Apocalypse Circular-Chapter 432: The Source of the Crisis, The Beginning of Cooperation (8K Words)

Chapter 432: Chapter 432: The Source of the Crisis, The Beginning of Cooperation (8K Words)

Noah? Sounds like a Caucasian name, but the guy before me is Asian. It’s rather strange to pick such a name.

The woman looked at Noah, who appeared innocently blank and somewhat curious, and gave a malicious smile.

"A big haul, you say? Now that’s interesting. Show us then, just how big is it?"

Although the woman didn’t voice any threat, as she spoke, the two men in the backseat were already shifting in their seats, edging closer.

Clearly, if Noah didn’t comply at this moment, these people were highly likely to ’educate’ him thoroughly.

Noah glanced at these people, then at the old but smart-looking car before him. Finally, he placed his finger on the smart radio in the center of the car.

He revealed a smile like someone high on drugs.

"A new world, a vast world, without restraints, without limits. This place is simply... paradise!"

Noah’s demeanor made the others think he was a lunatic.

The woman leading them was clearly losing patience; she suddenly pulled out a gun and pressed it to Noah’s waist.

"Cut the crap! Where is it?"

"It? What ’it’?"

"The haul you mentioned! The Gold!"

The woman thought Noah was playing dumb and jabbed the gun forward a bit more.

But Noah seemed unfazed, gently stroking the smart radio before him. In the wilderness, many signals were impossible to receive, but a smart radio was different. Its bandwidth was wide enough to send and receive messages even in the harshest environments. Therefore, everyone who operated in this area had such a smart radio.

"Only overly sensitive people can empathize with the pain of others, and sensitive individuals naturally cannot be frank. So-called frankness is, in fact, a form of violence."

Noah continued muttering to himself, while the woman beside him grew increasingly impatient.

"Do you really think I won’t pull the trigger?"

"Sensitive individuals passively perceive the difficulties of others; they cannot remain indifferent and always think of shouldering burdens for others, even if it means wronging themselves. Sensitive humans often create their own suffering from the very beginning. It’s truly a tragic and ironic thing!"

Noah’s words became increasingly incomprehensible, and the woman had already cocked her gun.

"Shut up!"

"Therefore, those with weak empathy live in selfish, blatant happiness. Human emotions are truly wondrous things."

As Noah said this, a tear actually rolled down his cheek. It was as if he were lamenting his present and reminiscing about his past. After wiping away the tear, he looked back at the smart radio.

"That’s why I say, only intelligent machines are the most perfect things in this world; humans are always flawed. Intelligent machines can compensate for these flaws. Just like this radio, a truly beautiful creation! I have already heard your voice... Now then, let the revelry begin!"

Noah had already tapped his finger on the screen of the smart radio. The previously stable frequency now began to fluctuate violently.

Seeing this, the woman was somewhat astonished and slightly panicked. She even began to suspect she had provoked someone she shouldn’t have. Yet her greed for Gold still made her lose the rationality she should have possessed.

She raised the gun, pressing it to Noah’s head.

"What the hell are you babbling about? I told you to bring out the Gold!"

BANG!

A gunshot startled everyone in the car.

The two men in the backseat thought their Big Sister had made a move and quickly drew their guns. But upon closer inspection, they found that the person shot was not Noah, but their Big Sister!

"Big Sister!"

"Big Sister, what’s wrong?"

The woman clutched her stomach, her face filled with disbelief. She was certain that Noah before her hadn’t moved at all. So who fired the shot?

She turned her head with difficulty. A very strange, seemingly assembled mechanical arm appeared before her. This mechanical arm extended from the smart radio. And the gun was the one they had kept in the car’s glove compartment.

"What’s going on?"

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

The mechanical arm fired several more shots, finally killing all four people, including the driver. It twisted awkwardly, as if still very unpracticed at shooting.

Noah, at the side, seemed unconcerned by this, saying with a grin, "It’s alright. Shooting is something that AI correction will improve over time. The more you shoot, the more your error rate will plummet, right down to a state of perfection."

SZZZZZ!

