Apocalypse Circular-Chapter 511 - 509: Probing

Although it looks very simple, its actual combat effectiveness is extremely good. A high Constitution also allows Life Spark to exert a stronger effect. However, the type of opponent Lu Luo fears least is the tank, because he himself is the strongest tank. It’s very likely that a tank-type opponent wouldn’t be able to break through his defenses in a head-on confrontation. If an expert’s normal attacks can’t breach Lu Luo’s defenses, then Lu Luo can easily drag the battle into a war of attrition. Once it turns into a war of attrition, most Transcendents will be worn down to death by Lu Luo. What Lu Luo truly fears are those with absurdly high instant Outburst damage that can pierce his defenses and seriously injure him in a flash. Although such individuals are extremely rare, if they do appear, Lu Luo still has to be extremely cautious, even if their physical Constitution is significantly weaker than his.

"This gentleman must be Lu Luo, I presume? I’ve long admired your reputation. I heard that Mr. Lu Luo repelled an Eighth Order Exotic Species in Shuangpang City. The story sounds quite mysterious; I wonder if it’s true?"

The Second Prince’s skepticism actually reflected what many people were thinking. Lu Luo was too young, and his strength was questionable. No one had seen Lu Luo’s true strength, nor had anyone personally witnessed his battle with Noah. When he had fought Noah previously, everyone else had been excluded. Although the energy that burst forth had been intensely fierce, no one knew what had actually happened. Nor had these people witnessed Lu Luo fighting the Unicorn a few days prior. Zhang Zhe and his group had originally intended to record a video, but during the actual battle, they weren’t present. This meant that Lu Luo’s true strength remained the subject of legends and hearsay. Some thought Lu Luo was weak, merely a gimmick. But others believed him to be strong because his defeat of an Eighth Order Exotic Species was confirmed by two Seventh Tier members of the Inspection Department.

"Fake," Lu Luo said outright. He had no interest in such hollow fame; his purpose for coming to the Imperial Capital was not to get involved in the power struggles among these princes and princesses. If Wu Yi truly saw him as a tool in her power struggle, he would leave her side without hesitation, and Wu Yi herself knew this.

"Hahaha, Mr. Lu Luo, you’re really straightforward! However, your achievements have been acknowledged by two Seventh Tier veterans of the Inspection Department. Even my own subordinates haven’t received such recognition from Minister Zhang Changming. If Mr. Lu Luo truly had no strength, why would they say such things?"

"Well, Zhang Changming and I are old acquaintances. He was worried I wouldn’t be able to make my way in the Imperial Capital, so he said that on purpose. There’s no other meaning to it; that’s probably all," Lu Luo replied, his tone almost dismissive.

His perfunctory expression left the Second Prince feeling somewhat helpless. How can this man be so impervious to both soft and hard tactics?

"Mr. Lu Luo, you’re quite the joker. If word of this were to spread, it would be very detrimental to Minister Zhang’s career."

"Whether his career thrives or not is none of my damn business. He’s just being presumptuous. As long as I’m sufficiently useless, nobody can exploit me."

The Second Prince was speechless.

Wu Yi was also speechless.

Neither of them had expected Lu Luo to self-deprecate to such an extent, especially Wu Yi. She had truly witnessed Lu Luo’s strength; that overpowering presence couldn’t be matched by an ordinary Seventh Tier. For instance, the Seventh Tier standing behind the Second Prince—his aura was definitely not as oppressive as Lu Luo’s had been when he battled her. That aura of desolation which had previously burst from Lu Luo, like a chilling wind from a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, could not possibly be faked without genuine, overwhelming achievements. Furthermore, Lu Luo’s feat of repelling an Eighth Order high-speed Exotic Species, the pink Unicorn, on the frontier was undeniably genuine. Although Lu Luo never admitted to killing the Unicorn, Wu Yi still believed that if he had the opportunity and time, he would have definitely killed it. The value of an Eighth Order Exotic Species would absolutely tempt Lu Luo. Lu Luo was someone who valued benefits; that was understandable. But the fact that he hadn’t exchanged the Unicorn’s carcass for military merits was quite peculiar to Wu Yi. Perhaps he really didn’t kill the Unicorn, then.

"Lu Luo, there’s no need to put yourself down like this. We all know your strength, and most of the well-informed people in the Imperial Capital do too."

