Realm Walker

The big man's mouth opened and closed, as if trying to force out one last curse, but life fled his body before the sound could come out.

Zhang Yuanqing studied the corpse several times. Only after confirming the man was thoroughly dead did he turn to look at his aunt. Jiang Yu'er stood slack-jawed, her small mouth hanging open wide enough to fit an egg, staring at her nephew in utter disbelief.

Now that's the expression I like to see. His gaze drifted downward and he caught a glimpse of the middle-aged female doctor huddled beneath the desk, trembling violently. He raised his hand and delivered a swift knife chop that knocked her unconscious. The doctor let out a muffled grunt and crumpled sideways to the floor.

Zhang Yuanqing lowered his hand. Something instinctive told him the move had been too rough and not exactly polite, but it had also felt perfectly natural, so he dismissed the thought and turned back to his aunt.

"Yuan... Yuanzi..." she stammered, her wide, glistening eyes brimming with shock and confusion, as though her brain simply refused to accept that her nephew had materialized out of thin air. Yet beneath the bewilderment, there was something else. The unmistakable joy of seeing the person she trusted most descend from the heavens at the very moment she needed saving.

"Auntie, are you alright?" he asked.

Jiang Yu'er burst into tears with a wailing cry, throwing herself into his arms like a swallow returning to its nest, sobbing softly against his chest.

Zhang Yuanqing patted her back gently and murmured, "Now's not the time for explanations. Stay here and keep quiet. I'm going to deal with the rest of them. If you have questions, come to my room tonight and we'll talk then."

The kidnappers had made far too much noise. Everyone who survived would have to sign non-disclosure agreements afterward. His aunt had witnessed a Fire Sage's abilities firsthand, and his own sudden appearance as well. There was no hiding the existence of his "superpowers" from her anymore.

On top of that, he had rushed in without first using his Disguise Ring, and the Spirit Realm did not have a system that automatically killed off those who learned of the existence of Spirit Realm Walkers. He might as well come clean.

To Zhang Yuanqing, there was no point in sneaking around when it came to saving family. He had never volunteered the truth to them before only because he wanted to preserve their peaceful lives. Now that his aunt had been dragged into a Spirit Realm Walker incident, though, he would let things take their natural course.

Jiang Yu'er clung tightly to his waist, terror etched across her face. "Don't go. They have guns."

Zhang Yuanqing felt a twinge of awkwardness at the intimate contact. He eased her away gently, put on a grave expression, and whispered, "There are bombs downstairs. If I don't stop them, everyone in this hospital dies. Trust me."

His aunt sniffled once, then gave a meek nod.

Looks like I've really developed that commanding, alpha presence. Even Aunt is cowed by my kingly aura, Zhang Yuanqing thought to himself.

He motioned for her to sit in the chair, then turned his mind to the next move, rapidly analyzing the strengths and weaknesses on both sides.

Li Xianzong's greatest disadvantage was time. He would never dare linger in the hospital too long. Once stewards from other districts, or worse, elders, arrived on scene, the Enchanting Demon was a dead man walking. Thus, the villain's plan had to be simple: force "Yuanshi Tianzun" into the hospital as quickly as possible, then detonate the bombs.

The bombs were the enemy's trump card. If they went off, the casualties would be catastrophic, making headline news across the nation. Every official Walker in Kangyang District would face disciplinary action.

That made the next priority crystal clear: neutralize the bombs.

The detonator definitely isn't in Li Xianzong's hands, Zhang Yuanqing reasoned. He orchestrated this attack by exploiting Ghost Eye Judge's former servants and their willingness to die alongside their targets. This is a suicide bombing, but Li Xianzong himself would never go down with the ship. In his mind, ordinary lives could never compare to his own.

Five hostiles remain. There's no way I can take down that many Spirit Realm Walkers in a short window. Locating the detonator is the key.

