"That terrifying Mountain God Temple..."
Zhang Yuanqing leaned back, surrendering his weight to the chair.
He closed his eyes, combining information from the files with his own experiences and insights gained from gaming, analyzing the Mountain God Temple to identify patterns.
"The Shoulder-Clinging Vengeful Spirit can be dispelled by candlelight, granting fifteen minutes of safety each time. Moreover, it doesn't immediately harm you after latching on."
"Beware the banyan tree in the eastern courtyard. Never turn back. Why can't you turn back? Under what circumstances is turning back forbidden? What happens if you do? Why isn't this clearly explained in the files?"
"It's still unclear whether the roar is connected to the banyan tree. If not, that's another layer of danger. Could the Red Dancing Shoes be a Rule Item? Rule Items sound incredibly high-level."
Judging by the evidence, the construction team veterans were likely crushed to death by the Red Dancing Shoes, their bones shattered throughout their bodies.
"Even with my uncle's dance training, I can't handle a Level 1 Nightwalker. A kid like me definitely stands no chance. If Uncle encountered the Red Dancing Shoes, he'd probably dance until the end of time!"
This kind of task should be left to his unreliable uncle. After all, his uncle never did anything serious in life, only caring about singing, dancing, and rapping.
Wait a minute!
Zhang Yuanqing's eyes suddenly lit up.
According to the records, the Nightwalker's failure stemmed primarily from two factors: his lack of dance experience and, more critically, his inability to memorize the complex and chaotic dance steps.
This was likely beyond the limits of ordinary human memory.
But Zhang Yuanqing didn't share this problem. By pushing himself to the brink and triggering a relapse of his old illness, he could force his brain into an overloaded state. In this state, everything he had seen and heard would replay vividly in his mind.
Moreover, under such extreme mental strain, his brain's control over his body far surpassed normal limits, allowing him to perform highly demanding physical feats without difficulty.
"The problem is, non-Spirit Realm items are prohibited. My medication might not be allowed in. If my illness relapses without it, I have no idea what might happen."
There was no need to speculate. He could simply ask. After all, what was the point of joining the Official Organization if not for such support?
Zhang Yuanqing grabbed his phone, opened his call history, and dialed Guan Ya's number.
After a few rings, she answered.
"Finished reading the files?"
Guan Ya was preparing for bed. A woman who valued self-care, she detested late nights and hated being disturbed while sleeping.
Yet she had a soft spot for Zhang Yuanqing. Who could bear to speak harshly to a boy with so little time left? Besides, he was handsome and had a charming way of speaking.
"Yes, but some parts are unclear," Zhang Yuanqing said. "What exactly are Rule Items?"
Guan Ya explained, "The Spirit Realm contains a vast array of items, each with unique functions. Our Official Organization categorizes them into three main types: Cost Items, Rule Items, and a third category that remains unclear to me due to my insufficient clearance."
She added with a smile, "Cost Items and Rule Items aren't typically ranked against each other, as their functions are too diverse to be measured by a single standard. However, it's universally acknowledged that Rule Items are far more difficult to handle and exceedingly rare. Each one is priceless."
After a pause, she continued:
"The method for dealing with Rule Items isn't a secret within the Official Organization: you must discover their patterns and decipher their rules. The Red Dancing Shoes' invitation to dance likely aligns with its underlying rules.
"If you can fulfill its invitation, there's a chance you might subdue the Rule Item. Of course, it's only a chance. Many factors come into play, such as the item's willingness, whether it's currently unowned, and so on."
But subduing a Rule Item is just a fantasy, don't take it seriously, she thought to herself.
Zhang Yuanqing listened patiently, then asked, "One more thing: can medicine be brought into the Spirit Realm?"
"Apart from normal clothing, most real-world items cannot be brought into the Spirit Realm. Medicine is an exception, but only if it has already been ingested."
"What about holding it in your mouth?"
"That..." Guan Ya hesitated, unable to answer.
Looks like I'll have to test that myself, Zhang Yuanqing thought.
"I have no further questions. Thank you."
Guan Ya hummed in acknowledgment, then smiled. "Take care, young man. Oh, and today is Scorpio's lucky day."
"Huh?" Zhang Yuanqing didn't react before she hung up.
He put down his phone and glanced at the time—it was already past midnight.
Tomorrow morning, he would enter the Spirit Realm again.
The next day, Li Dongze, leaning on his cane and wearing polished leather shoes, entered the Glass Building behind the Public Security Bureau headquarters.
