"You guessed right," Qi Tianlong chuckled and then said.

Luo Chen touched his chin, and sure enough, he had guessed correctly. Considering everything that had happened before, Qi Tianlong was really too strange.

Moreover, this guy doesn't seem like a shocking mercenary at all, at least not in Luo Chen's eyes.

"So you know your own identity?" Luo Chen asked again. Judging from Qi Tianlong's behavior, this guy clearly knew very well that he was a participant.

Luo Chen had never understood what "participant" meant before, but now, upon closer reflection, he suddenly realized that apart from the dreamers, these participants were just like him.

Since Qi Tianlong knew about his own affairs, it undoubtedly meant that he knew his own identity.

Qi Tianlong did not refute Luo Chen's words; tacit agreement was the best response.

"That's strange. You actually know your own identity? So your claim of being a mercenary for Yongle is also fake?" Luo Chen asked back. Only by knowing these things could he better investigate what was really going on.

Qi Tianlong nodded lightly: "That's right, I knew from the beginning. My mission was to protect Mu Shanhai and ensure his safe arrival in the Northern Frontier. As for Yongle, his identity is real. I don't know why it's like this, but after I woke up, I found that my identity had changed."

"So you received a notification before you came?" Luo Chen was quite shocked. Could this even be possible?

This system is a joke! It expects me to protect these guys while I'm completely kept in the dark.

[System, you're not going to say anything, are you? You're such a jerk, how dare you bully me like this?]

At this moment, Luo Chen had mentally launched countless attacks on the system. This guy was completely washing his hands of it. However, it wasn't necessarily a bad thing, since he would be going back after completing the mission anyway.

"So what is your identity? Aren't you going to tell me?" Qi Tianlong braced himself on the ground with both hands to make himself more comfortable.

Luo Chen shook his head, saying he wouldn't tell her any of that. As for his identity, he told her to guess for herself.

How did you find me?

Luo Chen smiled dismissively and said slowly, "That's simple. You said you were a Yongle mercenary, but given Mu Shanhai's importance, Yongle wouldn't have sent just someone like you... well... not very capable."

Luo Chen gave Qi Tianlong a little face and didn't call him a good-for-nothing.

“Since Mu Shan Hai is so important, Yongle should at least have made better preparations instead of letting him go alone. However, if you say it's because you're worried about having too many people and being exposed, that's understandable. But even if there are fewer people, it's impossible for it to be just you alone.” Luo Chen also leaned against the wall behind him, constantly playing with the gun in his hand.

"That's true. My performance certainly didn't qualify me to protect them. If it weren't for your appearance, they would probably have been harmed by me." Qi Tianlong smiled bitterly, acknowledging that what Luo Chen said was true, and that his performance was indeed not that of a member of a powerful mercenary group.

"I ran away without Yongle knowing. When I saw you, I was worried that I couldn't handle it on my own. I thought you could do it, so I called you along. I'm sorry, I've hurt them."

Qi Tianlong glanced at Lao Tie's corpse in the distance. If it weren't for his own fault, Lao Tie and the others wouldn't have died.

"It's not your fault, and now is not the time to assign blame. Everything will be fine after we complete the mission." Luo Chen didn't want to dwell on these things; thinking about them now was completely pointless. Completing the mission was the most important thing.

"Rest for a day, we'll set off tomorrow. Don't mention this matter again, just keep it to yourself and me." Luo Chen placed the gun on his person and turned to leave.

[Mission initiated; please protect the dreamers and participants.]

Suddenly, Luo Chen stopped in his tracks, the system's damn voice echoing in his mind.

[Holy crap, you're playing this game with me now? Are you a sore loser?]

Luo Chen was speechless. Telling him about starting a mission at this time was like rubbing salt into his wounds.

System, are you not even human?

[System: I am not human.]

Um... Luo Chen didn't know how to refute it. Sure enough, only magic can defeat magic. What an inhuman answer.

System, you're ruthless.

[Old dog, how's it going? Have you finished upgrading? Or have you already completed your advancement?]

[It's finished.]

Luo Chen kicked away the stone beneath his feet. This damn system has now been upgraded, so why is it talking like this?

Others evolve by going bald, but you evolve by becoming aloof, right?

I have no hair, I'm not aloof, I've never changed, I've always been this way.

puff.

Luo Chen almost spat out his saliva. Sure enough, leveling up has changed things. Now he can even guess my intentions.

However, Luo Chen didn't care. The system upgrade was a good thing, and he would benefit from it in the future.

Other protagonists grow stronger step by step by following the system, but Luo Chen is a very principled person. He decides to follow the system, because the system's strength is his own strength.

