Realm Walker

Li Chunfeng's expression was one of genuine surprise. "So it really is the sorcerer."

He paused to think, then ventured a guess. "Is it because of the story Granny Wang told?"

Zhang Yuanqing nodded. "In Granny Wang's story, the sorcerer was hired by Squire Zhao. He subdued the demoness who'd been cutting out people's hearts and livers. By any normal logic, the sorcerer is a stronger character than both the blacksmith and Squire Zhao combined. There's no way the dungeon would pit the Evil team against the strongest boss right from the start."

Granny Wang's story and Xu Xiu'er's account corroborated each other. In the old woman's tale, a demoness had been harvesting human organs, and Squire Zhao had brought in a sorcerer to exorcise her. In Xu Xiu'er's version, Granny Wang's son and Squire Zhao had conspired to murder the descendant of the Yin Yang Hermit. The common thread was clear: both groups had been working against the hermit's descendant.

The sorcerer was almost certainly a real figure as well. If Squire Zhao and Granny Wang's son had been capable of dealing with that woman on their own, they would have done it by themselves. In that case, Granny Wang would never have needed a sorcerer character in her story at all; she would have spun an entirely different tale.

Of course, until he received a confirmation from the Spirit Realm, this remained Zhang Yuanqing's speculation.

There was one more thing he finally understood: the person who had arranged the setup inside Granny Wang's house was the sorcerer.

"That sorcerer should be a Hex Master," Queen said abruptly.

Zhang Yuanqing glanced at her. So she'd figured it out too. After confirming that Xu Xiu'er wasn't the one behind the curses, reading the Spirit Realm notification, and recalling Granny Wang's story, it would have been a shame if she hadn't pieced it all together, given her Level 3 Water Ghost status.

"If he can set up curses, he's definitely a Hex Master," Li Chunfeng agreed. "But the descendant of the Yin Yang Hermit could use curses too. Does that mean the Hermit was also of an Evil class?"

Queen shook her head. "Nobody actually knows the Yin Yang Hermit's true identity. Some strategy guides mention the townspeople saying he could summon wind and rain, or command raging fire to drive off bandits. Now we can add curses to the list of abilities. It was likely that those abilities he demonstrated were from items."

"Hold on," Fire Virtue cut in. "The quest we've been following doesn't even have a walkthrough?"

He'd always assumed the Five Elements Alliance's official database contained guides for every Spirit Realm dungeon.

"Transcendent-tier dungeons are absurdly numerous," Queen explained patiently. "Many people only enter a handful of them before reaching Saint tier. Some Walkers enter as few as two dungeons total before hitting Level 2."

Guan Ya stole another glance at her gorgeous, commanding colleague. One of the telltale signs that a woman is fond of a man is how often she finds reasons to bring him up in conversation.

With that thought, she turned to peek at Yuanshi and found him deep in contemplation, his eyes on the ground.

The Demon Lord must have walked down the same quest path we're on, Zhang Yuanqing realized. That's how he realized in hindsight that the dungeon contained a hidden quest. It would have been obvious. Even I could have analyzed that much. But that lecher had already given himself to Widow Xu and killed the Cursed Cat, so the hidden quest never triggered.

Also, I think I finally understand why the Yin Yang Town dungeon has multiple "routes." Every team's overall strength varies. Most groups probably get wiped out during the Cursed Cat and Widow Xu segments, so different routes correspond to different power levels.

While he was lost in thought, Li Chunfeng spoke up. "Before we head to the town's center, I think we should work out our tactics. Don't worry, a few minutes won't change the big picture."

Given the difficulty of this dungeon, the final boss obviously wasn't something either side could dispatch in minutes. By Li Chunfeng's reasoning, because of the three-way standoff, if their team didn't show, the Evil team probably wouldn't dare engage the boss either. Nobody wanted to fight on two fronts.

His suggestion earned a nod from team captain Zhang Yuanqing. "Lotus Eater can't fight anymore. Guan Ya, Queen, what percentage of your combat strength remains?"

Queen took stock of herself. "About seventy percent."

She hadn't been physically wounded, but like Lotus Eater, her vital energy had been severely depleted. The diluted Essence of Life had made up for most of the deficit. Without it, she would have been at thirty or forty percent at best.

Guan Ya's situation was different. The gunshot wound in her leg had stopped bleeding and was slowly healing, but injuries were always troublesome. The wound and the pain made her leg stiff, drastically hampering her mobility.

"Fifty percent in melee combat, but a hundred percent in ranged combat," she reported with cool precision.

Zhang Yuanqing rapidly ran through the calculations. Lotus Eater's out. That drops us to six. Li Chunfeng is a Scholar, and that tiny physical boost of his might as well be nothing against Evil-class Walkers. Guan Ya's our sniper. That means there are only four of us who can actually hold the front line against our opponents. Grass Upon the Plains is a Level 2 Wood Specter, a support at best.

