Night’s Nomenclature

"99 squads, all captains and vice-captains, must record their routes daily in front of the sand table during the remaining time, and each select another member as their substitute. If the captain dies, the vice-captain takes over; if the vice-captain dies, the substitute takes over," Qing Chen's cold voice echoed across the square on Whale Island at midnight.

Qing Chen: "Remember, from the moment you cross over, your lives no longer belong to yourselves. The only thing you need to do is to purchase the supplies I've instructed with your teammates, and then leave City 10 together, or reach the Lower Three Districts. Remember?

"Remember!" The Time Travelers responded.

Qing Chen nodded: "When this calamity ends, you will have truly grown. I hope I can still see you standing here when we return next time."

To be honest, even Qing Chen felt a pang of pain when he said this. He knew very well what would happen during the next week of crossing.

If things really turned out as bad as he thought, few would survive to return.

At this time, before leaving the square, Chen Zhuoqu suddenly said to many Time Travelers in the crowd: "There should still be quite a few people here who, like me, have attempted the cliff challenge but retreated. Now, although the 48-hour period for the second level has passed, you can only challenge the third and fourth cliffs. But I want to say that it's never too late to strive, no matter when you start in life."

Chen Zhuoqu: "This may not bring you immediate rewards, but after experiencing the helplessness of life and death, you must understand that the crisis we are facing now will inevitably happen again in the future. The challenges you cannot complete this time may be possible next time, and if not next time, then the time after that, and so on."

Hu Jingyi said beside her: "Yeah, even someone like me is still persevering. Surely you guys aren't worse than me? Instead of waiting here for the time to cross, why not give it a try? It's at least a form of physical exercise."

Qing Chen watched this silently. Chen Zhuoqu's growth rate was faster than he had imagined.

In the future, she might become an independent talent within Knight.

At the Agricultural Academy, work was in full swing.

Sun Chuci and others were busy planting Eternal Heaven Fruit, while Xiaoyu was back at her old job, wearing an apron and frying tea.

Originally, Qing Chen didn't plan to continue planting Eternal Heaven Fruit, as the Academy Time Travelers would eventually reach their limit, and they wouldn't crave this anymore.

But now that the situation has changed drastically, he had no choice but to plant.

In the limited time, the best outcome would be that before the crossing, each of the 158 children under the age of one would get two, followed by each junior high Time Traveler girl getting one.

This was already the Agricultural Academy's limit.

Something unexpected also happened. More than a hundred Time Travelers who had previously given up once again came to the nine cliffs.

Driven by crisis and infected by the atmosphere, everyone wanted to survive. Everyone realized the importance of strength in the Trials of Life and Death, and that if they didn't change their lives, they might not have another chance.

However, they consciously didn't occupy the third cliff of those who had succeeded in the challenge, instead going straight to the fourth and fifth cliffs to train.

These returning challengers no longer hoped to receive the rewards for each level. Their goal was the final cliff.

Qing Chen had underestimated some cowardly people.

It turned out that in the face of a huge crisis, some former cowards could become brave again.

Some Time Travelers asked Qing Chen if there was a time limit for the final cliff.

Qing Chen told them that the final cliff had no time limit. They could strive for a year, or a lifetime, as long as they climbed that mountain, there would be a new life waiting for them.

He watched the challengers train repeatedly, suddenly feeling that the numbers he told the old folks were too conservative.

On the morning of the third day of return.

The non-City 10 Time Travelers at the Academy were finally unsealed.

They already knew what had happened, and they ran around, cheering on the City 10 Time Travelers.

Academy Forum

Many Time Travelers went to find the Academy, stating they were Gene Soldiers or Cultivators. Although they weren't in City 10, they could immediately go to City 10 to help.

Jiu Ran from the Red Leaf organization also found the Academy, saying that the Red Leaf organization's Time Travelers were closest to City 10 and could rush over to provide support, waiting outside the city.

But Zheng Yuandong rejected them all.

Because any extreme or group actions might reveal the Time Traveler identities to the Conglomerate, which would lead to worse consequences.

Their intentions were appreciated.

Zheng Yuandong said to Lu Yuan: "This is the Chinese nation. We may seem loose and disorganized during peacetime, but once difficulties and disasters strike, everyone will join hands to overcome them together. It was so a thousand years ago, and it's still so a thousand years later. Unity is a gene and spirit engraved in everyone's bones."

Amidst the hustle and bustle of the Time Travelers.

Luo Wanya arrived on the island.

Along with 100 members of the Home Families.

They strode across the Academy. Xiao San looked at the Academy on Whale Island and exclaimed: "Wow, this place is so beautiful! If I had studied in a place like this back then, why would I have to mix in society?"

Someone joked: "Whether you study well or badly has nothing to do with the environment. Even if you were put here, you'd still be a terrible student."

Everyone was chatting and laughing, only Luo Wanya looked serious, lost in thought.

