An ancient tomb? A team lost in thick mist? Zhang Yuanqing turned his head toward the living room, lowering his voice: "The ancient tomb in Jinhui City where a bronze sculpture was unearthed?" "Did you know?" Fu Qingyang asked. "I saw the news last night," Zhang Yuanqing explained briefly, adding, "I've also seen this morning's report—the mist must be released by the Mist Master, right? Some evil characters are trying to seize the bronze sculpture?" As he spoke, he opened the wardrobe and instructed Xue Ruai to climb out through the window of the bedroom, using the air conditioning unit as a ladder to reach the window on the outer corridor. His grandparents were both at home, so it wouldn't be proper for Xue Ruai to leave openly. "No," Fu Qingyang replied, making Zhang Yuanqing pause mid-step, "according to current intelligence, the source of the mist is the bronze sculpture itself." "Really? The source is the bronze sculpture?" The explanation from Fu Qingyang came through the speaker: "The bronze sculpture unearthed from the tomb by the archaeological team is unusual. On the very day it arrived at the museum, the archaeological team and museum staff lost contact. When the security officers arrived on the scene, they found the museum shrouded in thick fog. They dispatched three security officers into the museum to locate the missing personnel, but those three officers also lost contact. The news was relayed back to the security headquarters, only to find that the headquarters staff too had vanished—swallowed by the fog spreading out from the museum. Three minutes later, the security officers themselves lost contact as well. That night, a resident steward from Jin Hui City led a small team deep into the fog to investigate, only to lose contact afterward. By this morning, the fog has spread out from the museum, enveloping an area spanning more than ten miles. Ordinary people trapped in the thick fog have undergone dramatic changes in temperament—attacking anyone they encounter. Those just entering the fog behave like aimless, headless flies, unable to find their way out. Over time, their very nature transforms. The official envoy from Jinhui City reported the matter to Hangcheng Branch, which immediately dispatched personnel to Jinhui. As of now, the situation has not been effectively controlled or resolved, and Hangcheng Branch has just called Hangsea Branch, requesting their patrol team to join the investigation. Fu Qingyang's voice was clear and precise, like that of a news announcer. Mist—bronze sculpture, likely a mist-level artifact. Strange. Bronze sculptures are unearthed from tombs; their owners should have passed away long ago. How come the artifact hasn't been reclaimed by the Spirit Realm? More accurately, how come the tomb itself hasn't been taken over by the Spirit Realm? Zhang Yuanqing's mind flashed with questions. "Ah!" she breathed. "If the mist continues to spread, won't it eventually affect the entire Jinhui City? And, boss, how can there be tombs related to Spirit Realm envoys in the real world?" The Sanshan Lady Temple of the Old Sturdy Man, existing in the real world, was later "absorbed" by the Spirit Realm and transformed into a quest realm. That's exactly what you need to investigate. At the beginning, you'll represent the Songhai Division Patrol Team and go to Jinhui City. Feel free to contact me if you encounter any issues," Fu Qingyang said. How could I possibly go myself when I still have to accompany my aunt shopping today? Well, I'm just complaining, Zhang Yuqing replied, "Understood!" After all, if everything had to be personally handled by the senior monks, then what would be the point of having so many stewards and team leaders. The fact that the elder from Hangzhou Division hasn't stepped in indicates the situation hasn't yet reached the "master-level" severity. Zhang Yuqing hung up the phone and immediately received a location update from Fu Qingyang, accompanied by a message: "This mission's gathering points for all teams." He opened the map, and the address was a hotel in Jinhui City, about thirty kilometers away from the museum. With his phone securely in hand, Zhang Yuqing knocked on his aunt's door. "Oh, I'm still not quite ready yet!" came a soft, gentle voice from the bedroom. "I'm not going shopping anymore..." As soon as Zhang Yuanqing finished speaking, the door to the bedroom opened, and his aunt, fresh from a light makeup, stood there with a cold, composed demeanor, staring at him and saying coldly, "Give me a reason I can't refuse." Zhang Yuanqing didn't hesitate—he pulled his aunt inside, but she pushed his hand away in frustration. "I just received a mission from the headquarters of Huaguo Long Group. I need to head to Jinhui City. There, a group of evil antagonists is causing chaos, and they need my very special talents as the city's top asset from Songhai to resolve the situation," he said with an expression of utmost seriousness. He knew his aunt was deeply interested in the spiritual realm heroes, often asking questions about them. Zhang Yuanqing had always brushed off these inquiries with vague stories—sometimes saying he had recently solved the case of the octopus doctor, or that his five-million-yuan performance this year was thanks to the contributions of a strange hero who traveled on flying skateboards. Jiang Yuyi remained