S-Rank Trial: Spirit Realm

"Night Wanderer!"

Zhang Yuanqing said calmly.

"I am asking for your profession."

"Night Wanderer."

Li Dongze froze for a moment, then abruptly straightened his back, leaning forward with his eyes burning as he stared at Zhang Yuanqing. "You... are a Night Wanderer?"

"Yes." Zhang Yuanqing nodded.

"Hiss." Li Dongze shifted in his seat, remaining silent for over ten seconds to digest the news before raising his voice to ask again:

"You are a Night Wanderer? I—I just stumbled upon a Night Wanderer?"

This was something he had never expected, much like sighing to someone, "I really wish I could win the five-million-dollar lottery," and then actually winning it.

"I've struck gold." Li Dongze put down his wine glass, examining Zhang Yuanqing repeatedly with an excited expression.

Every Night Wanderer was a hot commodity.

They were targets fought over by every Spirit Realm Walker squad, and even major organizations.

Li Dongze knew of a young woman from the Hundred Flowers Society who, in order to poach a Night Wanderer informant from the Red Fire Gang, didn't hesitate to use seduction, sleeping with him to make him switch sides and become a turncoat.

Because of this, the Red Fire Gang and the Hundred Flowers Society nearly went to war, and even the Five Elements Alliance headquarters couldn't mediate the dispute.

It wasn't until that Night Wanderer died in a Spirit Realm mission that the matter finally settled down.

"By the way, I don't know your Spirit Realm ID yet." Li Dongze hid his excitement, maintaining a composed image in front of his future subordinate.

Zhang Yuanqing puffed out his chest, gathering his breath at the tip of his tongue: "Yuanshi Tianzun!"

Li Dongze was silent for a few seconds, then clapped his hands. "A good name."

Hey, hey, that praise sounds way too forced, and what's with that look like you want to beat me up? Zhang Yuanqing said modestly:

"I'm glad you like it, Squad Leader."

At this moment, the black business car drove into the Kangyang District Public Security Bureau, parking in a spot beside the green belt.

"I will arrange your onboarding procedures right now. The salary is twenty thousand a month, there are subsidies for missions, and extra performance bonuses if you perform meritorious service. Any questions?"

Li Dongze seemed not to want to delay even for a second, his eagerness to secure the asset palpable.

A base salary of twenty thousand a month? Zhang Yuanqing's eyes lit up. "No questions."

A twenty-thousand-a-month salary was considered a high-income bracket even in a metropolis like Songhai.

Zhang Yuanqing remembered that the management at his mother's company only made 50,000 to 100,000 a month—of course, that was base salary, excluding bonuses, commissions, and shares.

He followed Li Dongze out of the car, circled behind the Public Security Bureau building, and stopped in front of a small two-story structure.

The building was constructed from massive panes of glass, giving it a sophisticated, elite aesthetic.

Entering the main door, a steel staircase directly facing the entrance led to the second floor.

To the left of the first floor was the office area, where seven or eight women sat at desks—some young and pretty, some mature and charming, others capable and steady.

To the right was the living area, furnished with sofas, a round table, a refrigerator, an induction cooker, a water dispenser, and other daily necessities.

They were either working, wearing headphones to watch shows, or gathered in small groups gossiping.

Seeing Li Dongze enter, they only glanced up before returning to their own business, lacking the usual fear employees have toward their superiors.

I like this office atmosphere, Zhang Yuanqing muttered to himself.

Li Dongze didn't stop, leading Zhang Yuanqing toward the steel staircase, when he suddenly turned around and said:

"These are ordinary staff members who only serve us Spirit Realm Walkers. If you have any needs in your life or work later, just tell them."

Work and a personal secretary? Zhang Yuanqing nodded.

The two reached the second floor, where the noisy chatter faded. The layout of the second floor was much simpler; the entire left side was Li Dongze's personal office, while the right side held nine desks.

