TL: Sarah
守卫通报后，亚奥尼斯脚步生风地走进首相府。
After the guard informed them, Yonis marched straight into the prime minister’s office.
“首相大人，可否请您解释一下，”亚奥尼斯开门见山地问道，“什么叫‘国家财产’？什么叫‘不排除分配给二个或二个以上黑暗哨兵的可能’？”
“Prime Minister, could you please explain?” Yonis began bluntly, “What do you mean ‘national property’? What do you mean ‘not rule out the possibility of being assigned to two or more Dark Sentinels’?”
首相尼泊尔坐在办公桌前，一派淡然，似乎早料到亚奥尼斯会来找他：“这件事我们今天刚刚提上议案，还没有最后定论。”
Prime Minister Nepal was sitting at his desk, his face indifferent and seeming to have expected Yonis’ arrival, “The bill was just made today and haven’t reached a final conclusion yet.”
“你们打算如何定论？”亚奥尼斯眼中透出危险的光芒，“将尚可当作所有黑暗哨兵的共有物，强制分配？”
“How do you plan to conclude then?” There was a dangerous light in Yonis’ eyes. “Take Shang Ke as the common property of all Dark Sentinels and force distribution?”
“亚奥尼斯，请你不要弄错了。”尼泊尔正色道，“强制分配从来都是你们高级哨兵才拥有的特权，但最后背锅的却是我们向导公会。”
“Yonis, please don’t place your misconceptions onto us.” Nepal said seriously, “Compulsory distribution has always been the privilege of you, high-ranking sentinels, but in the end, it is our Guide Association that will bear the burden.”
尼泊尔在入选首相之前，曾是向导公会的会长，同时也是一名A级向导。外界对向导公会的评价普遍不高，因为他们限制了向导的诸多权利和自由。但事实上，大部分向导都愿意选择哨兵作为配偶，双方契合度越高，越容易产生精神共鸣，从而衍生出真实的情感。87%以上的哨兵和向导都是自由配对结合，公会只提供必要的检测和保护。除非这名向导被高级哨兵申请强制绑定，向导公会才会出面干涉。
Before Nepal was elected as Prime Minister, he was the president of the Guide Association and was also a Rank A Guide. Generally speaking, the public didn’t think too highly of the Guide Association because they restricted too many rights and freedoms for guides. But in fact, most guides were willing to choose sentinels as their spouses. The higher the degree of compatibility between the two, the easier it was to resonate spiritually, thus generating real emotions. More than 87% of sentinels and guides were freely paired and bonded, and the Association only provided necessary detection and protection. The Association would only intervene if a guide was forced to bind by a high-ranking sentinel.
但这名向导若坚决不同意，也并非无计可施。那就是退还国家分配的住房，放弃国家给予的各种优厚待遇，删除自己在公会的所有档案，做一名野生向导。享有多少权利就履行多少义务，世上从来没有白吃的午餐。
However, if a guide firmly disagrees to bond with sentinels, they were not completely helpless. They just had to return the housing allocated by the government, give up all kinds of preferential treatment, delete all their files in the Association, and become a wild guide. There was no free lunch in this world.
外界只看到被强制分配的向导的不幸，却没看到更多为爱情而放弃一切的野生向导的惨淡收场。人与人的感情容易变质，但哨兵和向导的精神结合，却是一种利益均分、永不背叛的共生契约。
However, the public only saw the misfortune of guides who were forced to bond but not the bleak end of several wild guides who gave up everything for love. Feelings between two people were easy to break, but the spiritual bond of sentinels and guides was a symbiotic contract in which benefits were shared equally and never betrayed.
塔国的普通人占多数，他们也希望能拥有一名向导做配偶，但出于对生理契合和后代基因等因素的考虑，普通人几乎没有什么竞争力。所以他们极力抨击向导公会，企图赢得与哨兵对等的分配权。
The ordinary people in Biyashi were the majority and they also hoped to have a guide as their spouse. However, due to considerations of physiological fit and offspring genes, they had little competitiveness. So, they strongly attacked the Guide Association, trying to win equal distribution rights with sentinels.
