Realm Walker

The middle-aged man's guard dropped a fraction at the question, wariness giving way to suspicious scrutiny.

"Are you from the Public Security Bureau, or the Disciplinary Committee?" he asked hesitantly.

A flicker of red light pulsed through the Demon Eye Heavenly King's irises and vanished.

He smiled at the middle-aged man. "Whatever you think I am, that's what I am."

His words carried a strange, persuasive weight, as though the very air bent around them. The middle aged man's eyes went blank for an instant before flooding with relief. He scrambled aside, clearing the doorway, voice bright with excitement.

"So you're from the Disciplinary Committee! Come in, come in, please, we've been waiting so long for someone like you..."

The Demon Eye Heavenly King gave a dignified nod and stepped inside. His gaze swept the apartment in a single pass. The furniture was plain and cheap, with nothing of value anywhere in sight, let alone any smart home gadgets. He finally settled onto the living room sofa.

He accepted the disposable cup the man offered and took a sip of tea. "I've already reviewed the materials you submitted, but I'd like to hear it again in your own words. Fill in any gaps."

In truth, he had tracked this place down through his subordinates operating in the black market.

Upon arriving in Songhai, the Demon Eye Heavenly King's very first order to his followers embedded in the city had been simple: collect intelligence on corruption. Rank didn't matter. Scale did.

If bloodlust was the addiction that gnawed at every Enchanting Demon, then this was the Demon Eye Heavenly King's fix. He needed to kill corrupt officials and thugs who preyed on the weak. If he went too long without it, the urge to annihilate everything around him would swell beyond control, and he'd degenerate into a mindless engine of slaughter.

"Alright." The middle aged man took a steadying breath. "Most of those 'financial companies' in Puning District are loan sharks, and every last one of them operates under the protection of Zhou Yan, the bureau chief of Kangyang District's Public Security Bureau. Different-sized companies target different victims. The ones with strong capital lend to small and medium businesses, while the tier below them targets individuals with assets.

"But they're not just ordinary lending platforms. They run casinos. They lure people in to gamble, rigging every table, and running pig butchering scams. Everyone who walks through those doors ends up losing everything. And once they're broke, the companies swoop in to offer them loans.

"To make sure the money comes back, these companies employ gangs of enforcers. Debt collectors show up every single day, harassing the borrowers, making scenes at their homes. Calling the police is useless, because someone up top is shielding them. The thugs get detained for a few days at most, then they're right back at it. They keep squeezing until the debtor sells their house or jumps off a building. They have a saying in their circles: 'When the debtor dies, the debt dies too.'"

The man took a breath to steady himself before continuing. "That's how they killed my son. He was a business school student. They tricked him into a casino and he got hooked. The money came too fast, the highs and lows too extreme. Once he'd tasted it, there was no going back to a normal life.

"My son told me some of these companies specifically target college students. A lot of kids at his school got caught up in it, girls included. And those financial companies run prostitution rings behind closed doors as well, controlling all the female students who owe them money..."

The Demon Eye Heavenly King listened in silence, nodding occasionally and sipping his tea. Before he knew it, the cup was empty. Only then did he rise.

"I've received your report. Thank you for your cooperation."

The middle aged man froze, then lurched forward in alarm. "Wait, I haven't given you the evidence yet! Let me go get it..."

He limped toward the bedroom. By the time he returned with the documents, the young man was gone.

"Another one just going through the motions!" the man yelled, slamming his fist into the wall.

He went still, and it hit him all at once: that young man had never actually confirmed his identity. He hadn't even claimed to be a government official.

Why did I let a stranger into my home and tell him all of that? he wondered.

***

That evening, Zhang Yuanqing was texting Guan Ya.

Zhang Yuanqing: Anything going on at work lately? Has anyone been following you? Maybe you should just skip work for a while and hide out at Fu Qingyang's villa.

Guan Ya: Heh. Do you know how to kill a Sovereign-tier Walker with the least amount of effort?

Zhang Yuanqing: Gather five elders and gang up on him?

Guan Ya: You find a legitimate way to drain his Morality to zero, so the Spirit Realm broadcasts his real time location and the entire city hunts him down.

Zhang Yuanqing: And how exactly would you pull that off?

Guan Ya: Simple. You implant a device in your body that detonates or releases toxic gas upon death, then you stand in the middle of a crowd. The moment the Demon Eye Heavenly King kills you, a bunch of civilians die with you. Under the Morality penalty system, he bears the lion's share of responsibility and gets hit with a massive Morality deduction.

Zhang Yuanqing: What the hell? That's actually a thing? What's the logic behind it?

He didn't have a deep understanding of the Morality penalty system. All he knew was that killing someone cost ten points, theft and robbery cost less than ten, and incidents involving mass casualties were calculated separately.

