Apocalypse Circular-Chapter 396 Kane Secret Cultivator Society

Zhang Ji frowned. Indeed, the other party could sense Spiritual Energy, meaning they were a Transcendent! Moreover, this person had some means of concealing their aura, which resulted in him being completely unable to perceive their strength.

They look to be just over twenty, so young! The normal level of strength for this age should be around First to Second Tier. First Tier is an average person, while Second Tier signifies exceptional talent. As for Third Tier... Heh, isn’t Third Tier classified as a genius? In a place like Dong’an, how many geniuses could emerge in a year? Circular Mysterious Affairs Office? A Transcendent organization that appeared due to recent unrest?

In an instant, Zhang Ji had many thoughts, but few of his guesses were correct.

Lu Luo was indeed very young, but he was far from a First or Second Tier novice. Zhang Ji couldn’t sense Lu Luo’s strength mainly because Lu Luo’s power had become rounded and unified, reaching a stage of flawless perfection. This perfection allowed Lu Luo to completely retract his aura, releasing no momentum whatsoever. An ordinary Transcendent would naturally fail to perceive Lu Luo’s level. Indeed, Zhang Ji was one such typical Transcendent. As for the Circular Mysterious Affairs Office, it was just a random name Lu Luo had made up.

"What Spiritual Energy adhesion? I don’t know what you’re talking about."

Even now, Zhang Ji was unwilling to admit it. Of course, they were a public department. There was simply no need for a public department to explain things to unaffiliated individuals like Lu Luo, nor did they need to concern themselves with who the public believed. In any case, even if something went wrong and a case was overturned, it would be glossed over in the report. So, for many years, no organization had truly been able to contend with the Imperial and its public departments.

Lu Luo could sense Zhang Ji’s assertiveness, an attitude that could basically be described as unscrupulous.

Corruption... it truly occurs everywhere.

"Inspector Zhang Ji, you understand. I know you’re eager to close the case; it relates to your career or, rather, to the achievements of your security office. However, I think you should also care about the opinions of ordinary people. Take Old Mr. Wang, for instance. You said he has only this one son. If Wang Zemin were to die, Old Mr. Wang would have no descendants! That’s a blood feud, an irreconcilable grudge!"

As soon as Lu Luo finished speaking, he sensed the atmosphere turn awkward.

[Did you misspeak?]

Zhang Ji looked at him with a puzzled expression. Then, Mr. Wang also looked shocked, and somewhat...

"Mr. Lu Luo, I originally had six sons. Goodness, you’ve suddenly killed them all off with your words..."

Ah? This... Lu Luo thought.

"Ahem, sorry, it just slipped out."

"But Inspector Zhang, even though Old Mr. Wang has many children, you should also consider a father’s desperate concern for his child. Let’s stick to the facts. You want a high case-closure rate, you want achievements; I can help you with that. But I hope you can clear Mr. Wang Zemin’s name."

Zhang Ji looked at Lu Luo, for a moment unable to gauge the man. "If I release him, how will you help me close the case?"

"By finding the real murderer, of course."

"The real murderer? Do you know who the real murderer is?"

Zhang Ji stared at Lu Luo. If Lu Luo really could help them find the real murderer, that would indeed become very interesting. They would achieve a high closure rate and catch the real criminal. Maybe they could even get a hefty sum from Mr. Wang. Why not go for such a win-win situation?

Nearby, Mr. Wang also watched Lu Luo, his eyes gleaming with hope.

Lu Luo nodded. "Yes, I have a good idea who the culprit is."

"You really know?"

"Yes, it can be discerned from the murder weapon itself."

"The murder weapon?"

Zhang Ji looked at the murder weapon. Frankly, apart from the Spiritual Energy contamination, there was no other valuable information on it. No fingerprints, no DNA. If they were to be meticulous, this lack of evidence alone could suggest Wang Zemin wasn’t the murderer. But it couldn’t be helped; he was the prime suspect.

Lu Luo directly took the machete out of the evidence bag. This action made Zhang Ji immediately shout, "Wait, you’re not wearing gloves! You’ll destroy the evidence."

But Lu Luo shook his head. "No need. The traces on this murder weapon aren’t physical. No physical explanation can account for this weapon’s condition, so whether or not I wear gloves is inconsequential."

"What do you mean?" Mr. Wang still didn’t quite understand.

However, Zhang Ji, as a Transcendent, understood. "Are you sure?"

"Of course. I don’t speak recklessly."

