Qing Chen's Property

Return countdown: 16:00:00.

Eight o'clock in the morning.

On the Green Mountain Cliff, Li Ke dug a grave for his grandfather himself behind the cliff and buried the old man there forever.

From now on, the other party will always be accompanied by the rising sun and the wind.

"Don't be sad, his wish has been fulfilled, he has no regrets," Qing Chen said calmly.

Li Ke wiped away his tears with the back of his hand. "Yes, I understand, it's just hard to let go. Grandpa has always been very serious, but when I was very young, he would sternly scold my father, and when my father lowered his head in shame, he would secretly slip me candy when my father wasn't looking, and wink at me to keep the secret. Actually, he was never a strict person, it was just that his position required him to do so."

Qing Chen sighed, "He spent his whole life playing a role he didn't want to play, but he played it very well."

Li Ke stood up, and Qing Chen led him back to the Green Mountain Cliff. Pointing to the words on the ground, he said, "Forever Young —this was the old man's greatest aspiration in life. But it doesn't mean living to a hundred; it means forever young, forever sincere, forever with tears in your eyes, forever yearning to be on the road. Don't be bound by those interests. Knights are born to be the most romantic people in the world, relying on their unwavering courage."

Li Ke and Hu Xiaoniu silently looked at the inscriptions on the ground.

Suddenly I understood why Qing Chen said that everyone who embarks on this path will unconsciously embrace the knight's faith.

In fact, the eight Life and Death Trial challenges are less a path of cultivation and more a path for the knights to select their fellow travelers using the most stringent conditions.

Qing Chen looked back at the towering tree and sighed, "The longer this road goes, the more I understand the expectations the founder had for every knight when he wrote the words 'Forever Young'."

The boy pondered deeply at one point.

Rather than saying he accompanied the old man for a while, it's more accurate to say he simply accompanied him.

Rather, it's more accurate to say that the old man used the last rays of his life and all his regrets to guide him on his journey.

Last time, Li Shutong took him on a journey to heal the wounds he had suffered over the past 17 years.

This time, the old man took him on a journey, using his last moments to teach him what was most precious to him at this moment.

Just then, applause rang out from the woods. "This is the kind of death that the head of the Li family deserves. Rather than lying in the Banshan Manor, he would rather be here watching the sunset and sunrise. I just bowed to the old man. I had no respect for him before, but now I do."

When Qing Chen and the other two turned around, they were surprised to see Qing Shi's figure, dressed in a black hoodie, a black baseball cap, and a black mask, walking out while clapping.

He coughs every now and then.

If it weren't for that familiar cough, Qing Chen might not have been able to tell that it was Mr. Shadow from the Qing family who had arrived.

It seems that every time we meet, it's in the dark.

This was the first time Qing Shi's shadow had been willing to stand in the sunlight and talk to him.

Thin and wiry – that was Qing Chen's most profound impression of him.

Qing's shadow chuckled, "When people reach middle age, they start worrying about their children and grandchildren. After they die, their descendants will come to their graves to pay their respects and ask for their continued blessings. If their descendants don't do well, they might even think that the place where you were buried is wrong and dig you up to change the feng shui. So, it's quite good to be buried here. I even want to come here after I die. If I could bicker with the old guys in Forbidden Zone No. 002, that would probably be even more enjoyable."

Qing Chen looked at the shadow of the Qing family. "The civil war in the Federation should have already begun by now, yet you still have the leisure to come to Forbidden Zone No. 002?"

Qing Shi's shadow smiled, "What does the civil war have to do with me?"

"Is it alright?" Qing Chen asked, puzzled.

"I've done everything I was supposed to do for this war in advance. Once the war really begins, there's nothing left for me to do," Qing Shi's shadow said with a smile.

This is actually a very strange kind of confidence.

It's like playing chess; after thirteen moves, the outcome of the game is already decided even without any further moves.

