The Joy of Watching a Show

"They had mentioned before that they wanted to leave City No. 18 to avoid trouble, but I didn't expect them to set off so soon," Qing Chen said, frowning.

Moreover, the dozens of vehicles at the border crossing should all belong to the Freemasons.

While the students were waiting to clear customs, many of them got off the bus and chatted casually, as if they were going on a picnic.

Qing Chen thought that there was actually no problem. If there were experts in the team to protect them, as long as they did not enter the Forbidden Zone No. 002, theoretically there would not be any particular danger.

The students of Luoyi High School are the elite among students in Luocheng, and are considered to be among the most intelligent.

These people, when they get together, won't make such basic mistakes; they'll definitely be well-prepared.

Qing Chen did a rough calculation.

Even if there are only two people in one car, that's almost the same number of people as the Autumn Hunting Group. It's likely that all the elite students of Luo Yi High School are in the convoy.

Qing Chen looked at Hu Xiaoniu and asked, "I saw them chatting with you and Tianzhen the day before yesterday. Did they show any particular purpose?"

Ever since Wang Jiale revealed the matter of Qing Chen to Qi Duo and Zhang Lanjin, the two of them have been subtly and continuously contacting people around Qing Chen.

Qing Chen noticed this. Although he didn't know what had happened, he was certain that the other person was approaching him.

The problem is that these two are very cunning and don't give Qing Chen a chance to keep his distance. It seems they plan to get along with Hu Xiaoniu and Zhang Tianzhen first.

At this moment, Hu Xiaoniu, sitting in the car, didn't know how to respond. He was unsure of the identities of the old man and Li Ke in the car, whether they knew they were Time Walker, and whether they knew their identities.

Qing Chen glanced at Hu Xiaoniu: "These are all our own people, we can say anything."

Old man. "Yes, we're all family, go ahead and say it."

Qing Chen: "..."

The old man was still very curious about Qing Chen's life in the Outer World. He realized that Hu Xiaoniu was Qing Chen's companion in the Outer World, so he planned to dig something out of him.

Hu Xiaoniu breathed a sigh of relief after confirming that Qing Chen was serious and said, "I talked to Qi Duo and Zhang Lanjin a few times later, and I didn't feel that they had any obvious ambitions. They just wanted to establish a Los Angeles High School Time Walker Alliance. Of course, they are not recruiting just anyone now, but the best Time Walker from each high school. By the way, Jiang Yichen from our school has also joined the Freemasons and is going to the wilderness with them."

Qing Chen was stunned for a moment. Jiang Yichen?

He had speculated that Jiang Yichen might be Lu Ya from He Xiaoxiao's group. According to the timeline, the time when Jiang Yichen came to Luocheng and the time when Lu Ya came to Luocheng overlapped.

If we make this assumption first, then it makes sense that Jiang Yichen wanted to blend into the Freemason convoy and leave City No. 18 to avoid trouble.

After all, Lu Ya stole Qing Zhong's Forbidden Item and is now being hunted down by the Qing clan.

However, if Jiang Yichen is indeed Lu Ya, and has truly stolen Qing Zhong's Forbidden Item, then it might not be safe for this group of people to run into the wilderness.

Although the shadowy figure seemed indifferent, how could he possibly abandon Forbidden Item?

The Forbidden Item must definitely be recovered.

"Are those cars in the next passage your high school classmates from the Outer World?" The old man patted Hu Xiaoniu's shoulder curiously and asked, "Young man, what kind of person is Qing Chen in the Outer World? Is he in a relationship? Does he have any enemies? What kind of people are his parents?"

Hu Xiaoniu didn't know how to answer for a moment.

Qing Chen calmly said, "Grandpa, if you want to get information out of me, at least do it away from me."

The old man objected. "Can't I just satisfy an old man's curiosity? Besides, I'm also very curious about what the Outer World is like."

At that moment, Qing Chen turned his head and saw Li Ke's mouth wide open.

He was the only person on the bus who didn't know that Qing Chen was Time Walker.

Young Li Ke felt that the shock he experienced in the past two days was greater than what he had experienced in the previous fourteen years.

That was enough to shock him for a whole year!

