“Stop, stop, stop! Stop hurting each other, okay? What are we even doing here? Let’s call it a day!” Ma Jingjing shouted hoarsely.

Qing Chen: “Okay, okay, okay.”

Shadow: “Okay, okay, okay.”

Everyone agreed, their voices raspy from exertion. After six hours, they were pretty much done. They should stop before their amicable relationship completely shattered.

Qing Ye asked, “It’s 11 pm. Do we continue to Dragon Fish Lake and set up camp there, or do we camp here and continue tomorrow?”

Ma Jingjing turned his head emotionlessly, the boundary of the Forbidden Zone was only a few dozen meters away.

He slowly walked to the edge of the Forbidden Zone and calmly said, “I suggest we exit the Forbidden Zone to set up camp and depart at dawn.”

To be honest, this was the first time he had seen this way of exploring the Forbidden Zone. They had been inside for six hours and only walked a few dozen meters.

They hadn't even seen a Dragon Fish, but everyone had certainly experienced their share of hardship.

What was the point of continuing? Wouldn't it be better to sleep outside the Forbidden Zone and leave tomorrow? Besides, it would also give everyone time to think about their secrets before revealing them, making sure there were no loopholes.

The Forbidden Zone must have never seen such a group of people.

The unluckiest person was Xiao Mengqian, who had carried her backpack all night for nothing.

Qing Chen and Shadow also felt embarrassed. “Ah, let’s just camp outside tonight, hahaha, to recharge!”

The group exited Forbidden Zone 10 and built a bonfire. They sat around it, waiting for someone to break the awkward silence.

Unknown to them, a team planning to assassinate Qing Chen had already explored the Forbidden Zone and left.

Not only that, they had also mysteriously suffered casualties.

The team leader was already thinking about how to explain the casualties to his superiors and write the battle report.

By the bonfire, Ma Jingjing said, “I paid for a guide, you know. Can you show some respect?”

Zard: “Yeah, yeah, yeah.”

Ma Jingjing roared, “We’re already out, dammit!”

Yi Bo calmly said, “Let’s make an agreement. No more personal attacks, okay? We all want to make a fortune in Forbidden Zone 10. Let’s not waste time!”

“I agree!” Shadow raised his hand.

“I agree too!” Qing Chen raised his hand.

Seeing this, Zard and the others had nothing to say. The bosses had spoken.

Qing Chen looked at Qing Ye, “You brought a satellite phone, right? Lend me it to make a few calls.”

Qing Ye immediately handed the phone to Qing Chen, even wanting Qing Chen to sign it.

He resisted the urge.

The next morning, after everyone woke up, they set off again.

This time, no one spoke. They silently avoided conflict, the atmosphere harmonious.

On the way, Shadow pointed to a flower bud and said, “This is called an Oil Refining Flower. After the flower withers, it produces fruits, each the size of a fist. Oil made from them is harmless and smells better than peanut oil. It’s just that it doesn’t enhance Metahumans, so it’s almost forgotten. In fact, if humans could one day live in the Forbidden Zone, food wouldn’t be a problem.”

Then, Shadow pointed to a branch on a tree. “This branch looks like part of the tree, but it’s a parasitic plant called Entwining Snake Vine. Its roots must attach to other trees or animals. That’s why you sometimes see animals with a plant growing on them in Forbidden Zone 10. If you try to remove it, you’ll rip hundreds of your own blood vessels.”

Shadow continued, “Of course, the Entwining Snake Vine doesn’t kill. It absorbs blood very slowly. It even secretes a liquid that has anesthetic, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory effects, helping its host heal wounds. It’s a kind of symbiotic relationship.”

Just then, a wild boar with a small sapling growing on its back ran past. It looked both terrifying and cute, a stark contrast.

The wild boar stopped, looked at them, and ran away.

Zard exclaimed, “Who could refuse such a cool limited-edition skin?”

Qing Chen: “??? ”

Zhang Mengqian: “??? ”

Ma Jingjing: “??? ”

Zard tried to pick a branch and stick it on himself, but Shadow stopped him with a look.

At that moment, Ma Jingjing suddenly wanted his guide fee back.

As they continued, Shadow led the way, introducing many useful things along the way.

But Qing Chen knew that this was for his benefit. Shadow knew that Qing Chen would return to Forbidden Zone 10, so he was helping him get acquainted with the area.

Also, Shadow seemed very familiar with the place. Qing Chen was puzzled. If Shadow didn’t know the fourth rule, why was he so familiar with it?

Jingshan Tea was also harvested here.

Shadow seemed to notice his confusion and whispered, “Shadow Gate is a good thing. As long as you’ve been here, you can explore slowly and avoid the time limit.”

Qing Chen understood. The fourth rule took effect 12 hours after entering.

Shadow only needed to know this condition to leave using Shadow Gate at 11:59 pm and return.

So, Forbidden Zone 10 was a forbidden place for others, but not for Shadow.

Shadow smiled, “Don’t worry, although I’ve been here many times, I haven’t touched your Dragon Fish. In fact, the Knight Order hasn’t been here for more than ten years. Many Dragon Fish have accumulated. I guess Li Shutong wanted to save them for the next generation of Knight Order leaders. Now they're yours.”

