Night’s Nomenclature

Return Countdown 7:00:00.

Evening.

A strong song rings out.

"The setting sun paints the west with red, soldiers return from target practice, returning to camp."

"The red flag waves in the rosy clouds, joyful songs fill the sky."

"i sao a i sao, a sao i dao ruai."

"Joyful songs fill the sky."

These are the songs Qing Chen taught the soldiers. He taught them two in total, the Internationale and Returning from Target Practice.

As the setting sun cast its rays, everyone was full of vigor, the perfect time to sing Returning from Target Practice.

They used the restroom collectively, holding it when necessary, everything strictly adhering to military standards.

But the soldiers had no complaints.

Everyone was eager to rush towards the wilderness, the new battlefield.

In the back of one of the trucks, Old Li smiled and asked Qing Ling, "I heard you guys are living pretty well. You old boy has returned to the Secret Spy Agency, how come you're back in the wilderness again? You guys are different from us. We were worried about becoming useless if we stayed there any longer."

Qing Ling chuckled, "From this perspective, the intelligence personnel of our Qing Family are even more loyal than you guys. They give up riches, power, and money, and still run to the wilderness to fight alongside the Boss. We should tell the Boss about this, it deserves a reward."

Old Li's face immediately fell, "When did you start competing again? There's no Li Clan or Qing Family anymore."

Qing Ling was stunned, "That's my mistake. We're all one family now. You see us looking so good, but the factions within the Qing Family have completely torn apart because of Li Bingxi's death. Each faction despises the others and fights fiercely. It's fine for the other spies to keep their identities hidden, but those of us who fought our way out of the A0 Base with the Boss are in the open, making us easy targets and preventing us from getting anything done, even investigating a murder."

The Secret Spy Agency is a highly secretive organization, even other factions of the Qing Family can't interfere. The list of spies and Kestrels is hidden, all kept by Old Shen.

Shadow managed it meticulously. Various factions trying to target the Secret Spy Agency wouldn't even know where or who to target.

But Qing Ling and the others were different. They were clearly Qing Chen's direct lineage, making them obvious targets.

Qing Ling was well aware of this. It's better to move to a new location and start over instead of being constrained in the city.

Whether they are in the Secret Spy Agency or not, it remains Qing Chen's Secret Spy Agency.

Only when they leave the Secret Spy Agency are they truly themselves.

Against the setting sun, they covered in three days what others took six, and when they saw the towering tree, cheers erupted in the cars.

This is where the Boss sent them.

At this moment, Yang Yang had been waiting for several days in the crown of the World Tree. She would lead these people to the settlement 00 kilometers away, where the Masonic Lodge is located.

As the saying goes, practice the Zhunti Method, one infects two, and if you want to know what to do, infect two more.

This time, Qing Chen sent Li Cheng and Qing Ling to the settlement to use the power of the Masonic Lodge to spread the Zhunti Method to these people, using empowerment to quickly build a combat-ready force.

Daybreak has too few people, the Guardians' Union has more important things to do, so the Masonic Lodge became Qing Chen's only option.

Qing Chen knew that Shadow had quietly placed the Masonic Lodge in the wilderness, not for any grand scheme. They were not asked to annex wilderness families, nor were they asked by Shadow to do anything else.

Shadow's only mission for them was to establish a foothold in the wilderness and build a settlement.

This was the escape route Shadow left for his brother. If one day Qing Chen failed in his struggle in the city, he could still come to the wilderness.

The Masonic Lodge's mission was simply to build a wilderness base for Qing Chen, nothing more.

Now, with the Masonic Lodge, the Zhunti Method, Forbidden Zone 00, Whale Island, and other factors combined, this is no longer just an "escape route."

It will be one of Qing Chen's engines for changing the world, its roar will shake the world one day.

At this moment, Qing Ling used binoculars and saw Yang Yang leaping from the crown of the World Tree, then spreading her arms and flying towards them.

Qing Ling exclaimed, "That's the girl who helped the Boss take down the Class A Airship, kill Shendai Yunhe, and capture Shendai Jing Cheng, right? She and the Boss are a perfect match!"

Li Cheng raised an eyebrow, "What, is your mouth itchy because you can't flatter the Boss?"

"Go away," Qing Ling said irritably.

At the edge of Forbidden Zone 00, everyone got out of the cars.

Yang Yang landed in front of them and smiled, "Password."

Li Cheng said, "Zard and Xiaoyu are lifelong friends, the response."

Yang Yang laughed, "Zard, are you an idiot?"

This password and response are like a conversation.

At that time, Qing Chen was talking to Li Cheng on a satellite phone about serious business. When he mentioned the password, Zard suddenly chimed in with this sentence, and Qing Chen replied with that, and it became the password and response for Li Cheng and the others.

It's something that most people wouldn't think of, but it works.

