Realm Walker

In the study, Zhang Yuanqing glanced at the portrait hanging on the wall, then back at Fu Qingyang, sitting underneath it with impeccable posture, and sighed emotionally. ”It’s a fine painting, but what a shame!”

Fu Qingyang had been about to start questioning him, but the remark caught him off guard. ”What do you mean by that?”

”No matter how skilled the artist, they could never capture even a thousandth of your radiance and handsomeness. That’s why it’s a shame,” Zhang Yuanqing answered with earnest sincerity.

Fu Qingyang studied him for a moment, then said flatly, ”Let’s get to business. Don’t waste time on meaningless flattery.”

Even so, Zhang Yuanqing caught the subtle shift in his expression. The man had actually appreciated the comment. When he’d first walked in, Fu Qingyang’s brow had been furrowed, weighed down by worry. Now, the creases had relaxed, and his face was noticeably softer.

Zhang Yuanqing pulled over a high backed chair and sat down facing the aloof young master behind the desk. ”How long before the elders reach a decision on Xiahou Chi’s punishment?”

”I can’t give you an answer,” Fu Qingyang replied with a shake of his head, then explained, ”Xiahou Chi isn’t going anywhere, but he’s a direct descendant of the Xiahou family. Before punishing him, we have to negotiate with them. Killing him without notice would damage the relationship between the two factions, and perhaps even cause open conflict.”

Zhang Yuanqing nodded in understanding. So this is what they mean by ”your position determines your perspective.” The elders naturally approached problems from a different angle than the rank and file. It would be strange if they didn’t.

”Then what do you plan to do next, Centurion?”

Fu Qingyang glanced at him but said nothing.

Looks like he doesn’t have a good plan either, Zhang Yuanqing concluded. Finding a high level Spirit Realm Walker who’s determined to stay hidden is incredibly difficult. It takes time.

Zhang Yuanqing spoke into the silence. ”Centurion, I remember the night we killed Rampaging Recklessly. We discussed Black Wuchang’s motive for hiding in Songhai, and concluded it was because something went wrong with the Fallen Holy Grail. That’s why Black Wuchang secretly reached out to Dark Rose and arranged to meet in Songhai.”

Fu Qingyang gave him a slight nod, and Zhang Yuanqing continued, ”After work yesterday, I spent a long time thinking. Why would Dark Rose help Black Wuchang? What do they stand to gain?”

Fu Qingyang’s gaze sharpened, and Zhang Yuanqing pressed on without waiting. ”From our analysis, we determined the issue with the Fallen Holy Grail had to do with Demon Lord’s tampering, and Demon Lord is a Nocturnal Specter. He had to have used some kind of method to cause the Fallen Holy Grail to malfunction. But my experience is limited, and I can’t imagine what could possibly affect a rule-type item like the Fallen Holy Grail.”

He deliberately avoided naming the Power of the Diurnal Spirit outright, since that would be too obvious. With Fu Qingyang’s breadth of knowledge, a light touch would suffice.

Fu Qingyang thought for several seconds, his eyes growing brighter by the moment. ”The only thing that could counter the Fallen Holy Grail would be an item of equal caliber. I understand now how Demon Lord kept it in check.”

His eyes lingered on Zhang Yuanqing for a moment, then he elaborated, ”It’s the Power of the Diurnal Spirit. High-level Nocturnal Specters can harness and command the power of the sun. I’ll need to check the archives to see whether Demon Lord used a specific item or a related artifact. If necessary, I’ll have to apply to Taiyi Sect for access.”

”Dark Rose must be after that power. While this won’t lead us directly to Black Wuchang, the more intelligence we gather, the more likely a breakthrough will present itself.”

The aloof young master allowed himself a faint smile of approval. ”Your thinking is excellent. I knew I wasn’t wrong about you. If you were a Scout, you’d be an outstanding one.”

I’ll pass on that, thanks, he mused. What’s so great about being a Scout?

He would have said as much to Li Dongze’s face without hesitation, but he didn’t dare disparage the Scout class in front of Fu Qingyang. Instead, he nodded wistfully. ”Yeah, definitely.”

***

After leaving the villa, Zhang Yuanqing dialed Wang Qian’s number

”What are your orders?” Wang Qian asked with utmost deference. Is it just me, or are you contacting me way too often? he thought to himself.

Zhang Yuanqing’s voice was grave. ”Pass a message to the Palace Master for me. Tell her Xiahou Xin has been silenced. Also, regarding the matter I asked her to look into, I need her to move faster. Time is running out.”

Wang Qian listened, eyes going wide with shock. On one hand, he was stunned that Xiahou Xin had been silenced. By whom? On the other hand, the way Yuanshi Tianzun spoke, and the way he’d said it—that he needed her to move faster—also threw him off. Anyone who didn’t know better would think the Palace Master was his informant.

The Palace Master... Surely she isn’t actually this kid’s informant, right?!

”O-okay!” Wang Qian replied, then hung up, thoroughly confused.

