Realm Walker

"A plan?" Jiang Jingwei's eyes lit up, and she propped her chin on one finger, striking a thoughtful pose. "Li Dongze's right, we absolutely need a proper plan. After all, we're an official organization, not some gang of brainless Evil-class thugs. I've got an idea."

Evil-class thugs are probably smarter than you, though. The same thought surfaced unbidden in everyone's minds simultaneously, though nobody dared voice it.

"So, you have an idea? Let's hear it," Li Dongze said.

"We charge in," Jiang Jingwei declared. "Teng Yuan and Yuanshi take point, Guan Ya provides covering fire, and I look for openings to perform an ambush. We pick them off one by one."

Brilliant tactics. So brilliant they're indistinguishable from having no tactics at all, Zhang Yuanqing quietly applauded her, though his mind was fixed on his aunt. "Squad Leader, let's not waste time."

Li Dongze felt a pang of regret for having been naive enough to solicit a Fire Sage's strategic input in the first place. He surveyed the group and spoke in a measured, methodical tone.

"They have hostages. A direct assault is out of the question. To get someone inside, we need to rely on the Nocturnal Specter's stealth capabilities. But sending Yuanshi alone would be suicide. Guan Ya, contact Yuan Ting. Tell him to get here as fast as humanly possible."

"On it!" Guan Ya acknowledged as she pulled out her phone and stepped aside.

"Night Wandering has a limited duration, and even if he infiltrates the hospital successfully, the security cameras will pick him up the moment it wears off," Li Dongze continued. "Wang Tai, I need you to hack the hospital's surveillance system."

Wang Tai immediately cracked open his laptop, settled into his seat, and began hammering away at the keyboard.

Li Dongze turned to Jiang Jingwei and Teng Yuan. "The rest of us have no stealth capabilities, so we stay here and draw Li Xianzong's attention. I'll handle negotiations, buy as much time as I can, keep him distracted."

Guan Ya hung up and returned to the group, reporting in a low voice. "Captain Yuan says he needs fifteen minutes."

Fifteen minutes. Li Dongze's brow furrowed. He glanced at Zhang Yuanqing. "We'll stall as long as we can until he arrives. Don't do anything rash. You can't take on those criminals alone."

Teng Yuan, Wang Tai, and Jiang Jingwei all shared the same sentiment.

The hostage takers had come specifically for Yuanshi Tianzun. Their brazen posturing was equal parts provocation and goading. At his current level, walking in there was a death sentence. It was a deflating truth, but truth nonetheless.

Guan Ya suddenly recalled that Yuanshi's aunt was an intern at Pingtai Hospital. He had mentioned it during their investigation of the spirit servant case. No wonder he's so anxious.

Zhang Yuanqing sat in the van with his eyes closed, conserving his energy. He didn't argue with Li Dongze. He felt hurt, but his colleagues' concern was well-founded. He couldn't rush in blindly. However, that didn't mean there weren't other options.

At that moment, unnoticed by anyone, a plump and adorable infant spirit was scrambling nimbly on all fours toward the hospital, heading straight for the administrative building the criminals had seized.

I'll have Little Goofball scout ahead first. See what's happening with Auntie...

This was precisely the kind of situation where a spirit servant proved invaluable. Security cameras couldn't capture it, and ordinary Spirit Realm Walkers couldn't sense it either, unless the kidnappers happened to have a Nocturnal Specter or Illusionist among their ranks.

Both classes were exceedingly rare, and so the odds were slim. And even in the unlikely event they did, he wasn't worried about Little Goofball being detected. Not here. After all, this was a hospital.

A hospital teeming with spirits.

***

The minutes crawled past. At the eight-minute mark, Li Dongze picked up the walkie talkie and pressed the transmit button.

"Yuanshi Tianzun is almost here. It's rush hour, traffic is bad. Give him three more minutes."

He repeated it three times before Li Xianzong finally responded, his arrogant voice dripping with mockery.

—Don't try to play the stalling game with me. One minute, one body. I keep my word. You're welcome to storm the hospital too. See if I won't blow everyone sky high.

Li Dongze's expression turned grave. He set down the walkie talkie and looked over at Teng Yuan, keeping his voice low. "Get ready. You're going in as Yuanshi to stall the kidnappers."

His earlier transmission hadn't been about negotiation or buying time. It had been a probe to gauge the enemy's temperament.

"Got it," Teng Yuan said with a grunt. "Yuanshi, let's swap outfits."

