Realm Walker

Dr. Sun looked to be around forty, with fine crow's feet fanning out from the corners of his eyes. He carried himself with the composed gravitas of a scholar and physician rolled into one, and his smile radiated warmth. Seeing the stunned look on Zhang Yuanqing's face, he offered a gentle explanation.

"Personal preferences are the clearest window into a person's mental state. A person's character tends to manifest through personal preferences, while sexual orientation and, shall we say, particular tastes, carry even more diagnostic weight than ordinary hobbies. There's no need to feel embarrassed. A doctor's heart is a parent's heart. I've asked patients far more mortifying questions and heard answers that would make most people's toes curl. In our eyes, all patients are equal."

In the eyes of people like you, all patients are just meaningless lumps of flesh, Zhang Yuanqing grumbled internally, reminded of the time his aunt had cheerfully described one of the lab dissections she'd done while studying anatomy in excruciating, chirpy detail. He'd nearly vomited on the spot, but Aunt Jiang had been steady as a rock.

If he had been faced with the influence of some item or skill, he could have transferred it to Little Goofball. But a Scout who could read people's hearts possessed fundamental lie-detecting abilities that did not require them to project any kind of force onto a target. In the face of such a thing, his spirit servant was powerless.

In the end, Zhang Yuanqing had no choice but to patiently answer the questions. "Action films? Sure, I watch them from time to time. I'm an adult, after all. Who hasn't? But finding good ones has gotten harder and harder these days. To broaden my sources, I've joined a bunch of gaming chat groups."

Dr. Sun interlaced his fingers and nodded. "That's perfectly normal. When I was younger, I was quite enthusiastic about that sort of thing myself."

Zhang Yuanqing laughed. "Oh? So you've cooled off now because of age?"

Dr. Sun laughed along. "No. I have a wife now. She's beautiful, has a wonderful figure, and I love her very much."

Zhang Yuanqing felt like he'd just been counter-roasted. He went on to answer the other questions.

"I generally don't watch anything from the West. I prefer Korean productions, and then there's the stuff from Japan. Compared to Western films, the Japanese really know what they're doing. You can tell from the title alone whether it'll hit the spot. As for the actresses' ages, I'm not too picky, as long as they're of legal age."

Dr. Sun nodded slowly. "You appreciate women of all ages. Mm, that's quite normal."

"Exactly! Men aren't that demanding. My requirements are pretty simple. As long as she's pretty and has a good figure, that'll do." Zhang Yuanqing was on a roll now, his social butterfly persona fully restored. "I definitely fast forward, obviously. Who doesn't fast forward? And when I'm done watching, I never go looking for girlfriends. They always come to me on their own. Deep down, I'm actually quite reluctant to pursue such things."

Dr. Sun looked surprised. "They do? Hmm... Given your status and position, having multiple female companions wouldn't be unusual."

Zhang Yuanqing raised a hand in objection, and answered honestly, "No, I mean they in terms of objects. I don't actually have a girlfriend."

Dr. Sun's eyes lit up, a sudden gleam flashing through them, and he leaned forward eagerly. "Why don't you date? You don't seem like the introverted type."

Zhang Yuanqing scratched his head. "In the past, I always felt girls were annoying. They weren't worth the time and energy it took to deal with them."

"And now?"

"Now I've met a few that I'm willing to spend time and energy on, but after a while, that feeling faded again."

"Why?"

Zhang Yuanqing hesitated.

"I told you earlier, all patients are equal. I'm not just a steward, I'm a professionally trained psychologist. No answer will provoke an unusual reaction from me, and I will never look at you differently."

"I eventually decided that maybe sows were better than any of them."

What...? Dr. Sun froze, completely blindsided by the answer. The mighty Yuanshi Tianzun, a prodigy with a rare level of genius, harbored such a twisted fetish? What had warped his worldview? Childhood sexual abuse? A first girlfriend who cheated on him? Some deviant habit from his father or mother?

In an instant, equal amounts of pity and alarm filled Dr. Sun's gaze. Without question, this was a psychological abnormality, and psychological abnormalities were enormous liabilities. In all his years of practice, patients this disturbed were exceedingly rare.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Zhang Yuanqing said indignantly. "You said you wouldn't look at me differently!"

Dr. Sun's expression turned awkward.

Zhang Yuanqing shrugged. "It was actually the cost of having a Spirit Realm item. Ever since I stopped using it, my orientation has been gradually returning to normal. I've even been actively flirting with a girl on my team these past few days, slowly rediscovering my manly urges through her."

Dr. Sun exhaled in relief. "Good. Let's move on to the next question. Tell me about your family situation. No need for names or addresses, or even occupations. Just a general overview."

"I live with my grandpa and grandma, and an aunt. My uncle, his wife, and my cousin live across the hall. My dad died when I was young. My mom figured that having a kid would make it hard to remarry, and she was afraid a stepfather might mistreat me, so she decided to raise me herself. Her version of raising me was dumping me with my grandparents and going out to hustle and earn money. She barely paid attention to me beyond sending cash. Whenever I needed a parent at school, she'd always say, 'Go find your uncle. Mommy's busy with work. Gotta make money.'"

