Apocalypse Circular-Chapter 484 - 482: Eve of the Storm

In the following days, the entire Wasteland Alliance entered a strange rhythm. Especially in the Inner Ring, a sense of oppression began to pervade. Its cause was indiscernible, yet perceptible to the discerning. For instance, in recent days, rumors had begun to circulate near the Second High Wall within the Inner Ring. Most of these rumors concerned the Pope.

Pope Luo Dan had supposedly struck a deal with Noah, the evil Monarch who had almost annihilated humanity. The deal allegedly involved trading the entire Wasteland Alliance for power. The entire Inner Ring, the whole Church, was now awash with speculation. Within the Church, many wanted Pope Luo Dan to make an appearance—whether to clarify the situation or confess to the accusations. Something had to be done to quell the public outcry. If this speculation continued to spread, the very foundation of the Church would be shaken. Although the Church’s foundations had been continually weakened over the years, it had existed for so long that it remained a mighty institution. But even the mightiest organizations cannot withstand prolonged public slander. Particularly at this critical juncture, if the Pope continued to be absent, it would be tantamount to admitting the truth of these claims. How then would the Church attract new members in the future?

At the Luo Family residence, Luo Xuemin glanced at the note Zhang Yifan had brought.

"Have the sources of these rumors been found?"

"No," Zhang Yifan shook his head with a sense of helplessness; it wasn’t due to his incompetence, but rather the adversary’s cunning. Or, to put it another way, the opponent’s strength and capabilities far surpassed his own, and indeed, those of the entire Luo Family.

Luo Xuemin nodded, not blaming Zhang Yifan at this moment since doing so would be pointless.

"How have the Shi Family and the other families reacted these past few days?"

"They are also looking, but they don’t seem particularly concerned. After all, they’re likely content to watch the Church’s downfall."

Luo Xuemin nodded again, fell silent for a while, then suddenly shook his head. "No. Although many would be eager to see the Church fall right now, this rumor is too specific. They’re targeting Luo Dan. It seems to have other, less obvious purposes."

"Other purposes? Family Head, I don’t quite understand," Zhang Yifan admitted frankly.

Luo Xuemin took out a piece of paper and began to map out the possible powers involved: The Church, the Council, the major families, and Lu Xiaotian of the Fourth Ring. He first put a question mark over the major families, then crossed out the Church. Lastly, he circled the Council and put a checkmark by the Fourth Ring.

"Does the Family Head suspect the Fourth Ring is behind this?"

"It’s a strong possibility, but right now there’s no way to be sure. The information is too scarce, and we have no way of knowing what they’re up to at this moment."

"Uh, Family Head, is this situation favorable to us?"

Luo Xuemin’s eyes narrowed; this was the most puzzling aspect of the situation. If the Pope truly met with misfortune and the Church disintegrated, the Council would logically inherit its resources and power. The Council might then be able to seriously challenge the Fourth Ring’s influence. With the Inner Ring currently under immense pressure, such an event could indeed represent a turning point. But it seemed odd that the Fourth Ring would orchestrate an opportunity for the Inner Ring.

Could it be they are certain that Luo Dan won’t show up at this time? Or do they have some other motive?

"Um, Family Head, did the Pope truly make a deal with Noah?" Zhang Yifan voiced his doubts, which were shared by many within the Inner Ring. "After all, the strength she displayed last time didn’t seem to be from Holy Radiance. Even with her extraordinary talent and a supposedly smooth transition in her cultivation, reaching a point where she could withstand a joint attack by three Seventh Tier experts in such a short time seemed improbable."

Why had Luo Dan been so powerful then? The Council’s challenge to the Church had seemed certain to succeed, yet Luo Dan had thwarted it single-handedly. The power she had demonstrated was far beyond that of an ordinary Seventh Tier expert. Considering Luo Dan’s past performance, even at her peak before becoming Pope, it seemed unlikely she could have single-handedly taken on three Seventh Tier masters. But after losing Holy Radiance, when all Church members had to switch to cultivating other powers, Luo Dan’s strength hadn’t waned—it had advanced. Her display of absolute power had planted a seed of doubt in everyone’s mind.

Previously, people might have overlooked this. But these new rumors, combined with Luo Dan’s past display of power, naturally led to wild speculation. If Pope Luo Dan had indeed struck a deal with Noah, then the entire Church’s reputation would collapse instantly.

Luo Xuemin did not respond to Zhang Yifan; he too was pondering this issue. What is the mastermind behind this incident truly aiming for?

Luo Dan still hasn’t appeared... Then the Church’s...

Luo Xuemin suddenly stopped. Wait a minute! He had thought of a possibility.

"Yifan, what do we know about the Pope’s movements these past few years?"

"Huh? Family Head, I don’t quite understand what you mean."

"Help me check when Luo Dan has appeared in these past few years."

"Oh, okay, I’ll check right now."

