The Steam Train burst from the dark void, its whistle loud and expansive, billowing thick black smoke from its smokestack.

The black smoke stretched across the sky like a black ribbon.

Passing through forests, it startled flocks of birds into flight.

Without tracks, without a driver, it traveled abruptly across the wilderness. Thus, this Forbidden Artifact, originally intended for touring the wild scenery, became a sight to behold.

"Hold on tight to my neck!" Qing Chen shouted, hanging onto the Steam Train while Xiao Mengqian clung to his neck. The wind nearly blew their faces out of shape, the cold wind blowing straight into the little boy's mouth...

Zhang Mengqian never imagined that the trip his boss spoke of would be like this...

Wasn't this a form of suffering?

At this time, Qing Chen freed one hand to turn the doorknob. With a click, the door opened.

At one point, a hint of anger was mixed in with the Steam Train's whistle.

He quickly jumped into the carriage with Xiao Mengqian, then hurried to the back of the Steam Train to open the door, letting Yang Yang and Qing Zhun in.

And shouted: "Qing Zhun, don't lose your backpack!"

Qing Zhun: "..."

Qing Zhun had a backpack in his mouth and another in his right hand; he could only use one hand to hold onto the handrail outside the car.

Yet, with a slight exertion of his arm, he jumped into the carriage.

As soon as he came in, he lamented and questioned: "You're a rich man now, aren't you? The Secret Spy Agency pays you hundreds of thousands of dollars a month. I heard you're about to be added to the Qing Family trust fund's dividend list. Why are you saving this little money? A gold coin is worth over ten thousand yuan!"

Yang Yang quickly helped him take the backpacks...

Qing Chen chuckled: "Freeloading is a kind of happiness! Don't always question your boss!"

Qing Zhun: "...Okay."

The Steam Train probably never imagined that someone would freeload on it in its lifetime.

But Qing Zhun was quick-witted. He quickly realized that the Steam Train wasn't avoiding Qing Chen because Qing Chen could evade fare.

Rather, once Qing Chen had the ability to open the door at any time, the entire carriage full of gold coins would be in danger.

This was the real reason why the Steam Train was avoiding Qing Chen.

Qing Chen looked at Qing Zhun with a smile and asked: "You're very fast. Before, at Intelligence Bureau One, didn't you say you were only D-Class? D-Class doesn't have this speed."

Qing Zhun replied: "I was secretly assigned by the Shadow Master to protect you, so I couldn't reveal my true strength."

"I see, the Shadow Master is a good person!" Qing Chen exclaimed.

"The Shadow Master is certainly a good person." Qing Zhun curiously went to inspect the carriage, and the last carriage was full of gold coins.

Yang Yang whispered: "I've seen this Qing Zhun's Force field... Should you be a little more polite to him?"

"Shh!" Qing Chen hurriedly said: "Of course I know who he is, but you can't let him know "I know', otherwise, how can I get him to work! He likes to play around in the world, so let him have his fun!"

Yang Yang looked at Qing Chen: "You're so bold, but I can't be like you and pretend I don't know. He's an elder..."

At this time, Qing Zhun walked back. Qing Chen stuffed both backpacks onto the overhead luggage rack, found a seat, and looked out the window.

Only at this moment did he feel completely detached from the previous struggle and begin to enjoy a true Inner World life.

Qing Zhun asked: "Where's the destination?"

"There is no destination," Qing Chen smiled: "Get off when you see a place you want to go, get back on when you've had enough fun. No plans, no itinerary."

He smiled at Qing Zhun: "Don't you think this kind of travel is interesting? No anxiety, just go with the flow. No need to think about how to deal with power and struggle, no need for social interactions. Learn to make friends with the world, the world never rejects anyone."

Qing Zhun seemed very interested. He stood by the window, watching the scenery and snow-capped mountains receding into the distance.

He watched herds of horses running across the snowfield; a brown stallion led the herd across the plain.

He saw a few wolves, solitary, in the distance, curiously looking at the Steam Train, cautious and calm.

He didn't know since when, he had been so far away from this kind of life.

Those who like to play around in the world are also unknowingly trapped in power.

Qing Zhun, disregarding his image, opened the window and shouted loudly, startling away the observing wolves.

Qing Chen watched silently. Perhaps this was why the other party insisted on coming out with him.

