Zhang Yuanqing's eyes followed the orange cat as it darted swiftly toward the villa. It squeezed through the iron gate and disappeared behind the cover of the courtyard walls.
Seconds later, trees began sprouting over the wall, growing wildly until they reached the second floor in height. Flowers bloomed all over the courtyard—on the treetops, the corners, and the walls—competing in brilliance and color. In the blink of an eye, the villa had transformed into a vibrant, flourishing garden.
Guan Ya leaned in and whispered, "Keep the detox pill in your mouth. If you wait until we're inside to take it, it'll be too late."
Zhang Yuanqing glanced around at his companions and saw everyone silently taking out a secret pill crafted by the Hundred Flowers Association and placing it under their tongues.
He turned to look at Guan Ya. The seasoned seductress also had a pill tucked into her cheek, making her stunning face look a little puffed and oddly cute.
She was still wearing her white blouse, black stockings, and pencil skirt. Two holsters were strapped to her long, smooth thighs. The zipper on the skirt was pulled up to the top of her thighs, designed for ease of movement. If she didn't care about flashing anyone, she could probably pull off a spinning kick with no trouble.
Of course, Zhang Yuanqing suspected she was wearing safety shorts underneath, but since he couldn't lift her skirt to check, he had no proof.
"Can this stuff really protect us from a Witch Gu Master's poison?" he asked while tucking the fragrant pill under his tongue.
"Of course not. A Witch Gu Master's poison isn't that easy to counter," Guan Ya said, face suddenly serious. "But it'll at least reduce the toxicity enough to avoid fatality. Night Wanderers have strong vitality—you're probably the safest of us all."
Zhang Yuanqing nodded and looked around at the group. Besides the five team leaders, himself, and Guan Ya, there were eight others: two Water Ghosts, two Firemasters, two Earth Monsters, and two Wood Elves.
A balanced composition—no obvious weak links.
All the members were Level 2 Walkers. Level 1s weren't even qualified to participate. After all, Level 1 lawful professions stood no chance against a Level 3 evil profession—they'd be like baby chicks.
At that moment, the plants stopped growing. Captain Qingteng gave the low command:
"Move out!"
Fifteen Spirit Realm Walkers moved swiftly and silently through the empty neighborhood streets, converging on the villa.
As they neared, Qingteng slowed down. The brawny captain and two burly Firemasters stepped forward, gripping the iron lock on the villa gate and silently exerting force.
A dim red glow shimmered, and then molten iron dripped to the ground with soft splashes.
The three Firemasters stepped back. Tang Guoqiang and the two Earth Monsters advanced, leading the charge into the courtyard.
Tanks go first—next should be the warriors... Zhang Yuanqing noted mentally. Sure enough, the musclehead and the two Firemasters followed closely behind.
Then come the mages and healers, right? he mused.
The Water Ghosts and Wood Elves entered next.
Scouts are even lower than healers, huh... Zhang Yuanqing glanced at his squad leader and Guan Ya. Sensing the odd look, Li Dongze, still leaning gracefully on his cane, said softly:
"As scouts, we need to stay in the rear, observing and strategizing."
Sure, keep saving face if it makes you happy. Zhang Yuanqing decided to play along. "Got it. Vision control is critical in team fights."
Li Dongze's face twitched. Remembering how this subordinate had roasted him previously, he shot a glance at the dense shrubbery. "I'm considering planting you in those bushes."
By then, the official Walkers had reached the reinforced entrance of the villa, guns drawn.
A barrier surrounded the courtyard, so there was no need to split up and surround the building. Given that the enemy was a Level 3 evil profession, splitting up would only increase the risk of casualties. They had opted for a frontal assault.
Tang Guoqiang pressed a hand against the door lock. The wall connected to it rapidly crumbled into sand and collapsed with a soft hiss.
But he didn't rush in. Instead, he turned to Zhang Yuanqing.
Night belonged to the Night Wanderers. In pitch darkness, they reigned supreme.
Zhang Yuanqing nodded. As the others watched, he vanished.
He entered through the vestibule, spinning and rolling to avoid any potential traps—his moves stylish and dramatic. In his Night Tour state, he could completely muffle all sound.
He stopped at the junction between the foyer and the living room. His vision pierced the dark as he scanned the villa's spacious interior. In the center were sofas and a coffee table for receiving guests; to the left, an open kitchen and dining area; to the right, stairs leading to the second floor.
The living room had a towering ceiling and a square "hui"-shaped layout—standing at the second-floor railing allowed a full view of the first floor.
At Level 2, his Night Tour could last thirty seconds—still too short for a thorough inspection. After a quick check revealed no immediate danger, Zhang Yuanqing exited and reappeared before the others.
"No one on the first floor. Can't say about the second."
Tang Guoqiang made a quick decision. "Move in!"
He led the group into the villa. Everyone followed in an orderly, practiced manner.
Just as they entered the pitch-black living room, a sharp snap! echoed, and the chandelier on the high ceiling lit up, illuminating the scene—and exposing the intruders.
The official Walkers tensed up.
"Been waiting for you, ladies and gentlemen!"
A man appeared at the second-floor railing. Medium build, sharp features, slanted eyes and sword-like brows—it was none other than Hengxing Wuyi.
The Witch Gu Master leaned casually against the railing, sneering down at the team below.