"Master, you are Time Walker?! And you're still in middle school?" Li Ke asked curiously.

"Yes," Qing Chen nodded.

It seems that everyone in the Inner World would find it somewhat unbelievable that he was still in middle school.

Li Ke then turned to the old man. "Grandpa, you already knew?"

The old man nodded.

Li Ke: "..."

It seems he's the only one who doesn't know!

Only he was kept in the dark!

The old man looked at his grandson with a smile and said, "There are many things you don't know."

Qing Chen thought for a moment and said, "Xiao Niu, drive faster. We need to reach the first campsite I marked on the map before sunset, and follow the route I planned. We should try to avoid dealing with the Freemasons now. I suspect that there are Time Walker belonging to the Qing Clan among them."

"Okay," Hu Xiaoniu nodded and stepped on the gas.

Qing Chen looked at the old man. "Speaking of which, what if we really get stopped by the Immigration and Customs Administration?"

"You really think I just put a Kyung Clan logo on my car?" the old man chuckled. "Even conglomerates need to avoid being impersonated, so those logos are painted with special paint. Underneath the paint are each conglomerate's own electronic feedback signals. Before you even reach the border, the Immigration and Customs Administration will know it's a conglomerate's vehicle."

"I see," Qing Chen nodded.

On the edge of each city, a wall more than three meters high was built, and an electric fence was installed on top of the wall.

The Immigration and Customs Administration has very strict regulations on smuggling and illegal immigration.

Just as they were leaving.

Qi Duo, who was inside the pass, watched the SUV that had just driven away and suddenly said to Zhang Lanjin, "Did you see that SUV just now? The Qing family's."

"I saw it, so what?" Zhang Lanjin said with a smile, "Envious of others being able to leave the city without inspection?"

"No," Qi Duo shook his head and said, "I think I saw Hu Xiaoniu sitting in the driver's seat, but I'm not sure if it was really him through the car window."

"Hu Xiaoniu?" Zhang Lanjin was stunned. "You mean, our classmate Hu Xiaoniu from Luocheng Foreign Language School?"

"Hmm," Qi Duo nodded, "He looks like a driver... No wonder he was unwilling to say when asked about his identity in the Inner World; it turns out he's from a conglomerate."

As the two were talking, a dark-skinned young man walked over and asked, "What are you two whispering about?"

This young man has a well-proportioned physique and looks like he does a lot of outdoor sports.

"Senior Nangong, didn't we transfer to Luocheng Foreign Language School last week? I think I just saw a new classmate driving a Qing family SUV out of town," Qi Duo said. "It's Hu Xiaoniu, whom we mentioned in the group chat."

Nangong Yuanyu seemed somewhat surprised. "Hu Xiaoniu? Are you sure it's him?"

"I'm not entirely sure, but it's probably him," Qi Duo said. "Our current plan is to first befriend Hu Xiaoniu and Zhang Tianzhen, and then slowly figure out a way to bring Qing Chen into the Freemasons."

"Yes, that's a good idea. Our Freemasons need someone like Qing Chen," Nangong Yuanyu said with a smile. "Alright, let's get in the car. I see they're heading south, and our destination is also in the south. Maybe we'll run into them in the wilderness."

"Wait, are they also going to Forbidden Zone No. 002?" Qi Duo asked curiously.

Nangong Yuanyu pondered, "That would be even better."

Although Qing Chen has agreed to join the Freemasons, no one really believes he has joined...

Now, the Freemasons are very interested in Qing Chen.

It's not for any other reason than that Qing Chen got a perfect score in the AMC10 math competition, and the Freemasons need this kind of high-IQ peer.

Inside the SUV, the old man removed his glued-on beard. "When will those people who make fake beards improve their techniques and make this thing more comfortable to wear? Hey, Qing Chen, why don't you lend me the Forbidden Item ACE-005 for a bit? I'll return it to you when I die."

The old man spoke of life and death as casually as drinking water.

This made Qing Chen suspicious. "You don't actually have a hundred years left to live, and you're just here to trick me into giving you the Forbidden Item, do you?"

"What do you take me for? Who do you think I am that I would need to trick you into giving me Forbidden Item?!" the old man glared at him angrily.