As a leader who didn't need to clock in, he habitually arrived an hour late for work, sometimes skipping it altogether. He lived off public funds, slacking off and enjoying his freedom.
He was equally lax in managing his Spirit Realm Walkers, letting them operate independently.
Firstly, apart from Guan Ya, none of the others belonged to the White Tiger Corps, meaning they obeyed orders but not requests.
Secondly, the death rate for Spirit Realm Walkers in dungeons was extremely high. They might enter the Spirit Realm one day and never return.
Life was short, so he believed in seizing the moment and enjoying it while it lasted.
Li Dongze arrived on the second floor and habitually scanned the office area. Among the empty desks, only Guan Ya sat diligently working, while Wang Tai researched and wrote his thesis.
"Guan Ya, did you give him the information?"
"I gave it to him," Guan Ya replied.
Li Dongze nodded without a word and turned to enter his luxurious office.
Guan Ya didn't pursue the topic further, lowering her head.
Inside his office, Li Dongze walked to the liquor cabinet, poured himself a glass of vodka, squeezed in some lime juice, and took a long, hard gulp.
Just then, his phone chimed. He set down the glass, leaned back in his soft chair, and opened his phone.
Someone had @mentioned him in a group chat called "Kangyang Region Spirit Realm Walker Management Group."
As a first-tier megacity, Songhai City was divided into sixteen regions, each with ten teams of Spirit Realm Walkers led by Captain-level figures.
Li Dongze was the Captain of the Second Team, equivalent to a Chief in the White Tiger Corps' military structure.
The Captains' direct superiors were the Deacons, and the Kangyang Region had three Deacons.
Above the Deacons were the Elders, who rarely intervened in daily affairs. Spirit Realm Walkers of this caliber were as elusive as mythical dragons.
At the apex of the Five Elements Alliance stood the five Alliance Leaders.
The five Alliance Leaders were legendary figures Li Dongze had never met. He only knew that the Marshal of his own White Tiger Corps and the Palace Master of the Water God Palace were both women.
Within the Five Elements Alliance, the two Alliance Leaders were secretly revered as peerless beauties.
The "Kangyang Region Spirit Realm Walker Management Group" consisted of fourteen members: ten Captains, three Deacons, and one Nightwalker Captain from the Taiyi Sect.
Big Muscle: "@Li Dongze, I heard you recruited a Nightwalker?"
How did he find out? Li Dongze frowned and replied:
"Mind your own damn business!"
In the Five Elements, Fire counters Metal. Scouts from the White Tiger Corps generally disliked Fire Masters from the Crimson Fire Gang, finding them crude, hot-tempered, and prone to speaking without thinking.
What?! Li Dongze recruited a Nightwalker?!
The Captains in the group perked up like sharks smelling blood.
Green Vine: "A Nightwalker? Chief Li, where have you been burning incense lately to attract a Nightwalker? I'm envious."
White Dragon: "In all of Songhai City, excluding Freelancers, there are probably fewer than ten official Nightwalkers. And they're all from the Taiyi Sect."
Water Skimmer: "Li Dongze, what kind of dogshit luck did you stumble into? I'm so jealous I could die."
Three Captain-level figures immediately chimed in.
Tang Guoqiang sent a red envelope.
The red envelope was instantly snatched up.
Li Dongze instinctively grabbed the red envelope, only to find that while others received over a hundred yuan, he got just over one yuan.
Tang Guoqiang: "Chief Li, you're having some good luck."
A flood of "Thank you, Boss!" emojis filled the chat.
Tang Guoqiang was not only a Captain but also the CEO of a construction company, wealthy and influential. Usually taciturn, he'd occasionally hand out red envelopes when he felt like it.
Even this powerful CEO had surfaced to comment on the Nightwalker topic.
Boxing King: "What's wrong with your memories? Have you forgotten the agreement between the Five Elements Alliance and the Taiyi Sect? Recruited Nightwalkers must be prioritized for absorption by the Taiyi Sect."
White Dragon: "Boxing King, your memory's the one failing you. Have you forgotten Centurion Fu? With his connections to the Taiyi Sect, keeping one Nightwalker wouldn't be a problem."
The Boxing King fell silent.
Several Captains who had surfaced grew envious. Whether it was the Nightwalker's rarity or their potential, they far surpassed other professions. Properly nurtured, they could become invaluable assets.
Green Vine: "By the way, our Kangyang District Spirit Realm Walker team hasn't had a team-building event in ages. Let's set a date and get together."