Most were empty, with only two people present.

They were the investigators who had visited his home yesterday: the long-legged woman and the disheveled, dull-eyed tech geek.

"Guan Ya, help him process his onboarding."

Li Dongze called out from a distance, smiling. "I've recruited a new colleague for you all."

The tech geek looked up, glanced at Zhang Yuanqing, nodded slightly, and then lowered his head to continue his work.

The mixed-race beauty smiled, rising as she said:

"It seems you successfully completed your trial mission, little boy who loves older women."

Little boy who loves older women?! Zhang Yuanqing's expression went blank, then he heard Li Dongze beside him say:

"Guan Ya likes to joke around; you'll get used to it."

He then scolded his female subordinate: "Don't say strange things in front of our young college student; he's still just a child."

The "child" took the opportunity to glance at the mixed-race beauty walking over. She was wearing an OL skirt suit, the hem of her shirt tucked in to accentuate her slender waist, her long, shapely legs wrapped in black silk, her slightly wavy hair swaying gently with her steps.

Her face was sharp and delicate, possessing the three-dimensional refinement of a Westerner, yet her skin was fair and supple.

"Squad Leader Li, I'd like to consult you about matters regarding the trial Spirit Realm." Zhang Yuanqing hadn't forgotten his purpose for coming today.

"If you have any questions, you can ask Guan Ya. I still have matters to attend to, so I must go handle them first," Li Dongze said warmly.

His tone was just like a homeroom teacher dealing with an honor student.

After giving his instructions, he hurried back to his office, intending to report the news of recruiting a Night Wanderer to his superiors.

"Did the Squad Leader take the wrong medicine today? He was practically floating as he walked."

Guan Ya muttered to herself, then turned to look at Zhang Yuanqing and smiled.

"Follow me to fill out a form, and give me your ID card."

"I didn't bring my ID card."

"Just give me your ID number."

She led Zhang Yuanqing to an empty desk, tossed a form to him, jotted down his ID number, and then headed downstairs.

Zhang Yuanqing picked up a pen from the holder, unscrewed the cap, and examined the form.

This form was different from an ordinary employment application; it corresponded to a Spirit Realm Walker's attribute panel.

Aside from basic information like profession and level, there was also a column for the trial task Spirit Realm.

Perfect, I'll ask about how to clear the Sheling Tunnel dungeon later. Zhang Yuanqing filled it out truthfully.

By the time he finished, Guan Ya had just returned, holding two contracts. She pulled up an office chair and sat down beside him, her rounded hips causing the seat to sink.

"The Squad Leader should have already given you basic training, right?" She leaned back lazily, a posture that showcased her proud chest to the fullest.

Zhang Yuanqing caught a whiff of a refreshing, faint fragrance and took a secret peek.

In an era where the average level was barely C-grade, an E-grade powerhouse was enough to be impressive.

"Your onboarding procedures are done. This is the contract, and there's also a non-disclosure agreement."

Once Zhang Yuanqing signed, Guan Ya retracted her smiling expression and said solemnly:

"There are a few things I need to clarify. Starting today, your original ID card can no longer be used; the organization will provide you with a new one. It will be ready within three days. You can use it to purchase high-speed rail and plane tickets normally, and it will grant you access to green channels."

"As for a new SIM card, I can give it to you tomorrow."

"Why?" Zhang Yuanqing didn't understand this procedure.

"When you named yourself, the Spirit Realm should have prompted you that you couldn't use your real name."

Zhang Yuanqing nodded.

Guan Ya said in a low voice:

"There is a reason for this. We divide the professions in the Spirit Realm into two categories: the first is the Orderly Profession, which is the orthodox path. The second is the Evil Profession."

"Spirit Realm Walkers of the Evil Profession are either tyrannical and bloodthirsty or perverted and cruel by nature. They also share a common hobby: hunting down Spirit Realm Walkers of the Orderly Profession—that is, us. It is very dangerous for a Spirit Realm Walker to expose their identity in reality."