"Don't pretend to be generous. I noticed when we left Autumn Leaf Villa that the Heartless Bronze Bell on my eaves had been taken away. I don't know who is so stingy as to make me guard the secret passage in and out of the Banshan Manor in less than a month," Qing Chen said with a sneer.

The old man paused for a moment. "How did you find out? I specifically told Li Yunjing to be careful."

"Heh," Qing Chen sneered.

Hu Xiaoniu felt that the two of them seemed to have gotten addicted to arguing, and his gaze darted between them.

However, at that moment, Hu Xiaoniu's gaze inadvertently swept across the old man's face, and he instantly recognized the man's identity!

Li Xiurui, the Head of the Li Clan!

"Xiao Niu, concentrate on driving, don't go off the road," Qing Chen reminded him.

Hu Xiaoniu came to his senses, his heart filled with turmoil. He felt as if a hand was gripping his neck in the car, making it hard for him to breathe.

It's worth noting that in the past two days, the entire federal media has been reporting on the elderly man's death, and his photo is everywhere.

Previously, the other party had a full beard and was unrecognizable, but now that the beard was removed, Hu Xiaoniu was immediately shocked.

"You... you're not..." Hu Xiaoniu couldn't understand why the old man who had died was in this car, and why the Head of the Li Clan was so familiar with Qing Chen!

Judging from the way they're joking around, they're clearly very close!

Nowadays, which Time Walker can be friends with the head of a conglomerate? That's just too outrageous!

The idea that "the patriarch of a conglomerate fakes his death and travels to Forbidden Zone No. 002 with Time Walker" sounds absurd.

Hu Xiaoniu looked at Qing Chen in the rearview mirror and suddenly fell into deep thought.

He had been curious about how Qing Chen had disguised himself, but now that he knew the truth, he realized it was the effect of the Forbidden Item.

Nowadays, there are very few Time Walker who possess Forbidden Item; out of tens of thousands, there are probably only a dozen or so, or even fewer.

Would such a person truly be content to be subservient to others?

If the members of Daylight are all this amazing, then how amazing must the boss of Daylight be?

In the evening, Qing Chen and his group finally arrived at the campsite marked on the map.

This is where Qing Chen first met the Qin Family and Qin Yiyi.

However, this time he had no apples to eat, and Li Shutong was not by his side; things had changed.

I wonder how that girl who was willing to share the apple with him is doing now.

Qing Chen skillfully started a campfire, then sat with the old man beside it, waiting for Hu Xiaoniu and Li Ke to set up their tent.

The warmth emanating from the campfire made the two of them feel warm all over, their skin swelling up as if it were being baked by the heat.

After an unknown amount of time, the old man sitting on the stool slowly closed his eyes and leaned to one side.

Fortunately, Qing Chen reacted quickly and prevented the other person from falling to the ground.

Qing Chen felt the other person's pulse; it was already very weak.

"Grandpa? Grandpa, wake up!" Qing Chen called out, pinching the old man's philtrum.

The old man slowly opened his eyes. "I'm fine, I just suddenly feel a little sleepy."

Qing Chen knew that this was definitely not just a matter of being tired.

The old man's life had indeed come to an end, but he was able to maintain his feigned death and come out to see the sunrise and the trees only because of one belief.

The next second, the old man said weakly, "Let go of my philtrum first. You're too strong. You might as well just strangle me."

Qing Chen was both amused and exasperated. "I was just worried you might die halfway there!"

The old man sat up straight and said, "Don't worry, I won't die until my wish is fulfilled."

Qing Chen remained silent. The old man was like the afterglow of the setting sun, his light and the red sun rapidly sinking below the horizon.

The old man suddenly asked, "Your master once led you through this place, didn't he? I saw traces of a campfire nearby, though they've all been blown away by the wind and rain, and the grass hasn't grown back yet."

Qing Chen thought for a moment and said, "My master and I camped here after we were released from Prison No. 18. We walked for three days and three nights back then, but this time we arrived by car in just one day. According to the plan, we will arrive at the edge of Forbidden Zone No. 002 in six days."

"I really envy you. I wish I could become a knight too," the old man said with a smile.

Just then, the roar of an engine came from afar.

