Naming Technique of the Night

Chapter 1829: Chapter 958: Seizing the Initiative

Zhang Mengchan held a long pair of chopsticks and accurately picked up a piece of Flaming Mountain beef from the spicy hot pot. After chewing it, he said, "Considering the current situation, the Li Family killed Parent Association Members, besieged City No. 10, broke away from your Aunt Li Changqing, and is searching for Parent Association Members in the mountains... No matter how you look at it, a betrayal is a betrayal. He might be doing it to protect the Li Family or perhaps for some other reason, but this is the reality now."

Li Ke sat dumbfounded on the long stool with his hands on his knees, momentarily opening his mouth but unsure of what to say.

Zhang Mengchan continued, "I know you can’t accept it right now. I’ll take you out for a walk later to see what you should do now."

Li Ke raised his eyelids slightly, "When?"

"Have to wait until Uncle Yunjing and I finish eating hotpot," Zhang Mengchan said as he picked up another chopstick of tribute vegetables, the green vegetables crunching between his teeth.

Li Yunjing put two pieces of tofu into the pot next to them, acting as if he hadn’t heard anything. As a Protector, he never joined in the conversation between the two, like a robot without emotions.

After lunch, the blind Zhang Mengchan walked in front; despite his eyes being wrapped in silk, he walked without any hindrance, as if another eye was hidden somewhere in his body.

Li Ke followed behind in a trance.

Zhang Mengchan walked straight to the Ninth District of City No. 5.

The place was clean and tidy; the windows of residential homes were spotless, and vibrant signs had somehow appeared on the buildings.

A few children were playing soccer on the street, a chubby kid kicked the ball hard, but right before his foot landed on the ball, Zhang Mengchan extended his hand in advance and said to Li Ke, "You’ve been to the Ninth District of City No. 18, right?"

With a thud, the soccer ball landed perfectly in Zhang Mengchan’s palm.

From the moment they entered the Ninth District, Parent Association Members had been observing them, witnessing this incredible scene where Zhang Mengchan extended his hand as though he foresaw the ball’s trajectory even before its kick.

First Strike.

This is the innate sixth sense, even faster than the Drama Master’s First Strike.

At the monitoring center, a Parent Association Member urgently coordinated, "Quick, quick, quick, experts have arrived, send more people to monitor them, be careful they might stir up something in the lower Third District. Start with thirty... No, fifty, prepare for a brawl!"

However, the monitoring center’s leader glanced at the screen and slapped the member across the head, "Are you stupid? That’s the boss’s apprentice, Zhang Mengchan, have you forgotten?"

"Oh crap, it’s Xiao Mengqiu! I saw him during the rat tide in City No. 10, he was upstairs banging pots to tell us which side’s defenses were collapsing!"

Having survived the disaster in City No. 10, families have branched out, becoming instructors leading new recruits in fierce combat.

They’ve died once, nothing more to fear.

And Zhang Mengchan is a character they know very well.

But now, Zhang Mengchan’s face is wrapped in silk, so different from the previous mechanical eye that they did not recognize him at first.

The families praised, "Xiao Mengqiu has become a master now."

Are Zhang Mengchan and Li Ke considered masters? They have reached B-Class, indeed masters but not high enough.

Li Ke answered Zhang Mengchan at that moment, "I’ve been to the lower Third District of City No. 18, it was different from here."

Zhang Mengchan asked, "What was the lower Third District like? Let me help you recall... Because I came from the lower Third District."

"The real lower Third District would never have children playing soccer on the streets, because the streets were piled with stinking garbage, uneven surfaces everywhere, puddles on the roads, soccer brought no joy at all."

"Moreover, children must be accompanied by adults when walking in the streets, or they might end up as someone else’s organs... Even with adults, they could be snatched away."

"When I was in the lower Third District, my parents wanted to sell me, and to survive, I escaped from home. I hid in the dark skyscrapers, surviving in crevices, always fearing I would be abducted in my sleep. During that time, I lived in fear for four years until one day, Master appeared."

Li Ke turned to look at him, "I know about your experience... but what does this have to do with my issues, my father’s issues?"

Zhang Mengchan smiled, "Do you think the filthy, foul-smelling lower Third District changed to what it is now on its own?"

"Of course, because of Master," Li Ke said calmly, "Starting with City No. 22, the Parent Association continuously expanded its territory, eventually taking over the lower Third Districts of every city, over half the Federation’s population. Moreover, the Parent Association’s property company became the largest cash flow in the organization."

Zhang Mengchan nodded, "So you know everything. You know what Master is doing, what he is working so hard for. He transformed the lower Third District first, then aimed to transform the entire City No. 10, next the Qing’s Family, and ultimately the entire Federation. Now while the Parent Association Members are fleeing life-or-death in the mountains, Master is still fighting, yet you worry about your father and wallow in self-pity. That’s why I said, you scions of the consortium are nothing but flowers in a greenhouse, not able to withstand the wind and rain."

Li Ke suddenly looked at Zhang Mengchan, "What did you say?"

"I said you are flowers in a greenhouse, not able to withstand the wind and rain, am I wrong?" Zhang Mengchan retorted, stepping back slightly.