Wu Yi felt somewhat awkward; bringing Lu Luo here was meant to enhance her prestige. Lu Luo’s self-deprecation was also causing her to lose face. She wasn’t a woman who cared excessively about face, preferring substance—such as strength, weapons, and equipment—over such superficial things. However, if she could gain substance while also maintaining her reputation, that would be even better. That’s why Wu Yi had offered this explanation. But her words were clearly futile; today, Lu Luo was indeed prepared to denigrate himself to the very end.

"What self-denigration? Am I not speaking the truth? Do you really think a 26-year-old could possess the strength to confront an Eighth Order Exotic Species? It’s fake, all of it is fake! Back then, it was only by the combined efforts of the three of us that we managed to repel Noah—remember, repel, not defeat. As a young man, if it weren’t for good luck and a fortunate breakthrough to the Seventh Tier, I wouldn’t even have been qualified to participate in such a battle. You don’t actually believe I have the ability to face such a monster alone, do you? Zhang Changming simply wanted to divert attention to me. He’s hiding his own strength; he’s a sly old fox, you all must be very careful of him!"

Lu Luo spoke with such conviction and apparent reason that he was quite persuasive. If Wu Yi hadn’t known about Lu Luo’s direct confrontation with the Unicorn, she too might have been persuaded by his words. However, it was precisely for this reason she felt that Lu Luo’s self-deprecation was likely an attempt to muddy the waters. He probably wants to marginalize himself and let the attention on him cool down a bit. This is a very smart move, she thought, deciding to see through his act without exposing him.

The Second Prince, Wu Qi, standing nearby, however, was now looking rather uncertain.

My original plan was to make every effort to win Lu Luo over, perhaps not to steal him from Wu Yi’s side, but at least to leave a strong impression on him. Eventually, I would offer a generous gift to ensure Lu Luo thoroughly remembered me as this tall, magnanimous, and high-ranking individual. These are my usual tactics. But I hadn’t expected that after meeting Lu Luo, he would be so... unassuming? Well, not exactly unassuming, perhaps just realistic. What he said sounded quite truthful. So, that means the talk of a ’young expert defeating an Eighth Order opponent’ was merely a smokescreen released by the Inspection Department. Come to think of it, reaching the Seventh Tier at 26 is already a mark of incredible talent. Achieving the Seventh Tier at such an age is extremely difficult. It’s almost a given that some luck was involved. But to say that such a young man could defeat an Eighth Order opponent, let alone kill an Eighth Order Monarch-level Exotic Species... I, Wu Qi, still find that hard to believe. There should be a limit to talent, and this Lu Luo fellow has been hyped up too much, so much so that it’s made the young man quite anxious. That must be why he was so uneasy and blurted out all those things the moment we met, like spilling beans. Yes, that makes perfect sense.

It’s all the fault of those scoundrels at the Inspection Department; nine out of ten pieces of information they release are unreliable. A department like that is nothing more than a smokescreen controlled by Father Emperor. This Lu Luo is also someone Father Emperor specifically asked to see. Perhaps his true role is to be one of Father Emperor’s pawns.

After mulling it over for a while, the Second Prince, Wu Qi, finally abandoned the idea of recruiting Lu Luo. He subconsciously patted Lu Luo’s shoulder. "Mr. Lu Luo, there’s no need to be so alarmed. The Inspection Department’s actions indeed leave much to be desired... Oh, I’m not targeting you, Twelfth Sister. Although you are also a member of the Inspection Department, even within the same department, standards can vary. Some people just act without any method or principle, and I don’t like that. However, Mr. Lu Luo’s talent is certainly commendable. That, I greatly admire."

"Second Prince... thank you for your understanding and recognition. I, Lu Luo, am truly just a nobody. I only wish to cultivate diligently and then serve the nation."

"Indeed, individuals with aspirations like yours, Mr. Lu Luo, are precisely what our New Empire needs. How about this? This is my calling card. If you, Mr. Lu Luo, ever need any assistance, please feel free to contact me. I, Wu Qi, will do my utmost to help you." 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

Wu Qi was still quite rational. Even though Lu Luo said many things to belittle himself, a young Seventh Tier is still worth investing in. It’s just that this Seventh Tier’s background is questionable, so it’s not advisable to get too close. Offering some benefits, enough to leave a good impression, is the best approach for now, he mused.

Seeing the Second Prince, Wu Qi, looking at Lu Luo with an appreciative gaze, the corners of Wu Yi’s mouth twitched slightly. This guy really knows how to play pitiful! That certainly wasn’t his demeanor when he was hammering away at me and the Unicorn!

