Realm Walker

Chapter 93: Silenced

The Alliance Chiefs of the Five Elements Alliance held the highest secrets of the Spirit Realm. Did the leaders of evil organizations hold the same knowledge?

Zhang Yuanqing didn't open his eyes right away. He remained standing rigidly, processing the information extracted from Xiahou Tianyuan's memories.

His thoughts drifted to the conversation between the Demon Lord and that member of the Aphrodite Society. The woman had tempted him to meet their president, and her bargaining chip had been the supreme secret of the Spirit Realm.

If the Alliance Chiefs truly controlled this so-called ultimate secret, then the official research into the Spirit Realm was actually far more thorough than anyone realized, and lower- and mid-level personnel simply didn't have the clearance for it. Whether the Elders knew was another question. Well, Xiahou Xin had at least known something, so the Elders certainly did too, though they probably didn't have the full picture.

Dark Rose's ambitions were enormous, just as he'd suspected. Their leader, even if not quite at the Alliance Chief level, couldn't be far off.

Zhang Yuanqing opened his eyes and met a pair of deep, glimmering ones.

"How did it go?" Fu Qingyang asked.

"There were some results," he reported, then relayed everything the spirit communion had revealed.

Fu Qingyang furrowed his brow in silence, making that chiseled, handsome face look even more like a statue. After a while, the centurion nodded slowly. "Among the old Xiahou patriarch's descendants, Xiahou Chi wasn't the most outstanding, but his ambitions were never small."

Zhang Yuanqing took a few seconds to decipher what that meant. Fu Qingyang was analyzing why Xiahou Chi had defected to Dark Rose. He's gradually starting to treat me as an intellectual equal, assuming a brief remark is all I need to follow his logic. That's flattering, but exhausting.

"Xiahou Tianyuan's knowledge of Dark Rose was very limited. He was probably just a fringe member at best," he said. The hidden meaning behind his words was clear: it was time to go after Xiahou Xin.

Fu Qingyang inclined his head. "I've already assembled a team. We move now to arrest Xiahou Xin."

The two of them headed back downstairs. At the foot of the staircase, Ling Jun lounged against the railing in a provocatively elegant pose, dressed in cropped pants, flip flops, and an oversized tee.

His eyes crinkled into their perpetual squint as he smiled. "So what intel did you squeeze out of Xiahou Tianyuan?"

"He had no access to classified information," Fu Qingyang replied flatly. "If we want to root out the Dark Rose operatives hiding within the branch, we need to start with Xiahou Xin."

Wait, what? Zhang Yuanqing was startled. How could the centurion share something this classified with this squinty-eyed pretty boy from Taiyi Sect?

Fu Qingyang, ever the perceptive Scout, caught his subordinate's surprise and explained, "It's fine. He's a member of the White Tiger Guard, a faction I established. He's a trusted ally."

White Tiger Guard? Confusion was evident in Zhang Yuanqing's eyes.

Ling Jun maintained his languid pose against the railing and smiled. "Do you know why independent Spirit Realm Walkers still form their own groups, even beyond the official organizations?"

Zhang Yuanqing thought about it for a moment. Mutual aid? That didn't seem right. The correct survival strategy for Walkers was to keep a low profile. After all, if they had no Reputation, Walkers of the same faction could hunt them down without any Morality penalty.

"Sharing dungeon strategies?" he finally ventured. If there had to be a reason, that was probably it.

Ling Jun nodded. "That's partially correct. But what truly dispels suspicion and wariness between Walkers isn't strategies. It's something called a Guild Token."

"Guild Token?" Zhang Yuanqing repeated. As a gaming enthusiast, the name rang a familiar bell.

Ling Jun launched into his explanation. "A Guild Token is an item that allows Spirit Realm Walkers to build their own factions. You're a young guy, so the concept should be pretty clear. Guild Tokens come with tons of benefits.

"Inside the Spirit Realm, members of the same faction receive attribute bonuses. When missions are settled, you are also awarded bonus experience. You get faction exclusive dungeons, faction exclusive quests, and the ability to pull faction members into dungeon parties together. As long as you group with members of the same tier, the advantages are enormous.

