Chapter 483

Audience Expectation Level: 3

Yang Xiao extended his hand and shook Chen Ling's.

"Let's formally introduce ourselves. My name is Chen Ling," Chen Ling said, taking the initiative.

"Chen... Ling? Which Ling?"

"Ling, as in the 'ling' from performer." As if fearing Yang Xiao wouldn't understand, Chen Ling added, "Ling, as in 'lonely' or 'isolated'."

Yang Xiao nodded slightly. "Yang Xiao, as in the 'xiao' from Lantern Festival."

After their introductions, Chen Ling withdrew his hand, re-buckled his seatbelt, and started the car.

"You said we need to investigate hidden secrets. How do we do that?" Yang Xiao asked, puzzled. "Analyze the Red Star? But it has already left Earth and entered its next orbit..."

"Of course, we can't catch up to the Red Star, but fragments of its power are still on Earth."

"Where?"

Chen Ling didn't speak, but glanced at Yang Xiao in the rearview mirror.

"We?" Yang Xiao reacted quickly. "Are you saying the reason we gained the power of knowledge is because we absorbed fragments of the Red Star?"

"Exactly. So, our primary goal is to gather the Nine Lords as much as possible."

"If that's the case, why didn't we just gather everyone together back in Shennongjia? Explaining the situation to them would have been the most convenient, wouldn't it?" Yang Xiao asked, confused.

"It's not that simple."

Chen Ling handed Yang Xiao a note. "Some of you returned from another era, and your allegiances aren't clear. Some are even trying to eliminate the Nine Lords... If we were to gather everyone openly, not only would you be in danger, but I would also be targeted and eliminated."

Yang Xiao took the note. It was Chen Ling's own diagram of character relationships. Seeing Dr. Lou and Dr. Ji's names circled, he suddenly understood.

"No wonder you questioned their fields of research back then... You suspected them?"

"That's right, and I can't rule out the possibility that others might be disguised." Chen Ling sighed. "So, I could only come to you first, and then secretly contact the other Nine Lords."

"I see."

Yang Xiao looked at the names on the list, deep in thought. "But I'm not very familiar with these people... Only Lu Xun is an old acquaintance, and I only got to know Su Zhiwei during the expedition."

He looked up at Chen Ling. "Do you have the next person in mind?"

"Yes."

"Who?"

"Su Zhiwei."

Chen Ling spoke calmly, "During the expedition, I also paid attention to the others. Su Zhiwei was with us the entire time and didn't make any suspicious moves. Compared to the others, her suspiciousness is very low, and she can be trusted... Also, I'm very interested in her 'String Theory'."

"Dr. Su, huh... I have a good impression of her too." Yang Xiao nodded slightly.

"Do you know where she went?"

"I don't know, but I can ask around. She mentioned her workplace when we were talking."

"Alright, I'll leave that to you then."

Yang Xiao pulled out his phone, scrolled through his contacts for a bit, found a name, and dialed the number.

About five or six minutes later, he wrote down an address on the back of the note and handed it to Chen Ling.

"I asked. She didn't go back to her workplace; she went straight back to her hometown... She's probably feeling mentally exhausted after this experience and wants to rest." Yang Xiao pointed at the address. "I found out her home address from a friend. We can go directly there."

"Gusu?" Chen Ling glanced at the address and nodded. "Alright, let's go to the airport now."

"Let me check the nearest flights... There's one in exactly two hours. Give me your ID number, and I'll buy a ticket for you too."

"Buy a ticket?" Chen Ling chuckled, then floored the accelerator, sending the car speeding off into the distance!

"When I fly, I never buy tickets."

At the airport.

Chen Ling, dressed in a brown overcoat, closed his flip phone and walked up to one of the boarding pass printing machines. Two tickets automatically came out.

Chen Ling put one ticket in his pocket and handed the other to Yang Xiao.

Yang Xiao's mouth unconsciously dropped open as he saw "First Class," "Yang Xiao," and "VIP Channel" printed on the ticket...

"How did you do that?" he asked in disbelief.

Chen Ling smiled and patted his shoulder.

"Watch carefully, learn well. You'll be able to do it too someday."

Audience Expectation Level: 2

Watching Chen Ling's retreating back, Yang Xiao stood stunned for a long time before coming back to his senses. He quickly followed, "But isn't this wrong? Flying without paying should be considered fare evasion. I think it's better to pay for them."

"How do you know I didn't pay?" Chen Ling raised an eyebrow. "If I didn't pay, how would it print the tickets for me?"

"You..."

"It's just that I didn't use my own money," Chen Ling said calmly. "In this world, some people's money is ill-gotten. I merely froze their accounts and conveniently took a small processing fee from them."

Yang Xiao was speechless.

Compared to fare evasion, Yang Xiao found this method of "punishing evil and promoting good" significantly more acceptable. He didn't press the issue of paying for tickets and simply walked towards security.

The two successfully passed through security and boarded the plane. Chen Ling had booked first class, where the seats were not only spacious but also mostly empty, as there weren't many passengers on this flight. Consequently, they were almost the only ones sitting together, with the other seats vacant.

"So this is first class..."

It seemed to be Yang Xiao's first time in first class, as he was still adjusting the seat's recline. Chen Ling, meanwhile, closed his eyes and began to rest.

Minutes passed, and most passengers had boarded. Just as Chen Ling thought they had the first class cabin to themselves, a burly figure, dragging heavy luggage, boarded the plane.

"Hello, sir, your seat is here..." After checking his ticket, the flight attendant enthusiastically led him to another seat in first class.

"Let me help you with your luggage..."

"No need," Nie Yu's cold voice replied. With a slight effort, the person lifted a black metal suitcase into the overhead compartment, which landed with a clang. Though the suitcase didn't look large, it was clearly heavy.

Hearing the sound, Chen Ling instinctively opened his eyes and turned his head towards the person.

As if sensing Chen Ling's gaze, the person also looked back, their eyes meeting for a moment.

But the next moment, Nie Yu's gaze shifted away, and he sat down in his own seat, separated from Chen Ling only by an aisle.

"This guy..." Chen Ling's eyes narrowed slightly.