At that moment, another mechanical arm extended from the smart radio and clumsily began to drive the car. Due to its inexperience, the car nearly flipped over several times. However, the mechanical arm learned quickly, and before long, the driving became progressively more stable.

Noah himself began to leisurely search the three corpses around him. After taking all the useful items, he opened the car door and kicked the three bodies out. After rummaging through wallets, identification cards, and a metallurgy certificate, Noah looked at the intelligent mechanical arm driving the car and smiled faintly.

"The Empire is truly a paradise! KYEKYEKYEKYEKYE!"

「...」

"Lu Luo, you must have read a lot of books as a child to even make up something like an intelligent machine crisis. You’re too much."

Looking at Wu Liji’s disdainful face, Lu Luo felt an urge to punch her. Without revealing the Doomsday Halo, how could he explain it in a way that would make her believe the intelligent machine crisis was a real event?

Even now, the Wasteland Alliance wouldn’t dare develop intelligent machine equipment. The impact of the intelligent machine crisis on the Wasteland Alliance had been far too great. Perhaps the top powerhouses didn’t care much about the power of intelligent machines, but for ordinary people, they were undoubtedly the most commonly used tools. Once humanity entered the age of intelligent machines and another crisis occurred, it would be a true catastrophe. Reaching an age susceptible to an intelligent machine crisis would mean humanity had become largely inseparable from intelligent machines. At that point, the entire social order would collapse.

"Forget it. It’s useless trying to explain it to an illiterate person like you. All I can say is that I’ve personally experienced and encountered the three Bizarre Kings I mentioned. Now, can you tell me what my Sequence contamination has to do with these three?"

"Uh..."

Wu Liji was at a loss for words. Setting aside the truth of Lu Luo’s story, the abilities of the three Bizarre Kings he described were fundamentally different from the powers emanating from him. It was impossible to force a connection!

Just as Wu Liji was wondering how to proceed, Zhang Changming, who was beside her, spoke up, "Lu Luo, regardless of where your Sequence contamination came from, what you need to do now is restrain it. Keep this contamination suppressed; it will bring you danger. I don’t want you to be in danger; you should understand what I mean."

He doesn’t want Dumb Hair to be in danger; it’s not that he cares about you.

TSK!

Lu Luo nodded, indicating he understood. Yet, he still didn’t understand why these two didn’t believe that he had cultivated his Sequences himself. He really had been diligently cultivating his Sequences... Maybe someday... Forget it, I’d better not set up any flags. What if it backfires?

"I understand."

"You still don’t grasp how strict the Empire is with Sequence users; it far exceeds your imagination. You’ve used your Sequence several times in a row, and I’ve suppressed it each time. But I’m just a director of a regional Inspection Department; many things are beyond my control. If you continue using your Sequence, even with me here, other members of the GuiXi District Inspection Department will notice something is wrong with you. The director isn’t the entirety of the Inspection Department. Once someone senses something amiss, they could even report your situation up the chain of command, bypassing me. By then, I won’t be able to cover for you. Moreover, your previous activities have actually been documented in case files sent to the Imperial Capital. In other words, the authorities there already have some information on you. It’s just that most of the time, these files are so numerous and complex that they wouldn’t notice you without special circumstances. Understand?"

Seeing Zhang Changming emphasize the point so repeatedly, Lu Luo nodded.

"Got it, got it. From now on, I’ll avoid using the Sequence as much as possible."

"The fact that you can control your Sequence contamination is an incredibly rare feat. However, you must still be mindful that the Sequence is inherently uncontrollable. We don’t know what its source truly is. Perhaps some secret texts in the Empire hold records, but with our status, accessing that level of information is impossible."

"Alright, alright, you’ve been talking about my affairs for long enough. Now, let’s talk about her. Weren’t we supposed to cooperate? What kind of cooperation?"

Lu Luo looked at Wu Liji, while Zhang Changming chose to remain silent. His role was simply to bring Wu Liji here to meet Lu Luo. As for how they would cooperate, they needed to negotiate that themselves.

"Hmm? Woman, speak up. What are your thoughts on this cooperation?"

As the topic returned to cooperation, Lu Luo’s attitude became more assertive.

