Crisis

Li Xianzong did not step into the bedroom. Leaning against the doorframe, he twirled a butterfly knife in his hand and grinned. "I plan to take the doctors, nurses, and patients at Pingtai Hospital hostage. It'll test the authorities' response, flush out Yuanshi Tianzun, and announce to everyone that I, Li Xianzong, have arrived in Songhai!" The glamorous, seductive woman sucked on her finger, her eyes sultry. "Madness. But aren't you afraid of dying? Never underestimate the Five Elements Alliance. They might often be run in circles, and incompetent freeloaders might be everywhere among them, but you can't deny that the orthodox faction is stronger than us. If not, what right would they have to call themselves the authorities?" Li Xianzong replied nonchalantly, "You don't need to worry about that. I just need you to keep Fu Qingyang busy. Kangyang District is under his watch. As long as he can't make it in time, I'm confident I can walk away clean—before the Deacons from the other districts arrive, that is." The woman smiled coquettishly. "And my reward?" Li Xianzong fell silent for a few seconds before answering, "What fun is there in toying with ordinary men? Upstanding men from the orthodox faction should excite you far more. Within half a month, I'll capture at least ten official walkers for you." The female Guardian's eyes lit up, and she licked her lips. "Interesting. Just the thought of them sinking into depravity, consumed by lust, makes my skin prickle with excitement. But I have one condition: I want that Yuanshi Tianzun. "He can't be too old—preferably a college student—and he has to be handsome. If he has no dating experience, even better. Breaking in an innocent little pup like that is where the real fun lies." Li Xianzong clicked his tongue repeatedly. "You really are a pervert. Even I find you terrifying." The woman stood up, swaying her slender waist as she walked over to the bed, slipping on a gossamer-thin nightgown. She put on a pair of black-rimmed glasses and sat down at the round table. In an instant, she transformed from a wanton enchantress into an aloof, intellectual, mature beauty. She looked at Li Xianzong by the door and said calmly, "Every evil walker is a pervert; the only difference is the flavor. Your perversion lies in cruelty, bloodlust, and a desire for destruction. Furthermore, you harbor a deep hatred for women. Broken heart in the past? No..." The female Guardian stared at him, her gaze growing hazy and contemplative. "You had no interest in me when I was bare, yet the moment I composed myself and became mature and dignified, that disgust in your eyes took on hatred, resentment, and even a faint trace of longing. "I understand now. The source of your hatred toward women is your mother. When she was my age, back when you were small, she must have done something you could never forgive." Li Xianzong's sharply chiseled face darkened abruptly, murder surging in his eyes. "Don't pry into my mind. You're angering me." The female Guardian giggled, her chest trembling, instantly shattering her aloof and intellectual demeanor. "Look how angry you are. It's nothing more than your mother abandoning her husband and child. What big deal could there be in the mortal world? You're an evil class yourself and have seen all the ugliness of human nature. Why can't you forgive your mother? "Abandoning a husband and child is still better than someone like me, isn't it? But then again, some people spend their entire lives failing to heal from their childhood." Li Xianzong took a deep breath, suppressing his churning rage, and said in a heavy voice, "I have no interest in your past. At five this afternoon, I will lock down Pingtai Hospital." With that, he turned and walked away. *** Kangyang District Public Security Bureau. Zhang Yuanqing had had a lot on his plate lately. First, the grand health check was delayed, keeping his heart constantly on edge. Second, the opening of his third Spirit Realm was drawing closer. Finally, the people from the Taiyi Sect still hadn't arrived to question him, and the red dancing shoes had just been handed in, with no telling when their purification would be complete. Sitting before his computer desk, Zhang Yuanqing searched through the official wanted list while pondering his situation. *My third Spirit Realm should be coming soon. If it arrives in early May, then June will be the solo Spirit Realm exclusive to Night Wanderers. And June is also when the large-scale killing dungeon takes place.* *If I'm lucky and my solo dungeon happens before the large-scale killing dungeon, I can definitely reach Level 3, participate in the killing dungeon, and advance to Saint in one go. Otherwise, I'll have to wait until the end of the year.