TDU Chapter 393
Chapter 393 I Am Me
Song Seven and Chen Junnan hastened through the darkness, finally reaching the headquarters of {Cats} before nightfall fully swallowed the city.
“Damn it…” Chen Junnan muttered, his tone more irritated than grave, “we’ve searched everywhere and still can’t find Dong jie…”
“You’re remarkably optimistic,” Song Seven remarked as he looked at Chen Junnan. “This place is vast, and you actually expect to locate someone here by sheer {fate}?”
“So, what of it?” Chen Junnan shrugged nonchalantly. “Is this young master’s laissez-faire method of going with the flow bothering you?”
“It’s not that it’s {bothering me} exactly…” Song Seven began, but before he could finish, a white figure lunged at them from the shadows—a being almost insect-like in demeanor.
Without turning his head, Song Seven merely waved his hand. The {person} was hurled backward by a minor explosion, a fleeting burst of flame illuminating their faces against the inky night.
“Chen Junnan… why did you insist on following me back?” Song Seven asked, swinging his hand and glancing behind him. “Do you even know many people in {Cats}?”
“To be honest… not many,” Chen Junnan admitted, a wry smile tugging at his lips. “Perhaps just a couple.”
They fell into silence, and within a few steps the guards at the prison entrance emerged from the black night.
“Six jie, we’ve returned,” Song Seven intoned with impeccable courtesy to the woman before them.
“Mm.” Zhou Six acknowledged with a slight nod, then cast her gaze toward Chen Junnan trailing behind Song Seven. “Tsk, and this one is?”
At the terse inquiry, Chen Junnan’s brow furrowed ever so slightly.
How laughable it is that in this godforsaken place, even the most reliable comrades, who have faced countless life-and-death moments together, could utterly forget you.
“This young master is a dashing fella; so gorgeous, what’s your name?” Chen Junnan asked.
The words sent a spark of indignation flaring in Zhou Six’s chest. She reached behind her, grasped an iron rod, and swung it onto her shoulder. “Tsk, first a {young master}, then a {gorgeous}… your way of speaking is fucking inappropriate.”
Chen Junnan only found it mildly amusing. He stepped forward slowly and remarked, “Really? Greeting the guests with an iron rod?”
“Tsk, can you even be considered a ‘guest’?”
“Six jie,” Song Seven interjected, waving a hand. “This is Chen Junnan, the one Qi Xia requested for {verifying authenticity}. He should count as a guest, so please calm down.”
“Tsk…” Zhou Six cast a disdainful glance at Chen Junnan, then lowered her head and softly uttered {open the gate}. Within seconds, the prison gate behind her clattered, and the roller shutter began to rise slowly.
“Thanks!” Chen Junnan smiled and turned to follow Song Seven into the prison.
After he turned away, a faint trace of disappointment flickered across his face.
Zhou Mo had already forgotten him—what about Qian Duoduo?
Was the very purpose of {Cats} truly as he had imagined, or entirely different?
The two walked across the prison yard, when suddenly two boisterous figures caught their attention. As they paused, they recognized them: Qiao Jiajin and Qi Xia.
“Swindler lad, look! This is how a punch gains real power!” Qiao Jiajin said, swinging his fists. “If you punch like that, it won’t work. If your force is unstable, it’s easy to injure your wrist.”
“Like this?” Qi Xia asked, expressionless.
“No no no, like this.”
Not far from the quarrelsome pair, a child sat quietly, clutching a sword folded from newspaper, cautiously observing his surroundings.
It was none other than Zheng Hero, whom Chen Junnan had seen yesterday.
Chen Junnan scratched his head, then glanced at Qi Xia and Qiao Jiajin. This truly was a once-in-a-century scene—Qi Xia actually learning to punch from Qiao Jiajin?
“Junnan lad?” Qiao Jiajin soon spotted Chen Junnan and called out his name.
Qi Xia raised an eyebrow and looked back at him.
He had originally intended for Song Seven to confirm Chen Junnan’s safety, yet unexpectedly, Chen Junnan had followed on his own. With this, was there even a need to return to {Passage to Heaven}?
“How did it go today?” Qi Xia asked bluntly.
“Today…” Chen Junnan furrowed his brow slowly before replying, “Ole Qi, this matter is… rather complicated.”
He glanced back at Song Seven and lowered his voice, “Let’s find somewhere we can talk properly. I’ll tell you everything that happened today.”
Qi Xia nodded and gave Qiao Jiajin a subtle glance. The three of them slipped past Song Seven and headed straight toward the cells.
Zheng Hero watched their backs, twitched his nose, sheathed his sword in his waist, and quickly followed.
Once inside their cell, Chen Junnan glanced outside to make sure no one was nearby before reaching out to close the iron gate.
“Why are you being so careful?” Qi Xia asked. “This gate is made of iron bars, closing it would not improve the soundproofing.”
“Ole Qi, I’m a bit confused right now…” Chen Junnan ignored the other’s remark as he quietly took a seat. “There are some things I can’t figure out. I need your help.”
“Can’t figure out?” Qiao Jiajin’s interest was piqued. “Come on, Junnan lad, tell me—maybe I can give you some insight.”
Just as Chen Junnan was about to speak, a small, slight figure appeared at the doorway.
“The little hero?” Chen Junnan was momentarily taken aback, then looked to Qi Xia. “What’s this kid’s story?”
“I can’t say for sure…” Qi Xia touched his chin thoughtfully. “But he’s currently isolated, with no allies. He could very well become one of our assistants.”
“Well well…” Chen Junnan smiled upon hearing that. “Since Ole Qi has spoken, no admission is needed this time. Come on in and listen.”
Zheng Hero nodded earnestly and stepped inside as well.
The three of them watched Chen Junnan, uncertain what he intended to say.
After a long pause, he rubbed his temples and began slowly. “Ole Qi, there’s one thing I just can’t figure out…”
“Go ahead,” Qi Xia said.
“I… who am I, really?”
“What?” The question left everyone bewildered.
Chen Junnan sighed in frustration and recounted everything that had happened today.
In his memory, he had planned to participate in a Terrestrial-grade game at dawn. Yet, upon opening his eyes, he found himself standing in a dim underground room, facing Kim Wonhun, who carried a heavy bag on his back.
Kim Wonhun, believing he was being followed, turned to strike, but Chen Junnan caught his arm.
As the two of them remained in a standoff, Chen Junnan spoke first: “Hey… where exactly are we?”
Kim Wonhun was equally puzzled. “I blocked the entrance, how did you get in?!”
“How would this young master know?!”
The two of them stayed in a tense standoff for a while longer, until Chen Junnan finally said, “How about this… you take me out, and I’ll act like I was never here, alright?”
Kim Wonhun eyed him warily, then gradually released his grip.
They continued to watch each other closely. After confirming that Chen Junnan posed no threat, Kim Wonhun opened the door to the underground room.
It was then that Chen Junnan realized he had somehow climbed out from a grave in the yard of {Passage to Heaven}.
TL Note: Rant goes here ( •̯́ ₃ •̯̀)
