Apocalypse Circular-Chapter 471 - 470: The Fourth Ring of the New Era (8K)

Chapter 471: Chapter 470: The Fourth Ring of the New Era (8K)

Time passed again, and Qin Wanyu had been waiting outside for a long time.

She murmured to herself and swore under her breath.

Even though she had cursed Lu Luo countless times in her heart, she still wanted Lu Luo to give her a proper greeting. As friends, not the kind that comes with work obligations.

"SIGH." Qin Wanyu let out a deep sigh.

The noise from the room had stopped, and she knew that it wouldn’t be long before Lu Luo and Han Shiyu would come out.

She was really envious of Han Shiyu; after all, she was Lu Luo’s woman.

"Xiao Qin, come on in," Han Shiyu called out to Qin Wanyu from the doorway.

The flush and satisfaction on her face made Qin Wanyu’s heart feel even worse.

She was a bit older than Lu Luo, already 25 and yet had never experienced that kind of pleasure—it was truly baffling!

"Professor Han."

Qin Wanyu nodded to Han Shiyu and also nodded to Lu Luo as a greeting.

Lu Luo nodded back but didn’t say anything.

This was Han Shiyu’s home, so Qin Wanyu must have come here for something related to Han Shiyu.

His visit was only to see an old flame, and he didn’t want to interfere with their work matters.

"I came today because of the hospital matter. The new Fourth Ring hospital has been built, and the owner wishes for you to become the director of this hospital. Here is the appointment letter, along with some information about the hospital. Professor Han, you can take a look."

Han Shiyu was slightly surprised. "Me, become the director of the hospital?"

"You don’t need to be too surprised. The owner thinks you’re quite capable; whether in the field of medicine or pharmacology, you’re excellent. Even without transcendent powers, you are still a professor of medical science. The owner does not consider one’s status when employing; as long as the person is talented, it’s enough."

Before coming here, Qin Wanyu had prepared a lot of arguments, as inviting Han Shiyu was a significant task, and it was an order personally given by the Nightmare Demon. But on arrival, after seeing her with Lu Luo, Qin Wanyu suddenly found she had almost forgotten all the arguments she had prepared. That’s why her speech was somewhat hesitant, and she sounded awkward. However, it was precisely because of this that Han Shiyu felt her sincerity—there was a gain for every loss, after all.

"What do you think?" Han Shiyu turned to look at Lu Luo.

It would have been okay if Lu Luo wasn’t there, but now that he was, it was natural to ask for her man’s opinion.

"I stand and watch," shrugged Lu Luo.

"Idiot," Han Shiyu said irritably.

"This is your matter, and she’s inviting you; it’s about your private work issues. What has it got to do with me? For such matters, there’s no need to consult me. If you want to do it, do it; if you don’t, then don’t."

Lu Luo’s words made Han Shiyu feel somewhat relieved and more comfortable. Him not interfering with her work was indeed a pleasant thing for her. If Lu Luo had insisted she leave, she wouldn’t have had much of a choice.

"Alright, Xiao Qin, leave the information here. I’ll have a look and think it over."

"Alright, Professor Han, when do you think you could give me a response? I’m not rushing you, but the hospital’s opening soon and we need a director."

"Tomorrow, at the latest. I’ll give you a response by tomorrow."

"Okay."

Qin Wanyu nodded. Having said her piece, she now had no reason to stay. She glanced carefully at Lu Luo, and seeing his calm expression, her own expression grew somewhat despondent.

"If there’s nothing else, then I’ll be leaving first. Professor Han, goodbye."

"Mhm, goodbye."

Qin Wanyu departed, and Lu Luo certainly didn’t try to retain her.

The relationship with Qin Wanyu, well, that was it—any further development was unlikely in the future.

"You really do have a way of flirting around!"

"What are you talking about? This woman has been throwing herself at me. If it wasn’t for my self-restraint, she would have succeeded a long time ago."

"You, you really know how to be annoying. What’s the purpose of your visit this time?"

It was only now that Han Shiyu asked Lu Luo what his intentions were for returning.

"Let’s have something to eat first; it’s been a long time since I’ve been back, and I’ve missed this place. After all, it’s where I first began to rise. It’s also where I first met you."