Zhang Yuanqing's razor sharp mind quickly formulated a plan. Neutralize the bomb threat by eliminating whoever held the bomb's controller first, then methodically mop up the rest. As for tracking down the detonator, he intended to use spirit communion, drawing intelligence from the dead Fire Sage's lingering spirit.

Thought became action. Inky darkness churned in the depths of his eyes as he communed with the residual spirit clinging to the corpse, summoned it forth, and swallowed it whole.

Jiang Yu'er's red-rimmed eyes went wide. She wore the dazed, bewildered look of a girl who couldn't make sense of what she was seeing but didn't dare ask.

A dozen seconds later, Zhang Yuanqing opened his eyes. His expression was grim. There were two bombs—one on the first floor, one on the second. The detonator for the first-floor bomb was in the hands of a kidnapper on the second floor, while the controller for the second-floor bomb was held by someone on the first floor. In other words, he had to somehow kill both detonator holders simultaneously.

I can't take out hostiles on two different floors at the same time. Could I ask Teng Yuan for help? No. The moment he steps into the hospital lobby, the bombs will go off.

Zhang Yuanqing pulled out his phone, typed out a rapid message, and sent it to Li Dongze.

Then he looked at his aunt and whispered, "Stay hidden in here. Whatever you do, don't leave. If there's an explosion, don't panic."

She nodded obediently, then added with worry in her eyes, "What about you?"

He waved her off. "I'll be fine."

A moment later his phone buzzed. It was Li Dongze's reply. Captain Yuan is arriving in two minutes.

***

Meanwhile, outside the outpatient building, Teng Yuan stood in a baseball cap and surgical mask. He pressed the transmit button on his walkie talkie.

"Li Xianzong. You should be able to see me."

A lazy laugh crackled through the speaker.

—How do I know you're really Yuanshi Tianzun? Take off the mask and cap. Let me get a look.

"And if I take them off, you'll suddenly be sure it's me?" Teng Yuan countered flatly.

Li Xianzong's laugh came through again.

—Fair point! Fine, I'll just assume you're Yuanshi Tianzun. Here's a little hint for you. There's a bomb planted under the information desk on the first floor. In a few minutes, it'll detonate automatically. The controller is on the guy in the black jacket. If you want to save the civilians in this hospital, you'd better get moving. Yuanshi Tianzun, let me see what you're made of.

Teng Yuan raised a hand to his ear and murmured, "Did you catch that?"

Li Dongze's voice came through the wireless earpiece. "He's lying. There are bombs on both the first and second floors. The detonator for the first-floor bomb is being held by the kidnapper on the second floor. The moment you charge in, they'll blow up the first floor."

"How do you know that?" Teng Yuan asked.

"Yuanshi has already infiltrated the hospital. He assassinated one of the hostiles and extracted intel through spirit consultation."

Teng Yuan gave a low chuckle. "That kid. Reassuring, isn't he? Remind me to give him a raise when this is over."

Li Dongze fell silent for a beat. I'm the Squad Leader here!

Li Dongze collected himself, then replied, "Don't go in yet. Pretend to hesitate. Stall as long as you can. Li Xianzong's attention is on you."

"Think about the timing," Teng Yuan said. "Stewards and other squads will be here any minute. Have you considered why Li Xianzong is still confident enough to remain inside? Where does that confidence come from?"

Li Dongze's voice dropped. "You mean he's confident he can escape—"

He cut himself off mid-sentence. "Yuan Ting's just arrived. Get ready to move. Teng Yuan, provide support as needed."

"Copy that."

***

Zhang Yuanqing's phone vibrated softly. It was a message from Li Dongze. Yuan Ting has infiltrated the hospital. He'll handle the first floor hostiles. You take the second floor. In three seconds, I'll have Wang Tai cut the hospital's surveillance system.

He read the message and began counting in his head. One, two, three.

He activated Night Wandering and bolted from the room like a horse freed from its reins.

Elsewhere, in the surveillance room, Li Xianzong shifted his gaze away from the monitor showing "Yuanshi Tianzun." He checked the time first, then swept his eyes across the feeds for the first, second, and fourth floors.

