The Fallen Holy Grail

The second floor of the villa, a small conference room.

The sun was setting in the west. The blood-red evening sun shone through the glass windows, casting its light across the conference room floor and turning the white wool carpet a crystalline red.

Li Dongze, Green Vine, White Dragon, Tang Guoqiang, Big Muscle Tyrant, and the other squad leaders sat upright around the conference table. Nearly every squad leader among the Spirit Realm Walkers in Kangyang District who could attend was there.

Besides the Five Elements Alliance squad leaders, Yuan Ting, who had just returned from the Capital City, was also attending the meeting.

As a Scout, Li Dongze keenly noticed that Yuan Ting seemed to be in poor spirits. He frowned and asked,

"Are you injured?"

Yuan Ting's face was pale. He leaned weakly against the back of his chair and rested with his eyes closed. At the question, he opened them and replied calmly,

"No. It's just that Elder Sun took a great interest in me when I went to the Capital City this time. He thinks I'll become a pillar of the Taiyi Sect, and insisted on training me personally. I overdid it, so I'm not feeling well."

Everyone looked at him with newfound respect.

Fu Qingyang glanced at him but made no comment. He said seriously,

"Let's get to the point. What did Yuanshi see in Ou Xiangrong's memories that made you rush over here?"

The squad leaders immediately turned to Li Dongze, their expressions grave.

As soon as this guy came out of the morgue, he'd summoned everyone to the Centurion's office without a word, saying there was a major incident.

When they asked what it was, he wouldn't say, leaving everyone anxious and on edge.

Li Dongze cleared his throat and looked around the table. "Our Night Wanderer learned from Ou Xiangrong's memories what the Holy Grail really is. It's an item belonging to Judge of Ghostly Eyes, and its full name is the Fallen Holy Grail."

"Judge of Ghostly Eyes. The Fallen Holy Grail?"

The squad leaders on both sides of the conference table exchanged bewildered, troubled looks.

Judge of Ghostly Eyes was the vice president of the Spirit Energy Society's East District Branch.

The Spirit Energy Society was a notorious evil organization among Spirit Realm Walkers, made up of a group of powerful, deranged Voodoo Masters. Judge of Ghostly Eyes, the East District Branch's vice president, ranked eighth on the Five Elements Alliance's wanted list. He was the kind of powerful figure who could move mountains and fill seas.

No one had expected Ou Xiangrong's case to involve someone of that caliber.

As for their bewilderment, it was because none of them had heard of an item called the Fallen Holy Grail.

"Ou Xiangrong was looking for an item belonging to Judge of Ghostly Eyes?" Big Muscle Tyrant frowned and spoke bluntly. "That kid really has lost his mind."

A mere Transcendence Realm Bewitching Demon dared covet an item belonging to a high-level Spirit Realm Walker.

The others ignored Big Muscle Tyrant and looked toward Fu Qingyang.

Fu Qingyang was silent for a few seconds, his tone unusually grave. "I'm going to share some intelligence with you. At your current ranks, you're not qualified to know about matters at this level. Once you leave this room, keep it to yourselves."

At that, everyone straightened up and composed themselves.

"The Fallen Holy Grail is a high-level rule-type item belonging to the Voodoo Master profession. It can control Spirit Realm Walkers. Judge of Ghostly Eyes used it to enslave Spirit Realm Walkers of many other professions. A large proportion of the 'fallen' we deal with each year were made by him. According to our intelligence, once someone is corrupted by the Fallen Holy Grail, they'll be enslaved by Judge of Ghostly Eyes for the rest of their lives. Only death can free them. There's no other way.

"Also, the corrupted must undergo the Holy Grail's baptism at regular intervals. Otherwise, they'll lose their minds and die."

Li Dongze nodded. "Ou Xiangrong was Judge of Ghostly Eyes' servant."

That explained everything. The squad leaders suddenly saw the light.

White Dragon nodded, then frowned.

"What does that have to do with him killing Zhao Yingjun? And this doesn't seem like a major incident."

"Zhao Yingjun was also Judge of Ghostly Eyes' servant. He was embedded in the Five Elements Alliance. On the surface, he was an adviser to the Public Security Bureau, but in secret, he helped Judge of Ghostly Eyes find new recruits and do his dirty work." Li Dongze paused, then continued in an extremely serious tone,

"Not long ago, Judge of Ghostly Eyes suddenly died. His confidant, Black Impermanence, went into hiding with the Holy Grail and a Roster containing the identities of the fallen. Now, not only are fallen like Ou Xiangrong searching for Black Impermanence, but Voodoo King, the other vice president of the Spirit Energy Society East District Branch, and his subordinates are looking for him too.

