Monday, clear skies.
In a city like Songhai, the morning commute was always a headache. Whether on elevated highways or ground-level roads, the traffic congestion was enough to make anyone's blood pressure spike.
Regular office workers who took the subway avoided the traffic jams, but they had to endure the "chicken sandwich" experience—being crammed into crowded trains like chickens in a coop.
Bathed in the morning sunlight, Zhang Yuanqing rode a shared bike through Songhai's bustling streets, a Jianbing Guozi (savory crepe) dangling from his mouth.
He effortlessly overtook private cars, business vans, and buses, his youthful energy radiating as his bangs fluttered in the wind.
Songhai University was about five or six kilometers from his grandmother's house, a mere fifteen-minute bike ride. He usually didn't stay in the dorms.
Since becoming a Nightwalker, the bike that used to feel so tiring to pedal now flew him to the university gates in a single, uninterrupted burst. Checking his phone, he realized it had only taken ten minutes.
He could have been even faster if not for the electric scooters crowding the bike lanes.
Founded in the early 20th century, Songhai University was a top-tier institution with a history spanning 120 years.
Beyond its exceptional faculty, Songhai University was renowned for two distinct features: "Beautiful flowers seeking worthy masters" and "Brave warriors daring to cross swords."
Grandmother used to warn Aunt to protect herself at school. Now that he was older, she was warning her grandson to do the same.
Grandmother was deeply dissatisfied with the world.
After entering the school gate and passing the main axis with the founder's statue, he slowly rode along the right-hand path lined with sycamore trees toward the teaching building.
The campus was elegant and quiet, with students filming short videos, chatting on benches, or hurrying to class with textbooks in hand.
The wide, clean streets, manicured lawns, and aging dormitory buildings gave the place the feel of a quiet, upscale residential area rather than a typical university.
Zhang Yuanqing parked his bicycle outside the building, slung his backpack over his shoulder, and entered the comprehensive building.
Arriving at the trapezoidal lecture hall, Zhang Yuanqing glanced around. Students were scattered in small groups, and many had skipped class.
He casually chose a seat and had just sat down when he overheard two male students whispering behind him:
"I just saw Xu Yingying at the school gate. She's waiting for her sugar daddy again."
"Bullshit! My goddess would never be someone's mistress."
"It's true! Every Monday, a man picks her up in a luxury car worth hundreds of thousands. I saw it myself last Monday."
"Are you sure? Maybe it was just a ride-hailing service."
"Would you kiss a ride-hailing driver?"
"Damn it! In middle school, girls liked the top students, but in college, they go for rich guys from outside. When will ordinary guys ever get a chance?"
Xu Yingying, a classmate of theirs, was strikingly beautiful and the class beauty.
Zhang Yuanqing couldn't resist turning around, teasing with a grin, "The wives in your hard drive can help you get a chance."
The two boys seemed surprised by Zhang Yuanqing's interruption and paused.
Zhang Yuanqing looked at them, asking, "What's wrong?"
Li Lesheng scoffed, "Zhang Yuanqing, did something good happen to you today? This isn't like you at all."
Zhang Yuanqing blinked, "Why do you say that?"
Just as Li Lesheng was about to reply, the teacher with black-framed glasses entered the room, carrying a stack of books. The noisy classroom immediately fell silent.
Kangyang District, Maile Hotel.
Ding!
On the 16th floor, the elevator doors opened. Li Dongze, dressed in a formal suit with a black vest and white shirt, stepped out, leaning on his cane.
His gaunt face was etched with solemnity, Guan Ya following closely behind.
The entire floor had been cleared of guests. A police cordon blocked the corridor leading from the elevator, with two security officers standing guard.
Guan Ya approached in her high heels, flashing her credentials.
The Security Officers immediately cleared the way.
In the corridor leading to the room, uniformed Security Officers were busy taking photos and collecting fingerprints, hair, and other evidence.