“既然如此，我身为A级黑暗哨兵，理应有权成为尚可‘唯一’的配偶。”亚奥尼斯在“唯一”两个字上加重了语气。
“In that case, as a Rank A Dark Sentinel, I should have the right to be Shang Ke’s ‘only’ spouse.” Yonis emphasized the word only.
“亚奥尼斯，我想你可能理解错了。”首相在他的威压下，稍稍坐直了身体，说道，“我们这份议案，强制的不是尚可，而是所有黑暗哨兵。”
“Yonis, I think you may have misunderstood.” Under his pressure, the Prime Minister sat up a little straighter and said, “Our bill doesn’t force Shang Ke but the Dark Sentinels.”
“什么意思？”
“What do you mean?”
首相将一份文件扔给他：“你自己看吧。”
Nepal threw a document to him, “See for yourself.”
亚奥尼斯翻开文件，这是一份有关尚可定位问题的草案计划，第一句就是：“尚可作为塔国目前唯一一名全黑暗属性的S级向导，隶属于国家的宝贵财产，将给予最大程度的保护和权益。”
Yonis opened the document which was a draft plan on Shang Ke’s position. The first sentence was: “Shang Ke, as the only known S-level Dark Guide in the country, is under the jurisdiction of the country as a valuable property and will be given maximum protection, privaleages.”
——尚可向导是国家财产，任何个人不得据为己有；
—The Guide Shang Ke is a national property and no individual is allowed to possess him.
——尚可向导不得随意离开国境；
—The Guide Shang Ke is not allowed to leave the country at will;
——在需要时，尚可向导应当服从国家安排，对出现精神紊乱的黑暗哨兵进行辅助和治疗；
—When necessary, the Guide Shang Ke should obey government plans, and assist and treat Dark Sentinels with spiritual disorder.
——尚可向导可随时解除现有的适应配偶关系，重新选择与自己结合的黑暗向导，数量不限……
—The Guide Shang Ke can dissolve the existing temporary spouse relationships at any time, and choose a new Dark Sentinel for himself. There is no limit…
前面几条还能理解，后面这条“随时可解除现有的适应配偶关系”、“数量不限”是几个意思？亚奥尼斯整张脸都是黑的。
The first few sentences were still understandable but what did “can dissolve the existing temporary spouse relationships at any time” and “no limit” mean? Yonis’ whole face was dark.
“亚奥尼斯，你需要担心的不是我们会将尚可分配给谁，而是他自己会选择谁。”尼泊尔平静道，“考虑到后代的问题，我们自然是希望尚可能够广结良缘，为国家孕育更多优秀的哨兵向导。但我们不会强制执行，而是将选择权交给尚可，毕竟他拥有S级的精神力，如果他不愿意，强行结合也只会弄巧成拙。
“Yonis, what you need to worry about is not who we will assign Shang Ke to, but who he will choose.” Nepal said calmly, “Considering the problem of future generations, we naturally hope that Shang Ke can have a good marriage and give birth to more excellent sentinels and guides for the country. However, we will not enforce it and give the choice to Shang Ke. After all, he has a S-level spiritual power. If he doesn’t want to, forcing the bond will only backfire.”
“不过亚奥尼斯，你不用担心，虽然你无法与尚可公证绑定，但你还是最有可能成为尚可第一个孩子的父亲。”
“But, Yonis, you don’t have to worry. Although you can’t legally bind with Shang Ke, you are most likely to become the father of Shang Ke’s first child.”
什么叫“第一个孩子的父亲”？无论尚可生多少个，孩子的父亲都只会是他好吗？
What do you mean “the father of his first child”? No matter how many children Shang Ke will have, the father of the child will only be him, okay?
“首相大人，你又在打什么主意？”亚奥尼斯极力忍下想要撕掉这份议案的冲动，两道冷飕飕的目光直直向尼泊尔射去。
“Prime Minister, what are you up to?” Yonis tried his best to resist tearing up the bill while two chilly eyes stared at Nepal.
