Night's Nomenclature
Chapter 297: The Substitute

It's rare in anyone's life to see someone so strong-willed despite their physical limitations. So, whether they were fellow examinees or invigilators, seeing Qing Chen in his wheelchair, his Face^[-] pale and weak, everyone couldn't help but take a second look.

After Xu Zimo left, Zhou Xuan Ying entered. It turned out they were in the same examination hall.

"So you're here too," Qing Chen said with a smile.

Before, he had deliberately distanced himself from his classmates, worried that being too friendly might lead to his classmates becoming Huan Yu's victims.

Qing Chen's previous coldness towards Hu Xiaoniu, Wang Yun, and others stemmed from his inability to accept their attitude.

But he wasn't truly that aloof; he still observed basic etiquette like greeting his classmates.

However, Zhou Xuan Ying didn't even glance at Qing Chen, treating him like a complete stranger, still seemingly angry at being delayed by Qing Chen's presence.

Or perhaps it was because of Qing Chen's deliberate distancing that he felt there was no need to communicate with him further.

Qing Chen was a top student; so was he.

Many times when he came in second in the grade, Qing Chen was third.

Qing Chen was taken aback by Zhou Xuan Ying's attitude, but considering he was at fault, he didn't mind.

He simply waited for the exam to begin and silently worked on the questions.

The exam began.

Because his left arm still ached, he skipped even the process of checking his work on paper.

So in the eyes of the invigilators, Qing Chen just stared at the questions, closed his eyes for a few seconds, and then filled in the answer.

During this time, he showed no sign of calculations.

It was as if Qing Chen simply sat there, quietly praying for a moment, and then the answer appeared.

This scene was quite magical.

Before Xu Zimo left, she said she wouldn't compare scores with Qing Chen this time, which Qing Chen thought was good, saving her from disappointment.

The AMC10 mathematics competition was different from school math exams; it was based on the top 2.5% qualifying.

So this time, without a score reference, controlling his score might backfire.

Moreover, Luo City Foreign Language School had promised him that if he made it into the global top 1%, receiving an outstanding achievement certificate and donating it to the school for display, the school would give him an extra 10,000 yuan.

Honestly, Qing Chen didn't need the money, but he was still happy to pick up some extra cash.

Zhou Xuan Ying sat slightly behind him. Occasionally, when he looked up, he saw Qing Chen's "prayer-like' method of answering questions, thinking that Qing Chen wouldn't qualify this time; it looked like he had given up.

There were two invigilators in the examination hall. One of them, a math teacher, kept his attention on Qing Chen, observing him for more than ten minutes.

He noticed that after the exam started, Qing Chen's scratch paper remained blank, yet he had filled in many answers.

Curious, the math teacher walked over to Qing Chen, stopping beside him, and randomly picked a seemingly simple question, silently calculating it in his head.

Silent calculation was time-consuming, so it took him some time.

After a few minutes, he shook his head. Qing Chen had answered incorrectly.

But at that moment, Qing Chen looked up and looked at him in surprise. The teacher felt something was wrong. He silently recalculated in his mind—oh, he had made a mistake…

The invigilator recalled Qing Chen's expression, suddenly feeling uneasy.

With half an hour left until the end of the exam, Qing Chen had already started to close his eyes and daydream.

Taking advantage of this last bit of free time, he started practicing the anti-materiel sniper rifle again in the mysterious world of "Conquer with Virtue'.

In half an hour, he pushed the target from 1350 meters to 1360 meters.

Even if he only pushed it by 10 meters, it was still progress.

The bell signaling the end of the exam rang. Zhou Xuan Ying got up, gathered his things, and left.

Qing Chen sat alone in the classroom until all the examinees had left. He asked the invigilator to return his phone, and then saw in the He Xiaoxiao group chat that Zard had posted:

"Wow, can you believe it? Qing Chen from Daybreak, after being shot in the abdomen, not only didn't rest properly, but was pushed in a wheelchair by a beautiful woman to participate in a math competition!"

Li Si: "Math competition? What math competition?"

