The Phone Call

"Fuck me, that scared the hell out of me." Zhang Yuanqing slumped down onto the edge of the bed, his heart pounding in fits and starts. He suspected that if the return had been delayed by even a single second, what came back might have been nothing more than a mangled corpse. Once he finally calmed himself down and caught sight of the red dancing shoes on his feet, his heart almost leaped out of his chest again. "Deactivate, deactivate!" The red dancing shoes dissolved into crimson light and vanished. *Phew, I almost started stomping!* Relieved at last, Zhang Yuanqing relaxed completely, stood up, and walked over to the window. He gazed out at the high-rises, the verdant leaves reflecting kaleidoscopic glints of sunlight, listening to the chatter of elderly aunties and uncles in the residential compound and the faint hum of distant traffic. It was mealtime; a delivery courier in a blue uniform zipped through the neighborhood on his electric scooter. From a window in the adjacent apartment building came the sizzle of vegetables hitting hot oil, accompanied by the metallic clatter of a spatula tossing food in a wok. *The mortal world really is the best. The big city really is the best...* Only after standing there for several minutes did he feel the creeping terror completely fade away. Having calmed down, he eagerly stepped in front of the mirror to test out his skills. Settling his emotions and calming the waters of his heart, he quietly communed with the lunar power within his body. Soon, Zhang Yuanqing saw his reflection in the mirror being erased inch by inch, disappearing into thin air. *I really can turn invisible! Hehehe...* Nine seconds later, his body was sketched out once more, reappearing in the mirror. "Mm, a bit tiring, like running a few laps around the athletic track..." Next, he tested his physical strength. He easily crushed a battery until it dented, and when he cut a small gash across the back of his hand with a utility knife, it healed completely in less than five minutes. Superpowers aside, the increase in muscle strength alone had already elevated him beyond ordinary mortals. As for the other active skill, "Spirit Devouring," he had no opportunity to use it yet since there were no spiritual entities around. *With my constitution so strong now, if my old condition flares up, can my body handle the overloaded state for longer? No, what I should really consider is whether there's a doctor class among Spirit Realm walkers. I need to find someone to take a look at this bizarre illness of mine.* Zhang Yuanqing then opened his inventory to admire his items, though he didn't bring them out. The Demon-Subduing Pestle was fine, but if he took out the red dancing shoes and they demanded he dance awkwardly with them, what then? Gazing at the Demon-Subduing Pestle, Zhang Yuanqing sank into thought. *If I remember correctly, the banyan tree spirit said Lady Sandao's yang-soul is sealed within the Demon-Subduing Pestle. Could she come looking for me...?* Just the thought sent a shiver down his spine. *NPCs from the Spirit Realm shouldn't be able to manifest in the real world, right? And the chances of me entering the Mountain God Temple again are slim. That tiny temple's been thoroughly explored; it couldn't possibly support another quest.* Though he told himself as much, he had no real confidence. Lady Sandao's smile kept flashing through his mind. *I'll head over to the office in a bit and check with that veteran flirt and the translation-speak weirdo.* Right then, someone jiggled the doorknob several times, but because Zhang Yuanqing had locked the door from inside beforehand, the person couldn't enter. "Zhang Yuanqing, why'd you lock the door? Are you secretly up to no good?" His aunt's charming, crisp voice drifted in, followed by a huff. "Lunch is ready!" Only now did Zhang Yuanqing realize his stomach was rumbling. Answering in a rapid string of agreements, he swiftly put the Demon-Subduing Pestle away, stripped out of his dust-and-blood-stained clothes, changed into a spring baseball jacket and black sweatpants, and stashed the dirty clothes away. Only then did he walk to the door and turn the handle. His aunt stood outside, peering inside with her rounded, pretty oval face. "Why'd you lock the door?" she asked suspiciously. "Cultivating a divine art." "What kind of divine art?" "The Grand Art of Learning from the Barbarians to Subdue Them." "You little brat, looking for a beating?" His aunt glared fiercely, yet her eyes possessed immense charm—round and large, bright and lively, devoid of bloodshot