Li Chunfeng, well aware of his own limitations, offered a suggestion. "I can stay by Guan Ya's side. A sniper needs a guardian. And if necessary, I can take over the shooting myself. Heh, I'm no good in a fistfight, but I've trained with firearms. I'm proficient with most types of guns."

Zhang Yuanqing turned to the melancholic, quiet youth. "Do you know how to shoot?"

Grass Upon the Plains shook his head. He was a freelance Walker. In a country with strict gun control laws, he had neither the connections nor the channels to practice marksmanship in private, and the Wood Specter class offered no aptitude bonus for firearms.

Zhang Yuanqing produced the Burst Pistol and held it out to Li Chunfeng. "Take this. It packs a serious punch. You and Guan Ya are our long-range damage dealers."

Every pair of eyes locked onto the large caliber handgun, and Li Chunfeng accepted it with visible shock.

After scanning the information on the item, excitement flooded his face. "What an incredible weapon!"

Curiosity and envy rippled through the group, along with a shared sense of awe at their captain's generosity. Judging by Li Chunfeng's reaction, this item Yuanshi Tianzun handed over must be seriously powerful. And he just... lent it out, like it was nothing...

Zhang Yuanqing's reasoning for giving away the Burst Pistol was simple. He would have to engage the Evil team head on, which meant he would be involved in close quarters combat. He was already armed with the Thug's Gauntlets, and adding a Fire Sage pistol to the mix would almost certainly make him feel as though he could take them all on. He'd charge recklessly into the enemy ranks without a second thought, and that would be suicide.

Next, he pulled out the Straw Doll and handed it to the Earth Wraith, Lotus Eater.

"When the fighting starts, don't show yourself. Stay hidden in the back and use this against the Evil team."

The Straw Doll required several seconds of preparation before activation, making it nearly impossible to use in melee combat. Giving it to Lotus Eater was, in a sense, putting an idle resource to perfect use.

Lotus Eater took the doll, read the item description, and his expression of shock was even more exaggerated than Li Chunfeng's had been.

"This... this..." The scrawny young man was stunned speechless. Am I really allowed to use something like this? I've never even touched such a high-end item in my entire life...

Queen, Fire Virtue, and the others stared blankly at their captain. He gave away another one? Just how rich is this guy? I want one too...

"That's all I've got," Zhang Yuanqing said hastily, waving his hands in front of him.

Fair enough, the rest of the team conceded. After giving away two items in a row, he probably had one left at most. There was no way he had more spares to give out.

Zhang Yuanqing was busy defending himself in his mind. The Thug's Gauntlets grant me agility, the Eye of the Observer lets me predict enemy attacks, the Bloodthirsty Blade is a melee powerhouse, and the Demon-subduing Awl's purification counters Enchanting Demons and Illusionists. Those four close combat essentials can't be loaned out.

The Red Dancing Shoes are my core item, and the Red Bridal Veil is my lifeline. The Disguise Ring has no combat application, and as for the Celestial Toad Incense Burner, is it going to poison the enemy, or me? See? I really don't have anything left.

Li Chunfeng tucked away his new weapon with barely contained glee and laid out the formation. "Yuanshi, Fire Virtue, and Queen will take the front line. Grass Upon the Plains plays support, looking for openings. Guan Ya and I will output damage from range. Lotus Eater, use the Straw Doll at your own discretion based on the situation."

***

The river that wound lazily through Yin Yang Town flowed through the heart of the settlement, splitting the town square in two.

The town square was an open area that served the townspeople as a place for drying grain, holding gatherings, conducting trade, and taking part in all manner of communal activity. Flat washing stones lined the bank where the current ran a little faster, worn smooth by generations of laundry.

A figure draped in a black robe stood in the middle of the clearing, face tilted upward, basking in the sunlight as though savoring the simple miracle of seeing the sky again. He had been trapped inside the town for an eternity, and the endless darkness had been enough to drive anyone mad.

On the southern side of the clearing, in one of the narrow alleys, Little Goofball poked his head out with exaggerated caution. His big round eyes, glossy and dark as polished stones, darted left and right as he scanned the area.

Deeper in the alley, Zhang Yuanqing and his teammates stood with their backs pressed against the walls.

"The sorcerer is standing in the open, staring into space," Zhang Yuanqing reported in hushed tones. "There's no sign of the Evil team anywhere. Li Chunfeng was right. They're lurking, waiting. Hmph. Sitting back and hoping to watch us fight it out for them. Typical Evil-class cowardice."

But... aren't we doing the exact same thing? Fire Virtue thought to himself.

"Then let's wait a bit longer," Queen said cautiously.

