A spacious and luxurious office. Li Dongze leaned back on the sofa, one leg crossed over the other, holding a water cup in his left hand and a cigar in his right, enjoying himself with ease. Just moments ago, he reported to his immediate supervisor about the recruitment of a Night Wandering Deity. Li Dongze knew that the young Hundred-man Commander had recently taken office and was eager to make an impact, building up his own loyal followers. For this newly recruited Night Wandering Deity—clean in background and proven capable—a standout opportunity came at just the right time for the distinguished family of the commander. Indeed, the younger superior praised him highly and promised to recognize him with a major commendation. In the White Tiger Army's system, military merit is paramount. “Clang!” The office’s glass door was violently smashed open as Guan Ya, wearing high heels, burst in. Li Dongze frowned. He sipped his wine slowly and criticized: “Guan Ya, you’re not very graceful at all.” “What Chief, the new recruit’s trial realm is She Ling Tunnel!” Guan Ya got straight to the point. “Pfft!” Li Dongze instantly transformed into a warrior in full charge of his composure. He set down his wine glass and stood up sharply, voice sharp: “She Ling Tunnel?! Oh, heavens—what have you done?!” He grabbed his walking stick and rushed out to the office area, where he found the newly recruited Night Wandering Deity staring blankly at the computer. Noticing Li Dongze’s arrival, Zhang Yuanqing sighed and said: “Chief, do you still think there’s any hope for me?” He feared that Li Dongze might say outright: “No chance—just go home and wait for your contract to be terminated.” Li Dongze looked at him silently. His expression was as if he had just pursued his beloved only to find out it was his long-lost sister. Faced with the new employee’s hopeful gaze, Li Dongze took a deep breath and said in a low tone: “The Trial Realm is every Spirit Realm Walker's first solo instance. It's precisely this very aspect that makes it most challenging—there's no one to assist you during the trial. This is how the Spirit Realm tests you, and it’s the cost you must pay to gain supernatural abilities.” Zhang Yuanqing nodded heavily. Li Dongze continued: “I’ll report this matter formally. I hope higher-level archives contain information and recommendations about She Ling Tunnel—otherwise, no one can save him. For now, please go back and wait for updates; I will inform you as soon as there’s any news.” Although not yet a Night Wandering Deity himself, Zhang Yuanqing was an experienced Spirit Realm Walker and had heard the reputation of She Ling Tunnel. To date, in all officially documented records, no one has ever successfully completed She Ling Tunnel. The “first kill” milestone for this instance remains unachieved. “Good—thank you, Chief,” said Zhang Yuanqing, his tone stiff. Li Dongze added: “You should detail your experience within She Ling Tunnel.” … After arranging a dedicated vehicle to take Zhang Yuanqing back home, Guan Ya returned to her desk and pulled out notepaper bearing an Aquarius watermark from the drawer. She opened a pen cap featuring a Virgo pattern. Every item on the desk—computer, notebook, desktop surface, water cup—was stamped or affixed with various constellations. Clearly, this was a seasoned astrology enthusiast. On the notepad, Guan Ya wrote: “Yuan Shi Tian Zun, Scorpio Man; traits: secretive, keeps grudges, strong-willed.” “Note: Highly likely to be courted by female members of other organizations.” After writing, she gently exhaled, tore off the notepad, and affixed it in the personnel file for Team Two. She regularly annotated each team leader’s attributes—including those who had resigned or perished during their trials. “Hey, Wang Tai—does that young man have a chance?” Guan Ya raised her head and called to the one beside her. Wang Tai, hair slightly disheveled, lifted his head. “The Taiyi Gate may have detailed records about She Ling Tunnel—but they’re probably not very helpful. Otherwise, Taiyi Gate would have already arranged for a Night Wandering Deity to complete it. There should be decent rewards in an S-Rank Training Mission.” Guan Ya frowned. Wang Tai continued: “If we can find him several props—then there’s some chance of success. But you know, props vary widely in function. And our knowledge about She Ling Tunnel is limited—we simply cannot offer targeted solutions. The end result will likely be both person and prop lost.” “Nonsense!” Guan Ya rolled her eyes. Props themselves are exceptionally precious and rare. For a Spirit Realm Walker at the Elevated Stage, having just one such prop would be truly fortunate. Unclaimed props can only be obtained through two pathways: entering the Spirit Realm to discover them, or by defeating a Spirit Realm Walker in real life—killing them and seizing their possessions. And it must be an item detached from its inventory that is actually taken. Clearly, neither path