Naming Technique of the Night

Chapter 1170: Chapter 685: Hold the Line! Not One Step Back!

Return countdown 120:01:39.

In a bank in the Fourth District, more than forty Time Travelers were hiding together with more than twenty refugees, accompanied by the skeletons inside the bank.

The forty-two Time Travelers were a part of the same team. They had taken refuge in the bank in advance upon encountering a mouse plague. Later, out of kindness, they opened the door to take in more than twenty refugees.

Among these forty-two people, three were wall challengers, having just completed their fifth challenge. Each had consumed five Immortality fruits.

This made their minds a bit more resolute than others.

Next to them, also a challenger, Ye Han was comforting an eight-year-old boy who was trembling: "Don’t be afraid, little brother. Just take a nap. We, seniors, are here to protect you."

A piece of flesh had been bitten off the little boy’s calf by a rat. Ye Han could only perform simple bandaging and had no other options.

In the bank lobby, the refugees were shivering, their faces filled with despair.

The Time Travelers comforted each other. One of them, a challenger who had once supported Hu Jingyi in front of the wall, Zhang HuBao, whispered: "Everyone, don’t worry too much. The safe points that the boss provided are meant for us to temporarily lay low. There’s a swarm of rats outside now, but once it calms down a bit, he’ll come to get us."

Now, regardless of whether they succeeded or not, as long as they joined the Agricultural College, they all called Qing Chen "boss," as if to make this title a settled fact. They were determined to stick with Qing Chen, clinging tightly and refusing to let go.

This was something Chen Zhuoqu had taught them.

"Will the young director really come?" a worried Time Traveler asked. Since they weren’t challengers, they habitually called him young director.

"He should," Zhang HuBao nodded and said, "He made such a detailed plan and set up such detailed safe points for us. It’s to facilitate his return to pick us up. Don’t worry, don’t be affected by the refugees’ despair. We must preserve our strength."

To be honest, Zhang HuBao himself wasn’t sure. He didn’t know if, in such a dangerous environment, the boss would really come to save them.

It’s understandable if no one came to rescue them because who would willingly put themselves in danger repeatedly, and Zhang HuBao knew that if Qing Chen were to attempt a rescue, he would have too many teams to save.

Still, he knew he had to maintain composure as the captain, even if it was just on the surface.

Suddenly, a rumbling noise echoed from outside the bank. Someone peered through the blinds to see a dense stream of mouse plague surging by.

Since the bank had long been looted, the mouse plague did not search there again.

But in the next instant, across the building, someone let out a scream instinctively.

The mouse plague outside suddenly halted and swarmed towards the source of the scream.

"This is bad," Zhang HuBao said in a low voice. "That’s another place attacked by the mouse plague. If they find someone hiding where they’ve already attacked, will they search the entire city again? Hopefully, they don’t have the energy for that."

The screaming across the building eventually ceased.

Everyone sat quietly in the bank, silently waiting for Qing Chen’s rescue, too afraid to speak.

One hour, two hours... eight hours, twelve hours.

Zhang HuBao and his companions never received the expected rescue.

Until all hope began slowly turning into disappointment, even despair.

Later, when someone asked Zhang HuBao if the young director would come to save them, Zhang HuBao could only absent-mindedly reply... he should.

Because he wasn’t sure either.

"Why don’t we try rushing out ourselves? Maybe there’s still a glimmer of hope," challenger Ye Han suggested.

Zhang HuBao refocused his eyes: "No, too much time has passed. According to the boss’s estimations, the mouse plague is about to enter the third phase. No one can survive crossing dozens of kilometers."

"Yes, no one can survive crossing dozens of kilometers, so no one will come to save us."

But just then, there was a sudden knock on the door, knock knock.

Then a weary voice said, "Open the door."

Zhang HuBao’s eyes lit up, as did all the Time Travelers who stood up!

It was the young director’s voice!

During the seven days of the return, the young director’s voice had echoed in their ears repeatedly, instructing them on plans and precautions. This voice was all too familiar!

They were about to pull open the bank shutter but were stopped by the refugees: "Don’t open the door. What if the person outside lures the mouse plague here?"

Zhang HuBao calmly said, "When we pulled open the shutter to let you in, we didn’t consider this. Step aside. We’re leaving now, whether or not you choose to follow is up to you."

With that, he pushed the refugees aside and opened the bank shutter.

Under the moonlight, Qing Chen stood outside, looking exhausted: "Sorry I’m late."

Zhang HuBao’s nose tingled: "Please don’t say that. You weren’t late. Everyone’s still alive."

"Let’s go," Qing Chen smiled and said, "I’ll take you to join the others."

Zhang HuBao carried the injured eight-year-old boy and nodded firmly.

The people in the bank didn’t follow, and Qing Chen didn’t try to persuade them.

Every stage has its choices. At this point, he could only save those willing to trust him.