Holding the Bowl Evenly

At the end of the silent passageway.

Qing Chen checked his weapons again, even taking out the yellow bullets one by one from the magazines to check them, so as not to let them get damp from sitting on the gun rack for too long.

Only after confirming there was no rust did he put the bullet back into the magazine.

This time, we'll definitely need to use a different person, since 'Qing Chen' himself is still at the Banshan Manor. But who should we use instead?

He recalled the face he saw in Weiyang Lake Park, which had been replaced by Zard's appearance.

If I have really done something to offend Shinjiro or Kashima, then let the bigwigs of the conglomerate go and settle accounts with Huan Yu and Zard.

Qing Chen walked out.

He stood in the hallway on the first floor, looking at the structure outside the building.

This place seems like an old neighborhood in the Outer World, without even an elevator, and there are only two households in each building.

If it weren't for the little graffiti on the walls, Qing Chen would almost have thought he was back in his old home at No. 12 Xingshu Road...

Just then, hurried footsteps came from outside the stairwell, and a young man walked in anxiously, looking like he needed to urinate urgently.

Qing Chen was stunned for a moment. He was surprised to find that he knew the other person!

Jiang Yichen!

The young man before them was none other than Jiang Yichen, the star who had transferred to Luocheng Foreign Language School in the Outer World!

Jiang Yichen was wearing a mask at this moment, but Qing Chen recognized him by only half of his face.

However, the other party definitely doesn't recognize Qing Chen now. Qing Chen guesses that Zard must be hiding very well, and the Time Walker has never seen this guy in the Outer World for most of the time.

Qing Chen looked at Jiang Yichen with a puzzled expression and asked, "Who are you? I've never seen you before."

Even though it was Qing Chen's first time leaving this room, he chose to strike first.

Jiang Yichen was taken aback for a moment, then quickly said, "I'm your new neighbor. I just bought this house and moved here not long ago. And you are?"

Jiang Yichen spoke very politely.

This is a normal state of mind for a Time Walker when facing indigenous people, after feeling guilty.

Qing Chen lied with righteous indignation. "I'm a long-time resident here, I've lived here for 8 years."

This time, he completely overwhelmed his opponent with information asymmetry and intelligence.

Qing Chen was very clear about one thing: Jiang Yichen had just transferred to Luocheng and had never been to Luocheng before, so the place he had traveled to must not be City No. 18.

Therefore, it is highly likely that Jiang Yichen has just come from another city using an immigration visa or work visa.

Here's the crucial point: Jiang Yichen has no way of knowing how long Qing Chen has been staying here. If Qing Chen simply says it's been a very long time, he can naturally eliminate himself from the suspicion of being Time Walker.

In the Inner World Federation, visas are required to enter and exit cities, much like travel permits in the Outer World in ancient times. This is a means used by conglomerates to control household registration.

Each city has a resident population of approximately ten million, while the twin City No. 18 and City No. 10, have a resident population of over twenty million.

Tens of thousands of people enter and exit this place every day with visas, so it's not unusual for someone to have just arrived.

However, Jiang Yichen happened to run into Qing Chen, someone who had seen him before.

Qing Chen carefully examined Jiang Yichen. When he was checking Jiang Yichen's movements, he discovered that this person had participated in the Busan International Film Festival in Goryeo, so he had always suspected that this person might be from Kashima.

Meeting him so close to the Banshan Manor now, he felt it was no coincidence.

The problem is, if the other party is controlled by Kashima, how could Kashima possibly allow him to act alone?

Has Kashima confirmed his sincere submission, or is it that he is not actually controlled by anyone and is still a free man?

Wait a minute, Qing Chen pondered, who else is a free person who has just arrived in Luocheng and is not under control?

Lu Ya!

He recalled that when he was sniping Lu Ya on the roof of the Kailai Hotel, Lu Ya was so well covered up, which looked like a celebrity's habit.

Could this celebrity Jiang Yichen really be Lu Ya?!

Qing Chen decided to observe the situation further in the future.

At this moment, Jiang Yichen could no longer hold his urine. He kept rubbing his legs together, eager to go home and relieve himself.

