Chapter 42

Countdown: 48:00:00.

Qingchen, Ye Wan, and Lin Xiaoxiao walked through the silent and empty Prison No. 18.

This was his first time seeing the prison after 9 PM, vast and tranquil.

Four mechanical guards stood silently on the square, their mechanical eyes extinguished, as if they had entered a dormant state.

At this moment, Qingchen was certain that his and He Xiaoxiao's hypothesis was correct: Jian Sheng had also been transported to City No. 18 because she appeared in Luocheng.

Wherever one was transported, the time traveler's life in the inner world would continue from that point onward.

Ye Wan said, "On the day the traveler appeared, we didn't immediately capture you to avoid others making connections, so you don't need to worry about your identity being exposed. Xiaoxiao claimed that you were punished for coveting the boss's ACE-005."

"Ah, you've thought it through quite well," Qingchen understood that Uncle Li had been prepared to accept him into the organization from the beginning. Whether he could survive was up to him.

At this moment, a weak and hoarse voice came from somewhere in the prison: "Uncle Li, let my boss go..."

Qingchen was taken aback: "You've kept him for four days?"

"Yes, otherwise he would have come out to cause trouble for the boss again. If it weren't for his loyalty, the boss would have dealt with him long ago," Lin Xiaoxiao said. "But don't worry, he's been given water and food every day for the past four days."

"What did he do before, have you investigated?" Qingchen asked.

"We have," Lin Xiaoxiao said. "He used to be a bodyguard at a nursing home in the Alliance."

Qingchen's mouth slowly opened: "A nursing home... bodyguard?"

"You didn't know about this," Lin Xiaoxiao nodded. "In the inner world's slums, there's no tradition of supporting the elderly. People over sixty are sent to nursing homes, and their children spend their retirement money."

"Then why do they need bodyguards? To beat up the elderly?" Qingchen was shocked.

"No, no," Lin Xiaoxiao explained, half-laughing and half-crying. "They collect protection fees from the elderly. The elderly pay them to place orders, and they send the strongest, most mechanically enhanced young people to pretend to be the elderly's grandchildren, to intimidate and scare other elderly people. This way, the elderly won't be bullied in the nursing home."

Ye Wan added, "These nursing home bodyguards have a famous slogan: 'Alliance nursing services, faster and better than your son, because we worry about losing money if you die, but your son doesn't, because he gets the money when you die.'"

Qingchen hesitated: "Is this business profitable?"

"Pretty good," Lin Xiaoxiao nodded. "At least it can support a gang, but our Heng Society doesn't look down on this business."

At this point, Qingchen was puzzled. Why would the Qing Family send a nursing home bodyguard to help him in such an important matter as the Shadow Struggle?

Qingchen thought for a moment: "Can I see him?"

"Of course," Lin Xiaoxiao led Qingchen to Lu Guangyi's cell, greeted the camera at the door, and the alloy gate opened.

However, Lin Xiaoxiao and Ye Wan didn't go in, giving Qingchen and Lu Guangyi some private space.

Lu Guangyi lay on the cold floor, the food on the plate beside him had been moved but not much eaten.

When he heard the sound of the alloy gate, he immediately got up. When he turned around and saw Qingchen, he burst into tears: "Boss, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Qingchen said softly. He was a bit weak and sat down on Lu Guangyi's bed.

Lu Guangyi squatted beside him, concerned: "But boss, why have you lost so much weight? Did they torture you? When Qing Yan comes to visit in a few days, I'll tell him about this!"

"Don't tell Qing Yan," Qingchen shook his head. "I heard you went to trouble Uncle Li?"

"Yes," Lu Guangyi nodded. "Just because you coveted his ACE-005, he had to torture you like this? Guo Huchan coveted it too, but nothing happened to him. They just think you're just a Shadow Candidate, so the Qing Family won't make a big move!"

"Let's not talk about this anymore. When you're under someone's roof, you have to bow your head," Qingchen said.

"That's not right, I'll fight Uncle Li tomorrow!" Lu Guangyi said indignantly.

"Enough, no need to pretend," Qingchen said, half-laughing and half-crying.

"Pretend... I'm not pretending," Lu Guangyi hesitated.

Qingchen's clear gaze met his, and Lu Guangyi became increasingly uneasy, finally sitting on the ground dejectedly.

Even with the Qing Family's military-grade mechanical limbs, he couldn't hide the air of a small-time character.

Qingchen felt a bit melancholic. He had only known Lu Guangyi for a few days. Even if he were Cao Cao or Liu Bei reborn, he wouldn't have the charisma to command such loyalty.

His past experiences had given him pain, but also a keen ability to observe and think.

So he knew very well that Lu Guangyi was just putting on a show of loyalty, knowing that he wouldn't really be in trouble.

If he had done nothing during the time Qingchen was detained, he would eventually be marginalized when Qingchen was released.

There's no such thing as unconditional love and loyalty in this world.

Qingchen was very familiar with human nature.

He heard Lu Guangyi mutter dejectedly: "You've seen through me, boss. This is just the way small-time characters survive."

Qingchen sighed: "You don't need to flatter me. I appreciate what you've done these past few days. As long as you don't betray me, I won't treat you as a disposable pawn."

Lu Guangyi suddenly looked up: "Really, boss?"

"Really," Qingchen nodded.

Qingchen thought for a moment and said to Lu Guangyi: "But there's one thing I need to make clear. You need to be more low-key when you're with me, not as flashy as before."

"I've always heard from Qing Yan that you're very low-key, and it's true!" Lu Guangyi immediately became obedient. "Boss, tell me what I need to improve, and I'll definitely do it."

Qingchen was silent for a moment: "First, take off the gold bars on your mechanical arms and be more modest."

"Okay!" Lu Guangyi didn't hesitate and tore off the gold bars.

The gold bars were flat and long, more like gold threads.

About 1 millimeter thick, 2 millimeters wide, and 10 centimeters long.

In an instant, the once exquisite mechanical arms dropped a few notches...

Qingchen nodded and said: "I'll keep the gold bars for you. Remember, don't be flashy."

Lu Guangyi didn't think much about it. In the inner world, would the direct descendants of the five major conglomerates lack money? They print money.

"Rest well," Qingchen took the gold threads from Lu Guangyi's hand, rolled them into a ball, and put them in his pocket, then left.

Only when the alloy gate closed behind him did the young man slowly let out a breath.

Qingchen's mind raced. This was about 2 cubic centimeters of gold. At a density of 19.23 grams per cubic centimeter, that was over 30 grams...

What's the current gold price in the outer world?

Lin Xiaoxiao asked: "Is there anything else you need to handle?"

Qingchen thought for a moment: "Yes, I have a plan to confirm something."