Spirit Realm Wanderer

Chapter 20: Winning People Over with Virtue

Li Dongze strode back to his desk, rubbed his hands together vigorously, and, in high spirits, turned on his computer to compose a message. “Centurion Fu, I have a report to make. I just received word that the Night Wanderer I recruited has successfully completed the trial mission and returned to the real world. Yes, he has successfully cleared the Sheling Tunnel.” He clicked “Send.” Under the White Tiger Corps’ regulations, subordinates are not permitted to call their superiors directly unless the matter is of the utmost urgency; reports are typically submitted via email or text message. Yuan Shi clearing the Sheling Tunnel was a major event, but not an urgent one. A dozen or so seconds after the message was sent, Li Dongze’s phone—which he’d left on the desk—rang. The caller ID showed Captain Fu. A direct call? Li Dongze immediately grabbed his phone and answered. “Li Dongze, you must take responsibility for your words.” A young man’s icy voice came through the speaker, his enunciation precise. “Centurion, this matter is indeed unexpected.” Faced with the centurion’s warning, Li Dongze remained remarkably calm. “I just finished speaking with him on the phone.” “Do you have a strategy?” Fu Qingyang asked immediately. “We’ll have to wait a little longer.” Centurion Fu fell silent for a few seconds, then his icy tone softened as he said “I wasn’t expecting much, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised. Anyone who can make it through the Sheling Tunnel must have exceptional abilities. “Li Dongze, you’ve recruited a talented individual for the White Tiger Troops. I’ll report this to the Council of Elders and credit you with a major achievement.” Oh my God, this is just too wonderful....... Li Dongze’s smile widened, but then he remembered something and lowered his voice, asking “Does this need to be kept confidential?” The fact that he’d recruited a Night Wanderer was already no secret among the squad leaders in Kangyang District; even if he deliberately avoided mentioning it afterward, people would eventually catch on. He couldn’t keep it hidden for long. Especially since the Five Elements Alliance and the Taiyi Sect had signed an agreement granting the Taiyi Sect the right of first refusal for any Night Wanderers appearing anywhere in the country. Because of this agreement, the Five Elements Alliance had almost no Night Wanderers of its own—just a handful here and there. Fu Qingyang scoffed “Why hide it? The Taiyi Sect has already made it clear they don’t want this Night Wanderer—they can’t go back on their word.” “Who you need to be wary of are those within the Five Elements Alliance. I don’t want what happened with the Hundred Flowers Society to happen again. We must win people over with virtue and bring him to our side.” This aligned with Li Dongze’s own thoughts, so he immediately sought guidance with humility: “Please offer your guidance, Centurion Fu.” “Give him a permanent position and a raise.” Huh? A pay raise? Is that winning people over with virtue? “I don’t like using money to win people over, because those who come together for profit will inevitably drift apart over profit. I prefer to win people over with virtue, but virtue takes time to manifest, whereas money produces immediate results.” Centurion Fu spoke calmly: “Have him write a guide as soon as possible. I need to know the key information about the Mountain God Temple. And while you’re at it, repay the favor we owe the Taiyi Sect.” Any S-class Spirit Realm inevitably contains valuable information and intelligence that ordinary Spirit Realms cannot compare to. “Understood!” Li Dongze ended the call. What kind of “winning people over with virtue” is this? But then again, this is certainly the Fu family’s style… Li Dongze shook his head. The family of this young Master Fu had traveled abroad to develop their business during turbulent times, fleeing the ravages of war. After a century of operations, they had grown into a massive financial powerhouse. Later, the Fu family accepted the olive branch extended by the state, returning to the country with vast wealth to participate in economic development. The Fu family is not only a massive financial powerhouse but also a lineage of Spirit Realm practitioners passed down through generations; every year, a certain number of Scouts emerge from the family. It