Brother Wang Tai? Him?
Li Dongze instinctively wanted to warn Young Miss Xie, "The man you're holding onto isn't Wang Tai. The real Wang Tai is right there! How could you mistake him?"
This is too embarrassing! But then Li Dongze's expression froze as he realized he was the one who had misunderstood the situation.
Young Miss Xie had come specifically for Primordial. She hadn't even glanced at the rest of Second Team; her target was crystal clear. There was no way she could have mistaken him for someone else.
So why did she say she wanted to see Wang Tai?
Guan Ya's teasing smile suddenly stiffened. She glanced at Primordial, then at Xie Lingxi, her delicate, oval face gradually losing all expression.
Only Wang Tai quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
"What are you doing in Songhai? And why did you ask for our Wang Tai to host you?"
Zhang Yuanqing, towering at 1.8 meters, glared down at the little green tea's head. Her legs looked long, but she was actually quite short.
"I told you I wanted to see you~" Xie Lingxi bounced on the spot, her voice bright with excitement.
Typical of a young girl—so light and nimble, unlike a fat woman like Guan Ya, who would lose her balance if she tried to jump.
"What's there to see? I told you we shouldn't contact each other," Zhang Yuanqing said, his tone slightly annoyed.
Xie Lingxi pouted, her eyes welling with tears. "But... but I miss you, Brother Primordial," she said, her voice trembling with hurt.
"How could you do this? You weren't like this last time. You were so caring and protective, and you even took my most precious thing. Now you're just turning your back on me?"
Li Dongze, Guan Ya, and Wang Tai exchanged suspicious glances as they scrutinized Zhang Yuanqing.
If Wang Tai were in his place, his brain would likely short-circuit on the spot when faced with such a manipulative woman. Even a normal person would feel awkward, restrained, and completely at a loss.
But Zhang Yuanqing was different. After a moment of silence, he burst into laughter, wrapped his arm around Xie Lingxi's slender waist, and declared:
"Chief, she came willingly! Don't arrest me!"
Xie Lingxi froze, feeling the burning heat and firm grip of his hand on her waist. A tingling chill ran through her, her cheeks flushed crimson, and she recoiled like a startled rabbit.
"Y-you..." she stammered, unable to find the words, her watery eyes glaring at Zhang Yuanqing.
Witnessing this scene, the Scouts Li Dongze and Guan Ya exchanged knowing glances.
Having defused Xie Lingxi's theatrics, Zhang Yuanqing finally explained:
"We met last night while playing games together."
Li Dongze's eyes widened in realization. He instantly recalled Zhang Yuanqing's impersonation of Wang Tai. If Young Miss Xie had also entered Jinshui Amusement Park as a Walker that night, the current situation suddenly made perfect sense.
She wasn't looking for Wang Tai at all.
At that moment, the real Wang Tai glanced at the Chief and said, "Since you're not looking for me, can I leave now, Chief? I have research to get back to."
Xie Lingxi finally noticed him. Hearing his words, she was puzzled. This plain-looking man showed no disappointment, resentment, or bitterness. Instead, there seemed to be a hint of relief and even joy in his expression.
Her eyes flickered, and she adopted a delicate, vulnerable demeanor, speaking in a soft, gentle voice: "You must be the real Brother Wang Tai, right? I'm so glad to meet you. Please don't be angry. Brother Primordial tricked me into mistaking you for him."
Wang Tai replied earnestly, "I'm not angry at all. In fact, I'm a little happy."
Xie Lingxi: "???"
Li Dongze cleared his throat and said, "Alright, let the driver take you home first."
Wang Tai disliked socializing, and there was no point in forcing him to stay.
After Wang Tai left, Xie Lingxi led the remaining three to their seats and instructed the waiter to bring the dishes.
Throughout the meal, she addressed everyone as "Sister" or "Brother," her pure, sweet appearance and soft, gentle voice quickly endearing her to Li Dongze and Guan Ya.
"Brother Primordial, are you with the White Tiger Corps or another organization?"
"The White Tiger Corps. I like white tigers."
"Mmm-hmm. The Old Ancestor says the White Tiger Corps has the strictest discipline. Their rules can seem rigid sometimes, but they're the most reliable group in the Five Elements Alliance."
"Are you just flattering us?"
"Of course not! Brother Primordial always assumes the worst of people." Xie Lingxi shot him a playful glare before continuing to chat. "Besides the White Tiger Corps, the Crimson Fire Gang is the purest. But the Old Ancestor dislikes them, finding them too crude and hot-tempered. Brother Primordial, do you know what the Crimson Fire Gang's emblem was before the Five Elements Alliance was formed?"
"No, I don't."
"It was a minotaur!"
"Huh?"
"The Crimson Fire Gang claims descent from the Yan Emperor, who was Shennong, the divine farmer—half-man, half-bull. I heard that before the Five Elements Alliance was established, the other three major organizations used to tease the Crimson Fire Gang about this. The best way to enrage a Fire Master was to shout 'Minotaurs must die!' right in their face."
Li Dongze coughed violently, turning to Zhang Yuanqing with a grave warning:
"Miss Xie is joking. Let's not dwell on old history. Don't go around saying things like that."
"What happens if I say something inappropriate?" Zhang Yuanqing asked.
"You'll be beaten to death."