is currently feasible. Most importantly, without knowing what specific condition exists inside She Ling Tunnel, how can anyone determine which type of prop will help the new recruit succeed? And if the young man dies during his trial, the props would automatically be reclaimed by the Spirit Realm—resulting in substantial loss. Wang Tai tapped rapidly on the keyboard, opened a series of data files, and stared at them for quite some time before murmuring: “Just after Qingming Festival—the exact season when She Ling Tunnel opens. Isn’t it rather unfortunate?” In the office, Li Dongze opened a chat application and typed: “To Fu Bai Fu Chang—my subordinate reports an incident concerning the newly recruited Night Wandering Deity mentioned earlier. His trial realm is She Ling Tunnel—an instance famously known as the ‘bug’ trial realm for new recruits.” “She Ling Tunnel first emerged during construction of the tunnel in the early 20th century. A construction team accidentally entered and perished within the Spirit Realm. Later, an official survivor was discovered. That same survivor was then transported back into the Spirit Realm thirty-six hours later.” “Yes—She Ling Tunnel’s trial mission involves two stages, unlike other professions or realms that offer one-time trials.” “I’m sorry—I was so surprised I lost my composure. My instinctive assumption was that upon returning from the trial realm, he had successfully completed it.” “I know Taiyi Gate holds the most comprehensive and detailed Night Wandering Deity records—their Master is widely considered the strongest in the world. Perhaps there are relevant materials on She Ling Tunnel available there.” “If Fu Bai Fu Chang personally intervenes, I believe Taiyi Gate will extend a measure of favor.” “The principle of the White Tiger Army—never abandoning one’s comrades—is fundamental. Since he has officially joined our organization, I cannot easily let him go. I hope Fu Bai Fu Chang can assist us.” After carefully reviewing and revising several times, Li Dongze clicked to send. He held his wine cup, stared at the screen, and sighed. … Back home, Zhang Yuanqing returned with a heavy heart. He entered the password and opened the security door. In the living room, Grandmother was diligently sweeping the floor. At the dining table sat a middle-aged man in a black jacket—handsome, with sleek dark hair. A deep Sichuan pattern crossed his forehead and fine lines formed at his eyes—both signs of time’s passage. Visually, he clearly embodied an elegant mature gentleman—a man who surely appealed to seasoned women and some younger men deeply devoted to him. Yet this man was not Zhang Yuanqing’s uncle—he was his cousin. After swallowing the freshly heated porridge, the cousin turned to Zhang Yuanqing: “Did your grandmother tell you I spoke with you last night?” He looked serious and reserved—like a young version of Grandfather. Zhang Yuanqing opened his mouth, then shook his head. “Nothing much.” The issue had been resolved yesterday; now this new obstacle was beyond the reach of his cousin. And he didn’t want to mention it either—having signed confidentiality agreements after all. The cousin looked at him while slowly sipping his porridge: “It must be about Lei Yibing’s case. I heard Li Dongze personally visited today, which means it's not a simple incident. Even I can’t help.” Ah—he’d already made inquiries in advance! Zhang Yuanqing nodded quietly. Seeing that he was subdued, Chen Yuanjun said no more—just assumed the younger man was concerned about Lei Yibing. At that moment, Jiang Yubi emerged from her bedroom wearing an adorable bear-themed sleepwear, holding a stack of face masks. “Here—you know, anti-aging and wrinkle-reducing. Use once in the morning and once at night—it should work well. Your grandmother insisted on having me buy them.” The cousin frowned, his Sichuan pattern deepening: “Cousin, I don’t need these.” Jiang Yubi shrugged nonchalantly. “Whatever you prefer.” The Grandmother, meanwhile, wiped the floor with a broom, looked at the grandson with irritation, and said: “You don’t need masks? Then does that mean I have to smooth out all those creases on your face with my iron?” Ever since her son had been unreliable, Grandmother had given up on the large-sized clothing—now she focused instead on nurturing two younger generations. Currently, her grandson was at Songhai University and her granddaughter worked in the Public Safety Department—both with promising futures. But Grandmother still harbored a persistent concern: that her grandson was too mature and steady. At age thirty, he looked like someone in their forties. Last year, an old brother-in-law of Grandfather came to Songhai for a visit. Upon meeting Chen Yuanjun, he was amazed and remarked to Grandfather: “Didn’t know you had another son!” Grandfather struggled for words—finally saying: “This is my grandson.” The man was straightforward—he exclaimed aloud: “Your grandson seems rather demanding…” Their