Zard: "Are you an idiot? I told you yesterday that he was originally here to participate in a math competition in Xian City. AMC10, do you know it?"

Rebel King: "What the hell is AMC10?"

Zard: "Don't ask me; my mom doesn't let me play with illiterates."

Rebel King: "You damn…"

Rebel King's following messages were all asterisks, none of which were suitable for publication.

Zard: "You guys don't know how weak Qing Chen looked. He came to take the exam under those circumstances! I'm completely in awe of him. I feel like Daybreak is full of talented people. It's another day of wanting to join Daybreak."

At this moment, Qing Bao suddenly became curious: "Who's the beautiful woman pushing him?"

"I don't know," said Zard. "I don't care about beautiful women, but I guess she's his sister or something…wait, something's up, you know Qing Chen!"

"I don't know him," said Qing Bao.

"Really? I don't believe you," Zard's train of thought was unusually erratic, causing the entire group to get a headache from this chatterbox.

However, this chatterbox always shared relatively crucial information, completely different from his previous state of only providing useless information.

But it seems he focuses on key intelligence, and tends to talk more about anything related to Daybreak.

At that time, a young man sat in the Lao Mi Family Mutton Pao Mo shop opposite the examination hall, carefully tearing apart a piece of bread in his hand.

He wore Bluetooth earphones and said to Huan Yu through the earphones: "Boss, you previously bet with the Daybreak Boss that if he found you, you'd become his slave, right?"

Huan Yu calmly said: "Yes, what about it?"

"But that was your brother's bet with him. Do you acknowledge it?" Zard curiously asked.

"Of course I acknowledge it," Huan Yu said calmly.

"Then why don't I report you to Daybreak? That way, you join Daybreak directly, and I'll be considered part of the dowry. How's that?" Zard enthusiastically offered his suggestion: "I don't mind being a humble addition."

"Get lost."

"Then I'll discuss it with your brother tomorrow," Zard said with a chuckle. "But don't worry, I won't do this if he doesn't agree. You don't need to silence me."

It seemed that Zard was one of the few who knew Huan Yu's true circumstances. Before this, no one knew Huan Yu's true identity.

No one knew Huan Yu's secret.

Huan Yu didn't mention silencing him on the phone, only saying: "Use your identity to give Daybreak the Koshima intelligence."

Zard was puzzled: "Didn't you say you'd personally wipe them out?"

Huan Yu coldly said: "My people were messed up by your brother and you. How can I still control the situation? Can you use your brain?"

Zard thought for a moment: "That's true…"

Huan Yu said: "Since Daybreak wiped out all my people in Xian City, let Daybreak take care of it. Besides, they have close ties with Kunlun, and Kunlun will also take action. Let them tell Kunlun that the biggest fish has appeared, it's time to cast the net."

Xian City was Huan Yu's home turf; he naturally knew more.

"You're just giving him the intelligence you worked so hard to obtain?" Zard asked.

Huan Yu said indifferently: "If he fights with Koshima's people and accidentally gets killed, wouldn't that allow me to reap the benefits? I hate both sides, and both sides hate me."

"Okay," Zard replied.

Saying this, Zard got up, took a napkin from the Lao Mi Family Mutton Pao Mo shop, wrote a note, and went to the entrance of the examination hall, stuffing it into Tian Hailong's hand: "Don't peek; give it to Qing Chen. I'll beat you if you look."

Tian Hailong received the note with a puzzled look. He hadn't even seen what Zard looked like before the other had already blended into the crowd.

At this time, there were leaders and teachers outside the examination hall, as well as educational institutions advertising, making it difficult for Tian Hailong to see who had handed him the note.

Zard, who had handed him the note, had returned to the Lao Mi Family Mutton Pao Mo shop to continue tearing apart his bread as if nothing had happened. He had been tearing at the bread for half an hour, and still hadn't finished.

At this moment, Xu Zimo pushed Qing Chen to the entrance of the examination hall; the boy still looked weak.

Tian Hailong walked over to Qing Chen and whispered: "How was the exam?"

