Concealment

Figures swarmed the entrance of the underground parking garage.

Li Dongze, cane in one hand and gun in the other, charged into the garage, his sharp gaze rapidly scanning the scene.

He first spotted the unconscious Xu Yingying, then the faint bloodstains on the ground and several damaged private cars. As a Scout, it wasn't hard for Li Dongze to deduce that a brief but fierce battle had taken place here.

Since Xu Yingying was still alive, it meant the situation hadn't reached the worst-case scenario.

Several other Spirit Realm Walkers scanned the scene with equal vigilance and speed, and moments later, they saw a figure emerge from the shadows behind a car nearby.

In an instant, everyone instinctively leveled their guns at him.

"Don't shoot, it's me."

Zhang Yuanqing hurriedly raised his hands, simultaneously sizing up the Spirit Realm Walkers other than Guan Ya and Li Dongze.

The Fitness Enthusiast, who looked like a gym coach, was at least 1.9 meters tall with bulging, powerful muscles and red fingerless gloves.

The Qipao Lady, wearing a traditional ink-wash painting qipao and a classical bun, had a graceful figure; though she looked to be of a certain age, her skin was fair and delicate, devoid of wrinkles.

A middle-aged man in a deep brown construction uniform and a miner's hat had a dark, weathered complexion.

The Racing Suit Girl, with her oval face, fair skin, and sharp, spirited eyebrows, held a long black blade in her hand.

The other two armed personnel had unremarkable appearances and temperaments.

Seeing Zhang Yuanqing emerge from the shadows, the tense expressions of Li Dongze and Guan Ya visibly relaxed, as if a weight had been lifted from their shoulders.

After the meeting ended, they had received a call from Wang Tai saying that Yuanshi had discovered Ou Xiangrong at Songhai University and that the man had abducted Xu Yingying with malicious intent.

Li Dongze and Guan Ya were shocked and immediately summoned the team leaders who hadn't yet dispersed, rushing to Songhai University.

Li Dongze had kept a grim face the whole way, his mood heavy, fearing that Yuanshi might act on impulse without considering the consequences.

Newcomers often become arrogant after first experiencing supernatural powers as Spirit Realm Walkers, and combined with their lack of experience and inability to gauge the depth of a situation, they are prone to acting recklessly.

Seeing Zhang Yuanqing unharmed now, both of them breathed a sigh of relief.

"He's that Night Wanderer?"

The hot-tempered Big Muscle Tyrant asked Li Dongze first, and upon receiving an affirmative answer, he scanned the garage and asked in a gravelly voice:

"Kid, where's Ou Xiangrong? Which way did he run?"

In his view, a Level 3 Bewitching Demon was not something a Level 1 Night Wanderer could handle; after a brief clash, Ou Xiangrong must have fled in fear of the official Spirit Realm Walkers arriving.

If Ou Xiangrong hadn't been gone for long, they might still be able to track him down using a Scout's tracking abilities.

Li Dongze, Guan Ya, and the other team leaders stared at Zhang Yuanqing, waiting for his answer.

"He didn't run!" Zhang Yuanqing said.

Didn't run? The group felt a chill, raising their guns one after another, looking around in astonishment and vigilance.

Then they heard this rookie who had just entered the profession point to the shadows behind him and say, "I killed him."

What did he say? The Fire Master Big Muscle Tyrant almost reached up to clean his ears, suspecting he had hearing problems. His temper flared, and he growled in a muffled, angry voice:

"Don't joke with me. This isn't the place for you to try and be funny."

Li Dongze and the others were also stunned, then frowned, their eyes filled with newfound caution as they looked at Zhang Yuanqing.

Why are you so fierce? Can't you talk properly? You aren't from the Red Fire Gang, are you? Zhang Yuanqing explained patiently:

"I'm not lying. His body is at the back of the car. If you don't believe me, go look for yourself."

Big Muscle Tyrant glanced over; the shadows cast by the pillars and the cars made it impossible for him to see the situation in the corner from his position.

He was about to go over and check.

"Wait," the middle-aged man in the miner's hat stepped forward, glanced at Zhang Yuanqing, and said to the burly man, "I'll go."

Seeing his colleague's grave expression, as if he had remembered something, Big Muscle Tyrant looked at Zhang Yuanqing warily and nodded.

Zhang Yuanqing noticed that Li Dongze and Guan Ya's expressions were strange, while the others looked at him with undisguised wariness.

At this moment, the middle-aged man in the miner's hat approached the back of the car with slow, steady steps. Then, he stared at something, his eyes widening, frozen like a statue.

"Boss Tang?"

Big Muscle Tyrant felt a chill as he saw his companion's look of shock and bewilderment; his upper body muscles suddenly bulged, ready to strike at any moment.

Green Vine, White Dragon, and the other team leaders immediately became alert.

Tang Guoqiang's appearance was exactly like someone who had been bewitched.

But soon, they saw Tang Guoqiang "recover," lean down, and drag a corpse out into the spotlight, into everyone's line of sight.

The corpse was wearing loose camouflage pants, a black tank top, and a black jacket. Its face was a bloody mess, its eye sockets hollow, but the facial contours were still recognizable—it was indeed Ou Xiangrong.

