Chapter 22: The Nocturnal Wanderers' Meeting

He opened his mouth but couldn't bring himself to ask.

Being different from the mainstream meant being unusual.

Before knowing whether it was good or bad, he couldn't speak recklessly. Moreover, since there was no related information on the forum, it meant that the black circular moon was not something low-level individuals could understand.

The higher the level of something, the more secrecy it required—this was common sense.

Especially since he was still a rookie, lacking the ability and experience to handle unexpected situations.

Why is the role card Brother Bing gave me different from that of ordinary Nocturnal Wanderers? That bastard didn't tell me anything and then disappeared.

He then exited the post, clicked on the forum's search bar, and decided to look up information about the Three-Trail Mountain Goddess Temple.

After typing "Three-Trail Mountain Goddess Temple," he obtained two results: one was the dungeon guide he had read earlier (Five Elements Alliance version), and the other was an introduction to the Three-Trail Mountain Goddess Temple.

"The Three-Trail Mountain Goddess Temple, a temple from the early Ming Dynasty in Songjiang Prefecture's Three-Trail Mountain, worships the Three-Trail Mountain Goddess. This deity was known for praying for rain, exorcising ghosts, refining pills, and healing the sick, bringing blessings to the region. After the goddess ascended to immortality, local officials, gentry, and commoners raised funds to build a temple in her honor."

"The Three-Trail Mountain Goddess Temple fell into decline early on, losing many valuable research materials—excerpt from the Song Prefecture Library."

Excerpt from the Song Prefecture Library...

Seeing these words, Zhang Yuanqing froze, his forehead breaking into a cold sweat.

The Three-Trail Mountain Goddess Temple actually existed? In real history?

If that were the case, did the goddess truly exist? Or was she originally a real person?

Could real people appear in the Spirit Realm?

If she were a real person, could she crawl out of the Spirit Realm and come after me? Zhang Yuanqing was startled by his own thoughts.

"Sister Guan Ya, I have a question..."

He never troubled himself with things he could ask about.

Guan Ya turned around.

Zhang Yuanqing shared his speculation about the Three-Trail Mountain Goddess with her.

"The commander should have told you that the Spirit Realm exists between reality and illusion," the experienced female player said, taking a sip from her cup.

"Many scenes in the Spirit Realm are based on real locations. For example, the 'Lin Harbor Reservoir' and 'Xiangshui Amusement Park,' which are Nocturnal Wanderers' trial dungeons, correspond to real-world places. But obviously, these things don't exist in reality—otherwise, it would be chaos."

So, although the Three-Trail Mountain Goddess did exist, the one I encountered was merely a fabrication of the Spirit Realm? Zhang Yuanqing felt relieved.

Old lady, you better stay inside the Spirit Realm.

...

Beijing, Beishui Gate Airport.

Yuan Ting, a lean-looking man, sat in the spacious seat of the business class cabin, dressed in a black suit and black shirt, with his hair neatly combed—a look befitting a corporate elite.

Through the small airplane window, he gazed down at the dazzling city lights below.

Earlier today, he had reported to the organization that the Sheling Tunnel had been conquered. By the afternoon, he was summoned to Beijing.

But this trip wasn't about the Sheling Tunnel.

The Taiyi Sect Master had called all Nocturnal Wanderers from across the country to Beijing for a meeting.

Such large-scale meetings typically occurred only at the end of the year when Nocturnal Wanderers nationwide gathered to report their work.

If there was an exception, it meant something big was happening.

I hope it's not bad news... Yuan Ting looked at the approaching city lights, lost in thought.

The plane landed smoothly. Yuan Ting disembarked, pulled his suitcase, and headed straight for the underground Level 2 parking lot, where a car was waiting for him.

Forty minutes later, the car arrived at a five-star hotel. Yuan Ting checked in, then took the elevator to a large conference hall on the top floor.

A banquet was in progress. Men and women dressed in black suits, coats, and dresses moved through the feast, toasting and chatting.