Qing Chen thought for a moment: "If last year's 121 points could get the outstanding achievement certificate, then I should be fine."

Tian Hailong was stunned. He thought Qing Chen had come to take the exam simply to avoid giving up halfway, but he didn't expect Qing Chen to actually make it into the global top 1%!

Zhou Xuan Ying whispered to Wang Jiale and Xia Xiaoran: "I don't think he's telling the truth to Teacher Tian. The two of us were in the same examination hall, and I saw that his scratch paper was still blank after the exam; he hadn't done any calculations at all, the answers were all guesses."

"Ah? Then it seems he didn't answer the questions properly, but why would he lie to Teacher Tian?" Xia Xiaoran was puzzled. Wang Jiale glanced at them calmly without saying a word.

Zhou Xuan Ying shrugged and spread his hands: "Maybe he feels embarrassed."

At this moment, Xu Zimo came over and said coldly: "Don't talk about people behind their backs. Don't you see he's injured? Isn't it normal that he can't take the exam properly? Zhou Xuan Ying, you dropped to ninth place in the last mock exam because you were always thinking about this kind of nonsense!"

Zhou Xuan Ying pouted: "Let's see the scores when the results come out."

"What about Qing Chen?" Wang Jiale asked curiously.

"That…sister, sent him home to rest. We'll be returning this afternoon, and they need to recover before leaving," Xu Zimo explained.

They searched for Qing Chen in the crowd, and Jiang Xue had already pushed the boy away.

The two figures were quiet and unique in the bustling crowd.

Qing Chen sat in his wheelchair, silently unfolding the note written by Zard. It contained a very important piece of information, followed by Zard's signature, with a heart-shaped symbol.

Yes, this guy not only casually wrote a note on a napkin with a heart, but also actually wrote the words "heart' at the end of the note.

"That's too careless," Qing Chen sighed. "It's even a bit exaggerated."

What kind of personality does this Zard have? He doesn't seem like a serious person. He's clearly in cahoots with Huan Yu, yet he keeps expressing his admiration for Daybreak.

And which organization would transmit information by writing it on a napkin?

"Xiaochen, who wrote the note? Was it that girl just now?" She had been paying attention to whether anyone in the crowd was trying to attack Qing Chen, so she hadn't paid much attention to the note.

Qing Chen thought for a moment and said: "It's someone from Huan Yu's side, giving me an important piece of intelligence."

"Ah?" Jiang Xue was surprised: "They're giving you intelligence, could it be a trick?"

"Whether it's a trick or not, I have to go check it out. Aunt Jiang Xue, get a good night's sleep this afternoon, you need to drive at night," Qing Chen said.

"Driving back to Luo City overnight?" Jiang Xue said.

"No," Qing Chen smiled: "It's to save someone."

"Hmm, I won't stop you once you've made up your mind, just be careful," Jiang Xue said gently. "But what do you have to do that requires you to put yourself in danger?"

"To save someone very important," Qing Chen sighed. "Someone owes me a huge favor."

Having said this, he even notified Liu Dezhu in the Daybreak group to come to Xian City again.

According to Zard's information, there was a very formidable figure in the Koshima Consortium-controlled Time Traveler group, a rare chosen one in Time Traveler.

If this person hadn't existed, illegal entry wouldn't have been successful.

This shows that the Koshima Consortium highly valued this reverse time-travel substitution plan.

Originally, he had been an onlooker, watching the Koshima-controlled Time Travelers illegally enter the country.

Now, someone suddenly rushed out and smashed the watermelon in his hand.

Honestly, he didn't expect Koshima's first reverse time-travel plan to be related to someone close to him.

And it was someone he had to save.

However, this matter couldn't be handled by Daybreak alone. After thinking for a moment, Qing Chen sent a message to the Kunlun boss in his identity: "My boss asked me to tell you that tonight, Koshima's Time Travelers will drive to Luo City to complete the final step of the reverse time-travel plan. They only need to send the person to Luo City, and a countdown should appear on the arm of that ordinary person from the Outer World. In addition, there are people from foreign militaries within these Time Travelers. After they travel to become Time Travelers, they also gain significant opportunities, making them quite tricky."

