The Guide's Cliched Deal

Updated regularly. The [Tower], located in the heart of the capital, is a paradise of wealth and power. The gifted students who study there are all from prominent families, born at the very top of the pyramid. But after an education reform, the Tower began sponsoring a group of exceptional students, selected from across the country, to attend for free. Without exception, every one of them was an S-rank Sentinel or Guide. Ying Zhi’s father was the chairman of the Agents’ Association, and his mother was the Chief Sentinel. As the legitimate “prince,” Ying Zhi saw these newly arrived scholarship students as crude, resentful of the rich, ill-mannered, and smug about their ranks. As student council president, he maintained a superficial peace with them from his lofty position, while wanting nothing to do with them beyond that. Then one day, Ying Zhi woke up and discovered, to his astonishment, that he had switched bodies with one of the scholarship students. And it was the S-rank Sentinel he least wanted to deal with. That man was cold and taciturn, kept to himself, and was impossible to communicate with. He was always watching Ying Zhi from the shadows, his gaze forever tinged with a violent, vicious air. After several unsuccessful attempts to switch back, Ying Zhi had no choice but to go to class in the Sentinel’s body. That was when he discovered that “he” was ostracized by the entire class, and even the other scholarship students from his hometown wanted nothing to do with him. A Sentinel who had once acted so refined and nearly tricked him into accepting an engagement now showed his true colors, spewing vulgar fantasies about the “prince.” Ying Zhi: ... But before he could feel sorry for the Sentinel’s situation, he realized things were far from simple... Not one of these people was harmless. Lately, an unusual sight had been appearing at the Capital Tower. The untouchable Guide prince was always following a reclusive Sentinel from a poor background, staring at him with a burning gaze as if he wanted to devour him whole. Sentinel: Want some Guide pheromones? You can have all of mine. Ying Zhi: Those were my Guide pheromones to begin with. Sentinel: ... Ying Zhi: Yes, I want them. Sentinel: Then do you want me, too? Ying Zhi: ... Sentinel: ...? Ying Zhi: Yes. I want all of you. A Guide who is exactly as he seems tops a Sentinel who is not what he appears, 1v1. Imperfect characters. There are prejudices early on, but their views will change. The Sentinel is putting on an act at first, pretending to be pitiful. He’ll soon be found out and unable to keep it up, so he’ll just go all out instead. *Please don’t impose your own interpretations on the characters. I’m begging you. If any of the upcoming stories in my author’s column interest you, please add them to your favorites! It means a lot to me!! Thank you! Theme: Make friends from all walks of life, keep a level head, and stay humble.