"Although this machete is just a very ordinary kitchen knife, the Spiritual Energy contamination on it is severe. Normal physical contact wouldn’t cause such Spiritual Energy contamination on a kitchen knife. Because if the murderer had a physical body, even if they possessed Transcendent abilities, the Spiritual Energy would be contained within them. It wouldn’t spread and contaminate so erratically. There’s only one explanation for this: the murderer wielding the weapon is a Soul Body. Specifically, a Specter Species oddity, and a pure Soul Body-type Specter Species at that."

"A Soul Body?"

Zhang Ji noticed Lu Luo’s terminology was slightly different, but he didn’t particularly mind the term ’Specter Species’. A Soul Body is indeed like a ghost, so it’s not a problem for Lu Luo to call a Soul Body oddity a Specter Species.

"Yes, a Soul Body."

Lu Luo wiped a bead of sweat from his brow. The Wasteland Alliance and the Imperial, though both human territories, have developed many different terms due to long-term isolation. I’ll definitely have to be careful about this in the future.

"Why would a Soul Body want to kill Li Wei?"

"That I don’t know. Perhaps we’ll find something new at the scene. Inspector Zhang Ji, could you take me there to have a look?"

As Lu Luo spoke, hope ignited in the eyes of Mr. and Mrs. Wang. If Lu Luo could really solve the case on the spot, wouldn’t that clear Wang Zemin’s name?

"Inspector Zhang Ji, please take us to see," Mr. Wang urged. "I believe Mr. Lu can definitely investigate this matter thoroughly. It won’t affect your case-closure rate and might even add to your achievements."

Zhang Ji pondered for a moment. He looked at the young Lu Luo; somehow, he felt this young man wasn’t just an ordinary Transcendent. Could he be a student from the Imperial Academy, out on an internship in the Inland region? Circular Mysterious Affairs Office...

"Alright, I’ll take you to re-investigate the scene. But until we have absolute evidence, Wang Zemin cannot be cleared of suspicion."

"Of course! If Inspector Zhang has no other business, then we can go now."

Zhang Ji, looking at the confident Lu Luo, didn’t know what to say. Soul Body oddities are the most troublesome kind. Never mind ordinary people; even many Transcendents lack the ability to detect Soul Body oddities, let alone capture them. Ordinary Transcendents avoid such matters at all costs. Yet Lu Luo is willingly diving headfirst into this. What gives him such confidence?

"Okay, let’s go now."

"Mr. Lu Luo, thank you so much, thank you!" Mr. Wang was quite emotional; Lu Luo’s actions had given him hope.

However, Lu Luo simply shook his head. "Old Mr. Wang, Wang Zemin hasn’t been cleared of suspicion yet. It’s not too late to thank me after this matter is completely resolved."

"Yes, yes, Mr. Lu Luo is right," Mr. Wang agreed.

Lu Luo withdrew his gaze and turned towards Wang Zemin, who was still in a state of confusion and dejection. It really wasn’t this college student’s fault that he ended up like this. During the interrogation, people from the security office, like Zhang Ji, must have used some mentally taxing methods on Wang Zemin. That’s why Wang Zemin’s mental energy was depleted, leaving him so listless and despondent.

Lu Luo didn’t say this aloud, nor did he tell Mr. Wang and his family. Because even if he did, it would be pointless. Could they actually sue these Transcendents? That was simply impossible. And since it was impossible, speaking out would only cause more trouble.

"Mr. Wang Zemin, if you’ve rested enough, it would be best for you to come with us. After all, you’re the one directly involved in this."

Lu Luo’s words roused Wang Zemin from his daze. He stared at Lu Luo for a long moment, his eyes gradually brightening. "Are you... a Savage?"

Lu Luo was momentarily speechless.

Mr. Wang exclaimed, "Brat, what are you talking about? Mr. Lu Luo is helping you!"

Wang Zemin was stunned. His mind was still foggy, but the impression Lu Luo had left on him was profound. He might forget many things, but he couldn’t forget Lu Luo’s appearance from yesterday. "But... isn’t he a Savage?"

Hearing the word "Savage" a second time, Lu Luo narrowed his eyes. Was the Nightmare Power released by the Observer ineffective? I assumed Wang Zemin was an ordinary person. If he is, how did he resist the Nightmare Power’s effects? My Nightmare Power was just enhanced and perfected by Meiqi, the Tenth Angel Envoy. Although its intensity can’t compare to a true Nightmare Demon, its quality is already on par. Yet this Wang Zemin is immune to the Nightmare Power? Interesting!

