Naming Technique of the Night

There was an electronic screen at the door, on which one could select the smart mode.

Uncle Li Dong said, "One, switch to sleep mode."

As soon as the words were spoken, the room darkened, and only a few dim yellow light strips on the floor lit up, casting a particularly soft glow.

Uncle Li Dong said, "One, switch to white noise sleep mode."

The next moment, the entire glass wall transformed, and Qing Chen saw raindrops hitting the glass, accompanied by a low yet clear sound of rain indoors.

With the room's constant temperature, Qing Chen felt as if he were in an autumn rain, perfectly tucked under a summer quilt for a deep sleep.

"Switch to another white noise mode," Uncle Li Dong said.

The glass wall was no longer transparent but resembled a huge holographic screen, changing from rainy scene to a fireplace.

A vintage fireplace burning wood crackled softly indoors.

Uncle Li Dong smiled at Qing Chen, "Qing's Family used neuronal connection technology to increase humans' waking hours, but ironically, people in this era need even more sleep. Falling asleep has become a luxury for many."

"Master, this stuff isn't cheap, right?" Qing Chen asked. "On the way here, I saw the buildings in District 6 were quite old, and the environment not so clean. The decor in this house seems out of place with the exterior."

"Hmm," Uncle Li Dong nodded, "Even though I am to buy you a house, I cannot buy you one that is too good and attracts attention. The location in District 6 is just right, not belonging to the lower three districts, yet accessible to the Upper Three Districts anytime.

It's quite shameful, really, the first apartment I get for you is so mediocre, so I had Li Dongze find someone to fix it up a bit, to make it look less run-down."

Qing Chen fell silent.

His father in the Outer World had just sold their house, and now, his master in the Inner World had given him one.

Uncle Li Dong said, "Don't worry about being traced back to your connections with the Heng Society and the Knights. Li Dongze knows what he's doing. The expenses for buying and renovating the house can't be traced back to the Heng Society or the Knights."

"Master," Qing Chen asked, "why did you suddenly buy me a house?"

"Ah, you're asking this," Uncle Li Dong thought and answered, "The Heng Society actually controls a group of Time Travelers, even though we haven't yet figured out what to use them for, but we certainly can't let them run wild.

I had Li Dongze inquire with those Time Travelers about what a father should do for his son when he comes of age in the Outer World; 89 Time Travelers said a father should prepare a house for his son to help him find a wife... Most young people in the Inner World rent their houses, although I don't know why having a house helps you find a wife, but it's good to have it ready for you."
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Qing Chen stared blankly at the middle-aged man before him.

He had thought his master secretly brought him back to City 18 to do something earth-shattering, but it turned out the man just wanted to show him the newly bought house.

A figure like Uncle Li Dong should be making monumental changes with each gesture.

How could he waste time on such trivial family matters?

Qing Chen recalled the night before he had entered the 002 Taboo Land; his master had said by the campfire, "What others have, my student must also have."

The man knew he had broken off with his father and had voluntarily taken on the role of his father.

Once a teacher, for a lifetime a father.

Yet others who controlled the Time Travelers were devising extermination plans, and his master, after controlling the Time Travelers, had simply asked such a trivial question.

Those Time Travelers would probably be quite shocked.

Qing Chen looked at Uncle Li Dong, who seemed somewhat guilty for not providing a better house.

Uncle Li Dong said, "Stay in this house for now, you need to keep a low profile for a long time, so this place is suitable. However, I have also prepared a safe house for you in Suite 2013, Qingyang Building in District 1; if you ever face danger, you can seek refuge there. The room's code is 010101, your penal code..."

After speaking, Uncle Li Dong put an identity ID card on the shoe cabinet, "Your new identity ID card; don't carry this on you for now, just keep it in this house, both properties are under this ID card's name."

"Thank you, Master," Qing Chen felt a sourness in his nose, not knowing quite what to say.

Uncle Li Dong laughed, "Come on, you're about to come of age, no need to be sentimental."

"Yeah, no sentimentality."

...

...

The master and disciple sat by the floor-to-ceiling window, Uncle Li Dong took out a bottle of beer from the refrigerator and looked out the window.

Qing Chen pointed at a red building and asked, "Master, that building has a red cross on it, is it a hospital? Why is the hospital building so tall?"

"That's not a hospital," Uncle Li Dong shook his head, "It's a fertility center."

"A fertility center?" Qing Chen was puzzled, "Is it a maternity hospital specializing in childbirth?"

Uncle Li Dong said expressionlessly, "That place provides bionic artificial uteruses for women. Couples can go there to extract eggs and sperm for artificial insemination, and then the fertility center chooses the healthiest one from over a dozen eggs to place into the bionic artificial uterus, saving women from the pains of pregnancy."

Qing Chen was shocked, "Such technology exists now? Women no longer need to suffer."