Is this similar to faction warfare in a game? Zhang Yuanqing's expression turned grave.

He had found it strange when he was told he couldn't use his real name while choosing a name last night.

Does this mean Li Dongze and Guan Ya aren't their real names either?

"But don't worry, we are an official organization. Under normal circumstances, we are the hunters, and they are the prey."

Seeing the smile vanish from the young man's face, Guan Ya offered a word of comfort.

"Sister Guan Ya must be an amazing hunter." Zhang Yuanqing breathed a sigh of relief and took the opportunity to butter her up.

He's quite the smooth talker. The smile on Guan Ya's lips deepened, and she clicked her tongue.

"You speak very sweetly. How many girlfriends have you had?"

"I'm single!"

Guan Ya was taken aback. "Your trash can was clearly so clean; I thought you had a girlfriend."

The trash can again. Do you women have some sort of special obsession with trash cans? Zhang Yuanqing complained silently.

Guan Ya giggled. "Do you want your big sister to help you buy a girlfriend online?"

Enough, you woman—no, you Old Driver. Zhang Yuanqing said huffily:

"No need, I like realistic girlfriends."

Guan Ya laughed until she was trembling: "I like you, little guy."

"Alright, no more jokes. Let's get back to business. There are ten Spirit Realm Walker squads in the entire Kangyang District. We are the Second Team. There are five Spirit Realm Walkers in the team, and with you, that makes six. Among the five, only the Squad Leader and I belong to the White Tiger Corps. You were recruited by the Squad Leader, so once you become a regular member, you will also be part of the White Tiger Corps. I hope you keep that in mind."

Listening to this, the prejudice between the factions of the Five Elements Alliance is deeper than I imagined. Zhang Yuanqing said immediately:

"I'll be following Sister Guan Ya from now on."

He didn't mention Li Dongze, as that was more likely to win the young lady's favor.

Sure enough, Guan Ya's smile became even more radiant, and she said charmingly:

"Except for me and Wang Tai, the other Spirit Realm Walkers usually don't come in to clock in. You're a student, so you don't need to come every day either. Don't be too uptight. The Squad Leader is a very good person; it's just that when he gets emotional, his tone of voice becomes very strange, and he has a strong obsession with elegance."

"As for Wang Tai, his profession is 'Scholar.' He excels at learning and research and handles administrative tasks, so ask him if you don't understand anything. When you graduate from university, you can ask him to help you write your thesis."

"However, he isn't good at socializing and hates it, so you don't need to pay him any mind. Just treat him like a tool."

"As for me," she said with a beaming smile, "I quite enjoy dealing with energetic young men."

For a moment, Zhang Yuanqing couldn't tell if she was being sincere or just teasing.

He quickly labeled the team members according to his own understanding:

The Squad Leader who values elegance and occasionally spouts translated dialogue; the socially anxious tech geek; and the Old Driver.

"By the way, what's your zodiac sign?" Guan Ya asked.

"Scorpio!" Zhang Yuanqing didn't understand why she suddenly asked this, but he answered truthfully anyway.

Guan Ya examined him with a strange look in her eyes: "You really don't have a girlfriend?"

What did this have to do with zodiac signs? Zhang Yuanqing looked blank.

Guan Ya didn't believe him, but she didn't dwell on the topic and picked up the form Zhang Yuanqing had filled out.

"Yuanshi Tianzun. 21 years old. Heh, that's a bold ID. Aren't you afraid of getting beaten up when you go out, Night Wanderer?"

Guan Ya's charming face clearly froze, and she blurted out: "You're a Night Wanderer?!"

Zhang Yuanqing quite enjoyed her expression.

"No wonder the Squad Leader walks with such a spring in his step." Guan Ya muttered, then looked delighted: "From now on, our team has a Night Wanderer too. You aren't allowed to run off with wild women from other organizations."