veins or cloudiness. What the ancients referred to as "eyes like autumn waters" meant bright, sparkling eyes just like these. At the dining table, Zhang Yuanqing swept through the dishes like a whirlwind, his appetite vastly increased. His maternal grandmother felt gratified that her cooking had improved while fretting that she hadn't made enough dishes today. "School starts tomorrow. Go to bed early tonight so I don't have to drag you out of bed in the morning," his grandmother admonished. "As long as Auntie doesn't come into my room tonight to play games, I can sleep early," Zhang Yuanqing deflected instantly. He immediately received a kick to the shin under the table. "She has to work too." Grandmother turned to her daughter and added, "If you're working overtime tomorrow, call me in advance." His aunt was an intern in obstetrics and gynecology at a public tertiary hospital; when she was free, she was utterly idle, but when things got busy, she was more exhausted than an overworked corporate slave. "Spend some time talking with male colleagues when you're free. There must be plenty of male doctors pursuing you at the hospital," Grandmother probed. "Mom, your vision is too narrow! Even men who bring their wives in for prenatal checkups often sneakily ask for my contact info," his aunt declared smugly, hands on her hips. Grandmother raised a palm. His aunt pulled her head back and quietly shoveled rice into her mouth. While mother and daughter chatted, Zhang Yuanqing's thoughts drifted to what he had to do that afternoon. *After finishing lunch, I'll contact Guan Ya and let the officials know I successfully cleared it. Plus, I need to write a dungeon report. I wonder if a report for a first clear is valuable, and how much merit it's worth.* *I also need to mention Lady Sandao waking up; I can't forget that. I have a feeling it's a hidden quest.* After lunch, having taken care of his hunger, Zhang Yuanqing returned to his room and found his phone battery dead. What with rushing around and stressing over the Spirit Realm, he had forgotten to charge it. Once it was plugged in, he saw four or five missed calls. Caller ID: Guan Ya. Two were from an hour ago when he was still inside the Spirit Realm; the remaining three were from just two minutes ago. *So eager to confirm whether I'm dead or not?* Zhang Yuanqing grumbled internally. Tapping the screen, he returned Guan Ya's call. *** At the two-story building, sunlight gleamed off the glass facade. Inside the spacious, luxurious office, Li Dongze finished a light lunch, checked his wristwatch, and leaned on his cane as he walked into the bullpen. "Guan Ya, any word from Yuanshi?" This was already the third time he had asked the same question. Although he didn't hold much hope in his heart, until the dust settled, the matter continuously weighed on his mind. Li Dongze had already written his letter of apology, simply waiting for the outcome before admitting his mistake to the Centurion—that he had been careless this time and lacked the professional discipline of a Scout. As for the kid Yuanshi Tianzun, though it was a pity, the trial quest initiated by an activated character card was not something human strength could contend with. "His phone is powered off," Guan Ya said, shaking her head. "I've already called him five or six times." "Can't reach him..." Li Dongze seemed to have expected this. He let out a silent breath. "Let's wait a little longer. Just a little longer..." "Understood, Decurion." Guan Ya brushed a lock of hair from her temple and smiled comfortingly. "Before the outcome is revealed, anything is possible. Just like Schrödinger's cat, until you open the box, you never know if it's alive or dead." Beside them, Wang Tai couldn't help speaking up: "That's not how you use Schrödinger's cat... Statistically speaking, without special means or assistance, the probability of him clearing Sheling Tunnel is virtually zero." Guan Ya and Li Dongze's expressions darkened simultaneously. "Shut up!" *Did I say the wrong thing again...?* Wang Tai silently lowered his head. *This socially inept moron!* Li Dongze and Guan Ya criticized in unison within their minds. Having worked together for so long, they had long since given up on nurturing Wang Tai's emotional intelligence. Guan Ya felt that the contrast between an interesting soul and a boring one was stark. Look at that kid Yuanshi: handsome, charming with his words, and fun to talk to. If he could become a colleague, coming to work in the future wouldn't be nearly as dull and tedious. Too bad he had such poor luck. *If we still can't reach him by the end of the day, all hope will be truly lost...