For some reason, Qing Chen always felt that he and this shadow of the Qing family were somewhat similar. They both seemed to like to do the preparation work in advance, which was a kind of innate sense of being prepared for danger even in times of peace.

However, Qing Chen's current vision and abilities are still not at the level of Shadow.

"Can the Li and Qing families win?" Qing Chen asked.

Shadow laughed, "The Li family may not know, but the Qing family can. When it comes to strategizing, you must prepare in advance so that you can be more at ease."

"Understood," Qing Chen nodded.

The Shadow is the shadow of the Qing clan. Even if the Li clan and the Qing clan are allies, the Shadow's responsibility is only to ensure the Qing clan's victory in this war.

They could even seize the victory from the Li family.

This is what a conglomerate is like.

"Did the Li family's reverse Transmigration Plan succeed?" Qing Chen asked.

When they returned last time, the Li family's Time Walker even went directly to Japan. Qing Chen knew that those Time Walker were definitely not just going to burn down a shrine; they must have a bigger plan.

Shadow thought for a moment and replied, "Currently, there are 8 successful replacements identified by Kamishiro and Kashima. There should be more that haven't been identified yet... However, even if they are identified, it's not a problem. The negative impact of replacing 8 important positions in one go during the war is far greater than imagined. I have to say, the Li family's Time Walker in the Outer World are quite powerful, which makes me very interested."

"By the way, do you know Kamishiro Togo in City No. 18 who was in charge of assassinating Li Changqing?" Shadow asked.

"I know," Qing Chen nodded.

The shadow laughed, "He didn't escape City No. 18. The Li family found his replacement in the island nation of the Outer World and sent him to Los Angeles in your Outer World. Now, he has been replaced. I was wondering why Li Changqing didn't chase after him. Turns out he was waiting here. This woman is so interesting. She seems to have guessed that Kamishiro Togo would continue to hide in City No. 18."

Qing Chen was stunned. He had previously thought that the person who replaced the Kamishiro Family had to be sent to the island nation, but he did not expect that Li Changqing was so clever as to send the person into the country.

This time, the Li family's counterattack seems to be even more ferocious than that of Kamishiro and Kashima.

However, the fact that Shadow investigated these matters so thoroughly demonstrates the strength of the Qing family's intelligence system!

Throughout their conversation, Shadow and Qing Chen never mentioned Shadow's identity, leaving Li Ke and Hu Xiaoniu completely baffled and unaware of the identity of this uninvited guest.

Qing Shi's Shadow: "Hey, you two kids over there, go play in the mud over there. Qing Chen and I have something to talk about."

This Mr. Shadow doesn't seem to want anyone to know that Qing Chen Shadow Candidate.

At this moment, Hu Xiaoniu and Li Ke subconsciously looked at Qing Chen, and only left obediently after Qing Chen nodded.

Qing Chen thought for a moment, "No matter how well prepared you are, it's still a bit surprising that you're focusing on me instead of other important matters at this crucial juncture."

"Who said I came here to keep an eye on you?" Shadow said with a smile. "I came to see if the Freemasons can successfully reach Spade's location. This is a very important part of my future plans, and it's also my first time cooperating with Spade, so naturally I had to come and see."

Qing Chen did not deny it, but he was very certain that the other party had come for him.

The shadow sat silently on the edge of the Green Mountain Cliff: "Is the sunrise here really that beautiful? Even someone like Li Xiurui wanted to see it before he left. Do you know what Li Xiurui has done in his life? When he took over the Li family, it was already showing signs of decline. In the field of minerals and energy, his father lost a very important battle to the Chen family, and it seemed that the family was about to fall into ruin. But this talented man turned the tide after taking over and drove the Chen family out of City No. 18. It's ironic that such a person was forced to become the head of the family."

