Apocalypse Circular-Chapter 439: Lu Luo’s Humanity (7K)

Wu Liji was slightly taken aback; she didn’t know where exactly she had gone wrong.

She hadn’t been with Dan Kun for long, hadn’t said a word, nor had she done anything noteworthy.

In her recollection, she hadn’t given away anything that might be deemed suspicious.

If there were no slip-ups, then what did the Elder mean by his remark?

Scare me?

"What does the Elder mean by this?"

"Li Ji, you are clever, but not clever enough.

"We have known each other for some time now, and I am familiar with your character.

"You are a girl with a fervent disposition, and you are also a member of the Imperial Family.

"Knowing what happened yesterday, you couldn’t possibly, and shouldn’t, be so composed.

"You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?

"Your acting is poor; has no one taught you to perform more naturally?"

Upon hearing the Elder’s words, Wu Liji immediately remembered what Lu Luo had repeatedly stressed before.

"More naturally, just more naturally, act as you usually do.

"Stay natural, or it will become apparent."

Of course, Wu Liji heard these words, but she had never quite grasped how to be "natural."

She was even unclear about how she usually behaved.

"I did not!"

Now, her only choice was to deny everything because if she didn’t, she would become nothing more than a hostage for the men in grey robes.

"Li Ji, is what the Elder said true?"

"Heh, whether it’s true or not, does it matter anymore?"

"Why are you doing this? Didn’t we agree to work together for our ideals?"

"Ideals? My ideal is to see this world become more normal, not destroyed.

What have you done with the soul of the Imperial Family?

Can you tell me now?"

Although Wu Liji was not fully aware of the danger she was in, she wondered why Lu Luo had not come to her rescue.

But thinking of Lu Luo being not far away, and considering his combat prowess, her worry somewhat abated.

She wanted to know the truth, no matter the means.

"Telling you does not matter now. At this point in time, that person should have woken up."

"Awoken?" Wu Liji feigned ignorance.

"Hei Tengxi, a plant-based Bizarre King from a thousand years ago, the Plant King, who destroyed countless cities, a dark crawler.

Her existence has always been sealed in the northeast corner of the GuiXi District.

And we released her seal, fully reviving her. It’s as simple as that."

"Hei Tengxi? The Bizarre King? What exactly do you want?"

"This world needs pain, people need to suffer to re-evaluate this world.

Wu Liji, as a member of the Imperial Family, you haven’t experienced much suffering.

You must understand, many things in this world are not constant.

The existence of Hei Tengxi alone is enough to destroy the urban circle of the GuiXi District.

GuiXi District lacks an Eighth Order power, relying solely on the Seventh Tier Zhang Changming, who cannot resist the Bizarre King.

Even if support from other regions were called in, it would be too late.

Death is inevitable, all of this is fated."

The Elder’s voice was calm and frenzied. As he acknowledged these facts, Wu Liji’s mood lightened.

Indeed, just as Lu Luo had said.

Many so-called salvation organizations are nothing more than a coat of hypocrisy.

They don’t truly act on their words. Everything they do is for themselves.

Compared to those hollow slogans and ideals, a philosophy as simple as half-price groceries seems much more genuine.

"So, you are exactly as he described."

"He? Who is he?"

Dan Kun evidently detected from Wu Liji’s tone that "he" referred to a man.

"Hehe, do you know that the so-called Hei Tengxi has already been dealt with by someone?"

"What? Impossible, such a powerful figure has never appeared in the GuiXi District."

"Don’t deny it. You’ve felt it before, haven’t you?

Otherwise, you wouldn’t have run to this spot, secretly observing and waiting.

It’s because you’re also uncertain whether Hei Tengxi is still alive, so you didn’t flee completely."

Wu Liji’s aura was surging. At that moment, she became fearless.

"That invader from before?"

Wu Liji did not respond to the Elder, but instead turned to look at Dan Kun.

"Dan Kun, do you also know about these things?"

"I..."

Wu Liji nodded her head, looking at the silent Dan Kun, her heart found the answer.

All these damned ideals—they had been using her all along.

These people were as Lu Luo had said, all deserving of death.

They were beasts, utter beasts.

"You all deserve to die!"

BANG!

The Elder’s staff suddenly pressed against Wu Liji, pinning her to the wall, the staff’s pointed spike piercing through her shoulder.