White Dragon: "Oh-ho, is the Hundred Flowers Association's little vixen already planning her next seduction? But I have no objections."
Water Skimmer: "I'm not running any ships lately, so a get-together sounds good. Chief Li, the brothers have been wanting to drink with you for ages. Let's invite that Nightwalker too."
Tang Guoqiang: "Team-building sounds great! Let's all get together. Li Dongze stole my red envelope, so I'll take that as your agreement."
Li Dongze's lips twitched. Already in a foul mood, he sent an angry message:
"I see your shamelessness, your greed, and your treacherous intentions to undermine me. I must be cursed by the Spiritual Energy Association lately—bad luck is clinging to me like a shadow."
Big Muscle: "Humblebrag?"
Water Skimmer: "I wish I had that kind of 'bad luck' too."
Just then, Yuan Ting, the Nightwalker from the Taiyi Sect, chimed in:
"We don't want that Nightwalker at the Taiyi Sect. Have you forgotten? Qingming Festival was just a while ago."
Green Vine: "What do you mean?"
Yuan Ting: "The Nightwalker Li Dongze recruited has a Trial Mission in the She Ling Tunnel."
The group fell silent.
Though they weren't Nightwalkers themselves, as Official Spirit Realm Walkers native to Songhai City, they were familiar with the infamous She Ling Tunnel.
White Dragon: "Could he really be that unlucky?"
Yuan Ting: "To save that poor guy, Centurion Fu specifically asked Elder Sun for detailed information about the She Ling Tunnel yesterday."
Big Muscle: "Uh, is there even any point in trying to save him? No rookie has ever cleared the She Ling Tunnel since the last century. Li Dongze, you poor bastard. I can just imagine the look on your face when you heard the Trial Spirit Realm for your recruitment target was the She Ling Tunnel."
Fire Master Big Muscle had never been one to mince words.
You wanna fight?! Li Dongze, sitting at his desk, nearly grabbed his cane and stormed out of the office to challenge the guy to a duel.
He quickly took a deep breath, mentally repeating: Elegance, be elegant.
Water Skimmer: "Suddenly got an urgent shipping order this month. Guess we'll have to skip the team-building event."
Tang Guoqiang: "What a shame."
Green Vine: "Understood. Poor rookie."
The "loose-lipped" Fire Master Big Muscle tagged Li Dongze again:
"Did Centurion Fu chew you out for making him waste a favor?"
Li Dongze: "Shut up! One more word and I'll head to the gym right now and smash your dog head."
Why bring up the one thing I'm trying to forget?!
After all, the Taiyi Sect and the Five Elements Alliance were separate organizations. Their intelligence wasn't shared. For Centurion Fu (a Deacon) to obtain information from the Taiyi Sect, he had to expend a favor.
Big Muscle: "You still can't beat me in a fight."
The other Captains didn't respond, seemingly losing interest in the matter.
Just then, Fu Qingyang, one of the three Great Deacons, sent a message:
"Are you two bored? Should I send you back to the training camp for another round of drills?"
Li Dongze and Big Muscle immediately fell silent.
A few seconds later, Fu Qingyang sent another message:
"Now that you've joined the ranks, you're my soldiers. The White Tiger Corps never abandons a comrade—that's our creed, regardless of their value."
Li Dongze sighed. He knew he had botched this mission. Centurion Fu wouldn't say it outright, but who knew if this would affect his evaluation?
At 10:30 AM, Zhang Yuanqing locked his room, tied his shoelaces, and drank two large glasses of water.
Then, he unscrewed the medicine bottle and swallowed five small blue pills.
He lay back on the bed, silently waiting for the Spirit Realm to activate.
Time ticked by. About ten minutes later, Zhang Yuanqing heard a cold, mechanical voice in his mind:
[ Spirit Realm activation in progress. ]
[ Ding! Spirit Realm map fully activated. Welcome to "Nightwalker—She Ling Tunnel," ID: 0079. ]
[ Difficulty: S-Rank ]
[ Type: Solo (Death-Type) ]
[ Main Quest One: Survive for three hours (Completed). ]
[ Main Quest Two: Explore Spirit Realm 0079. Current exploration progress: 20%. ]
[ Note: Non-Spirit Realm items are prohibited. ]
[ Good luck, Primordial Heavenly Venerable! ]
The ceiling warped like wind-rippled water. When the distortion cleared, Zhang Yuanqing found himself standing in the Main Hall, bathed in the dim, yellow glow of candlelight.