The spacious and luxurious office: Li Dongze lounged lazily on the sofa, one leg crossed over the other, holding a wine glass in his left hand and a cigar in his right, enjoying the moment. Just moments ago, he had reported to his direct superior about the recruitment of the Night-Wanderer. Li Dongze knew that the young Centurion, newly appointed, was eager to make an impact and build a loyal inner circle. For him, a clean-qualified Night-Wanderer—especially one from a distinguished family—was truly a blessing arriving at the perfect time. Indeed, the young superior expressed high praise and promised to recognize him with a significant commendation. In the White Tiger military system, military achievements hold the highest value. Li Dongze instantly transformed into a jet-powered warrior, barely pausing to wipe off the wine, and leapt up, his voice sharp and urgent: "The Shu Ling Tunnel?! Oh, God, you clumsy fool—look at what you've done!" He grabbed his walking cane and rushed out, reaching the office area where the newly arrived night wanderer was staring blankly at the computer screen. Noticing Li Dongze's arrival, Zhang Yuan cleared his throat and asked with a worried expression, "Chief, do you still think I have a chance for rescue?" He was afraid the moment he would hear: "No chance—just wait to die—let's terminate your contract!" Li Dongze silently watched him, his expression as if he had finally pursued his beloved only to discover she was his long-lost sister. Facing the new employee's earnest gaze, Li Dongze took a deep breath and spoke in a calm, measured tone: "The Trial of the Spirit Realm is every Spirit Realm traveler's first solo quest. Its greatest challenge lies precisely here." In the solo dungeon, no one can assist you—this is the trial the spiritual realm has set for you, the inevitable cost you must bear to gain supernatural powers. Zhang Yuanqing nodded solemnly. Li Dongze added, "I'll report this matter officially. I hope the higher-level archives contain information and guidance on the Shela Spirit Tunnel; otherwise, no one will be able to save you. Go back and wait for updates—I'll notify you immediately upon receiving any news." Though not a night-wanderer, as a seasoned traveler of the spiritual realm, he was familiar with the reputation of the Shela Spirit Tunnel. To date, in all officially recorded cases, no one has successfully completed the tunnel—the "first kill" of this dungeon remains unachieved. "Very good, thank you, Shizhang," Zhang Yuanqing replied, his expression stiff. Li Dongze then added, "Please document your detailed experiences within the Shela Spirit Tunnel." "... Arranged a dedicated vehicle to send Zhang Yuanqing away. Guan Ya returned to her desk, pulled out a notepad bearing the watermark of Aquarius, and unscrewed the pen cap adorned with Virgo's emblem. Everything on the desk—computer, laptop, desktop, water cup—was stamped or affixed with various constellations. Clearly, she was a seasoned astrology enthusiast. On the notepad, Guan Ya wrote: "Original Heavenly Sovereign, Scorpio male, astrological traits: enigmatic, holds grudges, strong in personality." "Note: Highly likely to be courted by women from other organizations." After writing, the mixed-race beauty took a deep breath, tore the notepad off, and pasted it into the human resources file of Team Two. She had annotated attributes and assessed each team leader—both current and those who had departed, including those who had passed away in the spiritual realm. "Hey, Wang Tai, does that guy have a chance at clearing the final stage?" Guan Ya lifted her head and called out to the one across the corridor." Wang Tai, with his hair disheveled, lifted his head and said, "Taiyuan Gate might have detailed records on Shela Ling Tunnel, but they're likely of little use. Otherwise, Taiyuan Gate would have already arranged for Ye You Shen to clear the spiritual realm by now. A Class-S trial should come with solid rewards." Guan Ya furrowed her brows. Wang Tai continued, "If we can find him a few items, there might be a chance of success. But as you know, the functions of these items vary widely, and our understanding of Shela Ling Tunnel is still limited. We can't offer targeted items that solve specific problems. In the end, the outcome is usually a complete loss—both people and resources." "Talk!" Guan Ya rolled her eyes. The items themselves are incredibly rare and precious. For a transcendent-stage spiritual traveler, having just one such item is already a significant achievement. Unclaimed items can only be obtained through two means: either by entering the spiritual realm to search for them, or by defeating a spiritual traveler in the real world and seizing their belongings. And even then, only items that are not already in their inventory can be taken. Clearly, neither Most importantly, without knowing the specific details of the Shu Ling Tunnel, how could anyone know which type of item would help him pass through? What if he died within the spiritual realm, and the items were automatically retrieved by the