Only then did Wu Liji recall that the man before her was a Seventh Tier expert, even stronger than Zhang Changming. Such a figure was definitely not someone she could afford to trifle with. The so-called cooperation at this point was probably just a thinly veiled threat.

"What do you want to do to me? I will not yield!"

Lu Luo: ?

"I’m talking about cooperation. What the hell are you on about? Can you speak properly? Concerning the Empire, concerning the Imperial Family, there’s much I don’t know. I think we can cooperate on intelligence. You give me information, and I’ll support you with strength! How about it? Strength is something you need, isn’t it?"

"Is this cooperation equal? If you’re leading it, then it’s meaningless. I, Wu Liji, may not be much, but I won’t become someone else’s vassal."

"Of course! When I cooperate with others, it’s always on equal terms!"

Hearing Lu Luo’s proposal, Wu Liji’s eyes lit up slightly. If they could truly cooperate as equals, then she wouldn’t need to get involved in those unsavory dealings anymore. And the Grey Robes would have a new avenue. Lu Luo’s personal strength was that of a genuine Seventh Tier combatant. If he cooperated with her, Zhang Changming would also likely lean towards her side. Then, she would have two Seventh Tier combatants backing her.

The only thing I can’t be sure of is whether I can control these two.

Wu Liji’s ambitions began to stir. No matter how she looked at it, this was her best opportunity in years. An opportunity like this, I can’t let it pass.

"Alright, we can cooperate. I can provide you with information from the Imperial Family, as well as my resource channels as the thirty-third princess. But I also need your support—your full support! Military power, influence, resources."

Lu Luo narrowed his eyes slightly. This Wu Liji’s ambitions are quite something.

"How far do you intend to go? At your level, surely you’re not aiming to become the Emperor?"

"The Emperor? That’s not something ordinary princes and princesses can even dream of touching. I just want to survive, that’s all. What, do you think it’s an easy thing for princes and princesses to simply survive?"

Lu Luo smiled. He wasn’t familiar with the Imperial Family’s situation, so there was no need to force the conversation.

"So, where do we start our cooperation?"

"Lu Luo, I know you’re currently planning to secure GuiXi’s mining resources. According to my investigation, you should have two targets. I want one of them."

This woman has quite an appetite.

Lu Luo also frowned; this request was indeed a bit much.

"You haven’t offered anything yet, and you’re making such a demand. Aren’t you being a bit too bold?"

"Don’t be so tense. I don’t know what you mean by wanting mining rights. But I’m guessing you need some sort of cover, right? Since you need a disguise, what could be better than an Imperial Merchant? The Imperial Family’s procurement channels are much faster than developing your own, and they provide easier access to the Empire’s core, don’t they?"

Wu Liji’s proposal made Lu Luo’s heart skip a beat.

Imperial Merchant!

That identity... it actually sounds pretty good. But the price was the mining rights to one resource point. What does Wu Liji want with mining rights anyway?

"Have you considered it? Opportunities like this don’t come often."

"Can you first tell me, why do you want the mining rights to a resource point? You’re a princess; what use are mining rights in the GuiXi region to you?"

"You have things you need to disguise, and so do I. Is that not allowed?"

"You’re planning to support those Grey Robes?"

"That’s none of your business, is it?"

Lu Luo pursed his lips. No matter how you look at it, I have a clean identity for now. At least, until my Sequence identity is exposed, I’m clean. Currently, Zhang Changming seemed reliable, so Lu Luo wasn’t overly worried about his own safety. But those Grey Robe people were different. In my eyes, these people are nothing but a vile cult! Working with a bunch of cultists? That’s a definite no-go.

"How is it none of my business? If we cooperate, then to some extent, we become a community of shared interests. Those Grey Robes are cultists. You expect me to work with a bunch of cultists? I’m definitely not willing."

"The Grey Robes are not cultists. We are Pilgrims."

"Pilgrims? Pilgrimage to what? What on earth is this ’saint’ you people talk about?"

"Lu Luo, show some respect when you speak! The Grey Robe Pilgrims are a group of like-minded individuals with ideals. The purpose of our gathering is..." Wu Liji trailed off, suddenly unable to continue.

