Find it. I left everything there. Zhang Yuanqing stared at the words, remaining silent for a long, long time.
Bing Ge, you've really given me a tough one! Zhang Yuanqing sighed, focusing his attention on the "clues."
A lifetime as brothers—this was Bing Ge's catchphrase back in middle school. If it were just an expression of sentiment, he wouldn't have included it in a coded message.
6203—a string of numbers. Is it a password?
Find it—what does "it" refer to?
Zhang Yuanqing frowned, pondering for a long time, then pinched the bridge of his nose, his head aching.
I feel like I've gotten a lot of clues, but also like I've gotten nothing at all, he muttered to himself.
But this fit the conventions of detective novels. To prevent the secret from being leaked, the assistant A-Bing had left the great detective Zhang Yuanqing clues only the two of them could understand. When certain conditions were met in the future, he would naturally comprehend them.
After all, the great detective was still a weakling at this point.
The so-called "everything" must be related to the Demon Sovereign Character Card Bing Ge sent me, his disappearance, and his abnormal behavior during college. Given that it concerns a figure of the demon lord's caliber, what exactly is "it"? I'm truly curious.
Zhang Yuanqing tore the note into pieces, left the room, and went to the bathroom.
Gurgle
The flushing toilet carried away the shredded paper.
Uncle Lei was very busy with work, which served as a distraction from the pain of losing his son. This only highlighted how difficult Aunt Zhou's days must be as a stay-at-home mother.
After saying goodbye to Aunt Zhou and leaving Yinping Community, Zhang Yuanqing stood on the street outside, waiting for his ride-hailing car while pondering:
"I definitely can't tell the Chief or Veteran Driver about this. I'll have to investigate it myself. With so few clues, there's no point in rushing. The most important thing right now is the second Spirit Realm Mission.
"Leveling up is paramount."
Zhang Yuanqing grew increasingly aware of the importance of strength.
"If the Multiplayer Spirit Realm isn't a death-type, it'll be a punishment-type. Failing the mission will deduct experience points, and if things go badly, my strength might even regress.
"The rewards depend on the instance's difficulty level and the Walker's performance during the mission. My current experience points are at 52%. I wonder if the second Spirit Realm will let me level up directly to Level 2."
Theoretically, that was impossible.
Over the past few days, Zhang Yuanqing had learned that Solo Spirit Realms offered substantial rewards for survival, theoretically ensuring rapid advancement.
However, veteran Walkers like Guan Ya and Li Dongze had been stuck at Level 2 and Level 3 for extended periods. This stagnation stemmed from two primary factors: first, the Spirit Realm instances they entered were of lower difficulty, with simpler Main Quests, resulting in rewards far less extravagant than those from S-Rank instances.
Second, Multiplayer Dungeons were prone to success or failure, or to put it bluntly: inevitably encountering incompetent teammates who dragged down the team's score.
Just then, his ride-hailing car finally arrived. Zhang Yuanqing opened the door, climbed in, and headed home.
"Grandmother, I'm back from class!" he called out toward the balcony.
"Your uncle came by earlier and wants you to visit him when you get back," his grandmother replied, still mopping the floor.
"No way! I'm exhausted from class. I don't want to sing and dance with him."
"I heard your aunt recently gave him a large sum of money."
"Grandmother, I'm going to Uncle's house to hang out!"
Less than twenty minutes later, Zhang Yuanqing emerged from his uncle's house, thoroughly satisfied. Back in his room, he opened the forum. The post he had shared yesterday from the Nightwalker Official Forum remained pinned at the top, but a new thread had appeared below it.
[ Moment of Silence: Colleague Sacrificed in Multiplayer Spirit Realm ]
Clicking on the post, Zhang Yuanqing learned that a colleague from a branch office had accepted an S-rank instance mission, "Jinshui Amusement Park," the previous day. Before entering the Spirit Realm, the colleague had informed their superior.
They never emerged. Over 24 hours had passed since their entry into the Spirit Realm.