realm, resulting in significant losses? Wang Tai tapped his keyboard rapidly, pulled up a series of data, and stared at it for a while, murmuring, "Just after Qingming Festival—perfectly timed with the annual period when the Shu Ling Tunnel opens. Isn't this guy just a bit unlucky?" In the office, Li Dongze opened a messaging app and typed, "General Fu, I'd like to report an incident related to the newly recruited Night-Wanderer Spirit. His trial spiritual realm is the Shu Ling Tunnel, which is said to be the 'bug' realm specifically for Night-Wanderer newcomers. The Shu Ling Tunnel first appeared during the 20th century, when construction crews were building the tunnel. One construction team accidentally entered and perished within the realm. Later, officials found a survivor. Remarkably, this survivor was transported back into the realm again after 36 hours." "Yes, the trial mission for Shu Ling Tunnel is divided into two phases, which differs from the one-time trial missions undertaken by other professions or other spiritual realms." "Apologies—my mind was momentarily stunned by surprise. Following my habitual thinking, upon seeing him return from the trial spiritual realm to the real world, I instinctively assumed he had successfully passed the trial." "I know that the Tai Men archives hold the most comprehensive and detailed records on the Night-Wanderer Spirit Realm, and that the current Master of Tai Men is the foremost Night-Wanderer Spirit of our time. Perhaps, then, Tai Men holds some records specifically related to Shu Ling Tunnel." "If it is Commander Fu Bai who personally advocates for it, I believe Tai Men will extend a little favor." "Never abandoning or deserting one's comrades is the fundamental principle of the Bai Hu soldiers. Since he has officially joined our ranks, I cannot easily let him go without support—thus, I hope Commander Fu Bai will assist us." After carefully reviewing the message several times, Li Dongze confirmed all details and clicked to send it. He held his wine glass, gazed at the screen, and sighed. … Zhang Yuan returned home deeply concerned, entered his password, and opened the security door. In the living room, his grandmother was polishing the floor with a bright, clean motion. At the dining table sat a middle-aged uncle dressed in a black jacket—handsome in appearance, with sleek black hair. Deep furrows of a character-like pattern across his forehead and fine fish-eye lines around his eyes together conveyed the quiet weight of time. Visually, he was undoubtedly a refined, mature man—certainly a favorite among mature women, and perhaps even a beloved figure among young women who admire older men. Yet this middle-aged man was not Zhang Yuan’s uncle, but his cousin. His cousin glanced at him, sipped his porridge slowly, and said, "It's about Lei Yibing, isn't it? I heard Li Dongze personally visited yesterday—this means his case is quite unusual. Not only can't you rely on me, even I won't be able to help much." It seemed his cousin had already made inquiries beforehand! Zhang Yuanqing nodded. Seeing that Chen Yuanjun was not in high spirits, he didn't press further, simply assuming his cousin was worried about Lei Yibing. At that moment, Jiang Yuer, dressed in a cute little bear sleepwear, stepped out of her bedroom, holding a stack of face masks. "Here, these are for wrinkle reduction and anti-aging—apply once in the morning and once in the evening. Your mother insisted I buy them." His cousin frowned, his furrows deepening. "Young cousin, I don't need these." The aunt shrugged, unconcerned. "Whatever you prefer." The grandmother, who had been mopping the floor, looked sharply at the grandson, arms crossed, and said, "If you don't need face masks, then you'll need your grandmother to iron out all the creases on your face, won't you Because Chen Yuanjun had always been unreliable, Grandma had long since given up on the big project and shifted her focus to nurturing the two younger generations. Currently, her grandson has been admitted to Songhai University, and her grandson works at the Police Department—both have promising futures. Yet Grandma has always harbored a lingering concern: her grandson is exceptionally mature and composed, with the demeanor of a man in his forties despite being only thirty. Last year, an old brother-in-law of Grandpa, whom they hadn't seen in many years, came to Songhai for a visit. Upon meeting Chen Yuanjun, he was surprised to Grandpa and remarked, "I didn't know you had a son!" Grandpa struggled to find words, finally managing to say, "This is my grandson." The old brother-in-law, a straightforward man, was equally astonished and exclaimed, "Your grandson seems quite impetuous..." Their decades-long friendship nearly came to an end. Chen Yuanjun, sighing, took the face mask and tucked it into his pocket, saying, "Alright, Grandma, please don't keep talking—I still have to go to work. I'm currently handling a missing persons case and am quite busy." Missing persons case? Zhang Yuanqing immediately became "Chen Yuanjun took a bite of the salty