"Yunluo, where are we going?" Shendai Yunxiu was loading diesel onto the pickup truck. Both he and Kongyu had changed into field combat uniforms suitable for the wilderness, but Shendai Yunluo was still wearing a white hunting robe, looking otherworldly.
Shendai Kongyu suddenly asked, "Yunluo, wasn't your white hunting robe dirty yesterday? How did you get a new one today?"
"Ah, you're talking about this," Shendai Yunluo said with a smile, "I placed an order online 10 days ago and had a tailor shop in City 10 custom-make a few more for me."
"10 days ago?" Shendai Yunxiu asked, puzzled, "Didn't you only decide to leave City 20 the last time we returned?"
"Ah, I let it slip," Shendai Yunluo said with a smile, "That's not important. Let's get to work. We're leaving soon."
Shendai Kongyu seemed thoughtful. From other people's perspective, Qing Chen deliberately tricked Shendai Yunluo, making this Yin-Yang Master expert become Knight's Guardian and thus be abandoned by everyone.
But if Shendai Yunluo had made plans ten days ago and even ordered hunting robes here, it meant that he wasn't tricked into coming here. Instead, he deliberately pretended to be tricked, so Qing Chen would owe him a favor.
In fact, he had planned to come here long ago!
Shendai Yunluo put his index finger in front of his mouth: "Shhh, don't let Qing Chen know about this. He's always scheming against me, so he deserves to owe me a favor."
"Alright," Shendai Kongyu sighed. She didn't know what was wrong with her. She didn't feel anything when this Yunluo flirted with many girls, but now she felt uneasy."Yunluo, you haven't said where we're going," Yunxiu asked.
"Let's go to the Southwest. I heard the scenery there is beautiful, and the hot pot is delicious," Shendai Yunluo replied.
"You're going because you know Qing Chen is in the Southwest," Shendai Kongyu said weakly.
"Let's get to work!"
Shendai Yunluo stood by the car with his hands clasped, not intending to help at all. Shendai Yunxiu and Shendai Kongyu were used to it. This brother of theirs had always liked to order them around, while he himself never did any work...
...
...
Early morning, west of Forbidden Zone 008, there was a small campsite in the Southwest Wilderness, 100 kilometers away.
The fire in the campsite was very small, and white smoke was coming from the pile of wood.
The dew on the grass leaves condensed and finally dripped into the soil.
Qing Chen and the others had been out of the tunnel for 6 hours. The underground passage beneath the abyss led directly outside the Forbidden Zone.
He was thinking about a problem. This was Qing Family territory.
If Puppeteer Zong Cheng escaped from here with nothing, then the first people he would infiltrate should be the Qing Family.
Therefore, he should have the most puppets in the Qing Family.
Previously, Qing Chen speculated that if Zong Cheng was the murderer who assassinated Shadow, then he had likely controlled a Shadow Candidate from the previous generation, so he wanted to kill Shadow, the son of the family head, to clear obstacles for himself.
Everything fit together.
Should he go to the Southwest to look for clues about Zong Cheng? Qing Chen closed his eyes and pondered.
At this moment, there was a rustling sound not far away. Dayu quietly got up and walked out of the campsite, stopping slowly after walking a long, long way.
Qing Chen felt a little strange. Where could Dayu be going? He didn't need to run so far to go to the bathroom.
He got up and quietly followed, discovering from a distance that Dayu had taken out a table, a knife, rice paper, brush, ink, and inkstone from his Space Ring.
Dayu was seriously sketching lines, but suddenly felt Qing Chen's gaze.
He turned his head, saw Qing Chen, and immediately put away the rice paper with the sketched lines.
Qing Chen asked doubtfully, "What are you drawing, so mysterious?"
Dayu said unhappily, "I should be asking you that. Why are you sneaking around?"
Qing Chen suddenly asked tentatively, "You wouldn't be drawing me, would you?"
Dayu immediately jumped up and roared, "How could I draw you? You're too narcissistic!"
"I suspect you want to draw me and use it to ruin my reputation in the future!" Qing Chen said, "Let me see your rice paper! Otherwise, why would you run so far away? I'm telling you, I won't throw cow dung!"
Dayu sneered, "Childish."
He put away everything guiltily and turned to walk towards the campsite, not drawing anymore!
The paintings of Chen Family painters looked exactly like the person they were drawing, as if they were real people.
If not destroyed, they could exist for seven days.
For Chen Family painters, their attitude towards their paintings was sacred and devout. No one would use paintings to do inexplicable things.
But now, under Qing Chen's influence, a certain painter's mentality was quietly changing...
It turned out that paintings could be used for many things besides fighting...
Dayu walked quickly, afraid that Qing Chen would catch up with him and ask for the rice paper from just now.
Qing Chen was about to chase after him when he received a satellite phone call.
On the phone, Luo Wanya reported everything that happened last night in detail.