"We appreciate your kind intentions, Second Brother..."

Wu Yi started to decline on Lu Luo’s behalf, but to her surprise, Lu Luo suddenly reached out and took the card.

"No need for mere appreciation of intent, no need at all! I should accept the Second Prince’s card. It’ll make a good memento, right, Your Highness?"

"You..." Wu Yi was rendered speechless by Lu Luo’s brazenness.

The Second Prince, Wu Qi, however, chuckled. "Indeed, more friends mean more options. Twelfth Sister, you needn’t worry too much. Mr. Lu Luo is still your associate; I have no intention of forcing anyone’s hand. I simply find Mr. Lu Luo’s character quite agreeable and wished to make his acquaintance. If this has caused any trouble for you both, then I am truly sorry."

"Second Brother, there’s no need to say that. Whether he accepts the card or not is Lu Luo’s own decision." Wu Yi turned her face away, looking thoroughly displeased, but she couldn’t vent her anger on the Second Prince.

At this moment, Wu Qi wore a triumphant expression. He laughed heartily. "Hahaha, Twelfth Sister, no need for that. I truly didn’t mean anything by it. Well then, I have other matters to attend to, so I shall take my leave first. You and Mr. Lu Luo, please enjoy your meal here. The food is quite good, and Mr. Lu Luo probably hasn’t tried it before. So then, farewell."

With that, the Second Prince, Wu Qi, departed from their presence.

"He holds his head high, like a proud goose," Lu Luo remarked suddenly, simultaneously crumpling the card in his hand into what looked like a piece of foil.

"Lu Luo, you...?"

Wu Yi suddenly realized something. Lu Luo had always been a far from simple character. The things even I could foresee, could he possibly not have thought of them?

"What, worried I’d switch sides halfway?" Lu Luo asked.

"Er, I’m not that petty. It’s just that I feel..."

"You are also a figure at the center of power. However, I don’t know if it’s because you’ve spent too long in the Inspection Department and the military, but your style of doing things carries too strong a military shadow. This would normally be an advantage, but in front of these wily old politicians, it’s a significant flaw."

"Wily old politicians? Are you talking about my Second Brother?"

"Isn’t he? Your Second Brother, what’s his name again? Oh, right, Wu Qi. That Prince Wu Qi is a classic example of a wily old politician. He lacks firm convictions. After hearing my explanation, his assessment of me immediately plummeted. He didn’t even try to verify my claims or investigate further. You could say the entire conversation was merely him projecting his own assumptions onto me. My actions were merely to go along with his assumptions, allowing him to complete his own mental image of what he thought I was like."

"Lu Luo, you schemer..."

The more they talked, the more Wu Yi felt that Lu Luo was a frightening individual. His ability to manipulate people’s hearts with just a few words was truly unnerving.

"You wouldn’t treat me like that too, would you?" she asked, a little unsettled.

"No. A soldier with your strong convictions isn’t so easily fooled. If I had wanted to deceive you, I wouldn’t have laid my cards on the table and proposed cooperation with you earlier."

"Really?"

"Absolutely. Truer than pure gold and silver."

Lu Luo nodded with conviction, while Wu Yi looked at him, half-believing, half-doubting.

"In that case, you didn’t need to destroy Second Brother’s card," she said cautiously.

Hearing her careful tone, Lu Luo explained again, "If I had refused the Second Prince’s card, it would have shattered the image he had formed of me. It would also have created ill feelings from him towards both of us. Although I don’t know the exact nature of your factional relationship with the Second Prince, judging from your earlier conversation and tone, I’m fairly certain you are not enemies, at least. Since you’re not enemies, there’s no need to create unnecessary animosity. Accepting his card was the best choice.

"As for why I crushed the card, that’s also simple. Accepting the card was to put *his* mind at ease. Crushing it," he paused, looking at her, "was to put *your* mind at ease. You are my partner, after all. A mere card is hardly more important than you."

Hearing this, the tension in Wu Yi’s expression finally eased. This Lu Luo, though quite infuriating at times, undeniably has a silver tongue. His words really struck a chord, she thought. The annoyance she had felt moments ago was replaced with genuine admiration.

"I never imagined that in such a short time, you would have considered things so thoroughly, thought about so many different aspects, and planned so far ahead. Lu Luo, you truly are an incredible person. I’m impressed."