Yang Yang said, "You've worked hard, come with me to Forbidden Zone 00. We'll go along the edge and continue south."

"Okay," Li Cheng happily followed.

At this time, Xiaoyu, Zard, and others also ran out, enthusiastically helping everyone with their luggage and distributing yellow fruits.

However, after everyone entered the Forbidden Zone, someone suddenly looked back and saw four soldiers smiling and watching them leave, but they themselves did not enter.

Two from the Qing Family and two from the Li Clan.

Li Cheng had a bad feeling, "What are you doing?"

One of the four soldiers smiled at Old Li, "Old Li, I'm sorry, it was too hard back then, I couldn't hold on."

As he laughed, tears streamed down his face, "I'm sorry."

Old Li was stunned. These four soldiers were all former defectors. Because of their difficult lives, they chose the easier path.

Another one said, "But don't worry, Old Li, although we left, Shendai's people kept threatening us to reveal our identities as spies if we didn't give them information, but we didn't say anything. Since we got out of that hellish place, we don't want to be dogs anymore. Every time I think back to how I surrendered because of my hardship, I feel so ashamed that I don't dare to look in the mirror."

Li Cheng walked towards them, "I understand, I understand. That life was not human, and I also thought about surrendering."

"Along the way, we just wanted to spend more time with you all, but you were in such a hurry, day and night," a soldier laughed, wiping away tears. "It was supposed to be a six-day journey, but you guys finished it in three. It was too short, we didn't even have time to say a word to each of you."

"I'm sorry, we can't go any further, we don't have the right to go any further."

One Qing Family Kestrel smiled, "Remember when I first joined the army, my new recruit squad leader Qing Ling told me that if you have no hope on the battlefield, you should leave hope for others. Old squad leader, I haven't forgotten those words. Goodbye, brothers."

"No!" Qing Ling rushed over, his eyes wide with grief.

But before he reached them, he saw the four soldiers simultaneously draw their pistols and shoot themselves in the chin.

This was their pre-arranged choice, to use death to end the stains on their lives.

This southward journey was like the best memory of their lives, as if they were new recruits again, their squad leader leading them on a five-kilometer weight training cross-country run. It was hard, but looking back, it was sweet.

Three days was the final deadline they gave themselves.

The soldiers rushed towards them, heartbroken, but only found four corpses.

At this moment, Zard seemed unusually calm. He covered Xiaoyu's eyes, softly saying, "Don't look, don't be afraid."

Before them was the cruellest scene imaginable.

Those who had just rushed towards a better life could not look back at the road behind them.

Because behind them were dirty hands, ready to drag them into the abyss.

However, the Shendai people probably didn't expect that those who had once bowed to life and fate would now have the courage to end their own lives.

There are no myths in this world. The Li Clan and Qing Family's worries are not excessive, everyone is clear about what will happen in that cruel environment.

But the four soldiers made their own choice, sparing their comrades.

Li Cheng stood beside their bodies for a long time, "Bury them. Don't say a word about this. They are not traitors. This way, the Li Clan and Qing Family will continue to pay their families."

"Mm," Qing Ling nodded.

The group buried the four soldiers in Forbidden Zone 00.

Li Cheng suddenly shouted, "This is the world we face, it's cruel, and it will always be cruel. Move on!"

With that, he turned and walked to Yang Yang, "Sorry, we kept you waiting."

Yang Yang shook her head, silently turning to lead the way.

To be honest, she felt a little envious of Qing Chen at this moment. Although the troops he brought out of the A0 Base were no longer in their prime, the more than ten years of training had made them one of the most resilient forces in the world.

The Zhunti Method can make up for the lost ten years.

And this ten-year-honed sword is about to be drawn by Qing Chen.

The group arrived deep in the Forbidden Zone, Ding Dong had been waiting there. Yang Yang said, "Everyone walk slowly and place your hand in his palm. Just for a moment, and we'll know if there are still spies in our midst."

Li Cheng and Qing Ling looked at each other. They thought Qing Chen would use some cruel method to test them, but it was unexpectedly simple.

Li Cheng took the first step, placing his hand in Ding Dong's palm.

Only two seconds passed before Ding Dong smiled and waved him on.

Qing Ling also stepped forward, imitating Li Cheng, and Ding Dong waved him on.

One by one, the soldiers passed by Ding Dong, undergoing this strange screening.

When everyone was screened, Ding Dong said, "Ding Dong!"

But the problem was that Gu Dong, the only one who could understand Ding Dong's language, had gone to fight, and Qing Chen had already left for City 10. So among those present, no one could understand Ding Dong's speech.

In the past, Zard would have stepped forward to translate, but today, for some reason, he stood silently beside Xiaoyu.

Yang Yang said to Ding Dong, "I'll ask questions, you nod or shake your head. Are there any more spies in the team?"

Ding Dong shook his head with a smile.

Yang Yang smiled.

