Dark Shadows Intertwine

"Please come in," Qing Chen said calmly.

Jiang Xiaotang strolled in and casually sat down on the sofa not far from Qing Chen: "I didn't expect that you two, who were fighting to the death yesterday, would become friends today."

"We can't really be considered friends yet," Qing Chen said seriously.

These words startled Huang Zixian, but he quickly realized that the other person's completely honest way of speaking made him feel quite relaxed.

There are plenty of people who call you brother on ordinary days, who seem like half-brothers before the incident, but after the incident, they all disappear without a trace.

For some reason, Huang Zixian felt that he actually preferred being with people like Qing Chen.

At this moment, Jiang Xiaotang smiled and said, "You're so direct, so I'll be direct too. Sign an agency contract with me, and I'll be your agent."

Qing Chen was somewhat taken aback.

Jiang Xiaotang, seeing his astonished expression, asked, "You don't even know what I do for a living?"

Huang Zixian explained from the side, "Although Boss Jiang is the owner of Begonia Boxing Gym, she is also the most famous agent in the Fourth District. She only manages the most powerful boxers in the Land Cruiser Class."

The implication is that no boxer below the Land Cruiser Class is qualified to sign a management contract with her.

Qing Chen asked, "What's in it for me?"

"I can arrange the best opponent for you," Jiang Xiaotang said, crossing her legs. "And I guarantee I'll plan the fastest path to fame for you, just like I arranged Huang Zixian for you yesterday. I'll make sure your path to fame is genuine and make you the best cash cow for my Begonia Boxing Gym."

This woman is exceptionally elegant and graceful, even when she's crossing her legs.

"Why me?" Qing Chen asked.

"Good-looking, perfect figure, and fierce fighting style," Jiang Xiaotang said, counting on her fingers, "A fighter like you is most likely to attract female audiences, especially those aunties who spend money like water. They would go bankrupt for you."

Qing Chen calmly looked at the woman in front of him, realizing that this was her plan.

Most boxing viewers are men, but there are exceptions. In fact, a significant number of women also watch boxing, but they only watch a specific boxer and are extremely enthusiastic about it.

Last year, a young boxer with a pleasing appearance was popular with women, but unfortunately, he was not good enough. In addition, other boxers disapproved of his practice of putting on makeup before going into the ring, so they beat him to death in the ring.

This incident was even reported by Hope Media last year; it's said that a street in the Fourth District was covered with flowers from women mourning him...

In two months, it will be the first anniversary of the boxer's death, and it is said that women have begun to organize memorial services for him.

Qing Chen shook his head at Jiang Xiaotang and said, "I'm not interested in any of what you're saying."

The boxing ring was just a place for him to learn skills and make up for his weaknesses. He didn't intend to become famous here, nor did he intend to make a living from it.

Perhaps, when Qing Chen is able to defeat the Land Cruiser Class boxer without resorting to tricks, he will decisively leave.

Because he has more important things to do.

Jiang Xiaotang didn't seem surprised by Qing Chen's answer. She said again, "If you sign a management contract with me, no one will dare to kill you in the boxing ring."

"Without the life-or-death crisis, the boxing ring becomes meaningless," Qing Chen shook his head again. "Thank you for your kindness, Boss Jiang, but my ambitions lie elsewhere."

Huang Zixian was secretly worried for him, because he knew very well that there were top fighters from Begonia Boxing Gym in the Tigerweight, and those kinds of people would specifically deal with disobedient fighters in the ring for Jiang Xiaotang!

Jiang Xiaotang looked at Huang Zixian with a half-smile, "I know what you're thinking, but I won't do that. How could I bear to let such a handsome younger brother die? Even if he doesn't sign a management contract with me, he can still make a lot of money for my Begonia Boxing Gym. Alright, then I won't disturb you two watching the match any longer."

As she spoke, Jiang Xiaotang got up and walked towards the door. She suddenly turned back to Qing Chen and said, "By the way, this private room is for you. You can come anytime you want to watch the match. Also, although you didn't sign a management contract with me, I'll still give you your share of the Tigerweight Championship's profits."

Qing Chen said earnestly, "Thank you."

VIP001 is the closest to the Octagon Cage and has the clearest view.

The revenue sharing for a boxing champion is indeed quite tempting.

Huang Zixian was completely stunned. He almost thought that this Boss Jiang had become a fan of Qing Chen!

It's not unusual for a boxing gym owner to be a fan of a particular boxer, but it seems somewhat unreal when it happens to someone as venomous as Mr. Jiang.

"Hurry up and recover from your injury," Jiang Xiaotang said with a light laugh. "You don't look very good today."

Qing Chen subconsciously touched his cheek, which was swollen like a loaf of bread...

"Also, you don't have to call me Boss Jiang. If you call me Sister, how about I increase your profit share to the Land Cruiser Class?" Jiang Xiaotang chuckled.

Qing Chen was stunned for a moment.

Before he could react, Jiang Xiaotang had already left. "Just kidding."

