Li Xianzong didn't enter the bedroom. Leaning against the doorframe, he twirled a butterfly knife in his hand and grinned.
"I plan to kidnap the doctors, nurses, and patients at Pingtai Hospital to test the Officials' response, lure out the Primordial Heavenly Venerable, and then announce to everyone: Songhai, I've arrived!"
The sultry woman licked her finger, her eyes gleaming with seductive allure. "That's insane. Aren't you afraid of death? Never underestimate the Five Elements Alliance. Even though they're often outsmarted and riddled with incompetent officials, the Orderly Faction is undeniably stronger than us. Otherwise, why would they call themselves 'The Officials'?"
Li Xianzong replied casually, "Don't worry about that. I need you to keep Fu Qingyang occupied. Kangyang District is his jurisdiction. As long as he can't get here in time, I'm confident I can escape unscathed. Well, before the Deacons from other districts arrive."
The woman purred, "What's the reward?"
Li Xianzong paused for a few seconds before answering, "What's the fun in toying with ordinary men? The virtuous men of the Orderly Faction should be far more enticing. Within two weeks, I'll capture at least ten Official Walkers for you."
The Guardian's eyes lit up, and she licked her lips. "Intriguing. Just imagining them falling into depravity, consumed by desire, makes my skin tingle. But I have one condition: I want that Primordial Heavenly Venerable."
"He shouldn't be too old, preferably a college student, and handsome. Even better if he has no romantic experience. A pure-hearted Little Milk Dog like that would be so much fun to corrupt."
Li Xianzong clicked his tongue repeatedly. "You're a real freak. Even I'm a little scared of you."
The woman rose, her slender waist swaying as she walked to the bed. She draped a sleepwear as thin as sand over her shoulders, put on black-framed glasses, and sat at the round table.
In an instant, she transformed from a seductive, wanton woman into a cold, intellectual, mature beauty.
She glanced at Li Xianzong, who was still standing by the door, and said calmly, "Every Walker of Evil is a freak, the only difference lies in their obsessions. Yours are cruelty, bloodlust, and a destructive urge. And you deeply despise women. Were you hurt by love in the past? No..."
The Guardian stared at Li Xianzong, her gaze hazy. "You showed no interest in me when I was naked, but when I composed myself, becoming mature and dignified, your loathing turned to hatred, resentment, and even a hint of longing.
"I understand now. The root of your hatred for women is your mother. When she was my age, when you were a child, she must have done something unforgivable."
Li Xianzong's sharply defined features darkened abruptly, his eyes blazing with murderous intent. "Stop prying into my mind. You've angered me."
The female Guardian giggled, her chest heaving, shattering her cold and intellectual demeanor. "Look how angry you are," she said. "It's just that your mother abandoned her husband and child. What's so extraordinary about that? You're an Evil Class, accustomed to the ugliness of human nature. Why can't you forgive her?"
"Abandoning her husband and child is still better than what I am. But then again, some people spend their entire lives trying to heal their childhood wounds, and never succeed."
Li Xianzong took a deep breath, suppressing his surging anger. "I have no interest in your past," he said coldly. "I will seal off Pingtai Hospital at 5 PM."
With that, he turned and left.
Kangyang District Public Security Bureau.
Zhang Yuanqing had been swamped with tasks lately. First, the Grand Inspection was long overdue, leaving him in constant suspense. Second, the opening of his third Spirit Realm was drawing near.
Finally, the Taiyi Sect hadn't contacted him yet about the Red Dancing Shoes he'd handed over. He wondered when the purification process would be complete.
Sitting at his computer desk, Zhang Yuanqing searched the official wanted list while pondering:
"My third Spirit Realm should be arriving soon. If it comes in early May, then June will be the Nightwalker's exclusive Solo Spirit Realm. June is also when the Grand Slaughter Instance takes place."
"If I'm lucky and the Solo Spirit Realm comes before the Grand Slaughter Instance, I could reach Level 3 and participate in the Grand Slaughter Instance, ascending to Saint in one fell swoop. Otherwise, I'll have to wait until the end of the year."
The Grand Slaughter Instance isn't mandatory; Spirit Realm Walkers can choose whether or not to participate, so it doesn't conflict with the Solo Spirit Realm.
