Apocalypse Circular
Chapter 466 - 465: Technology Blockade
After feeling all the Sequences return to his body, he looked at the mute Yang again.
"Did you take some things with you?"
"Lu Luo, you are already strong enough. Those things are just baits left behind by them. Now, you have the power to pursue them; no need to be lost anymore." đ§đđđđ¤âŻđđđ°đŁâŻđ.đ¤â´đŽ
"I know," Lu Luo nodded and didnât ask further about the lost Sequence marks.
Several marks on the Gold Twelve Wheels had been removed.
There was no doubt this was the action of the mute, but he didnât really care, as the Grade S Sequences he could actually use had always been just a few.
Developing other Sequencesâfrom finding fragments and merging them to enhancing and expanding themârequired far too much effort. In the pursuit of ultimate strength, dispersing his energy too much wasnât a good thing.
So, it was no big deal that those things were gone. In fact, it was a good opportunity to rid himself of the marks left by Meiqi and the others.
"Since weâre going to leave, letâs talk about our issues before we go out," said Lu Luo, his gaze fixed on Noah. A lot had happened this time he came in.
Originally, his intention was only to deal with Noah here, to imprison or seal him away. But he didnât expect so many unexpected events to occur.
Now that Noah had the mute Yang to protect him, it was definitely impossible to kill him. But even if it was not possible to kill him, Lu Luo would not let him off so easily.
Once they got out, the mech crisis must be dealt with. Because the Imperial was the safest place; the Imperial had plenty of humans, plenty of strong individuals. Although he and Meiqi had not yet reached the point of a complete breakdown in their relationship, it was
inevitable to prepare in advance for such things.
Noah, hearing what Lu Luo said, knew he was talking about himself. At this point, as a man, he could not continue to hide behind a woman.
"What do you want?"
"The matter of the mech crisis should be settled, right? A person like you is a bomb if left out in the open. As long as the mech species can still be controlled by you, you could explode at any moment. If the mech crisis happens, many things will become irreversible. So what should we do about you, the biggest terrorist?"
Noah was noncommittal about Lu Luo calling him a terrorist. He had carried this identity for over four hundred years, and carrying it for a while longer made no difference to him now. However, this time he really didnât intend to stir things up anymore, at least not in the short term. He wanted to go out with the mute Yang, to spend time together, get married, or perhaps have children.
"I promise you, I wonât trigger a mech crisis after we go out. Is that enough?"
"Thatâs it?" Lu Luo let out a somewhat contemptuous laugh.
"What? Isnât my promise enough?"
"Your promise means nothing to me. You could just hide and cause trouble in secret, and Iâd be powerless against you."
Lu Luo was assertive, but Noah also found it difficult to rebut at this point, because what Lu Luo said reflected the truth. If both sides could not trust each other, then this negotiation would never be concluded.
"Then what do you want me to do?"
"My idea is simple: you stay here. Stay in the Disc World."
When Lu Luo made this request, Noah had not yet spoken, but the mute Yang beside him interjected, "No, I donât agree."
"Oh? This wonât do, that wonât do. Since neither of us can persuade the other, we can only be at a standstill here. But you should think carefully: is this standstill meaningful?"
Having regained control of the Doomsday Disc, Lu Luo could almost be said to be invincible in this world. As long as he had enough energy, he could be resurrected indefinitely in the Disc World. Here, he could easily defeat Noah.
As for the mute girl Yang, she just seemed very formidable. Having experienced such a violent explosion and discarded so much power, thereâs no way she could have remained unscathed. Now, she might be even weaker than Noah.
Simply put, Lu Luo felt that the two of them combined wouldnât be a match for him. Since he had the advantage in terms of force, there was no need to back down; he would just fight it out until the end.
"Lu Luo, are you really so confident you can keep me here? I understand this place much more deeply than you do. If you insist on keeping Noah here, then after I leave, you know whatâll happen."
