Li Dongze sat behind his luxurious desk, meticulously trimming his neatly groomed mustache with a sharp razor.
"I dislike trimming my mustache—it's such a tedious task," he said with a smile, his eyes scrutinizing Zhang Yuanqing. "But for the sake of elegance, it's a necessary burden."
"So, you passed the Taiyi Sect's screening," Li Dongze continued.
The Chief knew all along why the Taiyi Sect was looking for me, yet he never gave me a hint beforehand? You're going to lose me this way, Zhang Yuanqing thought. Aloud, he casually asked, "Chief, do you know about the demon lord?"
"Official Organizations, evil factions, civilian groups, and even wild Freelancers—the demon lord has slain more than ten high-level Spirit Realm Walkers across all these groups. His infamy precedes him, of course I know of him," Li Dongze replied, his focus remaining on trimming his mustache.
"But such a figure is far beyond our reach. An elephant might crush an ant, but it would never deliberately step on one."
The demon lord isn't exactly a good guy. How is Bing Ge connected to someone like that? Zhang Yuanqing seized the opportunity to ask, "Chief, could you please inquire with Jiangnan Province about the progress of Lei Yibing's case? Also, I'd like you to investigate Lei Yibing's activities during his university years—his social circles, movements, everything. The more details, the better."
Previously, as a novice lacking experience and ability, Zhang Yuanqing had clung to the illusion that Bing Ge's disappearance was merely a "long-term mission."
But now, having learned the truth about the Demon Sovereign Character Card, he was forced to redefine Bing Ge's disappearance.
Why had Bing Ge vanished? Was he alive or dead? What was the reason for gifting him the Demon Sovereign Character Card?
The truth behind these questions was shrouded in layers of mystery, concerning both Bing Ge and himself. Even with his current limited strength, he had to attempt to investigate and uncover it.
Bing Ge had only sent him the Character Card without revealing any information. The reason for this was understandable; sometimes, it wasn't that he didn't want to speak, but that others simply couldn't pry the truth from him.
Today's questioning was a prime example.
Bing Ge's silence was likely for Zhang Yuanqing's own good, but he must have left clues to guide him step by step toward uncovering the truth. Therefore, Zhang Yuanqing needed as much information about Bing Ge as possible.
Li Dongze nodded thoughtfully. "Alright, I'll call my colleagues there and ask for their help, but it will take time."
In Li Dongze's view, it was only natural for Primordial to worry about his childhood friend's safety. But Li Dongze suspected that as a Spirit Realm Walker who had been in the Spirit Realm for over a week, Bing Ge was likely dead.
After discussing Bing Ge's situation, Zhang Yuanqing finally got to the main point, his expression turning serious.
"Chief, I have something to report."
Seeing his subordinate's earnest demeanor, Li Dongze set down his razor, closed the vanity mirror, straightened his back slightly, and asked, "What is it?"
Zhang Yuanqing immediately detailed the haunting at his aunt's hospital and how he had inadvertently brought the Infant Spirit home. However, he concealed and modified the information about the Spectral Servant, describing the Infant Spirit as a dull, refined Spectral Entity that hadn't ascended to become a Spectral Servant.
As he spoke, Zhang Yuanqing carefully controlled his emotions, ensuring his expression and tone revealed no inconsistencies that might alert the Scout.
Finally, he summarized, "I suspect a Spirit Realm Walker is conducting experiments to refine Spectral Servants at the hospital, likely a Nightwalker. But I don't know if they're rogue or affiliated with the Official Organization."
Li Dongze's expression darkened with each word. He gripped his cane tightly and roared, "Oh, heavens! That fiend deserves to burn in hell! I swear I'll make them pay for their crimes!"
Soul Devouring and enslaving Spectral Entities are distinct concepts. Spectral Entities inevitably dissipate; Soul Devouring merely accelerates this process.
Refining Spectral Entities into Spectral Servants, especially Infant Spirits, violates human ethics.
The prohibition against refining ordinary human Spectral Entities into Spectral Servants stems from humanitarian concerns. To put it bluntly: how would you feel if your family or friends, as Special Spectral Entities, were refined into Spectral Servants after death?
I thought you'd say, "I really want to kick his ass with my boot," Zhang Yuanqing mentally mocked the Chief's catchphrase.
"Chief, I've already guided the child's spirit to the afterlife and extracted the target's identity from its memories. I'd like to request a solo mission to gain experience," Zhang Yuanqing proposed.
Even as he spoke, he knew Li Dongze would never agree.
As expected, Li Dongze shook his head.
"Your idea is good, but accumulating experience inevitably involves making mistakes. Among Spirit Realm Walkers, a single misstep can mean death. How about this: Guan Ya will accompany you. Her martial arts and marksmanship are superior to mine."
"Understood, Chief," Zhang Yuanqing replied, secretly delighted.
To take charge of the Infant Spirit case and conceal Little Goofball's existence, Zhang Yuanqing needed to seize the initiative. But as Li Dongze had warned, Spirit Realm Walker missions demanded utmost caution; negligence often meant death, as Ou Xiangrong's fate proved.
Therefore, he needed an experienced partner.