What if I said, 'Pure Love Warriors Arrive Uninvited' instead? Zhang Yuanqing picked up a mouthful of tender stir-fried beef and seized the opportunity to ask a question that had been puzzling him for a long time:
"I thought Character Cards were randomly assigned. How do Spirit Realm Walker Families even exist?"
Xie Lingxi took a sip of freshly squeezed coconut juice, tilted her head, and replied in a sweet voice:
"Brother Primordial, have you ever heard of 'occupational habits'? Different professions cultivate distinct habits. For example, Fire Masters are typically hot-tempered, impulsive, and reckless."
Zhang Yuanqing nodded.
Xie Lingxi smiled brightly.
"Character Cards choose their wielders," she explained. "People with fiery tempers have the highest chance of receiving a Fire Master Card, while those with gloomy personalities are more likely to get a Water Ghost Card. As for wicked criminals, they receive Evil Classes.
"Then, the profession itself influences one's personality. Hot-tempered individuals become even more volatile, while gloomy ones grow even more withdrawn. If two Fire Masters have a child, what do you think the odds are that the child will also be hot-tempered? Over generations, this gradually forms Spirit Realm Families.
"But even within these families, not everyone receives a Character Card."
Zhang Yuanqing had a sudden realization. Then why did I get the Nightwalker Card?
What are the defining characteristics of the Nightwalker class? Sinister and noble?
The banquet concluded swiftly, the four diners having enjoyed a pleasant meal and lively conversation.
Li Dongze promptly excused himself, but Xie Lingxi clung to Zhang Yuanqing's arm, her voice dripping with coquettishness:
"Chief Li, may I borrow him for a while? I'll have someone escort him back later."
Seeing Li Dongze's hesitation, she pressed her palms together, her expression pleading.
Who could refuse such a young woman? Li Dongze nodded slightly. "No need to trouble you, Miss Xie. I'll have the driver wait downstairs. Primordial, remember to call me when you're done."
Zhang Yuanqing nodded, watching Guan Ya and Li Dongze depart.
Only after their figures vanished through the revolving doors did Xie Lingxi wrinkle her nose and huff:
"With those huge breasts and round hips, she's clearly a vixen skilled at seducing men!"
In the elevator, Guan Ya chuckled. "So young, yet so calculating. Are all these girls so... tea-flavored these days?"
Before a Scout, any pretense was futile.
Li Dongze leaned on his cane, stroking his neatly trimmed mustache. "She seems hostile toward you, yet quite fond of Primordial. Moreover, she likely has a favor to ask of him and deliberately sent us away."
The young girl at the banquet kept praising Guan Ya's beauty and figure, saying with admiration, "Sister Guan Ya, you're so beautiful! You must have had many boyfriends, right?"
Guan Ya rolled her eyes. "She's no match for Primordial. When it comes to scheming, Primordial is far more cunning."
Guan Ya had been in Zhang Yuanqing's room and checked his computer. Beneath his cheerful, easygoing exterior lay a solitary heart.
But with her Scout abilities, she wouldn't have noticed this hidden truth from appearances alone without examining his private information.
Xie Lingxi, however, saw through his facade instantly.
The difference in their skill levels was clear.
"You were calling me 'Sister Guan Ya' so affectionately just now," Guan Ya remarked, her tone teasing.
Zhang Yuanqing dropped the pretense, frowning. "What are you doing in Songhai? You didn't come just to see me, did you?"
Xie Lingxi stuck out her tongue playfully. "I'm here to visit an old friend of my family. Brother Primordial, have you ever heard of the Palace of Ceasing Slaughter?"
"The Palace of Ceasing Slaughter? The one with all the lunatics?" Zhang Yuanqing nodded. "Of course I've heard of it."
"The Palace Master's family has been close to the Xie Family for generations. But after a major incident, their family declined, and the two families lost contact," Xie Lingxi said with a sigh.
"Who could have known that the Palace Master of Ceasing Slaughter would rise to prominence in recent years, becoming a high-level Spirit Realm Walker, and reconnect with the Xie Family?"
If Zhang Yuanqing remembered correctly, the Palace of Ceasing Slaughter possessed high-level artifacts for the Musician class, and many of its members were Musicians. The Xie Family, too, was a lineage of Musicians. A sudden realization dawned on him.
Xie Lingxi chuckled. "I came to Songhai for another reason, but I need Brother Primordial's permission first."
"What is it?"
"Before he died, Ashamed Father asked you to relay a message to his friend, right?" Xie Lingxi asked timidly. "Could I go too?"
"Why?"
"I don't want to owe anyone favors. He didn't tell me because he suspected I was affiliated with The Officials, but the truth is, you're the one working for them," Xie Lingxi said, pursing her lips.
"So you want to keep an eye on me," Zhang Yuanqing said, giving her a sidelong glance. "You knew all along I was Primordial Heavenly Venerable. You made a big show of wanting to meet the Second Team and insisted I host you, all because you were afraid I'd refuse if you asked privately. You needed a reason I couldn't refuse."
Ashamed Father clearly distrusted The Officials. He wouldn't entrust his dying wish to a member of an Official Organization, unaware that Primordial Heavenly Venerable was actually part of the Five Elements Alliance. He might as well have invited the wolf into the sheepfold.
Xie Lingxi's expression turned adoring. "Brother Primordial is so clever!"