Green venom was already seeping into her body from her shoulder.

"That person you speak of, is he the intruder from that day?"

Wu Liji still did not answer; Lu Luo’s identity needed to be protected.

No matter whether these two men left this place alive today, she could not disclose Lu Luo’s identity.

Plus, she didn’t want to.

Glancing at her shoulder, Wu Liji showed a look of disdain.

"Seventh Tier, using venom, such a despicable method, Elder, you truly are a disgrace!

Has weakness and decay robbed you of the courage to face a peer?"

Upon hearing Wu Liji’s retort, the Elder reacted as if someone had stepped on his tail, instantly leaping into a rage.

"Hmph, at least it’s sufficient to deal with you."

The Elder lifted his arm, ready to cripple Wu Liji.

He never intended to kill Wu Liji on the spot, because the value of an Imperial princess was not simply defined by her status.

Wu Liji was no pushover either. Although she was only Soxth Tier, her strength was far from weak.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t be able to carry out the mission of capturing other Soxth Tier Sequence users alone.

"Death Light!"

Wu Liji released her own Sequence, mixed with the Imperial Family’s unique Imperial Heart Technique, and instantly burst forth with a powerful force.

She was about to break free from the Elder’s restraints.

However, the Elder definitely wouldn’t let her go so easily, and besides, there were more than just the two of them present.

"Dan Kun, what are you waiting for?

Subdue her. Don’t you like her? Once you’ve captured her and taken her back, you can do as you please.

After all, you won’t win her heart anyway, isn’t it a delightful thing to have her body?"

The Elder’s words made Dan Kun hesitate, as these things honestly went against his true feelings.

But when he lifted his head and looked at Wu Liji’s charming body, his throat involuntarily became dry.

He wanted... he wanted this woman before him.

"Sorry, Li Ji."

"Hmph, men are all the same."

With one hand clenched into a fist, Wu Liji, while enduring the pain in her shoulder, swung at Dan Kun opposite her.

But Dan Kun’s strength was not weaker than hers, and with a pincer attack at this moment, Wu Liji had no room to resist at all.

The cane struck Wu Liji in the stomach and shins, causing her so much pain that she doubled over and knelt on the ground.

Damn it! Lu Luo, that bastard, why isn’t he coming out!

Wu Liji felt she was being beaten miserably, but Lu Luo had not shown up the entire time. What did that mean?

It couldn’t be this extreme even for a sting operation, could it?

Does that guy really want to watch these two take her away?

What if Dan Kun harbors indecent thoughts towards her on the way back?

What if they cover her up with something and then sneakily... you, Lu Luo, wouldn’t be able to see!

Are you really that comfortable with your partner being taken away?

Are you even human?

One step back leads to mental imbalance, enduring for a moment leads to increasing anger over time.

Wu Liji couldn’t hold back anymore:

"You dog, why won’t you come out and save me? Do you really want me dead?

What good does my death do for you? I tell you, if I die, you won’t even get a single hair from me!"

Seeing Wu Liji lose her composure and scream, Dan Kun was somewhat startled.

He had never seen Wu Liji in such a state before, so... unrestrained.

Yes, unrestrained.

Although Wu Liji had a bad temper, was irritable, and prone to anger, she always maintained a distance in her interactions with others.

At least in the two years they worked together, Wu Liji had never been so informal.

"Li Ji, the ’him’ you’re talking about, is it that person?"

The Elder beside them had already sensed something was wrong and wanted to take Wu Liji before him away.

"Don’t waste time, knock her out and take her away."

"Elder, she..."

"Don’t talk nonsense, I know what you’re thinking. I’ll stand by my promise to you.

Once we’re in a safe place, she’ll be all yours, completely belonging to you."

Dan Kun’s eyes flickered with struggle, but the temptation of Wu Liji’s body had obviously exceeded that of the heart.

Or perhaps, Dan Kun knew he could never win Wu Liji’s heart.

So, just as the Elder said, since he couldn’t have her heart, having her body wasn’t so bad either.

Emotions can be cultivated. With enough effort on his part, he was sure feelings could gradually be developed.

"Fine!"

Just as he was about to knock Wu Liji out, a clearing of the throat sounded.

"Ahem, I’m still here. Isn’t it a bit inappropriate for you to do this?"

"You bastard, you finally showed up. I’ve been bullied to death."

