Social Death and the Avoidance of Social Death

Online, some netizens asked why it seems like the entire world has received invitations from the Time Walker Association, but they haven't received one themselves.

Other netizens commented: Maybe you're not that important.

Gradually, everyone realized that not everyone received an invitation. Some people who worked in the Outer World and continued to work diligently in the Inner World did not receive one.

Those Time Walker who are well-known and very active have basically all received invitations.

Of course, a small number of active Time Walker did not receive an invitation.

Some of them became famous after becoming known as "Time Walker" and then started selling fake alcohol. The alcohol they sold could be drunk by the point that even the traffic police couldn't detect it as drunk driving.

Some of them, after becoming famous, start claiming to have obtained the "Securities Analysis Software of the Inner World" and constantly recruit fans into groups to commit "pig butchering" scams.

Others simply engage in fraud and deception.

There are all kinds of people.

Therefore, netizens have also discovered this pattern: Kunlun did not invite any of those Time Walker with bad records.

Kunlun's reputation in China was built step by step through the actions of Zheng Yuandong and his team...

While other Time Walker were racing against time, fearing they would be too slow to get started.

Kunlun, however, has always adhered to its bottom line, never inviting people with bad character to join, and has always emphasized discipline.

Therefore, whether or not Kunlun invited anyone has become the official certification for these online celebrity Time Walker.

The comments section exploded with comments from those scammers; this was practically an officially certified Time Walker with a terrible track record...

Some scammers also forge text messages, photoshopped images to create QR codes, and claim that they have also received invitations.

As it turns out, Kunlun was also idle, and actually went out of their way to deny inviting the other party.

He was proven wrong on the spot.

Kunlun is indeed serious about protecting its reputation.

Anyway, anyone who doesn't receive an invitation from the Time Walker' Association will feel awkward.

Nan Gengchen, however, felt something was amiss. He privately asked Qing Chen, "Brother Chen, if Kunlun doesn't invite the disgraced Time Walker, why would they invite you? Isn't that irresponsible towards the other Time Walker?"

After all, who would be eyeing someone else's Forbidden Item before even arriving?

Qing Chen looked at Nan Gengchen expressionlessly. The other party looked serious, and it was unclear whether he was doing it on purpose or was genuinely curious about the question...

"What level have you reached in your cultivation?" Qing Chen asked.

"Brother Chen, I've been promoted to D-Class for a while now, and I might be able to reach C-Class next time I transmigrate," Nan Gengchen said innocently.

Qing Chen was stunned. "..."

He no longer wanted to comment on this guy's cultivation progress. Besides, the Zhunti Method... it really is a wicked cultivation method.

Nan Gengchen said, "If it weren't for Xiao Tongyun always following me around, I might have already gotten C-Class. Later, I promised to help her with her homework, and only then did she agree not to be a third wheel."

Qing Chen glanced at Nan Gengchen speechlessly. "Who told you to help Xiao Tongyun with her homework? She has to do her own homework."

Nan Gengchen said with great distress, "I didn't want to either, but she insisted that I do it, otherwise she would stay with Yinuo 24 hours a day. Before, when I suggested that Xiao Tongyun stay in City No. 18, she acted very strangely and insisted on going to City No. 7 with the two of us. At first, I couldn't understand why. Later, I felt that she was planning to go to City No. 7 with Yinuo and me so that I would do her homework."

Xiao Tongyun, standing to the side, objected. "But you didn't get it right either!"

Qing Chen: "..."

The kind of thing Xiao Tongyun schemed against Nan Gengchen is really something a young girl would do.

But for a high school student to make mistakes in elementary school homework is truly amazing...

At this moment, Hu Xiaoniu suddenly came to Qing Chen's bedroom and said, "Boss, I may have to leave. Not Bai Zhou, but Luo Cheng."

Qing Chen smiled, as if he had expected this. "Where are you planning to go?"

Hu Xiaoniu hesitated for a moment and said, "Each item in the Life and Death Trial is too difficult. For an ordinary person like me, it would be very difficult to complete without long-term training. And I have to complete eight items. So, I plan to go back to Haicheng and hire the world's best extreme sports coach to train me. I have to race against time and can't slack off for a single minute."

Actually, the best coach is Qing Chen, because he is someone who has truly walked the path of the Knights.

However, Hu Xiaoniu knew very well that Qing Chen didn't have the time.

Moreover, the Knight Organization is scattered in various places, and each person has their own path. They rarely travel together when training and enjoy solitude.

Therefore, he could no longer stay in Los Angeles, where all the resources were far inferior to those in Ocean City, and he still needed to travel around the world to challenge his limits step by step.

