Naming Technique of the Night

Chapter 548 342. Pretend to be an NPC

”Are you neighbors?” Qi Duo asked in surprise, looking from Jiang Yichen to Qing Chen.

Qing Chen replied enthusiastically, ”Of course, we live in the Microcosm Community in the Upper Three Districts; weʼve met once before. I even said after I got home that I should socialize more with the neighbors.”

Jiang Yichen forced a smile, ”Right, neighbors, we should socialize more...”

Socialize my foot!

He had seen with his own eyes how so many assassins had sneaked into the house, and none of them had been able to come back out.

What happened to them? Did they die?

All ten or more of them?

Every time Jiang Yichen thought about it, he found it terrifying.

Besides, whenever he recalled how they had been suspicious of him, he felt like he had narrowly escaped death.

If he hadnʼt answered their questions satisfactorily at that time, would he also have disappeared inside that house?

At this moment, a few Freemasonry students asked curiously, ”Wow, are you guys big shots from the Upper Three Districts? We havenʼt even been to the Upper Three Districts yet.”

The affable old man Li Xiurui immediately smiled at the female students, ”Come, come, let me tell you about some interesting things in the Upper Three Districts. Iʼve lived there for most of my life and know everything about it.”

”Really, you can tell us?” the students exclaimed in delight.

The old man smiled, ”Yes, of course, but you havenʼt finished setting up your tents, have you? The boys should go set them up first; after all, itʼs getting late, and it will be inconvenient to work in the dark later.”

Qing Chen: ”...”

He was pondering one thing, was this old man truly at the end of his life? It didnʼt seem like it!

While talking, the old head took the girls to his campfire to tell stories.

Qing Chen turned back to look at the other Freemasonry students, ”Eh, arenʼt you from the Upper Three Districts?”

”No,” a young man with dark skin came over and said with a smile, ”Hello, my name is Nangong Yuanyu, Iʼm the person in charge of this convoy.”

”Hello,” Qing Chen nodded and continued pretending to be an NPC from the Inner World: ”This neighbor is from the Upper Three Districts, huh? If youʼre not, how do you know each other?”

Nangong Yuanyu explained with a smile, ”We met by chance and came out together for a wilderness adventure.”

Qing Chen looked at Jiang Yichen, ”Right, didnʼt you mention that you wanted to apply for university? I remember you said you came to City No. 18 specifically to attend a cram school. Did you meet at the cram school?”

”Exactly, exactly,” Jiang Yichen said with an awkward smile, ”We met in the cram course.”

”Then why arenʼt you focused on your studies instead of playing in the wilderness?” Qing Chen said seriously, ”At your age, studying is more important. Getting into Qinghe University could change your destiny. Wait, youʼre not Time Travelers, are you?”

Qi Duo, asked in such a way, responded with a somewhat unnatural expression, ”No, how could that be!”

Jiang Yichen hurriedly explained, ”Reading ten thousand books is not as useful as traveling ten thousand miles. Qinghe University also has an interview stage; if you only know how to study, you wonʼt be able to get in anyway.”

Qing Chen held back a laugh, watching the group scrambling to patch up their identities.

He suddenly found it quite amusing.

Acting as an NPC from the Inner World seemed rather enjoyable.

He eyed Jiang Yichen closely, thinking about where on earth he had hidden the Taboo item.

What exactly the Taboo item on Qing Zhongʼs person was still remained a secret, but Qing Chen was very interested in any Taboo items.

Almost at midnight, Qing Chen went back to his campfire to call the old man, ”Grandpa, itʼs time for you to sleep, letʼs continue tomorrow.”

Without looking back, the old man waved his hand, ”Itʼs alright, letʼs talk a little more...”

Once in high spirits, the old man had talked from District One all the way up to the Upper Three Districts, covering a wide range of topics.

Spade sneaking into the Third District and bombing the Animal Protection Association...

How a bigwig from the Chen Clan got put in his place in the Upper Three Districts...

How Jindai and Deer Island planned to buy property in City No. 18ʼs Upper Three Districts but got schemed against by the Li Family, who swindled a lot of money from them...

He could talk about anything, not sparing even his own familyʼs scandals, as if he was no longer a member of the Li Family.

Qing Chen maintained a calm demeanor: ”If youʼre not tired, the female students are. Besides, weʼre traveling together; there will be plenty of opportunities. Itʼs better to rest early; your health isnʼt the best.”

It wasnʼt that he intended to dampen the old manʼs enthusiasm, but he was genuinely worried that if the old man stayed up every night, he might not make it to Taboo Land No. 002!

The old man cheerfully told the female students, ”Look, my grandson cares about me. Letʼs all get some rest, and weʼll continue tomorrow.”

After the female students had left, the old man said earnestly, ”Iʼve fished out their information. These people have bribed someone at the immigration bureau to illegally issue 97 Wilderness Hunter licenses. Thatʼs how they can freely enter and leave the city. The problem is, not just anyone can bribe the immigration bureau—itʼs clear they have someone backing them. In the entire City No. 18, the Li Family and Qingʼs Family split the world between them. Since theyʼre not on the Li Familyʼs list of Time Travelers, it only leaves Qingʼs Family.”

Qing Chen nodded, which was very much in line with his judgement.

Behind Freemasonry, there might just be a Mister Shadow from Qingʼs Family.