Lu Luo’s words made Han Shiyu somewhat happy. She tenderly pressed herself against him from behind, tightly embracing him for a moment.

The two parted, and Han Shiyu began to meticulously get dressed and make herself up. Whether it was because of Lu Luo’s influence or simply the passage of time, Han Shiyu hadn’t put on makeup for nearly a year. But today, she seemed particularly enthusiastic, applying an exquisite makeup, then slinging her small purse over her shoulder, grasping Lu Luo’s arm, and walking outside.

Years of construction work had given the Fourth Ring a different kind of scenery. The Fourth Ring could no longer be described as desolate—overall, it was a bustling and flourishing vista. It had some of the colors of the Inner Ring of years past, but it was more spacious. The Dark Energy of the Fourth Ring had stabilized much, and the faces of the citizens were brimming with smiles of happiness and contentment. Without the exploitation of the Inner Ring, these commoners seemed to be living quite well.

Lu Xiaotian did a decent job after all.

"What do you think? Isn’t today’s Wasteland Alliance Fourth Ring impressive?"

"Yeah, indeed it is. To transform this chaotic place into what it is today, you all put in a lot of effort."

"I remember that conversation you had—it was a truly thought-provoking exchange."

"Conversation? What conversation?"

"The one between you and Zhou Kai. It has now become the school motto of the Fourth Ring schools. That was also the Nightmare Demon’s will."

Lu Luo felt a mix of surprise and contemplation, guessing which conversation it might be. Recalling past events, Lu Luo suddenly felt a desire to go back and have a look.

If he had the chance to return to his previous world, would he go back? If he could go back but couldn’t take Qi Xinzhu and the others with him, would he go?

These two questions suddenly arose, taking root in Lu Luo’s mind.

"Take me to see it."

"You’re rather enthusiastic. Weren’t we going to eat first?"

"Let’s eat later; let’s go have a look first."

Lu Luo was somewhat impatient, which made Han Shiyu a bit curious.

"Are you in such a hurry to see what the schools in the Fourth Ring look like now?"

"Yeah, I really am."

Schools, as a concept, have always been where all dreams begin, the starting point for many people’s self-awareness. Lu Luo wanted to see what the schools in today’s Fourth Ring were really like.

"Let’s go, actually it’s not far from here."

"Walking’s too slow. Come on, I’ll carry you."

"Walking... too slow?"

Han Shiyu lay on Lu Luo’s back, her eyes complex as she watched the buildings flashing by.

Flying, and it was flying without the use of any tools. The significance demonstrated by this act caused Han Shiyu to almost lose her voice.

"Lu Luo, you’ve improved so fast. I didn’t expect you to become a Seventh Tier master at such a young age. This achievement is even more remarkable than that of the Judgment Chief."

"Is that so? I think it’s just okay because my goals have changed. So becoming Seventh Tier doesn’t seem that amazing anymore."

Lu Luo spoke very calmly, and Han Shiyu stared at his profile for a while before confirming that he wasn’t boasting.

"You’ve become stronger and stronger. I can’t believe you’re already at Seventh Tier in the blink of an eye. I remember when you first met me, you seemed to have not even started. It’s only been a few short years, Lu Luo... you are really amazing."

Han Shiyu’s praise was heartfelt, and Lu Luo knew that his talent was indeed formidable. Of course, this was also thanks to the Doomsday Disc and the effects of several Grade S Sequences. Without those things, he couldn’t have progressed so quickly.

"Han Shiyu, we both have a long way to go. If you ever get tired one day, feel free to come find me." This was also the first time Lu Luo had expressed his attitude towards Han Shiyu. It could be compromise, or it could be longing.

"Really? Heh, I think I’ll pass. You already have Xinzhu and Bai Yuetong. They are great, better than me, younger than me, more vibrant than me. For someone like me, the Wasteland Alliance is a better fit."

Lu Luo frowned slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but Han Shiyu interrupted him.

"Alright, we’re here."

Han Shiyu pointed to a building not far away, where the statue of Ludie stood tall in the center of the campus.

"Ludie?"