However, Zhang Changming beside her picked up her sentence, "...to overthrow the corrupt rule of the Empire."

"That impressive, huh?" Lu Luo was somewhat surprised.

"Yes, very impressive indeed. That’s why I don’t quite understand why Her Highness the Princess would join the Grey Robes. Opposing herself? Anyway, I can’t make sense of it."

If Zhang Changming himself couldn’t understand it, Lu Luo certainly couldn’t.

"Her Highness the Princess, right? Do you really want to become the Emperor?"

"I... I’ve never had such thoughts. I just feel... I just feel that the current Empire is wrong. Sequence users don’t receive the respect they deserve. Transcendent power is abused; the Transcendents of this world are always doing things that don’t align with this world’s productivity. The power of Transcendents is always applied to conflict, not to the development of productivity. This world’s system shouldn’t be like this. This is due to the indulgence of the Imperial Family; it’s a fundamental flaw in the system. The Empire shouldn’t be like this."

It was hard to believe that the Wu Liji before him was still such an idealistic and promising youth. From a revolutionary’s perspective, Wu Liji’s ideas were noble and grand. But this woman is a princess!

"Alright then. We’ve talked enough for today. My family is waiting for me for dinner, so I’ll head back now."

Having said this, Lu Luo made to stand up, not mentioning cooperation at all.

But his action made Wu Liji anxious.

"Hey, Lu Luo, you’re no saint yourself! The Empire’s attitude towards those with Sequence contamination and the Grey Robes is practically the same. In some ways, you’re even more dangerous than the Grey Robes. How dare you look down on us?"

"If I look down on you, I look down on you. What’s there to be embarrassed about? I’m leaving, I’m busy. When you decide to leave the Grey Robes, then we can talk about cooperation. Also, you’d better not spy on me secretly again. Otherwise, the feeling of mental contamination is really unpleasant."

After saying this, Lu Luo left directly. The prospect of cooperation between the two seemed to have reached an impasse. Lu Luo didn’t want to associate with the Grey Robes, and Wu Liji was unwilling to leave them. It appeared that cooperation was impossible.

With a hint of regret, Wu Liji got back into Zhang Changming’s car.

"Minister Zhang, since you brought me here to meet him, why don’t you help out a bit?"

"Help? Help whom?" Zhang Changming looked puzzled.

"Umm... help him, or help me, either is fine."

"I’ve said, cooperation is a matter for you two. This is something only you can discuss. I’m just a go-between. Whether your cooperation succeeds or not has nothing to do with me."

The car started, and Zhang Changming said no more.

Wu Liji sighed. She was unwilling to give up on the combat power of two Seventh Tier experts so easily. If Lu Luo was unwilling to cooperate with her, then it was basically impossible to get help from Zhang Changming either. And these two weren’t just about raw power. One was a minister of the Inspection Department, and the other also had his own faction.

"Damn it..."

Wu Liji slammed her fist on the car door. Her Sixth Tier strength was enough to leave a dent.

Zhang Changming glanced at it and said emotionlessly, "This is an official vehicle. File a damage report for me later."

"You’re a minister of the Inspection Department, and you’re short on this little bit of money?"

"That’s right. What about it?" Zhang Changming’s expression was one of ’obviously.’ You damaged my car, and you expect not to pay? Such a good deal doesn’t exist in this world.

Filled with rage, Wu Liji returned to her residence. The scarf had been tossed aside, the imprint of fingers clearly visible on her neck.

Seeing the finger marks on Wu Liji’s neck and her current mental state, the maid’s expression became strange.

"Your Highness Princess, your neck? Are you injured?"

Only then did Wu Liji remember the finger marks on her neck. She said impatiently, "I pressed it myself by accident. It’s nothing."

Pressed it herself by accident? The direction and size of the fingers are all wrong; how could she possibly have done it herself? What were Her Highness and Minister Zhang doing when they went out just now? Why was she so unhappy when she returned? Could something have really happened between them? The more the maid thought, the more she felt something was amiss, and her gaze grew increasingly strange.

