Uncle Li Dong looked at the earnest expression of his student and smiled, "Don't worry, I have been waiting for a long time. When the day comes, we will give this young lady a surprise."
Qing Chen thought to himself that it might not be a surprise but a shock instead.
"By the way, Master, when I become a boxer on the stage, my appearance will surely be remembered by many, is that really alright?" Qing Chen asked.
"You and 'Qing's Family Qing Chen' are no longer the same person," Uncle Li Dong said, "Altering the traces of your future is rather troublesome, but changing the past trajectory of Qing's Family Qing Chen is not difficult for One."
As he spoke, Uncle Li Dong took out his phone and flipped to a photo, the person in it bearing at most a faint resemblance to Qing Chen.
"If someone checks the records of Qing's Family Qing Chen, they will find that this person's appearance has no relation to you," Uncle Li Dong said, "You are now the son of a modestly wealthy family, and although your surname is Qing, you have no connection to Qing's Family."
"But many people have seen me," Qing Chen said.
"I have already confirmed that the number of people who have seen your face, know your true identity, and still remember you, are only a few. Others might have seen you in earlier years, but their memories are probably blurred by now. They won't think much upon seeing this photo, only that you've become unattractive," Uncle Li Dong said, "As for those who still remember you, there's no need to worry about Jindai Kongyin since she's far away, nor about Li Yinuo. Only Xiao Yiyi in Qin Cheng might guess my identity. The rest are Qing Yan and the prisoners in Prison 18."
"Hmm," Qing Chen pondered for a moment, it should be right.
"Qing Yan died yesterday," Uncle Li Dong said expressionlessly, "And there's no need to worry about the prisoners in Prison 18, they will soon be unable to speak."
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Qing Chen was startled, understanding the implication that those prisoners were...
He knew about silencing by murder, but he had never imagined his master would take the lives of so many people to ensure silence.
Qing Chen suddenly turned to look at Uncle Li Dong, "Master, you're actually fulfilling the containment conditions of ACE-002 now, aren't you?"
Uncle Li Dong smiled without a word.
"If I am no longer connected to 'Qing's Family Qing Chen' as you said, then how can I participate in the Shadow's Strife, let alone claim further missions?" Qing Chen asked, puzzled.
"It's alright, there's no need to claim missions," Uncle Li Dong said, "The Shadow's Strife has always had two paths to choose from, it's just that one path is so cruel that many have forgotten it."
"Kill all the other candidates, until only you are left."
This was the most brutal path, also the simplest and most direct.
It was at this point that Uncle Li Dong truly resembled the Knight Leader who had long held a position of power.
This was the Uncle Li Dong that Qing Chen had seen when he first passed through to Prison 18.
"But if I don't look like 'Qing's Family Qing Chen', then even if I killed all the other candidates, I still wouldn't gain the recognition of Qing's Family, right? After all, I'm not one of Qing's Family anymore, so how can I become the Shadow?" Qing Chen was even more confused.
"Don't worry, there's still one more person who knows your true appearance, but I can't tell you who it is," Uncle Li Dong said with a smile, "Remember, the person who is forgotten by everyone else is the true Shadow."
Thanks to Doclamur, Xiangba Qilin, Chen YangYang, and Yaoyao for becoming new allies of this book. Generous bosses, may you all make a fortune!