At night, Qing Chen returned home in the nanny van, but Li Shutong was still nowhere to be seen.

He silently reviewed his gains for the day, feeling that this one day alone had greatly increased his experience. If he were to face Huang Zixian again, he would probably have more ways to defend against his opponent's attacks and would definitely not be as embarrassed as he was yesterday.

Qing Chen needs to make sure that every step he takes is solid and firm.

"Yi, are you there?" Qing Chen asked.

"I'm here," Yi replied. "Jiang Xiaotang, 27 years old, unmarried and childless..."

"Wait a minute," Qing Chen hurriedly called out, "What is all this about? How can Artificial Intelligence gossip to this extent?! I don't want to ask this, and I don't care about Jiang Xiaotang's situation! I know Jiang Xiaotang is acting strangely today, and I also know very well that she must have given me special treatment because she knows Master."

When Qing Chen realized something was wrong today, he started searching his memories. Then he discovered that his master was a step behind when getting on the bus yesterday. After he got on the bus, Li Shutong must have said something to Jiang Xiaotang. This was the key to the special treatment Jiang Xiaotang gave him.

It has to be said that being able to review memories is a good thing; it can always help you recall some forgotten details.

Qing Chen lay on the sofa staring at the ceiling, and asked a question that came from the depths of his soul, "Yi, why are you so gossipy?"

"Don't you think it's quite enjoyable to quietly observe everyone's reactions when something happens?" Yi countered, "Especially online, when someone who's usually timid suddenly becomes fierce, or someone like you who'd fight tooth and nail in the boxing ring becomes unusually cautious. Observing all of this is interesting in itself."

"So, you're observing humans?" Qing Chen asked curiously.

This feeling is strange, as if a huge creature is silently hiding in this world, coexisting with humans, but humans cannot notice its movements or thoughts.

One said, "In the long journey of life, one should always find some enjoyment for oneself."

"Alright, whatever makes you happy," Qing Chen, lying on the sofa quietly recovering from his injuries.

"What did you want to ask in the first place?" Yi asked.

"Where did my master go?" Qing Chen asked.

"Back to Prison No. 18," Yi replied.

"What's he going back to Prison No. 18 for? Didn't he say he'd go back with me on Sunday?" Qing Chen wondered.

"Because he judged that your actions after the boxing match would attract the attention of certain people in the Qing family. After all, the probability of someone with the same name appearing is not high, so they would definitely send someone to the prison to check," Yi replied. "So your master disguised himself and helped you create an alibi."

Therefore, when the Qing family consortium went to verify whether Qing Chen of the Qing family was in Prison No. 18, they found that there were two Qing Chen at the same time, which proved that the boxer Qing Chen and the Qing family Qing Chen had no connection.

Qing Chen never expected that his master's disappearance for a day was actually a way of patching up his identity.

The other party went to great lengths to acquire a new identity for themselves.

However, the more the other party did this, the more uneasy Qing Chen felt.

But he couldn't explain where this feeling came from.

Just then, there was a knock at the door. Qing Chen cautiously approached and asked, "Who is it?"

As they were talking, the door lock clicked open by itself, revealing two federal agents standing outside. One of them showed his identification with his left hand and pointed a gun at Qing Chen with his right. "Hands up, routine check."

The other person slowly put away the decoding device that opened the door, and then, after Qing Chen raised his hands, stepped forward and rubbed Qing Chen's face to see if he was wearing a simulated human skin mask.

After confirming that there was nothing wrong, the two federal agents showed no awareness of violating others' privacy and quietly left.

Qing Chen shouted angrily from behind, "Hey, what are you doing?"

However, the two federal agents did not respond and quickly left in the elevator.

Qing Chen closed the door. "You knew they would come, right?"

One answer was, "Yes."

"Why didn't you remind me?" Qing Chen helplessly.

"Then your performance will look unnatural," Yi said.

"What are they trying to do?" Qing Chen asked, puzzled.

"A two-way investigation is needed to determine whether the two Qing Chen have been replaced."

In the darkness, a convoy sped out of City No. 18 and headed toward Prison No. 18 on the outskirts.

As the convoy emerged from the intricate steel jungle, the view suddenly opened up.

Someone in the car was holding a tablet computer; it was a "call warrant" that had just been expedited by the federal government.

The document shows that the Public Security Management Committee was authorized to interrogate Qing Chen and order him to assist in the investigation of case number 1092112.

Case 1092112: A home invasion murder occurred in the Fourth District of City No. 18; the suspect is at large...

In reality, this case is fictitious, and asking Qing Chen to assist in the investigation is also unfounded. It's just a means for certain members of the Qing family to confirm Qing Chen's identity.

All the "agents" in the convoy were also members of the Qing family. They either worked for the Qing family or were members of the Qing family themselves.

Logically, this matter shouldn't be so complicated. The Qing family only needed to send someone to visit and confirm the details during the visit.