"You should know that the Five Elements Alliance is a coalition of five organizations. All five originally started as small factions, gradually growing into the five most powerful forces in the Spirit Realm world."

At this point, Ling Jun glanced toward Fu Qingyang and pursed his lips. "As a faction leader, you get the biggest attribute boost of all."

Things were starting to click for Zhang Yuanqing. No wonder the Five Elements Alliance is so full of competing factions. No wonder Guan Ya told me I belong to the White Tiger Legion, and that once my level gets high enough, I'll probably have to join a faction. And the faction leader is that Female Marshal.

So Guild Tokens are a thing. If I could get my hands on one, I could build my own faction specifically to recruit informants like Palace Master, Master Wuhen...

"How do you get a Guild Token?" Zhang Yuanqing asked with keen interest.

Fu Qingyang answered, "Complete a multiplayer PvP dungeon and lead your team to victory as the dominant player. There's a chance a Guild Token will drop as a reward."

Ling Jun snorted. "Fu Qingyang stumbled into dumb luck during his Transcendent tier days and snagged a Level 2 Guild Token."

"Can you join multiple factions?" Zhang Yuanqing asked. After all, if the Five Elements Alliance grew out of five great factions in the past, then someone of Fu Qingyang's status had to have long since joined the White Tiger Legion.

Ling Jun grinned his squinty-eyed grin. "Of course. There's no conflict at all. Take me, for example. I belong to Taiyi Sect, the Hundred Flowers Society, and Fu Qingyang's White Tiger Guard, all at the same time. That way, whenever I enter a dungeon, I get a bonus as long as I'm matched with anyone from any of those three factions. If I'm matched with members from all three at once, I just pick one."

Zhang Yuanqing eyed him sideways. Good grief, a triple agent serving three masters!

Then again, being accepted into the White Tiger Guard meant Fu Qingyang trusted him deeply.

Just then, the centurion looked toward the main hall and said coolly, "Save the chatter for later. It's time to move."

A group of people happened to enter the hall at that very moment: White Dragon, Green Vine, Guan Ya, Jiang Jingwei, and Acting Squad Leader Teng Yuan. The group was small, but every single one of them was elite.

Jiang Jingwei strode in with both hands on her hips, walking with the swagger of someone who feared absolutely nothing. From halfway across the room, she let out her signature cackle. "Deadpan Man, Squinty Eyes, we meet again!"

Her fiery red hair swung back and forth as the little spitfire marched over and grabbed Zhang Yuanqing on the shoulder. "Oh, you're here too."

She only came up to his chest, and had to stand on tiptoe just to reach.

Zhang Yuanqing winced internally. Ow. This girl has monster grip strength.

"Long time no see, Jingwei!" Ling Jun greeted her as he stepped forward and aggressively ruffled the girl's hair. "How's your brother doing?"

"Don't touch my head!" Jiang Jingwei yelled in fury as she launched a headbutt straight at her harasser, who nimbly dodged.

Zhang Yuanqing quickly grabbed the girl's small, soft hand, saving her from a faceplant.

"Move out!" Fu Qingyang announced.

Squad Leader Teng Yuan gave a nod, then turned to Zhang Yuanqing. "One deployment, one thousand yuan stipend."

"Thank you, Squad Leader!" Zhang Yuanqing declared loudly.

***

Four business sedans pulled into the Junli Grand Hotel. The group took the elevator straight up to the 39th floor, where Xiahou Xin and his bodyguards were staying. The entire floor had been booked by the Xiahou family.

The corridor was deathly silent. Fu Qingyang led the team to the presidential suite at the far end of the hallway. He didn't ring the doorbell. Instead, he tilted his head and listened for a moment before frowning.

"There's no one inside. Guan Ya, go check whether any other Xiahou family members are around."

Guan Ya promptly knocked on the door adjacent to the presidential suite. A tall, thin middle aged man in a black suit answered, his expression cold and severe.

"Who are you looking for?" demanded the man in black as he swept a sharp, scrutinizing gaze over the group.

Guan Ya studied him for a few seconds, confirmed he was a Spirit Realm Walker, and said coldly, "We're official Walkers from Kangyang District. We need to speak with Xiahou Xin. Where is he?"