During this time, Hu Xiaoniu watched as his companions advanced one by one. Nan Gengchen might be able to advance to C-Class at any time, and even Zhang Tianzhen had already reached D-Class. Xiao Tongyun, this cultivation genius, had even managed to approach Nan Gengchen's cultivation speed on her own.

Hu Xiaoniu saw this and how could he not be anxious?

He heard that Li Ke had already left City No. 18 and embarked on a long journey.

Everyone else is making progress, but he is still stagnating.

He had to move on.

Hu Xiaoniu said in a low voice, "It's very warm here. Back home, my family was very harmonious, but here it feels different. We play and joke around, play games together, eat together, and fight together. This is already my second home. But I have to leave eventually; I can't linger here. Boss, you also said that this is the furthest shortcut in the world."

Qing Chen smiled and said, "Don't underestimate yourself. People who can walk this path are the best in the world. You have the strongest willpower and the most steadfast belief."

Hu Xiaoniu is not mediocre.

How could someone who can climb Green Mountain Cliff with their bare hands be mediocre?

It's just that the people around Hu Xiaoniu are too outstanding.

Qing Chen firmly believes that this student will one day complete the eight challenges and unlock the Gene Lock within his body.

Qing Chen smiled and said, "Let Zhang Tianzhen go back with you."

"Huh?" Hu Xiaoniu was taken aback. "He's still here to help you?"

"No need," Qing Chen shook his head. "You need a protector. Communication is so convenient now. If anything happens, we can just say so in the group. It only takes an hour and a half to fly from Luocheng to Haicheng, and five and a half hours by high-speed rail. If we want to meet, we can meet anytime. You and Zhang Tianzhen still have to stay with Heng Society in the Inner World, so it's good for you to be together and take care of each other."

"Yes," Hu Xiaoniu nodded.

Everyone feels a little sad when it comes to parting.

Jiang Xue prepared a table full of dishes to bid farewell to Hu Xiaoniu and Zhang Tianzhen, while Xiao Tongyun gave them her favorite rabbit keychain and penguin keychain respectively.

Liu Dezhu looked at Hu Xiaoniu and said, "If anything happens, just give the boss a call, and our men from Bai Zhou can rush over immediately."

Jiang Xue's eyes were red. "Come back and visit often when you're on break."

Nan Gengchen: "Aunt Jiang Xue, the fish you made today is really delicious!"

Qing Chen only stayed in Luocheng briefly before leaving again.

The members of Bai Zhou were divided into three groups: one group consisted of Nan Gengchen and Liu Dezhu, another group consisted of Luo Wanyai and his family, and the last group consisted of Qing Chen himself.

The first two groups drove to Zhengzhou, while Qing Chen took the high-speed train alone.

This time, the Time Walker' Alliance is likely to unleash all sorts of strange and powerful figures. Qing Chen felt it was better for him to remain in the shadows to avoid being put on the defensive during the day.

The high-speed train from Luocheng to Zhengcheng only takes half an hour. After Qing Chen checked his ticket and entered the station, he went to the restroom. When he reappeared, he had changed into Qing Yuan's appearance.

At this time, among the candidates for the Shadow Struggle, Qing Chen had a general understanding of Qing Shi, Qing Wen, Qing Wu, Qing Yi, and Qing Xing. However, Qing Yuan was the only one who had never appeared, and had not even reported to the Intelligence Department Three.

This feeling was unsettling, Qing Chen decided to personally search for clues related to the other party.

Therefore, this was also the purpose of his trip to Zhengcheng.

It doesn't matter if the other party avoids us.

If Qing Chen were to adopt the other person's face, and someone had seen Qing Yuan before, they would likely take the initiative to strike up a conversation with him.

Qing Chen now needs to find someone in the Outer World who knows Qing Yuan.

For him, all it takes is a small thread to unravel the mystery.

After boarding the high-speed train, Qing Chen picked up his phone to browse the news.

While I was scrolling through the page, a familiar voice suddenly rang out behind me.

"Senior, we are 25C, 25B, and 25A. Let's move towards the middle."

Qing Chen didn't need to turn around to know that it was Tuanzi...

So, the ones traveling with Tuanzi must be Sun Chuci and his group.

Qing Chen chuckled. What a small world! Perhaps he really did have a connection with these people? But what were they doing in Luo City?

He glanced at his seat, 26C, which was right across from the other person's seat...

At this moment, Sun Chuci and the others came over and sat down with their schoolbags on their backs.

As Tuanzi put down her luggage, she said, "Senior, we didn't see Qing Chen during our trip to Luocheng. Are we just going back like this?"

