Naming Technique of the Night

Chapter 61: 61. Showing You the Sights (Additional update for BarcaRay in the Silver League)

Countdown 47:59:59.

Two days.

It was still the familiar Prison 18.

But this time, things seemed a bit different.

It was no longer the cold cell and solitary confinement, someone was waiting for his return.

Mother Ye held a temperature-controlled lunch box in her arms, containing beef she had stewed herself.

The three people opposite looked at him as if they were waiting for him to come home.

This home was a bit dim and empty, but it was enough.

“Teacher, here’s the chess manual I brought for you,” Qing Chen spread his palm and handed Uncle Li Dong the USB drive.

Uncle Li Dong looked at it curiously, “I’ve never seen this interface before, can you handle it, Xiao Xiao?”

Lin Xiaoxiao replied, “No problem, the key to storage devices is the chip.”

“Teacher, can you tell if there’s any change in me when I time travel?” Qing Chen asked. He had previously relied on finding patterns by himself, but now with an observer, he might discover some other details.

“You said before that after you traverse, one second passes in the other world, which is not accurate,” Uncle Li Dong said. “In my perception, there was a change in the force field the moment you traversed, and this change was fleeting, perhaps only 0.1 seconds, or even shorter. It was in that instant that you disappeared, and when you reappeared, the gold bar in your hand was gone.”

“I see,” thought Qing Chen, realizing he indeed physically traveled through.

But the question was, where did the Qing Chen from the Inner World go? Was he directly obliterated from existence?

Qing Chen asked, “Teacher, the fire inside me…”

“It’s not time to explain that yet,” Uncle Li Dong shook his head. “It’s just that it appeared sooner than I had expected.”

While speaking, Ye Wan walked up to Qing Chen and lifted the hem of his shirt. When he saw the contours of Qing Chen’s abs, he laughed and said, “Xiao Xiao, I’ve won again.”

“What bet did you place on me this time?” Qing Chen asked curiously.

“I bet him that even without supervision, you would increase your training intensity,” Ye Wan said. “We’re both trained individuals, and these ab lines can’t be developed with even a day of rest.”

“Starting tomorrow, you’ll train with weights,” Uncle Li Dong said. “Ye Wan, thank you for your dedication, I haven’t come across such a self-disciplined kid in many years.”

“Alright, boss,” Ye Wan nodded in agreement.

Qing Chen looked to Uncle Li Dong, “Teacher, aren’t you going to look at the chess manual first?”

“Checking the chess manual is not urgent, now come with me,” Uncle Li Dong told Qing Chen.

Qing Chen was puzzled as he looked at him, “Where to?”

Uncle Li Dong turned and walked towards the exit, “I’m taking you to see the world outside.”

“Why are you showing me the world outside?” Qing Chen didn’t understand.

Uncle Li Dong turned around and asked, “Aren’t you curious about the world outside?”

Qing Chen paused.

Of course, he was curious.

From the first day of his return, he had seen others mention it on the internet, how wondrous and magnificent that world was.

Some said the cities were in the clouds.

Some said the cities were like a true Steel Forest.

Some said the massive holographic projections in the sky were mesmerizing.

Others claimed that the virtual life experience blows away all the movies in the Outer World, as if you were in the movie, living through another legendary life.

Those people were navigating through a vivid and colorful cityscape.

And he himself had traveled to a place called Prison, nothing more than an iron box.

Qing Chen was just a 17-year-old boy; he was naturally curious and envious.

However, looking at Uncle Li Dong, Qing Chen replied, “While curious, I also know that now is not the time to enjoy the scenery.”

Uncle Li Dong smiled, “Youth should have its ambitions. Before you embark on this journey alone, as a teacher, I can’t let you fall behind others.”

Qing Chen was taken aback, “What do you mean?”

“The scenes other Time Travelers witnessed, my student from the Li Family should also experience. Tonight, I will take you to see the best views of City 18,” Uncle Li Dong spoke with a relaxed and capricious tone.

The icy prison had acquired a hint of human warmth.

