In a spacious and lavish office, Li Dongze lounged lazily on the sofa, legs crossed, a wine glass in his left hand and a cigar between the fingers of his right, looking utterly relaxed.
Just moments ago, he had reported to his direct superior about recruiting a Night Wanderer.
Li Dongze knew the young centurion was new in his position, eager to prove himself and build a loyal faction. A Night Wanderer with a clean background was like manna from heaven—arriving at the perfect time for this well-connected centurion.
Sure enough, the young superior expressed high praise and promised Li Dongze significant credit.
In the White Tiger troops, military merits outweighed everything.
Bang!
The glass door of the office was roughly kicked open; Guan Ya stormed in wearing high heels.
Li Dongze frowned, took a leisurely sip of his wine, and reproached:
"Guan Ya, that's hardly elegant of you."
"Commander, the kid's trial spirit realm is Sheling Tunnel!" Guan Ya got straight to the point.
"Pft!" Li Dongze immediately went from relaxed to alert, not bothering to wipe his spilled drink, sprang up leaning on the desk, and shouted sharply:
"Sheling Tunnel?! Oh God, you damn fool, look at what you've done."
He grabbed his cane and rushed out to the office area, where the new Night Wanderer sat dazedly staring at the computer.
Noticing Li Dongze's arrival, Zhang Yuanqing wore a bitter expression:
"Commander, do you think there's still a chance to save me?"
He feared the response would be a blunt "No, just wait to die. Terminating contract!"
Li Dongze looked at him silently, his expression like someone who finally pursued the girl of his dreams only to find out she was his long-lost sister.
Facing the new recruit's desperate gaze, Li Dongze took a deep breath and said in a low tone:
"The trial spirit realm is every spirit realm traveler's initial solo dungeon. The hardest part is that you're utterly alone—no one can help. It's the spirit realm's test of you, and the price you pay to gain supernatural power."
Zhang Yuanqing nodded heavily.
Li Dongze continued:
"I'll report this for you. Hopefully, higher-level databases have info and strategy on Sheling Tunnel. Otherwise, no one can save you. Go back and wait for news. I'll notify you immediately once there's an update."
Though not a Night Wanderer, Li Dongze was a veteran spirit realm traveler who had heard of Sheling Tunnel's deadly reputation.
So far, according to official records, no one had ever cleared Sheling Tunnel. The "first clear" of this dungeon remained unachieved.
"All right, thanks, Commander," Zhang Yuanqing said stiffly.
Li Dongze added:
"Write down your detailed experience inside Sheling Tunnel."
...
After arranging a car to send Zhang Yuanqing away, Guan Ya returned to her desk, pulled out a note pad marked with an Aquarius watermark, and twisted open a pen capped with a Virgo symbol.
Everything on her desk—from the computer and notebooks to the desktop and cup—was adorned with various zodiac signs.
She was clearly a hardcore astrology fan.
Guan Ya wrote on the note:
"Yuanshi Tianzun, Scorpio man, traits: scheming, vengeful, sexually dominant."
"Note: High probability of being seduced by women from other organizations."
Finished, the mixed-race beauty sighed softly, tore the note off, and stuck it into the personnel file of the second team.
She left remarks and evaluations for each team leader, including those who resigned or died in the spirit realms.
"Hey, Wang Tai, any chance that kid can clear it?" Guan Ya called out to the next office.
Wang Tai, with messy hair, looked up:
"Taiyi Sect might have detailed info on Sheling Tunnel, but probably no use. Otherwise, they would've had Night Wanderers clear it long ago. It's an S-level trial task with good rewards."
Guan Ya frowned.
Wang Tai went on:
"If we find him some artifacts, maybe there's hope, but you know how it is—the functions of these artifacts vary widely, and our knowledge of Sheling Tunnel is limited. We can't provide targeted solutions. Most likely, it'll be a waste of both people and resources."
"Bullshit!" Guan Ya rolled her eyes.
Artifacts are precious and rare; even an exceptional spirit realm traveler having one is lucky.
Unclaimed artifacts come only through two ways: searching inside spirit realms, or killing other spirit realm travelers in reality and seizing their gear—only artifacts outside the inventory can be taken.
Neither is realistic here.
The biggest problem: without knowing Sheling Tunnel's specifics, who knows which artifact might help?
If the person dies inside the spirit realm, the realm will automatically reclaim the artifacts—a huge loss.
Wang Tai clattered at his keyboard, pulling up data streams and muttering after a long stare:
"Qingming just passed, coincidentally the time Sheling Tunnel opens each year. This guy's really unlucky, huh?"
In the office, Li Dongze opened a chat app and typed a message:
"Centurion Fu, I have a report concerning the newly recruited Night Wanderer. His trial spirit realm is Sheling Tunnel, aka the new player 'bug' realm for Night Wanderers.
Sheling Tunnel first appeared during tunnel construction in the last century, when a crew mistakenly entered it and died inside the realm. The official side later found one survivor, who was transported back into the realm 36 hours later.
Yes, Sheling Tunnel's trial is split into two phases, unlike other one-off spirit realm trials.
Apologies, I was dazzled and misled by assumptions, thinking he cleared the trial when he returned.
I know Taiyi Sect has the richest, most comprehensive Night Wanderer spirit realm data. Their sect leader is the strongest Night Wanderer alive. Maybe they have info on Sheling Tunnel.
If Centurion Fu can intervene, Taiyi Sect might lend some support.
White Tiger troops' principle is never abandoning comrades. Since he's already enlisted, I can't just give up on him. I hope Centurion Fu will assist."