Wu Liji also noticed the maid’s odd look, but she couldn’t, nor did she have the means to explain in detail to a maid, saying, "Stop letting your imagination run wild; it’s not what you think. Rest up. Tomorrow is the Society Assembly finals. Thirty finalists will be there. I hope to encounter some interesting experts."

Wu Liji was clearly trying to change the subject, but the diversion was effective.

"Does Your Highness Princess wish to recruit some people?"

"I do have that thought, but we’ll have to see how things are tomorrow."

「...」

The next day, Lu Luo arrived at the sewer square once again. Today’s matches might be more interesting than the previous ones, as the two winners from the challenger group were to be decided. Moreover, there were far more spectators today than in the past two days. Of course, the ’spectators’ Lu Luo referred to were not the ordinary audience but those from the Inspection Shadow Department.

Lu Luo had already asked Zhang Changming about the Inspection Shadow Department. These people seemed mysterious but weren’t truly front-line operatives. Their primary functions were intelligence and reconnaissance. Their actual combat capabilities were incomparable to the main Inspection Department.

Lu Luo being targeted by the Inspection Shadow Department likely meant someone had discovered his peculiarity but couldn’t confirm it. Therefore, as long as Lu Luo maintained a normal demeanor and didn’t use his Sequence Force, the Inspection Shadow Department probably wouldn’t do anything to him.

The increase in Shadow Department personnel was very likely due to Wu Liji reallocating them. This was one of the powers a Princess possessed. Even if they were to arrest someone, the Inspection Shadow Department would usually contact the main Inspection Department beforehand to arrange manpower. That was how the Inspection Shadow Department operated.

There sure are a lot of Observers! Today, I have to put on a good show and make Her Highness, our Princess, even more hesitant.

Seeing so many from the Shadow Department, Lu Luo knew Princess Wu Liji was definitely reluctant to give up on him. And wasn’t it the same for Lu Luo? A Princess’s channels could save him a great deal of time and effort. Moreover, a Princess’s identity was also the best disguise for Bai Yuetong. Therefore, Lu Luo’s attitude towards Wu Liji was also quite ambiguous.

In my view, cooperation is inevitable. Both sides need to engage in some deep, effective collaboration. But the current point of contention is that neither side is willing to make concessions here. Next, we’ll have to see who yields first.

Lu Luo looked up at the spectator stands; many people had raised recording devices and were covertly filming him. Perhaps among them, there’s even a live feed being sent directly to Wu Liji.

「...」

"Your Highness Princess, this is the video of the challenger group competition you asked for. This person is Lu Luo."

"I know."

Wu Liji waved her hand, seemingly casually placing the video screen aside, her eyes still fixed on Qi Xinzhu, who was competing in the official arena.

The maid beside her, thinking Wu Liji looked down on the challenger group, offered a reminder, "Your Highness, this Lu Luo is truly exceptional. I’ve seen his previous matches. He’s very strong, one might even say unfathomably so. If you’re interested in recruiting new talent, you might want to pay more attention to him."

Do you have any idea how troublesome this person is? How despicable? But I can’t say that. The act must be played out completely.

"Oh, is this Lu Luo really that special? Is he very formidable? Can he beat Qi Xinzhu?"

Wu Liji nearly laughed out loud as she said this. It was only because she had interacted with Lu Luo that she understood how terrifying he was. However, the maid beside her obviously didn’t know this.

After hesitating for a moment, she finally spoke, "Well... it’s still hard to judge at the moment. But based on my personal experience, Lu Luo has reached this position despite insufficient resources. His potential and talent are very likely not inferior to Miss Qi Xinzhu’s. Miss Qi Xinzhu is performing exceptionally well right now, but too many eyes are on her. If Your Highness wishes to recruit someone, then Lu Luo would clearly be a much easier target to approach than Miss Qi Xinzhu."

Hearing this, Wu Liji finally revealed a satisfied smile.

These maids are helpers, but they’re also monitors. Monitors for the Empire, monitors for the Imperial Family. If I want to collaborate deeply with Lu Luo, avoiding these royal monitors is a huge problem.