Li Dongze's reminder made Zhang Yuanqing feel the pressure.
Primordial Heavenly Venerable had risen too quickly, inevitably drawing the attention of rival factions. As a complete newcomer, having been a Walker for just over a month, experienced individuals could easily assess his level.
With his sudden fame and a level below 3, he'd be seen as a juicy, ripe target by Evil Classes.
As he pondered this, the search results appeared. Zhang Yuanqing skipped the Saint Stage and immediately checked the Bounty List for the Transcendent Phase.
At the top of the list was "A-Yi," a Level 3 Witchcraft Master affiliated with a branch of the Spiritual Energy Association.
Evaluation: Extremely twisted personality.
Combat Record: He once ambushed two Spirit Realm Squads from the Five Elements Alliance, killing the Official Walkers and escaping unscathed. In that battle, the Officials lost two Level 3 Walkers, four Level 2 Walkers, and three Level 1 Walkers.
The file contained detailed notes on "twisted personalities." Generally speaking, those in Evil Classes were either madmen or perverts, but each individual's "condition" varied. Some were bloodthirsty, others lecherous, some gloomy, and others fanatical.
This "A-Yi," however, seemed to embody all these traits, like a concentrated mass of negative energy.
Even if I summon the Ghost Bride, I doubt she could kill two Official Spirit Realm Squads. No one would be foolish enough to fight her head-on. If they just stall for time, I'm done for.
Zhang Yuanqing felt a surge of wariness as he read on.
He moved on to the second-ranked player, whose Spirit Realm ID was "Loyal Minister Chooses Master to Slay," a Level 3 Illusion Master affiliated with the Void Sect's Southern Faction.
Evaluation: Fanatical personality.
Achievements: To avenge his Boss, he orchestrated the downfall of a Level 4 Saint from the Taiyi Sect, then calmly escaped capture and remains at large to this day.
The file added that investigations revealed this individual had served many Bosses, but without exception, all those Bosses later met violent ends. Gradually, no one in the Southern Faction dared to take him under their wing, and he became a lone wolf.
To scheme the downfall of a Saint, and a Nightwalker at that—this guy is terrifying. Zhang Yuanqing continued scrolling.
Just then, his phone chimed with a new text message.
His gaze immediately shifted from the computer screen as he grabbed his phone to check the message.
Xiao Yuan: I've gathered some intelligence.
Zhang Yuanqing immediately stood up, entered a toilet stall, and dialed Xiao Yuan's number.
The call connected, and Auntie Xiao Yuan's cool, almost amused voice came through the line. "Speaking of which, I still don't know your Spirit Realm ID."
"Big Muscle," Zhang Yuanqing replied casually.
Auntie Xiao Yuan chuckled. "Looks like my guess was wrong. I thought you were Primordial Heavenly Venerable."
Zhang Yuanqing neither confirmed nor denied it. "What's the intel?"
"Three thousand per piece."
"I need to hear it first."
"First, Primordial Heavenly Venerable has jumped from the bottom of the Evil Organization's Transcendent Stage Bounty List to third place. The reward is ten million, two Transcendent Phase Items, and one Saint Stage Item."
Holy shit? I'm worth that much?! Zhang Yuanqing was stunned. Even stealing the Holy Grail had only earned him two million and two items.
Of course, A-Rank Merit Points couldn't be replaced with mere money or items.
"Second, two promising Level 3 Walkers from the Central Plains Province Branch were killed by 'A-Yi.' He's now heading to Capital City to hunt down even stronger Official Walker prodigies."
As long as he stays away from Songhai... Zhang Yuanqing breathed a sigh of relief. Capital City colleagues, stay safe.
"Third, Li Xianzong has arrived in Songhai. He plans to hunt down the recently renowned Primordial Heavenly Venerable of the Songhai Branch."
!!! Zhang Yuanqing's mind went blank. What I feared has come to pass! The guy targeting me is him?!
Li Xianzong's profile surfaced in Zhang Yuanqing's mind as if by instinct.
This man was a member of the Military Doctrine Sect, active along the coastal regions, and one of the sect's Four Celestial Kings—a trusted subordinate of the Demonic Eye Celestial King.
