"Ah, this," Wang Dingye thought Qingchen wanted to borrow money, so he hesitated for a moment, "The Black family said that things are improving in City 22, and life will get better in the future. But everyone is still struggling right now and doesn't have much money. But if you need it, I... can give you half! After all, you helped me get a free ticket."
Qing Chen smiled, took out three gold coins from his pocket and stuffed them into Wang Dingye's hand: "I don't want your money, I'm just worried that you won't have enough to spend. You've worked hard to expand our Parents' Association's territory, so you mustn't suffer too much when you're out and about. Recently, the price of medicine in the Federation has gone up again, so if any of you get injured, you'll have some money left for medical treatment."
At that moment, Wang Dingye looked at the three gold coins in his hand and was immediately moved. This is what family is all about!
What a pure and loving family!
I took a ride on the steam train, and not only did it cost me nothing, I even got three more gold coins!
Qing Chen said in a low voice, "Alright, hurry back and rest. We'll be at City 13 soon, and you'll have a tough battle to fight. Also, don't be too enthusiastic towards me; I'm hiding my identity."
"Okay!" Wang Dingye returned to his group and sat down, moved.
On the other side, Ma Jingjing and the others watched this scene. They didn't know that Qing Chen knew these people, nor did they know that these people were from the Parents' Association.
They only saw Wang Dingye walk over with the fruit, and then Qing Chen gave them three gleaming gold coins...
Ma Jingjing and the others looked at each other in bewilderment.
"Why did that kid give these people gold coins?" Yi Wenbo asked, puzzled.
"I don't know, I just saw him take the fruit over and exchange it for gold coins. Do you think we can exchange our gold coins back too?" Xiaoyu said.
It's like the story of the golden axe and the silver axe; as long as you are sincere enough, you will be rewarded...
Yi Wenbo immediately took a bunch of fruit and peanuts and walked towards Qing Chen. He placed the fruit on Qing Chen's table and said with a smile, "We brought a lot of things, so we'll share some with you."
After he finished speaking, he waited silently.
Qing Chen looked up at him for two seconds and said, "Thank you."
Yi Wenbo stood there waiting for a while... and that was it? Where are the gold coins?
Qing Chen asked with a smile, "Is there anything else?"
"No...it's nothing," Yi Wenbo said after a moment of stunned silence before turning and leaving.
Ma Jingjing asked in a low voice, "Did you get something in return?"
Yi Wenbo said expressionlessly, "In return, I received a thank you."
Just then, three airships suddenly flew by in the distance, quickly overtaking the steam train and continuing southward.
Each one is a Class B military airship, and they are all fully loaded with ammunition.
Looking at the airships from afar, Qing Chen said, "Strange, none of these three airships have military-grade paint. Does the Federation still have civilian Class B airships?"
Class B airships belong to the military and are required to be painted with combat serial numbers.
The shadow said with a smile, "They erased the numbers, naturally because they didn't want to find out who actually killed you."
Chapter 601, The Mystery of Qing Chen's Background
Qing Chen frowned as he looked at the Class B airship, wondering if the steam train could withstand the enemy's firepower.
However, the three Class B airships continued flying south without stopping at all.
Shadow laughed and said, "Don't worry, they don't know you're on this steam train. After all, the journey has just begun, and we can't let these people spoil the fun."
"Why did you betray me?" Qingchen sighed.
"Don't worry, you can just do your thing, no one will be in any danger," Shadow said with a smile.
Qing Chen was stunned for a moment. He finally realized what Shadow was up to: "Are you going to use me as bait to help me kill those who want to kill me?"
It now seems that Shadow's main purpose in coming out this time was to kill someone.
Knowing that his days were numbered, the other party wanted to help Qingchen kill all his enemies before he left.
The shadow gazed out the window at the boundless wilderness, where the distant horizon met the blue sky, and withered trees covered the ground; the world was desolate.
He said absentmindedly, “When ‘that person’ came to the Qing Clan to select you as a beta tester, I disagreed. I said you are still so young. What if something happens to you in the real world? There won’t even be anyone to protect you. But our father disagreed. He said that since change is coming, you and I both have the blood of our ancestors, so we must choose one to go. If I don’t go, then you have to go.”
Shadow said, "But I had something to do at the time and couldn't go... In that sense, I owe you a lot of things."
Qingchen was stunned for a moment; this was the first time Yingzi had shown such a tender side.
He never imagined that a tea plantation worker would have such a side to him.
Seeing his surprised expression, Shadow smiled and said, "Little brother, you're quite surprised, aren't you? You actually have a biological older brother in the Otherworld."
Qingchen's pupils contracted.
elder brother.
No wonder Shadow was so kind to him.
No wonder Shadow wanted to hand over the hearts and minds of the Qing Clan's intelligence system to him.
No wonder he couldn't detect a trace of malice in the shadow!
I actually have an older brother!
Qing Chen remained silent.
The shadow said, "I'm sorry, the fate that should have been mine was borne by you. All these years I've been waiting for you to come back, I've been waiting for you every day in Prison Number 18... I also chose the place where you traveled to."
Qing Chen asked, "Did you make a deal with my master to have him take me as his disciple?"