Li Dongze brushed past them and entered the hotel suite, immediately detecting the metallic tang of blood.
His gaze swept across the room. Two bodies lay on the bed, covered by white sheets, their pristine surfaces stained with large, dark crimson bloodstains.
Li Dongze used his cane to lift the sheets, revealing a naked man and woman lying beneath.
After a moment of silence, he said in a low voice, "It's definitely Zhao Yingjun."
Guan Ya meticulously examined every corner of the room, wisps of white mist leaking from her pupils. After a long pause, she said:
"There are no signs of a struggle. No traces of cleanup. The trash can only contains two condoms, but three are missing from the box."
She glanced at the female victim with a hint of pity.
Li Dongze replaced the sheets and said gravely, "Guan Ya, stay here and assist the Security Officers with fingerprint and hair collection. Retrieve the surveillance footage. I need to contact Centurion Fu and the Captains—we might need to convene a meeting."
Guan Ya nodded slightly. "I'll sync the scene details and personnel files to your phone shortly."
Zhao Yingjun was an advisor to the Xiangshui Road Security Bureau, a member of the White Tiger Corps, and a Level 2 Scout.
The murder of a Five Elements Alliance member was a major incident.
On the second floor of the villa, in a small conference room, the room was exquisitely decorated with luxurious touches. A plush wool carpet covered the floor, and a long, solid wood conference table stood in the center.
The table was laden with an elaborate fruit platter, translucent slices of ham, expensive imported red wine, boxes of cigars, and delicate pastries.
At the far end of the conference table, a white projection screen hung down, displaying surveillance footage from the Maile Hotel.
In the video, a man wearing a baseball cap and a mask walked from the elevator toward a guest room. He swiped a keycard to unlock the door and entered the room.
Forty minutes later, the man emerged from the room, his hands in his pockets, head bowed, and left.
As the video ended, Li Dongze pressed the pause button and looked at the captains seated around the table.
"This morning, the hotel reported the incident. When a maid couldn't get the door open while cleaning, she entered to check and discovered two people had been murdered. Zhao Yingjun had been tortured before his death, his body covered in knife wounds, and his hands and feet showed signs of having been bound. The fatal wound was a stab wound to the heart from a sharp weapon."
"The female victim, Liu Xiaoe, was also stabbed through the heart with a sharp weapon, but she showed no signs of torture. Based on the missing condoms at the scene, we suspect she was sexually assaulted by the killer before her death.
"Furthermore, the Public Security Bureau examined both victims' phones and confirmed that Liu Xiaoe was Zhao Yingjun's mistress.
"We reviewed surveillance footage from all entrances and exits of the hotel but found no trace of the killer's escape. He likely possesses special methods to evade surveillance. Our preliminary assessment suggests the killer is a Spirit Realm Walker."
Six people were seated around the table.
At the head sat a young man in a white suit, exuding the arrogance and nobility of a scion of a prominent family. His handsome face, with its sharply defined features, was framed by a stylish short ponytail, making him almost too striking to look at directly.
The first seat to his left was empty, reserved for Li Dongze.
To his right sat a woman cradling an orange tabby cat. She wore a qipao patterned with ink wash paintings, her mature figure radiating both voluptuousness and allure. Her meticulously maintained, fair complexion was smooth and flawless, enhanced by light makeup, and her demeanor was serene and elegant.
Beside her sat a middle-aged man wearing a miner's helmet and work clothes, his weathered, dark skin bearing the marks of years spent laboring outdoors.
Across from her sat a gym trainer in a tight-fitting workout suit, his massive biceps rivaling a woman's slender waist. His sharp eyes and brows radiated an aura of barely suppressed rage.
The final member was a woman in her late twenties, dressed in a white racing suit and tight leather pants. Her black, wavy hair framed a delicate, oval face, exuding both fierce elegance and cool charisma.
These five were the core members of the Kangyang District Spirit Realm Walker Team. Several others were absent due to various reasons.