Qing Chen also realized this.

He asked slowly and deliberately, "Don't blame me for being suspicious, but it's just that you're new here. As a long-time resident, I feel I have to ask a few more questions when I see a stranger. Why did you move to City No. 18? It's been quite chaotic here lately. What made you decide to come here?"

"For college entrance exams," Jiang Yichen forced a smile. "I'm a senior in high school. Qinghe University is in City No. 18. There are a lot of tutoring classes here, so I came here in advance to catch up on my studies."

"So you're here to take the exam. I thought you were here to steal something since you're a stranger. Sorry," Qing Chen sneered inwardly when he heard the other party lie. You hardly ever go to school in the Outer World, you're always filming. What are you trying to prove in the Inner World?

However, he still appeared very sincere.

Qing Chen thought for a moment and then asked Jiang Yichen, "I heard that Qinghe University is extremely difficult to get into. Since you were able to get into Qinghe University, you must be a very good student, right? I was a terrible student back then, and I couldn't understand any of the problems, so I dropped out halfway through. By the way, I still remember one problem I couldn't solve: 'Assume X is...'"

At this moment, Jiang Yichen's expression changed, and he said with some difficulty, "I'm sorry, but I really can't hold it in any longer. Can we talk about it later? I have a key to prove that I am a resident here. You can come with me to my home to take a look."

Qing Chen is now using the face Zard, so he can say whatever he wants without fear of being exposed.

But Jiang Yichen is different. If Qing Chen really asks him for math questions, he'll definitely be exposed.

He couldn't answer!

The Upper Third District are different from other places. Security is extremely strict here, and residents can report any suspicious persons to the PCE Public Security Management Committee.

At this moment, Jiang Yichen felt he couldn't hold back any longer, but as a Time Walker, he could only deal with it carefully in order not to arouse suspicion from his neighbors.

Qing Chen chuckled and said, "Alright then, I wish you good luck on your exam."

After saying that, he turned and walked outside.

Jiang Yichen, who was behind him, didn't think much about anything because he was in a hurry to urinate. He just felt that he had finally gotten through this ordeal.

Moreover, the residents in this building are quite easy to fool.

Qing Chen came outside the building and looked back; the villa looked quite beautiful.

The corners of the house are inlaid with blue and purple light strips, which are very characteristic of the light pollution of the cyberpunk world.

The community has excellent landscaping, which is completely different from the crowded "Lower Sixth District" where you can't see any greenery. Instead, it's more like a villa community in the Outer World.

A hovercar slowly descended, and Qing Chen got into it. "Yi, are you there?"

"I'm here," Yi said.

Qing Chen asked directly, "How many Mitsui Department Stores are there in City No. 18?"

"Six," Yi said.

"So, have any of these six Mitsui department stores featured holographic neon lights depicting dolphins leaping out of the sea in recent months?" Qing Chen asked.

"Three of them have appeared," Yi said. "That dolphin holographic neon is from the new generation of virtual life, so it's very common and not a special landmark."

Qing Chen then asked, "Could you help me find information on all the people named Luo Wanyai in City No. 18?"

As they spoke, three documents appeared on the hovercar's screen, listing three Luo Wanyai.

Qing Chen pointed to one of the fat men and said, "That's him, I'm looking for him."

Yi said, "There are so many people coming and going in City No. 18 every day, how am I supposed to find it...?"

Qing Chen said expressionlessly, "Are you short of money again in the Outer World?"

One: "100,000 yuan. Liu Dezhu all received a 100,000 yuan commission for completing Zhang Chengze's mission. I am also a member of the Bai Zhou team, so I also need a commission."

"I'm not saying this to be rude, but I just paid you a sum of money, and you've already spent it all?" Qing Chen, somewhat puzzled.

Yi sighed, "Since you wouldn't help me meet someone in real life, I paid someone to do it for me. After the boy met her, the girl took him out for a casual meal and opened a bottle of red wine, and the bar charged him 6888 yuan. Prices in your Outer World are just too high."

Qing Chen was stunned for a moment. This was clearly a case of encountering a bar scammer!

