What was Ou Xiangrong doing at Songhai University? And with Xu Yingying of all people?
How did he even dare show up here? The man was officially wanted—was he just that fearless, or had he lost his mind?
Zhang Yuanqing froze, his body tense. He came to a stop and said to the classmates beside him:
"You guys go on ahead, I need to make a quick call."
Call for backup first, just in case... He stepped to the roadside, pulled out his phone, and dialed Li Dongze's number.
"Sorry, the number you have dialed is currently switched off."
His call hit a dead end.
He tried Guan Ya's number—also off.
Are they in a meeting? On assignment? Or maybe lying in ambush near the university? A dozen scenarios flashed through Zhang Yuanqing's mind.
If it was the latter, then this wasn't his problem. But if it was the former and they were just busy, then Ou Xiangrong wouldn't stick around for long. Miss this shot and it might be gone forever.
With that in mind, Zhang Yuanqing opened his contacts and dialed Wang Tai's number.
Thanks to habit, he had stored Wang Tai's number even though the guy was antisocial, barely spoke, and always had a "leave me alone" look every time he tried to strike up a conversation.
"What is it?" Wang Tai's lifeless voice came through the speaker.
"I saw Ou Xiangrong—the guy who killed Zhao Yingjun. You know that case, right?"
"I do. But why are you calling me? You should be contacting the squad leader."
So calm… Aren't you supposed to say something like "Holy shit, are you serious?" Zhang Yuanqing grumbled inwardly as he replied:
"I can't reach him or Guan Ya."
"Who's Guan Ya?"
"Not important." Zhang Yuanqing gave a brief summary of the situation. "Can you reach any other Spirit Realm walkers from other squads?"
"I can…" Wang Tai's keyboard clacked in the background. "I just pulled up the case file on Zhao Yingjun. He was keeping several college girls as sugar babies. One of them was from your school—Xu Yingying. Based on what you told me, I'd guess Ou Xiangrong's trying to get a lead through the women Zhao was involved with."
So Xu Yingying's sugar daddy was Zhao Yingjun. No wonder the security officers came knocking yesterday... Zhang Yuanqing had a sudden realization.
Wang Tai continued, "Ou Xiangrong is a Level 3 Enchanter, wielding an evil force. He was seriously injured during yesterday's ambush—his threat level has dropped considerably. Still, he's not someone you can take on alone.
"I've analyzed the situation for you. The best course of action is to keep an eye on him and wait for official backup. You can use your Night Wanderer abilities to harass him a little, but do not get into a fight. You'll be dead in seconds."
Not great with people, but reliable when it counts. Zhang Yuanqing casually looked around, pretending to take in the scenery, while keeping his eyes on Ou Xiangrong and Xu Yingying from a distance.
"If I can't reach the squad leader or Guan Ya, could that mean they're deploying nearby?" he asked hopefully.
"No. Xu Yingying is just a regular college girl—no strategic value. As for Ou Xiangrong... his mind's slipping," Wang Tai said flatly. "That classmate of yours is as good as dead."
Given Ou Xiangrong's cruelty, there was no way he'd leave a witness.
At that moment, Zhang Yuanqing saw Ou Xiangrong pulling Xu Yingying close as they headed into the underground parking garage of the general building.
They disappeared down the sloping ramp, out of view.
"They just went into the garage. I'm hanging up—alert the others ASAP."
Without waiting for a response, Zhang Yuanqing ended the call.
This place was too isolated. He couldn't rely on random pedestrians as cover. If he followed them into the garage, he'd be spotted for sure.
Zhang Yuanqing thought for a moment, then tossed his backpack into the bushes beside the road. He summoned the power of the lunar force within him, and with a soft "poof," a haze of black mist exploded around him. His body vanished into thin air.
In Night Tour state, he sprinted full speed into the underground garage.
With his Night Wanderer stealth and the Red Dancing Shoes, even if he couldn't win, he could definitely get away.
That made the risk worth it.
Xu Yingying might be a gold digger, but she was still a human being—he wouldn't stand by and do nothing if he could help it. And as for Ou Xiangrong, this psycho needed to be dealt with before he caused more trouble.
He didn't bother to suppress the sound of his footsteps—Night Tour muffled all sound and even masked his body heat.
Just as he entered the garage, he heard Xu Yingying's voice trembling, close to tears:
"I-I don't know anything about what you're looking for. I only dated Zhao Yingjun for the money. He gave me twenty thousand yuan a month to be his girlfriend..."
Twenty thousand?! I was only making that much before I even went full-time. That's crazy easy money... Zhang Yuanqing followed the sound. At the back of a black sedan parked against the wall, Xu Yingying stood trembling in fear, pinned against the wall. Ou Xiangrong stood beside her, a knife in hand.
"Don't tell me you don't know. Don't tell me you don't know..." he muttered with a crazed glint in his eyes.
"This is your last chance. Did Zhao Yingjun ever mention anything about the Holy Grail or the roster?"
"I-I really don't know what you're talking about..." Xu Yingying's eyes were red, tears streaming down her face.
Ou Xiangrong was silent for a few seconds. A weary sigh echoed through the garage.
His pupils lit up crimson. Behind the mask, his expression twisted with madness and hysteria. He muttered:
"I gave you a chance, and you wasted it... I gave you a chance, and you wasted it..."
He wrapped his calloused fingers around her delicate neck, lifting her effortlessly. Her face flushed red, then turned purple. Her legs kicked wildly, eyes rolling back.