Qing Chen thought for a moment and replied, "After suffering such a big loss, the Royal Organization should not dare to use Key Gate casually for the time being. Old Luo, the next period of time is our development period of hibernation. Don't miss this golden time, otherwise we will be slow step by step. By the way, tell Scientist No. 2 that he doesn't need to perform gene sequencing on my blood. I got the real blood of the gods. Next time I return, I will let Zard and Dayu bring it to Whale Island, and then you can transfer it to him."
Old Luo laughed: "Received. Scientist No. 2 has been so busy recently that his hair is falling out. He will probably be happy to hear this news."
"Also, help me collect all information related to North America, and don't miss any details related to Time Traveler," Qing Chen said.
Old Luo was stunned for a moment: "Boss, are you going to North America?"
Qing Chen did not answer: "Is there anything else?"
"Nanobots research experts say that their current research is not very useful, because the most core production technology is in the hands of the Conglomerate. If we want to produce this thing, it will take two hundred years just to build nano-level equipment to barely catch up with the Conglomerate."
Qing Chen fell into deep thought.
Outer World products dare to be called "nano materials', socks have nano-level anti-odor coatings, and windbreakers also have nano-level waterproof coatings.
But in reality, it is very difficult to manufacture nano-level materials.
The material used by Inner World to manufacture Nanobots is deoxyribonucleic acid, which is DNA, because the diameter of the DNA helix is only 2 nanometers, and it is very easy to fold.
But the technical barrier is beyond imagination. Even with the technology, it cannot be completed without the equipment.
Therefore, Qing Chen's plan to manufacture Nanobots is now completely stuck.
Without Nanobots, there would be no most powerful individual exoskeletons on the battlefield.
But at this moment, a stranger walked over and said, "As long as you speak, we will give you the equipment."
Qing Chen looked up and saw a middle-aged man he didn't recognize. He was wearing black linen clothes and had a white ginkgo leaf pinned to his chest, as if he were mourning someone.
The other party could hear the sound on the phone from a distance, which meant that he had eaten Dragon Fish, and he also wore a ginkgo leaf on his chest...
But the most important question was, how did the other party know he was here?
Now that they had come out of the underground abyss, their whereabouts were absolutely hidden. If anyone could find him, Demi-God Chen Yu would have killed him long ago.
So, how did the other party find him?
"Who are you?" Qing Chen hung up the satellite phone and slowly took off the Beyond the Three Realms on his hand. He had seen the other party, in City 10, but they only met briefly before he left.
This person appeared again, and it was uncertain whether he was a friend or foe.
"Qing Ji!" The Great Elder jumped up from the campfire, as if facing a formidable enemy: "What are you doing here?"
Dayu, Zard, Chen Jiazhang, and Qin Yiyi all got up.
Qing Ji calmly sat down by the campfire and said, "Don't be so nervous. You have many experts here, so you don't need to be so afraid of me."
Qing Chen glanced at the Great Elder. This Fire Pit Great Elder was A-Class, and the person who could make him nervous was probably not simple.
Qing Ji sat by the campfire as if no one else was there, seemingly not taking the A-Class experts around him seriously.
He continued, "Although I don't know why you want to build Nanobots, we can give you the technology, the team, and the equipment. We don't ask you what you're building Nanobots for. Just say the word, and someone will deliver everything to City 10."
Qing Chen responded thoughtfully, "Is my word so useful?"
"Useful, of course it's useful," Qing Ji used a wooden stick to pry open the campfire and added new firewood. He looked at Qin Yiyi nonchalantly: "Little girl, help cook some porridge and tear some divine beef into the porridge. No scallions, no coriander."
The Great Elder rolled his eyes: "You really don't treat yourself like an outsider."
Qing Chen asked, "What does the Qing Family want in exchange for giving so much?"
Qing Ji asked in return, "What do you think you have that can be used to exchange?"
Qing Chen was stunned. When facing a Conglomerate, what he owned now was actually insignificant, at least to the Qing Family.
So when the other party asked "What do you think you can exchange', Qing Chen didn't know how to answer for a moment.
Qing Ji continued, "Therefore, you don't need to treat this as a transaction. You are a member of the Qing Family, and it is only natural for the Qing Family to support you. As long as you are willing, even the material debts that City 10 owes can be waived, and all future materials can be at cost price, the same price as we supply to the Qing Family's various project companies."
Qing Chen said calmly, "The free things are the most expensive. You should be very clear that my relationship with the Qing Family is not that close. City 10 has resumed production and work, and we will be able to pay back the material debts soon."
Qing Ji said stiffly, "You killed so many people from Koshima, Shendai, and Chen Family. Now the only ones willing to do business with your City 10 are the Qing Family and Li Clan. If the Qing Family also sanctions you, then you can only be manipulated by the Li Clan. At that time, you may not be able to buy materials even if you have money. I believe you also understand that the position of independent director has become increasingly subtle after Li Xiurui's death. No organization is willing to have an outsider sit in such an important position."
The Great Elder exclaimed, "Why are you speaking so stiffly? I feel like you're reciting lines?"
