Café, under the shade of a covered awning. Zhang Yuanqing carried a steaming cup of coffee, his gaze dull as he stared at the street. The interplay of streetlights, car headlights, and storefront illumination created a vibrant, bustling night scene. After a long while, he took a large gulp and exhaled deeply, as though expelling all the mental clutter with a sigh. "Absorbing spiritual bodies to enhance one's strength—seems like a rather unusual path." Now he understood why Fu Bai Fu Chang of Taiyi Gate refused to absorb such spirits. If the world were compared to a sea of suffering, ordinary people would be small boats drifting and sinking amidst waves of hardship, each bearing their own sorrows and pains. These burdens would gradually accumulate in the Night Wandering Deity, even if only a fraction of each soul's suffering was transferred. Over time, this mental pollution becomes overwhelming—spiritual breakdowns are merely mild symptoms. Yet the benefits were immediately apparent. His current experience level stood at 46%. The duration of his "Night Wanderer" skill remained unchanged—at nine seconds—but his physical condition had improved noticeably: vitality and healing capacity both showed clear growth. This was tangible progress indeed. "Oh, I still haven’t figured out what happened to that colleague… no, actually—I don’t even want to know." He sipped his coffee with a feeling of residual unease. --- Dawn, at the villa. A spacious conference room capable of seating thirty people, Fu Qingyang surveyed both sides of the long table, his eyes calm yet deep—like storm clouds gathering before an approaching tempest. With his distinguished features and the refined aura of a noble family heir, he projected an imposing presence even when expressionless, creating significant psychological pressure on those around him. "Five captains, over a dozen team members, and dozens of officers dispatched—but still, the Enchantment Demon escaped." Fu Qingyang’s tone remained cold. "I am deeply disappointed in your performance." On either side of the long table sat participants from this operation: five captains and twelve team members, including Li Dongze and Guan Ya. Facing criticism from their senior officer, the captains lowered their heads, silent. Da Ji Ba hesitated before finally speaking softly: "Captain Fu Bai, Ou Xiangrong seems to have been tainted by an eerie force—now powerful yet wildly erratic. This was our failure. Moreover, the Enchantment Demon is already a top-tier professional." Fu Qingyang replied evenly: "Failure is failure. Any justification is merely a sign of cowardice refusing to acknowledge defeat." His sharp gaze swept across everyone at the table; the Realm Walkers nearby dared not meet his eyes—except Guan Ya, who remained quietly playing with her fingernails. Fu Qingyang continued: "Due to your failure, the incident has escalated. A severely wounded Enchantment Demon, already weakened by evil influence, is likely to spiral completely out of control. Given its nature of cruelty, it will inevitably result in heavy casualties." "Now, every Realm Walker squad across Songhai City is engaged in the search operation. Within three days, if we fail to eliminate Ou Xiangrong, every one of you must return to training camp immediately." Li Dongze, Qingteng, Tang Guoqiang and others exchanged glances, their expressions visibly strained. Fu Qingyang added with a slight smirk: "Of course, I too have failed—because my expectations were misplaced; I overestimated your capabilities. Therefore, for the next three days, I will personally oversee the pursuit. Since Ou Xiangrong seeks the Register and the Skill, his targets will undoubtedly shift to Zhao Yingjun’s family or close associates. We shall follow this trail accordingly." After receiving nods of agreement, he glanced at his expensive wristwatch. "Your time is limited now. The meeting is adjourned—Guan Ya, please stay behind." The long meeting finally concluded, and it was already past lunchtime. The Realm Walkers rose with a sense of deflation, bowed respectfully to the far end of the table, and exited the room in orderly fashion. At the forefront, five captains led the way. Da Ji Ba lowered her voice, her tone firm: "I don’t deny my own failure—but Captain Fu Bai is simply too aloof. He wasn’t even present on-site when we fought. He didn't witness Ou Xiangrong’s strength firsthand." Dressed in a tailored suit, she brushed the blood seeping from her chest wound with her sleeve and muttered: "While we were fighting outside, he sat comfortably on his handcrafted sofa, sipping wine, smoking cigars, enjoying the service of the rabbit maids." As she spoke, three rabbit maids carried pastries upstairs into the meeting room. The villa was staffed entirely by young, well-proportioned maidens with elegant figures and attractive appearances. Bai Long gently tapped one of the maidens’ firm buttocks and whispered: "I heard that Captain Fu Bai holds a high reputation among the White Tiger Army—he is the only figure from the Four Princely Houses who can truly compete with the son of the Chì Huǒ Clan." Fu Qingyang had transferred to Songhai City last year from the Capital City, reportedly to gain experience and build seniority before returning to the capital as a potential candidate for the Elder Council. Da Ji Ba scoffed: "All just rumors—our junior master is far more outstanding among the young talents of the Five Elements Alliance." Qingteng turned to Li Dongze. "What do you think, Li Shizhang?" Li Dongze