decades-long friendship nearly came undone. Chen Yuanjun gently took the masks, tucked them into his pocket and said: “Alright, Grandma—please don’t keep nagging. I still have work to attend to today—I’m currently managing a missing persons case.” Missing person case? Zhang Yuanqing immediately became attentive and asked: “What’s going on?” Chen Yuanjun took a bite of salted vegetable. “Two people went missing in She Ling Tunnel—no one has found them yet. The surveillance footage shows they entered the tunnel from outside, but there's no image at all showing their arrival inside the tunnel…” The cousin suddenly stopped and advised: “Don’t tell anyone else.” He had signed confidentiality agreements. Upon hearing this, Grandmother instantly became intrigued, her eyes sparkling with curiosity: “Is it another ghost story? Huh—how hasn’t the tunnel been blocked yet? It seems every year a few people go missing inside it.” Jiang Yubi also leaned forward, displaying her motherly curiosity. “Grandma, just don’t ask me anymore,” Zhang Yuanqing said. Maybe I’m not alone in this after all—I’ll be lucky if these two can survive for three hours. He now had a deeper understanding of the Spirit Realm. Li Dongze once mentioned that the Spirit Realm has always existed—perhaps each year, a portion of missing persons simply vanish into the realm. … In the Capital City, within a Si-Hé-Yuán courtyard. The grand locust tree is lush and thriving, like an open green canopy. Underneath it lies an elderly man in a white shirt and loose pants, holding a fan leisurely, resting comfortably. His face is slender, with a subtle mole above his eyebrow—carrying an air of noble refinement. A gentle breeze stirs the leaves, causing them to sway and scatter light spots across the floor. Faint, childlike laughter drifts from beneath the tree. “Sun Elder, Fu’s son has sent you an email,” said a middle-aged man in black, stepping over the threshold into the courtyard. Both those who rise to the rank of Elder at either the Five Elements Alliance or Taiyi Gate are renowned Spirit Realm Walkers. “Fu Qingyang?” the elder smiled, not opening his eyes. He waved the fan gently. “What’s this?” “He has recruited a Night Wandering Deity in Songhai City—whose trial realm is She Ling Tunnel—and he wishes to request materials about the tunnel from you. Additionally, he seeks your advice,” said the man. The elder paused as he moved the fan and after several seconds said: “Just after Qingming Festival—the perfect timing for She Ling Tunnel’s opening. In recent months, many newcomers have received their Night Wandering Deity character cards—yet no one has successfully passed through She Ling Tunnel.” “I can provide him with the materials—I know Taiyi Gate has already abandoned efforts to explore this tunnel; thus, the confidentiality level of those records is now being reduced. I’ll also tell Fu’s son that the place itself is an S-Rank Training Mission—initially challenging for newcomers—and it has since developed complications, surpassing even its original scope. It's no longer a standard trial mission.” “My recommendation,” he added, “is to let go of this Night Wandering Deity. Anyone who perishes there is simply not worth the investment.” The middle-aged man nodded gently—being a key administrative officer at Taiyi Gate, he well understood the strange and ominous nature of She Ling Tunnel in Songhai. An S-Rank Training Mission is already one of the most demanding for new recruits; She Ling Tunnel surpasses even that standard. Each S-level Trial Realm necessarily contains something extraordinary—either a rare prop or significant information, of immense value. To unravel the mystery of the She Ling Tunnel Spirit Realm, Taiyi Gate has specifically dispatched two Level 1 Night Wandering Deities to reside long-term in Place, as occasional openings for these Level 1 Night Wandering Deity Pilgrims exist within S-level novice Trial Realms. After months of patient waiting, both Level 1 Night Wandering Deities successfully received tasks assigned by the She Ling Tunnel. Yet the outcome was tragic: one Night Wandering Deity vanished completely after entering the Spirit Realm; the other completed her first task and then perished during the second. Both deities were accompanied by props throughout their journeys. Since then, Taiyi Gate elders have re-evaluated the She Ling Tunnel and have decisively abandoned any plans to conquer it. “Indeed, if someone manages to successfully traverse the She Ling Tunnel and secure the information within, that would finally resolve our Taiyi Gate’s concerns,” remarked the person_name with a smile. The elder remained silent, slowly adding: “In a few days, the Master will convene all Night Wandering Deities in the capital for a special gathering—there is something important to announce. You prepare accordingly and summon your young followers back.” After speaking, he waved his fan to dismiss them. The person_name bowed slightly and withdrew. ……