"Heh heh, Mr. Wang Zemin may still be a bit groggy, but no matter. We’ll help clear his name first. We can have a good chat later."

Wang Zemin looked at Lu Luo with a puzzled expression, cautiously thinking to himself, But this person is clearly a Savage! He even smiled at me that time. How could I possibly misremember such a strikingly handsome man?

His thoughts were like a soft whisper, and among those present, only Lu Luo, due to the Observer’s effect, perceived them. This made Lu Luo even more certain: Wang Zemin had not been affected by the Nightmare Power.

The group got into the security office’s vehicle.

From our brief contact, I’ve already gained a general understanding of the local civilian technology level, Lu Luo thought. Overall, it’s very high! Indeed, just in terms of smart devices, the Imperial is far ahead of the Wasteland Alliance. They have well-established personal computer systems, and personal terminals—mobile phones, that is—are also progressively becoming smarter. Generally speaking, this is a highly developed society. However, it also has its drawbacks. The level of corruption here is somewhat shocking, and corruption among Transcendents is even harder to tackle. This is all information I gleaned while flipping through those documents earlier. What kind of nation is the entire Imperial, really? It’s making me more and more intrigued!

「...」

Riding in the security office’s vehicle, the group once again arrived at the suburban rental house. The area had been cordoned off, but there were no guards on duty. The lax security left Lu Luo speechless.

The crime just occurred! And there’s no one here already? Even the extremely understaffed Wasteland Alliance wouldn’t be this lax, would they?

Lu Luo looked at Inspector Zhang Ji, but Zhang Ji appeared indifferent, showing no sign of embarrassment. It seemed he was long accustomed to guards abandoning their posts.

"The guards stationed here probably went to eat. Let’s go straight in," Zhang Ji said.

"Alright!" Lu Luo agreed.

Although I didn’t witness the entire incident last night, I did feel the fluctuation of Dark Energy from the rooftop. Oh no, here it should be called Spiritual Energy. I must remember that! The Soul Body oddity should be inside this rental house. That girl, Li Wei, was killed after she returned. During this process, I didn’t find any signs of Exotic Species entering the area. So, the murderer has been in the room all along. It’s not clear if the Soul Body oddity escaped while I was gone. However, I’m guessing it didn’t. For a long time after the murder, the Soul Body oddity didn’t leave here. This situation can’t help but remind me of the Red Sunset Lady, Lu Mengna.

[A scene-bound Specter Species?] the Observer queried.

"From now on, call them Soul Body oddities... Got it!" Lu Luo mentally instructed.

[Uh, okay!]

Following Zhang Ji as he pushed open the door, Lu Luo’s Observer immediately began scanning the surroundings.

Zhang Ji started his usual spiel, "Alright, Mr. Lu Luo, we’ve arrived. So, how do you plan to investigate? If there’s no detailed evidence, we... uh?"

But as Zhang Ji was speaking, Lu Luo had already walked towards the bathroom.

Standing at the bathroom door, Lu Luo could see a pair of red high heels. But he didn’t look down, because these red high heels were suspended in mid-air. Moreover... the high heels themselves weren’t red, but yellow.

"Come down," Lu Luo said, addressing the bathroom.

To the others, his actions seemed like he was deliberately trying to be mysterious.

"Mr. Lu Luo," Zhang Ji said, "we’re investigating a case, not playing games with you."

Lu Luo ignored Zhang Ji. Staring intently at the bathroom, he released his aura for the first time. "I said, come down!"

The oppressive pressure of a Lord-tier Transcendent made almost everyone present struggle to breathe. The stronger one was, the more intensely they felt the crushing presence emanating from Lu Luo. Wang Zemin’s family was relatively unaffected, but Inspector Zhang Ji was in extreme discomfort. When Lu Luo uttered his second command, Zhang Ji felt as if his bladder would burst. The front of his underwear was slightly damp; he knew he had wet himself, but he dared not speak.

The gap between Transcendent tiers is even greater than that between a First Tier Transcendent and an ordinary person, Zhang Ji realized. Lu Luo is no mere rookie. Nor is he some Transcendent university student wandering the Inland. He’s a monster, a true monster! His strength is several, even dozens of times mine! Not even the chief of our security office has ever exuded such intense pressure!

Zhang Ji peeked at Lu Luo. Confirming Lu Luo wasn’t looking at him, he let out a slight sigh of relief. Enduring the urge to urinate, he continued to watch what Lu Luo would do next.