When Zhang Yuanqing proposed gaining field experience, Li Dongze would likely abandon his plan to lead the mission personally and compromise by sending Guan Ya instead.
Everyone knew that as a Nightwalker equipped with a Rule Item, Zhang Yuanqing had a high margin for error. Ordinary dangers posed little threat to him.
In Zhang Yuanqing's view, Guan Ya was far easier to "manipulate" than Li Dongze.
"Should I go find Guan Ya now?"
Li Dongze hummed in agreement, then suddenly chuckled, "You sing well, but don't do it again."
"..."
Kangyang District, Pingtai Hospital.
As a top-tier tertiary hospital, Pingtai Hospital's flagship department was obstetrics and gynecology, staffed by several nationally renowned experts. It ranked among the top five OB/GYN hospitals in the country.
A black sedan pulled into the hospital grounds, its doors sliding open automatically. Guan Ya scrutinized Zhang Yuanqing's dazed expression and asked with concern, "Have you been seeing double images on your phone or computer lately?"
"Why do you ask?" Zhang Yuanqing, who had been pondering how to identify their target, snapped out of his thoughts.
Guan Ya curled her delicate lips into a smile, her watery, seductive eyes twinkling. "Your expression tells me you haven't been exercising much restraint lately."
Zhang Yuanqing, long accustomed to her teasing, ignored the remark and asked, "The Chief wants me to work with you. What's our usual procedure in these situations?"
Guan Ya's smile vanished, replaced by a serious expression. "First, we identify the target. Then, we investigate their real-world identity. Since you've seen his face, locating him shouldn't be difficult. Next, we make contact. If the target's weak, we subdue them directly. Otherwise, we notify the Chief for a violent arrest.
"But we don't know if there are accomplices in the hospital or the scale of the Spectral Servant operation. It's best to proceed cautiously and conduct a preliminary investigation of Pingtai Hospital.
"We can start with the ghost rumors. When did they begin? Establish a rough timeframe. Besides the Infant Spirit, are there any other ghost stories circulating?
"Check abortion and miscarriage records from that period. Male infants, and not premature ones—the pool of candidates will be small, making it easier to identify the Infant Spirit.
"Infants have exceptionally weak Mental Energy. Once they die, their spirits dissipate quickly. Therefore, anyone who had contact with pregnant women during that period becomes a person of interest.
"If your Soul Inquiry reveals the target among these individuals, we'll arrest them immediately. If not, it means there's an accomplice involved."
Zhang Yuanqing listened, stunned by Guan Ya's clear and logical thinking. "Is this what a Scout does?" he murmured. "My aunt is in the hospital, so it's not convenient for me to go to the obstetrics and gynecology department. Let's split up. I'll investigate the Spectral Entity aspects, and you can check out the obstetrics and gynecology department."
They got out of the car, put on masks and baseball caps, and separated outside the outpatient building.
Entering the building, they took the elevator to the fourth floor. Guan Ya's gaze swept over the women, some with barely noticeable bumps, others heavily pregnant, when her eyes suddenly lit up.
A female doctor in a white coat approached. Her oval face was fair and delicate, her eyes large and bright, her nose straight and elegant, and her wavy hair cascaded down her back.
A piece of candy bulged in her cheek, making her look even sweeter and more endearing.
Guan Ya, confident in her own beauty, couldn't help but admire the doctor's natural charm.
She quickly stepped forward, blocking the doctor's path with a smile. "Doctor, I'm planning to conceive soon. What precautions should I take?"
Meanwhile, Zhang Yuanqing found a quiet corridor and summoned Little Goofball.
"Aba aba..."
The round, adorable infant lay on the floor, its sparse baby hair barely visible. Its dark, innocent eyes gazed up at Zhang Yuanqing with pure, untainted innocence.
Zhang Yuanqing mentally conveyed to it: "Free to roam," "Go play."
He planned to use Little Goofball to lure the snake out of its lair. The loss of such a valuable Spectral Servant would inevitably prompt its master to search for it. When the Infant Spirit reappeared at the hospital, the culprit would surely be drawn out.
Even if the plan failed, Little Goofball could still lead him to the mastermind. It would likely remember its creator, perhaps even feel a natural affinity towards them.
With Zhang Yuanqing's permission, Little Goofball happily paddled its limbs and began crawling down the corridor.
Zhang Yuanqing followed closely, reaching the fourth floor. He pushed open the corridor door, entered the waiting area, and continued tailing the Infant Spirit to the obstetrics and gynecology department.
Is the culprit really here?
Just as Zhang Yuanqing was pondering this, he heard a silvery laugh. "Really? You like that brand of skincare too? I travel abroad often. I'll bring some back for you next time."
It was Guan Ya's voice.
Following the sound, he saw Guan Ya chatting animatedly with a female doctor, their conversation lively and casual.
The doctor in the white coat was his Aunt.
Damn it! Zhang Yuanqing lowered the brim of his hat, keeping his gaze down to avoid eye contact with his Aunt.
Even with a mask and hat, his Aunt knew him too well. Their intimate familiarity meant she could recognize him with a single glance at his eyes.
At that moment, he saw Little Goofball crawling joyfully toward his Aunt.