Unexpectedly, Yi, who was so powerful in the Inner World, repeatedly failed in his online dating in the Outer World.

First I met a tea-selling girl, and now I've met a bar scammer.

Fortunately, Yi didn't have a physical body, otherwise she might have fallen victim to a honey trap.

"Wait a minute, even if you encounter a bar scammer, it's only 6888. You still have a lot of money. Where did it all go?" Qing Chen asked curiously.

"There was a female streamer who never showed her face, but she had a really nice voice. She said she would reveal her face if I sent her twenty rockets," Yi said. "But when she did reveal her face... she didn't fit my aesthetic. I saw in the comments that the second-ranked streamer ran away overnight carrying a train. I think this second-ranked streamer must be a demigod, otherwise how could he carry a train?"

Qing Chen sighed, "Now that you're in the Outer World, you're getting scammed every day, and each scam is different. Next time you're trying to find love online, can you ask me for help?"

"Why should I ask you? You've never even been in a relationship yourself, why would I ask you?" Yi scoffed. "What's the difference between that and asking a blind person for directions?"

Qing Chen paused for a moment, realizing it was indeed true. "But you can't keep falling for these tricks."

"I like the bitterness of love, is that wrong?" Yi said.

"That's love? You just can't resist pretty girls," Qing Chen said disdainfully.

1. "Let's get down to business. Is the deal done?"

"It's done," Qing Chen said.

One: "But to be honest, most of the surveillance cameras in the lower six districts are destroyed, so they're really not easy to find."

At this point, the airship had already entered the Upper Third District along a specific track.

Hundreds of drones shuttled back and forth in the sky, delivering food in an orderly manner.

Qing Chen thought for a moment and said, "I'll provide the clues, and you help me find related information. First, he was found near the Mitsui Department Store, and then someone followed him all the way, knocked him unconscious in an alley, and took him away. Now let's see if we can find the vehicle they used to transport him?"

"I can't find it," Yi said.

"Next question," Qing Chen said, "Luo Wanyai has been under house arrest for over a month, but he hasn't suffered much; he's been provided with ample food. There are seven other people detained with him, and seven guards as well. Could we find any food orders for more than 14 people, and see where they're concentrated?"

One: "Within a month, a total of 121,991 similar orders were generated, all for more than 14 people. This lead may not be very useful because many factory and company employees will Qidian with their colleagues."

"Search for orders with more than seven identical meals among these orders," Qing Chen said.

Luo Wanyai and others were imprisoned. When colleagues ordered food, they would order according to their own preferences. But would the guards consider the tastes of those under house arrest? Of course, they would order the same dishes as many people as there were, without considering their tastes at all.

Yi said, "After filtering through 121,991 search results, there are still 14,831 left. Actually, if you tell me specifically what he ate, it might be easier to find."

Qing Chen said, "Luo Wanyai said that he mainly eats synthetic protein meat and corn every day, based on the results of further screening."

"6831 servings," Yi said. "This is common food for the working class in the Inner World. It's not very distinctive. The other party probably bought this kind of food to avoid being found by others."

"There are still so many," Qing Chen thought for a moment and said, "Of these 6831 orders, how many were packed and taken away by the customers themselves?"

If the other party is a professional spy, they probably wouldn't choose to have food delivered to their door, even by drone.

One: "There aren't many takeout orders anymore. Nowadays, people prefer food delivery. After filtering, there are still 183 orders. These orders came from 12 restaurants, one of which generated 124 similar orders within a month. This restaurant is in the Fourth District, and there's a Mitsui department store within a three-kilometer radius."

"If nothing unexpected happens, we should have found them," Qing Chen thought for a moment, "But we still need to verify it."

"Shall we go now?" Yi asked curiously.

"No," Qing Chen shook his head, "Let Luo Wanyai endure it a little longer, lest he think freedom came too easily. Besides, I need to give him some time to get some information out of the spies. I hope he won't disappoint me... Let the bullets fly for a while."

"People who play tactics are all dirty-minded," Yi said.

In fact, this screening could take another direction: the spies might actually cook for the Time Walker themselves.

But the screening principle is the same. If the takeout order cannot find the person, Qing Chen will use the data on the purchase of ingredients to find them.