「...」

Inside the bathroom, Ah Piao slowly descended. It was a humanoid, pure Specter Species—what the Imperial called a Soul Body oddity. It was clear she had been a beautiful girl in life, but her spectral form was covered in wounds, clearly hacked to death.

Another unjust death? This is a bit troublesome, Lu Luo thought.

[Humanoid specter, First Tier Soul Body, possesses invisibility. Individual attributes are extremely weak, almost negligible. Its method of wielding the machete is likely Spiritual Energy manipulation,] the Observer reported.

Lu Luo nodded slightly, then asked Ah Piao, "Did you kill that girl last night?"

Ah Piao looked at Lu Luo somewhat vacantly, as if trying to process his words. "Yes."

"Why did you kill her?"

"She shouldn’t have done that to her boyfriend!"

Lu Luo narrowed his eyes. So, she killed Li Wei because she saw Li Wei doing something to wrong Wang Zemin? That’s... quite a reason!

"Do you know Wang Zemin?"

"No."

"What about Li Wei?"

"I don’t know her either."

"You don’t know either of them, yet you still attacked?"

Lu Luo was even more surprised. I originally thought this was a case of two women fighting over a man, but now it seems the situation is not what I expected at all!

Ah Piao’s figure descended further, this time landing on the ground before Lu Luo.

"Boys have many dreams too," she said. "They want to be athletes, they want to be gamers—these are all reasonable dreams. But by the time they’re eighteen, their dreams become about buying a house and a car. So we should give the boys we love some tolerance and understanding, treat them a little better. Only then will boys love us more!"

Her expression was earnest, at least to Lu Luo. Her words caused Lu Luo to sigh softly. So, it’s the same in every world, huh.

"You... why are you here? No, never mind. How did you become a Soul Body?"

"I was killed by my boyfriend... My body is buried right beneath the bathroom."

"What’s your name? Where are you from?"

"I can’t remember those things anymore."

Ah Piao’s expression was tinged with regret. Lu Luo could see she deeply missed the love she had experienced in life. Perhaps that longing has turned into an obsession, leading her to kill.

"Although you may have had a tragic past, you did kill that person. A Soul Body wandering the city is inherently a threat. Your existence could lead to the deaths of many ordinary people. So, I’m sorry!"

Lu Luo suddenly struck. Before Ah Piao could even scream, he had her in his grasp. Netherflame flared, and Ah Piao struggled briefly before her strength failed. Lu Luo stuffed her into a small glass vial and turned to Inspector Zhang Ji.

"Inspector Zhang Ji."

"Ah? Is there something, Mr. Lu Luo?" Zhang Ji responded quickly.

Zhang Ji was perceptive, and Lu Luo, taking the lead, didn’t mince words. "The murderer has been dealt with. She’s in this vial. A rather pitiable girl, killed in the bathroom. Her lingering obsessions and will couldn’t dissipate, eventually transforming her into a Soul Body. As for her motive for killing, you can take her back and have your professionals slowly question her. Also, her corpse is right beneath the bathroom; a little digging should uncover it. This information should be enough to clear Mr. Wang Zemin of suspicion, right?"

"Of course! Even if Mr. Lu Luo hadn’t found any evidence, as long as you said the word..."

Lu Luo cut Zhang Ji off. "No. I prefer to follow the rules. If Wang Zemin were truly the murderer, I would absolutely not help him. But he is innocent, and that’s why I’m standing here. Understand?"

Zhang Ji paused, momentarily stunned. What was Lu Luo’s purpose in saying and doing all this? Could there really be some extraordinary benefit in helping an ordinary person?

"Uh, yes, understood, understood."

"If there are no further issues, Inspector Zhang Ji, could you remove Wang Zemin’s handcuffs? He shouldn’t be considered a suspect now, right?"

"Mm, I’ll unlock them for him now."

Zhang Ji directly unlocked Wang Zemin’s handcuffs. This was, in fact, against regulations. There had been no evidence assessment, no report filed, no review, and no signatures. Yet, he released him. It was simple: normally, someone with Lu Luo’s level of strength wouldn’t need to go to such lengths—finding evidence—to save Wang Zemin. With that kind of power, if Lu Luo merely spoke up, Zhang Ji would undoubtedly release the person. The power disparity among Transcendents in the Imperial was just that stark, that straightforward.