The underground parking garage fell silent as everyone stared blankly at Ou Xiangrong's corpse.

Li Dongze's expression shifted from serious to stunned, and he muttered to himself:

"Oh, my god, oh, my god..."

Guan Ya looked at the corpse, then at Zhang Yuanqing, and suddenly thought of something, lost in thought.

The Qipao Lady walked over quickly in her high heels. She stopped beside the corpse, examined it carefully, and pursed her lips:

"It is indeed Ou Xiangrong."

After saying this, she looked up at Zhang Yuanqing with a complex expression.

Big Muscle Tyrant's eyes went wide, and he blurted out, "How did you manage that?"

The several team leaders focused their gazes on Zhang Yuanqing, scrutinizing him repeatedly. Ou Xiangrong had actually been taken down by a Level 1 rookie, even if the man had been severely wounded and far from his peak.

The Second Team had scored a massive achievement this time. What kind of blind luck had Li Dongze stumbled upon to recruit such an outstanding subordinate?

How did I do it? Isn't it just a matter of having the right shoes? Zhang Yuanqing didn't answer, instead looking toward his superior.

Li Dongze stepped forward immediately and cleared his throat.

"Yuanshi, well done. You've made a great contribution. Just now, while you were out of contact, we were being chewed out by our superiors in the conference room."

This remark successfully diverted their attention. The team leaders' faces relaxed into smiles, as if a heavy burden had been lifted.

Zhang Yuanqing eyed him sideways. "Then why were you pointing guns at me earlier?"

"A Bewitching Demon of the Extraordinary realm can briefly influence the human mind. If given enough time to repeatedly bewitch and deepen that influence, they can achieve total control over their target. We thought it more likely that you had been bewitched than that you had killed Ou Xiangrong." The Racing Suit Girl walked over, carrying a blade. She looked Zhang Yuanqing up and down and nodded with satisfaction.

"We were all wrong. Let me introduce myself: White Dragon, Level 3 Water Ghost."

This female captain possessed an indescribable air of boldness. There was no trace of feminine reserve or coyness about her; her every glance was spirited, as if she viewed everyone else as a little brother.

"Yuanshi Tianzun," Zhang Yuanqing said.

The team leaders paused for a moment. "A fine name."

It was indeed fine—it made people want to beat him up the moment they heard it.

White Dragon laughed. "Let's just call you Yuanshi. That's good; I've always felt that boys your age would pick some bizarre, eccentric names."

"Like what?" Zhang Yuanqing shrugged with a smile.

White Dragon was taken aback, not expecting this kid to be so familiar, even daring to ask her back. Logically, when faced with a superior's teasing, shouldn't a normal person be a bit humble or look reserved?

"Like Big Muscle Tyrant," Guan Ya walked over with a smile, taking up the conversation for White Dragon.

Big Muscle Tyrant: "...The meaning behind my name is: Overbearing muscles."

"That's exactly what I meant," Guan Ya said with a look of pure innocence.

Big Muscle Tyrant was left speechless.

As they spoke, several more official Spirit Realm Walkers hurried over, carrying stretchers and body bags.

They had just received the call that the killer had been executed and rushed over to collect the remains, also taking Xu Yingying out to be sent to the hospital for treatment.

Li Dongze didn't delay any further. "Yuanshi, come back with us to take a look at Ou Xiangrong's memories."

"No, he can't," Tang Guoqiang shook his head.

"Ou Xiangrong was corrupted by evil forces; we aren't sure if his spirit body has also been tainted. Furthermore, Bewitching Demons are bloodthirsty and cruel, and their spirit bodies carry intense negative energy. This isn't something he can withstand. Yuan Ting will return to Songhai this afternoon; leave it to him."

Zhang Yuanqing immediately recalled the experience of devouring spirit bodies in the hospital and felt a wave of wariness. But then he thought, if other Night Wanderers saw the process of him killing Ou Xiangrong...

The Red Dancing Shoes wouldn't be able to stay hidden. Of course, that didn't mean exposure would necessarily invite theft or covetousness, but it was better to keep a low profile.

"That's not a problem; I'll find a way to resolve it for him," Li Dongze waved his hand, his attitude firm. "Ou Xiangrong's memories are crucial. The sooner we perform the soul-query, the better. We can't judge how much memory a corrupted spirit body can retain."

Tang Guoqiang thought for a moment and nodded slightly.

He still didn't approve of Li Dongze's approach, but since the Second Team had made the kill, they held the right to dispose of the body.

At this moment, the beautiful woman in the cheongsam stepped forward and asked with concern:

"Are you injured? Do you need treatment?"

Her tone was gentle and her attitude warm, as if Zhang Yuanqing were her own trusted aide.

Li Dongze introduced her with a smile:

"This is Captain Green Vine of the Hundred Flowers Society. She specializes in healing. Within the Five Elements Alliance, Wood Demons are also known as 'Healers.' If you have any injuries, feel free to tell her."

Healers? Zhang Yuanqing thought to himself, Are you guys the 'proper' kind of healers, or will you force people to grasp the future?