However, a problem arose at this stage: the prison management system issued an epidemic warning to the Public Security Management Committee two days in advance, stating that a case of coronavirus infection had been found in the prison, and all prisons were currently under Level 3 alert and undergoing quarantine.

All visits have been cancelled!

This forced the Qing family to go through legal proceedings in order to see Qing Chen.

Someone in the car whispered, "Do you think this so-called Level 3 alert status might be someone trying to help Qing Chen cover something up? Otherwise, why would it be such a coincidence?"

"It's not really a coincidence," someone said. "The prison was under lockdown the day before the boxing match. Even if they wanted to help Qing Chen conceal his identity, wouldn't it have been much easier to just prevent him from participating in the match? Besides, the prison management system is different from ours. It's probably the most impartial and inhumane place in the entire Federation. Who would want that Yi to help with such underhanded tactics?"

"I feel like something's off; the whole thing seems suspicious," another person said. "Never mind, we'll find out when we see Qing Chen."

When they arrived at the outskirts of the city, about 20 miles away, seven or eight people from the convoy were waiting outside, while two others were undergoing sterilization and disinfection procedures under the guidance of mechanical prison guards.

Furthermore, the two detectives holding the interrogation warrant had to change into full-body protective suits, with only their faces covered by a semi-transparent protective film, while the rest of their bodies were completely covered.

The two detectives exchanged a glance, both sensing something amiss.

Guided by the mechanical prison guards, they entered the interrogation room. A short while later, Qing Chen, wearing the same protective suit, was escorted by the mechanical prison guards and sat down opposite them.

Qing Chen calmly said, "I know nothing about the 1092112 case, and there's nothing I can do to help. If someone within the Qing family is trying to use this messy thing to make me withdraw from the Shadow Struggle, they're probably overthinking it."

One of the detectives said, "Don't be nervous. This is just a way to get you into jail. Nobody really wants to frame you. Let me introduce myself. I'm Qing Xun, a Level 2 officer from the Public Security Management Committee. Strictly speaking, I'm your cousin, although we've never met before."

The person on the other end, 'Qing Chen,' breathed a sigh of relief: 'Did you need something from me?'

"We'd like to ask if you've been released from prison recently?" Qing Xun asked.

"No, if I could go out, I would have gone out already," 'Qing Chen' said. "Where's Qing Yan? I haven't seen him in a long time. Why didn't he come?"

The two detectives exchanged a glance, Qing Xun said, "Qing Yan is dead."

After saying that, the two stared intently at "Qing Chen," but because of the protective suits separating them, they couldn't see the boy's expression clearly.

Qing Chen didn't seem surprised, simply asking, "How did he die?"

"He became suicidal due to excessive use of Dopamine chips and committed suicide in front of everyone," Qing Xun said. "This is an ironclad case and has nothing to do with anyone else."

Qing Chen calmly said, "Good riddance."

Qing Xun frowned. "You're not surprised at all, and you don't even show the slightest emotional reaction."

"Should I show some happiness?" 'Qing Chen' laughed. "Yes, we had such a bad relationship, I should be happy that he's dead."

At that moment, Qing Xun and another agent suddenly stepped forward at the same time, and together they tore off the protective suit on "Qing Chen's " body, revealing Qing Chen's true identity underneath.

They suspected that the protective suit was used to conceal their true identity, and that the person under the suit might not be Qing Chen at all!

The alarm bells blared in the interrogation room, while Qing Xun held Qing Chen down tightly, pulling up a tablet to check his appearance while quickly and forcefully rubbing his face, as if to see if he was wearing a human skin mask.

Nowadays, there are many organizations in the federal government that produce lifelike masks, many of which are so realistic that they are indistinguishable from the real thing.

Ten seconds later, Qing Xun breathed a sigh of relief, "Voice matches, face matches, identity confirmed."

Beneath that protective suit was none other than the "Qing Chen" that Yi had altered in the system.

At that moment, the mechanical prison guard outside the door burst in, and a neutral voice said, "You two are suspected of violating Article 27 of the Prison Management Regulations. You will be temporarily detained and transferred to the Public Security Management Committee for trial."

Qing Xun and another agent exchanged a smile. They already knew that the First Detective would hand them over, so they weren't worried.

In their view, the prison management system, while fair, is still so rigid.

Once they are handed over to the Public Security Management Committee, they will be released without charge on the spot, and then they can go back and get a good night's sleep.

After the two were taken away by the mechanical prison guards, 'Qing Chen's' face reverted to Li Shutong's own appearance. He rubbed his cheeks and said, "I almost couldn't resist killing these two."

From behind, Lin Xiaoxiao pushed open the door and entered. "Boss, is it really necessary for us to go through all this? Why bother getting a protective suit and making them suspicious?"

Li Shutong smiled and said, "What do you know? Everyone in this world only believes the truth they have painstakingly found. If it's not a bit of a struggle, they will continue to have doubts."

Only at this moment did Qing Chen feel truly at ease with his new identity.

In order to ensure that Qing Chen truly becomes a real shadow, Li Shutong chooses to become Qing Chen's shadow today.