"Yes, this was also Lu Xiaotian’s intention. Lord Ludie sacrificed for the Fourth Ring and led the Awakening of the Fourth Ring. He is our pioneer in the Fourth Ring, and I agree with this. Now, Lord Ludie has become a great figure in the mouths of the people of the Fourth Ring."

"Is that so? A prosperous age, as he wished," Lu Luo murmured.

"Hey, the words I was telling you about earlier are engraved beneath Lord Ludie’s statue. Come on, let’s take a look."

"Okay!"

Han Shiyu grabbed Lu Luo and quickly moved to the base of the statue. In fact, from a distance, Lu Luo had already made out the inscription clearly. However, when he got close, he still touched the carved words with his hand.

[I still believe that the purpose of our higher education is to help our hometowns overcome poverty, not to leave our impoverished hometowns behind.

To live as insignificant as an ant, one should have the ambition of a swan.

To set a heart for heaven and earth, to set a life for the people.

To follow the extinct learning of the sages, to pioneer a peaceful world for all generations.

——Zhou Kai, Lu Luo]

Looking at the inscription, Lu Luo remained quiet, a silent and strange atmosphere spreading between the two.

After a long absence, the Observer suddenly gave a prompt:

[I didn’t expect the jests of your past to be recorded in this place. It sounds quite impressive and particularly fitting for the occasion.]

Yes, particularly fitting for the occasion, Lu Luo thought.

"Lu Luo, the words you spoke, I’ve always remembered them. I think you spoke well, and I’m also working hard for it. So, please don’t try to persuade me, okay?"

Looking at a somewhat stubborn Han Shiyu, Lu Luo found himself unable to utter a word of refusal. With Han Shiyu having come this far, he completely abandoned the idea of taking her away.

"Okay."

However, Lu Luo still hadn’t given up on Han Shiyu; his mind harbored another idea: to topple this so-called high wall, the so-called Wasteland Alliance, the so-called Land of Seals. But to accomplish these things, there was one prerequisite: the Doomsday Serpent, Meiqi. Meiqi was the person standing in his way, the one hurdle he had always needed to clear.

"The future will be better, and the Wasteland Alliance will improve too," Lu Luo said with a smile.

"Yes, it will be better," Han Shiyu echoed in agreement.

"Professor Han?"

"Professor Han?"

While they were talking, a few students spotted them. There were both boys and girls, and the girls’ eyes shone with excitement at the sight of Lu Luo and Han Shiyu. The boys, on the other hand, were quick to notice the fingers clasped together between the two. Their expressions were rather bitter; it seemed Han Shiyu, despite being 32, still had a significant impact on these youngsters.

"Hello," Han Shiyu greeted the students warmly.

With Han Shiyu’s signal, the students quickly gathered around.

"Professor Han, this is... who?"

A bold girl asked timidly, clearly interested in Han Shiyu, but even more intrigued by Lu Luo. In comparison to the university students here, Lu Luo was undoubtedly more mature, handsome, and exuded an aura of a strong person. There were many Transcendents here, and since Lu Luo didn’t overly conceal his aura, they could feel it. The girl’s question was also what many boys were wondering, because even now, the fingers that Lu Luo and Han Shiyu held together had not parted. This left them feeling somewhat hopeless.

At that moment, Han Shiyu also smiled. She was no longer as she used to be. Even in front of these students, she saw no need to hide anything.

She raised the fingers twined with Lu Luo’s. "Him? His name is Lu Luo, look, the same Lu Luo written under those statues. He’s my man, my lover."

Han Shiyu spoke very clearly, audible enough for everyone to hear. After she finished speaking, the students were visibly stunned for a moment.

"Man, lover..." A few male students found it hard to accept. The goddess they had secretly admired already had a man. And it was Lu Luo...

If it had been some other man, they might have dared to compete, but this Lu Luo... In the entire Fourth Ring of the Wasteland Alliance, too many stories about him were told.

"What, am I famous around here?"

Lu Luo was a bit puzzled because judging from their expressions, he suddenly realized he might not be an unknown here after all.

But where did his fame come from? He had no clue!

"Yes, you’re quite famous here. Surprised? Didn’t expect that, did you?"

"Uh..."

Lu Luo was a bit helpless. To be honest, he still hadn’t figured out exactly what was going on.