Time was running out. This entire gambit relied on exploiting a narrow window. Letting things drag on was a death sentence. Five minutes, tops, and he had to be gone.

At that thought, Li Xianzong instinctively patted his pocket, confirming the item was still there. The item had no offensive capabilities, but it was of an exceptionally high grade. Short of certain specialized sealing techniques, nothing could trap him.

That was the source of his brazen confidence, and the reason he'd dared stage a terrorist attack at all. Anyone with half a brain knew that pulling something like this in a major city was suicidal. Even a Saint-tier expert wouldn't attempt it unless they had a death wish.

He suddenly frowned and snatched up the walkie talkie. "Four, show yourself. Four, let me see you."

Static. No response.

Li Xianzong's eyebrow twitched as he switched channels. "Five, what's going on?"

In the fourth floor waiting area, the wiry man grabbed his walkie talkie and snickered.

—Four's in the back having fun with some woman. Heard he found a real stunner.

"Go check on him. I suspect Yuanshi Tianzun has already infiltrated the building."

—Isn't he standing right outside?

Li Xianzong scoffed. "Are you just going to believe the authorities because they said so?"

The wiry man immediately abandoned his hostages and headed down the corridor of the obstetrics department. That very moment, Li Xianzong watched as each of his monitors flickered one after another before the images dissolved into static snow.

They're here!

He barked into the walkie talkie, "Someone's cut the surveillance. Detonate the bombs. Now."

***

—Someone's cut the surveillance. Detonate the bombs. Now.

The kidnappers on the second floor received the order through their walkie talkies. One of them, a dark skinned, taciturn man, didn't hesitate for a single heartbeat. His hand reached toward his pocket.

He had been waiting for this moment for a long time. From the instant he'd learned that Black Wuchang had been killed and the Holy Grail had fallen into official hands, his life had been nothing but despair.

A life of despair deserved one final, brilliant spark.

Bang! Bang!

At the exact instant his fingers grazed the detonator, two bullets erupted against the back of his skull. The concussive force jerked his body forward, sending him staggering.

However, the expected scene of brains splattering across the floor never materialized. He was an Earth Wraith.

His attacker's silhouette shimmered into view behind the two kidnappers. He looked young, and his skin was mottled with angry red and black burn marks.

The two kidnappers had been braced for a surprise attack. One raised his gun and opened fire while the other tried to reach for the detonator again.

Bang, bang, bang!

Bullets struck their attacker's body, but it was like shooting at a reflection on water.

In a corner, out of sight of them, the real Zhang Yuanqing produced the Straw Doll from his Inventory. Its tiny face twisted and squirmed, sprouting eyes and a nose that morphed into an exact replica of the Earth Wraith's features.

Zhang Yuanqing pinched the doll's head between two fingers and squeezed hard.

The Straw Doll contorted into an expression of agony. That same instant, the Earth Wraith clutched at his throat, choking out a strangled rasp. A pall of ashen gray washed over his face. Every conceivable negative emotion crashed through his mind in rapid succession: rage, agony, bloodlust, hatred, and sorrow. His reason was drowned in a tide of corruption, reducing him to a mindless beast driven by nothing but a raw, destructive impulse.

He locked onto the only remaining threat, his fellow kidnapper, and lunged.

"Shit!" His grim-faced accomplice spat a curse and backpedaled, swinging the gun barrel toward the Earth Wraith and squeezing the trigger.

Bang, bang, bang!

Bullet after bullet hammered the Earth Wraith's skull, ricocheting off as though striking steel plate armor. Bullet fragments whizzed in every direction. The hostages around them erupted into screams and scrambled for the exits in blind panic.

The grim-faced man tossed the now-empty pistol aside and dodged the Earth Wraith's wild, graceless swing, then thrust a hand toward the creature's pocket.

He was going for the detonator.

