Naming Technique of the Night

Chapter 554 Crows

Countdown 72:00:00.

Midnight, 12 oʼclock.

The team had come even closer to Forbidden Area No. 002.

With few things to entertain themselves in the wilderness, the students of Freemasonry, after the initial excitement of arriving, were now in a state of physical and mental exhaustion.

Surprisingly, the elderly remained vibrant, except for occasional bouts of unconsciousness, at other times they seemed even more youthful than the young.

Qing Chen compared his memories and confirmed that the old manʼs skin had become glossier and rosier since coming to the wilderness.

But all of this wasnʼt exactly good news for an old man at the brink of lifeʼs end.

In the veil of night, Spade once more took Qing Chen by the arm and flew into the sky.

On the ground, in the camp, who knew how many were silently envying them from afar.

Students from Freemasonry whispered among themselves, ”How can we become Transcendents?”

Nangong Yuanyu answered, ”Iʼve done some rough statistics, and actually, even if one becomes a Transcendent, thereʼs only a one-in-17.81 million chance of possessing the ability to fly.”

”Senior, at times like this, can we not go there… please?”

After pondering for a moment, Nangong Yuanyu replied, ”Fine.”

In that place close to the heavens, Qing Chen and Spade lay side by side on a cloud, the young man feeling the repelling force beneath him like a soft bed.

”You want to accompany that old man through the last leg of his life, right?” Spade asked.

Qing Chen responded, ”You noticed?”

”Yeah, his field is getting weaker. Iʼve seen many such weakening processes; itʼs the prelude to death,” Spade said. ”Who is he? Why would an ordinary person make you willingly venture to the wilderness and Taboo Land?”

After thinking it over, Qing Chen replied, ”An elder not related by blood, yet resembling family. His dream was to become a Knight, but he was trapped in the confinement of fame and fortune all his life, only gaining freedom through feigned death at the end.”

”So, we should do more of what we want while we are young to live without regrets,” Spade, sensing the old manʼs weakening field, seemed somewhat reflective as well.

No one could face death without being moved.

”Can I ask you a favor?” Qing Chen said.

”Sure, say it.”

”Could you take the old man for a flight in the sky as well? But not too high, his cardiorespiratory functions arenʼt up to it now, and high altitudes would cause hypoxia. Also, not for too long,” Qing Chen instructed.

Spade agreed without hesitation, ”Alright.”

But just then, she suddenly looked toward the horizon, ”Someone is approaching.”

Qing Chen also turned to look. On the horizon, a group of thirteen people were walking through the wilderness, dressed in black linen cloaks, the loose garments tied at the wrists with red cords.

From afar, the figures of those thirteen people appeared solitary and resolute.

”Crows,” Spade said softly, ”they are coming for us.”

Qing Chen immediately realized that these were the people of the Contraindicated Tribunals!

In this wilderness, a Transcendent was about to die!

The flock of crows moved on foot, seemingly slow, but Qing Chen estimated their walking speed and realized that they seemed to move faster than a normal person running.

They descended to the ground, and Spade gestured toward Guo Huchanʼs tent, ”Thereʼs a situation, the Crows have arrived.”

Guo Huchanʼs tent was swiftly opened, and it was clear the big bald man hadnʼt been sleeping.

His expression was grave as he asked, ”Are you sure?”

”Positive. I saw a crow on the shoulder of the person in the lead,” Spade said.

In the camp, everyone suddenly felt an ominous premonition.

An unexpected appearance of the Contraindicated Tribunals always signified death.

”Could it be theyʼre just passing by?” Guo Huchan was filled with trepidation and doubt.

”No, they are wearing cloaks,” said Spade.

Members of the Contraindicated Tribunals donʼt normally wear cloaks; they live among ordinary people unremarked upon, only donning their cloaks to transform into Crows when they sense a summons.

Otherwise, wearing those cloaks anywhere would mark them as omens of ill fortune.

Qing Chen looked at Spade and asked quietly, ”Could it be that the old man is dying, so theyʼve come to take him away?”

Although the old man kept insisting he wasnʼt a Transcendent, given his laissez-faire nature, he might well have not been telling the truth.

However, Spade shook her head, ”No, the old manʼs field is that of an ordinary person; I wouldnʼt make a mistake about that.”

”Then that means we are about to face danger,” Qing Chen concluded.

Li Dongze had once briefed Qing Chen on the priority levels of the Contraindicated Tribunals. Normally, the Crows would turn up very promptly only if a B-Class Transcendent or above died.

After contemplating, Spade added, ”But the Contraindicated Tribunals are not always that precise. Iʼve heard about them in Spades. Xu Linsen once mentioned that the Crows merely have a premonition that a death might occur but canʼt be one hundred percent sure. Their predictions are more likely about the outbreak of a certain level of battle.”

Qing Chen reflected that this explanation seemed more plausible.

Because in the battle where Li Changqing was ambushed in City 18, the Crows had appeared very early, but ultimately neither Li Changqing nor the A-Class expert from the Jindai family had died.

So viewed in this light, were the Contraindicated Tribunalsʼ premonitions indeed about the level of battle?