He should have been keeping a low profile in the Wasteland Alliance, so where had this fame come from? It couldn’t be the work of the Nightmare Demon, could it?

"You guessed it, it indeed was the work of Lord Nightmare Demon. The Fourth Ring couldn’t possibly have just one hero like Lord Ludie; it needs more, younger people to guide the direction for the students and the public here."

As Han Shiyu spoke, she gestured with her hands. "The Thinker of the Night—Zhou Kai. The Night Owl, the Man Who Steals Eyes—Gu Fangyi. The Last Light of the Wasteland Alliance—Qi Xinzhu. And you... The Challenger Who Faces Evil, the Lament After the Ashes—Lu Luo. Your fame is really something; don’t sell yourselves short!"

Listening to Han Shiyu’s words, Lu Luo felt a bit speechless. The Last Light of the Wasteland Alliance, The Challenger Who Faces Evil, the Lament After the Ashes... These adjectives were really, way too over-the-top. But they did sound pretty awesome when phrased like that.

"Who would’ve thought, I’m not even here anymore, yet my legend still remains."

"Haha, how does it feel to become a legend?"

"Just so-so."

The two chatted in a relaxed and happy manner, seemingly not paying too much attention to those students still watching them.

However, upon hearing that the man before them was Lu Luo, some bold students already took out paper and pen. "Mr. Lu Luo, could you sign an autograph for me?"

"An autograph?" Lu Luo was somewhat surprised.

In his memory, signing autographs was something that stars from his previous life would do. Who knew it had become popular here as well?

"I want an autograph too..." A few others chimed in as well.

"Sure."

Since there was nothing else in particular to do, Lu Luo casually took the pen and paper and signed autographs for these requesting students, one by one. Then he sent them on their way.

"It’s quite novel at first, but it gets annoying after a while."

Lu Luo spoke honestly about his feelings, and Han Shiyu nodded in agreement. "That’s true, you definitely prefer to spend time with your own woman, what a homebody."

"Heh, my woman includes you too."

After finishing their campus tour, Lu Luo took Han Shiyu to a high-class restaurant outside the school. It wasn’t that he couldn’t eat at street stalls, but given their current identities and fame, eating on the street might attract unnecessary trouble. Especially after those students left excitedly, it was obvious that they would spread the news of seeing Lu Luo today. Lu Luo didn’t want the hassle, nor did he want to invite trouble. So coming to this kind of high-class restaurant indeed spared him a lot of trouble.

"I don’t have money, you treat me," Lu Luo said bluntly.

The waiter taking the order was stunned upon hearing this. Having dinner with such a beautiful woman and blatantly saying he had no money seemed a bit too much.

"Okay, I just got paid, so I can treat you to a nice meal today."

Hearing the beauty’s response, the waiter was even more speechless. He looked at Lu Luo. Can being handsome really be such an advantage? This world is truly too kind to handsome men.

"Sir, madam, what would you like to eat?"

Fine fresh cuisine from Exotic Species, red wine, and special sauces. This dinner was honestly pretty good.

What surprised Lu Luo wasn’t the taste of the food here, but that within just a few years, such high-class restaurants had appeared in the Fourth Ring. This indicated that societal progress was indeed very rapid.

"Are there many Awakenings among the people of the Wasteland Alliance?"

"Ah? How did you know? There shouldn’t be any specific news about this matter."

Han Shiyu was somewhat surprised. As a minor high-ranking individual within the Fourth Ring—a doctor, professor, and holding other special identities—she naturally knew this very clearly. But this matter was supposed to have been suppressed by the Nightmare Demon. Although the current ratio of Transcendent Sequence Awakenings in the Fourth Ring had reached an astonishing level, the news had never been published, and the awakened individuals simply considered themselves lucky without giving it much thought.

Could Lu Luo really discern this just from eating a meal? It had taken her years to discover this. Was his observational ability that keen?

"How did you notice it?"

"According to normal socioeconomic development, a restaurant of this standard should not appear within four to five years. Unless there is a demand, otherwise, given the current productivity of the Fourth Ring, high-end restaurants would need a few more years to emerge. Their appearance now is too early, so I deduced there must be a special demand. More powerful individuals mean more people with capability, naturally leading to such a demand. Their abilities enable them to gain benefits, money, power. And they need places to spend their money and exercise their power. High-end entertainment venues naturally arise as a result."