The Time Travelers watched more than a hundred Home Families walk past them, involuntarily giving way.

These 100 Home Families were different from the Academy students from head to toe. They had wandered through various cities, leaving scars and a fierce temperament.

The students watched them walk towards the Agricultural Academy, and they understood that these were more powerful warriors under the command of the young dean.

The young dean was the Time Travelers' respectful nickname for Qing Chen.

The addition of "young" was because Qing Chen was too young, and the addition made him seem more approachable.

As the Home Families passed, Chen Sui watched silently in the square, Jiu Ran also watched silently.

The heads of various clubs also watched.

Then everyone clearly realized the true gap between their organizations and Daybreak.

Arriving at the entrance of the Agricultural Academy, Luo Wanya knocked on the door.

The small iron gate opened, and he and the Home Families entered.

"Leader," Luo Wanya said to Qing Chen.

As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao San and others stood behind Luo Wanya, shouting majestically: "Greetings, Leader!"

For a moment, it was as if Qing Chen had been pulled back to the entrance of the Axe Gang on the Bund in Shanghai at the beginning of the 20th century.

And he was the leader of the Axe Gang.

"Don't do that," Qing Chen waved his hand: "Go and help with the work. Work during the day and cultivate at night, not a moment to spare."

Qing Chen kept Luo Wanya behind, and the two walked to the city sand table on the square, looking at the energetic students.

Qing Chen said softly: "Many will die this time."

"I understand," Luo Wanya nodded: "I gave them a warning on our way here. But Boss, don't worry, they are the best warriors in the Guardians' Union."

"How many Home Families are there in City 10?" Qing Chen asked.

"100, but most are not Time Travelers. There are only 81 Time Travelers, a total of 181 who have cultivated the Zhunti Method, with E-Class forming the majority, 11 D-Class, and 7 C-Class, including Xiao San."

Luo Wanya knew the personnel configuration of City 10 like the back of his hand, showing that this black-clothed Home Family member had worked hard.

A manager who could only vaguely say "more than 10,000 people" when talking about the number of subordinates was certainly a failure.

Not pursuing details doesn't deserve the right to expand territory.

Luo Wanya continued: "Each city's Guardians' Union has a liaison officer. This position was established to guard against the monitoring of communication base stations. The 10 liaison officers can cover the entire city within an hour by motorcycle, gathering all 100 Home Families together into a single force. Now, this is exactly useful."

Qing Chen said: "I need them to gather the families while informing all residents along the way that a disaster will occur. Lao Luo, do you know what they will face?"

"They will be recorded by surveillance cameras along the way and marked as members of the Guardians' Union. Regardless of the outcome in City 10, they will not be able to live within the Federation," Luo Wanya said.

"But even so, I still ask them to do this," Qing Chen looked at Luo Wanya: "Lao Luo, will you question my decision? Sacrificing the families to save those innocent residents, even if these residents won't understand them, or even thank them."

Luo Wanya remained silent for a long time: "I will not question any of your decisions."

Qing Chen nodded: "After the Home Families gather, I ask them to defend the Lower Three Districts; no one is allowed to retreat."

Qing Chen pointed to the sand table: "Only when the Academy Time Travelers prove that the border checkpoints can be passed, can they evacuate the residents of the Lower Three Districts. Otherwise, they must help me defend the passages from other districts to the Lower Three Districts, which is the life passage for everyone. At that time, you must defend that place with the residents, waiting for the Federation army's rescue."

Qing Chen: "But City 10 is the political center, so to avoid suspicion, all the Federation army is stationed 600 kilometers away. In the previous Forbidden Zone 00 battle, when the various Conglomerates were preparing for military exercises, they also withdrew their troops, which means that support won't arrive quickly."

Qing Chen: "Moreover, what might come may not be support, but war. You need to immediately block all the sewers in the Lower Three Districts, then guard Longlin Road, Alliance Road, and Binhe Road, which lead to the Seventh District, Eighth District, and Ninth District respectively."

"Many people will die," Luo Wanya said heavily.

Qing Chen stood in the vast square, looking at the sand table in front of him: "But this is the meaning of the Guardians' Union's existence. Lao Luo, only when the Guardians' Union sincerely helps this world will the world be willing to help us. If the world and fate require us to sacrifice in this calamity to prove our sincerity in changing the world, then I don't mind becoming one of those sacrifices. The Home Families may not understand my decision, but they must execute it. Lao Luo, let them guard the Lower Three Districts for me. This is an order."

Luo Wanya fell silent again. After a long time, he suddenly asked: "Boss, it must be unpleasant to make a decision that sends everyone to their deaths."

Qing Chen smiled: "Go and get busy."

Luo Wanya walked towards the war fortress. At one point, he turned back to look at the figure staring intently at the sand table, suddenly feeling that the other person must be very lonely now.

In fact, up to now.

Qing Chen has planned routes for 4811 Time Travelers.

He has formulated crude tactics for Kunlun Members and Home Families.