"Once Black Impermanence gets the Roster, he'll surely contact the fallen and take over Judge of Ghostly Eyes' legacy. Zhao Yingjun's undercover identity was important, so he may already have contacted Black Impermanence. That's why Ou Xiangrong wanted to use Zhao Yingjun to find out where Black Impermanence was."

The squad leaders' minds went blank.

Judge of Ghostly Eyes was a high-level Spirit Realm Walker. Had someone of his stature really died?

The news was so shocking that even Fu Qingyang, the calmest of them all, looked stunned for a moment.

In the suffocating silence, Fu Qingyang tapped the table and frowned.

"Judge of Ghostly Eyes' Roster contains a large number of fallen. Black Impermanence went into hiding with the Roster and the Holy Grail. He can't take in every 'servant.' Fanatics like Ou Xiangrong, who have lost their minds, are certainly not the only ones."

Li Dongze gave a bitter smile. "That's why this is a major incident."

The squad leaders' hearts sank.

Fu Qingyang said,

"Black Impermanence is hiding in Songhai. Things won't be peaceful here for a while. I'll report this to the Council of Elders as soon as possible and have them notify our colleagues in other regions so they can prepare for the fallen to go out of control.

"Starting today, all leave is canceled. Keep your phones on around the clock and stay ready."

The squad leaders nodded solemnly.

Fu Qingyang's expression darkened. "I have to criticize all of you over this incident. You were careless, complacent, and not vigilant enough."

Then his expression softened.

"Yuanshi Tianzun made a major contribution to the Ou Xiangrong case. From killing him to using Spirit Inquiry and discovering that Judge of Ghostly Eyes had died, he handled everything. A group of experienced veterans did worse than a rookie. As your superior, I find that embarrassing."

Li Dongze and the others looked ashamed.

What? The new Night Wanderer killed Ou Xiangrong, the Bewitching Demon?

Yuan Ting froze. He looked from one person to another, then raised his hand. "Centurion Fu, are you saying that Squad Leader Li's Level 1 Night Wanderer killed Ou Xiangrong?"

Li Dongze quietly puffed out his chest and raised his chin.

Big Muscle Tyrant sighed. "That kid has a remarkable talent for combat. He'll go far. Maybe he'll even reach the Saint Realm and become an executive."

The other squad leaders nodded, agreeing.

Squad Leader Green Vine explained, "He was the first to find Ou Xiangrong and acted decisively. By the time we arrived, the fight was already over. Ou Xiangrong was injured, and his mind was probably in disarray, but he was still far from easy to kill."

What kind of genius was this? Yuan Ting stood stunned for a few seconds, then felt such regret that he could barely breathe.

Elder Sun had made a terrible mistake!

Fu Qingyang didn't let the conversation continue. He said coolly,

"That's all. Meeting adjourned."

Li Dongze and the others got up and left their seats.

Yuan Ting stayed behind. After the squad leaders had left the room, he suppressed his regret and frustration and said,

"Centurion Fu, I need your help with something."

Fu Qingyang looked at him.

Yuan Ting explained, "The Sect Master summoned us to the Capital City this time and announced a piece of classified information. The Demon Lord is dead."

Fu Qingyang froze. Then shock filled his sculpted, handsome face. Even Judge of Ghostly Eyes' death hadn't provoked such a powerful reaction from him.

The Demon Lord was an ID that terrified every official Spirit Realm Walker. He was a fallen Night Wanderer with a volatile, brutal, bloodthirsty nature. He excelled at assassination and concealment, and countless Spirit Realm Walkers had died at his hands.

At the height of the Demon Lord's arrogance, even the elders of the official organizations had to tread carefully and keep a low profile, never daring to reveal themselves in the real world.

The evil organizations hated him just as much. The Demon Lord killed without restraint, making no distinction between the righteous and the wicked.

Then, early last year, he encountered the Female Marshal of the White Tiger Corps in a high-level PvP instance and was gravely wounded by that peerless woman. Only then did he disappear from sight.

"And?" Fu Qingyang asked, his expression returning to its usual coldness.

"The Sect Master gave us a mission: find the Demon Lord's successor. From two months ago through the end of this year, every new Night Wanderer will be investigated," Yuan Ting said.

Fu Qingyang frowned. "Even if someone lucky enough to get the Demon Lord's Role Card, that doesn't mean they have any connection to him. Why does your Sect Master want to find this person? Don't tell me he's concerned about wasting a talent."

When a Spirit Realm Walker died, the Spirit Realm would erase all the character's "data" and find a new owner for the Role Card.