“没什么，以前向导公会背的锅已经够多了，这次我们不想再背。”尼泊尔惬意地往椅子上一靠，提醒道，“亚奥尼斯，与其在这里跟我讨论尚可的归属，还不如好好考虑一下怎么打发你的竞争者们吧，比如……米歇尔？”
“Nothing. The Association has already endured enough misplaced blame. We don’t want to bear it again this time.” Nepal leaned comfortably on the chair and warned, “Yonis, instead of discussing Shang Ke’s ownership with me, why don’t you think about how to deal with your competitors such as… Mitchell?”
亚奥尼斯杀气腾腾地盯着尼泊尔看了半晌，随即冷哼一声，忿忿地拂袖而去。
Yonis glared ferociously at Nepal for a long time. Then he snorted coldly and left.
回到住处，见到尚可正背对着他在花园中散步，修长的身影在阳光的映照下，看起来格外温暖。亚奥尼斯大步走过来，从后面紧紧抱住他。
When he returned to his residence, he found Shang Ke walking in the garden with his back to him. His slender figure looked very warm under the sunlight. Yonis strode over and hugged him tightly from behind.
“回来了？情况怎么样？”尚可转头看向他。
“You’ve returned? How’s the situation?” Shang Ke turned to look at him.
亚奥尼斯冷着脸，一语不发，精神力起伏不定，四周纷乱的风声树声和各种鸟叫虫鸣的叫声，让他烦躁不已。
Yonis’s face was frosty and he said nothing. His spirit fluctuated and the numerous sounds of the wind, trees, birds and insects around him made him grow agitated.
尚可放出自己的精神力，为他建立一个隔音屏障，阻隔周围的噪音，抚慰他烦躁的情绪。
Shang Ke released his own spirit and built a sound barrier around him, blocking the surrounding noise to soothe his irritability.
亚奥尼斯将下巴靠在尚可肩头，绷紧的神色逐渐缓和，最后完全舒展，半眯着眼睛像一只半睡半醒的狮子。只要在他身边，他总能感觉无比安宁。
Yonis rested his chin on Shang Ke’s shoulder, his tight look gradually easing until he was completely relaxed. His eyes squinted like a lion half asleep and half awake. As long as Shang Ke was around, Yonis would always feel at peace.
两人倚坐在树下，亚奥尼斯这才将他从首相那里得来的消息告诉尚可，一想到那份让他心塞的议案，亚奥尼斯好不容易平复的心情又暴躁起来。明明是自己的向导，结果硬生生被打上了“国家”的标签，偏偏这个标签还对尚可十分有利，他甚至连反对的理由都没有。
The two men sat under a tree and only then did Yonis tell Shang Ke the information he had received from the Prime Minister. When Yonis thought the bill was making him feel sad, the once calm Yonis became angry again. Obviously, Shang Ke was his guide, yet he was labeled as a “national property” all of a sudden. However, this label was in fact very beneficial to Shang Ke, so beneficial Yonis had no true reason to object against it.
尚可有些意外，没想到塔国竟然会给他这样的优待。
Shang Ke was a bit surprised; he didn’t expect the country to give him such preferential treatment.
“尚可。”亚奥尼斯捧起他的脸，目光灼灼道，“不准选择我以外的任何人，否则，我不知道自己会干出什么事来。你是我的向导，我一个人的。”他如此宣告着，语气听起来就像一个害怕失去心爱玩具的孩子。
“Shang Ke.” Yonis cupped his face and spoke with intense eyes, “You can’t choose anyone other than me. Otherwise, I don’t know what I would do. You are my guide, you’re mine alone.” He declared, sounding like a child afraid of losing his beloved toy.
“嗯，我是你一个人的。”尚可抱住他，笑道，“安抚你一个就够累了，我不想再多加一个。”
“Okay, I am yours alone.” Shang Ke hugged him and smiled, “Comforting you is tiring enough. I don’t want to add another.”
亚奥尼斯眼神微闪，笃定道：“没错，我会让你没有精力去想别人的。”
“Yes, I’ll make sure you have no energy to think about others,” Yonis replied with a slight twinkle in his eyes.