* The large-scale killing dungeon was not mandatory; Spirit Realm walkers could choose whether or not to participate, so it didn't conflict with the solo Spirit Realm. After Li Dongze's reminder, he was feeling the pressure. Yuanshi Tianzun had risen too fast and was bound to draw the attention of the hostile faction. Because he was an absolute newcomer who had been a walker for barely over a month, experienced figures could easily gauge his level. Rising to sudden fame without reaching Level 3 made him look like a juicy, tender target in the eyes of the evil classes. As he was pondering, the search results came up. Zhang Yuanqing bypassed the Saint stage and went straight to the bounty list for the Transcendent stage. At the very top was a Spirit Realm ID named "A-Yi," a Level 3 Witch Doctor affiliated with the Spirit Society's Central Branch. Assessment: Extremely twisted personality. Track record: Once surrounded by two official Spirit Realm squads from the Five Elements Alliance, he turned the tables, killed the official walkers, and walked away with ease. In that battle, the authorities lost two Level 3 walkers, four Level 2 walkers, and three Level 1 walkers. The dossier included detailed notes on "twisted personality." Generally speaking, evil classes were madmen and perverts, but everyone's "illness" differed—some were bloodthirsty, some lecherous, some sullen, some fanatical. This A-Yi, however, possessed a bit of everything, like an amalgamation of negative energy. *Even if I summoned the Ghost Bride, I probably couldn't wipe out two official squads. The enemy wouldn't be stupid enough to clash head-on with her; as long as they stalled for time, I'd be finished.* A chill of caution ran through Zhang Yuanqing. He continued down to the second rank: Spirit Realm ID "A Worthy Minister Slays His Lord," a Level 3 Illusionist affiliated with the Nihility Sect—Southern Branch. Assessment: Fanatical and extreme temperament. Track record: To avenge his boss, he set a trap and killed a Level 4 Saint from the Taiyi Sect, departing leisurely afterward. He remained at large to this day. Additional notes in the dossier stated that investigations revealed this man had served under many bosses, but without exception, every single one had subsequently died an unnatural death. Gradually, no one in the Southern Branch was willing to take him under their wing, turning him into a lone wolf. *To orchestrate the death of a Saint, and a Night Wanderer at that... this guy is terrifying...* Zhang Yuanqing continued scanning downward. Just then, his phone chimed with an incoming text message. He pulled his eyes away from the screen and picked up his phone to check the message. Xiao Yuan: "I've gathered a few pieces of intelligence." Zhang Yuanqing stood up at once, went into a bathroom stall, and dialed Xiao Yuan's number. The call connected, and the older woman's cool, clear voice came through, carrying a teasing hint of a smile. "Speaking of which, I still don't know your ID." "Da Jiba!" Zhang Yuanqing brushed her off casually. Aunt Xiao Yuan chuckled softly. "Then it seems I guessed wrong. I thought your name was Yuanshi Tianzun." Neither confirming nor denying it, Zhang Yuanqing asked, "What intelligence do you have?" "Three thousand per piece." "Let me hear it first." "First, on the evil organizations' Transcendent bounty list, Yuanshi Tianzun has jumped from the bottom straight to third place. The bounty is ten million, two Transcendent props, and one Saint prop." *Holy crap? I'm worth that much?!* Zhang Yuanqing was stunned. Retrieving the Holy Grail had only earned him two million and two props. Of course, a Class A merit was something money and props couldn't replace. "Second, two Level 3 walkers with good potential in the Central Plains Branch were killed by A-Yi. He's preparing to head to the capital to hunt stronger official prodigies." *As long as he isn't coming to Songhai. Colleagues in the capital, take care...