Wu Liji was on the verge of tears with grievance. She had been fighting for her life below while Lu Luo, that bastard, was actually able to just sit tight.

Was he just watching from above? Is that what a man does?

The Elder and Dan Kun also looked upward, their hearts also surprised, especially the Elder’s.

Because Lu Luo’s voice sounded far too young.

At such an age, he shouldn’t be the man Wu Liji was talking about.

The biological limitations of humans were one of the research projects of the gray-robed Pilgrims.

Age, by nature, is a kind of limiter for humans. It can restrict human growth and development.

Without reaching a certain age, it’s impossible to possess corresponding strength.

So if Lu Luo was that hidden Seventh Tier expert, then he... could he be not human?

The Elder did not expect that his guess was already very close to the truth.

Lu Luo, in terms of the Imperial’s scientific and Transcendent sectors, was indeed no longer human.

He was the true impersonator.

"Hello, Mr. Gray-Robed Elder."

Lu Luo landed and ignored Dan Kun, looking directly at the Seventh Tier Gray-Robed Elder.

Although the latter, like Zhang Changming, was a Seventh Tier, there is strength and weakness even among Seventh Tiers.

The Elder before him was obviously one of the weaker Seventh Tiers.

Lu Luo felt weakness and death emanating from him. If this man didn’t have other means or circumstances,

he was really not far from death.

"Who are you! Are you the man from the other night?"

Compared to the still somewhat composed Elder, Dan Kun was completely shocked the moment he saw Lu Luo.

His loss of composure was due to surprise at Lu Luo’s youth and handsome appearance, as well as some other factors.

For instance, Lu Luo had killed so many of his gray-robed cohorts, and Wu Liji was still mingling with him. Could it mean that Wu Liji had already defected?

If Wu Liji had defected, it would make him feel a little better.

Lu Luo looked at Dan Kun, nearly forty and still so naive. The Imperial’s Transcendent environment really spoiled them!

Without the pressure of Exotic Species, all that was left among these Transcendents were mutual suppression and deceit.

They had lost the sharpness that true Transcendents should possess.

If Gu Fangyi could reach Fifth Tier, Lu Luo felt Gu could easily defeat this Dan Kun.

So, such characters, the current Lu Luo really didn’t bother with them anymore.

"What are you blathering on about? Who gave you the right to speak?

Go, stand in the corner."

"You?"

Dan Kun was definitely not going to back down at such a time. He advanced one step, but Lu Luo immediately drew his great sword and nailed it to the ground.

DING!

The mere impact and pressure from the sword tip hitting the ground sent Dan Kun flying away.

"You’re too weak, and too old. You’re not worthy of her, understand?"

Lu Luo’s words took both Wu Liji and Dan Kun by surprise, and then Dan Kun went berserk.

However, Lu Luo was not the type to leave loose ends. Dan Kun had already escaped from his clutches twice.

There won’t be a third time—this is the third!

With a casual swing of his greatsword, Dan Kun’s head flew into the air. The searing heat of the wound meant the blood couldn’t spurt out before being evaporated by the intense heat.

Lu Luo’s greatsword plunged into the ground again, causing the earth to crack open like a spider web.

The rocks around the sword tip had been melted by the intense heat into lava.

The lava-like heat began spreading in the room, reminding the Elder and Wu Liji of the red flames from that night.

"This flame! It’s the same one from that night."

Wu Liji felt her bottom getting hot and knew she couldn’t keep sitting on the ground pretending to be dead.

Otherwise, the heat from the Ashbringer would roast her alive.

"I’m still here, do you want to burn me alive?"

Lu Luo paid no attention to Wu Liji, his focus entirely on the old man before him.

He sensed that this old man must still have some aces up his sleeve.

A Seventh Tier powerhouse ought to put up some resistance before dying. Otherwise, it would be too pathetic.

"Supreme Device, did you really kill Hei Tengxi?"

Supreme Device? Lu Luo felt this was not the first time he had heard this term.

In his memory, only the three great discs could be called Supreme Devices.

All other objects, weapons, could only be considered Sequence Devices.

Although the power of the Ashbringer was formidable, Lu Luo knew it was incomparable to his Doomsday Disc.

He looked at the Ashbringer in his hand, which had appeared from the ash waste left by Qiao Xing.

Then it had absorbed a few Grade S Sequence Powers that he had constructed.