"Yo, Captain Yuan is here."

Just as Yuan Ting picked up a drink from a passing waiter's tray, a man in a black shirt approached. He had a short buzz cut, bright eyes, and sharp facial features, with a well-built, athletic frame.

"Jian Ji!"

Yuan Ting smiled at his approaching friend. "Long time no see."

"The gang's been waiting for you. Come on, let's go say hello."

Jian Ji put an arm around Yuan Ting's shoulder and led him to a table where six people sat—three men and three women.

These were his fellow trainees from when he first joined the Taiyi Sect as a Nocturnal Wanderer.

Now, they had all scattered across the country and become captains.

After some casual greetings, Yuan Ting asked, "Why did the Sect Master summon us to Beijing this time?"

A woman in a leather jacket and leather pants, her hair tied in a ponytail, pursed her lips and whispered, "We were just talking about this. We only know that the confidentiality level is very high—even the stewards don't have clearance."

She had a graceful figure, sharp and efficient-looking hair, no makeup, and no accessories—a truly valiant appearance.

Even the stewards don't know? Yuan Ting nodded slightly and stopped asking.

Jian Ji raised his glass with a smile. "We'll find out when the meeting starts. No point in guessing now. By the way, any interesting stories lately?"

The bold and confident Yang Qian chuckled. "I do have one. Not long ago, the eldest son of the Xiahou family from the coastal region was beaten to a pulp by the palace master of the 'Temple of Slaughter.' When the Xiahou family's elders arrived, the kid was barely alive.

"Although they saved him with life essence, he was severely weakened. If he gets assigned a Spirit Realm mission soon, he's as good as dead."

"The Temple of Slaughter?" A male teammate looked at Yuan Ting. "If I remember correctly, that's a Spirit Realm organization in the Songhai area. Why did they clash with the Xiahou family?"

Yuan Ting shook his head. "The people in the Temple of Slaughter have extreme personalities, especially their palace master—a complete lunatic. It's no surprise if they get into conflicts. But they're generally well-behaved towards official organizations."

Yang Qian sighed. "That palace master is a high-level Spirit Realm traveler. Even the stewards might not be her match. As long as she doesn't go too far, it's best to just turn a blind eye."

After some more conversation, Jian Ji looked around and said, "We Nocturnal Wanderers are too few in number. We can only watch other professions stir up storms and steal the spotlight."

"Yeah, our sect hasn't produced an outstanding Nocturnal Wanderer in years," said the round-faced, cute-looking Xia Liang, her voice soft with a slight whine.

Since the topic had shifted, Yuan Ting became interested.

"I actually have big news about a Nocturnal Wanderer."

Everyone at the table turned to him, curious.

"Remember the Sheling Tunnel?" Yuan Ting asked.

"Yeah, the infamous bugged Spirit Realm dungeon. Back in the day, Jiang Lin and Zhao Kai died in it," Jian Ji said in confusion. "Did it claim another victim?"

"From now on, the first-clear record of the Sheling Tunnel is gone. A rookie cleared it."

Yuan Ting's words dropped like a bomb, silencing the table.

After a few seconds, Jian Ji asked blankly, "Is that true?"

With a serious nod, Yuan Ting replied, "The matter has been reported to the sect. You can ask your superiors—if you don't request the strategy guide, the stewards should confirm it."

...

Later, in the conference room, Grand Elder "Crimson Sun Executioner" stood before the assembled Nocturnal Wanderers and declared:

"Not long ago, the Sect Master sensed the demise of the Demon Lord—Taiyi Sect's greatest threat is gone. However, the Demon Lord's role card did not return to the Spirit Realm, and its whereabouts are unknown.

"From now on, your primary mission is to search for the Demon Lord's successor.

"This individual has two key characteristics: Their class mark is not a crescent moon but a black circular moon. When clearing a Spirit Realm dungeon, they receive role card rewards that ordinary Nocturnal Wanderers do not possess."