skeptical, always feeling that these villains seemed familiar, yet couldn't quite place where she had seen them before. Upon hearing this, his aunt asked with You mentioned the Special Agents Team earlier, didn't you?" Zhang Yuanqing paused, mentally wondering if he had indeed said "Special Agents Team." "...The Special Agents Team is part of Long Group," he firmly established a subordinate relationship between the team and Long Group. "You can check the news—this has already made it onto the news." Upon hearing this, Xiao Ai hurried out, and indeed found her elderly father reading the news about Jinhui City. "Alright, I suppose it doesn't matter when we're out shopping." The naive Xiao Ai immediately believed him and added, "Please be careful, and call me when you return in the evening. If you don't come back, don't forget to give me a call." "Got it!" Zhang Yuanqing waved and quickly stepped out. ... Jinhui City, Lihao Hotel, Conference Room on the 28th floor. The officer in charge of this mission is named "Xia Shu Zhi Lian," a thirty-something woman known for her cool, intelligent demeanor. The swordsman wore military boots, military pants, and a green vest, standing silently by the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing into the distant fog. Under the blazing sun, the gray-white mist appeared frozen, drifting gently among the skyscrapers. Major streets leading into the area had been blocked off by police road barriers, allowing only exit—no entry. The situation had stabilized temporarily, yet remained serious; the fog was spreading slowly and steadily, and within at most two days, it would envelop the entire Jinhui City. At that point, the number of innocent people affected would be unimaginable. Of course, they would surely elevate the incident's status to Sovereign level before that point, summoning the senior monks from Hangcheng Branch—only then would it appear that Hangcheng's saints were falling short. Xia Shu-zhuan turned, facing the stewards and captains gathered at the conference table, and said slowly: "The team led by Yunmeng Steward has also lost contact. I'd like to hear your thoughts, everyone." Just ten minutes ago, a team led by a deacon ventured deep into the mist to investigate, only to lose contact thereafter. At the conference table, sixteen official representatives were seated—three deacons and thirteen captains. Among them were the "Saint of Fire" from the Fire Specialist lineage, the "Flower's Whisper" from the Wood Spirit lineage, the "Bearing All with Gratitude" from the Earth Monster lineage, plus "Summer Tree's Love" and "Yunmeng," who had become lost in the mist. All the saints dispatched from the Hangcheng branch had participated. Others either had work commitments or were on vacation and thus did not join the mission. Theoretically, if these six saints cannot resolve the situation, no further arrival of additional saints will make a difference—then the elders would have to be summoned. As the other two saints furrowed their brows, the Saint of Fire stated directly: "My suggestion is that we each lead our own teams, plunge into the mist, and defeat whatever stands in our way—whether it's gods or demons." The sage stood a full 1.9 meters tall, with a neat haircut and wearing a black vest. His well-defined muscles, especially his biceps, were so strong they rivaled the slender waists of women. His answer was standard—yet none of the four sages acknowledged him. The team leaders maintained a quiet focus, eyes fixed on their noses, minds at ease, remaining silent. After a few seconds, the steward Huayu, dressed in a pleated dress, spoke with a clear, ethereal voice: "The mist of the enchanting spirit is highly disorienting, causing those in the midst to lose their way. Yunmeng is a Level 4 sage and has already been affected—thus, the origin of this mist must be at least Level 5. We need a tool capable of helping us maintain orientation within the mist." The mist of the enchanting spirit is particularly potent, beyond the capabilities of conventional items like compasses. "Thick virtue bears all," Huayu shook her head. "That would require the assistance of the celestial officials, but there are too few of them, and most are stationed in the capital. The officials currently based in the various branches are night-wanderers." The Saint of Fire expressed her displeasure: "All this talk—what's the point? We still have to face it head-on. The longer we're trapped in this thick fog, the more likely we are to lose our composure. It's one thing for the citizens to grow frantic, but what if the small team of Spirit Realm travelers from last night goes berserk? Then countless innocent lives could be lost. Now, injuries and deaths are occurring constantly within the fog. The longer we delay, the worse the situation becomes. Who will bear the responsibility?" "Let's call them up." Upon hearing this, the assistant immediately dialed the "customer service line" at the Songhai branch. After a few seconds, she hung up and said, "They mentioned that they only handle message relaying— they're not aware of the patrol team's specific details. We'll have to wait for updates." The receptionist is only responsible for message transmission and has no authority to speak directly with the patrol team's stewards or senior elders. "Even if we need to venture