"By the way, that expert from the Kamishiro family is dead. I underestimated Li Yunjing, and Li Xiurui also underestimated Li Yunjing. They even arranged for two A-rank experts to kill Kamishiro Yunsugi. Actually, Li Yunjing himself was enough. Fortunately, he is about to leave the Li family, otherwise it would be quite troublesome. He is someone who has the potential to covet the position of demigod."

The shadow sat in the mountain breeze, its legs dangling over the cliff face, seemingly blending into the mountain wind.

He doesn't seem like a powerful figure at all.

Qing Chen thought for a moment and then sat down next to the other person.

Shadow turned and glanced at him. "Sometimes I really want to kill you, like right now, if I push you off a 600-meter Green Mountain Cliff, you'll definitely die."

"Why did you want to kill me?" Qing Chen asked.

"If you die, someone will be very angry. The thought of making that person angry makes me very happy," the shadow said calmly.

Qing Chen was stunned for a moment; he hadn't expected that the Qing family's shadow had murderous intentions towards him.

When the other person talked about murder, their expression was as calm as if they were asking, "Have you had dinner yet?" as if this was something more ordinary than eating.

Qing Chen thought for a moment, "If I were to die now, many people would be angry. I wonder which one Mr. Shadow is referring to?"

"Anyway, it's not Li Shutong or Li Changqing," Qing Shi said with a smile.

"Are they Qing Chen's original blood relatives in the Inner World?" Qing Chen asked.

Qing Shi's shadow glanced at him. "You're quite frank, knowing you couldn't hide it, so you revealed your identity as Time Walker."

"Hmm," Qing Chen nodded, "Qing Clan's Shadow manages the vast Qing Clan intelligence system, how could they not know my identity as Time Walker? I'm just a little curious, what is your relationship with the original Qing Chen?"

Qing Shi Yingzi smiled, "The plot is more interesting when it's revealed little by little. How could I do something as boring as spoiling the ending? Don't worry, you'll know everything someday. Don't rush, don't rush to turn to the last page of the book."

Qing Chen once guessed that the Shadow of the Qing Clan might be Qing Chen's father, but now he thinks it's not.

However, he was still unsure of his relationship with this shadow. If they had been close relatives, the shadow should have killed him to avenge Qing Chen.

Shadow did indeed have murderous intent towards him, but that wasn't the reason the other party had that intent.

This is very strange, like a mathematical conjecture that cannot be proven at the moment.

Qing Chen didn't ask any more questions about that topic, but instead inquired about other matters, "Do you control the Freemasons? Are the other Time Walker controlled by the Qing Clan also under your command?"

The shadow of the Qing clan nodded. "That's right, there is only one person in the Qing clan who can command the Time Walker, and that is me."

Qing Chen nodded. Then, Huan Yu must be a member of the Chen family.

If Huan Yu belongs to the Qing clan, then he couldn't possibly mobilize so many Time Walker.

"The Time Walker from the Kamishiro, Kashima, the Li family, and the Chen family have all made moves in the Outer World, so why hasn't the Qing family made a single move?" Qing Chen asked.

"Do you think I'll tell you?" Qing's shadow said with a smile, "Don't you have designs on Qing's Time Walker? How about this, you promise to go to the Secret Intelligence Department, and on the very day you report to the Secret Intelligence Department, I'll hand over the Freemasons to you. This deal should be pretty good, right?"

This time, the deal involving the Qing family's shadow finally had a concrete commitment, rather than just empty promises.

It's important to know that the Freemasons are an organization composed of highly intelligent Time Walker. Such an organization is incredibly adaptable, and if used properly, it can have remarkable effects.

"I'll think about it," Qing Chen replied with the same answer.

Shadow raised an eyebrow. "It's really hard to get you involved."

Qing Chen suddenly said, "I need to think about when to report to the Secret Intelligence Department."

Shadow smiled and stood up, "Once you're in, you can't back out now."

After saying that, he turned and walked towards the woods behind the cliff, as if this was his only purpose for coming here.

