slip through the gaps in all kinds of mental barriers.

He’s basically a universal Band-Aid. He can treat any kind of wound, but there’s no way he can cure it for good.

Ever since he differentiated as a Guide, Xin Ruo has lost track of how many Sentinels he’s helped with mental regulation. Finding a Guide with a very high compatibility rating is too difficult, so they might as well find Xin Ruo to “lick” them. Once he’s done, they feel better. It’s not much, but it’s better than nothing.

After years of “licking” the mental seas of all kinds of Sentinels and seeing far too many embarrassing displays, Xin Ruo has developed a strong aversion to sex. Most Guides make physical contact when helping Sentinels regulate their minds, but Xin Ruo doesn’t. He stands three meters away and releases his mental power, patiently untangling the Sentinels’ chaotic mental seas, one strand at a time, as if loosening a knot. Then he’s done.

The Sentinels feel as though their mental seas have been lightly touched, like fingertips gently tapping the surface of water. Then they feel clear-headed and refreshed, no longer distressed at all. Their thoughts are as clear as a freshly wiped, gleaming tile floor, and their future seems brighter than ever.

It feels so good that Sentinels often come to the office and specifically ask for Xin Ruo to help them regulate their minds. Every day, Xin Ruo has a queue of “Have you licked yet?” and “Have you regulated yet?” orders to handle.

Theme: Low-level doesn’t mean lowbrow.