"Fifteen lawful Walkers. Tsk tsk, I'm flattered. All this just to catch me. But hey, who's the hunter and who's the prey? Can anyone really say...?"
His words were abruptly cut off by Guan Ya's gunfire.
The first shot punched a deep crater in the second-floor wall. The second anticipated his roll and connected, sparking a metallic clang.
Pressed against the wall, Hengxing Wuyi stubbornly finished his line, laughing maniacally.
"I love danger. Love trampling the rules. The fame I'll earn for killing fifteen of you is worth the risk. Enjoy the slaughterfest I've prepared!"
The ceiling exploded. Shards of glass rained down like a storm.
The living room plunged into darkness again.
Through the sound of falling glass, Zhang Yuanqing picked up a subtle buzzing—like countless mosquitoes flapping their wings.
Then came Li Dongze's sharp warning:
"Above us!"
Da Ji Ba and the two Firemasters inhaled deeply, puffing out their cheeks before unleashing blasts of fire.
Whoosh!
Flames exploded into the air, lighting up the room.
Countless tiny black dots fell with the embers, and the air filled with a pungent, acrid stench.
They were poisonous insects. Just inhaling the smoke made Zhang Yuanqing dizzy and nauseous.
The squad was momentarily thrown into disarray—not everyone could see in total darkness.
"Fwoosh fwoosh fwoosh..."
The three Firemasters were soon cloaked in searing flames, banishing the shadows with radiant firelight.
They looked down—and their scalps tingled.
The floor crawled with grotesque insects: worms with vicious mandibles, mutated locusts, palm-sized spiders, and unidentifiable horrors. All shared one trait—bright, gaudy colors.
Even with firelight, the flickering shadows and limited visibility made it difficult to avoid an ambush.
An idea struck Zhang Yuanqing. He dashed into the open kitchen and flicked on the lights.
A room this big wouldn't rely on one chandelier.
"Well done!" White Dragon, bearing a large black sword on his back, shouted, "Smash the faucet—we need water!"
Without hesitation, Zhang Yuanqing punched the faucet. To his surprise, instead of spraying wildly, the water gushed out in thick, animate streams.
The water swept across the entire room, washing over sofas, floors, and bugs alike—eventually gathering mid-air into a massive orb containing countless insects wriggling inside.
White Dragon clapped his hands together.
Boom!
The water sphere exploded. Insect corpses and droplets splattered across the room.
Damn, that's badass... Zhang Yuanqing thought in awe. This is why mages are showy as hell. If it were me, I'd have to use the ol' "run away" strategy.
Night Wanderers at the Transcendent level were assassins, not nukes.
At that moment, Li Dongze jerked his head up. He sensed dangerous energy rapidly surging on the second floor and shouted:
"Danger upstairs! Four signatures!"
Everyone's hearts sank.
It was now clear—they'd walked into a trap.
From Hengxing Wuyi's words, demeanor, and response, it was obvious he'd prepared for this.
So this was all a setup… Zhang Yuanqing wasn't experienced, but he wasn't stupid. He glanced at the grim yet silent faces around him and shoved his doubts to the back of his mind.
Now wasn't the time for questions.
Footsteps echoed above as a towering humanoid creature appeared at the railing.
It was grotesque—bug-like mandibles, flat nose, amber slitted eyes, standing two meters tall. Its dark, armor-like skin was covered in chitinous scales.
Its claws were long and black, gouging grooves into the railing with ease.
"My poor bugs, so brave in death. But they bought me the time I needed. Come, my companions!"
Three more monsters emerged from the upper corridor:
A spider-bodied beauty: human from the waist up—fair-skinned, naked, voluptuous—but below the navel, a bloated spider abdomen and eight iron-like legs that easily pierced walls and tiles.
A burly insectoid man: humanoid in shape, with rippling muscles, reversed knee joints, and gleaming blue elytra on his back.
And a ten-meter-long serpent with a human head, coiled tightly, flicking its tongue from above.
All three had violent, beastly eyes—no trace of human reason.
"They are Judge Ghost Eye's thralls," Hengxing Wuyi said, grinning. "Twisted by the power of the Fallen Holy Grail. To survive, they allowed me to transform them. Now, they hunt you to earn merit."
Judge Ghost Eye's thralls? Like Ou Xiangrong? Zhang Yuanqing cursed internally.
Qingteng and the others turned pale.
"I love that look on your faces," Hengxing Wuyi said gleefully. "None of you are leaving alive. I promise."
...
In Fenghua District, inside an abandoned factory.
Dressed in white, Fu Qingyang stood on the second floor of the administrative building, frowning as he looked over the cordoned-off factory yard.
"This place has been abandoned for years. No sign of human activity. Are you sure Black Wuchang was spotted here?"
Behind him stood Lingjun, hair messy, clothes loose, and a middle-aged man in a white judo uniform with a square face.
The man frowned, clearly puzzled. "The Hundred Flowers' intel saw him. I also checked local surveillance. He was here..."
Fu Qingyang's icy gaze sliced toward him. "And Black Wuchang lets himself be seen on surveillance?"
The man's face twitched.
Lingjun scratched his head, yawning. "We've been played. That may not even be Black Wuchang. But what's the point of luring us out?"
Fu Qingyang's expression suddenly changed. "Lingjun, with me. We're going back."
Then he leapt from the second floor.