***

On the other side of the clearing, in another alley, a gaunt middle-aged man pressed his back to the wall and risked a quick glance around the corner before pulling his head back.

He retreated into the depths of the alley, treading along a narrow path of moss-covered flagstones and cobblestones until he reached his companions.

"The Lawful brats are cunning," he reported. "Not a single one poked their head out."

He paused, then offered a suggestion. "Forget the sorcerer for now. Let's flush them out and deal with them first."

This three-way standoff was the most stable configuration. Neither the Lawful nor Evil teams wanted to be cannon fodder, but wanted the other side to play that role.

The young man missing his left ear gave a cold snort. "This is a test of patience now. Let's hope they've got a Fire Sage on their team."

The man in the tailored suit shook his head. "Even if they had one, he's probably dead by now, and is unlikely to have survived to the final act. Right now, it all comes down to patience."

Li Xianzong considered this for a moment, then spoke. "We wait. The most patient hunter gets the kill. Give me a moment to think of something."

***

Minutes crawled by.

Fire Virtue's last shred of patience evaporated.

"Fuck it, I can't take it anymore! Let's just go!"

Li Chunfeng and Grass Upon the Plains each grabbed one of his shoulders and held him in place.

"Patience! You need patience!" Li Chunfeng urged.

Zhang Yuanqing mulled it over. "A little longer. We need to be the hunters, not the prey. If you really can't hold out, then we'll pull back and try to pick up the Evil team's trail instead."

"Remember what the guide said? The team that reaches the square first receives a bonus reward," said Guan Ya. "The Spirit Realm notification just told us to kill the sorcerer to trigger the final battle. In other words, whoever kills the sorcerer will claim the reward."

Zhang Yuanqing swept his gaze across the group. "I have an idea."

***

The gaunt man stared at Li Xianzong, astonishment plain on his face. "Burst down the sorcerer? Are you sure you can take down the final boss that fast? Based on the blacksmith's and Squire Zhao's power levels, this sorcerer is very likely at the Saint tier. Even if he's only Level 4, he's still a Saint."

"Have you forgotten about this?" Li Xianzong said, flipping his palm over to reveal a steel needle crusted with dried blood.

The young man missing his left ear recalled the item's description and his eyes lit up. "It can kill the sorcerer outright, and even if it doesn't, it'll deal a crippling blow. If we all pile on, we can finish off a critically wounded Saint without a problem. Don't forget, Li Xianzong has killed Saints before."

"Once we move, I'll release the fog to blind the Lawful team. Stay close to me and we end this fast." Li Xianzong paused. "But before that, give me a few minutes."

He walked to one side, draped a filthy, reeking coat over his shoulders, dropped to his knees, pressed his palms together, and began to pray.

"Let me kill the sorcerer. Let the operation go smoothly... Let me kill the sorcerer. Let the operation go smoothly..."

A Hex Master item from the Saint tier, the gaunt man noted as he watched with undisguised covetousness.

***

"Hmm, kill the sorcerer before the Evil team can react and claim the reward? Not a bad plan, but the difficulty is enormous," Li Chunfeng said as he stroked his chin.

Zhang Yuanqing confidently laid out his reasoning. "Given Yin Yang Town's difficulty rating, the sorcerer is almost certainly a Saint. Otherwise, we'd just take turns humiliating him. But he's capped at Level 4 at most. Any stronger, and both teams would be the ones getting humiliated, which would break the balance."

"If we coordinate and deploy targeted countermeasures, striking when he's unprepared, the odds are heavily in our favor. I have an item that can purify a Hex Master's curses, though it's less effective against toxins."

"I have antidote pills," Grass Upon the Plains said immediately. "They can nullify the effects of poisons."

Guan Ya weighed in as well. "I can provide covering fire. Even a Saint is going to take damage from my bullets."

"I can use the Straw Doll to curse him," Lotus Eater chimed in eagerly. "It might not work perfectly against a Hex Master, but it'll at least interfere."

Li Chunfeng added, "The pistol Yuanshi gave me has an armor piercing effect. I'll support Guan Ya's shots."

After a round of discussion and a finalized battle plan, Zhang Yuanqing spoke in a hard, commanding tone.

"Move out!"

***

"Move out!"

Li Xianzong didn't even bother removing the coat as he led his team and changed out of the alley, butterfly knife in one hand and carved wooden box in the other.

The very moment he burst into the sunlight, Li Xianzong saw a group of figures pouring out of the alley diagonally across the clearing.

What? The Evil-aligned scum are coming out?

Damn it. The Lawful brats are all here?

Both sides were caught completely off guard. Expressions froze on every face as all of them frantically skidded to a halt.

Both teams had spent all that time scheming to ambush the enemy, only to discover that the enemy had cooked up the exact same scheme.