Dr. Sun listened patiently, then asked a sudden question. "Do you hate her?"

"No!"

"You're lying."

"Well... I really don't hate her. But there's definitely some resentment."

Only then did Dr. Sun nod and move on to the next question. "Did you ever torture and kill animals as a child?"

"Oh sure. I used to crouch at the entrance to the alley, toss a piece of fatty pork I didn't want to eat onto the ground, and watch the ants swarm it in neat little columns. Right when they were about to carry it home, I'd wash the whole operation away with a stream of pee. I'd mess around with grasshoppers too. And frogs, dragonflies. That sort of thing."

"What about cats or dogs?"

"No, never."

Dr. Sun studied him for several seconds, then moved to the final segment. "Once I ask this question, our session is over. Yuanshi Tianzun, what is your view on Evil class Walkers?"

Zhang Yuanqing considered his wording for a moment. "Abhorrence and pity."

Dr. Sun's brow shot up sharply. "Pity?"

Zhang Yuanqing nodded. "I'm a Nocturnal Specter. I've glimpsed the pasts of many Evil-class Walkers. Most of them had their psyches twisted during childhood. A smaller number were exposed to too much injustice in society and gradually grew misanthropic, degenerating into criminals. A philosopher once said that for every demon born among humanity, there are countless invisible demons surrounding them.

"The Evil-class Walker is the demon that was born. But the people who drove them down that path are the hidden demons. I believe every sin is a karmic fire of humanity's own making. With how developed the internet is now, the birth of a demon may not just be the work of those immediately around them, but of demons from every corner of the world. Therefore, I pity them. But that doesn't stop me from cleansing their sins when our paths happen to cross."

Dr. Sun sank into thought. After a long pause, he spoke, his voice filled with hidden emotion.

"You're someone who thinks deeply. I've met many Spirit Realm newcomers, and their views on Evil-class Walkers are simple and uniform. They see them as criminals, as the degradation of human nature, as sources of danger, or as enemies that must be eradicated. That's not wrong, of course, but very few people consider why Evil-class Walkers come into being, or reflect on what that might mean."

Zhang Yuanqing smiled. "Maybe it's not that they can't think about it, but that they're too lazy to, or don't want to."

The reason he'd thought about these things was twofold. On one hand, he'd encountered an Evil-class Walker like Ashamed Father. On the other hand, the Nocturnal Specter's spirit communion ability let him absorb the memories of spirits, giving him an intense sense of immersion.

In truth, the sorrows and joys of any individual human are not shared. Someone's suffering might be nothing more than a punchline in another's eyes. Only by truly stepping into their shoes could one begin to reflect. It was the abilities of the Nocturnal Specter class that had provided Zhang Yuanqing the conditions to think about these things.

Dr. Sun smiled and inclined his head. "That's all from me. Thank you for your cooperation. You may leave now."

Once Zhang Yuanqing stepped out and pulled the consulting room door shut behind him, Dr. Sun rolled his chair across to the computer screen and checked the box to indicate Yuanshi Tianzun's psychological evaluation had been completed.

Then he typed out his assessment notes.

Mental state is normal. A strong sense of justice, suspected family-related factors. Habitually uses an outgoing, enthusiastic exterior to mask inner introversion and depth. Idealist. Not recommended for positions of significant authority at this stage.

He was an idealist, someone more accustomed to upholding the justice of his own heart than the justice of order.

Put simply, when faced with a choice between procedural justice and outcome-based justice, this type of person would lean toward the latter. Outcome-based justice was actually easier for most people to identify and empathize with. But for those who enforced the law, procedural justice had to come above all else.

***

Zhang Yuanqing returned to the second floor waiting area. By then, participants in the full inspection had already started filing out one after another. Aside from Squad Two, who had arrived late, only a handful of stragglers were still in line.

Li Dongze was sitting on one of the public benches, both hands resting on his cane. When he saw Zhang Yuanqing, he smiled.

"I can tell from your expression that Dr. Sun's questions were decidedly lacking in elegance."

Zhang Yuanqing shrugged with a grimace. "He actually asked me whether I watch films, and what kind of actresses I prefer. Why didn't any of you warn me the psychologist would ask such devious questions?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, he noticed every member of Squad Two, along with several other team members nearby, all turning to stare at him in unison.

His heart lurched. "Don't tell me... those weren't standard questions?"

"They weren't!" his squad mates answered in unison.

Son of a...! Can I take back what I just said? Zhang Yuanqing forced down the tidal wave of embarrassment roiling inside him and adopted an expression of sudden enlightenment. "It must be because I'm young and handsome, with an extraordinary bearing. That's why he asked those questions. Ha ha. Ha ha ha..."

The members of Squad Two nodded along. That's our man, alright. Skin thick enough to stop a bullet.