He said to everyone: "Next, the Steam Train will pass through the southern Yunshan Hills, Yunmeng Marsh, and the Impact Plains, passing through 7 Forbidden Zones, then heading west, passing through Sichuan Forest, along the water's edge from west to east, all the way through the Hengchuan Mountain Range, reaching the Southwest Daxueshan Mountain and the plateau... finally turning back before Forbidden Zone 001."

Xiao Mengqian, sitting opposite Qing Chen, had bright, expectant eyes.

At this time, Qing Zhun also smiled: "It sounds interesting. A life free from desires is what everyone pursues, but not everyone can achieve it."

Letting go of money and fame—this is something many people love to say but can never do.

Qing Chen suddenly asked: "Qing Zhun, have you heard of Whale Island? The Hu Family Intelligence Agency only has one sentence about it, nothing else is recorded."

"Forbidden Artifact ACE-013 Whale Island?" Qing Zhun pondered: "Within the Qing Family, only a short story about Whale Island is recorded."

"There's no containment information within the Qing Family? What's the story recorded within the Qing Family?" Qing Chen was stunned.

"A crew member said it suddenly appeared on their navigation route one day. At that time, the Forbidden Sea wasn't the Forbidden Sea yet, and there was still trade at sea," Qing Zhun said: "The crew who first discovered Whale Island had been sailing that route for decades. One day, they were sailing at sea. Although there was nothing ahead of the ship, the view was extremely vast, a vast mountain range suddenly appeared on the sea, blocking the ship's path, and the ship was damaged upon unexpected impact. Of the 127 people on board, they all escaped to Whale Island."

Qing Chen pondered: "A crew that had sailed the same route for decades had never seen the island..."

Qing Zhun continued: "Later, the crew lived on Whale Island for a while. They said that the abundance and fertility there was miraculous. A grape seed dropped on the ground would sprout a vine the next day, and grapes would grow seven days later. Crabs would crawl onto the edge of the island in groups, gnawing on the moss on the reefs, it would be difficult for the crew to starve. There were springs on the island, and the water gushing out was extremely sweet."

Qing Zhun: "At that time, the Federation had satellites, but the rescue team couldn't find the ship. The crew's communication equipment fell into the water and could not call for help. Later, the crew was tired of the rich but entertainment-free life on the island, so they cut down trees to make rafts and drifted back to sea. Following the monsoon and ocean currents, they drifted back to the mainland and landed in the location of today's City 7."

Qing Zhun: "A crew member said that the island was so large that they walked for ten days and nights without reaching the end. Interestingly, soon after they discovered the island, the Federation encountered the remains of a giant whale on the seabed... which is the origin of the Forbidden Sea. Therefore, some within the Federation suspect that the island may be a Forbidden Artifact secreted by the giant whale."

"Wait, can non-human creatures also secrete Forbidden Artifacts?" Qing Chen asked.

"Of course," Qing Zhun smiled: "For example, Forbidden Artifact ACE-021 "Ox-patterned Horn' was secreted by a divine ox near the Fire Pit. It's now in the hands of the Fire Pit's Grand Elder, said to be able to stimulate group adrenaline. The containment conditions are quite strange—he has to drink two ounces of alcohol every day, any kind of alcohol."

Qing Chen was stunned. He had been wondering who could secrete such a huge Forbidden Artifact, could it be a god?

But now he found out that extraordinary creatures besides humans could also secrete Forbidden Artifacts!

And the Federation's judgment of Whale Island might be true, otherwise, who else could secrete such a miraculous Forbidden Artifact?

"The Federation didn't search for Forbidden Artifact ACE-013 Whale Island later?" Qing Chen asked.

He was curious. Zheng Yuandong's Observer organization, clearly having no presence in the Federation, possessed Forbidden Artifact ACE-004 True Sight Eye and Forbidden Artifact ACE-013 Whale Island.

How many members did the Observer have, and what other powers did they possess?

Were there witches within the Observer, or did Zheng Yuandong, besides his unparalleled swordsmanship, possess even more powerful means?

"They did, a fleet was dispatched at that time," Qing Zhun smiled: "But no one found it. Whale Island seemed to have disappeared out of thin air. Some people suspect that it moves constantly. Later, people wanted to find it, but the Forbidden Sea appeared, and the sea routes were cut off. By the way, Boss, why did you suddenly ask about it?"

"It's nothing," Qing Chen shook his head: "Don't ask what you shouldn't ask."

Qing Zhun: "..."

Yang Yang suddenly looked up to Qing Chen with respect. This guy was really testing the edge of death!

A demeanor of treating life and death lightly.