Official Walkers? The bodyguard frowned. "Mr. Xiahou Xin is resting in his room."

"He's not in his room," Guan Ya said, shaking her head.

The man froze for a beat, then answered steadily, "Let me give him a call."

He fished out his phone and dialed Xiahou Xin's number.

After a while, the gaunt bodyguard lowered his phone with a helpless expression. "Mr. Xiahou Xin did not go out today. At least, I received no such information. You're welcome to wait here, or come back later. I'll inform him when he returns."

Guan Ya turned to look at Fu Qingyang, and the centurion said without a flicker of expression, "Get the hotel manager up here to open the door."

"You can't just barge into Mr. Xiahou Xin's room," the bodyguard said firmly.

Jiang Jingwei planted her hands on her hips, all fire and fury. "You got a problem with that? Want to fight?"

Squad Leader Teng Yuan pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and said with a vacant stare, "I'll file a workplace injury claim for you."

"I'm super strong. I won't get hurt," Jiang Jingwei protested.

"I was merely informing you of your employee benefits," the Squad Leader replied flatly.

"Boss, you're awesome!" Zhang Yuanqing said, giving him a thumbs up. "Boss, the weather's been pretty hot lately. Can I apply for a heat allowance?"

Teng Yuan nodded. "Submit a written request to me later."

Fu Qingyang watched the exchange in silence, seriously considering whether to break up Squad Two and reassemble it, or just recall Li Dongze early.

After a few minutes, Guan Ya returned with a hotel staff member, having introduced herself to the hotel staff as a public security officer. The group cleared a path for the employee, who produced her keycard and swiped it against the reader to open the door to the presidential suite.

Click.

The instant the staff member turned the handle, everyone in the hall simultaneously felt an invisible barrier shatter, dissolving into a faint breeze that swept down the corridor.

Fu Qingyang narrowed his eyes and stepped inside first. Zhang Yuanqing and the others followed. The living room was empty. Fu Qingyang, as commanding officer, stationed himself in the main room. Teng Yuan, ever apathetic and devoid of enthusiasm, also stayed put. The rest fanned out to check the bathroom, study, bedroom, and other rooms.

Jiang Jingwei opened the bedroom door, peered inside, then whipped around and shouted, "He's in here!"

Everyone rushed over. The bedroom curtains were drawn tight, leaving the room in dim shadow. A figure lay motionless on the bed.

Ling Jun flicked the light on with a sharp snap. The person lying on the bed was unmistakably Xiahou Xin. His body was stiff and completely still.

Captain Green Vine walked over to the bedside, high heels clicking against the floor. She examined him then said gravely, "He's dead. Judging by the degree of rigor, he's been gone for more than five hours."

Xiahou Xin is dead? At this exact moment? Zhang Yuanqing didn't know whether to feel relieved or troubled. The timing was far too convenient.

The bodyguard who had followed them inside stared at the corpse in disbelief. When he heard the captain's assessment, alarm flooded his face. "That's impossible. At nine-thirty this morning, Mr. Xiahou Xin ordered breakfast."

It was only eleven in the morning.

Fu Qingyang's expression didn't change. "White Dragon, Green Vine, Jiang Jingwei, Teng Yuan. Wait outside."

Once they'd left and the bedroom door was shut, the centurion looked at Zhang Yuanqing. "The degree of rigor doesn't always reflect the true time of death. Remember how Rampaging Recklessly died?"

Realization struck Zhang Yuanqing like lightning. "The person who killed Xiahou Xin was a Nocturnal Specter?"

Fu Qingyang gave a slight nod. "There is a Nocturnal Specter among the senior leadership of Dark Rose."

Guan Ya's brow furrowed deeply. "So Xiahou Xin was silenced by Dark Rose?"

Zhang Yuanqing couldn't help glancing at the open-minded lady. This kind of intel was way above the clearance of a regular official Walker. Guan Ya had clearly been receiving plenty of important intelligence from Fu Qingyang on the side.

Well, they're cousins after all, he reasoned.