Lu Luo’s method of analysis was particularly novel to Han Shiyu. She had never thought Lu Luo would analyze the problem of the number of awakeners in the Fourth Ring from the perspective of supply and demand.

"Can all these be deduced as well?"

"I’m only speculating, but you’re a doctor and a teacher, so you should have a certain understanding of this area. Tell me, what level has the number of awakeners in the Fourth Ring reached now?"

Lu Luo cared a great deal about this matter because it was indeed very important. The Wasteland Alliance no longer had the Dawn Disc, and logically, after several years of integration, the Dark Energy here should have decreased. But after arriving here, he discovered that the Dark Energy hadn’t decreased at all, and there was even a faint sign of increase. This was odd. The Dawn Disc had disappeared, whether destroyed or temporarily vanished. It certainly wasn’t in the Inner Ring anymore.

So where was the surging Dark Energy within the Wasteland Alliance coming from? This level had already far exceeded that of the Imperial.

Moreover, the Dark Energy here was very stable, unlike the volatile state from years ago; it now had a much more stable quality. Lu Luo hadn’t stayed here long, so he couldn’t confirm whether the Dark Energy had completely stabilized, or if it was still growing. But this situation was completely unreasonable. At least Lu Luo felt that the current state of the Wasteland Alliance was illogical. If it continued to maintain this level of Dark Energy, there was no need to think twice; Eighth Order humans would certainly emerge here. Eighth Order humans were already the highest level that humans could currently achieve.

After Lu Luo asked, Han Shiyu pondered for a moment. "The current ratio of Sequence Awakenings has reached an astonishing 64:1."

"One Transcendent from every 64 people?"

"Yes, this ratio is indeed outrageous. The previous ratio for Sequence Awakening was roughly 1200:1. The Church previously collected statistics on this, but I don’t remember the exact data clearly."

"64 and 1200, that’s an increase of 19 times; it’s definitely abnormal."

"That’s not even the most outrageous part; the number of Transcendents is too many. The students you just saw are mostly Transcendents. The ratio of Transcendents to ordinary people has reached the level of 1:9. That is to say, there is one Transcendent out of every ten people. This probability has also increased many times over."

Lu Luo nodded slightly in shock when he heard this, understanding that everything Han Shiyu was talking about was based on actual sensory data. It wasn’t particularly accurate, but even with some deviation, the data was still outrageous.

Is the Wasteland Alliance going to rise?

"This hometown of mine is indeed worth developing."

Lu Luo smiled, his eyes carrying an inexplicable expression.

Han Shiyu didn’t ask further, just gazed at him with tender affection and then dutifully settled the bill.

"So expensive!"

After leaving the restaurant, Han Shiyu felt somewhat helpless. Although the salaries for a professor and a doctor were not bad, without any side business, it was hard for her to afford such places with the wages of two ordinary professions.

"Why not just sell some Dark Spirit Stones?"

"I don’t want to do that; I’m quite content now, living an ordinary life and getting accustomed to an ordinary person’s identity."

"Is that so..."

Lu Luo nodded, understanding Han Shiyu’s perspective. Han Shiyu was also a member of the Church, and her energy came from Holy Radiance as well. Now that the Holy Radiance had completely disappeared, Han Shiyu’s energy had vanished alongside it. After the disappearance of Holy Radiance, she didn’t switch to cultivating other types of energy like other Transcendents did. She just maintained her daily training, preserving the physical quality of a Fifth Tier expert. As for energy, Han Shiyu had completely lost it by now. Which is to say, she’s now an extraordinarily strong ordinary person.

An ordinary person wanting to live an ordinary life, that made perfect sense.

"Then I will keep you company for the next couple of days."

Han Shiyu hesitated slightly. "Only two days?"

"Yes, just two days."

Lu Luo was back for only a month this time, and it was extremely urgent. In this one month, he needed to arrange for the returning team, get through Meiqi, and then make similar arrangements when going back; almost ten days would be spent on this. With the remaining twenty days, he needed to make contact with the Nightmare Demon, find out about the situation in the Fourth Ring, and the current stance of the Nightmare Demon. It would be best if he could get some intel on the Inner Ring from the Nightmare Demon—that would be the most ideal situation. But even if everything went smoothly, after completing these tasks, he would only have about ten days left.