Li Ke lunged forward, trying to land a punch on Zhang Mengchan’s face, but Zhang Mengchan’s step back was just too clever, precisely outside Li Ke’s attack range.

Li Ke’s punch couldn’t hit him at all.

Zhang Mengchan swiftly stepped forward after Li Ke’s punch, delivering a punch to Li Ke’s stomach.

Li Ke knelt on the ground, retching and spitting out stomach acid.

Against the skill ’First Strike’, even masters of the same level have little chance of winning. This is why those Drama Masters always seem to prevail in battle.

In the monitoring room, a family member exclaimed, "Oh my God, they’re fighting! Why are the boss’s two apprentices fighting each other!?"

At that moment, Zhang Mengchan suddenly turned to look at the monitor and gestured with her index finger, signaling the camera to turn away.

The family members in the monitoring room were taken aback. How could the boss’s apprentice seem to see everything? They quickly moved the camera away, no longer interested in watching the drama.

Meanwhile, Li Yunjing acted as if he hadn’t seen anything. He bought an ice pop from a roadside vendor and leaned against the convenience store door, biting into it bit by bit.

Just like a bystander.

Zhang Mengchan walked beside Li Ke and continued calmly, "You are the senior brother of this generation in the Knight Organization, and if even you are so fragile, who can help the Master? The Master is painstakingly buying us time to face the life-and-death trial. When the day comes that he can’t hold on anymore, he’ll return and take us to fight together. By then, you should have become a Demigod, but you’re just B-Class. How disappointed will the Master be?"

"Can your current self-pity compare to the suffering of the entire Federation? I know your sorrow and understand it, but the world doesn’t leave us much time for self-pity. I think... one day is the most."

Li Ke, kneeling on the ground, gradually stopped vomiting: "I can’t beat you. Maybe you should be the senior brother instead."

Zhang Mengchan laughed, "Then the second brother, Hu Xiaoniu, might be a bit confused. If you don’t want to be the senior brother, why shouldn’t it be him?"

Li Ke sat on the ground, silent.

Zhang Mengchan said, "Stand up. The Master needs you, and maybe, one day, even your father will need you."

Li Ke looked up, "Thank you."

Li Ke understood that Zhang Mengchan’s sarcasm and that punch just now were intended to wake him up.

On the journey of life, you need friends like this.

"Mengchan, you may be younger than me, but you are indeed more resolute than I am. You’re right. I thought I was quite formidable, having passed the conscience test and the life-and-death trial, yet I’m still an emotional weakling," Li Ke said, "In terms of mentality, I might not even compare to Chen Zhuoqu, let alone Hu Jingyi. You all have endured hardships, while I’m just basking in my grandfather’s glory and luckily passed the conscience test."

Li Ke looked up at him, "But you’re right, my father’s issues are his own, I can’t remain stagnant here any longer."

At that moment, the satellite phone in his pocket rang. Li Ke frowned and answered it.

A cold voice from Qing Yi came through the line: "Where are you?"

Li Ke paused, "I’m in the Ninth District of City 5."

"Come to the airship port, I’m here," Qing Yi said coldly.

Li Ke found it a bit odd and quickly hailed a taxi to head for the airship port.

Li Yunjing sat in the passenger seat, with Zhang Mengchan and Li Ke in the back.

Zhang Mengchan curiously asked, "Did he come just to scold you? Your father killed so many members of the Parents’ Meeting, and also sent a military brigade to attack the city where Qing Yi is based. It’s normal for him to be resentful toward your father. I believe, your friendship will eventually recover."

Li Ke gazed out the window without speaking.

The vehicle drove into the airship port, where the most conspicuous slot was occupied by an A-Class Floating ship branded with the name of City 10.

Nearby, there were more than a dozen civilian C-Class Transport Airships. Members of the Qing’s Family were busy loading supplies onto them.

It was here that one could truly feel the war approaching, with everyone racing against time.

Seeing them arrive, the A-Class Floating ship opened its gangway door, and Qing Yi came down, walking over to punch Li Ke in the stomach.

Li Ke didn’t dodge, curling up like a shrimp. Qing Yi, being B-Class, didn’t hold back this punch.

Qing Yi stood in front of Li Ke with a grim expression, "Fight back, or can’t you fight back?"

Li Ke slowly straightened up, "You were besieged, and it’s normal to be upset..."

Qing Yi sneered, "Do you think I’m angry because of your father’s involvement in the crackdown on the Parents’ Meeting? I’m mad because you’re so defeated."

Li Ke paused for a moment.

Just then, a voice called out from a distance, "Loading complete!"

Qing Yi turned and walked toward the Floating ship, "I don’t have time to waste words with you. Two more fleets have arrived from the West Continent, and potentially two aerial fortresses as well. I have a lot to do, everyone is busy, so hurry up and go challenge your life-and-death trial. By the time the Master returns from West Continent, you’d better be a Demigod."

Li Ke also turned decisively and walked out of the airship port, "Back to the Southwest Snow Mountain, to face the life-and-death trial!"