Guan Ya: It's straightforward. I have a right to carry flammable or explosive materials. As long as I don't use them to kill anyone, I won't be penalized in terms of Morality. And as long as I die before the explosion, I'm not penalized either, because the blast occurs after my death, and the dead aren't subject to deductions. Of course, the explosion has to be passive. It has to be triggered because the Demon Eye Heavenly King killed you. If you actively detonate it before dying, that's on you, not him.

Zhang Yuanqing more or less understood what she was saying. In short, one could apply a buff to oneself, through items or other means, that would cause a massive explosion upon death, and the whole thing hinged on the distinction between subjective intent and objective causation.

For example, if the Red Dancing Shoes were an item that automatically exploded the moment their owner died, that was an inherent, unalterable property of the item. It existed objectively. So if the Demon Eye Heavenly King killed him and the Red Dancing Shoes detonated, killing innocent bystanders, then the Demon Eye Heavenly King would be the one who suffered the Morality penalty for causing the tragedy.

Conversely, if Zhang Yuanqing strapped a timed bomb to himself, intending to take the Demon Eye Heavenly King down with him, and ended up killing the surrounding civilians, that had nothing to do with the Demon Eye Heavenly King. The responsibility fell entirely on Yuanshi Tianzun.

Zhang Yuanqing: So what's the point?

Guan Ya: Elder Teddy issued Explosion Flower seeds to everyone in Squad Two. If our hearts stop beating, the seeds detonate with the force of ten high explosive grenades. But obviously, it's mainly a deterrent for self defense. A last resort.

The Explosion Flower seed was a plant that existed objectively within the Spirit Realm. Detonating upon its carrier's death was a property of the seed itself and had nothing to do with the carrier's intentions. The carrier harbored no subjective desire to harm anyone.

Zhang Yuanqing: I keep feeling like the Morality system is really subjective. Was this whole scheme Elder Teddy's idea?

Guan Ya: It's a set of rules that generations of Spirit Realm Walkers figured out through trial and error. The Evil side knows about it too.

Zhang Yuanqing: That mutt elder is such a scumbag, using my beloved Sis Guan Ya as a pawn. I'm going to march over there right now and demand justice for you.

A few minutes passed.

Zhang Yuanqing: Hey, why aren't you saying anything?

Guan Ya: I'm waiting for you to go get me that justice.

Zhang Yuanqing: ...Next time for sure.

Guan Ya: By the way, did you join Fu Qingyang's White Tiger Guard?

Zhang Yuanqing: Centurion Fu practically begged me to do so on his knees, saying that without a genius like me, the White Tiger Guard would sink into obscurity. He implored me to stand beside him and restore the Guard to its former glory.

Guan Ya: I just forwarded that to Fu Qingyang.

Zhang Yuanqing: Sis, let's talk about this...

Guan Ya: I've got something to take care of soon, so I'll stop messing around. Here's the thing. The large-scale slaughter dungeon is happening in June. Barring surprises, it should open around mid-June, so there's a little over a month left. Per Five Elements Alliance tradition, in early June, headquarters holds tournaments and trial battles, inviting Transcendent- and Saint-tier experts to participate.

Guan Ya: On one hand, its purpose is to identify seed candidates with potential for future development. On the other hand, it serves as a warm up for the slaughter dungeon. With your reputation and talent, you'll definitely be expected to compete. Make sure you review the files when you get a chance. There are quite a few powerful Walkers at the Transcendent tier within the Alliance. I'm just not sure whether Taiyi Sect will participate this year.

Zhang Yuanqing: Is there a prize for first place?

Guan Ya: Sure. Group commendations, money, and items. That's how it's been in previous years, though it changes sometimes. You'd have to wait for the official announcement from headquarters. It's too early to speculate.

Zhang Yuanqing: Got it. And don't forget to follow up on that Zhou Yan thing I asked you to look into.

Guan Ya: Yeah, yeah. I'll submit a report through the Bureau's internal system. But don't get your hopes up. An official at Zhou Yan's level only falls if she loses a political power struggle. Ordinary whistleblowing has little effect.

They chatted for a few more minutes until Guan Ya left to handle her business. Zhang Yuanqing finally set his phone down and stretched lazily across the bed.

Because of the Demon Eye Heavenly King situation, he'd been excused from work for the past few days. His routine had been simplified to attending classes, practicing combat techniques on his own, awkwardly dancing with his uncle, and gaming with his little aunt. Rinse and repeat.

Whenever he had free time, he'd message Guan Ya, showing off his increasingly refined flirting skills to the open-minded lady.

After lounging for a while, Zhang Yuanqing sat up and opened his notebook. He laid out everything he needed to do and everything looming on the horizon in a neat summary.

His first priority was to evade the Demon Eye Heavenly King's bounty and find the right opportunity to report his whereabouts to the five Elders. This was a matter of life and death, so it came first.

Second, his solo dungeon would be opening soon. There was no hurry, since at least two weeks remained, but he needed to grow as strong as possible before it began.