is a family faction within the White Tiger Army that cannot be overlooked. Captain Fu, despite his young age, was highly proficient in various “money-related” abilities and was jokingly referred to as “Mr. Money” among the Four Young Masters of the official organization. Just then, Li Dongze noticed that someone had tagged him in the “Kangyang District Spirit Realm Walkers Management Group.” Qing Teng: “@Li Dongze, Squad Leader Li, how’s that newly recruited Night Wanderer doing?” Qing Teng is the captain of the Hundred Flowers Society. If any other Wood Demon had asked this, Li Dongze would have suspected they had ulterior motives. But this female captain had a gentle and kind nature; she wasn’t the kind of scheming, seductive vixen who’d break the code of honor. White Dragon: “Wow, that really hits close to home. You know full well no one could clear the Sheling Tunnel, yet you still have to rub it in, Squad Leader Li?” Before Li Dongze could say a word, Bai Long—who had a history with Qing Teng—jumped in first to start a fight. Big Muscle: “They must have perished in the Sheling Tunnel. Yesterday, someone from the area I oversee went missing there too. That poor soul still hasn’t been found—they’re as good as dead in the Spirit Realm.” That hot-headed Fire Master was still just as annoying as ever. Apart from these three captains, who were quite vocal, the others remained silent, seemingly having lost interest in the matter. Guys, you’re going to be jealous of me—in the very next second! Li Dongze casually sent out a 1,000-yuan red envelope. He was the first to grab one—and got a five-yuan one. Qing Teng: “Thanks, boss.” White Dragon: “The boss is so generous.” Big Muscle: “The boss has a strong back and healthy kidneys.” They instinctively grabbed the red envelopes and thanked him, going through the whole routine—then suddenly realized... Bai Long: “No way?” Big Muscle: “Li Dongze, what do you mean? Spit it out.” Qing Teng: “Sergeant Li?” Li Dongze: “Thanks for everyone’s concern. The Night Wanderer I recently recruited successfully made it through the Sheling Tunnel.” The group chat went completely silent, as if everyone had been muted. Yuan Ting: “Li Dongze, don’t joke around.” The Night Wanderer from the Taiyi Sect—who rarely spoke up in the Five Elements Alliance admin group—was the first to respond. Unlike the other captains, when it came to matters of such importance to his own class, he couldn’t simply ignore Li Dongze’s message—even if it was more likely just a joke. The other captains remained silent, quietly waiting for Li Dongze’s reply. Just then, Captain Fu Baifu posted a message in the group “As of today, the first clear of the Sheling Tunnel belongs to our Five Elements Alliance. I’ll upload the Spirit Realm guide to the database shortly. As an S-rank Trial Spirit Realm, it can produce Night Wanderers of higher quality than other Spirit Realms, which I believe will be of great help to the organization’s Night Wanderer cultivation program.” Reading this lengthy message, the captains were taken aback. Captain Fu Bai was a steward-level figure; his words carried far more weight than Li Dongze’s. Since he had said this, it must be true. Had the Sheling Tunnel really been cleared? What kind of freak had Li Dongze recruited? At that moment, the team captains suddenly realized the value of that newcomer—he was no longer just a “rare class”; perhaps he himself was the one most worth investing in. Big Muscle: “I’m in the mood for another team-building event.” “You’re trying to poach me, aren’t you…?” Li Dongze’s lips twitched. Water Walker: “I’m not going out on a ship this month. Let’s set a time for a get-together—how about today?” Tang Guoqiang sent a red envelope. White Dragon: “A get-together is fine, but I don’t think the Hundred Flowers Festival should be part of it.” Green Vine: “Heh.” Boxing Champion: “I’m really curious how that newcomer managed to clear the Sheling Tunnel. Anyone capable of that is probably no ordinary person. Li Dongze’s lucky to have recruited such a talent.” Seeing the “restless mood” in the group, Captain Fu sent another message: “I’ll use the Sheling Tunnel strategy guide as leverage to negotiate with the Taiyi Sect for Night Wanderer slots. I’ll do my best to assign one Night Wanderer to each of your teams within five years.” Qing Teng: “Thanks, Captain Fu.” Big Muscle: “Holy crap, there’s actually such