Halfway there, the shadow turned back and said, "I need to remind you that the reverse Transmigration Plan of the Kamishiro Family and Kashima Family is far more complex than what you see now. You should know that they have already completed their first attempt at neuronal possession, and there will definitely be new attempts in the future. They have far more Time Walker than we do, and as far as I know, they also have powerful experts hidden within your Outer World."

"Thank you for reminding me," Qing Chen nodded.

Qing's shadow walked into the woods, raised his hand to open the Shadow Gate, stepped inside, and disappeared.

Qing Chen thought that the condition for opening the Shadow Gate should be that one must be in the shadows, otherwise there would be no need for the other party to return to the forest.

Hu Xiaoniu and Li Ke returned after seeing the shadow leave. "Master, who was that person just now?"

Qing Chen shook his head. "It's not time to tell you yet."

"Where do we go now?" Hu Xiaoniu asked.

"Go and rescue the Freemasons," Qing Chen said.

"Huh? Why should we go save them?" Li Ke asked, puzzled. "We don't even know them."

Qing Chen didn't explain; this was part of his shadow deal with the Qing family, so he couldn't let the Freemasons lose too many people.

This is his property!

Return countdown: 4:00:00.

Forbidden Zone No. 002 at 8 PM.

The boundary between the hinterland and the periphery.

Guo Huzhan leaned against a tangled tree root, looking at the Freemasons beside him.

However, although the Freemasons were exhausted, they never complained. They encouraged each other and even managed to maintain an optimistic spirit.

He whispered to Yang Yang, who was resting with her eyes closed beside him, "The overall quality of this group of Time Walker is quite good; it seems like none of them need to be persuaded to turn back."

"Hmm," Yang Yang opened her eyes, "This is the most outstanding group of students in the Outer World corresponding to City No. 18. They are intelligent, courageous, optimistic, and have strong learning abilities. Having such a team in our rebuilt town can help it grow rapidly."

For Spades, although they outwardly say they welcome everyone, how could they not screen Freemasons?

Even without the pursuit of the Federation Group Army, they would still find an excuse to make the students abandon their vehicles and embark on a 200-kilometer trek as a test.

However, there is one thing to worry about: this is someone arranged by that Qing family shadow. Although the other party expressed great goodwill, Spade still needs to confirm how much influence that Qing family shadow has on the Freemasons.

"Are there many student organizations like this in the Outer World?" Guo Huzhan asked.

"Yes, but not many," Yang Yang thought for a moment and replied, "For example, there is one in Haicheng, which corresponds to City No. 7, and I am a member of it. There seems to be one in Jingcheng as well, and the leader is Chosen One, but I have never been able to confirm who this leader is. The other party is very mysterious."

"Students are generally full of passion and haven't been tainted by worldly affairs. The more organizations like this we Spades have contact with, the better. I'll have to trouble you Yang Yang," Guo Huzhan said.

"It's not hard at all," Yang Yang said with a smile. "This is something I wanted to do myself."

At this moment, the bald man whispered, "You and that Qing Zhade..."

Yang Yang asked in surprise, "You're so tall and strong, why are you so gossipy? Does it suit your image?"

Guo Huzhan was a little embarrassed. "Who doesn't gossip..."

Yang Yang stood up and said, "Let's go. The Federation Group Army is approaching again. We need to hurry on our way."

After saying that, she waved to the Freemasons, signaling them to get up and follow her.

The Freemasons did not hesitate; although they were exhausted, they encouraged each other to set off again.

The column moved quickly, and the Federation Group Army behind them was also in fast pursuit.

However, the Federation Group Army did not seem to be in a hurry to launch an attack, as if it wanted to wear down the Freemasons and Spades first.

This is standard hunting behavior, and it's the work of a group of experienced hunters.

Guo Huzhan muttered, "Yang Yang, it would be better if your perception range were a bit wider, so we could avoid them sooner."