Could it be that high-level battles often involve many Transcendent deaths, so people have misinterpreted the content of the Contraindicated Tribunalsʼ predictions?

At this moment, the old man also stepped out of his tent.

Those thirteen Crows had trekked across the wilderness and now stood before them all.

The crows removed the hoods of their cloaks and curiously sized up everyone in the camp.

Qing Chen suddenly felt that the way they were looking at the group was strange, as if scrutinizing inanimate objects.

The old man smiled at the leading woman, who appeared to be in her thirties, ”March herself has come. You arenʼt here to take me in, are you?”

March was startled upon seeing the old man. She hadnʼt recognized his identity at first and only after a careful look did she bow slightly and said politely, ”I didnʼt expect to find you here, which comes as a bit of a surprise. However, we are not here to take you in, but merely to accompany you for a while.”

The old man was not a Transcendent, so he didnʼt qualify to be taken in by the Contraindicated Tribunal.

Qing Chen pondered, feeling that danger was indeed on the horizon.

However, he couldnʼt yet determine whether the danger was aimed at his side or at Spadeʼs.

Qing Chen eyed March, who had her hair tied back in a neat ponytail with no traces of makeup, exceedingly plain.

The crows had not brought any tents or similar supplies with them. They simply jumped onto nearby tree branches and sat down in the winter cold, wrapping their cloaks around themselves before closing their eyes to rest.

Just like there were indeed twelve crows perched on the branches.

It looked somewhat eerie.

Guo Huchan looked solemnly at March, ”Has the Contraindicated Tribunal come here suddenly because they foresee our death?”

March shook her head, ”I donʼt know.”

Then, she turned to look at Yang Yang and asked, ”Are you interested in joining the Contraindicated Tribunal?”

The big bald man immediately became anxious, ”She is one of ours at Spade; isnʼt it a bit rude to poach someone right in front of us?”

March glanced at Guo Huchan, ”I only think sheʼd be more suitable for the Contraindicated Tribunal, nothing more.”

This woman spoke as if everything she said was a matter-of-fact, which could be quite uncomfortable.

But only those who understood her knew that she always simply stated objective facts, without mixing in too much personal emotion.

Just stating objective facts, most of the time, is not endearing.

March looked inquiringly at Yang Yang.

Yang Yang thought for a moment before replying, ”I donʼt want to leave Spade for now, as I have much more to do.”

”Alright,” March didnʼt press the issue and leapt onto a thick tree branch to sit, calmly grooming the feathers of the Six-eyed crow on her shoulder.

She didnʼt even glance at Yang Yang again.

It was as if the recruitment attempt was merely a formality.

However, March suddenly noticed the Six-eyed crow was continuously looking in Qing Chenʼs direction. She cast a curious glance at Qing Chen, also unsure why the crow was staring at him.

After pondering for a moment while sitting in the tree, she spoke to Qing Chen, ”Hello, could you kill less in the future?”

Qing Chen did not know why she would suddenly say such a thing, but eventually responded, ”I only kill those who deserve it.”

March sighed and said no more.

Guo Huchan and the others silently looked at Qing Chen, wondering just how lethal his future would have to be for March to ask him such a question.

After all, the Contraindicated Tribunal does not concern itself with the lives of Ordinary People; they take in Transcendents.

So, was the young man that Yang Yang brought from the heavens a hidden expert?!

Considering this, Guo Huchan became suspicious once again.

And for those from Freemasonry, like Nangong Yuanyu and others, their gaze became even more fervent towards Hu Xiaoniu. Although Hu Xiaoniu was a Servant, he was the Servant of a significant person. As a Time Traveler, his prospects would be far better than most.

Among all those present, only Yang Yang looked at Qing Chen and said, ”Be careful.”

She knew that Marchʼs words also implied that Qing Chen would face more dangers than ordinary people in the future.

Qing Chen looked at Yang Yang, ”Does Spade have more people secretly following the convoy?”

”No.”

”Are you A-Class?”

”No.”

”Does Spade have people ready to meet us in the south?”

”Yes,” Yang Yang nodded, ”Spades 4, along with Yu Yu, are waiting near Taboo Land 002.”

”By the way, which Spades are you?” Qing Chen asked curiously.

”Spades 2,” Yang Yang said.

Qing Chen thought for a moment and asked in a low voice, ”Are twos big in Spade, or threes big?”

Yang Yang found the tone of Qing Chenʼs question, asking the rules as if he were about to play a card game, amusing, ”Spades 2 is at the end of the ranking. I joined the latest, so I am ranked last.”

”Is Xu Linsen Spades A?” Qing Chen asked.

”Yes,” Yang Yang nodded.

”Then who are the Black and Red Jacks?” Qing Chen continued.

Yang Yang shook her head, ”There are none, and there wonʼt be.”

Qing Chen suddenly thought of a question. If Guo Huchan and Yang Yang werenʼt A-Class, and it was highly unlikely for a member of Freemasonry to be an A-Class expert,

why then had the crows appeared so early?

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There will be another chapter before 10 oʼclock.