Upon entering the dressing room, Qing Chen found that Li Shutong was already eating cantaloupe from the plate of fruits, and his jacket was flipped back to the white side.
Before the two of them could speak, two medical staff came forward to treat Qing Chen’s wound, and the accompanying staff member handed over a card, “This is the bonus for your matches tonight. From now on, as long as you fight, you’ll receive a share of the profits from the betting pool.”
“How much is this?” Qing Chen asked.
“1.12 million.” The staff member said politely.
Li Shutong put down the cantaloupe and said, “It’s quite high. Is the Haitang Boxing Club giving him the tigerweight champion’s benefits already?”
The staff became even more polite, “Indeed, Boss Tang specifically instructed us to use the tigerweight champion dividend ratio.”
Boxers above middleweight can get dividends, but the boxing champions of each weight class receive far more money than other boxers.
This also motivated those ambitious boxers from each level to seek to compete for the boxing champion titles every year.
“Also,” said the staff member, “we have a question for Mr. Xiaotu. When would you like to fight your cruiserweight match?”
“I need some time to think about it. I’ll decide within a week,” said Qing Chen.
“Sure, no problem,” the staff member exited the locker room.
The wound on Qing Chen’s body was treated, and Li Shutong said with a smile, “From now on, you won’t be particularly short of money.”
“Master, do you think I should participate in the cruiserweight match?” Qing Chen asked.
“I think you should play around in the tigerweight class first,” Li Shutong said, “With your lack of combat experience you need to get used to fighting first.”
Li Shutong knew that his disciple had photographic memory, so as long as Qing Chen was given enough time, he could quickly mimic other fighter’s techniques.
The process of accumulating as much knowledge as possible was very important.
Li Shutong thought for a while and said, “I suggest that you go watch the matches every night. No matter if you decide to fight or not, it is necessary for you to watch every match.”
Qing Chen understood what his Master meant. He had been progressing in terms of his level way too fast, reaching peak E-level instantly. He needed time to learn, observe, and think.
“Let’s go home,” said Li Shutong with a smile, “This time, we can use Haitang Boxing Club’s exclusive van.”
Walking out of the locker room, many from the audience recognized Qing Chen and greeted him cordially, and some had eyes of admiration.
This was not unusual. After all, this was a world that admired strength.
However, Li Shutong’s behavior was very strange. Whenever someone recognized Qing Chen, he would smile cheerfully and say, “Did you watch his match just now? This is my son, isn’t he amazing…”
Qing Chen watched this and smiled, but when he smiled, it tore the wound on his face, and the smile became very ugly.
When the two left the ring, Jiang Xiaotang, the owner, was already waiting beside the door.
She smiled and said to Qing Chen, “Congratulations, I am the owner of the Haitang Boxing Club, Jiang Xiaotang.”
“Thank you,” Qing Chen said and got into the van.
After Qing Chen got into the car, Li Shutong suddenly looked at Jiang Xiaotang seriously and said, “Not bad, much more mature than when you were a child.”
After speaking, Li Shutong also got into the van, leaving Jiang Xiaotang standing at the door of the boxing gym in a daze.
The glamorous lady turned around and walked into the boxing club. Back into her office, she quietly lit a cigarette for herself.
The misty smoke seemed to soothe her fluctuating emotions.
Jiang Xiaotang knew that under the unfamiliar face was an elder she was most familiar with. The person’s appearance might have changed, but his voice remained the same.
And the elder of hers also knew that she could recognize his voice.
…
…
Countdown 48:00:00.
Back on the 132nd floor of Luoshen Building, Qing Chen endured the pain from his wound and curled up on the sofa, “Master, how long will it take for my injury to heal?”
“Your injury is quite serious this time. Even if the boxing gym gave you the best medicine, it will still take a week,” Li Shutong estimated.
“Looks like I’ll have to return to the Outer World with my injuries,” Qing Chen sighed.
“Don’t worry, scars are a man’s medal of merit.”
“Master, which forces are focusing on Prison 18 now? Is it just for ACE-005?” Qing Chen said, “I always felt that Yangyang approached me because of the Forbidden Item in Prison 18.”
Li Shutong smiled, “Of course not, even Guo Huchan didn’t come for ACE-005.”
“What is that for?” Qing Chen asked.
“It’s for ACE-002,” said Li Shutong.
With this, Qing Chen was able to connect the dots.
Before, he asked his master if he had ever seen an S-level Forbidden Item, and his master’s answer was: We’ll see one soon.
Therefore, this S-level Forbidden Item has always been stored somewhere in Prison 18, and it was an invaluable item.
“Do they know what ACE-002 is?” Qing Chen asked.
“No,” Li Shutong shook his head, “In fact, it’s a very unique Forbidden Item to start with because it was formed by an ordinary person.”
“How can an ordinary person from an S-level Forbidden Item?” Qing Chen was surprised, “This is against the rules of the Forbidden Items.”
“Well, that’s what everyone thought too,” Li Shutong said, “It was also said that the ordinary person could have become an S-level superhuman, but he never chose to do so since he believed that his intelligence was the only weapon he needed to overtake the entire world.”
Therefore, he never became a superhuman.
Li Shutong looked at Qing Chen and said, “He’s also your ancestor in the Inner World. His name is Qing Zhen. The shadow of the Qing Family used to be a dangerous position, no one before him had a good ending. When he was a shadow, he actually managed to flip the table, and after the bloody incident, the massive corporation changed hands. Upon the death of many superhumans, people would often check on their graves, but Qing Zhen was ignored since he never was a superhuman to begin with.”