deep into the fog, we'll have to wait until the Songhai patrol team arrives before we can act collectively!" Huayu Steward sipped her tea, expressing curiosity. "We don't yet know who from Songhai will be coming to assist us." As a top-tier megacity, Songhai boasts a high concentration of elite practitioners, with its patrol team composed of the very best among them—each team leader at minimum a 4th-level Saint. Moreover, the Songhai branch ranks among the top five across all branches, with abundant inventory resources. The stewards of the Songhai patrol team are distinct from those in other branches. After a moment's thought, Xia Shu Zhi Lan said, "I know several patrol captains from the Song Hai branch. As long as one of them arrives, they can indeed force their way into the thick fog." At that moment, the doors of the conference room opened, and a formally dressed, extraordinary traveler led a group of people in. The official travelers seated at the conference table glanced over. Leading the group was a young man in his early twenties, handsome and bright, though somewhat lacking in maturity. Behind him came four women of striking appearance—three mature and radiant, one a vibrant, energetic young girl with fiery red hair. "Mencius the Supreme?!" Xia Shu Zhi Lan raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised. She hadn't expected the support sent by Song Hai to be such a rising star of the Five Elements Alliance. Having cleared the killing quest, he had joined the patrol team? Hua Yu, the steward, observed the young man with a touch of curiosity. The official aides at the conference table murmured in mild surprise or excitement—special treatment for the star figures, unrelated to their competence or rank. Yet the Flame Saint frowned steadily. As the action coordinator, Xia Shu Zhi Lian stepped forward and extended her hand. "I'm Xia Shu Zhi Lian, the lead coordinator for this operation." "Master Yuan Sheng!" Zhang Yuanqing shook her hand warmly and smiled. "Xia Shu Zhi Lian—when I was in junior high, I read this detective novel. I was particularly impressed by the protagonist's analytical skills and longed for a female assistant with such talent. Unfortunately, my assistant is a man." Xia Shu Zhi Lian was a relatively obscure detective novel by a Japanese female author. Zhang Yuanqing had been deeply passionate about detective novels during his junior high years, so he had read this lesser-known work and greatly admired the bold, dynamic protagonist. He often found himself wishing that Bingge had been a woman with such deductive abilities. Whenever he said that, Bing would give him a punch. Summer Tree's Love paused, her smile broadened, and her tone softened: "It seems we share a common interest. Please sit down—I'll tell you what's going on right now..." Though Yuan Shi Tian Zun is well-known and regarded by many official travelers as an idol, often referred to as "Mr. Tian Zun," in the eyes of the stewards, he's still just a junior. The stewards may treat him differently due to his fame, but they certainly don't show deep respect or reverence. After all, no one truly reveres someone weaker than themselves. Ultimately, Yuan Shi Tian Zun is merely a talented prodigy who has just attained the rank of Saint—his experience level doesn't exceed 5%. When she first heard that the support was Yuan Shi Tian Zun, she had been somewhat disappointed, but Yuan Shi Tian Zun's words made her feel like she'd found a fellow booklover, and she began to feel closer to him. After finishing her explanation, Summer Tree's Love said: "We plan to enter the mist together and deal with the bronze sculptures. We're waiting for you." Zhang Yuanqing furrowed his brow, "Xia Shu, you just mentioned that one of the attendants went missing in the thick fog. That means you no longer have a way to orient yourselves, correct?" Before Xia Shu could speak, Hua Yu sighed, "Yes. So, gathering as a group and entering the fog together is a last resort. We can't guarantee we'll reach the museum, but at least we won't face serious danger. Based on our observations, the fog causes people to lose their sense of direction and eventually go mad, though there are no terrifying enemies. If we lose contact with the outside world, the on-site team will relay the message back to the branch office, and then the elders will intervene." The most effective way to counteract the fog is the Rain Lord's ability to summon wind and rain—this power belongs to the Sovereign. The fog now covers an area of over ten kilometers. Even Shallow野's original method has failed. Zhang Yuanqing thought to himself. The Saint of Fire glanced at him and said, "You're a Level 4 Star Official, yet you haven't mastered the art of celestial observation. I thought the Songhai Division would send someone at Level 5, or even Level 6. Instead, all we've gained is a Level 4 combatant—really not much of a contribution at all." If you weren't a Fire Master, I'd have thought you were challenging me. Zhang Yuanqing replied, "Since the Songhai Division has sent me, they must have prepared carefully. I have a device to determine direction—so you needn't worry about that." The two attendants, Xia Shu-zhi-lan and Hua Yu, brightened. The Saint of Fire paused, then exclaimed with delight, "That's excellent! We shouldn't delay any longer—let's act immediately."