"We just killed Xiahou Tianyuan, and now Xiahou Xin has been silenced? How is that possible? Even if word of it leaked, it couldn't happen this fast." Zhang Yuanqing considered himself fairly skilled at deduction, and this simply didn't add up.

Ling Jun leaned against the wall, eyes narrowed to slits. "If the killer is a high-level Nocturnal Specter, they wouldn't necessarily need intelligence."

What does that mean? Zhang Yuanqing didn't follow.

Fu Qingyang, however, gave a low hum of agreement and said, "Yuanshi, check whether Xiahou Xin's spirit is still present."

Why wouldn't a Nocturnal Specter need intelligence? I hate the way you people talk, Zhang Yuanqing grumbled internally as he walked to the bedside. Inky darkness churned in the depths of his eyes as he attempted to commune with whatever spirit remained in the corpse.

A few seconds later, the blackness faded from his eyes, and he shook his head at the three others in the room. "The spirit is gone."

Fu Qingyang showed no surprise. He had expected as much. He looked at Zhang Yuanqing and explained, "A high-level Nocturnal Specter possesses the ability to glimpse fate. If Xiahou Xin happened to cross paths with the killer, the Specter would have seen the trajectory of his fate."

Nocturnal Specters have that kind of power too? Glimpsing the trajectory of fate. We came here to arrest Xiahou Xin, kill him, and perform spirit interrogation.

A chill ran down Zhang Yuanqing's spine. Command over the forces of yin and yang, and the ability to peer into fate itself. Just how terrifying could a high-level Nocturnal Specter be?

His expression shifted abruptly. "Then is Xiahou Chi in danger too?"

If Dark Rose's senior leader was a Nocturnal Specter who had glimpsed Xiahou Xin's fate and realized the entire Xiahou Chi bloodline was compromised, they would certainly continue killing to silence witnesses.

"No need to worry!" Ling Jun laughed. "Xiahou Chi is locked up in Dog Elder's zoo. Silencing him won't be that easy."

"How can you insult an elder like that?" Zhang Yuanqing asked, shocked.

Ling Jun blinked. "I didn't insult anyone."

"Dog Ling Jun!"

"Hey, why are you calling me names?"

"Exactly. So why did you call the elder names?"

A cold, piercing look from Fu Qingyang cut their exchange short. He was discovering that Yuanshi had an unfortunate habit of being excessively sociable. The kid could banter with absolutely anyone, trading jokes and jabs regardless of the situation.

***

On the return trip, while inside the business sedan, Fu Qingyang dialed Elder Teddy's number. "Elder, Xiahou Xin has been silenced."

—Understood.

The centurion's voice was grave. "Dark Rose is racing against us. The full inspection has been postponed, and the Xiahou family lead has hit a dead end. We're back to square one in our hunt for Black Wuchang. Not only that, we've already tipped them off. Dark Rose will accelerate their efforts to make contact with Black Wuchang. Elder, we're running out of time. Xiahou Chi is our only remaining chance for a breakthrough."

There was a brief silence on the other end of the line. Then the elder spoke.

—Xiahou Chi is at the peak of the Saint tier. One step further, and he reaches the Sovereign tier. To kill him, we'd need to convene all four other elders to deliberate, and then negotiate with the Xiahou family. That takes time. Stop pulling on the Dark Rose thread for now.

"Understood." Fu Qingyang's tone remained level, his face betraying nothing.

He ended the call, leaned back in his seat, and closed his eyes in silence.

***

In the other vehicle, Zhang Yuanqing frowned in thought. Xiahou Chi can't be touched anytime soon, so the plan to trace Dark Rose back to Black Wuchang is dead in the water. Great, we're back to square one. Back to searching for the Hex Master like a needle in a haystack.

If this drags on any longer, Ghost Eye Judge's thralls will start detonating one after another, and if Dark Rose's leader successfully meets with Black Wuchang, the authorities will lose all face. If Black Wuchang successfully resolves his problems, he will become an even bigger menace.

Smart as he was, though, he couldn't think of a better approach.

Zhang Yuanqing considered discussing it with his teammates. He glanced left at Jiang Jingwei, then at the perpetually apathetic Squad Leader Teng Yuan. The open-minded lady had taken her cousin's car.