[ The Bitter Past: I'm entering a Multiplayer Spirit Realm soon too. I'm so scared! ]
[ Queen: There probably won't be a guide for a while. Good luck! But with so many Multiplayer Spirit Realms, you're unlikely to get stuck in that one. ]
[ Ample Time Ahead: Queen, even if the odds are low, encountering it means certain death. S-rank Spirit Realms are notoriously difficult to clear. If it drags on for a year or two, countless people will die. ]
The news sparked considerable panic and debate on the forum.
[ The Sick Emperor: In the Transcendent Phase, are there any exceptionally talented colleagues? Freelancers too. People with impressive records are more likely to be assigned S-rank Spirit Realms. They might be able to clear them. The Bitter Past, just keep a close eye on those types. ]
[ The Bitter Past: Great idea! ]
With a massive Walker base, many others like "The Bitter Past" were about to enter the Spirit Realm and enthusiastically upvoted the suggestion, finding it brilliant.
In their eyes, genius players of the same level were more valuable than Deacons or Elders, as the latter couldn't access low-level instances.
"Yinshan Ghost School and Xinfeng Reservoir have already been cleared. Jinshui Amusement Park is a Multiplayer Spirit Realm open to all classes. Though it's S-Rank, theoretically, its clearance probability is higher than the Nightwalker's exclusive Spirit Realm. 'Ample Time Ahead' clearly failed math class."
Zhang Yuanqing scrolled through the comments, sharing his own insights.
Just then, a notification popped up on his messaging app: a message from Wang Qian, his informant from the Palace of Ceasing Slaughter.
[ Wang Qian: Can you get your hands on an old version of the Jinshui Amusement Park guide? ]
[ Zhang Yuanqing: Are you entering the Spirit Realm soon? ]
[ Wang Qian: My next Spirit Realm is a Musician-exclusive one, and not anytime soon. I just wanted to let you know that if you can get the old guide, you could make a small fortune. ]
"What's going on?"
"The Nightwalker-exclusive Spirit Realm is experiencing anomalies. I don't need to repeat that, do I? Jinshui Amusement Park is a Multiplayer Spirit Realm for the Transcendent Phase, with the widest audience. On the black market, its old version Guide is already selling for 300,000."
Spirit Realm instance Guides are considered "Strategic Resources," one of the cornerstones of the Official Organization. They represent the accumulated knowledge and sacrifices of countless Official Walkers who have shed blood and sweat to build this foundation.
Zhang Yuanqing had never seen 300,000 in his entire life.
Wang Qian continued messaging:
"A contact I'm working with is collecting old version Guides. Since you're a member of the Official Organization, if you can get your hands on one, I can sell it for you. 73% cut."
"I have one!"
Seventy percent of 300,000 is 210,000. Zhang Yuanqing instinctively replied, then immediately retracted the message.
Wang Qian sent a question mark, expressing confusion.
Zhang Yuanqing: "I have an old version, but I'm not selling it."
Wang Qian: "Why not?"
Zhang Yuanqing: "I don't want to make money like that."
Wang Qian didn't press further. It was clear that Primordial Heavenly Venerable came from a well-off family and had a decent moral compass. This was a good sign, as no one wanted to deal with ruthless, heartless, or vicious individuals.
"How much is the new version of the Jinshui Amusement Park Guide worth?" Zhang Yuanqing asked.
"S-Rank Spirit Realm Instance Guides are priced astronomically, but there's no fixed price. The exact amount is negotiable with the buyer. However, I doubt your clearance level grants you access to S-Rank instance guides."
S-Rank instances in the Transcendent Phase are entirely different from Trial Missions.
Wang Qian: "I have a patient now. Let's chat later. If you change your mind, remember to contact me. I'm short on cash lately."
Wang Qian had been struggling financially. Doctors' salaries weren't high, and his Morality Value restrictions prevented him from pursuing quick riches.
This casual conversation reminded Zhang Yuanqing of the Jinshui Amusement Park instance guide Li Dongze had given him.
He found himself intrigued by this particular instance.