***

Next stop, Wuhen Inn. Time to squeeze some intelligence out of the Evil-class people there, Zhang Yuanqing thought to himself. He lingered by the roadside outside the villa complex for a while before flagging down a taxi. After negotiating the fare, he rode north toward Jinshan City.

An hour later, Zhang Yuanqing stepped into the lobby of Wuhen Inn, wearing a baseball cap and a face mask. The woman at the front desk gave him a once over, recognized him, and frowned. ”What are you doing here again?”

She was dressed the same as the first time he’d seen her: a white blouse under a wine-red blazer—standard hotel receptionist attire. Her features were bold and striking, with round, alluring eyes and a generous bust. She radiated the appeal of a mature woman, but her expression was cold, the kind that kept people at a distance.

He knew she wasn’t the violent type, and so offered her a warm smile. ”Don’t be so guarded. I just want to be friends with you, Miss. The more friends you have, the more doors open up.”

The glamorous woman narrowed her eyes and sneered. ”If you’re trying to seduce me, you’ll die horribly. If you have designs on the group backing me, you’ll die an even worse death. Go home. This isn’t a place for the likes of you.”

Wait, why would you assume I’m trying to seduce you? Does the hawk eat the chick? Zhang Yuanqing grumbled internally, but outwardly, he deployed his full social arsenal.

”Let’s not be so rigid,” he said in a conciliatory tone. ”Everyone needs friends and should be good at making them. That’s how you keep your options open. Take Ashamed Father, for example. It was because he and I became friends that your people learned his dying words.”

The glamorous woman stared at him for several long seconds, then said coldly, ”Tell me what you want.”

Zhang Yuanqing did not hesitate. ”Have you heard of Black Wuchang? The authorities are hunting him. Do you have any information on his whereabouts?”

The glamorous woman scoffed. ”You think I can track down Black Wuchang for you from behind a hotel counter?”

She paused to think for a moment, then added, ”I can make inquiries on the black market for you.”

Seeing Zhang Yuanqing’s confused expression, she let out a sharp laugh and explained, ”Not the kind of black market your government sanctions. This is one only Evil-class Walkers know about. Even the most depraved scum need a place to trade. But I’ll be charging a service fee, a hazard premium, and a fee to cover emotional damage.”

Zhang Yuanqing blinked. Service fee and hazard premium I understand, but emotional damage?

He raised an eyebrow. ”Emotional damage?”

The woman curled her lips into a snarl, utterly unashamed. ”Every time I have to see those ugly, disgusting creeps, I feel like I’ve been violated a hundred times over.”

Well, if you’re going to have to debase yourself that much, then what can I even say? Zhang Yuanqing couldn’t find a single angle to bargain from, so he simply stated, ”Just give me the number.”

”Fifty thousand,” The woman said flatly. ”Whether or not I find anything, there will be no refunds.”

Fifty thousand. If this were the old me, I’d have no choice but to strip naked, lie on the bed, and say, ”Miss, tonight I’m yours.” But for current me, this is pocket change.

Zhang Yuanqing nodded. ”Deal. My only condition is speed. The faster, the better.”

He pulled out his phone. ”Let’s exchange contact info. What should I call you, Miss?”

The woman replied, ”Xiao Yuan.”

”That’s a lovely name.”

***

After leaving Wuhen Inn, Zhang Yuanqing walked along the main road toward Songhai, planning to put some distance between him and the hotel before hailing another cab.

The infrastructure in Jinshan City was far worse than Songhai’s. The area he was in could practically pass as a suburb, with heavy trucks rumbling past frequently, causing the sidewalk to be cracked and uneven.

His phone buzzed in his pocket, indicating a notification. Zhang Yuanqing stopped by the roadside and pulled it out. There was one unread message.

Unknown: Have you heard the legend of the White-clad Killer Woman? They say she’s an evil spirit who wanders through dreams. She appears wearing filthy white clothes, her hair hanging loose over her face, carrying a kitchen knife. Her body is stitched together from different people’s limbs, her head facing backwards, and she always walks in reverse.

The White-clad Killer Woman roams through dreams in the dead of night, searching for her next victim. When she decides to kill someone, she knocks on their door at midnight, then slaughters them.

If you have received this message, please forward it to someone else before midnight, or the White-clad Killer Woman will come for you.

Zhang Yuanqing read the message and scoffed. ”What year is it? Are people still sending these ’forward or else’ spam messages?”

He was instantly transported back to middle school, when these prank chain messages had been all the rage in certain chat groups. It was exactly the same format.

At that moment, a taxi approached.

He stuffed his phone back into his pocket and flagged it down. When the driver heard the destination was Songhai, he agreed without hesitation.

***

Zhang Yuanqing returned to Songhai at eleven in the morning.

He’d originally planned to grab lunch at some roadside restaurant, but then remembered that Squad Leader Teng Yuan had raised everyone’s lunch stipend by ten yuan as an employee welfare initiative. The old budget had been thirty yuan per meal, but forty yuan could buy a pretty decent lunch. He immediately told the driver to reroute to the Kangyang District Public Security Bureau.

As he stepped through the glass building’s entrance, he spotted Guan Ya, Teng Yuan, and Jiang Jingwei in the lounge area to the left, seated around a glass topped circular table, eating lunch.