But he has not yet planned a way out for the nearly 10 million residents of City 10.

And he himself needs to kill Qing Wen.

He needs to find Yuan Yang's widow, the Neurotoxin Expert, whose lead was provided by He Jinqiu.

He needs to save Qing Yi, contact the Secret Spy Agency, and help Old Shen relocate.

He has so much to do, but only so little time.

Qing Chen hasn't even planned a route for himself yet.

Countdown 01:00:00.

4811 Time Travelers, more than 600 Kunlun Members, and more than 100 Guardians' Union members gathered in the square.

Qing Chen stood calmly in front of them, while Lu Yuan solemnly took out five True Sight Eye and handed them to Xiao San: "We've taught you how to use them. We can't determine where the Key Gate will open to, but as long as it's not a particularly dangerous place, you can take the citizens out of City 10. However, only a few True Sight Eye can open the Key Gate, and the door only allows two people to pass each time. It will be very slow."

There are 5 million residents in the Lower Three Districts alone. Even if two residents pass every second on average, the time is absolutely not enough to evacuate.

And most importantly, the residents won't easily go with the Guardians' Union.

Xiao San smiled: "Let's evacuate as many as we can."

At this time, other Time Travelers from the dormitory area also came to the square.

They scrambled to hug, cheer, and bless the 4811 Time Travelers.

The City 10 Time Travelers were like soldiers about to rush into battle, while the others were like family members seeing them off on a train to a distant land.

One Time Traveler said: "If you can come back alive, we'll pool money to treat you to a good meal in the canteen and have beer."

One Time Traveler said: "If you can come back alive, we'll let you have the best scoring items in the Academy next time."

Chen Zhuoqu looked at them expressionlessly: "No need, it's already easy to get them, thank you."

Little Seven: "…"

This top student's words were always too straightforward and inappropriate, but no one blamed her.

Qing Chen glanced at the time, then looked at everyone: "We have done everything we can prepare in the limited time. Next, everyone will face the darkest seven days. I'm also in City 10, with all of you. I hope that at midnight seven days later, we can all still be standing here alive."

The next second.

The countdown reached zero.

The world plunged into darkness, then became bright again.

It was still the dazzling City 10, right before their eyes.

Qing Chen held Zhang Mengqian's hand: "Be careful, we'll be in danger next."

"Boss, I'm not afraid," Zhang Mengqian shook her head.

But at this moment, an explosion suddenly came from the north of the city, and a huge fire blazed into the sky, illuminating the entire night sky.

Then, Qing Chen watched helplessly as the buildings in the city began to lose power and go dark.

The city plunged into darkness.

The power plant vanished in smoke, and the first strategy that Qing Chen had painstakingly devised had lost its meaning.

If this had happened yesterday, Qing Chen could have changed his strategy and made other plans for the Kunlun Members.

If it were a few days later, the rat infestation in the city would have been discovered by more people, and might even have been reported in the news.

It turned out that Shendai Qianchi's preparations were even more thorough and faster than they had imagined.

He had perfectly timed the Time Travelers' crossing and return, not wanting to wait a single minute longer.

Meanwhile, inside the border checkpoint, a border management bureau soldier suddenly rushed towards the office area inside the checkpoint at the moment zero arrived.

He used his magnetic card to open the office area door. After entering, he opened the safety of his automatic rifle and swept the room, emptying a magazine at all the staff.

The crisp sound of gunfire roared through the night, and the soldier calmly dragged the ankle of a person still gasping for breath, continuing to infiltrate deeper into the office area.

Other soldiers outside reacted and rushed into the room.

But as soon as they stepped inside the office area door, the soldier who had invaded the checkpoint suddenly disappeared like a ghost from everyone's sight. A short Shikigami darted through the room like a shadow. In just a second, the three soldiers who had rushed in had their throats cut.

After killing, the Shikigami stood quietly on the corpse, covered in blood. Its claws were sharp, and its back was covered with thick armor.

Shikigami ATS048, Tieshu.

The soldier who invaded the checkpoint was actually a Yin-Yang Master!

The soldier dragged the man quickly to the innermost control room. He easily lifted the barely alive victim, using his eye to reach the iris scanner outside the control room.

The victim was the director of the border management bureau.

With a ding, the door to the control room opened. The city's physically isolated defense network system was so easily taken over by the Yin-Yang Master.

He twisted the director's neck, then took a black box from his jacket pocket and plugged it into the interface of the control room console.

Loading data.

1

7

9

100

The Yin-Yang Master wiped the blood splattered on his face, his eyes calm.

This was once one of Shendai Qianchi's most battle-hardened Yin-Yang Master units, the elite Yin-Yang Master squad, and now their claws were beginning to show.

The next moment.

The steel gates on the city's edge began to slowly descend, and the Metal Storm on the city walls went on high alert, preparing to shoot any illegal entrants.

Illegal entrants were anyone in City 10 besides this Yin-Yang Master.