Could it be said that the Supreme Devices, as referred to by the Imperial populace, were devices possessing Grade S Sequence Powers?

"Supreme Device? Is this thing rare?"

"It seems you have yet to realize its value," the Elder replied.

Lu Luo nodded, indicating he now understood.

"Old man, aren’t you going to run? A moment ago, you might have stood a chance of escaping."

"Heh, I’m too old to run," he laughed while tapping his cane, sending out a ring of ripples from his feet.

The ripples cut off the heat from the Ashbringer, making it seem as if they were each in different worlds.

"I would have loved to fight a young man like you, but unfortunately, I still have much to do.

"And my age doesn’t permit such frivolity.

"Lu Luo, right? I’ll remember you.

"Let’s settle this when we meet again.

"But mind you, our next encounter won’t be as peaceful as now! Hahaha."

The Elder in the grey robe talked big right in front of Lu Luo while laughing maniacally.

He seemed absolutely certain of his grip over Lu Luo.

But Lu Luo was someone who always despised those who used their age as leverage.

The Ashbringer suddenly whipped out, an unmatched strike nailed against the ripples of the grey robe.

THUD!

The already fragile room began to collapse under the force of the blow.

The Elder within the ripple barrier appeared slightly smug.

"Breaking through a spatial barrier is not so simple. Although you are powerful, your skill and knowledge are not broad enough.

Unless you possess the power to break through spatial barriers or understand their weaknesses,

space itself is the ultimate defense."

As the Elder’s body began to distort, Lu Luo felt the instability in the space before him.

Yet apart from watching helplessly, he seemed to have no other options.

"That impressive, huh?"

"Yes, that impressive," the Elder affirmed.

Lu Luo nodded and tapped his finger against the barrier.

Suddenly...

A red eyeball appeared within the spatial barrier.

The creepy red light slowly infiltrated every corner of the room.

The Elder looked up in slight surprise and saw the red eyeball staring back at him.

"This... is a Sequence?"

The expanding Sequence Energy began to compress within the spatial barrier.

Then, a second eyeball appeared.

Followed by a third, and a fourth.

More and more eyeballs appeared inside the spatial barrier, chaotic, disordered, crushing against each other.

As the eyes multiplied and the pressure built, the Elder was pressed against the walls of space.

"What is this?"

"The Thousand-Eye Demon! It can appear in any corner I’m able to see.

"While spatial barriers may sound mystical, their actual effect isn’t as absolute as you imagine.

"I thought your trump card involved fighting me.

"But I didn’t expect you’d be running away.

"Of the masters I’ve encountered in the Imperial, not one has fought to the death. Zhang Changming doesn’t count, and neither do you."

The power of the eyeballs compressed and collided within the space.

Red glimmers started flashing within the spatial barrier.

The Elder, enveloped by this energy, spat blood repeatedly as he was pierced by red flashes.

His life force weakened, and his already frail body couldn’t resist the power of the Thousand-Eye Demon.

"No, don’t go..."

Watching the multiplying eyeballs within the spatial barrier and the dying Elder, Lu Luo pulled Wu Liji up and beside him.

"Let’s go, this place is going to blow."

"Blow up?"

Wu Liji instinctively looked at the spatial barrier; she had seen these eyeballs before.

When she had secretly observed Lu Luo with surveillance, she had also been scared by these same eyes.

"These eyeballs..."

Wu Liji discovered that the growth rate of these eyeballs was becoming somewhat uncontrollable.

The Elder’s body was crushed into a corner, with more and more eyeballs pressing against him.

Not only that, these eyeballs were continuously extending tiny tentacles, which would absorb the surrounding power incessantly.

The power of other eyeballs, the power of space.

Then they would reproduce repeatedly, growing more and more numerous, out of control.

Taking Wu Liji away from that place, Lu Luo and she stood atop a mountain, looking from afar at where the spatial barrier had originated.

A beam of red light soared into the sky.

A gigantic eyeball covered with tentacles appeared mid-air.

The power of this eyeball was unstable, its countless tentacles piercing the earth, seemingly attempting to plunder the vitality of this world.

But at that moment, Lu Luo rubbed his fingers together.

The eyeball in the sky, as if it lost its keystone, started to look around nervously.

Its tentacles were no longer under control, some even beginning to rot.

Despair filled the eyeball, and amid its desperation, it seemed to locate Lu Luo.

