Chapter 8: Contact

 Chapter 8: Contact 

Taking a deep breath, Zhang Yuanqing tried to keep his tone calm: "Officer Li, this is Zhang Yuanqing."

"Oh, it's you." The person on the other end chuckled. "What's the matter, bothering me so late at night?"

Zhang Yuanqing spoke in a serious tone, "I have some clues to report. Actually, before Lei Yibing went missing, he sent me a card."

"Why didn't you mention it earlier?"

Officer Li Dongze's tone showed no surprise.

Zhang Yuanqing hesitated slightly and then explained in detail his speculations about Lei Yibing's disappearance.

There was silence for a moment, then a laugh came from the other side, "You sure know how to dramatize things."

关雅 was right. Zhang Yuanqing was naturally an introverted person, a normal college student with an optimistic and positive outlook. He wouldn't be so cautious.

"Sorry..." Zhang Yuanqing felt a bit embarrassed, immediately changing the topic, or getting to the point, "Tonight, I encountered some strange and incomprehensible things. Can you understand what I mean?"

"It seems you successfully walked out of the Spirit Realm," Li Dongze replied with a hint of satisfaction in his voice.

Yes, just walked out, almost died inside... Zhang Yuanqing felt relieved upon hearing the response. The other person indeed knew about the Spirit Realm.

"What is the Spirit Realm?" Zhang Yuanqing asked, with many questions seeking answers, starting from the most basic.

"I can't tell you right now. If you want to know about the Spirit Realm, you have to make a choice," Li Dongze said in a serious tone, "The official attitude toward the Spirit Realm can be divided into two types. One is to absorb and cultivate, and the other is to supervise and control. The former means joining us, becoming an official member of the Spirit Realm walkers. The latter is to become a rogue practitioner. You just need to register with us, promise not to use your abilities for misconduct, and we won't interfere with you. Of course, you won't receive any official help either."

Without hesitation, Zhang Yuanqing declared, "I'm willing to join the organization, to give my all for the country and the people."

"You've made quite a broad choice. Your determination shows you're a person destined for great things," Li Dongze laughed.

Zhang Yuanqing couldn't tell whether he was being mocked or praised.

"Then rest early. I'll pick you up at 8 a.m. tomorrow morning," Li Dongze said.

"Tomorrow?" Zhang Yuanqing hesitated for a moment. "Can't it be now?"

"Well, what time is it now? You want to throw yourself into the organization with such enthusiasm, but you have to wait until the organization starts working," Li Dongze joked.

He didn't want to discuss it over the phone, afraid that I might change my mind and exploit the information for free. That's why we have to meet offline tomorrow... Zhang Yuanqing could only reluctantly agree, "Okay."

After hanging up the phone, he glanced at his mobile. The time showed 11 p.m. The time spent in the Spirit Realm passed at the same pace as the outside world. Successfully contacting the official organization, Zhang Yuanqing felt a sense of relief. The exhaustion from struggling and surviving in the Spirit Realm rushed over him.

He lay on the bed, set the alarm clock, and his eyelids became heavier and heavier until he fell into a deep sleep.

The next day, early in the morning at 7:15 a.m., Zhang Yuanqing was awakened by the alarm clock. His heart almost stopped when he heard the sound, but he managed to get up.

The sleep quality last night was not good, and he had several nightmares, each involving ghosts and monsters, causing him to wake up multiple times.

In the living room, Grandpa sat on the sofa reading the news. His silver hair was sparse, and he had a tall and imposing figure with a stern face, giving off an air of severity.

Grandma was busy in the kitchen, serving hot rice porridge, fried dough sticks, and boiled eggs, along with a basket of steamed buns.

Zhang Yuanqing took a sip of the hot porridge to soothe his throat and looked at Grandpa, trying to test the waters, "Grandpa, I remember that when the construction team at She Ling Tunnel disappeared, you were there."

"Hmm," Grandpa made a sound, somewhat puzzled. "That's ancient history. Why are you asking about it now?"

"I saw the story again on the internet yesterday. Do you know what happened to the survivor of that incident?" Zhang Yuanqing asked.

Grandpa frowned and said, "I don't remember. It's been so long; I can't recall."

"He disappeared again, right?" Grandma chimed in, joining the discussion with enthusiasm. "And it was a mysterious disappearance. People were in a panic in the police station back then. The leadership of the police bureau had to come down in person to calm things down."

"Did that happen?" Grandpa refused to admit it.

"Old Chen, are you getting old and senile? You personally told me about it," Grandma insisted.

...Grandpa lowered his head and drank the porridge, saying, "You should believe in science and not be obsessed with superstition. The older you get, the more gossip you become."

Found and then disappeared again... Zhang Yuanqing felt a bit low as he drank his porridge. It was evident that the survivor entered the Spirit Realm again after 36 hours, and this time, he didn't come out alive.

His prediction was correct—the second main quest was extremely dangerous. To survive, relying on the official organization was the right decision.

After finishing breakfast and tidying up, Zhang Yuanqing took the elevator downstairs and waited at the entrance of the community for about ten minutes.

A black business car slowly pulled over, and the electric door slid open. Li Dongze sat on the white leather sofa, leaning on a cane and keeping his legs together.

Dressed exactly like yesterday, black suit, black vest, white shirt, neat slicked-back hair, and a well-groomed small mustache.

"Goodness, you drive so fast, young man, you're reckless," Li Dongze teased as Zhang Yuanqing got into the car.

But now his mind was preoccupied with the Spirit Realm and the meeting with the official organization, so he had no mood to bicker with his aunt.

Sitting down beside this woman, he looked blankly ahead, waiting for the meal to be served.

Soon, Grandma brought out hot rice porridge, fried dough sticks, boiled eggs, and a basket of steamed buns.

Zhang Yuanqing sipped the hot porridge, glanced at Grandpa, and tried to ask tentatively, "Grandpa, I remember that when the construction team at She Ling Tunnel disappeared, you were there."

"Hmm," Grandpa made a sound, somewhat puzzled. "That's ancient history. Why are you asking about it now?"

"I saw the story again on the internet yesterday. Do you know what happened to the survivor of that incident?" Zhang Yuanqing asked.

Grandpa frowned and said, "I don't remember. It's been so long; I can't recall."

"He disappeared again, right?" Grandma chimed in, joining the discussion

"Get in the car, college student," Li Dongze said with a smile.

"Sure thing, investigator," Zhang Yuanqing replied with a smile.

Once he got in the car, the black business vehicle merged into the flow of traffic, driving at a moderate pace on the early morning streets. Li Dongze opened the car's mini-fridge and asked, "What do you want to drink?"

"Coke!"

"Well, then you'll have to go to the supermarket yourself later," Li Dongze poured himself a glass of whiskey, added an ice cube, leaned back in his seat, and said casually, "I'll take you to complete the enrollment process and provide you with some basic training. First, let me introduce myself: Li Dongze, a Level 3 Spirit Realm walker, Songhai Branch of the Five Elements Alliance, leader of the second squad in Kangyang District, specializing in scouting."

Scouting? Besides Night Roamer, there are other professions? Zhang Yuanqing listened attentively, despite feeling puzzled.

Although he was curious, he refrained from interrupting. As someone skilled in social interactions, Zhang Yuanqing knew it was impolite to cut someone off while they were speaking. He wouldn't let himself lose points over such minor matters.

Li Dongze took a sip of his drink and continued, "Let me tell you about what the Spirit Realm is!"

Zhang Yuanqing immediately perked up, eager to listen...