The returns from devouring spirits for power had diminished so much that such a strategy could essentially be abandoned. What Zhang Yuanqing really wanted was to hunt down a Level 3 Enchanting Demon and refine it into a yin corpse.

The Nocturnal Specter's key class specialties were assassin and necromancer. That was important. He couldn't afford to neglect his class's core identity.

Thirdly, the official tournament Guan Ya had just mentioned. A strong finish there could significantly improve his odds of clearing the solo dungeon.

Fourthly, the large-scale slaughter dungeon. Whether he could rise to become one of the true powerhouses among Spirit Realm Walkers all hinged on that mid-year dungeon. Saint-tier Walkers formed the backbone of every major organization. Reaching it meant becoming a genuinely formidable force.

***

Night fell, deep and heavy. After the sun sank below the horizon, the sweltering air finally let up, offering a sliver of coolness.

Atop a decrepit apartment building, a young man wearing a sports headband stood at the edge of the railing, gazing out at the glittering lights that blanketed the city. Behind him, a middle-aged woman sat slumped on the concrete. She wore an immaculate business suit, every inch the corporate elite.

Even in this situation, Zhou Yan maintained the composure and poise befitting a leader. "Young man, you should know who I am. Whatever your reasons, we can negotiate. Any demands you have, I'll do my best to accommodate."

She had been ambushed in the parking garage of her residential complex right after work, knocked unconscious by an assailant lying in wait. When she came to, she'd found herself on this unfamiliar rooftop with no one but this young man for company.

After a brief flash of panic, Zhou Yan had steadied herself, probing for his identity and the purpose of the kidnapping, searching for an opening to negotiate.

The Demon Eye Heavenly King turned away from the cityscape to face her. "You are Zhou Yan, Bureau Chief of Kangyang District's Public Security Bureau. Correct?"

Zhou Yan kept her tone warm and her words carefully measured. "If there's anything you need help with, just say the word. I'm a public servant. The people's business is my business."

The Demon Eye Heavenly King's smile stretched wide and brilliant. "Well, that puts my mind at ease."

He strode over, seized her, and dragged her to the edge of the rooftop.

Zhou Yan looked down. The sheer drop sent waves of vertigo crashing through her skull, and the composure she'd clung to shattered. Her voice came out trembling.

"What are you doing? Don't be rash! I told you, whatever it is, you can bring it up and I'll accommodate you. Please. Being impulsive won't solve anything."

The Demon Eye Heavenly King was unmoved. He spoke as if she weren't there at all.

"There's one thing I despise above all else: punishing individuals without first stating their crimes. Someone filed a report against you for colluding with criminal organizations..."

He rattled off her crimes one by one, smiling all the while. Then, under the weight of Zhou Yan's terrified gaze, he hoisted her into the air and lifted her over the edge of the rooftop.

The woman who'd once sat in the halls of power turned white as a sheet. She begged desperately, one hand clamped around the Demon Eye Heavenly King's arm, the other grasping wildly for the railing, her entire body quaking.

The Demon Eye Heavenly King bared his teeth in a grin. "The people don't need you to serve them. The people just want you dead."

His fingers opened, and Zhou Yan plummeted from the rooftop.

He didn't bother looking down. Instead, his gaze drifted across the sprawling, luminous metropolis.

"Time to get down to business," he murmured to himself. "Let's see how many Spirit Realm Walkers are hiding in this area."

He pulled off his headband, revealing a vertical eye set into his forehead. Its sclera was a deep, angry red, its pupil a burning gold crimson, radiating cold indifference, violence, and madness.

The Enchanting Eye.

This was the demonic eye that was born when the Enchanting Demon's signature Charm skill had been cultivated to the utmost extreme, and the Enchanting Demon gained absolute mastery over its application.

Any Spirit Realm Walker below the Sovereign tier who locked gazes with that eye would suffer severe psychic trauma at best, or be driven to fatal madness at worst. Even elder-level Walkers were not immune to the Enchanting Eye's influence.

The eye's power was so overwhelming that it had to be sealed with a special item at all times. Without the seal, every living creature in the Demon Eye Heavenly King's path would plunge into mortal insanity.

Beyond that, the eye could detect Spirit Realm aura, picking out powerful Walkers concealed among the teeming masses of ordinary people.

Back in the northern territories, he had used this very ability to locate the palace master of Slaughter Cessation Palace.

The downside was that the method was only marginally better than searching for a needle in a haystack. The mental strain was enormous, and if he accidentally swept his mental gaze over an elder-level figure, he risked alerting them to his presence.

The gold-crimson pupil trembled violently, and a beam of blood red light, invisible to ordinary eyes, erupted outward. It pierced silently through buildings of steel and concrete, sweeping across the surrounding area like a searchlight.

It didn't take long. The Demon Eye Heavenly King quickly spotted a Spirit Realm Walker and locked onto his first target.