[Quickly, System, do you have any miraculous pills, or those elixirs from fantasy novels, or anything that will greatly increase your strength after consumption?]

Luo Chen couldn't wait any longer. If he didn't fawn over the system now, when would he?

Since we're going to lick boots anyway, isn't it better to lick the system's boots?

【No! 】

Those two words, "ruthlessly," shattered Luo Chen's young heart. This guy was simply not letting him live.

Dogecoin system, why are you acting so aloof? Trying to impress me, huh?

Luo Chen refused to believe it. He thought that leveling up should have brought him many benefits, so why wasn't he getting any?

The system must be trying to monopolize it.

[Damn system, I advise you to treat me well, or I'll just give up. If you don't give me what I need, I won't complete the tasks either.]

Luo Chen started acting like a rogue. Since he still had plenty of time, he figured he might as well bicker with the system during his break. Maybe threatening the system like this would have a better effect.

【No. 】

The system remained aloof, showing no respect to Luo Chen whatsoever.

Just as Luo Chen attempted to use violence again, the system spoke once more.

[A better reward will be given upon completion of the task.]

Upon hearing this, Luo Chen's eyes lit up. Only by becoming stronger could he better become the main villain. Although this damn system was a bit aloof, it wasn't entirely devoid of human feelings.

[You really are my good darling. Think about it, once I become stronger, you'll be able to level up more easily, and then we can help each other better, understand?]

Luo Chen tried to persuade the system with kind words and began to use persuasion techniques, believing that the system would respond better with his silver tongue.

You are manipulating me.

[No, System, why are you talking like that? I didn't! I was just concerned about you.]

[System, old dog, dogcoin, where did they go, damn it.]

Luo Chen was somewhat frantic; he believed it now—the Dogecoin system had evolved.

What's even more frightening is that she's also aloof.

"Xiao, what are you doing?" Mu Shiyu came to Luo Chen's side and asked in confusion.

This guy was just talking to himself here, scratching his head and looking like he was sick.

"No, nothing?" Luo Chen shook his head, his mind racing with frustration at the system. How embarrassing! Mu Shiyu had actually seen him like this.

"Dinner's ready, come on." Mu Shiyu looked at Luo Chen with a puzzled expression, then said.

Just as the group was eating, several jeeps slowly drove from the direction of the town and then stopped on the flat ground.

Luo Chen glanced at the eight people opposite him, each well-equipped, and the leader was a bald foreigner.

He then took the gun from his waist and placed it there.

"Xiao." Jiang Xian'er seemed to have developed PTSD. As soon as she saw this group of people, she unconsciously moved closer to Luo Chen, shrinking her body and nervously watching Luo Chen.

Luo Chen shook his head: "Don't be afraid, go back to the tent after you finish eating."

"You all stay in the tents too, don't go out, and check your equipment," Luo Chen said, glancing at the others.

Regardless of whether the other party is hostile or not, Luo Chen will not give them any chance, at least not now that he is not alone.

With number five and the others, there are eight people in total, which is enough to deal with the other side.

"Hey, hello everyone." The bald, burly man at the head of the group walked towards Luo Chen and the others.

Luo Chen put down the bowl, pulled out a pistol, and aimed it at the bald man.

In an instant, Luo Chen's action caused both sides to point their guns at each other.

"Hehehe, friend, I don't mean any harm. I just want to ask what happened here? Or do you not know what's going on either?" The bald man raised his hands, smiled, and stepped back, shaking his head at Luo Chen.

Luo Chen glanced at the other party and said, "We just arrived and don't know what's going on here. We're on a mission, sorry." After speaking, Luo Chen lowered his gun first, but did not signal Number Five and the others to fire.

It's very simple. Luo Chen put down his gun to show that he had no ill intentions and that both sides could get out of trouble peacefully. The reason he didn't ask Number Five and the others to put down their guns was because he was worried that the other side would suddenly launch an attack. This was a consensus among mercenaries. Now it was the other side's turn to express their opinion.

“OK, I understand, my friend. I understand perfectly. We’re just passing through and need to rest for the night, is that alright?” The bald man waved his hand behind him to signal Luo Chen to put down his gun and explained his intentions.

"Of course, this place is shared, as long as you're willing. However, I want to tell you that we have a mission, you should understand?" Luo Chen emphasized again, he didn't want to continue the conflict.

Once a conflict breaks out, the aftermath will be very troublesome. Moreover, Mu Shiyu and the others are right beside him. No matter how powerful he is, he cannot protect everyone in an instant.

After all, I didn't enter a cultivation novel.

“Of course, friend, that’s the consensus.” The bald man nodded and walked away. As mercenaries, everyone knew the rules. A mercenary group on a mission could shoot at others without hesitation.