After a few hours, Shadow expertly arrived at Dragon Fish Lake.

This lake was peculiar. Dozens of unknown towering trees grew in the huge lake, their roots intertwined in the water, forming fish nests.

The trees’ branches and leaves filled the sky above the lake, with only Ling’s sunlight shining down, reflecting on the green lake surface like countless stars in the universe.

The thousands or tens of thousands of slanted rays of light turned the place into a dream.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Shadow exclaimed.

Zard: “Yeah, yeah, yeah.”

Shadow glared at him. Somehow, the beauty was ruined.

Qing Ye cautiously surveyed the surroundings and exchanged a glance with Qing Qu.

They found traces of someone having been there recently, quite a few.

Qing Ye asked Qing Qu to guard the lake while he took Zard to follow the footprints.

Ma Jingjing and the others excitedly threw down their backpacks and took out their fishing rods, lines, and bait.

Dragon Fish was the most famous thing about Forbidden Zone 10, so they were prepared.

They couldn’t go into the water to catch fish. It was uncertain if they could survive if they did. They could only fish.

Ma Jingjing said, “Dragon Fish are hard to catch, but if we catch one, we’ll get our money’s worth. Two will make us a profit.”

Qing Chen had already caught one using Marionette in the lake.

The Marionette seemed to have eyes, accurately striking each time!

Ma Jingjing: “ ”

Yi Bo: “ ”

They didn’t even see Qing Chen use a hook or bait. They could barely see the almost invisible Marionette lines, and then Qing Chen caught one.

Ma Jingjing quickly sat down and waited for the Dragon Fish to bite.

Qing Chen ignored them, walked to Shadow with the Dragon Fish, and said, “Can you deliver this to Li Ke?”

Shadow: “Okay, okay, okay.”

Shadow never expected his younger brother to use him as a courier!

He raised his eyebrows. “I don’t know where Li Ke is. How am I supposed to deliver it?”

Qing Chen: “Yeah, yeah, yeah. I called him last night. He’s in the lobby of the Cloud Top Hotel in City 19 waiting for you. You’ve been to City 19, right? You can use Shadow Gate to go there directly.”

Shadow was stunned. It was all planned out for him.

Qing Chen said, “Go quickly and return quickly, okay?”

Shadow slapped Qing Chen on the back of his head. “Okay, okay, okay.”

Qing Chen was stunned. How could he say “okay, okay, okay” and hit someone at the same time? No rules were triggered.

He was silent for two seconds. “You’re not wearing pants.”

Shadow pressed Qing Chen to the ground and beat him up. “Yeah, yeah, yeah!”

“Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!” Qing Chen was stunned. He couldn’t fight back here!

He couldn’t beat him!

Qing Qu looked at the sky as if nothing happened.

He couldn’t control his brother beating his brother.

The current boss beating the future boss, what could he do?

To be honest, this was the first time Qing Chen had been beaten like this.

Once upon a time, when Shadow said he was his older brother, he didn't quite believe it.

But at this moment, the relationship between brother and brother was exceptionally real and intimate.

Like all brothers, the younger brother was the one who should be beaten.

“Brother, stop! Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!” Qing Chen shouted.

Shadow paused and brushed off the dust on his clothes.

He was silent for a long time.

Since he was his younger brother's apprentice, delivering a Dragon Fish was fine.

He didn't delay any longer, put on a black mask in the forest, and opened the Shadow Gate while Ma Jingjing and the others weren't paying attention.

In City 19, a hidden apartment, a Shadow Gate opened.

The people in the room immediately stood up respectfully, “Boss, what are your orders?”

Shadow was silent for a few seconds. “Don’t be nervous. I’m just delivering a fish.”

He carried the Dragon Fish, opened the apartment door, and left.

Leaving a Secret Spy Agency agent standing in the apartment, bewildered.

Delivering a fish? When did Shadow Boss have so much free time that he had to deliver a fish personally?

Tens of minutes later, in the lobby of the Cloud Top Hotel on the 76th floor, Li Yunjing, who was closing his eyes, suddenly opened them, staring intently at the man in black.

He subtly shielded Li Ke behind him, “If there’s danger later, don’t worry about me, just leave.”

Li Yunjing knew who the man in black clothes, hat, and mask was, but he didn’t know why he was here.

Shadow seemed to bring bloodshed wherever he appeared in the Federation.

Even for a master like Li Yunjing, it was hard to predict his fate when facing Shadow.

But he was still willing to stand in front of Li Ke, protecting him.

Li Yunjing looked at Shadow and said, “He has no enmity with you, and he won’t block the Qing Family’s path.”

But the next moment, Shadow smiled helplessly, lifting the Dragon Fish, “I’m here to deliver a fish, Li Ke. This is the last Dragon Fish your master owes you.”

Li Ke was stunned. “What did you do to my master?”

Shadow smiled. “Just beat him up. Don’t worry, I should beat him.”

Shadow left in a good mood.