Naming Technique of the Night

Chapter 13: Someone’s There

Translator: Lordbluefire

Compared to the nervousness of his first transmigration, Qing Chen was much calmer this time.

He waited for the shattered world to assemble again like he was waiting to wake up from a dream.

In the cramped room, Qing Chen sat at the same position by the edge of his bed, just as he had been before he transmigrated. It was nighttime outside and the boning knife he held originally… was unexpectedly still in his hands.

It was like everything he had just experienced didn’t happen.

Qing Chen frowned and pulled out his phone to check the time.

28 September 2022, 12:00:01

One second past midnight.

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He could clearly remember that the date when he transmigrated was also 28 September, and the exact time was 12:00:00.

That means, despite the past two days he had spent in the other world, only a second passed on Earth.

With that logic, after coming back here, would only a second have passed in the other world when he returned too?

This was probably the pattern of all transmigrators.

For some reason, Qing Chen breathed a sigh of relief at that thought. This way, he wouldn’t have to think of a way to explain why he would always disappear for some time.

This was a strange feeling of alienation, as though the world he was currently in was no longer real.

Qing Chen lowered his head and glanced at his arm. The bruise he had deliberately inflicted on himself was still there.

And on the other forearm, the white countdown had changed.

Countdown 47:59:45.

Countdown 47:59:44

The countdown this time around was 48 hours, which meant two days. That was right.

Only this could be proof that everything was real.

He had really traveled to a mechanical civilization and met someone named Li Shutong before being tested by someone named Lin Xiaoxiao through a nightmare. He even had an underling named Lu Guangyi.

There was also a calm Ye Wan there and a strange enormous cat.

Just as Qing Chen was deep in thought, the ringtone of his phone sounded, and the screen displayed an unknown number.

“Hello,” answered Qing Chen.

“Hello, I am calling from the Royal City Road Police Station. It’s like this: we detained your father for illegal gambling. I have to trouble you to make a trip here,” a female voice replied from the other side of the call.

Qing Chen was momentarily stunned. Based on the time, that gambling father of his probably hadn’t been caught for long, so he didn’t think the police station would contact him this soon.

“Uh, what do I have to do there?” Qing Chen asked.

“According to the Penal Code of Public Security Administration, he has to be detained and pay a fine. We would like you to make a trip down here to handle the formalities,” answered the lady on duty at the police station.

“I’m sorry, but I won’t be going. Please punish him severely. According to the Penal Code of Public Security Administration, he could face detainment of no fewer than 10 days but not over 15 days for serious circumstances. In addition, he could incur a fine of over 500 yuan but less than 3,000 yuan. Please give him the most severe punishment, thank you,” said Qing Chen while shaking his head.

The other person was startled at this point as well. “Are you not his son?”

Qing Chen replied, “I’m the one who reported this case. I’m not his son. I’m a zealous resident, Mr. Qing.”

The lady on duty: “???”

Without hesitation, Qing Chen hung up the call. They would detain that gambling father of his for at least 10 days, which meant that he wouldn’t have to see his father before his next transmigration.

Although Qing Chen wasn’t entirely sure, he even felt a little happy and relaxed when he thought about this.

However, to a young man, it wasn’t a pleasant feeling to be reprimanded loudly, even after his father was detained.

Most young people in their youth saw their fathers as role models. Once you realized your father was notorious for his misdeeds and without dignity, a certain load-bearing wall in your heart would abruptly collapse.

Qing Chen then took a deep breath and slowly lay down on this bed. He opened up his phone to check through the call logs and WeChat, but he didn’t see any notifications from his mother.

At this moment, he didn’t know why, but somehow he hoped to return to that prison cell in advance.

Even if it was an unknown and dangerous world.

It was already past one o’clock in the morning, but Qing Chen wasn’t sleepy at all.

In the dim house, only the light from his phone screen illuminated his face.

The canon music score that he had searched earlier was on the screen of his phone, and he had just committed every detail to memory.

For Li Shutong, this was something he regretted all his life, but for Qing Chen, it was something he could retrieve effortlessly.

But should he give the music score to Li Shutong?

If he gave it, then how should he explain the source of this music score?

There was a certain risk to this issue. Even though Qing Chen was not afraid of taking a risk, he was afraid that the risk wouldn’t be worth it.

Hence, before giving the music score, he must determine if Li Shutong had the value!

But ultimately, he hadn’t received a call or a message from his mother.

…

Countdown day 1, half-past seven in the morning.

Qing Chen changed into his blue-and-white striped uniform and left the house, eating instant noodles as he walked.

The government had split the Luo City Foreign Language School that Qing Chen attended into three campuses in the past few years. The high school was a mere five minutes away from his home, and he only had to cross a small lane to reach it.

Along Xingshu Road, the smell of egg parathas from the breakfast stalls wafted through the air, and some pedestrians would sit at the stalls with a bowl of tofu brains* or hot pepper soup.

Freshly fried dough fritters were crispy and golden, and the tea eggs were glossy and smooth after peeling.

However, Qing Chen didn’t have any money on him. He had spent the little savings he had accumulated on supplies for the countdown.

Thinking about that made him ache, but he had no regrets. After all, who could have known what he would be facing at that time?

Sophomore Class 3. Students on duty were cleaning the room, and the fishy smell from mopping the classroom floor had yet to dissipate. The mop must have grown moldy for a long time.

At this moment, Qing Chen sat in the last row. It was then that his deskmate, Nan Gengchen, hurried into the classroom with a nervous look on his face.

“Did Mr. Du say anything after he saw me skip class?” Qing Chen asked quietly.

In the end, Nan Gengchen seemed distracted and didn’t appear to have heard anything. “Huh? What?”

“Nothing,” Qing Chen shook his head. “Why do you look so flustered?”

“Flustered?” Nan Gengchen was startled for a moment. “No, I’m not.”

Qing Chen didn’t speak anymore. If the other person didn’t wish to talk about it, then there was no reason for him to get to the bottom of it either.

The two of them were quiet for a moment before Nan Gengchen suddenly lowered his voice and asked, “Qing Chen, if you encounter something exceptionally strange, what will you do?”

“Strange?” Qing Chen felt surprised before sizing up Nan Gengchen carefully. He hesitantly asked, “What are you specifically referring to?”

“I don’t know what either, but it’s just really weird,” Nan Gengchen replied.

“Then report it to the police?” Qing Chen’s gaze fixated on Nan Gengchen.

He then saw Nan Gengchen’s eyes light up. “That’s right, the police! Qing Chen, is there anyone at the police station near your house?”

“There is.” Qing Chen thought about it before continuing, “My father was just arrested for illegal gambling last night.”

Nan Gengchen: “???”

Footnote:

[1] Tofu brain is also known as tofu pudding or soybean pudding and is made with very tender tofu.