The acting squad leader's fashion sense skewed older and more-middle aged. While Yuanshi Tianzun's identity was strictly classified, he had interacted with official Walkers before, and rumors that "Yuanshi Tianzun" was a young man might well have leaked When one didn't know how much intelligence the enemy possessed, having the bait match the real thing as closely as possible was always the safest bet.

Zhang Yuanqing reluctantly diverted a sliver of his attention, quickly exchanging jackets with Teng Yuan and handing over his baseball cap and face mask.

Li Dongze picked up the walkie talkie again, his tone hard. "Li Xianzong. You stirred up all this chaos in Songhai because you're after Yuanshi Tianzun?"

Li Xianzong's voice came through, cheerful and casual.

—The large-scale slaughter dungeon opens soon. I'm a bit strapped for cash, so I figured I'd borrow his head and trade it for a few items.

The man's voice radiated untamed arrogance wrapped in a breezy indifference, as though Yuanshi Tianzun were nothing more than a lamb awaiting slaughter. He was clearing aiming for maximum provocation. Even Guan Ya felt a flash of anger listening to it, and the hot tempered Jiang Jingwei ground her teeth so hard her little white canines showed.

So he really is here for Yuanshi, Li Dongze realized. He saw no point in further conversation and set the walkie talkie down.

***

Meanwhile, Little Goofball scrambled forward at speed, phasing through every wall in its path. Within moments, the infant spirit had entered the ground floor lobby.

Bodies lay scattered across the lobby floor. Thick, congealing blood stained the tiles crimson. Over a hundred civilians huddled in clusters near the escalators, the information desk, and along the walls, some crouching, others hunched over. Some wept softly, and others trembled uncontrollably. A few seethed in silent fury, too terrified to speak.

Two armed men paced among the crowd, scanning their surroundings with vigilant eyes, pausing now and then to grope a young woman with leering grins.

Zhang Yuanqing assessed the situation in his mind. Only two on the first floor. If I ambush them, as long as neither is an Earth Wraith, I can kill them instantly. These bastards really think they've got me cornered? Pulling a stunt this big? You want to die, I'll oblige.

He suppressed his rage and guided Little Goofball toward the second floor. Despite the fact he was still a baby barely sprouting its first wisps of hair, the infant spirit moved with startling speed.

The second floor's waiting hall was also packed with hostages. Little Goofball didn't linger, continuing straight up the stairs. The third floor was completely deserted. The people had either been herded down to the second floor or had found hiding spots in the chaos.

Finally, the infant spirit reached the fourth floor. A gaunt middle-aged man stood over the crowd of hostages in the waiting area, a pistol in his left hand and a short blade in his right.

His cold, sharp gaze swept across the hostages as he barked, "Hands on your heads and get down! Anyone who doesn't cooperate gets a bullet through the skull."

The hostages obeyed, trembling, their faces masks of terror.

Zhang Yuanqing scanned every medical worker carefully. Auntie isn't here, and she wasn't in the lobby either.

Then, a series of screams erupted from deeper within the obstetrics department. It seemed there were two kidnappers on the fourth floor, with a third one inside dragging people out.

His heart sank as he steered Little Goofball toward the sounds.

***

Inside her office, Dr. Zhao grew pale as she listened to her colleagues' screams, her plump body shaking uncontrollably. Her face was a portrait of raw terror.

"They're... they're coming up here..." she wailed.

She turned and saw that Xiao Jiang had gone equally white, but the young woman, with her swift, clever instincts, was already pulling her down behind the desk. "Get under the desk. Hide."

Dr. Zhao squeezed beneath the desk, the enclosed space offering a thin thread of reassurance. She strained her ears, listening to the commotion outside, and whispered frantically, "Where are the officers? Why aren't they here yet? Are they going to kill us? Where are the officers?"

Jiang Yu'er kept her voice low and steady. "It's okay. Someone will come for us."

Her tone was calm, her expression unwavering. Dr. Zhao had no idea where this young woman found such confidence or conviction, but it settled her nerves nonetheless.

Then the office door exploded inward with a savage kick. The thunderous bang of the door slamming against the wall caused Dr. Zhao to flinch so hard she curled into a ball and clamp both hands over her mouth.

The man in the doorway paused for a few seconds, then his voice emerged, rough as gravel. "Get out here. Don't make me start shooting."

The blood drained from Dr. Zhao's face entirely. She felt Xiao Jiang squeeze her shoulder once, and the young woman slipped out from under the desk.