Ten days to kill a Pope without leaving any traces...

Lu Luo had considered many factors—surveillance, investigation, analysis of combat strength, as well as past achievements, etc. Collecting and integrating all this information would probably take a long time. Then there was the execution, which needed to succeed on the first attempt. The difficulty of this task went without saying. Especially now that Luo Dan had become the actual Pope. She would likely not lack for guards around her. Lu Luo wasn’t worried about his own strength, but if Luo Dan’s guards included some troublesome Sequences, that would be very annoying. For instance, something like Qi Xinzhu’s illusory and elusive skills. If they could delay him for a while, the Church would be able to overbear him with sheer numbers. Planning for the battle also required thorough preparation.

Therefore... he could only spare Han Shiyu two days. It was a short time, indeed, but there was no helping it.

"The reason for my return this time is indeed very important; it concerns the chips for my future development within the Imperial, and the time is tight. After returning this time, I will have to face the Imperial Family. If I don’t have a trump card that can coerce them, it would be extremely dangerous to go rashly."

"A trump card to coerce the Imperial Family?"

"The AI crisis," a hint of resolution flashed in Lu Luo’s eyes.

His plan was actually very simple, which was to use the AI crisis to coerce the Imperial. The Imperial is an entity, and the Imperial Family also needs enough resources, things, and people. They may not accept coercion from others, but an AI crisis is something that even the Imperial with more than a dozen Eighth Order experts cannot endure. Once the death toll of ordinary people gets too large, even an Imperial as strong as this one cannot bear it. In a state unit, the population is the real base; without people, a state is nothing. Having obtained the Heart of AI, Lu Luo could use the population to coerce the Imperial. Even if he couldn’t ask the Imperial to do something, at the very least protecting himself and his family wouldn’t be a problem. This was the solution he had no choice but to resort to, and also the best trump card he could think of.

"It seems you are also under great pressure from the Imperial, being forced to utilize such a method."

"Not really, I still don’t know what the Imperial’s attitude towards me is. But I have no margin for error; Qi Xinzhu is already pregnant, I can’t gamble, so I thought of this method."

Lu Luo was not just a Transcendent now; he was also a leader of a social group, a husband, and a father. He needed to be responsible for many people, so many previously risk-taking acts should be avoided if possible now.

"A boy or a girl?"

"Ah? A girl."

"That’s wonderful, to think that Xinzhu already has her own child. That girl has never had much of a competitive spirit. Now that she has her own child, she likely will stay at home even more than before."

Han Shiyu was Qi Xinzhu’s senior, although as of today, the trajectories of their lives had developed in completely different directions. But the affection they once shared was genuine. The help and protection Han Shiyu gave to Qi Xinzhu could be described as meticulous and extensive. If they could meet again, Xinzhu would definitely be very happy.

"Even working here, there will be a chance to visit Xinzhu in the future, to visit her and see the child."

"Yes, there will be an opportunity."

The two did not continue to discuss this topic.

For the next two days, Lu Luo was practically clingy with Han Shiyu. Years of feelings wouldn’t explode in just these few short days. They were now adults, and their respective paths wouldn’t end here.

In these two days, Lu Luo and Han Shiyu didn’t take any precautions, and although Han Shiyu didn’t say anything, Lu Luo felt her meaning. As a man, this certainly wasn’t the time to be timid.

Just do it and it’s done.

「On the other side」

Yang Liya and Lu Xiaotian were looking at the report sent by Qin Wanyu.

"Lu Luo actually came back. What’s left in this place that’s worth his sentimentality? Hah!"

Lu Xiaotian wasn’t surprised by Lu Luo’s departure.

A single mountain cannot house two tigers, and Lu Luo’s growth would definitely pose a threat to her own space and status. She had felt it from the moment Lu Luo tested her last time. Now that Lu Luo had returned, what exactly was his purpose?

Lu Xiaotian twisted her braid.

"Summon Lu Luo to see me."

"Yes."