* Guan Ya sighed, leaning lazily back into her cushioned chair, her full bust straining against the fabric of her white button-down shirt. "Report to me the moment there is news." Having said that, Li Dongze was just about to turn and leave when the phone resting on Guan Ya's desk suddenly rang. Just then, the phone on the desk continued buzzing with its ringtone. Li Dongze froze in his tracks, his gaze snapping to Guan Ya's phone. Caller ID: Yuanshi Tianzun. Li Dongze's breath caught instantly. Guan Ya shot up from her chair with such force that she slammed into the desk with a loud clatter, knocking over office supplies across the surface. Her lovely eyes went wide, her face a storm of shock and ecstatic disbelief. She grabbed the phone while looking toward Li Dongze. Li Dongze's face grew taut. "Speakerphone!" His voice was low and stern. Both wore solemn expressions, as if answering a call from a kidnapper. Guan Ya answered the call, her voice thick with anticipation and suppressed euphoria. "Yuanshi?" "I cleared the trial quest. I'm out of the Mountain God Temple," Zhang Yuanqing's voice came through the speaker. Guan Ya and Li Dongze froze at the same time. Wang Tai, who normally paid no heed to outside affairs, snapped his head up. Shock and astonishment registered plainly across the data-obsessed Scholar's face. After several seconds of stunned silence, the twin moustaches on Li Dongze's upper lip began twitching and fluttering at visible speed. He cried out, "Oh, God! Did You hear my prayers? This is simply unbelievable! Oh, heavens, I cannot believe this is real!" Realizing his loss of composure a moment later, he hastily reined in his expression. "Elegance. One must remain elegant..." Li Dongze knew what clearing Sheling Tunnel meant. An S-rank Spirit Realm deemed impossible to clear by the Taiyi Sect had been conquered; it was bound to attract intense scrutiny. Even though Yuanshi was only a rookie, it was foreseeable that he would shoot to fame overnight and become a renowned Spirit Realm walker. Furthermore, the information and items contained within an S-rank Spirit Realm were substantial gains, guaranteed to be extraordinarily bountiful. Be it official organizations or grassroots factions, all were zealous about conquering high-difficulty Spirit Realms, especially securing first clears, as it was the fastest and most effective way to strengthen an organization. Finally, and most crucially, there were only a handful of Night Wanderer trial Spirit Realms in the Songhai region. The bug-like existence of Sheling Tunnel had cost official organizations an immense number of prospective Night Wanderers. If they possessed a detailed guide, the number of Night Wanderers emerging each year would rise accordingly. Although once a Spirit Realm was cleared, subsequent rewards could never match those of a first clear, what the officials valued was the increase in the number of Night Wanderers. This was more than enough to capture the attention of the Five Elements Alliance's council of elders. "How... how did you manage it...?" Guan Ya murmured. "Nothing difficult about it. I breezed right through. Heh, isn't having legs all it takes?" Yuanshi Tianzun had delivered words truly worthy of his ID. Guan Ya was rendered speechless for a moment, unable to tell whether he was joking or humble-bragging like a star student. In her impression, Zhang Yuanqing was an intelligent university student skilled at socializing, but there was no way he could be anything extraordinarily exceptional. Her fondness for this new colleague was limited to him being witty and fun to talk to, by no means an endorsement of his capabilities. Yet now, she needed to re-evaluate this newly risen Night Wanderer. "Good, very well done!" Li Dongze tapped his cane excitedly, urging, "Hurry over to the office. Come right now!" "All right," Zhang Yuanqing replied. Once the call ended, Wang Tai couldn't resist remarking, "He possesses abilities far beyond ordinary people. We don't know in which aspect yet, but they definitely exist. Decurion, it seems you've picked up a freak." Hearing this, the smile on Li Dongze's face spread unstoppably. He cleared his throat and scolded in mock annoyance, "What do you mean, freak? The boy is a genius!" With that, as if pressed by urgent business, he hurried toward his office. Li Dongze decided that the title of his apology letter ought to be revised to something more elegant. For instance: *My Apologies, Centurion, I Accidentally Picked Up a Freak.* He simply could not wait.