The Demonic Eye Celestial King was a Sovereign-level Seductive Demon, an existence of terrifying power.
In the Five Elements Alliance, he would be akin to a trusted subordinate of an Elder, specifically tasked with eliminating the Primordial Heavenly Venerable.
Official records described Li Xianzong as: "Bloodthirsty, brutal, arrogant, and cunning."
In short, he was a murderous maniac with brains.
Li Xianzong's combative nature and temperament perfectly aligned with the Seductive Demon class. After becoming a Walker, he advanced rapidly, proving to be a rare talent with few rivals among his peers.
Though he had gained some notoriety earlier, his low level kept him from ranking high on the official Bounty List.
It wasn't until he ascended to Level 3 Seductive Demon and single-handedly assassinated a Level 4 Saint from the Spiritual Energy Association that he skyrocketed to become one of the top five most wanted criminals.
"There's an insurmountable gap between Level 4 and Level 3. For Li Xianzong to assassinate a Level 4 Saint, he must have relied on powerful Items and exploited every advantage of timing and terrain."
"Being targeted by such a formidable enemy, especially with ample time to prepare... Fuck, my chances of survival are slim."
Zhang Yuanqing's mood grew heavy.
Setting aside Items, both Seductive Demons and Nightwalkers were peak-tier classes. Li Xianzong, at Level 3, could undoubtedly crush Zhang Yuanqing, who was only at Level 2.
As for Items, the Red Dancing Shoes—a divine artifact for evasion and pursuit—were unavailable, severely weakening his combat power. Relying solely on the Ghost Bride, he doubted he could kill Li Xianzong, who surely had his own trump cards.
I need to reach Level 3 soon and fully upgrade my attributes, or I'm in serious danger, Zhang Yuanqing thought. He asked, "Auntie Xiao Yuan, is that all?"
"Yes, that's nine thousand yuan. I'll give you a discount—make it ten thousand," Auntie Xiao Yuan replied, her voice cold yet melodious.
What a tempting auntie.
"I'll stop by later to bring the money," Zhang Yuanqing said, hanging up.
Pingtai Hospital.
Jiang Yu'er, wearing her white coat, saw off her last female patient and stretched her back. Just one more hour until she could leave work.
No patients were scheduled for tomorrow, so she could spare an hour or two tonight to play games with her nephew.
The useless nephew still didn't have a girlfriend, so his adorable, invincible, and understanding Aunt would reluctantly keep him company.
Jiang Yu'er strolled out of her office and leaned against the door of the adjacent consultation room, smiling.
"Any news on Wang Qian lately?"
In the consultation room sat Eldest Sister Zhao, a woman in her thirties who was one of Jiang Yu'er's chat buddies. During their busy work hours, the younger and older aunties in the obstetrics and gynecology department loved to gather and gossip.
They talked about patients' secrets, colleagues' scandals—nothing was off-limits.
"The director told me Wang Qian resigned and switched careers," Dr. Zhao sighed. "Ever since his nephew died, he hasn't been the same. Maybe staying here just reminded him of the loss. A change of scenery might do him good."
"Oh," Jiang Yu'er replied.
Dr. Zhao continued, "Xiao Jiang, what do you think about what I mentioned last time? My cousin works for a state-owned enterprise—stable job, high income, and good looks. He's really a catch. I showed him your photo, and the boy's been obsessed ever since, begging me to introduce you."
Jiang Yu'er rolled her eyes. "Sister Zhao, with my standards, I'd need to marry a CEO from a state-owned enterprise at least. Your cousin's rank is too low—he couldn't afford me."
They were close enough to speak without reservation.
Dr. Zhao chuckled and scolded, "Enough already! Keep waiting, and you'll end up an old maid."
Just as she finished speaking, a gunshot echoed from afar, and Jiang Yu'er's expression shifted slightly.
Dr. Zhao froze for a few seconds, then asked blankly, "What was that?"
Before she could finish, a wave of commotion erupted from the hospital lobby, punctuated by piercing screams.
Buzz...
Static crackled through the public address system, followed by a man's arrogant voice: "Attention, attention! From this moment forward, Pingtai Hospital is under my control. Everyone stay where you are, put your hands on your heads, and crouch down. Anyone who runs will be executed on the spot."
Then came several gunshots.