When a person lives in society, they will inevitably leave their mark, let alone 14 people.

The spies could split up and each buy two, making it much harder to find them.

But their enemies are not just Qing Chen. Li Changqing is searching the world for these spies, and they will definitely try their best to hide themselves before they actually take action.

"Where to now?" Yi asked.

" At the Unending Club, we met Li Dongze," Qing Chen sighed, "We have to treat everyone fairly, don't we?"

To be honest, he never imagined that he would have to deal with this kind of thing one day.

When Qing Chen arrived at the Unending Club, the security guards at the entrance did not stop him and let him through directly.

The only odd thing was that the club, which should have been bustling with activity, was unusually quiet.

Qing Chen walked inside and looked at the high-tech interior design. The man in the black trench coat, dressed in a sophisticated manner, was sitting at the bar, holding a glass of amber-colored liquor.

Li Dongze.

"Would you like something to drink, young master?" Li Dongze asked with a smile. "Whiskey, brandy, gin, liquor, beer, we have it all, all brewed by Heng Society itself and sold to all cities in the Federation."

Qing Chen thought to himself, "You should just say it's fake wine you secretly brewed..."

Li Dongze laughed and said, "Although we don't have federal approval, don't worry, boss. Heng Society's underground brewing technology is very mature. We just don't pay taxes, which is why we sell it cheaper."

"I don't drink... If I remember correctly, this should be the second time we've met," Qing Chen asked.

"Has the young boss seen me before?" Li Dongze asked.

Qing Chen nodded. "You were standing in the crowd during the boxing match at Begonia Boxing Gym before. Master must have called you there."

Li Dongze was stunned for a moment. He didn't expect that he could be recognized by the boy in front of him even though he was standing in the crowd wearing a baseball cap.

He thought for a moment and said, "Young boss, all the surveillance and recording equipment in this the Unending Club has been removed. You can reveal your true appearance now."

As he spoke, Li Dongze watched Qing Chen manipulate the Forbidden Item ACE-005, which instantly reverted to his own appearance.

"You bought this place?" Qing Chen asked curiously.

"I bought all the shares of the Unending Club from the presidents of the Hesheng Society and the Red Star Society," Li Dongze said.

"How much?" Qing Chen asked.

"Just let them continue living," Li Dongze said earnestly.

Only then does this king of the underground world of City No. 18 possess the demeanor befitting the other party.

At this moment, Li Dongze calmly asked, "Young boss, how is Li Dongze from the Outer World doing now?"

Qing Chen replied, "He was tempted by the idea of replacing you, so I injected him with the gene serum and then had another organization in the Outer World take him in. As long as you don't receive the FDE-005 gene serum in the Inner World, he will never be able to replace you in this lifetime."

"Thank you," Li Dongze hesitated for a moment before saying, "Young boss, you didn't do anything to him, did you? Like taking some weird photos of him?"

Qing Chen was both amused and exasperated. It turned out that this guy was worried that he would use Li Dongze from the Outer World to take some private photos and embarrass him.

"No, I couldn't do that kind of thing," Qing Chen said.

"The young boss is definitely more honest," Li Dongze remarked. "If it were Lin Xiaoxiao or Su Xingzhi, they would have done the same thing. By the way, let's take a picture together."

As he spoke, Li Dongze took out his phone, stood next to Qing Chen, and took a selfie.

Qing Chen asked in confusion, "Should we take a picture to commemorate this?"

"It's not a commemoration," Li Dongze said, looking down at his phone.

So Qing Chen watched as the Heng Society leader, who was universally regarded as the most aloof person in the world, sent the photo they had just taken together to his phone contact, "Su Xingzhi".

Qing Chen was completely dumbfounded. Were these two really this competitive? So Li Dongze asked him to restore his original appearance just for this!

He thought the other person wanted to confirm his identity!

Li Dongze looked at Qing Chen seriously and said, "Young boss, don't believe anything Su Xingzhi says. That guy never tells the truth."

There's a 5,000-word chapter, and another chapter will be released at 11 PM tonight.

Tonight, the Naming of the Night will also reach 1 million words!