He sighed. Guess I'll just think about it on my own.

"How did that guy die? So boring. I was hoping for a fight," Jiang Jingwei complained, her voice ringing clear and bright. She still hadn't grasped the full picture of the day's events and looked genuinely disappointed.

"I heard from Guan Ya that you dropped out of school," Zhang Yuanqing probed.

"I'm still studying! I just don't go to school anymore," Jiang Jingwei explained as she crouched on the spacious seat. "My dad said the teachers at school don't know how to teach, so he hired private tutors. Every tutor he hired, I beat up."

The girl's pretty, cute face beamed with pride at that revelation.

"And now there are no more tutors?"

Her little face crumpled. "Then he found a Saint-tier Fire Sage to be my tutor. Now the tutor beats me up every time we meet."

So that's the legendary strategy of fighting magic with magic—defeating a Fire Sage with a Fire Sage?

Zhang Yuanqing's brain was overflowing with comebacks he couldn't voice.

***

It was deep into the night in Songhai's Kangyang District. A figure draped in a trench coat, wearing a cap and a face mask, emerged from the darkness and stopped before an underpass beneath a bridge. The night was devoid of moonlight, and the glow of the streetlamps couldn't reach this dark, shadowed corner.

He peered into the pitch black void beneath the bridge and said in a low voice, "So, you've finally decided to respond to my messages, Heaven's Injustice."

A cold snort echoed from within the underpass. "Rampaging Recklessly is dead. The boss is extremely displeased with you people. What little trust remained is eroding fast."

The figure in the cap replied gravely, "His death was an accident. Who could have predicted that Yuanshi Tianzun had a trump card? Because of that incident, Dark Rose has been exposed to the authorities too. Worse still, the Xiahou family has been compromised as well. Fortunately, The Great Protector sensed the danger and killed Xiahou Xin. Otherwise, even I would have been at risk of exposure."

"That's exactly why I've responded," said the voice within the underpass. "The authorities are closing in on us. Continued delays benefit no one. The boss needs a demonstration of your sincerity."

"What does Black Wuchang want us to do?" the figure in the cap asked.

The voice from the underpass turned icy. "Kill Yuanshi Tianzun. Avenge Rampaging Recklessly."

The figure in the cap fell silent for a moment, then spoke. "Done. Now then. The matter I asked you to look into. Do you have an answer?"

The voice from the underpass replied, "Ghost Eye Judge was indeed killed by Demon Lord. At the time, there was one other person besides the boss who was present. His Spirit Realm ID is Young Soldier King."

"Young Soldier King," The man in the cap murmured to himself. A few seconds later, he spoke again. "Who is he? Do you have any information on his real world identity?"

"Yes. The boss knows his details."

The man's voice suddenly grew urgent. "I want everything you have on him."

"Certainly. Three days from now, if I receive word that Yuanshi Tianzun has been killed, I'll meet you at this same spot and hand over Young Soldier King's dossier." The voice from the underpass paused, then added, "What do you want with him?"

The man in the cap answered coolly, "You don't need to know."

***

Crackle, crackle...

Zhang Yuanqing, drifting in light sleep, was jolted awake by the hiss of static from the Cat King Speaker.

This piece of junk always plays audio without any warning, he complained. He threw off the covers, walked to his desk, pulled open the drawer, and retrieved the Cat King Speaker.

The drawer also contained his aunt's white lace bra. He had originally planned to sneak it back under her bed, but he'd reached home too late that night. He would have to wait until she left for work the following morning.

Bracing himself in case the Demon Lord's audio turned out to be bedroom noises that would wake the whole family, Zhang Yuanqing held the Cat King Speaker at the ready, prepared to enter Night Wandering at a moment's notice.

The static persisted for a few seconds before a familiar voice cut through.

"What do you want with me? Didn't we agree to never meet again?"

Zhang Yuanqing's eyes flew wide open. It was Bro Bing's voice.

Immediately after that, he heard Demon Lord's voice. "I'm on the verge of touching that realm. But before I do, I want to kill Ghost Eye Judge first. Young Soldier King, I need your help. Don't you want to break free from Ghost Eye Judge's control?"