Exiting the chat app, he opened his email and downloaded the attachment.
[ Jinshui Amusement Park ]
[ Spirit Realm ID: 6203 ]
[ Difficulty: B ]
[ Type: Multiplayer (Punishment Type) ]
[ Main Quest: Experience at least two amusement park attractions. ]
[ Upon entering the instance, the Spirit Realm will prompt you to choose attractions. The park features a roller coaster, pendulum ride, pirate ship, haunted house, Ferris wheel, and detective reasoning pavilion. ]
[ Most attractions test teamwork skills, with gameplay involving... ]
[ The most dangerous attraction is the Haunted House: Ghost Marriage. The Ghost Bride will select the most handsome male player as her husband, immediately eliminating him from the instance. Therefore, upon entering the haunted house, continuously repeat: "I'm an ugly freak!" ]
"When all male players shout 'I'm ugly!', the Ghost Bride will randomly select one. At that point, it's all about luck. Female players are safest and can directly clear this challenge."
Zhang Yuanqing carefully read through the rules of each challenge. When he reached the Ghost Marriage section, he thought, Just elimination? This Ghost Bride is far less vicious than the one in the Trial Mission.
Although the old guide was only for reference and couldn't be relied upon, it still provided valuable insights into the instance's mechanics.
No wonder someone was willing to pay a hefty 300,000 for it.
Suddenly, Zhang Yuanqing's expression changed. He quickly scrolled back to the top of the document.
Jinshui Amusement Park, Spirit Realm ID: 6203
6203?!
He froze, staring at the number for a long time.
Is this a coincidence?
"Does 6203 refer to Jinshui Amusement Park? Did Bing Ge hide something there? No, that's impossible," Zhang Yuanqing muttered, shaking his head.
Spirit Realm instances are randomly assigned. This alone made the idea illogical. What if I hadn't entered Jinshui Amusement Park? Bing Ge's plan would have been for nothing.
Unless Bing Ge could predict which Spirit Realm I would enter.
If my future Spirit Realm assignments can be predicted, then my Spirit Realm Missions aren't truly random. The implications of entering She Ling Tunnel suddenly feel terrifying. Zhang Yuanqing felt a chill run down his spine.
After dinner, Zhang Yuanqing showered early, drew the curtains, turned off the lights, locked the door, and lay on the large bed, staring blankly at the digital clock on the nightstand.
The Spirit Realm Mission would undoubtedly arrive before midnight.
Clutching five or six small blue pills in his hand, he felt time slowly slip away.
After what seemed like an eternity, a familiar notification chimed in his mind:
[ [Ding! Spirit Realm map loading. Entering the Spirit Realm in 60 seconds. This instance is "Jinshui Amusement Park," ID: 6203.] ]
[ [Difficulty: S-Rank] ]
[ [Type: Multiplayer (Death Type)] ]
[ [Main Quest: Experience two or more amusement park attractions.] ]
[ [Note: Non-Spirit Realm items are prohibited.] ]
[ [Spirit Realm 6203 Description: One day, an indescribable being visited Jinshui Amusement Park. Astonished to discover such intriguing toys after slumbering for eons, she gleefully experienced every attraction. Deciding against destroying the park, she instructed the Spirits within to find a young man named XXXX before departing.] ]
It really is Jinshui Amusement Park, Zhang Yuanqing thought, his mind racing with a million thoughts. It really is Jinshui Amusement Park.
Without time to overthink, he swallowed the small blue pill and dialed Guan Ya's number.
According to regulations, he had to report the Spirit Realm instance to his superiors and colleagues, especially during this sensitive period.
The call connected quickly. Guan Ya teased, "Every girl whose beautiful dream is interrupted deserves a lavish meal as compensation."
"Tell the Chief I'm entering the Spirit Realm immediately. The instance is Jinshui Amusement Park."
"What?! Your Multiplayer Spirit Realm is Jinshui Amusement Park? Hey, Primordial? Hey, hey!"
Guan Ya received no further response.