Shadow laughed, "No, no, no, the real deal is that Father will help him rescue his friend in exchange for Li Shutong doing two things. First, he will open the containment conditions of the Heaven and Earth Chessboard for Father, allowing the forbidden object ACE-002 to see the light of day again. Second, he will help you fake your death, making you the real Shadow."
"Huh? The Heaven and Earth Chessboard isn't in my master's hands?" Qing Chen was surprised.
“Of course not,” Shadow laughed. “After Li Shutong got it, he gave it to you, my father.”
Qing Chen pondered: "So, my master taking me as a disciple had nothing to do with the transaction?"
Shadow said, "The main purpose of this round of transactions was to fake your death, extricate you from the struggle, and give you an opportunity and space to grow. But Li Shutong broke the contract. He shouldn't have taken you as his apprentice because Father didn't want you to become a knight. The ideal of a knight is too romantic, and you might very well leave the conglomerate... As it turns out, most knights from conglomerates do break free from their constraints and venture into a wider world. So, Father was angry about this. To be honest, I rarely see him angry."
This transaction became more complicated due to Li Shutong's unauthorized decision-making.
Qingchen sighed. No wonder his master hesitated for so long when facing him back then.
Because there will always be consequences for breaking a contract.
However, there was a time when Qingchen, though certain of his feelings for his master, couldn't help but wonder if he was just an accessory to some kind of deal.
Now it seems that his master did more for him than he had imagined.
He asked, "What was the price my master paid for breaking the contract?"
Shadow laughed and said, "I don't know what the price of breaking the contract is, but ever since Father got the Heaven and Earth Chessboard, Li Shutong and Father have suddenly become very close. I even suspect that they have a common plan."
Xiao Mengqian and Yangyang, standing to the side, listened as if to a legendary tale. The conversation before them revealed to them a deal at the very heart of power. No one dared to interrupt or even breathe loudly.
Everything we talked about today cleared up many of Qingchen's doubts.
He had one last question: "Who is his father?"
The shadow said, "Qing Xun, the head of the Qing family."
“As expected,” Qing Chen sighed, “no wonder so many people paved the way for me.”
"Hey, hey, hey, what are you thinking? I'm the one who paved the way for you," Shadow slammed the table and laughed. "The person you should thank is me too!"
"Thank you," Qingchen said solemnly. He knew how much Yingzi had helped him, so this thank you was heartfelt.
Seeing how serious he was, Shadow was momentarily speechless. He waved his hand, "Don't get sentimental, it's no fun."
Qing Chen asked, "You once said that you had overdrawn a century's worth of time for someone... So, you couldn't be a beta tester because you couldn't leave that person back then?"
The shadow paused for a moment: "Yes."
Qing Chen asked no further questions.
Shadow looked out the window. He opened the window, letting the howling, biting wind blow against his face, his brows showing signs of hardship. "When you were still a baby, I held you in my arms. You were so tiny. I was afraid a gust of wind would blow you away... and then you peed all over my hand. When you were six months old, you started to smile at me. You held my index finger with your tiny hand, and then you pooped all over me."
Qing Chen's eyes widened. What was with this sudden change in his speech?
Yangyang looked at the shadow curiously from the side: "Is there anything else? Tell me more."
Qing Chen quickly changed the subject, saying, "During that century, did you ever have any regrets?"
The shadow calmly said, "I have no regrets. The world is fair. The lifespan of those who awaken time-related abilities is predetermined. Everyone will die at the age of 150. Every time the ability is used, it consumes one lifespan. Now my life is almost over, but I have no regrets. I have also planned how to use the rest of my life."
"Then can you use your time manipulation ability to kill all the enemy demigods?" Qing Chen asked curiously.
The shadow laughed, “Impossible. When I use time manipulation where other demigods can’t see me, they won’t even notice. But if I use it in front of them, they will realize that their time has slowed down and will use their willpower to break free from that time flow, making the cost to me even greater.”
Qingchen said, "So, what exactly are you planning to do by coming out with me this time?"
Shadow thought for a moment and said, "I'm going to lure out all those who want to kill you, and then kill them all."
With a few casual words, he had already decided the fate of many people.
Before he died, this older brother wanted to burn his last breath for his younger brother and go on a killing spree.
Chapter 602, Qing Chen's Wonderful Journey
Suddenly, a member of the parents' meeting shouted in the carriage:
"Everyone, close all the windows tightly. No one should talk or make any unnecessary movements while the train is moving."
They even checked every window like airplane flight attendants, almost asking everyone to adjust their seat backs and stow their tray tables.
Ma Jingjing asked, puzzled, "What's going on? Is there any danger?"
Wang Dingye laughed and said, "In 15 minutes, we will arrive at the natural barrier next to the Minnan Corridor, namely Forbidden Land No. 40 and Forbidden Land No. 41. This steam train will pass through Forbidden Land No. 40."
Another parent-teacher association member said, "We don't know what the rules are for Forbidden Zone 40 yet, but don't worry, as long as we close the windows and doors, we'll be fine inside the steam train."
"Thanks for reminding me," Ma Jingjing said softly.
At that moment, everyone looked out the window and saw the lush forest in front of them.
On the hundreds-of-meters-tall banyan tree, countless aerial roots cascade down like a waterfall.
As the steam train approached, countless birds in the woods suddenly took flight, flapping their wings in the sky and producing a rhythmic, resonant sound.
With a rumbling sound, the steam train crashed headlong into the dark forest.