Realm Walker

At International Tower, Zhang Yuanqing followed the blonde, blue-eyed Annie into a spacious, luxuriously appointed office.

Bill Tarantino was already waiting on the brown leather sofa in the reception area. He was wearing a black dress shirt with the cuffs and collar unbuttoned, a glass of wine cradled loosely in one hand. The whole look screamed casual elegance.

He greeted Zhang Yuanqing as he walked in. "Oh, my friend, how wonderful to see you again!"

Bill's warmth was a far cry from the reserved demeanor of their last meeting. He set down his wine glass, rose eagerly, and spread his arms wide to pull Zhang Yuanqing into a brief embrace.

He guided his big-ticket client to the sofa and asked in a friendly tone, "What can I get you to drink?"

"Coke!" Zhang Yuanqing said.

Bill blinked, caught off-guard, then quickly turned to his assistant. "Annie, have someone go buy some."

There was no need to purchase any. As a foreign enterprise, the company had no shortage of white employees who practically lived on the stuff. The break room fridge was stacked with cases of it.

Annie retrieved a six-pack of canned Coke, cracked one open, poured it into a glass, then fetched the ice tray and dropped in a few cubes.

"Here you are, Mr. Zhang~"

As she set the drink on the coffee table, she leaned forward deliberately, offering the young client an unobstructed view of her pale, porcelain cleavage. Zhang Yuanqing wanted nothing more than to pluck his own eyeballs out and drop them in there to gauge the depth of that valley.

The Love and Desire class is seriously annoying, he thought. They're always seducing you. Resist, and it's torture. Don't resist, and you're done for. It's practically poison.

Seeing the young man so mesmerized by her body, Annie smiled radiantly, as if his attention had restored some lost confidence.

"Ahem!"

Bill cleared his throat. Annie obediently reined in her flirtatious display and stood primly beside her boss.

Bill sat up straight, fingers interlaced, his expression turning serious. "Have you made your decision, Mr. Zhang? I can share the relevant information about the group that uses those pills, and explain it all in detail. That would take roughly thirty minutes. I've also prepared a document you can review alongside it, so you'll have a clearer, more thorough understanding of that group."

He paused a moment for Zhang Yuanqing to process. "If there are no objections, I'll have Annie prepare the contract. As we discussed last time, ten million."

He still hadn't confirmed whether Chen Shu's son was actually a Spirit Realm Walker, and yes, the organization had rules against leaking Walker secrets to civilians. But in the face of ten million, what were rules, really? Capitalism could justify anything, especially given a one-hundred-percent profit margin. And Spirit Realm Walker intel wasn't exactly classified among those in the know. Trading low value intelligence for ten million in cash was a beautiful deal by any measure, and a temptation no Void-class Walker could resist.

Zhang Yuanqing crossed his legs, raised his glass, and took a sip of the ice-cold drink.

"I am quite interested in information about foreign Spirit Realm Walkers," he said with a smile. "After all, the only foreign professions I'm currently aware of are your Void class, Mr. Bill, and Ms. Annie's Love and Desire class."

Bill and Annie both froze.

He already knows. He really is a Spirit Realm Walker, and not just any Walker. He has a detailed understanding of our classes. This isn't some clueless freelancer.

A twinge of regret flickered through Bill Tarantino. A low cost, high return deal had just evaporated.

After a few seconds, he composed himself and said carefully, "Then the purpose of your visit today is...?"

"I have indeed come to do business with you, Mr. Bill," Zhang Yuanqing replied, choosing his words carefully. "I have a friend who wants to purchase items and materials. He's scoured the black market without success. I remembered that you're from the Void class, so I came to pay you a visit."

At those words, Bill's spirits lifted, and a smile climbed back onto his face. "What do you need? Our Merchants' Guild carries a rich variety of items and materials. As long as the price is right, you can buy anything that comes from the Spirit Realm."

Zhang Yuanqing pulled out his phone and showed Bill the list he'd drawn up in the car. "I need one item capable of concealing one's presence, and some high quality Transcendent-tier Yin materials."

When he had decided to buy from Bill, a thought had struck him. Why not use this opportunity to gather all the materials needed to refine the Yin corpse? It would be killing two birds with one stone.

Bill took the phone and studied the list carefully, then relaxed and smiled. "We have all these materials in stock. The total value is roughly four million. For your mother's sake, I'll give you a ten percent discount."

Then he furrowed his brow. "As for an item that conceals your presence, your requirements are slightly vague. Some items can conceal the wearer's presence as a secondary effect. Others can't conceal your presence directly, but achieve a similar result. Some provide long-term concealment, while others only brief suppression."

He leaned forward. "Also, you'll need to tell me what your acceptable price range is, as well as the tier of item you're looking for. There's a world of difference between the price of a Transcendent-tier item compared to a Saint-tier one."

Zhang Yuanqing considered this a moment, then replied, "I'd like to look at the available items first, then decide."