Zheng Yuandong replied: "We already have this information and have found their whereabouts. Kunlun will act tonight in a deserted area."

Qing Chen asked: "I thought you would act yesterday."

"It snowed yesterday, so the highway was temporarily closed, and they didn't set off," Zheng Yuandong replied. "If we acted in the city, it would have unpredictable consequences for ordinary citizens. Fortunately, it was a light snow yesterday, melting as soon as it landed."

Qing Chen was stunned. It turned out that Kunlun hadn't acted last night because they were worried about harming ordinary citizens in the city, so they waited until tonight.

When Koshima's people get on the highway, Kunlun would have free rein in the vast and sparsely populated area.

Kunlun is different from ordinary organizations; they need to consider more things than ordinary people, and they shoulder more responsibilities.

But honestly, Qing Chen thought Kunlun was a small, isolated organization, but he didn't expect them to already have so much information.

He recalled the time when Liu Dezhu was assassinated by Wang's hired killers, the well-organized combat teams that suddenly appeared in several buildings, and the two snipers hidden in the shadows.

Qing Chen suddenly felt that Kunlun might still have some forces hidden beneath the surface.

Unlike Nine Provinces' high profile, Kunlun is more restrained and patient.

But why was Zheng Yuandong willing to tell him such important information? Was this trust?

…

…

In the Vienna Hotel, Xu Zimo, Zhou Xuan Ying, Wang Jiale, and Xia Xiaoran were reviewing the questions in their room.

Twenty minutes after the exam, some people had already posted the real questions online for examinees to purchase.

Zhou Xuan Ying seemed to come from a well-off family; he directly bought four printed copies for everyone to redo, to see if they had filled in the correct answers.

This was a necessary process for ordinary top students after an exam.

"I got the second question wrong; I fell into the trap set by the questions," Xia Xiaoran sighed. "This year's questions weren't difficult, but I didn't expect such a tricky trap."

"I got it wrong too," Wang Jiale said calmly. "I should have thought more at the time. Xu Zimo, did you get it right?"

"Yes," Xu Zimo nodded. "I've done more practice questions and have seen this type of question."

"Amazing," Zhou Xuan Ying exclaimed. "By the way, Zimo, where do you usually find questions? Can you share them with us? Also, tell us about your solution to the second question."

Unconsciously, Zhou Xuan Ying's address to Xu Zimo had changed to Zimo.

At this moment, Tian Hailong walked in from outside, apologetically saying: "I'm sorry, everyone. I planned to book tickets today, but I forgot that New Year's Day is coming soon, and the high-speed rail is fully booked…well, not exactly fully booked, but there are only three first-class seats left. The school can afford the first-class tickets for everyone; it's not that expensive, but two students need to stay and wait for tomorrow's train."

Tian Hailong paused to breathe and quickly added: "But I've talked to the school, and since we're all together, let's all go back together. So everyone, stay here one more night, and there are tickets for tomorrow night, we'll go back tomorrow night."

At this time, Zhou Xuan Ying suddenly said: "Teacher Tian, why don't I have my father use his company's business car to come and pick us up now? It's only about five hours from Luo City to here, and he can arrive this afternoon. Although the road trip isn't as fast as the high-speed rail, that business car is modified; it's very comfortable to sit in. Moreover, after what happened last night in Xian City, it's not appropriate for us to stay here overnight."

"Is that appropriate?" Tian Hailong hesitated and asked.

"It's appropriate," Zhou Xuan Ying smiled. "I'll call my dad now. Teacher Tian, you also know that Qing Chen caused trouble, so it's actually not safe for us to stay in Xian City now. Since last night, my family has been saying they want to come and pick me up, they're also worried about my safety."

After careful consideration, Tian Hailong also felt that Xian City wasn't very safe, and agreed: "Then I'll trouble your father. He can keep the gas receipts and toll receipts; the school will reimburse them."

"No need," Zhou Xuan Ying said with a smile. "It's not much money."

…