When a high-level Spirit Realm Walker died, something might remain when their Role Card was reformatted. It could be a benefit of some kind, or perhaps a certain privilege.

Such a Role Card was naturally stronger than an ordinary one.

But in Fu Qingyang's view, that advantage wasn't enough to make the Taiyi Sect Master go to such lengths. Even the Demon Lord himself had been lower-level than the most powerful Night Wanderer of the present day.

Yuan Ting shook his head. "How would I know? I'm just following orders. There were only four rookies in Songhai who became Night Wanderers this year. One died in an instance, and two joined the Taiyi Sect and were sent to the training camp. The last one is the man under Li Dongze. I'd like to question him."

Fu Qingyang stared at Yuan Ting, his dark brown eyes sharp and profound.

Yuan Ting met his gaze, steeling himself.

"Fine, but whatever the outcome, you have to tell me first. You're not allowed to take him to the Capital City without permission."

At his desk, Zhang Yuanqing turned on his computer. After pondering for a long while, he called out,

"Sister Guan Ya, how should I write the report?"

Guan Ya lowered her head and kept watching her show, answering perfunctorily, "Didn't I send you a template? Just follow it."

"It's not the format. It's the content." Zhang Yuanqing frowned.

He had to write a report on killing Ou Xiangrong. What stumped him was that if he left out the Red Dancing Shoes, he'd have a hard time describing how he'd killed Ou Xiangrong in a way that made sense.

It wasn't something he could brush off in a sentence or two.

"Ugh, you're such a pain." Guan Ya spun her office chair lightly and turned around, pouting. "How do you want to write it?"

Zhang Yuanqing thought for a moment. "I want to reasonably emphasize how I intimidated Ou Xiangrong with my kingly presence, then fought the Bewitching Demon for three hundred rounds with my incredible skills and brilliant mind, and finally killed the fiend who almost plunged Songhai into chaos."

The mixed-race beauty rolled her eyes.

"Instead of reasonably emphasizing things that never happened, why not reasonably lower Ou Xiangrong's IQ? You showed plenty of quick thinking in the garage. Why are you being stupid now?"

Right, Ou Xiangrong had already lost his mind, and he'd been badly injured. No one else knew how bad his condition was, so I could describe it however I wanted. Besides, he wasn't going to rise from his coffin and defend himself. Zhang Yuanqing's eyes lit up.

"Got it. Thanks, Sister Guan Ya."

He immediately began typing, describing Ou Xiangrong's madness and irrationality. He'd also made up his mind about what to do with the Bloodthirsty Blade.

The Demon Subduing Pestle was better suited to purification and suppressing demons than close combat. The Bloodthirsty Blade would undoubtedly make up for that shortcoming.

Its built-in bleeding and armor-piercing effects were a perfect match for the Night Wanderer's assassin-like traits.

The only thing he had to worry about was his low HP.

Once my experience goes up and my abilities improve, the Night Wanderer's powerful vitality and regenerative ability should let me wield both items at once—use the pestle to crush demons and the blade to cut down madmen. That sounds pretty good. Zhang Yuanqing finished the report and sent it to Li Dongze's inbox, then asked,

"When will I get the rewards for clearing Sheling Tunnel and for this incident?"

"Your merit points need to be approved by the Council of Elders, and the funds need approval too. They'll probably come with next month's salary." Guan Ya smiled. "What, eager to take your big sister out to eat? Hmm, I want abalone, sea cucumber, roast duck, imported ham, and premium steak."

No, that's too expensive. I can only treat you to a jianbing guozi with a sausage and two eggs, Zhang Yuanqing thought.

He checked the time. It was already two thirty in the afternoon, so he decided to head home.

"Where did Squad Leader Li and the other squad leaders go?" Zhang Yuanqing asked before leaving.

After learning what was in Ou Xiangrong's memories, Li Dongze had hurried away with the squad leaders in an uncharacteristically ungraceful manner, without leaving any explanation.

"They're at a meeting."

Guan Ya leaned back in her chair, holding her phone and showing off her enviable cleavage. She smiled.

"Big meetings for the Spirit Realm Walkers of Kangyang District—and even mid-level meetings—are usually held at Centurion Fu's place. Once you've been working here for more than half a year and have more seniority, you can go hang out there."

"What's fun about that? I hate meetings," Zhang Yuanqing said, uninterested.

Guan Ya blinked, flashing the smile of an Old Driver. "There are lots of pretty Bunny Girls there."

Zhang Yuanqing looked intrigued. "I can't wait to start attending the organization's meetings and contribute to its development."