Just then, distant gunshots rang out from the Forbidden Zone woods behind them.

The gunshot was far away, but in this silent, Forbidden Zone, it was all too abrupt.

Guo Huzhan suddenly looked up. Who would dare use a gun in this Forbidden Zone?!

This is Forbidden Zone No. 002, and one of the rules is that firearms are prohibited!

It has been said that the reason why Forbidden Zone No. 002 has signs prohibiting the use of drones and firearms is to prevent criminals from entering.

Guo Huzhan looked at Yang Yang: "The Federation Group Army knows the taboos. Could it be that Qing Zhade came to help you, but he doesn't know the rules?"

Because specific rules cannot be discussed in Forbidden Zone, Guo Huzhan's explanation was very vague.

Aside from the knights, no one knew that becoming a knight was part of the containment rules of Forbidden Zone No. 002, so even Yang Yang became worried.

However, Yang Yang's first glance was at the Freemasons.

The students' first reaction was to raise their index fingers at each other to warn each other not to discuss it.

These highly intelligent students knew very well that discussing anything at this time could easily violate the rules, so they did not make the most basic mistakes.

Seeing this, Yang Yang nodded. The quality of these elite students from Luocheng was indeed very high.

Nangong Yuanyu looked at Guo Huzhan: "Excuse me, are the Spades people fighting?"

"No," Guo Huzhan said, frowning. "We can't be sure who it is either. It might be one of the people who traveled with us before."

No one would come to the Forbidden Zone for no reason, and no one would help Spade for no reason!

Guo Huzhan said, "Why don't we leave first?"

Yang Yang shook her head. "You guys go first, I'll go take a look."

As soon as the words were spoken, someone slowly walked out from the depths of the woods, their footsteps crunching on the broken fallen leaves, quiet and mysterious.

The Freemasons and Spade members all looked toward the source of the sound and were astonished to find Li Ke and his group slowly emerging from the shadows.

Everyone instinctively looked over, their gazes seemingly glued to Li Ke and the others' hands, unable to look away from the guns in their hands.

Upon closer inspection, they could even smell the gunpowder emanating from the three individuals.

That's the unavoidable smell after pulling the trigger.

"These are the three who just fired the shots!" Guo Huzhan thought to himself.

But he didn't understand.

Even though everyone has confirmed countless times that firearms are not allowed in Forbidden Zone No. 002, these three people seem to be unaffected by the rules!

Why?

In fact, most people in the world don't know that Forbidden Zone can actually be contained.

Because very few people have ever taken them in!

Those who have been sheltered will keep the secret of their sheltering in their hearts!

Yang Yang looked at Qing Zhade: "Was it you who were fighting the Federation Group Army just now?"

"Yes," Qing Chen nodded and smiled, "They seem to have the exact same confusion as you, so they hesitated and temporarily retreated. Next, I will send you all out of Forbidden Zone No. 002, so that you don't get lost here and wander into the heart of the territory."

Given the danger level of the interior, if a Freemason accidentally went in, there was a 90% chance he would die.

Qi Duo, a Freemason, hesitated for a moment before asking, "Wouldn't this be too much trouble for everyone?"

Actually, what he wanted to ask was: Why are you so kind to us? Why are you so kind as to send everyone out of the Forbidden Zone?

After all, we're not familiar with them.

Qing Chen smiled and said, "It's no trouble at all. Xiao Niu told me that you two are friends, so it's only right to help a friend."

Qi Duo and the others were stunned for a moment and looked at Hu Xiaoniu, thinking to themselves that Xiaoniu was indeed a good person, actually asking his employer to help them even though he was a servant!

They looked at Qing Chen again, only to find him smiling and looking at them with great kindness.

It's like examining a gold coin you've treasured for years...

Two chapters combined.

I attended a science fiction forum in Shanghai today. It was a bit rushed, so I typed this out on my phone at the venue. I'll thank everyone again tomorrow.