说着，一把抱起尚可，风一般地冲进卧室，开始实施他的耗精战术……
With that said, he picked Shang Ke up and ran like the wind into the bedroom. He began to implement his energy consuming tactics …
几天后，第一份黑暗向导议案正式对外公布，无数黑暗哨兵为之欢喜鼓舞。尽管他们知道B级以下的黑暗哨兵基本没有可能与尚可结合，但尚可对黑暗哨兵的精神辅助和治疗却是非常可贵的。
A few days later, the first Dark Guide Bill was officially announced, and several Dark Sentinels were delighted, encouraging it. Although they knew that it was almost impossible for Dark Sentinels below Rank B to bond with Shang Ke, Shang Ke’s spiritual assistance and treatment was very valuable to Dark Sentinels.
黑暗哨兵的自控力虽然强大，但也无法避免意外发生。以前出现精神动荡和感识错乱，只能靠自己的意志强行压制，如今却可以像其他普通哨兵一样，获得向导最好的治疗。
Although the Dark Sentinels’ self-control was strong, they couldn’t avoid accidents. In the past, when spiritual turmoil and disorder happened, they could only suppress it through their own will alone. Now, like other ordinary sentinels, they could get the best treatment from a guide.
但尚可的特权，也让不少向导感到不平衡。大多注册向导都是在ZF和哨兵的守护下长大的，他们理所当然地享受着特权带来的便利，又对自身的地位和责任感到诸多不满。普通人都有自由恋爱的权利，向导却只能局限在一个小圈子里。
However, Shang Ke’s privilege also made many guides feel wronged. Most of the registered guides grew up under the protection of the government and sentinels. They naturally enjoyed the convenience brought by their privileges and felt dissatisfied with their status and responsibilities. Ordinary people had the right to love freely, but guides could only be confined to a small circle.
其他向导没有选择权，凭什么这个突然冒出来的黑暗向导就有？
Other guides didn’t have the right to choose. Why did this Dark Guide that popped out of nowhere does?
当然，这些言论并不是尚可关注的重点，他现在最关注的是反政联盟的动向。
Of course, these remarks were not the focus of Shang Ke’s attention. He was most concerned about the movement of the anti-government union.
主线任务还剩下最后一次暗杀，随着他的知名度越来越高，反政联盟想铲除他的念头应该也会越来越强烈，特别是在得知他竟然是一名向导后。
There was still the last assassination in the main task left. As his popularity grew, the anti-government union’s desire to eradicate him should have also grown stronger, especially after learning that he turned out to be a guide.
反政联盟内部没有哨兵也没有向导，他们是由各个领域的技术人才和地下武装力量组成的恐怖势力，最初建立的目的，就是为了推翻以哨兵和向导为首的特权统治。
There were no sentinels or guides in the anti-government union. They were a terrorist force composed of technical talents in various fields and underground armed forces. Their original purpose was to overthrow the privileged powers held by sentinels and guides.
基因优化者和普通人的矛盾，从古至今都没有消除过。普通人中的天才们不甘心被少数优化者所统治，偏偏又没有实力与他们正面对抗，只能采取极端手段，四处制造混乱，不知有多少无辜者死在了他们的野心和疯狂下。
The contradiction between gene optimizers and ordinary people had not been eliminated since ancient times. Ordinary people’s geniuses were unwilling to be ruled by a few optimizers, but they had no strength to confront them head-on. They could only take extreme measures to create chaos everywhere. It was unknown how many innocent people have died under their ambition and madness.
塔国上层与他们争斗了数百年，无论受到多大的打击，每隔一段时间，他们总能卷土重来。
For hundreds of years, the upper echelons of the country had been fighting with them. No matter how hard they were hit, they would always come back every once in a while.
以他们的能力，沉寂了大半年，即使空中环邸的防御再高，他们也该有所行动了。
With their ability, they had been silent for more than half a year. No matter how high the Sky Ring’s defense, they should start taking action soon.