Upon seeing Lu Luo, the eyeball appeared to reignite with hope.

But Lu Luo, who stood still, did not respond to it.

The debilitated eyeball suddenly ejected a stream of blood.

Then came more blood, a torrent from within the eyeball, until it finally decayed and exploded.

Vanishing into the air.

Wu Liji’s expression was a mix of tension and horror.

She felt as if she had seen things that she shouldn’t have seen.

Was such wicked power really something a normal Transcendent should possess?

Not just the grey-robed ones, even those cults that worshipped evil wouldn’t produce such monstrosities.

What was it that the eyeball was trying to devour just now?

That thing...

"Lu Luo, what exactly was that eyeball just now?"

"Something I accidentally created. It’s quite playful but also quite dangerous. I guess I won’t be using that thing often in the future."

Lu Luo blinked, his expression relaxed, as if he had spoken of something truly inconsequential.

But Wu Liji understood that Lu Luo’s Sequence was definitely not as simple as a normal person’s.

Collaborating with him, whether it was good or bad for the Imperial, was unclear for the future.

"Your Sequence..."

"Talking about the Sequence isn’t easy, as you should understand."

The more Wu Liji interacted with him, the more she felt something was wrong with the person named Lu Luo, not just his personality.

His identity, his purpose, all were problematic.

"Lu Luo, who exactly are you?"

Wu Liji slightly furrowed her brow, her expression indicating she was somewhat confused.

Lu Luo noticed her languishing and gently supported her.

"I’m a good person. Other stuff isn’t that important."

"I hope that’s true."

Wu Liji fainted, the poison that the gray-robed Elder had left on her shoulder beginning to take effect.

Even though she was a Soxth Tier Transcendent, Wu Liji’s Constitution held no comparison to Qi Xinzhu’s.

Now that the poison had seeped into her system, she had already started to develop a fever.

"That’s really weak!"

Lu Luo looked toward where the eyeball had burst a moment ago, where Long Duo’s Inspection Department had already arrived.

A group of inspectors wielding Sequence Discs were busily searching for traces of the Sequence holder.

"The Inspection Department moves quickly."

Lu Luo’s expression at that moment had a trace of detachment, a demeanor he seldom showed.

Because Lu Luo always felt that he was a very normal human being.

But just now, he felt detached and released that detachment from himself.

This state of mind, uncharacteristic of humans, made him seem to have an air of transcendence.

[You just used a Sequence with composite properties.]

"Uh-huh, just trying it out."

[How does it feel?]

"How does it feel? It feels great!"

A flash of red crossed Lu Luo’s own eyes, reminiscent of the Observer’s Eye.

[The true Transcendent form?]

"Probably."

At that moment, the members of Long Duo’s Inspection Department, as if sensing something, began to look frequently in Lu Luo’s direction.

"Over there, someone’s there!"

Following the exclamation of one inspector, the others quickly pinpointed Lu Luo’s location.

Lu Luo, holding Wu Liji by her waist, made a "please" gesture to the inspectors.

Then he turned and disappeared before the eyes of the Inspection Department members.

...

In Hui State, at the heart of the Imperial’s Central Science Park, a new scientist was being welcomed amid festive decorations and lights.

The Dean of the Science Park, the officially honored Dean Zhang Wei of the Imperial, was amiably holding the new recruit’s hand.

"I’ve read your paper, Dr. Noah, your research on artificial intelligence is indeed impressive.

And that spatial compression theory of yours...that!"

"Don’t worry, Dean, now that I’m here, I’ll bring my research direction and techniques as well.

"Rest assured, whether it’s new artificial intelligence development or spatial compression, they are the projects I’m currently following.

"I’m confident that within three years, I’ll produce substantive results and products."

"Great, great, young people are full of vitality and confidence. I’ve looked at your requests and will arrange enough personnel to fully support you.

The Hui State Rising Plan has been for many years, yet it has always lacked a product with core competitiveness.

If we could produce two substantial products in one go, then our Hui State..."

The Dean looked at Noah with a kindly face, as if he were gazing at his own son + treasure + lover.

However, Noah himself was fully forthcoming, nodding to Dean Zhang Wei.

"Rest assured, Dean, everything you want will be had.

Just wait for my product to come out, and the entire Imperial will see Hui State in a new light.

They will look at us...

with newfound respect."