Just then, out of the corner of his eye, he spotted their attacker materializing again, several meters to his left. Unlike the phantom from before, this version wore a pair of black-framed glasses. He raised a gun and took aim.

Bang!

The large caliber pistol belched smoke and flame. A glowing red round spun through the air at blistering speed and punched its way into the kidnapper's torso, producing a spray of liquid that scattered outward like a stone thrown into a pond.

A Water Ghost! He could briefly render himself immune to any physical attack.

The grim-faced man flashed a mocking smile at his assailant. His fingers had already plunged into the Earth Wraith's trouser pocket.

In that heartbeat, the attacker tossed the gun aside. Somehow, a pair of crimson fingerless gauntlets had appeared on both his hands, and he slammed his fists together in front of his chest.

BOOM!

A burst of flame and scalding air rolled outward in a devastating wave, as though a high-explosive grenade had been detonated in the middle of the waiting area. The shockwave rattled the walls, while flames licked hungrily at anything flammable.

The Water Ghost and the Earth Wraith were both hurled through the air.

Fortunately, the earlier firefight had sent the nearby hostages fleeing. Otherwise, that single blast would have killed most of them. It was precisely because they had already fled that Zhang Yuanqing had dared to use this move at all.

He scooped the Burst Pistol off the floor, aimed it at the Water Ghost, and pulled the trigger, forcing him to roll desperately across the ground.

Zhang Yuanqing advanced with each shot, closing the distance on the dazed Earth Wraith, moving through the smoke and gunfire like a cold blooded killer strolling through a battlefield.

The Earth Wraith shook his head, struggling groggily to his feet.

Zhang Yuanqing launched himself into the air, driving both knees down onto the back of the creature's neck and slamming him face-first into the floor.

A gauntleted hand clawed at empty air and drew forth what once had been a forty-centimeter silver blade but had been recently broken. He raised it high before plunging it down with all his might into the gunshot wound on the Earth Wraith's skull.

Thunk!

The Bloodthirsty Blade's armor-piercing effect shattered the Earth Wraith's vaunted defenses outright. Half the length of the broken blade sank into his skull.

The Earth Wraith went still. The Water Ghost seized the chance and fled deeper into the consultation wing.

Zhang Yuanqing didn't bother chasing. He fished the detonator from the Earth Wraith's pocket. The moment he secured it, heavy footsteps thudded through the corridor beyond the waiting area.

He looked up. It was Yuan Ting.

The River Lord wore black dress trousers and a black button-down shirt, giving off an air of understated nobility. At his side lumbered a hulking figure with pallid skin and a rigid expression. Its eyes were milky and unfocused, and its blackened fingertips had been filed into wicked points.

A jiangshi.

"The two hostiles downstairs have been dealt with. Hostages have been evacuated. Did you get the detonator?" Yuan Ting asked quickly.

"I'm done on my end too," Zhang Yuanqing replied as he pulled his gaze from the jiangshi. "But one Water Ghost escaped. There's still a hostile on the fourth floor, and then there's Li Xianzong."

The operation had gone more smoothly than he'd anticipated.

With the bombs neutralized and the hostages free to evacuate, the remaining kidnappers simply didn't have the numbers to regain control. By this time, Li Dongze and the rest of the team had surely begun their own assault.

Yuan Ting nodded approvingly. "Well done. Your growth has been remarkably fast. Elder Sun really is a fool. There's no time to waste. Head to the fourth floor."

The words had barely left his mouth when a thick fog materialized out of nowhere. The blanket of pale white mist swallowed everything, blotting out visibility and erasing Yuan Ting from Zhang Yuanqing's sight.

"Careful. At the Saint tier, an Enchanting Demon earns the title Fog Lord. In dense fog, they're practically invincible. This must be one of Li Xianzong's items—" Yuan Ting's voice cut off abruptly.

Silence pressed in from all sides. Zhang Yuanqing could no longer tell north from south, east from west. The entire world seemed to shrink until he was the only person left in it.