vegetable," said, "Two people went missing in the Shela Ling tunnel—still no trace of them. We've checked the surveillance footage. The cameras outside the tunnel show them entering, but there's absolutely no footage of them entering the tunnel itself..." Suddenly, his brother stopped and cautioned, "Don't mention this outside." He had signed a confidentiality agreement. Upon hearing this, Grandma instantly sparked her curiosity, speaking in a mysterious tone, "Is it another ghost story? Hey, this place hasn't been congested yet—people have been going missing in the tunnel every year." Auntie also leaned in, adopting the same inquisitive expression as her mother. "Grandma, please don't ask anymore," said Chen Yuanqing. Isn't it just like me—accidentally ending up in the mountain temple? Goodness, these two unfortunate souls—how long will they survive? I feel both sympathetic and a bit relieved, as if it's not just me who's been unlucky. He now had a deeper understanding of the Spiritual Realm. Li Dongze had mentioned that the Spiritual Realm has always existed—perhaps each year, a portion of the missing population vanishes into it. …… The Imperial Capital. A quadrangle courtyard. The large locust tree in the yard was lush and dense, like a broad green canopy spread wide. Under the shade of the umbrella, an elderly man with white hair lay resting on a rocking chair, wearing a white cotton shirt and loose pants, holding a rush fan in his hands, enjoying a relaxed nap. The man’s face was slender and refined, with a small flesh-colored mole at the center of his forehead, exuding an indescribable grace. A gentle breeze swept through, causing the leaves to tremble and scatter patches of light across the ground. Faint, childlike laughter could be heard from the tree. "Master Sun, a message from the Fu family has just been sent to you," a middle-aged man in black robes stepped over the threshold and entered the courtyard. Whether from the Five Elements Alliance or the Taimei Sect, those who became Elders were all renowned spiritual travelers. "Fu Qingyang?" the elder smiled gently, without opening his eyes, and tapped the rush fan several times "He has recruited a Night-Wanderer deity in the city of Songhai, with the trial realm being the Shela Spirit Tunnel, and he would like to request materials related to the tunnel. Additionally, he hopes for your advice." The middle-aged man relayed the email content. The elder paused mid-swipe of his fan, then after a few seconds, said with sudden clarity: "The Qingming Festival has just passed. Calculating the timing, it's precisely when the Shela Spirit Tunnel is expected to open. Recently, many people have been fortunate enough to receive the Night-Wanderer deity role cards, yet unfortunately, no one has managed to successfully complete the Shela Spirit Tunnel." "Provide him with the materials—since the sect has already given up on conquering the Shela Spirit Tunnel, the confidentiality level of the related documents has been reduced. Also, pass on my message to Fu Xiao: that place was originally an S-tier trial realm, but complications arose midway, making it increasingly difficult—so much so that it has now completely surpassed the scope of a trial realm." "My recommendation is to let go of that Night-Wanderer deity. There's no point in investing in someone who is destined to perish." The middle-aged man nodded gently. As a steward of Taiyuan Gate, he was well aware of the eerie and ill omened nature of the Songhai Sheling Tunnel. The S-tier Trial Spirit Realm itself is already one of the most challenging for newcomers, and the Sheling Tunnel is even more unusual than typical S-tier realms. Every S-tier Trial Spirit Realm invariably contains something extraordinary—be it rare items or vital information—of immense value. To unravel the mysteries of the Sheling Tunnel, Taiyuan Gate had specifically dispatched two Level-1 Night-Wanderers to reside in Songhai for an extended period, as the S-tier novice realms occasionally open their Level-1 Night-Wanderer practitioners to the realm. After months of patient waiting, both Level-1 Night-Wanderers successfully received tasks from the Sheling Tunnel. Yet, the outcome was tragic: one Night-Wanderer vanished entirely after entering the realm, while the other completed his first task only to perish during the second. Both of these Night-Wanderers were accompanied by their respective items. Since then, the senior elders of Taimei have reassessed the Shela Spirit Tunnel and have completely abandoned their plans to conquer this spirit realm. "If someone actually manages to pass through the Shela Tunnel and retrieve information from within, that would truly settle our concerns," the middle-aged man remarked with a smile. The elder remained silent and said slowly, "In a few days, the Master will convene all the Night-Wanderers to gather in the capital for a meeting—there's a major matter to announce. Prepare accordingly and summon all your young disciples back." With that, he waved his fan and sent them away. The middle-aged man bowed and withdrew.