Naming Technique of the Night

"Baby, shouldn't you be heading back now?" Li Yinuo asked quietly, glancing at Nan Gengchen.

When no one was paying attention, Nan Gengchen stealthily checked the time on his wrist: only half an hour left. "Yeah, right away."

"Remember to get some rest when you go back. You haven't slept well these past few days. It'll be more relaxing once you're back in the Outer World," Li Yinuo tenderly advised, "We don't know how long we'll be stuck here. Before you come back, make sure to empty your bladder. We've run out of sealed bags to use..."

Nan Gengchen was speechless, thinking that her instructions were a bit too detailed, fortunately, no one heard. Discover exclusive content at empire

Ever since Commander Qing Huai had triggered the rule and fled, the Autumn Hunting Team, two members of the Jindai family, and the seven soldiers of Squad Seven all stayed put, daring not to move.

They lit a huge bonfire, everyone huddled together around it, no one daring to venture alone into the night, fearful of being swallowed by the darkness of the Taboo Land.

Everyone was unnerved by the series of anomalies, becoming silent and reserved.

At that moment, dense footsteps approached from the north, chaotic yet forceful.

Everyone looked simultaneously, to see that it was the light from bundled flashlights.

The brightness of the lights was so intense that everyone involuntarily raised their hands to shield their eyes.

In the perilous Taboo Land, the nerves of the Autumn Hunting Team were so taut that when they saw something unusual, a few of them instinctively thought of running away.

But when they turned their heads, they found that soldiers had silently flanked them from behind, emotionlessly setting up a blockade line.

Everyone by the bonfire stood up, each wearing a baffled expression.

The newcomers were hundreds of Federal Soldiers who encircled them tightly, and a middle-aged man slowly made his way forward from the group.

He didn't even bother with Li Yinuo or Jindai Yasuhito but turned to the soldiers of Squad Seven, "Why are you here, and where is Qing Huai?"

This contingent of the Federal Group had been patrolling nearby, conducting field exercises, set to rendezvous with Qing Huai at a designated time.

They arrived swiftly after receiving Li Yinuo's distress call.

After all, the Autumn Hunting Team consisted of corporate heirs; if they were wiped out by wilderness people, no one knew what kind of chaos the journalists from Hope Media and the Federal Daily might stir up.

But he had never imagined that the field unit, which should have left the hinterlands and started their return journey only days later, would turn up prematurely at the edge of the Taboo Land!

This meant something had gone wrong with Qing Huai's mission!

Wang Bingxu took a step forward, intending to ask the Federal troop to escort Li Yinuo out first, to avoid any complications.

However, Li Yinuo stopped him, for she too wanted to know what exactly Qing Huai and others had experienced inside the Taboo Land.

Or more precisely: how exactly Qing Chen had managed to wipe out Qing Huai's troop all by himself.

"Where is Qing Huai?" the middle-aged man asked again, upon seeing that none of the five soldiers from Squad Seven spoke.

"A few hours ago, Commander Qing Huai triggered the rules of the Taboo Land. He didn't say anything; he just charged towards the north, probably trying to escape from here before the rule could kill him," Squad Leader Ning Shun answered.

The middle-aged man dispensed with the small talk and turned to his deputy, "Fan out in a sweeping search to the north, alive or dead, we need to see the body!"

At that moment, the middle-aged man's scalp tingled with unease; he had no idea how he was going to explain this to Qing Huai's mother back at the Federation!

This was, after all, the hope of the younger generation of Qing's Family fourth house!

He looked at Squad Leader Ning, needing an answer to this issue.

"You just mentioned Qing Huai triggered the rule?" The middle-aged man felt something was off, since Qing Huai knew more about the rules than the soldiers did. How could the soldiers be fine while Qing Huai met with an accident?

Ning Shun explained, "One of the soldiers acted as if possessed by a ghost, suddenly attempting to kill Commander Qing Huai. The Commander tried to fend him off with a dagger, but the soldier, as if courting death, impaled himself on the dagger, triggering the rule."

At this point, everyone present shivered as they recalled that scene.

They were unaware of the effects of the Taboo item, ACE-019, so recalling Wang Qiang's eerie behavior and his bizarre smile just before death, the term 'possession' seemed all too fitting.

The middle-aged man surveyed everyone's reactions and said coldly, "What possession? It's clear someone knew the rules and either controlled or bought off this soldier!"

"Why did you return early? Why did you appear here? Tell me everything you know!" the middle-aged man demanded.

Ning Shun hesitated then said, "Sir, talking about it here, if I say something wrong, it might trigger the rules..."

The middle-aged man scoffed, "If you don't speak now, you're dead."

Ning Shun steeled his resolve and responded, "Unable to locate the wilderness people, Commander Qing Huai had us capture a family from the 981 production base and brought them here to test the rules of the Taboo Land. Then a young man appeared, utilizing some rule to kill two platoons of soldiers in one stroke. That's why Commander Qing Huai decided to lead us to hunt him down.

But then we were almost entirely annihilated and had to abandon the mission and retreat."

Fearing to trigger the rule, Ning Shun left out the details.

At this point, a shocked company-grade officer next to the middle-aged man furrowed his brows and cursed, "What bullshit is this, one person killing over a hundred of you?"

Officer, dead.

Rule: No swearing.

Watching the officer's face turn progressively blue-black, it was apparent he was another victim of an unknown venomous insect.