a good deal?” The atmosphere in the group instantly became lively. "That was a brilliant move by the Centurion. With this big carrot..." Li Dongze let out a sigh. Next, several squad leaders enthusiastically discussed long-term plans for training and deploying the Night Wanderers, while also subtly and overtly trying to find out from Li Dongze who the hero responsible for the first kill was. Was it a man or a woman? How old were they? But Li Dongze simply wouldn’t tell them. While the squad leaders were engaged in their cheerful discussion, Yuan Ting of the Taiyi Sect was in a completely different frame of mind. He stared blankly at Centurion Fu’s post, reading it over and over again until he finally came to terms with this momentous event. The Sheling Tunnel—a challenge even the Taiyi Sect had been unable to overcome—had actually been cleared? How did that rookie manage it? As a Spirit Realm practitioner in this profession—and as a Night Wanderer—he craved the truth more than any other captain, his anxiety gnawing at him like a thousand claws. But now was not the time to dwell on the truth; he had to report this matter to the organization. Shouldn’t a Night Wanderer as outstanding as this join the Taiyi Sect? Elder Sun is so foolish—how could he have made such a reckless promise, causing the Taiyi Sect to lose such a talented individual for nothing! Yuan Ting felt a twinge of resentment toward that elder. Zhang Yuanqing took a taxi to the police station, skillfully circled around to the back of the building, and stepped into the sleek, high-end glass building. Upon reaching the second floor, he immediately spotted the mixed-race, mature woman sitting on the sofa sipping tea, her long legs—like those of a supermodel—stretched out. She was dressed in a blouse, a skirt suit, black stockings, and high heels. Her waist was slender and her bust full; her makeup was flawless and her hairstyle trendy. If there were a standard image for a “workplace goddess,” Zhang Yuanqing felt she embodied it perfectly. Fortunately, his aesthetic standards had been raised to an extremely high level by his aunt, so he greeted her without batting an eye “Sister Guan Ya.” Guan Ya set down her teacup, stood up to greet him, and said with a smile “Tsk, tsk. I thought our college student was a little puppy, but it turns out you’re a little wolf. Congratulations on becoming the Night Wanderer—I’ll reward you with a hug.” She opened her arms wide, her bosom imposing. Having already gotten a rough sense of her personality, Zhang Yuanqing didn’t fall for the trap. He sneered, “You demoness—how dare you try to seduce me with your breasts!” If it had been any other girl, Zhang Yuanqing certainly wouldn’t have said something like that, but Guan Ya was a seasoned seductress—stepping on the gas was the right way to deal with her. Guan Ya paused for a moment, then giggled and said “Come on, the squad leader wants to see you.” After taking a few steps, she suddenly turned back and smiled faintly “You must have made quite a haul in the Spirit Realm. No, don’t bother telling me—concealing one’s true strength and tactics is an essential quality for every Spirit Realm traveler.” “I wasn’t planning on telling you anyway.” Zhang Yuanqing was taken aback for a moment, then quickly realized what she meant: she was advising him to keep some secrets and not reveal everything he had up his sleeve. Following Guan Ya, Zhang Yuanqing entered the luxurious office once more and saw Li Dongze reclining comfortably in a plush chair, a cigar clamped between his fingers. “Do you know what worries me most right now?” Li Dongze stood up and walked toward the reception sofa, all the while sizing up Zhang Yuanqing. “What?” Zhang Yuanqing asked, playing along. “I’m most worried that you’d be kidnapped on your way here.” Li Dongze opened the liquor cabinet, took out three glass cups, and asked, “What would you like to drink?” “Coke!” Zhang Yuanqing replied. “Guan Ya, send someone to buy some,” Li Dongze ordered immediately. Not bad—his status has clearly risen... Zhang Yuanqing followed Li Dongze to his seat. After taking a sip of his drink, Li Dongze got straight to the point “You’re a force to be reckoned with—you’ve done an excellent job. “I’ll need you to write up a detailed account of the mission later, but before that, I’d like to ask: did you discover anything out of the ordinary at the Mountain God Temple?”