lit a cigarette and exhaled: "Of course—it's all about money, isn’t it? Isn't that what you’re thinking?" Wasn’t it? The others nodded in agreement. "Incompetent!" He pointed to his own head: "Let me ask you—when things reach the point Fu Bai Fu Chang described, such a serious incident, wouldn’t someone have to take responsibility? Wouldn’t a major setback be sufficient for everyone to return to training camp?" "By saying we must go back to training camp, Captain Fu Bai is implying that if the worst happens, he will bear all responsibility. We won't face dismissal or investigation—only need to remain at training camp for three months, even if we’ve completely failed." He adjusted his cigarette holder and shrugged: "Alright, then—let’s get down to work. Let’s just find that Ou Xiangrong before he becomes a catastrophe." --- In the conference room, Fu Qingyang stared at the woman repairing her nails, frowning: "Li Dongze mentioned you were injured?" Guan Ya blew on her nails and then pulled out a makeup mirror from her handbag, continuing to apply powder while speaking. "You have something to say? Then say it—because I still have work to do." Fu Qingyang’s stern expression softened into mild exasperation: "My aunt called me and advised you to return home next month for an engagement meeting." "I told her clearly when I returned—I will not sacrifice myself merely because the family wishes to marry off a member. Her willingness to make that sacrifice doesn’t mean I have to follow suit." Guan Ya snapped the mirror shut, then said: "Your Fu family really isn’t accommodating, Qingyang. Take charge now—let the elders retire and enjoy their retirement." Fu Qingyang responded solemnly: "If you’re unwilling to marry into a union, show some results. Don’t just sit idle and waste your potential. The elder members of the family honor only those who are strong—like myself, or like her." "Here’s what I propose—I’ll transfer you to another unit. The Third Squad in Chang Tai District is excellent—it has earned several second-class group commendations annually. You can gain experience there. That way, I will have a solid reason to decline my aunt's request." "I noticed that Li Dongze’s Second Squad lacks depth—there isn’t enough potential for them to achieve significant recognition." Guan Ya frowned slightly and sighed: "The Second Squad truly struggles. It may be difficult to refuse… though perhaps we should reconsider. We’ve recently joined a young member—quite interesting—and I’ll keep observing him." She placed the makeup mirror away, picked up her handbag, and walked toward the door with a smile. "Mind your own affairs first," she said. "If Ou Xiangrong launches a major assault on Songhai City, that will become an unerasable blemish in your record—those people will do everything to block your path into the Elder Council." "My cousin has left. Goodbye!" --- Dawn again, Zhang Yuanqing walked toward the main building with his backpack. His schedule for today was: morning lectures, then lunch and afternoon sessions spent chatting with colleagues—not exactly just chatting—deepening relationships, enhancing friendships, expanding social circles. As people flowed into the main building in small groups, Zhang Yuanqing turned at the base of the stairs to see someone calling him. It was Li Le Sheng and several classmates approaching. Li Le Sheng led a group of young men up, eager to invite: "We're planning a social event with several female colleagues—this weekend. Would you like to join us? I heard you’re from around Songhai." A social event? This weekend—that would be in two days. Zhang Yuanqing paused briefly before saying: "Yes, that sounds good." Li Le Sheng and the others sighed in relief, smiled warmly: "Great! Then we’ll add you as a contact—now that you’re here, I’m sure the women will be willing to come out and participate." "We should also add each other," Li Le Sheng added. "Let’s do that too!" The other young men quickly pulled out their Smartphones. After adding contacts with his classmates, they all walked toward the main building together. Li Le Sheng smiled: "I heard from a female classmate that yesterday an officer came to Xu Yingying’s dorm and found her weeping." "An officer? What happened?" The men were surprised—after all, for university students, officers were typically distant and unfamiliar. Li Le Sheng explained: "It appears the wealthy patron who has been supporting Xu Yingying recently encountered a crisis. The specifics aren’t clear yet—the officer visited to inquire about that person." "Could it be that he’s fled with funds? These days, economic downturns have caused many high-income individuals to collapse financially," one of them suggested. As Zhang Yuanqing listened to the students’ conversations, his gaze swept across the flowing student groups. Among the less crowded streams, he spotted a familiar figure. A beautiful woman in a white long dress, with straight black hair cascading down her back and a subtle, elegant makeup—exactly the female lead of the current conversation: Xu Yingying. She leaned gently against a man’s chest, appearing to be resting comfortably. That man wore a mask, his hair short, eyebrows sparse; a small scar was visible at the top edge of the mask. Zhang Yuanqing’s eyes widened instantly. Ou Xiangrong? He glanced again at Xu Yingying—now he noticed subtle signs. Her expression appeared rigid, seemingly clinging to Ou Xiangrong’s arms—but actually more like being held against her will by his shoulders and arms.