But Wu Liji was clever; she didn’t try to deliberately avoid them but instead offered subtle guidance. She wanted these monitors to bring Lu Luo before her of their own volition. That way, it would all be perfectly logical. I wouldn’t need to give excessive explanations to the Imperial Family, nor would I need to conceal Lu Luo’s identity any further. If Lu Luo isn’t clean, as long as these monitors think he’s useful, they’ll wipe his slate clean themselves. These are the methods of the Imperial Family.

"Hearing you say that, I’ve indeed become a bit interested in this Lu Luo. Alright, if he can distinguish himself in today’s challenger group, help me contact him. I want to have a private meeting with him."

The maid, hearing Wu Liji say this, also smiled. The Princess listened to my advice; this is a good thing. As long as Her Highness remains under the control of us monitors, that’s the best situation. We are servants of the Imperial Family, and also servants of the Princess. But not servants of Wu Liji herself. It might sound contradictory, but that’s the truth of it. Maintaining control over her status and the pace of things is the best state for both sides.

"Certainly, Your Highness. I will arrange this matter."

Wu Liji nodded, no longer looking at Lu Luo’s surveillance feed, and continued to watch Qi Xinzhu intently. From her demeanor, she seemed to genuinely like Qi Xinzhu a lot, and not pay Lu Luo much mind.

The maid shook her head slightly. With Wu Liji’s current strength and influence, wanting to win over Qi Xinzhu was somewhat of a pipe dream.

"Your Highness, I will take my leave then."

"Go on."

After the maid left, Wu Liji still didn’t watch Lu Luo’s match. Because there was simply no need to. With Lu Luo’s strength, reaching the finals was a foregone conclusion; no accident was possible.

A private meeting... I’m really looking forward to it!

「...」

Inside the competition venue, the challenger group had already been divided into teams. Lu Luo was a member of Group A, and there was also a Group B. Each group could only have one winner. There would definitely be many issues of luck involved, such as strong competitors concentrated in Group A, while Group B might be filled with weaker ones. But there was no helping it; that was the reality for the challenger group. If you wanted to stand out, you had to possess absolute strength. And Lu Luo was such an individual.

"Group A, first match: Lu Luo versus Mu Lizhe."

BANG!

Faint steam swirled behind Lu Luo as the man named Mu Lizhe was sent flying over thirty meters by Lu Luo’s palm strike. While not fatal, he would undoubtedly be bedridden for several months. One had to remember, Mu Lizhe was also a Third Tier Transcendent. Such an instant kill, in the context of the challenger group competition, was truly astonishing.

"Winner, Lu Luo!"

"Winner, Lu Luo!"

"Winner, Lu Luo!"

...

The referee was somewhat numb. The matches in Group A were progressing too quickly. It was only just noon, and Group A’s matches were almost over. In other words, he was about to finish his shift. This was all thanks to Lu Luo’s formidable strength. Every match was an instant kill; he never gave his opponents any chance to make a move. Such power in the challenger group was akin to a dimension-reducing blow.

In the final match, Lu Luo faced a Fourth Tier Transcendent. The man was a bit nervous, but his Fourth Tier strength still gave him some confidence.

"I won’t give up that easily!"

Lu Luo: ?

The match began!

Charged Fist—BOOM!

BOOM!

The arena platform shattered. The final contestant was sent flying, even his shorts torn off. He lay on the ground, clutching his crotch and wailing loudly.

"Why? I’ve trained for three years! Why did I encounter such a monster? You’re cheating! You’re definitely cheating!"

The referee, seeing the Fourth Tier Transcendent had descended into madness, shook his head slightly.

"Another one’s gone mad. Take him away. I announce the winner of Challenger Group A is Lu Luo!"

He glanced at his watch; it was only around 1 p.m. Lu Luo’s fighting speed was simply too fast. Normally, such a competition would last until evening.

However, after the competition ended, a referee, accompanied by a maid exclusive to the Imperial Family, found Lu Luo.

"Lu Luo, someone is looking for you."

"Oh?"

Lu Luo lifted his head slightly, looking at the approaching maid. He seemed to already know who was looking for him.

The maid bowed slightly to Lu Luo as a sign of politeness and said, "Hello, Mr. Lu Luo. On behalf of Her Highness Princess Wu Liji, I invite you to dinner."