The mute girl Yangâs voice gradually grew colder. Regardless of her identity, her relationship with Noah was genuine. Noah had awakened her and was her ultimate turning point. Without Noah, she wouldnât have become the mute girl Yang.
"Are you threatening me?" Lu Luo clearly understood what she meant. While I certainly have the strength to handle a master like the mute girl Yang, my subordinates and family definitely could not.
"It was you who threatened us first."
"This guy Noah, to snag such a decent wife at this time, really has dogshit luck."
"Bullshit!" Naturally, Noah was very dissatisfied when he heard Lu Luo speak of him in such a manner.
"Since youâre unwilling to stay here, is there a compromise? If so, letâs hear it."
Although Yang had previously threatened Lu Luo, he knew that the initiative was still in his hands. In this negotiation, he needed to gain sufficient profit to bolster his future development.
At this moment, the mute girl Yang took Noahâs hand, signaling him to keep calm. Though Noah disliked the feeling of others controlling the tempo, right now he had no other choice but to nod.
The mute girl Yang looked back at Lu Luo, seemingly contemplating what kind of price she should pay. "I can give you the power of annihilation once, but it can only be used once."
"Twice," Lu Luo started to bargain.
Although he didnât know what the mute girl Yang meant by the power of annihilation, he was certain it must be formidable.
But at this time, the mute girl Yang didnât continue to give ground and sternly retorted, "Donât go too far, Lu Luo. Once, and thatâs it. If you keep pushing your luck, then thereâs no point in talking further."
"Fine, fine, once it is. Consider it your rent for staying here so long. Iâm a generous person. Anyone else would definitely keep the deposit."
"You..."
Lu Luoâs joking demeanor suddenly changed. "You know the secret I need to protect. Keep it confidential for me."
"I know!"
Yang felt a trace of pressure coming from Lu Luo. Having survived in the Doomsday Disc for so long, she had watched Lu Luo grow little by little. It must be said, his speed of growth was just too fast. So fast that even an Angel Envoy could misjudge his rate of development. If nothing unexpected happened, his strength would soon reach the worldâs highest echelons. And he would possess the power to threaten Angel Envoys. By then, relying on the Doomsday Disc, Lu Luo would even have the capital to challenge the strongest in the world.
Their conversation concluded, and while the mute girl Yang still wondered why Lu Luo wouldnât let them go, he actually turned to Noah at this moment.
"Sheâs paid up. What about you? Youâre not planning on being slippery, are you?"
Yang looked on in confusion.
Noah was utterly baffled.
"Why should I... I, I!"
Noah had become somewhat incoherent. In these past few days on the Doomsday Disc, he had lost control of his emotions more times than in the previous 400 years combined.
What the hell was going on? Had his self-control decreased, or was it the presence of the Mute Girl Yang that disturbed his heart? Or maybe Lu Luo was just too annoying? Yes, it must be that Lu Luo was too annoying. That man, he just didnât seem like a normal person.
"Fine, tell me, what do you want?"
"It could be a power like hers, a one-time use type of strength, or it could be intelligence, information, and the like. You can offer what you think is appropriate, but Iâll be the one to decide if itâs good enough."
Lu Luoâs audacity left Noah speechless, but it was their chance to leave. As long as they left this place, he could live a happy life with Yang.
So... "I do actually have a piece of news for you, one that should be very valuable to you."
"Oh? You can tell me."
Lu Luo was indeed very interested in the valuable information Noah mentioned.
"You must know by now that Iâve become human?"
"Your deal with the Church? The effect of the nascent Fruit of Life, right? Besides the Fruit of Life, I really canât think of anything else that would have such an effect."
"Thatâs right, the Fruit of Life. That was my deal with Luo Dan."
"And then?" Lu Luo asked indifferently.
"The Church gave me the nascent Fruit of Life, enough vitality. Have you ever wondered what I traded to the Church in exchange?"