Zhang Yuanqing noticed that Wang Tai, not far away, also raised his head and looked over.

"Yuanshi Tianzun, hmm, I'll just call you Yuanshi from now on." Guan Ya looked down happily, but when she saw the level was zero, she paused. Just as she was about to ask a question, she caught a glimpse of the next line: Trial Task:

Sheling Tunnel!

Guan Ya's brain went "buzz," her lips parted slightly, her expression solidified, and she stood there stunned.

After a long while, she looked at him with an incredibly complex expression. "Your trial Spirit Realm is Sheling Tunnel?"

Seeing her expression, Zhang Yuanqing's heart skipped a beat. "I was just about to ask about the trial task. Since it's a dungeon, there must be a guide, right?"

As he finished speaking, he saw the tech geek who claimed to ignore everything lift his head to look over, and this time, the man's eyes were filled with sympathy and pity.

"You, you wait a moment." Guan Ya's face turned ugly as she left the office area and headed toward Li Dongze's office.

What was with that look she gave him earlier, as if looking at a dead man? Zhang Yuanqing felt a bit uneasy.

At this moment, Wang Tai at the next desk said calmly:

"It's true that there are guides. Submitting the details of the Spirit Realms one has experienced is the duty of every official Spirit Realm Walker, and the organization provides corresponding rewards. However, Sheling Tunnel is a bit different. See for yourself."

He handed over a laptop.

Zhang Yuanqing took the computer, half-curious and half-bewildered. On the screen was an open document.

Songhai Night Wanderer Trial Spirit Realm Summary:

[Wang Village Ruins, C-rank, Task Requirement: Successfully survive until dawn.]

[The danger in the village comes from the Hanged Ghost and the desolate graves outside the village. Facing the Hanged Ghost's demand for a life, the Spirit Realm Walker needs to stand on their head to avoid danger. However, those with weak physical strength can only pray for their own luck.]

[The vengeful spirits in the desolate graves will enter the village collectively at midnight. The Spirit Realm Walker needs to head to the small shop immediately to find incense and candles; lighting them can prevent being devoured by the group of ghosts.]

[Lingang Reservoir, B-rank, Task Requirement: Cross the reservoir.]

[During the crossing, Water Ghosts will try to drag you to the bottom. Do not resist; after holding your breath underwater for two minutes, the Water Ghosts will leave on their own.]

[Ghost Bride, A-rank, Task Requirement: Spend the wedding night with the Ghost Bride until dawn.]

[The Ghost Bride is a stunning beauty. She treats every groom wildly. She will not harm her own groom as long as you can satisfy her. But theoretically, no man can fight until dawn. This is almost a death-trap Spirit Realm. Currently, only one hero has successfully survived, but he has developed a strong aversion to women ever since.]

[Xiangshui Amusement Park, B-rank, Task Requirement...]

The more Zhang Yuanqing read, the more wrong it felt, and the more confused he became.

Isn't this too simple?

These trial tasks were too simple. Aside from the Ghost Bride requiring a pair of iron kidneys, the survival rate for other trial Spirit Realms was quite high.

Moreover, looking through the whole list, the highest difficulty was A-rank, yet his trial task was the S-rank Sheling Tunnel.

He looked further down and finally saw Sheling Tunnel.

[Sheling Tunnel, Difficulty: Unknown, Task Requirement: Unknown.]

[The initial incident occurred during the tunnel's construction. A construction team accidentally entered the Spirit Realm; out of twelve people who entered, only one survived, but they suffered severe trauma and their mental state became abnormal. 36 hours later, they entered the Spirit Realm again and died inside.]

[Note: This Spirit Realm scene is extremely dangerous. Currently, no examples of successfully clearing Sheling Tunnel have been found.]

This last sentence was marked in bright red.

Zhang Yuanqing looked stunned.

PS: This chapter is extra thick and long, please give me your monthly tickets.