When Li Shutong introduced the Forbidden Item ACE-002, he explained it in great detail.
But he didn’t mention the purpose, conditions, or the origin of it.
“Master, don’t tell me you robbed his tomb…” Qing Chen hesitated.
“What are you thinking?” Li Shutong didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, “A Knight can’t be that unvirtuous… right?”
Qing Chen thought for a while, “Now I can understand why so many people would be after Prison 18, but who’s actually in there?”
“Spade, Forbidden Tribunal, Kashima,” Li Shutong glanced at Qing Chen.
Qing Chen analyzed, “We can rule out Kashima first, Yangyang will not work for them.”
“Why?” Li Shutong asked.
“Because unlike in the Inner World, the Kashimas are in a different country,” Qing Chen said firmly, “If she was working for them, it would be no different from committing treason.”
“Then she won’t be a member of the Forbidden Tribunal either,” Li Shutong said with a smile, “The Forbidden Tribunal is the natural enemy of superhumans. No superhuman would like to be taken into custody when they get old.”
“Then Spade is the only option left,” Qing Chen said.
When all impossible options were ruled out, the only option left must be the answer.
Yangyang has an eclectic personality. She visited Qing Chen’s house late at night and spoke whatever she wanted, so to others, she and Qing Chen had a very close relationship.
But in fact, both of them know that they were guarding, probing, and using each other.
Qing Chen needed her gravity chamber, and she needed Qing Chen’s identity and background in the other world.
Li Shutong asked with a smile, “Do you think she wants to get the Forbidden Item from me through you?”
Qing Chen shook his head. “She’s very smart and must know that no matter how hard she tries and how close she is to me. You will not hand over ACE-002. So her goal is not to take the Forbidden Item.”
Qing Chen started thinking out loud, “I have a feeling that she was already assigned the mission when she transmigrated. But Yangyang is a time traveler, so naturally, she doesn’t have any sense of belonging to the organization where her body’s original host belongs, so she must not be willing to risk her life and carry out missions with Guo Huchan.”
Qing Chen continued, “But the organization is what’s supporting her, so Yangyang could not stand her organization suffering from heavy losses, so she may want to help save Guo Huchan and preserve the organization’s power.”
Li Shutong said with a smile, “I think Guo Huchan is actually a pretty good person. If this little girl asked me to spare his life, I might actually do so.”
“Master, there should be clues,” Qing Chen said.
He closed his eyes, carefully retrieving all his memories.
Their encounter in the Outer World and reunion in the Inner World. The classroom in the morning, then the light rail train in the afternoon.
Everything flashed across his mind like a fast-forwarded movie.
Qing Chen suddenly opened his eyes and said, “Master, the day of the student protest, this Sunday, should be the day they’re planning to act. The student protest would be heading toward the upper three districts. At that time, the police force and Federal Army will all be focused there, and no one will have spare units to keep an eye on Prison 18. That’s why they’re helping to organize this protest!”
Li Shutong looked at his disciple’s serious expression and said with a smile, “Don’t worry, I’ve been waiting for a while now. When that day comes, let’s give this little girl a surprise.”
It must be a big surprise, Qing Chen thought, but probably not one that she would want though…
“By the way, master, after fighting the match today, my appearance will definitely be remembered by many people. Is this really okay?” Qing Chen asked.
“You are no longer the same person as ‘Qing Corporation’s Qing Chen’,” Li Shutong said, “In the Outer World, Qing is a rare surname, but that’s not the same in the Inner World. There are 17 people named Qing Chen in the Federation and more than two million people with the surname Qing. Moreover, your documents and those of the shadow candidate Qing Chen are completely different.”
As he said that, Li Shutong pulled up a photo on his phone, and the person on it was at most twenty percent similar to Qing Chen.
Qing Chen was stunned, “How did you do this?”
“If someone checks Qing Chen’s file, they will find that this person looked completely different from you,” Li Shutong said, “You are now the son of a small businessman. Although your surname is Qing, you have nothing to do with the Qing Corporation.”
At this time, Li Shutong smiled mysteriously, “Someone has worked very hard for this matter.”
“However, many people have seen me,” Qing Chen said.
“I’ve already confirmed that those who have seen your face, know your true identity, and can still remember will not have anything to do with you,” Li Shutong said.
“What do you mean?” Qing Chen was puzzled, even with his brain, he couldn’t analyze what Li Shutong meant.
He was transmigrated here. If the Qing Chen who was replaced by him has lived here for 17 years, then there should be quite a few people who have seen that original ‘Qing Chen’. And this new Qing Chen should look exactly like him.
But Li Shutong’s words seemed to reveal something extraordinary!
Seeing that Li Shutong was unwilling to say more, Qing Chen said, “The prisoners in the prison have also seen me after I time traveled.”
Li Shutong said expressionlessly, “You don’t need to worry much about those prisoners, they will soon be unable to speak.”
Qing Chen froze for a moment. From his master’s words, it implied that those prisoners…
He knew about killing people to silence them, but he never thought that his master would kill so many people to silence them.
No, that couldn’t be right.
Qing Chen suddenly turned his head to look at Li Shutong, “Master, you are…actually completing the containment conditions of ACE-002, right?”
Li Shutong smiled without saying a word.
“But if I look different from ‘Qing Corporation’s Qing Chen’, then even if I kill all the other Shadow candidates, I won’t be recognized by the Qing Corporation. After all, I’m not a member of the core Qing Family, right?” Qing Chen became even more confused.
“Don’t worry, there are still two people who know what you actually look like, but I can’t tell you who they are yet,” Li Shutong said with a smile, “Remember, those who are forgotten are the real shadows.”
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