Sun Chuci laughed and said, "They are important figures in the daytime, they don't have time to bother with us. Now that we've returned to the Outer World, let's not disturb their lives. Sometimes Time Walker clearly distinguish between the Inner World and the Outer World, and usually, after returning to the Outer World, they will focus on enjoying life."

Qing Chen was taken aback; the other party had started discussing him as soon as they sat down.

Is this what they call gossiping about someone to their face or behind their back?

Tuanzi and the others spoke very softly, but Qing Chen's hearing was so good that even if you forgot your vocal cords at home, he could still hear what you were saying.

"Okay," Tuanzi sighed, "Anyway, there aren't many days left before we cross over, so maybe we can see him in the Inner World too. You know, I feel like many celebrities in the Outer World aren't as good-looking as him. It would be quite pleasing to the eye to see him a few times a day. When can we finally get close to him? Just for his looks, we have to beg for his coattails!"

Sun Chuci smiled helplessly, "You weren't a fangirl before."

"Well, we didn't see Qing Chen, did we?" Tuanzi said casually.

Tuanzi isn't particularly pretty; she's a girl with relatively average looks.

He was very thin, with dark skin, and had a boyish personality, which is why he was willing to run in the wilderness with Sun Chuci and the others. He also dressed like a tomboy.

Tuanzi thought for a moment and explained, "Actually, it's not that I care about looks. It's just that every time I think back to the scene where he saved us in the wilderness, it feels so exciting. It's a scene that only happens in movies."

Beside him, a male companion exclaimed in a low voice, "And the scene where he left the barbecue restaurant—wow, a whole group of people surrounding him as he left! It felt like watching Lee Jung-jae in 'New World'! His subordinates walked out with such style, and the two rows of men in black suits were so intimidated by the onlookers that they didn't dare to speak. It was so impressive!"

Qing Chen sat quietly in his seat, his expression somewhat subtle.

Listening to others gossip behind their backs to their face seems like a very strange experience.

I felt really good.

At this moment, Tuanzi said excitedly, "That's right! He probably doesn't know yet that we already know he's Time Walker. Haha, next time we see him, we'll deliberately ask him if he's Time Walker and see how he lies. It sounds really interesting."

Qing Chen: Hehe, now I know.

He sized up Tuanzi, thinking to himself, "This guy has such ulterior motives, actually wanting to see Qing Chen's social death..."

Qing Chen looked at Sun Chuci and the others who were talking in hushed tones and said with a smile, "Are you Time Walker?"

"Huh?" Tuanzi was startled.

Sun Chuci was also stunned. He paused for a moment and then said, "No."

He felt that since they were speaking so softly, and the car was so noisy, the other party shouldn't have heard them.

Could this be a prank on them?

Qing Chen laughed and said, "Are you really not Time Walker? I thought you were a companion who went to the Time Walker Association with me."

Sun Chuci and the others looked at each other in disbelief. This young man had actually taken the initiative to reveal his identity as Time Walker!

That way, they stopped pretending.

Sun Chuci asked curiously, "Are you a local Time Walker from Luo City?"

"Yes," Qing Chen said with a smile.

Tuanzi became interested. "Do you know anyone from Bai Zhou?"

Qing Chen smiled and said, "I've heard of them, but I'm not very familiar with them. They're very mysterious and rarely leave any information to the outside world."

"Oh," Tuanzi, somewhat disappointed.

Qing Chen asked with a smile, "What, do you know anyone from Bai Zhou? Not just anyone can know Bai Zhou."

Tuanzi retorted, unconvinced, "We know each other! We're very familiar with Qing Chen from Baizhou!"

She wanted to continue, but Sun Chuci stepped on her instep.

Qing Chen's smile deepened, "Then you must be big shots, right? How about we change our contact information? If anything happens to me in Luo City, I can contact you."

Tuanzi hesitated for a moment. "We're not in Luocheng; we're Time Walker from Zhengcheng. We originally came to Luocheng for fun, but because of the Time Walker Association, we went back to Zhengcheng early. We only visited the Longmen Grottoes and the Ancient Tombs Museum; we haven't had a chance to go to the White Horse Temple yet. I heard that the White Horse Temple is different from other temples. If you can't afford a ticket, you just need to tell the monks at the ticket booth about your difficulties, and you can enter without buying a ticket. Is that true?"

"It's true," Qing Chen nodded. "Compared to most temples, White Horse Temple is more pure."

Sun Chuci suddenly asked, "Which school in Luocheng are you a student at?"

Qing Chen explained, "I'm from Luocheng Foreign Language School, so I'm considered an alumnus of several members of Bai Zhou."

Sun Chuci asked, "What color is the toilet next to the teaching building?"

Qing Chen laughed, "The public toilets aren't next to the teaching building; they're miles away. The students have complained a lot about the school's design."