The young man in the white suit surveyed the group, his deep brown eyes as calm as a still lake. He spoke in a measured tone:
"What are your thoughts, everyone? Captain Green Vine, you may begin."
The beautiful woman in the qipao frowned slightly. "Ordinary Spirit Realm Walkers wouldn't dare kill our official personnel. Could this be the work of an Evil Class Spirit Realm Walker?"
Li Dongze replied, "We're still investigating Zhao Yingjun's recent contacts."
If an Evil Class Spirit Realm Walker was responsible, the severity of the incident would escalate dramatically.
Fire Master Big Muscle's eyebrows shot up, his anger flaring. "Evil Class? Those gutter rats! Daring to kill a member of the Five Elements Alliance? I'll make him pay dearly!"
The others wore grave expressions. White Dragon, the woman in the racing suit, pondered aloud:
"What was Zhao Yingjun's combat capability?" Li Dongze asked, turning to Fu Qingyang.
"He had a defensive artifact," Fu Qingyang replied.
White Dragon's expression turned grave. "While Level 2 Scouts aren't combat specialists, killing one with a defensive artifact wouldn't be easy, especially without alerting guests in adjacent rooms. This gives us a preliminary assessment of the killer's strength."
Tang Guoqiang, the construction company boss wearing a miner's helmet, said in a deep voice, "Very powerful."
Big Muscle snorted, repeating his earlier words, "So what if he's powerful? Anyone who dares kill a member of the Five Elements Alliance, no matter how strong, will die."
White Dragon silently massaged his forehead, thinking, Can we kick this Crimson Fire Gang idiot out of the meeting?
Li Dongze continued, "Our investigation reveals Zhao Yingjun had numerous mistresses, with a particular fondness for university students. We're currently vetting them one by one."
Big Muscle frowned. "Why?"
"Zhao Yingjun didn't use the same hotel for his rendezvous. Yet the killer found the location and room number, indicating a familiarity with Zhao Yingjun's movements. Either they were an acquaintance or had been tracking him for a long time," Li Dongze explained.
"The woman beside your pillow always knows you best. We might be able to get some clues from Zhao Yingjun's mistress."
The captains nodded solemnly.
Li Dongze continued, "Zhao Yingjun was tortured and abused before his death. Consider what the killer was trying to extract. What did they learn? Whether the motive was revenge or the work of an Evil Class operative, this is a matter we must treat with utmost seriousness."
The captains' expressions darkened.
The Evil Class and Orderly Class had always been mortal enemies, constantly hunting and tracking each other.
What would interest the Evil Class most, of course, was information about Official Spirit Realm Walkers, including their hideouts.
But if the killer wasn't from the Evil Class, then a powerful Spirit Realm Walker had risked offending the Official Organization by infiltrating the hotel to torture and kill. The truth behind this might be far more complex.
Green Vine said gravely, "We need to find the killer as soon as possible."
Big Muscle glanced around and asked, "Why isn't Yuan Ting here? If we had him devour Zhao Yingjun's Spectral Entity to retrieve his memories, we could identify the killer immediately."
The importance of a Nightwalker capable of controlling Spectral Entities suddenly became glaringly obvious.
Fu Qingyang shook his head. "Yesterday, the Taiyi Sect summoned all official Nightwalkers to the capital for a conference. Yuan Ting is not in Songhai."
His expression remained calm throughout, as if the sky could fall without causing him to panic.
A conference in the capital? The captains' hearts sank. If Yuan Ting was absent, the Nightwalkers from other major regions must be as well.
Isn't this too much of a coincidence? The killer could have struck earlier or later, yet they chose the very moment when all Nightwalkers were summoned to the capital.
Big Muscle roared in anger, "What's wrong with the Taiyi Sect? Why hold a conference now of all times? We should have cultivated our own Nightwalkers long ago!"
Li Dongze sighed. "You've got the cause and effect backward. The killer chose this moment. But never mind that. Don't worry, everyone. We have our own Nightwalkers."