Ou Xiangrong grinned in sadistic pleasure, then brought the knife up to her chest.
Just as he was about to plunge the blade into her heart, his instincts as an Enchanter flared. Danger. A chill shot up his spine, and the hair on his arms stood on end.
No one was nearby. No sound. Nothing unusual.
And yet the dread was real—he could feel something was coming for him.
A Spirit Realm walker!
Years of experience told him what was happening. Still clutching Xu Yingying's throat, he hurled her toward the source of danger.
Smack! She hit the ground hard, rolling several meters before losing consciousness.
Seeing the attacker hadn't moved to save the girl, Ou Xiangrong stepped back quickly and slashed his willow-blade forward.
A gleaming arc of light cut through the air. The moment it struck, there was a sharp clang and sparks flew—he'd hit a weapon.
Judging from the impact, he located his target and launched forward with explosive strength. His knees struck something solid, and he heard a muffled grunt.
A figure flew out of the invisible space—an athletic young man in track pants and a varsity jacket, brass pestle in hand.
"A Night Wanderer?"
In that instant, Ou Xiangrong understood. He now knew who was behind the ambush that had nearly killed him.
Rage and hatred twisted his expression. This Night Wanderer would pay.
Brandishing his willow-blade, he leapt into the air, crossing more than ten meters with terrifying momentum, aiming to tear through the still-reeling student.
He came down like a humanoid beast.
Zhang Yuanqing nearly shouted, Sorry to bother you, sir—please don't kill me!
Instead of trying to get up, he rolled with the impact and summoned his lunar force once more—disappearing into stealth.
He vanished from view just as Ou Xiangrong struck.
Bang! His kick dented the side of a white sedan, setting off its alarm.
Zhang Yuanqing ducked behind a nearby car, gasping for breath.
"That hurt like hell..."
His chest throbbed painfully, each breath sending waves of discomfort. Luckily, Night Wanderers had strong regenerative ability—he'd recover fast.
But that brief exchange made it clear—he was outmatched.
Ou Xiangrong had sharp instincts, brutal strength, and veteran combat experience. Definitely a melee-type.
He heard another thump—Ou Xiangrong had jumped onto the roof of a black car nearby.
The man's gaze swept the garage coldly.
"A Night Wanderer from Taiyi shouldn't be in Songhai. You must be from the Five Elements Alliance.
"Hmph. A lowly Level 1 Night Wanderer dares ambush me? Let's see... Level 1 stealth doesn't last more than 20 seconds. How long can you hide?"
Ou Xiangrong was certain his opponent was Level 1—otherwise, he wouldn't have gained the upper hand earlier. If this guy had been Level 3, he'd be the one running.
Twenty seconds? You're flattering me. I can barely last ten... Zhang Yuanqing held his breath behind a tire.
This guy is terrifying. And he hasn't even used any of his class abilities yet. Let me think... What can an Enchanter do again...
He recalled what he'd read on the forums.
In the Transcendent tier, Enchanters were brutal melee fighters. Killing someone would trigger a berserk mode, boosting their combat further.
They also had a tracking skill that allowed them to mark a target during combat—no escaping them after that.
And their core ability at this tier: Charm. A spiritual control-type skill that, combined with deadly close-combat, was near impossible to counter.
Ten seconds were up.
Zhang Yuanqing's form shimmered back into visibility.
A split second later, he heard a sharp whoosh—a blade cutting through the air. Without even looking, he dove forward, rolled again, and disappeared.
CLANG!
The white car's body dented with a loud bang. Its alarm screamed.
Ou Xiangrong scanned the area coldly, taunting:
"From your clothes, you look like a student at Songhai University. Do you understand what it means for a Spirit Realm walker to be exposed? It means your family dies with you.
"Now that I know you're a student, I can take my time. I'll find you, kill you, and then wipe out your entire family."
He gripped his blade tightly, silently counting seconds, waiting for the rookie to reappear.
Psycho... Zhang Yuanqing's heart sank.
He knew it was a taunt—but still, anger and fear gnawed at him.
Hiding behind another vehicle, he racked his brain for a plan.
His instincts are too sharp. If I can't kill him in one shot, I shouldn't even try. But I can't just keep hiding—I've only got enough energy left for two more Night Tours. After that, I'm done for. No way the official team gets here that fast.
If I let this guy go, Grandma and the others are in danger.
His three skills: Berserk, Mark, and Charm. First one needs a kill, so that's avoidable. Second—I'm probably already marked, but Night Tour hides me.
The real threat is his melee and Charm.
Damn, if only it were nighttime...
Ideas raced. Finally, Zhang Yuanqing made up his mind.
He would let the Red Dancing Shoes do the heavy lifting. He'd be the support, striking when the time was right.
A perfect chance to test how well this rule-type artifact performed in battle.
Bang! Ou Xiangrong jumped onto another car roof, scanning the garage.
Suddenly, he heard footsteps—strange, rhythmic ones echoing across the empty space.
Even someone as seasoned as him flinched. He spun around in a defensive stance.
And then he saw it.
A pair of pristine, Western-style red high heels. Three meters away. Stepping up and down in place—like an invisible person was marching in them.
The scene was chilling enough to make a normal person collapse in fear.
A cursed item?
As he locked eyes on the shoes, a message appeared before him:
"Would you like to dance with me? If yes, please step in place."