Li Dongze then introduced the burly man and the one in the miner's hat:

"Big Muscle Tyrant from the Red Fire Gang, and Tang Guoqiang from the Central Court. Both team leaders are experienced Spirit Realm Walkers."

So he really is from the Red Fire Gang. Zhang Yuanqing immediately said, "It's a pleasure to meet you both, please look after me."

Big Muscle Tyrant nodded with satisfaction.

"Want to add each other as friends?"

"That works!" Green Vine and White Dragon nodded in agreement.

Tang Guoqiang didn't say much, but he was the first to pull out his phone.

Li Dongze's mouth twitched.

Once Zhang Yuanqing had added the team leaders as friends, Li Dongze said:

"We'll take the body back first. The other members will stay behind to assist the police in clearing the scene. Yuanshi, take Guan Ya's car back to the unit and write up a report."

A moment later, the official Spirit Realm Walker team drove a commercial van and a blue sports car into the underground parking garage.

"Squad Leader, can I ride in your van?" Zhang Yuanqing had things he wanted to discuss with Li Dongze in private, such as asking him to delete the surveillance footage.

"No, you're too filthy right now; it's not elegant enough." Li Dongze shook his head in refusal, then turned to the several team captains. "Let's head back together."

Zhang Yuanqing opened his mouth, wanting to say more, but stopped himself. In the end, he could only watch helplessly as Li Dongze and the captains left in the commercial van.

Guan Ya's eyes shimmered as she glanced at him and chuckled.

"The Squad Leader took all the nuisances away. Come on, I'll take you to delete that footage."

Zhang Yuanqing kept his eyes fixed on his nose and his heart calm.

The blue sports car sped along the spacious streets. Guan Ya wore sunglasses, her hands on the steering wheel, humming a little tune; she seemed to be in a good mood.

She clicked her tongue and said:

"You lucky brat, getting a Rule-type item right after becoming a Spirit Realm Walker."

She felt her own luck wasn't bad either; just as she was short on merit points, they came knocking.

"Did you guys know all along?" Zhang Yuanqing wasn't embarrassed in the slightest; instead, he offered a compliment. "A Scout is truly the most perfect profession."

As someone skilled in social interaction, he was adept at adjusting his mindset.

"It was just a guess before. Remember, Insight is a Scout's talent." Guan Ya smiled. "The fact that you understood my hint and hid the Rule-type item shows you aren't stupid."

Zhang Yuanqing immediately probed for more information:

"The organization won't make me hand over the item, will they?"

"They won't force you, but if you volunteer to hand it over, the organization will gladly accept it and reward you with merit points and money. However, human nature is complex. A rookie like you holding a Rule-type item—if word gets out, it will definitely drive some people to take risks."

Guan Ya offered some earnest advice: "The Squad Leader can cover for you for a while, but not forever. You should consider finding yourself a backer, like the superior's superior."

Can that Centurion Fu really protect me? Zhang Yuanqing wondered, thinking, How can you guarantee that the superior's superior won't get greedy when he sees the treasure?

"That guy comes from a wealthy family and grew up with a silver spoon in his mouth. He's proud and arrogant. I don't know about the other deacons, but I can vouch for his character," Guan Ya laughed.

"Besides, that guy always prides himself on winning people over with virtue, but in reality, he loves throwing money around. He's a total spendthrift; a single Rule-type item isn't enough to shake his pride.

"However, he has very high standards. He doesn't look at ordinary people; he likes elite talent."

Zhang Yuanqing gave an "mm," neither agreeing nor refusing, and moved past the topic.

Guan Ya hummed twice:

"You stole the spotlight today. Once your deeds spread, there will definitely be people within the Five Elements Alliance trying to poach you, both openly and secretly. Be careful of honey traps; there have been cases of seduction before. Those two female captains were quite interested in you."

Zhang Yuanqing said righteously, "I am loyal to the Second Team and will never fall for a honey trap."

Unless I can't help it! he added to himself.

"But you're a Scorpio," Guan Ya pouted.

Huh? What does that have to do with being a Scorpio? Zhang Yuanqing looked blank.

"Ever heard the horoscope saying? Pisces men won't even spare a dog, and Scorpio men will go for anything."

"..."

Inside the black commercial van, Li Dongze was driving himself. He stared straight ahead, his face full of smiles.

"Oh my, oh my, I accidentally finished everyone's work. My team member is a bit too much, sorry everyone, I didn't let you earn any merit."

What are you so smug about? The four captains' expressions darkened.

"When the bonus comes in, I'll treat everyone to a meal," Li Dongze laughed. "Don't be envious, it was all a coincidence. This kid just happened to clear the Sheling Tunnel and happened to kill Ou Xiangrong. It's no big deal."

"The way you talk is really asking for a beating," Big Muscle Tyrant grunted.

"Be elegant, don't always be so irritable. I'll report to Centurion Fu first."

Under the death glares of the captains, he took out his phone and dialed Centurion Fu's number.

In the Ou Xiangrong incident, because of their mistakes, Centurion Fu had taken on significant risks.

Now that Ou Xiangrong had been killed, as his subordinate, he had to report it promptly.

Yuanshi, that kid, had really brought him glory.