"So how did you answer?" Guan Ya asked with relish.

Zhang Yuanqing glanced at her. "I told him I don't like watching films. I prefer playing as Guan Yu." (TL Note: This is a reference to the famous general Guan Yu of the Three Kingdoms. He was known as someone who’d take action and advance heroically instead of standing by the side.)

Guan Ya was left speechless by his comeback.

Zhang Yuanqing sat down beside Guan Ya and waited in silence. He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes, turning things over in his mind.

The Tiger Seal was a rule-type item, and an extremely high level one at that. Trying to fool it was all but impossible. Otherwise, Master Wuhen wouldn't have responded the way he had.

The purpose of bringing out the Tiger Seal for this full inspection was to root out official Walkers within the Songhai Branch who had been bought or compromised by Dark Rose or evil organizations. The questions would inevitably revolve around Evil-class Walkers and Dark Rose.

Thankfully, neither applied to him. If he had any black marks at all, it was his brief contact with anomalies among the Evil-class Walkers like Xiao Yuan and Wuhen. But the whole thing had been purely coincidental, and he had Xie Lingxi to vouch for him. As a holder of A-rank merit, a minor matter like that would earn him a reprimand and a warning at worst, which was nothing serious. Besides, Fu Qingyang was his direct superior.

As for being Demon Lord's successor, that was mainly a Taiyi Sect investigation. The Five Elements Alliance wasn't particularly invested in it, so it probably wouldn't come up.

Zhang Yuanqing finished his silent analysis and decided the risk was manageable.

Over the course of half an hour, the members of Squad Two completed their Tiger Seal examinations one by one. When Wang Tai emerged, Zhang Yuanqing made his way toward the consulting room at the end of the corridor.

The room was spacious but simply furnished. A desk sat by the window, and behind it waited Fu Qingyang in a crisp white suit, his long hair swept back neatly in a stylish ponytail. A camera on a tripod stood off to one side, its lens trained on the desk.

"Sit down," Fu Qingyang ordered, gesturing with a raised hand. "You're the last one. Don't waste time."

Zhang Yuanqing nodded and took a seat.

Fu Qingyang reached into empty air with his right hand and drew out a palm-sized bronze tiger figurine, its head thrown back in a roar, the flowing curve of its head, spine, and tail forming a single elegant line.

Instantly, a loud animalistic roar assaulted Zhang Yuanqing's ears, and seemed to reach all the way in to scour his soul. His pupils went wide and his vision became unfocused. He saw, deep within his sea of consciousness, a lithe white tiger with blazing amber eyes reclining on its side, radiating divine majesty from every inch of its frame as it glared at him with a gaze that was both piercing and severe.

It was an oppressive force unlike anything he had ever felt, a terror beyond anything he had ever known. His face turned chalk white, and his hands and feet spasmed, his body trembling beyond his control. He felt his very soul quaking, as though teetering on the edge of an abyss.

So this is what the influence of a high-level rule type item feels like.

Fu Qingyang gripped the Tiger Seal, and his aura became distant and commanding, like a marshal presiding over an army a million fighters strong. He asked his questions slowly.

"Yuanshi. Are you a sleeper agent for Dark Rose?"

As he listened to the words, Zhang Yuanqing "saw" the white tiger in his sea of consciousness fix him with its imperious gaze. If he lied, it would lunge at him, tearing him to shreds.

His lips trembled faintly. "No..."

Fu Qingyang waited several seconds. Detecting nothing amiss, he gave a small nod and asked his second question.

"Have you had any private dealings with Evil class practitioners?"

Hearing the question, Zhang Yuanqing almost swore. Reason told him to conceal the truth, but instinct outpaced logic. Under the white tiger's watchful eyes, the truth spilled out before he could stop it.

"Yes."

Fu Qingyang's gaze narrowed.

"But I think I should explain." Zhang Yuanqing's voice shook as he spoke, like a traveler struggling through a bitter wind.

Fu Qingyang gave a slight nod.

Haltingly, Zhang Yuanqing recounted how he had come to know Ashamed Father and relayed a message on his behalf, though he kept the address of Wuhen Inn to himself.

"That's what happened. Xie Lingxi of the Xie family can vouch for me. Beyond that, I haven't had much involvement with them."

Everything he said was true. He had simply reframed "no further contact" as "not much involvement," a subtle but critical distinction.

Under the Tiger Seal's oppressive force, outright lies were impossible, but wordsmithing seemed to fall outside the item's purview. As long as Fu Qingyang didn't nitpick, Zhang Yuanqing was confident he would clear this question without too much trouble, or at least without suffering any serious repercussions.

Fu Qingyang's tone was cool and detached. "I'll pass this matter along to Elder Teddy. As for his stance on it, you'll just have to leave that to fate."

His tone was cold, but he moved on without dwelling on it.

"One last question. The Taiyi Sect asked me to relay it."

Fu Qingyang straightened in his chair. "Are you Demon Lord's successor?"

Zhang Yuanqing's face went white as a sheet.

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