Moreover, Zhang Ji was already starting to speculate about Lu Luo’s true identity. An official dispatched by the Imperial government to revise the laws? Or perhaps a secret genius from some Transcendent organization, one who had trained for a long time and was now out gaining worldly experience? Zhang Ji considered many possibilities, but ultimately, he couldn’t be certain. None of that matters anymore. What’s important is that Lu Luo himself is simply too powerful! With strength comparable to the Bureau Chief, he naturally commands a similar status. It’s as simple as that.

"Thank you, thank you, Mr. Lu Luo! You rascal," Mr. Wang said, thumping Wang Zemin on the back, "aren’t you going to thank him?" He then turned back to Lu Luo.

"No need for thanks. We had an agreement, didn’t we?" Lu Luo replied.

"Right, right, we had an agreement." Mr. Wang knew by now that Lu Luo was no ordinary person and readily agreed with him.

Wang Zemin, however, was still dazed. He looked at Lu Luo with bewilderment, then at his surroundings. From an ordinary graduate to a murder suspect, and now cleared of suspicion... All of this feels like a dream.

"Thank you, thank you, Mr. Lu Luo," Wang Zemin managed.

"You’re welcome. Actually, there are a few things I’d like to discuss with Mr. Wang Zemin privately."

"With me?" Wang Zemin felt a surge of apprehension. What does this Savage want with me? Something feels wrong!

"What are you waiting for? Go on!" Mr. Wang urged. His reasoning was simple: Lu Luo is clearly an important figure. If my son can associate more with such a person, even if he doesn’t become a big shot himself, his future won’t be worse than that of an ordinary person.

Under his father’s urging, Wang Zemin could only dejectedly follow Lu Luo out.

「...」

Meanwhile, Gu Fangyi stood at the entrance of a Chou-tuan Takeaway branch. According to Lu Luo’s instructions, they were to split up and find jobs to integrate into Dong’an City life as much as possible. A job that allowed them to familiarize themselves with the environment would be ideal.

After briefly learning about the nature of work at Chou-tuan Takeaway, Gu Fangyi quickly realized its potential. This is a job that constantly allows for information gathering! While making deliveries, I can quickly learn the layout of Dong’an City and understand the dietary habits and lifestyles of the Imperial populace. For intelligence gathering, this is the perfect job. Yes, I’ve decided! I’ll be a delivery driver!

The branch manager of Chou-tuan Takeaway sized Gu Fangyi up. "Do you have a Spirit Car?"

What’s a Spirit Car? Gu Fangyi wondered. "Yes," he answered crisply, though he had no idea what it was. But it must be essential for making deliveries.

"Why didn’t you ride it here?"

"I left it at home."

The manager nodded. "This line of work is very tiring, you know."

"I can endure hardship."

"Alright then, you can stay and give it a try! From today on, you’re an employee of the company. Your ID is Dong’A-9527."

Gu Fangyi lifted his chin slightly, feeling quite pleased. Finding a job went so smoothly, and it’s a very suitable one too! As expected, even in an unfamiliar environment like the Imperial, I can rely on my own abilities to quickly complete the tasks Brother Luo assigned. I’ll familiarize myself with the surroundings first, and we’ll regroup tonight!

「...」

While Gu Fangyi was becoming a Chou-tuan Takeaway delivery driver, Qi Xinzhu’s situation was more complex. At that moment, in the interview room of an environmental protection company, several strangely dressed individuals were observing Qi Xinzhu through a monitor.

"Her voice and appearance are perfect. It’s hard to imagine finding such a fine prospect in a place like Dong’an."

"Lord Sola is quite pleased, isn’t she?"

"Of course. The Society has always wanted a candidate with outstanding looks and a perfect voice. Finding such a person now is truly a blessing from Our Lord. Praise Kane!"

The one called Lord Sola was a woman whose face was adorned with numerous copper rings and heavy eyeshadow. She had lowered her cloak and hood, revealing peculiar tattoos on her body. The "Society" she mentioned was fully named the Cain Secret Cultivator Society, and they currently needed a devoted propagandist exclusively for it.

The manager respectfully said to Sola, "Praise Kane! Lord Sola, would you like to meet this girl? Her name is Qi Xinzhu."

"No need, it would scare her!"

"Very well then..."

"Wait." Sola paused. "Actually, let’s meet her. A girl like this is truly hard to refuse."

Seeing Sola’s interest piqued, the manager quickly began to flatter her. "Heh, Lord Sola is right. Once Lord Sola completes this selection task, you will surely receive Our Lord’s blessing and be promoted to the Fifth Tier!"

"Heh heh," Sola chuckled. "Let’s meet this girl first."