The man in the doorway was built like a bull, with a buzz cut, narrow triangular eyes, and a face twisted with menace. When he saw the woman who emerged from beneath the desk, his brutish features went blank with surprise.

A moment later, those triangular eyes blazed with a predatory gleam. "Lao Xu! Come see what I found! Hah! Come see what I found!"

"What, is your mother giving birth in there?" the wiry man outside shouted back with a crude laugh.

"I found a total knockout," the big man said as he rubbed his head vigorously, practically salivating. "Holy shit, a dump like this hospital and they've got a girl like this in here? Watch the door. I'm having some fun first."

The woman in front of him wore a white lab coat. Her face was soft and round, with delicate features. She was already stunning at first glance, and the longer he looked at her, the more her loveliness grew. He was especially drawn to the beauty mark beneath her right eye, which gave her beauty an alluring, almost vulnerable edge.

"How hot are we talking?" The wiry man outside asked, clearly getting curious.

"Just... freaking gorgeous, alright?" The big man said. He clearly wasn't a learned man.

Xiao Jiang... Dr. Zhao's heart filled with despair. No one was coming to save them. Even if the public security officers stormed the building, it would be ages from now.

She couldn't help but raise her head and look at Xiao Jiang. This sweet, delicate young woman who was always so soft spoken was facing down her oppressor with narrowed eyes. There was not a single trace of fear or panic on her face.

The next instant, though, her demeanor shifted completely. She stumbled backward in apparent terror, eyes brimming with unshed tears, one hand clutching at her chest. Her voice came out small and broken, quivering with a pitiful sob.

"Please... please don't come any closer..."

***

In the SUV outside the hospital, Zhang Yuanqing watched the scene unfolding in the office through Little Goofball's eyes.

Damn it! He cursed inwardly as he bolted upright, words tumbling out of his mouth in a rapid-fire stream. "Squad Leader, my aunt is in danger. I'm moving now! I'll hold out until Yuan Ting arrives."

Before Li Dongze or anyone else could react, he vanished from their midst.

In an instant, it was as though a fuse had gone off. The atmosphere inside the van grew taut with urgency.

Li Dongze threw out a sharp gesture, signaling Teng Yuan to enter the hospital, then locked eyes with Wang Tai. "Get into that surveillance system. Now."

With the orders given, Li Dongze pushed the transmit button on the walkie talkie, keeping his voice controlled and deliberate. "He's here. He's entered the hospital. Whatever you do, don't harm the hostages."

Li Xianzong's languid voice drifted out through the speaker.

—Good. Send him to the first floor lobby. And no ducking into camera blind spots, if not I won't be able to guarantee the safety of the hostages.

***

The transmission ended.

Inside the surveillance room of the hospital, Li Xianzong snatched up a second walkie talkie.

"All units, full alert. The fish has taken the bait."

Inside the obstetrics office, the big man heard the message crackle from the walkie talkie clipped to his chest. He frowned, mulled it over for a few seconds, then snorted dismissively.

He wasn't one of Li Xianzong's subordinates. He had tagged along for the thrill of it, pure and simple. His motive was revenge against the world, not hunting down some "Yuanshi Tianzun."

Besides, his time was running out. Might as well go wild before the end.

The big man tucked his pistol into his waistband, licked his lips, and advanced on Jiang Yu'er. "I liked that look on your face earlier. You look so tempting when you're scared."

He felt a sudden chill settle on his shoulder, like a slab of ice pressing against his skin. He reached up instinctively to brush it off, but his fingers found nothing.

Two seconds later, his vision went black.

Without an instant's hesitation, the big man threw himself to the side while engulfing his body in searing flames. He willed the flames to surge outward, and they swelled into a roaring wave of fire that swept through the office. It was a preemptive defense against any hidden attacker trying to close the distance.

A sudden burst of pain erupted in his chest. He felt it clearly—something tearing through his flesh and muscle. The sensation was intimately familiar. It was that of a bullet punching through his body. But he hadn't heard a gunshot.

The pain came again. And again. Bullets hammered into his chest one after another, shredding his heart to pulp.

By this time, the blindness had faded. He stared in stunned disbelief toward the desk. A young man stood there, his face, the backs of his hands, and his chest mottled with angry red burns. In his grip was a large caliber pistol with a dark crimson housing. He stood in front of the female doctor, shielding her from the flames.

His eyes were cold as he spoke. "I like your expression right now. You look pretty tempting yourself, right before you die."