* Zhang Yuanqing breathed a sigh of relief. "Third, Li Xianzong has arrived in Songhai. He intends to hunt down the Songhai Branch's rising star, Yuanshi Tianzun." Zhang Yuanqing's head buzzed. Whatever you feared most always came true—the one targeting him was actually that guy! Li Xianzong's dossier surfaced naturally in his mind. This man was a member of the Soldier Master Sect, active along the coastal regions, and a trusted subordinate of Heavenly King Demonic Eye, one of the sect's Four Heavenly Kings. Heavenly King Demonic Eye was a Sovereign-stage Bewitching Demon, a terrifying entity. Transferred to the Five Elements Alliance, that was the equivalent of an Elder's confidant publicly calling out a hit on Yuanshi Tianzun. The official evaluation of the man was: bloodthirsty, brutal, arrogant, and cunning. In short, a serial killer with a brain. Li Xianzong was combative by nature, his temperament an absolute match for the Bewitching Demon class. Ever since becoming a walker, he had advanced by leaps and bounds, a rising star who rarely met his match among his peers. Though he had been somewhat well-known before, his rank on the official bounty list had not been particularly high due to his level. That was until he advanced to a Level 3 Bewitching Demon and single-handedly assassinated a Level 4 Saint from the Spirit Society, catapulting him into the top five of the wanted list. *There's a massive gulf between Level 4 and Level 3. For Li Xianzong to assassinate a Level 4 Saint, beyond his own strength, he must have relied on powerful props and held every advantage of timing and terrain.* *Being targeted by such a terrifying enemy, and giving him enough time to prepare... damn, my chances of survival really aren't high...* Zhang Yuanqing's heart grew heavy. Setting props aside, in terms of sheer individual ability, Bewitching Demons and Night Wanderers were both top-tier classes. A Level 3 Li Xianzong would definitely thrash a Level 2 like him. As for props, the red dancing shoes—a divine tool for evasion and pursuit—were currently not with him, severely compromising his combat prowess. Relying solely on the Ghost Bride probably wouldn't be enough to kill Li Xianzong, who undoubtedly had trump cards of his own. *I need to reach Level 3 as soon as possible to give all my attributes a comprehensive boost. Otherwise, I'm in serious danger...* Zhang Yuanqing asked, "Aunt Xiao Yuan, anything else?" "That's all. Nine thousand in total, but I'll give you a discount—make it ten thousand." Aunt Xiao Yuan's voice was aloof, yet melodious. What an enticing aunt. "I'll find time to drop by and bring you the money." Zhang Yuanqing hung up. *** Pingtai Hospital. Dressed in a white lab coat, Jiang Yu'er saw off her last female patient and stretched her back. Just one more hour of slacking off, and her shift would be over. She had no appointments booked for tomorrow, so she could spare an hour or two tonight to play games with her nephew. Her useless nephew still didn't have a girlfriend, so she, his adorably invincible and understanding little aunt, would graciously keep him company. Jiang Yu'er strolled out of her office to the consultation room next door. Leaning against the doorframe, she smiled. "Still no news about that Wang Qian lately?" Sitting inside was a woman in her thirties surnamed Zhao, one of Jiang Yu'er's chatting partners. In the middle of their busy schedules, the younger and older aunts of the obstetrics and gynecology department loved gathering to gossip. They talked about patients, about colleagues—anything and everything. "The director said Wang Qian resigned and switched to another line of work." Dr. Zhao sighed. "Ever since his nephew died in infancy, his mental state hasn't been great. Staying at the hospital probably kept reminding him of the loss, so a change of scenery is a good thing." Jiang Yu'er gave an understanding "Oh." Dr. Zhao continued, "Xiao Jiang, have you thought over what I mentioned last time? My cousin works at a central state-owned enterprise—stable job, high income, and pretty good-looking. His prospects are genuinely great. I showed him your picture, and hey, the poor guy can barely eat or sleep, begging me to set you two up." Jiang Yu'er rolled her eyes. "Sister Zhao, with my looks, it'd take an executive from a central enterprise to marry me at the very least. Your cousin's rank is too low; he can't afford to keep me." They were already close enough to joke without reservations. Dr. Zhao scolded with a laugh, "Come off it. If you keep holding out, you'll end up an old maid." As they were speaking, a gunshot rang out in the distance. Jiang Yu'er's expression shifted slightly. Dr. Zhao froze for several seconds, looking bewildered. "What was that?" No sooner had she spoken than a wave of commotion erupted from the direction of the hospital lobby, accompanied by rising waves of screams. *Screeech—* Static crackled over the public address system, followed by an arrogant male voice: "Attention, attention. From this moment on, Pingtai Hospital is under my control. Everyone stay where you are, squat down, and put your hands on your heads. Anyone running around will be shot on sight." Immediately after, several more gunshots rang out.