Qing Ji glanced at him: "I'm just repeating what others want to say to him. You think I'm reciting lines, but that's not wrong."
The Great Elder was stunned. Qing Ji was still as boring and monotonous as he remembered.
However, who could make a figure like Qing Ji come over to recite lines, other than the family head on Ginkgo Mountain?
Wait, what is Qing Chen's status in the Qing Family? Why would it alarm the Head of the Qingshi Clan on Ginkgo Mountain?
The Great Elder glanced at Qing Chen from time to time, his mind racing.
And Qing Chen was thinking, how did the one on Ginkgo Mountain know what he wanted to ask and prepare all the answers in advance?
But then he heard Qing Chen ask after thinking again and again, "What do you want me to do?"
Qing Ji replied, "Come back to City 5 with me, see the scenery, and then follow our arrangements for fourteen days. Don't worry, we won't do anything that endangers your safety. You just need to follow our arrangements honestly."
Qing Chen was stunned.
"Is it that simple?" Qing Chen asked.
"It's that simple," Qing Ji paused and said, "Most importantly, the Qing Family will deploy anti-missile systems in the south and north of City 10. Only then can you continue to develop with peace of mind. Otherwise, you have already made Koshima and Shendai anxious, and they may directly throw missiles over, even if there are six million civilians in the city. Do you have anti-missile systems? You don't."
Qing Chen fell into deep thought.
At this moment, Qin Yiyi brought a small iron pot with white rice porridge cooked with divine beef, sprinkled with a handful of small celery on the surface, looking particularly refreshing.
Only at this moment did Qing Ji's expression not look so rigid. He said to Qin Yiyi, "Thank you, the celery is very good, I like it very much."
"Little ancestor, why are you so nice to him?" The Great Elder said unhappily.
"He may be Qing Chen's elder," Qin Yiyi said in a low voice.
The Great Elder was helpless. He was flattering Li Shutong before, and now he was flattering Qing Ji, completely like a little daughter-in-law!
You are our Fire Pit's God Woman!
Qing Chen looked at Qing Ji: "Two weeks, follow your arrangements? It seems a little too dangerous to me."
Qing Ji took a sip of white porridge and said plainly, "Don't worry, it's not to let you go back to inherit the position of family head, you are not ready yet."
The Great Elder was not well. He had speculated about Qing Chen's identity before, but he didn't dare to guess in this direction!
When Qing Chen was just Knight, he felt unlucky enough. Now that Knight was going to inherit the position of Head of the Qingshi Clan, how tragic would Fire Pit be?
You know, Fire Pit has been able to stay in the Southwest without interference all these years because the Qing Family has turned a blind eye, wanting them to help contain the Wildlanders and Chen Family in the Forbidden Zone...
The Great Elder said painfully, "Wait a minute, why are the words Knight and Head of the Qingshi Clan linked together? Don't you think it's very inconsistent?"
Qing Ji glanced at the Great Elder: "It's okay, I think it's quite suitable."
"Are you taking sides?" The Great Elder asked doubtfully, "You, Qing Ji, a martial artist who doesn't care about world affairs, actually have your own supported heir? Is the Nine Dragons Struggle something that a martial artist like you can participate in?"
Qing Ji said calmly, "There is no one more suitable than him."
The Great Elder was helpless. At this moment, he even wanted to move Fire Pit to the depths of the Great Snow Mountain, so as not to be missed by Qing Chen.
Qing Ji finished drinking the porridge and looked at Qing Chen: "Have you considered it?"
Qing Chen was still pondering.
Now, the most important thing for City 10 is supplies.
As Qing Ji said, if the Qing Family doesn't provide them, then the only ones who can provide supplies to City 10 are the Li Clan.
Their fate is completely in the hands of the Li Clan. If the cooperation with the Li Clan is not pleasant, they can immediately cut off food and supplies.
Secondly, the most important thing in Qing Chen's plan to kill Zong Cheng is Nanobots. Without this thing, he cannot kill Zong Cheng.
Therefore, Qing Chen suddenly realized that after embarking on this path of revenge, after his fate was tied to those six million people, he had to accept the conditions of the Head of the Qingshi Clan.
Moreover, the other party's conditions were not excessive. Although he would lose two weeks of freedom, the prerequisite was that he would not do anything that would harm him.
If others were playing tricks, then the one on Ginkgo Mountain seemed to be best at playing open plots. When he started to arrange you, the life you faced seemed to still have countless choices, but the only one you could really choose was one.
Even if you knew that the other party had ulterior motives, even if you couldn't guess what the other party was thinking, you still had to follow the other party's plan.
The other party had arranged everything for you clearly.
Qing Chen looked at Qing Ji: "I accept your conditions."
Qing Ji wiped his mouth with his sleeve and opened Shadow Gate, saying, "Let's go, City 5 is behind, you go alone."
Qing Chen was stunned. He didn't expect Shadow Gate to be in the hands of this Qing Ji!
This was the Forbidden Artifact inheritor chosen by his brother.
...