What he actually needed was an item capable of blocking detection from a Sovereign-tier powerhouse, but he couldn't say that outright. It would be too easy for Bill to connect the dots. A little digging into recent Songhai intelligence would reveal that the Demon Eye Heavenly King was hunting for Yuanshi Tianzun and the Palace Master.

Asking to inspect items without committing was a somewhat presumptuous request, since item attributes were typically kept confidential, but he was confident Bill would agree. These were trade goods sitting in a warehouse, and not Bill's personal equipment.

Sure enough, after a few moments of thought, Bill nodded. "No problem. But I should warn you, if you intend to purchase items with cash, you'll need a staggering amount of money. Our Merchants' Guild is the only Spirit Realm Walker organization that accepts cash. Most other organizations only accept barter."

Spirit Realm items produced exclusively in the Spirit Realm, were scarce in quantity and exorbitant in value. Paper currency, at its core, was just paper. With governments around the world printing money recklessly, it was unsurprising that many organizations refused to deal in cash at all, and even those that did charged severe premiums.

What? Do you think I'm broke? You think the great Yuanshi Tianzun can't afford it? Well... okay, I actually don't have that much cash.

"I understand," Zhang Yuanqing replied evenly.

Bill smiled, then opened the Merchants' Guild warehouse. He reached into the empty air and pulled out a carved bronze box. The box was of an antiquated design, covered in patina and ornate, classical engravings that radiated a distinctly traditional Chinese aesthetic.

"This is an item I acquired from the Taiyi Sect last year," Bill explained. "It originated from a paranormal dungeon. It's a female ghost's makeup box. Smear the blood paste inside onto your face, and your aura transforms into Yin energy. Vengeful spirits and Yin corpses will perceive you as one of their own, keeping them from attacking you."

The box masks the aura of the living, tricking spirits into thinking you're one of them. But to the Demon Eye Heavenly King, the type of aura doesn't matter. All he cares about is whether you're a Spirit Realm Walker. Zhang Yuanqing shook his head, declining the item.

Bill put away the makeup box and produced a second item. It was a battered, filthy leather hat, badly worn and entirely unremarkable.

"This is the Scavenger's Cap," Bill said enthusiastically, "a Void-class item. Its functions are treasure seeking, agility, and concealment. It augments the movement speed and the concealment capabilities of the wearer after they find treasure. The way the concealment works is rather peculiar. It doesn't mask your aura. Instead, it makes people overlook you, the way nobody pays attention to a beggar on the street. Someone once wore it to walk into a tycoon's private vault, a women's restroom, and even a military base."

His voice dropped. "A different person wore it while assaulting another person. The victim bizarrely ignored the attacker the entire time. Of course, this only works on ordinary people. Against Spirit Realm Walkers, the moment you reveal hostile intent, you'll be noticed immediately."

He paused, then added, "The cost is that it attracts misfortune."

Zhang Yuanqing mulled it over. An item full of questionable applications. It doesn't actually conceal your aura, so the Demon Eye would definitely detect me. Well, maybe he'd see me and then immediately lose interest. But the misfortune thing is a dealbreaker. What if I put it on, turn around, and the Demon Eye is standing right behind me?

"I'd like to see more."

The hat could serve as a backup. If nothing better came along, he could settle for it. Bill, like a patient salesman dealing with a fussy customer, produced a third item without complaint. It was a thin sheet of human skin.

"Perfect Skin. Drape it over yourself and you can transform into anyone's likeness. You'll take on the target's personality, habits, speech patterns, everything, without a single flaw. Even their closest confidants won't see through the disguise." Bill's voice dropped low. "There are two costs to it. First, you must remove it within sixty minutes. Otherwise, you become the target permanently, with no way to reverse it. Second, while transformed, you fully inherit the target's affairs. In your language, I believe the word is 'karma.'

"Its previous owner inherited their target's karma during a transformation and was hacked to death by the target's enemies. The owner before that infiltrated a crime syndicate by disguising himself as a call girl to get close to the boss. That night, he was used by over a dozen men, and he couldn't refuse, because bearing the target's karma is compulsory."

Bill shook his head as he recounted that last anecdote. "The poor bastard completed his mission, but suffered catastrophic psychological damage afterward."

What kind of garbage items are these? The drawbacks are insane. Perfect Skin's ability is incredible, the stuff spies dream about, but the costs are devastating. Setting everything else aside, if I transformed into a woman, wouldn't I have to...

Zhang Yuanqing swallowed. "Do you, uh, have anything else, Mr. Bill? I need something that functions more simply, and with costs that aren't so... extreme."

"Something that functions more simply..." Bill thought for a moment, then his eyes lit up. "Actually, I do have one such item. I've had it for years and never managed to sell it."

He reached into the air and pulled out a black face mask printed with a white skull.

"This is a foreign Evil-class item. It's called The Silencer. Its function is straightforward: sealing. While wearing the mask, all of your skills are sealed, making you indistinguishable from an ordinary person."

