Book 2 Chapter 7 – Meeting Guo Xiang Again

　　The convoy of buses stopped right in front of Hotel Yunda, the only four-star hotel in the entire prefecture. A manager of the company explained that due to the efforts to preserve Ning Village's environment, there were no hotels on-site, and, as such, it was impossible to accommodate all of them. Therefore, they had to stay here for the night, and there was still another thirty minutes of bus ride until their final destination. Bai Ze pulled Li Yiming to the side during the break time. "So you've guessed it?" she asked with a grim expression.

　　"Is it really a domain?" Li Yiming was still quite unsure of his conjecture.

　　"Yes." Bai Ze nodded, somewhat seemed distraught.

　　"Why are they inside here too?" Li Yiming looked at Liu Meng and the rest of the filming crew, who were receiving access cards to their rooms in the hotel.

　　"That's the least of my concerns. It's you that I'm wondering about." Bai Ze looked like she was completely lost in her thoughts.

　　"Me? What is it about me?"

　　"These people here are all fake. Nothing more than copies that have been produced by the domain. But you're real. Domains cannot produce a copy of guardians. Although you're not a guardian, strictly speaking, the fact that you have life marks shows that Heaven's Laws have recognized your status. But you had no key for entry into the domain. So how did you get in here?"

　　"You need a key for entry?" asked Li Yiming.

　　"Yes, something like the invitation you had before. That was the key to the domain, and the only way to enter it," explained Bai Ze.

　　"How do you obtain a key?"

　　"Right before the opening of the domain, guardians will be shown a sign from Heaven's Laws. Guardians can a.s.sess their own abilities and choose which domain to enter. Once partic.i.p.ation is confirmed, a key will be given to each partic.i.p.ant and it will both serve as the proof of joining in and as the embodiment of the contract."

　　'So guardians are contract workers?' An odd thought occured to Li Yiming.

　　"What do we do now then?" Li Yiming was at a loss. 'Why me again?'

　　"I don't know, I'm not one of you." Bai Ze rolled her eyes.

　　"I'm not one neither," Li Yiming retorted.

　　"But it thinks that you are one," Bai Ze extended one of her plump fingers and pointed at the sky.

　　Li Yiming lifted his head in frustration and wanted to extend a finger of his own: his middle one.

　　"You should be careful about Fang Shui'er and her a.s.sistant," Little Bai Ze suddenly added.

　　"Fang Shui'er?"

　　"Yes. I thought that it was odd, but I didn't pay much attention to it. Since the domain is here and now open, then they are the prime suspects."

　　"You're saying that they are guardians?" Li Yiming was baffled.

　　"I'm fairly certain."

　　"You can tell?" Li Yiming found the fact very difficult to accept. An international star, the idol of the entire country, the G.o.ddess in the dreams of single men, a guardian?

　　"Even I can't confirm it unless they use their talents. But I have strong reasons to believe so."

　　"What kind of reasons?" asked Li Yiming.

　　"They were too calm when they saw us for the first time."

　　"What?" Li Yiming thought the explanation to be not nearly sufficient.

　　"Think about it. The very first reaction of people who had the chance to meet me…" Little Bai Ze stated the fact without any narcissism.

　　Li Yiming recalled the details of their first meeting. Bai Ze was an instant magnet for the affection of any woman, and none were immune to her cute appearance. Were it not for that, she would not have been able to attract the attention of director Zheng, Xiao Hei, who had met his share of people, and compelled him to add a role just for her. However, Fang Shui'er seemed to have only shown a slight approval, and her a.s.sistant, Zeng Qian, seemed to even oppose the idea of Bai Ze partic.i.p.ating in the filming. But from these two clues alone, to suspect that they are guardians… 'Isn't this a little far-fetched?'

　　"There's no fault in prudence. I doubt that you understand the world of guardians. For them, someone that joins the domain without a key is extremely dangerous."