Spirit Realm Wanderer

Chapter 27: The Many Facets of Life

Zhang Yuanqing thought silently for a long time before deciding not to reveal the existence of the Red Dance Shoes for the time being. First of all, Ou Xiangrong’s escape had only just begun, and the Five Elements Alliance hadn’t yet launched its follow-up operations. As an official organization, they might have other ways to track down that seductive demon. There was simply no need for a newcomer like him to get involved. Secondly, he was merely a Level 1 Night Wanderer—a newcomer among the Spirit Realm Walkers. If he revealed the existence of a rule-based artifact, it would likely attract covetous eyes. He would wait and see what the organization did next, then make a decision based on the situation... Zhang Yuanqing stopped dwelling on it, gazing at the night view outside the car window as he waited to reach his destination. Right now, improving his strength was the most urgent priority. Five minutes later, the taxi pulled up in front of “Songhai Pulmonary Hospital.” After paying the fare, Zhang Yuanqing entered the hospital and headed purposefully toward the emergency department building. At this hour, the outpatient department had already closed, and most of the hospital staff and patients were concentrated in the emergency department. The emergency department was teeming with people; patients were either sitting on public benches or moving back and forth between the registration desk and the various departments. Zhang Yuanqing made his way through the registration hall, weaving through the bustling crowd, and found a seat near the restrooms. Once seated, he stretched out his legs and waited patiently. To a spirit, the aura of a Night Wanderer is like a firefly in the darkness—so dazzling, so vivid. There was no need to search for them—they would come to him on their own. The spirit forms of ordinary people only last seven days; unless someone has recently died nearby, you won’t be able to wait for them to come to you on their own—which is why the hospital is the best place to level up. About five minutes later, Zhang Yuanqing saw an elderly man in a hospital gown, his gaze vacant and his gait stiff, making his way through the crowd toward him. The old man’s form hovered between reality and illusion; patients passing by walked right through him, as if through air. He was emaciated, with eerie white eyes, and exuded an aura of pain and regret. This was a vengeful spirit. Generally speaking, when people die, they become vengeful spirits; there are no spirits with a peaceful aura, because no one is willing to accept death. Their attachment to life and fear of death ultimately transform into a helpless, resentful energy. As the old man approached, Zhang Yuanqing opened his mouth and took a gentle breath. The old man’s spirit transformed into a wisp of blue smoke, drifting gracefully into his mouth. A throbbing pain surged in the center of his brow, and his consciousness suddenly expanded as Zhang Yuanqing accessed the elderly man’s fragmented memories from his lifetime. The old man had died of late-stage lung cancer. In the latter half of his life, he passed away while suffering the dual torments of chemotherapy and the disease—coughing up blood, losing his hair, struggling to breathe, and enduring pain... His passing was far from peaceful. His final thought was one of regret—why had he ever smoked? “I’ll never smoke again...” Zhang Yuanqing opened his eyes and blurted out the words, his face filled with remorse. The people around him looked over in surprise. Zhang Yuanqing remained expressionless, pretending that nothing had happened to hide his embarrassment. Only after the passersby looked away, and only after his churning emotions had settled, did he tap to open his stats panel, and a fluorescent blue screen unfolded [Experience: 44. 5%] “Zhao Yingjun’s spirit body is worth two experience points, while an ordinary person is only worth 0. 5—similar to regular and elite monsters? And the further I go, the less experience I’ll get; I’m afraid it won’t even be 0. 5. Looks like I’ll just have to save up little by little…” Zhang Yuanqing mused. In any case, this kind of immediate, visible improvement was gratifying. He returned to his seat, pretending nothing had happened. A few minutes later, a middle-aged man dressed in a suit—looking every bit the office worker—stumbled toward him. The people around him ignored the man and walked right through him. Zhang Yuanqing followed the same procedure and absorbed the man’s spirit. As the spirit transformed into energy to nourish the Night Wanderer, fragments of memory surged toward him like a tidal wave. The middle-aged man had died of exhaustion—a sudden heart attack—a victim of the widely known “996 work schedule.” The man passed away peacefully; after all, sudden death happens in an instant, and you don’t even feel any pain. But after accessing the man’s memories, Zhang Yuanqing learned that his wife had just given birth to their second child, who was still in swaddling clothes. It was precisely to earn money for baby formula that he had worked so relentlessly, throwing himself into the “blessings” of the 996 work schedule. What’s even more noteworthy is that the man was born in the 1980s—a generation where few people had siblings. With him gone, his parents would have no one to rely on in the future. Earning money at the cost of one’s life—in the end, it all lost its meaning. As Zhang Yuanqing’s consciousness returned, he was overcome by a heart-wrenching, bone-chilling sadness and a profound sense of bewilderment. What is the meaning of such a life? He sat there in a daze, his face expressionless for a long time. Just then, a third spirit approached. It was a woman with beautiful features, Korean-style semi-permanent eyebrows, and clothes that exuded luxury and refinement. A high-caliber human woman. “To pass away so young and beautiful—what a pity, what a pity...” As she drew nearer, Zhang Yuanqing noticed that her chest was sunken, and her black, form-fitting top was soaked with ethereal blood. Furthermore, the back of her head appeared to have sustained an unimaginably severe blow; blood had caked her hair into clumps. She wasn’t wearing a hospital gown, which meant she hadn’t died during her hospitalization—rather, she had died in an accident or been murdered........ Zhang Yuanqing took a gentle breath and devoured the spirit of the high-quality woman. His brow pulsed as memories not his own flooded his sea of consciousness. Zhang Yuanqing’s vision went dark for a moment, and then he saw a pair of long, slender, fair legs sitting on the edge of the bed, slowly rolling black stockings up her thighs. Oh, so this is how women put on stockings... Zhang Yuanqing, who had been single his entire life, learned something new. Just then, a man’s husky voice came from behind him “Don’t text me at night anymore. Last night, my wife almost caught me.” Zhang Yuanqing’s heart skipped a beat. A man, a bed, putting on stockings... Anyone could guess what had just happened. I’d better not devour female spirits so carelessly in the future—it’s not appropriate! He muttered to himself, immensely relieved. Thank goodness his memories started with her putting on the stockings; if they’d gone back a few minutes further, he might have been lying down—or on his knees... Hmm, there’s no strange taste in my mouth either—phew, that’s a relief... Just as he was thinking this, the woman he was “possessing” hummed “Well, that’s perfect—get a divorce and marry me.” The man behind him rustled as he got dressed, snorting derisively “I have a son and a daughter, and I’m planning to have a third child next year. Why on earth would I get a divorce for you? Besides, if I get divorced, I’ll have to split half my assets. “Didn’t we agree on this back then? You’d be my mistress, and I’d pay you. Once you’ve saved up enough money, you can marry whoever you want—even a decent guy. If you ever want to end things, just let me know. But don’t get any ideas you shouldn’t have.” The woman seemed angry and didn’t say another word. After the man left, she sped down the street in her little BMW to vent her frustration. Eventually, she was involved in a car accident and died despite efforts to save her. The scene ended. Zhang Yuanqing opened her eyes, massaged her throbbing brow, and felt a wave of resentment welling up inside her. She thought to herself, “Sister, why bother? High-end seafood merchants usually just want a simple auction—there’s a market for that everywhere. Why get into a fight with a man? How many decent men are there anyway?” Besides, marrying a decent guy was out of the question—it would never happen in this lifetime. As he thought this, he suddenly realized something was off. “Why do I feel such a strong sense of empathy toward women? I’m clearly a gunner.” A few seconds later, Zhang Yuan snapped out of it. He realized he’d unconsciously been influenced by high-caliber women—his thoughts had taken on a feminine slant, and deep down, he’d developed a strong craving for money and material possessions. Even the phrase “I don’t smoke,” which had just slipped out, was influenced by the old man’s spirit. Just as he had begun to regain his composure, the fourth spirit arrived—a slender, handsome young man who easily brought to mind terms like “cute puppy.” “He’s not any less handsome than me. I’ll just absorb a male spirit instead—it’s safer and more reliable. If something like that ever happens, I’ll be the one on top.” He opened his mouth and sucked the “cute puppy” spirit into his belly. A piercing noise vibrated his eardrums as full-color LED lights spun, creating a dazzling display of light pollution. As far as the eye could see, there were nothing but swaying figures and bobbing heads, and the air was thick with the acrid smell of smoke. It was a bar. Zhang Yuanqing felt his body swaying uncontrollably as he grabbed a glass from the booth and drank heartily with his friends. Amid the exhilarating release of emotions and the hollow joy woven from alcohol and dice, the “puppy” and his friend didn’t leave until 2:00 a. m. The two called a ride-hailing service and returned to their rented apartment, where his burly friend helped him open the bedroom door. Although Zhang Yuanqing couldn’t control his body, his mind was clear. He sensed that the person possessing him was dead drunk, and felt a throbbing pain in the blood vessels of his brain. He wondered if the other person had died from alcohol poisoning—or had suffered a sudden cardiac arrest? Just as he was pondering this, the “little puppy” was tossed onto the bed. His friend helped him take off his shoes and pants, pulled the covers over him, and wiped the sweat from his face with a wet wipe. “This friend is something else…” Zhang Yuanqing thought to himself. No sooner had the thought crossed his mind than he noticed the friend starting to undress, pulling back the blanket, and quickly stripping the “little puppy” naked. Zhang Yuanqing was taken aback for a moment, sensing that something wasn’t quite right. Just then, he heard the “little puppy” mumble dazedly “Husband~” The “friend,” pinning the young guy down, held up the tube of Vaseline and said, his breath reeking of alcohol “Stick your butt up—I’m gonna lube you up!” ??? Zhang Yuanqing’s mind went “boom”—it was like being struck by lightning. No! You can’t do this! In a state of extreme fear and panic, Zhang Yuanqing forcibly cut off the stream of memories. In the outpatient building, on a bench by the restroom, Zhang Yuanqing suddenly opened his eyes, as if he’d just woken from a nightmare, gasping for air as if he’d been deprived of oxygen. His face was pale, his eyes filled with terror, and sweat soaked his back. “Young man, are you okay?” the middle-aged woman sitting across from him asked with concern “Have you checked in yet? What’s wrong?” Zhang Yuanqing waved his hand to indicate he was fine, then rushed into the restroom, turned on the faucet, and splashed cold water onto his face, cupful after cupful. It was terrifying—that man was terrifying! He had suffered a trauma that no one of his gender should ever have to endure.