He set it on the table. "It's not concealment per se, but the effect is stronger than most concealment abilities. It has three costs. First, a Transcendent-tier Spirit Realm Walker who wears it loses all their abilities while wearing it, but removing the mask lifts the seal. Second, you cannot speak while wearing it. Third, drowsiness."

Zhang Yuanqing's eyes brightened. This is the one.

Though the mask had three costs, they were all trivially minor. Having his abilities sealed was annoying, sure, but removing the mask undid it instantly. That kind of flexibility was invaluable.

"How much for this item, Mr. Bill?" he asked.

Bill beamed. "A Transcendent-tier item won't run more than ten million. Given its simple, support-oriented function, it falls in the five to seven million range."

He spread his hands magnanimously. "For your mother's sake, let's call it six million."

"For my mother's sake, shouldn't it be five million?"

"Absolutely not. My friendship with your mother is worth one million at most."

"Fine. I'll tell my mom that Mr. Bill is a fair weather friend." Seeing that haggling was getting him nowhere, Zhang Yuanqing changed tack. "Mr. Bill, I'd like to make the purchase through barter."

"Good, that's even better!" Bill exclaimed, rubbing his hands together eagerly. "May I see what you have?"

Zhang Yuanqing reached into his Inventory and produced an incense burner with a three-legged bronze base. Its main body was a toad carved from dark wood, and it squatted on the base with its mouth gaping wide toward the sky.

He intended to sell the Celestial Toad Incense Burner. The conditions for its usage were far too restrictive. Since acquiring it, he'd used it exactly once, and it had been gathering dust in his Inventory ever since.

With Zhang Yuanqing's permission, Bill carefully, almost reverently, picked up the burner. His expression and posture resembled an archaeologist handling a priceless relic.

After thoroughly examining the information, Bill's face broke into a delighted grin. "What a treasure. Its drawbacks are obvious, but it has an astonishing function. Used at the right time, in the right situation, it can yield returns far exceeding its face value."

Watching the foreigner fondle the burner like he couldn't bear to part with it, Zhang Yuanqing felt compelled to warn him, "Mr. Bill, I wouldn't recommend taking that thing out of storage. Best to keep it in your Inventory at all times unless you want your tribe to perish because of you."

Bill reluctantly set down the burner and slipped back into businessman mode. "I'll price it at ten million."

Ten million? That's conveniently the exact amount I need for the materials and The Silencer. If he's offering me that price, the Celestial Toad Incense Burner is definitely worth more. Zhang Yuanqing took a deep breath. "Mr. Bill, how about fifteen million, for my mother's sake?"

"Oh, God, please stop bringing up your mother. She and I are just ordinary business partners."

"Then, Mr. Bill, how about for my sake?"

"..."

At that moment, Annie, who had been silent throughout, spoke up with a coy smile. "Mr. Zhang, I think ten million is a fair price. If you agree, I'd be delighted to invite you to dinner tonight on Mr. Bill's behalf."

Her teasing, suggestive gaze practically said: After dinner, I'm all yours.

Zhang Yuanqing felt an involuntary surge of excitement. He wasn't being lecherous. It was just her class abilities messing with his head.

Theoretically, having a gorgeous companion to make up the price difference isn't a bad deal. But the Love and Desire class is ruthless. Until I figure out how to come out unscathed, any man who touches one of them is asking for trouble.

Zhang Yuanqing summoned every ounce of willpower he had, crushed the fantasy forming in his mind, and spoke in a measured tone.

"If this deal includes Ms. Annie's body, then you'll need to pay me an additional fee to cover any physical damages." He paused, then added, "My virginity is worth five million."

Annie's seductive, exquisite face twitched violently as she was reminded of the deeply unpleasant encounter from the previous day.

***

After a round of back and forth negotiation, the Celestial Toad Incense Burner sold for twelve million. Of that, ¥9,360,000 went toward purchasing The Silencer and a substantial stockpile of Yin materials.

The remaining ¥2,640,000 in cash was packed into a carry-on suitcase and handed to Zhang Yuanqing. He had personally watched the finance department run every bill through a counting machine, making sure there were no counterfeits.

As he prepared to leave, Zhang Yuanqing asked, "How much longer will you be staying on the mainland, Mr. Bill?"

"I won't be leaving anytime soon," Bill replied with a weary smile.

The President still hadn't agreed to meet him. He'd received a reply in Mandarin: 滚犊子[1]!

Roll, newborn calf? Why would someone roll a calf? Is the President trying to send me some kind of coded message? Bill hadn't been able to decipher the meaning, so he'd called in a translator.

The translator took one look, then covered the characters for "calf" with his finger.

Bill's eyes widened with understanding. The President didn't want him to roll a calf. The President wanted him to get lost.

Zhang Yuanqing was thoroughly satisfied with the deal. "Good. If the opportunity arises, I'll come find you again."

Bill's smile returned at once. "Let me walk you out."

When Bill returned to the office, he found his assistant Annie sitting motionless on the sofa, staring blankly into space.

1. 犊子 (du zi) literally means little calf, but is often used to form vivid and colorful colloquialisms. ☜

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