Next to the prison square, the heavy alloy gate slowly lifted for them, the metal storm overhead remained still, and the drones in the Hive continued their slumber.

Ye Wan handed him the cat face mask she had prepared early that morning, “This was prepared by the boss, you are not yet suitable to reveal your identity.”

The cat face on the mask seemed to be smiling, its red and white striped pattern both eerie and mysterious.

Qing Chen suddenly looked towards Uncle Li Dong’s retreating figure.

It turned out the freedom he had longed for was within reach.

…

Midnight.

City No. 18, District 1.

Above the clouds, on the 88th floor of the Eternal Building, inside the revolving Sunlight Pavilion Restaurant.

In that beautifully ornate restaurant, strains of cello music flowed gently, yet all the seats were completely empty.

At the entrance of the restaurant, several people were arguing with a waiter.

The waiter wore a crisp white shirt and a shiny black vest, his collar neatly adorned with a tie.

The young waiter explained to the customers with friendliness and politeness, “Good evening, the Sunlight Pavilion Restaurant has been booked out from midnight tonight. Since we are unable to provide you with quality service, Sunlight Pavilion Restaurant will offer you two vouchers, valid for lunch and dinner except on Saturdays and Sundays.”

Arguing with the waiter was a couple, the man was somewhat older, while the woman was still in the prime of her youth.

The man said with a stern face, “I’ve never heard of the Sunlight Pavilion being booked out before, you’re not joking with me, are you?”

The waiter smiled apologetically, “I’m truly sorry, sir, there hasn’t been one before, and I was also surprised when I received the notice today.”

At that moment, they looked through the glass wall of the Sunlight Pavilion Restaurant, and indeed not a single customer was inside.

The Sunlight Pavilion is the highest located restaurant in City No. 18, almost overlooking the entire city, and so it is the most expensive; the privileged elites of City No. 18 flocked to it.

The middle-aged man pondered, “Is the booking by the Li Family or Qing’s Family?”

“No sir,” the waiter told the truth.

The young woman seemed slightly upset, her colorful earrings dazzling the man as she pouted.

The man thought for a moment and asked, “In that case, may I know who has booked the place? I’m aware that whoever can book this place must be a very important person, but perhaps I could speak to them myself if I happen to know them.”

The man was tactful and not foolish.

When he encountered someone troublesome, he would first ask himself if he could do what the other person had done. If not, he wouldn’t embarrass himself; it would mean they were not on the same level.

However, being someone with a reputation in the city, he still wanted to use personal connections to save some face.

The waiter went to consult with the manager briefly, then returned with a black business card.

The card had no contact information, only five words: Heng Society, Li Dongze.

Seeing this business card, the man led his partner to the elevator without another word. In the elevator, the woman whispered in complaint, “Didn’t you say we were going to greet someone? Why did we leave without a word?”

The man sighed, “I’ll find you another place, and I’ll make up this dinner at the Sunlight Pavilion to you another time.”

“Weren’t you saying last month that you knew Li Dongze?” the woman complained.

“That’s a different matter,” the man grew impatient as well, “He isn’t even in City No. 18 today; he booked the place for someone else.”

At that moment, the man did indeed think of the most vital issue.

But he couldn’t figure out at once who was worth such a grand gesture from Li Dongze.

The man was usually low-profile and seldom indulged in high-profile actions like booking an entire restaurant.

As they were taking the panoramic elevator down, a Black Samurai Hover car was slowly floating towards the rooftop of the Sunlight Pavilion Restaurant.

Uncle Li Dong stepped out of the hover car with Qing Chen, with a waiter already waiting to offer Uncle Li Dong a warm towel to wipe his face.

Qing Chen, wearing the mask, gestured that he did not need one.

“Mr. Li, your table has been prepared, the cameras in the entire Eternal Building have just been turned off, and the braised pork that Mr. Li Dongze said you like most is ready,” the waiter whispered.

Uncle Li Dong said to Qing Chen, “Perhaps one day you will get used to it, in this world, as long as you have money and power, everything can be just perfect.”

…

This is the second update for today, two more to come at 6 pm.