Earlier, he had been worried for the Freemasonry, after all, with someone like Jiang Yichen amongst them, there might be someone being hunted down by Qingʼs Family.

But now, he had started to worry about Jiang Yichen instead...

If the Freemasonry really was backed by Qingʼs Family, then Jiang Yichen was as good as in a wolfʼs lair.

After the group traversal, Qing Chen found the most interesting thing was right here, each person had their own secrets, playing their roles, and then waiting at any moment for either social death or actual death...

Right now, that group of people didnʼt even know that among their ranks was not just the boss from daytime, but also the previous Family Head of the Li Family, and the next generation leader of the Knights...

This troop of people could be said to be of very high value.

Qing Chen looked at the elder: ”Youʼre chatting with them just to get information?”

”Of course,” said the elder with righteous indignation: ”Although I donʼt have many days left, helping you out even a little is still something.”

”Give me a break,” Qing Chen said expressionlessly: ”Iʼd advise you to take it easy and not to overdo it, lest you donʼt make it to the Taboo Land numbered 002.”

”Thatʼs not likely,” the elder said: ”Being with these students, I feel like Iʼve grown many years younger!”

...

...

Elsewhere, Nangong Yuanyu and Qi Duo found Jiang Yichen and asked, ”Whatʼs with these people, you seem to be very afraid of them?”

After thinking it over, Jiang Yichen decided to tell the truth: ”Iʼm not afraid of them, but rather scared of that young man. He really is my neighbor, but through the peephole, I personally witnessed more than a dozen fully armed assassins sneak into his house to kill him, and none of those people ever came out again. Recently, Iʼve already put the house on the market. I donʼt dare to stay there for another minute. I thought I could get far away like this, but I didnʼt expect to run into him again here.”

Qi Duo pondered: ”Are they here to kill Jiang Yichen and silence him?”

Nangong Yuanyu shook his head: ”No, they left City 18 one step ahead of us, and they were the first to arrive at the campsite. We stayed here just to interact with Hu Xiaoniu.”

”Thatʼs true,” Jiang Yichen gradually relaxed: ”But letʼs try not to provoke such big shots of the Inner World as much as possible. How about we leave early tomorrow and go our separate ways from them?”

Nangong Yuanyu looked at Jiang Yichen: ”Could they be Time Travelers?”

”No,” Jiang Yichen shook his head: ”That young man has lived in the Microcosm Community for eight years, and that elder is too old; we havenʼt seen a Time Traveler of that age appear yet.”

Qi Duo said: ”It seems they really arenʼt Time Travelers. How about I go tonight while theyʼre asleep and try to talk to Hu Xiaoniu alone? Weʼre both Time Travelers from the Outer World; emotionally, he should be closer to us.”

”Since their four people are in separate tents, you should be able to get close to Hu Xiaoniu without being discovered,” Nangong Yuanyu considered: ”Just ask him about the identities of these people and why they are going to Taboo Land numbered 002. Donʼt ask for too many specifics, otherwise, it might put student Hu Xiaoniu in a difficult position. We only need to know that these people mean no harm, the rest we neednʼt bother with. The most important thing is to arrive on schedule at the outskirts of Taboo Land numbered 002 in 6 days and hand over the drugs to the Wilderness Hunters.”

”Hmm,” Qi Duo nodded: ”This winter in the Inner World is too cold; without the drugs, those Wilderness Hunters wonʼt survive.”

In the middle of the night, Qi Duo quietly approached Hu Xiaoniuʼs tent and whispered: ”Xiao Niu, Xiao Niu.”

Hu Xiaoniu opened his eyes, thinking that Brother Chen was really meticulous, even predicting that they would come to find him in the middle of the night.

He silently crawled out of the tent and, taking hold of Qi Duo, headed deep into the woods.

Once they had stopped, Qi Duo asked: ”Are you their Servant?”

Hu Xiaoniu nodded: ”Yes.”

Qi Duo thought for a moment: ”Iʼve heard that Servants... if you need it, we could try to help you leave City 18 and escape their control.”

Hu Xiaoniu was inwardly amused; these people sure had rich imaginations.

He quickly explained: ”Although these people are members of a financial group, they are actually quite nice, and I donʼt have any immediate plans to run away.”

”Thatʼs good,” Qi Duo nodded: ”By the way, what are you going to Taboo Land numbered 002 for?”

”Just traveling,” Hu Xiaoniu said: ”The elder doesnʼt have much time left and wants to go see the tree in Taboo Land numbered 002. Speaking of which, why are you going to Taboo Land numbered 002?”

Qi Duo was a bit troubled.

Hu Xiaoniu thought for a moment: ”Itʼs okay if you donʼt want to say. Along the way, letʼs keep an eye out for each other, and let me know if thereʼs anything you need.”

”Right,” Qi Duo thought Hu Xiaoniu was a good fellow...

At that moment, Hu Xiaoniu suddenly said: ”Be careful of that high school senior named Jiang Yichen; heʼs not simple and may have ulterior motives for following you.”

That was the message Qing Chen had insisted Hu Xiaoniu pass on tonight.

...

Thereʼs another chapter at 10 pm tonight. This month Iʼm resting and recuperating, gathering strength for next monthʼs challenge of daily updates of ten thousand words.

Thank you to my naming technique for becoming a new ally of this book, generous boss, wishing the bossʼs child is not troublesome!

Vote for the monthly pass!