Qing Chen was stunned for a moment; he knew without even thinking who it was.

There are actually three routes from City No. 18 to Forbidden Zone No. 002, but the Freemasons chose the same route as them.

Or perhaps, the other party was specifically targeting them.

Qing Chen glanced at Hu Xiaoniu: "Unload the guns from the car and give them to me. If they stop later, you'll handle them. Old man, stick your beard back on; I'm afraid you'll scare them."

The convoy arrived quickly and stopped next to Qing Chen's camp.

Qi Duo and Zhang Lanjin jumped out of the car. The other party acted as if he didn't recognize Hu Xiaoniu, and greeted him warmly and politely, "Good evening, everyone. It's getting late. This is the best place to camp nearby. May we camp here?"

Qing Chen pondered, why were these two pretending not to know Hu Xiaoniu?

That's right. The other party wasn't sure about their identities, nor whether these "big shots of the Qing Clan" knew that Hu Xiaoniu was Time Walker. That's why they didn't rush to acknowledge him, so as not to cause trouble for Hu Xiaoniu.

If that's truly what they think, then these people actually have goodwill towards Hu Xiaoniu.

At this point, the old man chuckled and said, "Of course, you can do as you please."

Qing Chen glanced at the old man with surprise and said in a low voice, "What if there's any danger?"

"Aren't they just a group of middle school students? What danger could they possibly pose?" the old man replied in a low voice. "Besides, I've always been curious about what Time Walker like. Li Yunyi used to be in charge, and I never personally dealt with them. Isn't this the perfect opportunity?"

Qing Chen suddenly realized, "Actually, Li Yunjing is with us, right?"

"No," the old man shook his head.

"I don't believe it," Qing Chen clearly sensed that the old man was very confident and didn't seem worried about any danger.

While the Freemasons were encamped, the old man even got up, put his hands behind his back, and wandered around the campsite, acting like a complete stranger, chatting enthusiastically with a group of young female students.

Seeing the female students laughing heartily, the old man's personal charm remained undiminished...

Qing Chen watched all this silently, unsure of how to react.

He wondered if he should take a different route tomorrow to shake off the group.

A moment later, the old man turned around, waved to Qing Chen, and called out, "Grandson, these children are also going to visit Forbidden Zone No. 002. We can go together; it'll be more fun with more people!"

Qing Chen: "..."

What is all this nonsense?!

Even with a master Li Yunjing protecting you from the shadows, you can't be this reckless!

Qing Chen felt that the old man knew that the other person was his classmate and deliberately found an opportunity to travel together to see how he would react when he interacted with the other person.

Enjoy the pleasure of watching a play.

Moreover, he always felt that the old man's address was a deliberate attempt to insult him!

Qing Chen walked towards the Freemason camp and asked Zhang Lanjin and the others, "Are you also going to Forbidden Zone No. 002?"

Zhang Lanjin nodded and said, "Yes, we want to visit that legendary towering tree, but we'll just look at it from afar and won't enter the Forbidden Zone. What about you? Why do you want to go there?"

Qing Chen said, "We're just here for a visit."

Qi Duo looked at Hu Xiaoniu and Li Ke, who were still setting up the tent, and suddenly asked, "Are those two your servants?"

Qing Chen chuckled. He was currently disguised as Zard, so the other party didn't recognize him.

Now, these people think they are natives of the Inner World, and they even want to find out Hu Xiaoniu's identity in the Outer World through them!

He said, "Yes, they are our servants. What, you know them?"

"We don't know each other," Qi Duo and Zhang Lanjin exchanged a glance and laughed, "It was just a casual question."

Qing Chen suddenly became interested as well. Pretending to be a native of the Inner World in front of a group of Time Walker seemed quite interesting...

But just then, he saw Jiang Yichen hiding in the crowd, his gaze darting away...

Qing Chen asked, "Hey, isn't this our neighbor?"

Jiang Yichen's expression changed. To be honest, he really didn't expect to encounter the owner of the "haunted house" across the street in the wilderness!

The 5,000-word chapter has been updated, with 10,000 words already added. The bonus chapter for the top-ranked player on the August Monthly Ticket Ranking has been completed.

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