Lu Luo did not speak. He knew Noah was trying to take control of the conversation, and he wouldnât give him that chance.
"Alright, Lu Luo, youâre no fun at all."
"Say it, what did you give them?"
"Lu Luo, youâve always wanted to know what exactly allows me to control the mech species, havenât you?"
Lu Luoâs gaze narrowed slightly. He indeed wanted to know this very much. The creation of a mech crisis could have an effect and function almost equivalent to controlling an almost limitless army.
"You can tell me."
"You really are interested in the mech crisis. I guessed right: humans are greedy. Although you donât seem very human, I know that ultimately you are human. You havenât lost a single one of humanityâs bad qualities."
"Alright, if you keep spouting nonsense here, our deal is over."
"Heh, donât get angry. You want to know, so Iâll tell you. The thing that controls mech species is called the Heart of Mech. This thing is actually a human invention."
"A human invention?"
"Thatâs right, the Heart of Mech itself was created by humans."
Reminiscence flashed in Noahâs eyes. Lu Luo also knew about that period in the history of the Wasteland Alliance. Before Noah, there was an incomplete version of the mech species. But those were all things of the past. Now, Noah had the Mute Girl Yang, and those bygone days no longer mattered to him.
"Have you truly left the past behind, Noah?"
"Itâs not about leaving the past, but letting it go. The idea back then, like a command, made me constantly go against humans. It wasnât until you humans set foot in the Fourth Ring that my individual will finally overpowered that command. I never knew what feelings were back then, let alone something complex like emotions. Its existence was more like my mother. However, it was also because of its remnants that I was trapped in the Wasteland Alliance for so long. Do you understand?"
"Got it. So you mean you traded the Heart of Mech for the Fruit of Life? But if you truly traded it, why can you still control the mechs?"
"Thatâs the powerful thing about the Heart of Mech. Although it is a very powerful item, itâs not unique. In other words, under certain conditions, the Heart of Mech can be replicated. Is this information enough for you, Lu Luo?"
Lu Luo looked at Noah, struggling to calm himself for a long time.
If the Heart of Mech could be replicated, and Noah had made a copy... Then... This guy really was cunning. Maybe Luo Dan thought that Noah, in order to become human, had given up everything? But to get the Heart of Mech, I would have to return to the Wasteland Alliance. Heading back to the Wasteland Alliance means passing through Meiqiâs domain, the Nether River. And that itself is a very dangerous venture. But Iâm still in a sort of false honeymoon period with Meiqi, who probably hasnât noticed the changes occurring within me.
"Indeed, itâs valuable information, Noah. Youâve hidden it deep!"
Lu Luoâs words did not anger Noah. Instead, he looked up towards the void outside the Disc World.
"The mech crisis is indeed a dangerous situation, as it can greatly hinder human technological advancements and limit the progress of human technological weapons. This makes humans more reliant on Sequences, Dark Energy, and supernatural powers. Lu Luo, do you understand what this means?"
Noahâs reminder took Lu Luo by surprise.
Forces that prevent humans from developing technology? This concept... I seem to have read about it in a book from my past life. A technology blockade? But in the book from my past life, it was achieved through more subtle interference with physics. In this world, it was a perversion combining mech technology with Dark Energy. Although the situations were somewhat different, the ultimate outcome was the same. It amounted to a complete blockade of technological development. If technological development led to disaster, humanityâs focus would inevitably shift toward Dark Energy and Sequences. Was there a bigger conspiracy within this?
"What do you know?"
"I donât know anything." Noah shook his head, his expression dark. He seemed just as puzzled about this matter. "If I knew something, I wouldnât have become the executor and spreader of this affair."
The executor and spreader of the mech crisis? Indeed! And the fact that the Heart of Mech itself could be replicated is quite strange. Logically, such a powerful item should be unique. Its appearance is like a weapon created specifically to target human technology.
"Iâve said all that I have to say. Can you let us go now?"
Lu Luo finally nodded.
"Good."