Guan Ya ate with elegant composure, chewing slowly and deliberately. Her bright red lips glistened with a sheen of oil, thoroughly tempting. Squad Leader Teng Yuan ate expressionlessly, his gaze somewhat vacant, showing no enthusiasm for either life or the meal before him.

Jiang Jingwei was another story entirely, wolfing down her food with an intensity that could rival a certain golden haired monkey.

This girl is actually quite pretty. What a pity she’s a Fire Sage, Zhang Yuanqing sighed inwardly, then asked one of the admin staff to prepare his lunch before striding over to his teammates with a broad smile. ”Haha, perfect timing on my part.”

Guan Ya finished chewing and swallowed delicately as she observed Zhang Yuanqing approach. ”You’ve been slacking off the past few days.”

This is called following the leader’s example. No wait, the saying goes ”when the beam is crooked, the rafters are crooked too.” Zhang Yuanqing sat down next to the open-minded lady and said, ”I wasn’t slacking today. I was out on business.”

”Hmm?”

”I found a woman in her thirties, gave her some money, and she handled some things for me,” Zhang Yuanqing explained casually.

Guan Ya blinked, then smiled. ”Your tastes aren’t too bad. A woman in her thirties can teach you plenty of... positions.”

”If the opportunity arises, I’d love to learn from you too, Sis Guan Ya.” As he spoke, Zhang Yuanqing noticed the red backpack at Jiang Jingwei’s feet and asked, ”Jingwei, I thought you stopped going to school.”

Jiang Jingwei finally looked up, startled. ”Why are you here?”

Uncouth Fire Sage! Zhang Yuanqing thought to himself as he repeated the question.

”Oh, my dad said work can’t interfere with my studies, so he told me to bring my homework to the office. Sis Guan Ya and Squad Leader Teng Yuan can help me with it,” the red-haired girl answered cheerfully.

Guan Ya’s face darkened, and Squad Leader Teng Yuan’s expression somehow became even more world weary.

Zhang Yuanqing cast a pitying glance at his two colleagues. Help you with homework, eh?

Teng Yuan pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. ”Yuanshi, you should be a college student, right? I think you’d be better suited to help Jingwei with her homework. Guan Ya and I have been away from school for years. We’re rusty.”

”It’s alright, Squad Leader. I’m attending a diploma mill. I’m terrible at academics,” Zhang Yuanqing declined gracefully before swiftly changing the subject. ”Squad Leader, I can tell you don’t seem to enjoy your work very much.”

Teng Yuan fell silent for a moment, then said slowly, ”I realized long ago that this world is full of exploitation. High taxes are the government’s way of squeezing you. Grueling work hours are how corporations squeeze you.

”When you’re young and studying, you push yourself to the breaking point, studying until you practically self-destruct, never daring to rest for a single moment, living like a dog. After that, you enter society, only to face exploitation and oppression from every direction, living like a mule. Life is short. A hundred years at most. Why should anyone live so miserably? I can’t change others, but I can change myself.”

Zhang Yuanqing listened in stunned silence. That sounds so philosophical. No, wait. Isn’t this just ”lying flat”?

Teng Yuan let out a long sigh. ”After becoming a Spirit Realm Walker, I discovered that the Spirit Realm is also garbage.”

Zhang Yuanqing could only maintain an awkward but polite smile.

***

After finishing dinner, Zhang Yuanqing returned to his bedroom and drew the curtains shut. He sat at his desk, thinking aloud.

”The Palace Master still hasn’t gotten back to me. By all accounts, she should have extracted plenty of intelligence from Xiahou Tianwen during interrogation. All of that would be useful for tracking down Dark Rose. Then again, Dark Rose knows that too. The Palace Master mentioned she needs to be on guard against Dark Rose’s leader coming after her. Xiao Yuan took my money, so she should follow through. Hopefully her end turns up some leads.”

He paused, his thoughts drifting to other matters. ”Little Goofball had better not steal another pair of Little Aunt’s underwear tomorrow. One is enough.”

He turned off the light with a click of the switch and went to sleep.

Some unknown time later, Zhang Yuanqing was jolted awake by a splitting headache he hadn’t felt in ages. Chaotic images flashed rapidly through his mind, accompanied by a cacophony of meaningless noise. Many of the images were memory fragments accumulated through spirit communion since becoming a Nocturnal Specter.

Ever since becoming a Spirit Realm Walker, his strengthened constitution had gradually freed him from the torment of his old headaches, to the point where he’d forgotten to take his medication on schedule.

Zhang Yuanqing endured the skull-splitting agony, yanked open the nightstand drawer, and fumbled for the small medicine bottle. He shook out five or six blue pills and swallowed them whole. Then he let himself collapse back onto the bed, waiting for the pain to pass.

Just then, he heard a knocking at his door.

Who is it? Who knocks on someone’s door in the middle of the night? Jiang Yu’er? Zhang Yuanqing sat up through the throbbing pain and glanced at the digital alarm clock on the nightstand. The display read: 00:00.

It was midnight.