After reviewing it several times, Li Dongze sent the message.
He held his wine glass, stared at the screen, and sighed.
...
Zhang Yuanqing returned home, heavy-hearted. He entered the password and opened the security door.
In the living room, his grandmother was mopping the shiny floor. Sitting at the dining table was a middle-aged man in a black jacket—handsome with jet-black hair, a prominent furrowed brow, and crow's feet at the eyes, showing the passage of time.
By appearance alone, he was an elegant older gentleman, probably popular with mature women and adored by "older man" fans.
But this man was Zhang Yuanqing's cousin, not his uncle.
The cousin swallowed the freshly heated porridge and looked at Zhang Yuanqing seriously:
"Grandma said you wanted to see me last night?"
He wore a stern expression, resembling a younger version of their grandfather.
Zhang opened his mouth but shook his head:
"Never mind."
Yesterday's problem was solved. The new difficulty was beyond cousin's help—and Zhang had signed an NDA.
The cousin glanced at him, sipping porridge slowly:
"Is it about Lei Yibing? Heard Li Dongze visited yesterday. Means the case's unusual. Not even I can help."
Turns out cousin had already done his homework! Zhang simply nodded.
Seeing his mood, Chen Yuanjun stopped pressing, assuming Zhang was worried about Lei Yibing.
At that moment, Jiang Yuer, dressed in cute bear pajamas, came out of her room holding a stack of face masks.
"Here, anti-wrinkle and anti-aging, once in the morning and evening. Your grandma insisted I help buy."
The cousin's face darkened, furrowing his brow:
"No need for these."
The aunt shrugged casually:
"Suit yourself."
Grandma, holding the mop, scolded the grandson with a glare:
"You don't want face masks, then should I iron those wrinkles on your face with the iron?"
Because her son was unreliable, grandma gave up on him and put all hope in the next generation.
So far, her grandson entering the Public Security Bureau and grandson-in-law getting into Songhai University both showed bright futures.
But grandma always worried the grandson looked older than his age—30 with a 40-year-old's face.
A few years ago, a long-absent old buddy visited, saw Chen Yuanjun, and exclaimed:
"Didn't know you had a son."
Chen Yuanjun struggled and said:
"That's my grandson."
The friend was straightforward, blurting out:
"Your grandson looks stubborn."
Decades of friendship nearly broke.
Chen Yuanjun accepted the masks and shoved them in his pocket:
"Enough, grandma. I have to work, busy with a missing persons case."
"Missing persons?" Zhang Yuanqing perked up:
"What's going on?"
Chen Yuanjun took a bite of pickled vegetables:
"Two people disappeared in Sheling Tunnel; no trace yet. Surveillance footage shows no one entering the tunnel..."
The cousin suddenly stopped, warning:
"Keep this confidential."
He signed an NDA.
Grandma's gossip antenna instantly twitched:
"Haunted again? Why hasn't the tunnel been sealed? People go missing every year."
Aunt perked up with a gossip face like her mother.
"Grandma, don't ask."
Could they have ended up like me, lost in some mountain shrine? Damn those unlucky fools. I hope they survive three hours... Zhang felt both sympathy and a weird comfort in not being the only unlucky one.
He gained a deeper understanding of spirit realms. As Li Dongze said, spirit realms have always existed; maybe some annual missing persons vanished inside.
...
In Beijing, a traditional courtyard house.
A large locust tree spread thick branches like a big green umbrella.
Under it, an elderly man with graying hair lay in a rocking chair, wearing a white undershirt and shorts, holding a palm fan, leisurely resting.
His face was lean, with a small mole between his brows, radiating an indescribable nobility.
A breeze stirred the leaves, scattering light spots on the ground.
Faint laughter of children drifted from the tree.
"Elder Sun, Fu's boy sent you an email," a middle-aged man dressed in black stepped inside.
Whether in the Five Elements Alliance or Taiyi Sect, elders were renowned spirit realm travelers.
"Fu Qingyang?" The elder chuckled without opening his eyes, waving the fan, "What's the matter?"
"He recruited a Night Wanderer in Songhai, trial spirit realm is Sheling Tunnel. He seeks your advice and related info," the man relayed the email.
The elder's fan paused, then he said knowingly:
"Qingming just passed. That's when Sheling Tunnel opens. Many will be lucky to get Night Wanderer cards soon. Unfortunately, no one can clear Sheling Tunnel."
"Info can be given; the sect already abandoned strategies on the tunnel, so the secrecy level has dropped. Tell Fu's boy it's an S-level trial realm. Some glitches have made it even harder. It's beyond a normal trial now."
"My advice: give up on that Night Wanderer. No point investing in a doomed man."
The middle-aged man nodded silently, knowing well Sheling Tunnel's strange, ominous nature.
S-level trial spirit realms are already the hardest for beginners; Sheling Tunnel is even stranger.
Every S-level trial realm holds something unusual—rare artifacts or crucial info—with great value.
Taiyi Sect sent two Level 1 Night Wanderers to Songhai to study Sheling Tunnel, since it occasionally opens to new players.
After months, one entered and vanished without a trace; the other completed the first task but died during the second—both carried artifacts.
Since then, Taiyi Sect's elders reevaluated and completely gave up on the tunnel.
"If anyone clears Sheling Tunnel and retrieves its info, it'll finally resolve our sect's long-standing issue."
The middle-aged man smiled.
The elder remained silent, then slowly said:
"In a few days, the sect leader will summon all Night Wanderers to Beijing for a meeting. A major announcement is coming. Prepare your men and call them back."
With that, he waved the fan to dismiss him.
The man bowed and left.