不过，尚可还没有等到第三次暗杀，他就先接到了以个辅助治疗任务。发生意外的是三名组队外出的黑暗哨兵，一名C级，两名D级。原本级别这么低的哨兵，没必要出动尚可这位S级的向导。但黑暗哨兵不同，他们出现精神动乱的几率很低，更别说一次出现三个。塔国上层觉得这件事有点蹊跷，便向尚可发布了治疗任务。
But while Shang Ke was waiting for the third assassination, he received an emergency treatment mission first. The incident happened to three Dark Sentinels, one C and two D, who went out in teams. It was not necessary to send Shang Ke, an S-level guide, to sentinels of such low ranks. However, Dark Sentinels were different from normal sentinels, they had very low chances of going through a spiritual turmoil, let alone three at a time. The upper echelon of the country felt that there was something odd about this matter and issued a treatment mission to Shang Ke.
于是，尚可就在亚奥尼斯的保护下，前往三名黑暗哨兵所在的医院静音室。
So, under the protection of Yonis, Shang Ke went to the private room of the hospital where the three Dark Sentinels were located.
治疗过程很顺利，在尚可的引导下，哨兵的痛苦很快被解除，而后恢复平和。
The treatment process went by smoothly. Under Shang Ke’s guidance, the sentinel’s pain was quickly relieved, and peace was restored.
趁亚奥尼斯不在，那名C级哨兵悄悄对尚可说：“尚可大人，我叫‘林川’，记住我的名字，我以后一定会成为A级黑暗哨兵，然后打败亚奥尼斯，申请与你配对。”
While Yonis was away, the Rank C sentinel whispered to Shang Ke, “Sir Shang Ke, my name is Lin Chuan. Remember my name. I will definitely become a Rank A Dark Sentinel in the future. Then I will defeat Yonis and apply for a matching with you.”
不待尚可说话，眼前这名哨兵突然两眼一翻，晕倒在床上。
Before Shang Ke could speak, the sentinel suddenly rolled his eyes and fainted on the bed.
一道金色的影子从尚可眼前闪过，飞向他的身后。尚可转头望去，见亚奥尼斯正面部无情地站在门口，轻描淡写地扫了一下病床上的三名哨兵。然后就听到砰砰两声闷响，另外那两名哨兵也“幸福”地晕过去了。
A golden shadow flashed before Shang Ke’s eyes and flew behind him. Shang Ke turned his head to find Yonis standing at the door with a murderous aura, his gaze sweeping over the three sentinels on the sickbed lightly. Then Shang Ke heard two loud bangs and the other two sentinels passed out “happily”.
“他们需要休息。”亚奥尼斯如此说。
“They need to rest.” Is what Yonis said.
尚可：“……”
Shang Ke, “……”
走出医院，亚奥尼斯见尚可一副若有所思的样子，出声问道：“怎么了？”
Out of the hospital, Yonis saw Shang Ke looking thoughtful and asked, “What’s the matter?”
“唔……没什么。”尚可也不知道怎么回答。刚才帮三名哨兵治疗时，感觉他们的精神状态十分相似。按理来说，不同的哨兵，在接受外界刺激后，精神状态的表现也各不相同。除非他们的精神力产生了共振，否则应该不会出现一致的频率。
“Well… nothing.” Shang Ke didn’t know how to answer either. When he was treating those three sentinels just now, he felt that their spiritual states were very similar. In principle, different sentinels have different spiritual states after receiving external stimuli. Unless their spirit forces resonated, there should be no consistent frequency.
难道是因为他接触的哨兵太少，运用精神力的经验不足的缘故？
Was it because he had encountered too little sentinels and lacked experience in using spiritual power?
尚可摇摇头，暂时将疑惑压下。
Shang Ke shook his head and temporarily pressed down his doubts.
接下来几天，塔国陆续有哨兵出事，以普通哨兵居多，不过这个数量还在正常范围以内，所以并没有引起太多的关注。
Over the next few days, more and more sentinels in the country suffered from accidents, mostly ordinary ones, but the number was still within the normal range, so it didn’t attract much attention.
直到半个月后，一名精神异常的哨兵的出现，终于在塔国上层引起了轩然大波。
It was not until half a month later that the appearance of a spiritually abnormal sentinel finally caused quite a stir at the top of the country.