Li Cheng, Qing Ling, and others remained calm, but their fists were clenched. How hard-won was this innocence.

Moreover, their own innocence no longer mattered.

This also proved that the brothers who had been spies had indeed left the team.

Among them, no one hid among the crowd out of cowardice or luck, there were no cowards.

Yang Yang said seriously, "Congratulations, everyone."

Li Cheng asked, "What do we do now?"

"Open a new era, a new world."

Return Countdown 1:00:00.

In the Caramel Bar in District 5, a young man with a little boy pushed open the door.

The opening door struck the wind chime, making a tinkling sound.

"Two glasses of water, please," the young man sat at the bar.

At this moment, a woman saw the young man and immediately wanted to approach him.

But as she stood up with her wine glass, someone bumped into her, spilling the contents.

The woman was angry, but the person who bumped her apologized and led her to a corner, away from the young man.

The bartender in front of the young man said with a smile, "Boss, you're back. That woman is a stray, we'll get rid of her for you."

The bartender's excitement was palpable. Shadow's final battle was confidential, and only recently, after Koshima began mourning Li Bingxi, did it gradually ferment.

The entire Secret Spy Agency only knew today that Shadow took away a Demi-God, almost two.

After that, Qing Chen and others defeated two air forces and one field army, two field regiments of the Southern Fleet.

This feat was brilliant and glorious, and the Secret Spy Agency members were proud of it.

After all, who doesn't want their boss to be powerful?

Qing Chen shook his head with a smile, "Tell me, has anything happened in City 10 recently?"

Now, Qing Chen had rightfully taken over the Secret Spy Agency, and all thirty thousand spies, Kestrels, and informants in the Federation would be at his disposal.

However, Qing Chen currently left all daily affairs to Qing Ye and Qing Qu. Like Shadow before him, he chose to unconditionally trust these two of Shadow's former right-hand men.

The bartender said softly as he mixed a drink, "These few days, there are only a few minor things in City 10. First, a certain councilman was exposed for using banned substances. We investigated it, and it was the Li Clan who did it because they thought he was disobedient. Second, a councilman protested against the Federation's frequent drills, accusing them of wasting military funds, but no one paid any attention to him."

Qing Chen asked rhetorically, "He's already a councilman, and still so naive?"

"Exactly," the bartender continued, "Third, the enrollment season for Qing He University is about to start, and currently, over forty thousand students have gathered from various cities across the Federation, preparing to study and prepare for the exams in City 10. The hotel industry is booming. The fourth thing is that the annual boxing championship final is about to begin, and many viewers are driving thousands of miles to watch it. Including those stars who are out on jobs, they have all returned to City 10, it's like walking the red carpet, many carpet stars are waiting for this wave of traffic. It's estimated that in the next period of time, City 10 will welcome 10,000 tourists, and it's always this time of year that spy activities in City 10 are most frequent."

Qing Chen asked, "Can we find a way to find all these spies?"

The bartender was stunned, "It's definitely not easy to completely eliminate them, but killing a few and collecting some interest is no problem. You know, there are hundreds of thousands of tourists, it's not easy to find spies. I'm sorry, Boss."

"It's okay, I understand the difficulty, you can't underestimate other people's spies, I will take charge of finding them out." Qing Chen smiled, "Tell Qing Yi to prepare armed forces, and he just needs to reinforce the martial law and search in the upper six districts of the entire city, driving those spies to hide in the lower three districts."

"The lower three districts?" The bartender was stunned, "It'll be hard to find spies if they go there."

Qing Chen smiled, "Don't worry, I have a plan."

People have an instinct for profit and risk aversion. If the search for spies in the upper six districts is very strict, then spies will involuntarily go to live in the lower three districts. In people's common sense, the lower three districts are also the most suitable place for spies to hide.

But not anymore.

The current City 10 lower three districts are connected and defended by the Guardians' Union.

Even Qing Chen, the founder, is a little afraid of the Guardians' Union's control over the lower three districts. Any movement is impossible to escape the Guardians' Union.

You know, even the landlords in the lower three districts have people specially assigned to them, who are renting their houses, and the Guardians' Union must be informed immediately every day.

Of course, the Guardians' Union is still called the Social Organization Federation to the outside world.

The bartender looked at Qing Chen. Although he didn't know what the new boss was going to do, he was still excited at the thought of wiping out the spies of other organizations in the city.

"By the way, Boss, there's been a serious rat infestation in City 10 recently, and it's said that it's bitten a lot of people to death. The Federation government, in order to successfully hold the two events, is afraid that there will be too few tourists, so it suppressed the matter," the bartender said, "But Old Shen said that it's not that simple."

Qing Chen pondered for a moment, "I understand. Also, tell Qing Yi and Old Shen that I'm back."

He finished the water in one gulp and turned to leave the bar with Zhang Mengqian.

Countdown to return to Ling.

The world is plunged into darkness.