Zhang Yifan flipped through the materials at hand; his actions were swift. Information regarding an important figure like Pope Luo Dan was, of course, firsthand and highly detailed.

"Over the past few years, Pope Luo Dan consistently appeared only when the Church faced significant issues or when rumors circulated that required her clarification. Since Pope Luo Dan’s relationship with others within the Church was also not harmonious, the Church was currently in a delicate state." Zhang Yifan read from the report. It was unclear who had written it, but it seemed to contain some personal sentiment.

However, this personal sentiment served as a further reminder to Luo Xuemin, and he stated with near certainty, "Their target isn’t the Council, nor is it the Church. Their only target is Luo Dan herself!"

"The Pope herself? Why?" Zhang Yifan asked, puzzled. He didn’t quite understand. Of all people, why target a Pope who had fallen from grace? It seemed like a redundant and superfluous action.

But Luo Xuemin shook his head. "If their target is the entire Inner Ring, then targeting the Pope becomes very significant."

"The entire Inner Ring?"

"Our perspective is too narrow. We’re always focused on the conflicts between various factions. But if we broaden our perspective, the Inner Ring and the Outer Ring are two distinct entities. Even though our Inner Ring is now in turmoil, with internal strife, to outsiders, we are still perceived as a single, unified entity. And as such, Pope Luo Dan holds a very particular significance."

Zhang Yifan paused for a moment. "Pope Luo Dan... a very particular significance? What is the Pope’s significance?"

"I’m not too clear on other aspects, but for now, one thing is certain: Pope Luo Dan can almost be considered the strongest individual in the Inner Ring."

"The strongest in the Inner Ring!" Zhang Yifan exclaimed.

"Yes. In the current Inner Ring, Luo Dan can indeed be considered the strongest, without rival. She represents the upper limit of the Inner Ring’s power. If she is killed, the Inner Ring’s power ceiling will be directly lowered. Then, its remaining elements can be picked off one by one." As he analyzed, Luo Xuemin took a satisfied sip of his tea. From his contented expression, it was hard to tell if he was more pleased with the tea or his own analysis.

Kill the Pope? Weaken the Inner Ring’s power ceiling? This... Luo Xuemin’s words sounded somewhat preposterous to Zhang Yifan. Such matters were far beyond what a mere member of a family clan like him could comprehend or influence.

"So, Family Head, what do we do now?"

"Get me the Shi Family on the phone."

Zhang Yifan hesitated for a moment. "Shi Haoxuan, or Shi Tingyu?"

Luo Xuemin paused. Yes, without him realizing it, the Shi Family seemed to have developed two distinct voices. One was Shi Haoxuan, and the other was Secretary-General Shi Tingyu. When had this change begun? How had he not noticed? This Shi Tingyu certainly has some skill. "Call Shi Haoxuan first."

"Yes, sir."

Although it was late, Family Heads generally wouldn’t refuse such urgent calls. Yet tonight was different. After Zhang Yifan dialed the Shi Family’s number, the call was abruptly disconnected.

"Family Head, they hung up."

Luo Xuemin took a deep breath. The Shi Family’s refusal to talk meant events were already in motion, and they might have already made their choice. This was the last thing he wanted to see. If the hard-won alliance became unwilling to communicate at such a critical moment, it would be at its most vulnerable.

"Call again."

"They hung up again."

"I see." Luo Xuemin felt a pang of disappointment. It had seemed like the Council had undergone some reassuring changes over the years, especially with the emergence of talents like Shi Tingyu and Jin Ming. But in the end, it appeared nothing had truly changed. Or rather, while the Council alliance had changed, it wasn’t in the way Luo Xuemin had hoped.

"Call Shi Tingyu."

"Yes, sir!"

This time, the call wasn’t rejected. Shi Tingyu’s assistant answered quickly and summoned her.

"Uncle Luo, hello. Is there something important, calling so late?" Shi Tingyu was perfectly polite, yet Luo Xuemin sensed something amiss beneath her courtesy.

The way she spoke exuded confidence! Therefore, Luo Xuemin abandoned his prepared remarks and asked bluntly, "What do you know about this situation?"

Luo Xuemin didn’t specify which situation, nor did he mince words. This directness was more commanding and also conveyed greater sincerity.

"What is Uncle Luo talking about? I’m afraid I don’t understand."

"When are they going to make their move?"

Shi Tingyu, on the other end of the line, clearly paused for a moment, seemingly shocked by Luo Xuemin’s astuteness. Had he deduced this far from these fragments of information?

"Uncle Luo, you certainly have a vivid imagination. Have you been missing your daughter too much lately? What was her name again? Bai Yuetong?"

Shi Tingyu was still trying to deflect, but Luo Xuemin pressed on with his own line of questioning. He said in his coldest tone, "Their target is Luo Dan. Are they aiming to weaken the Inner Ring’s overall strength ceiling? After Luo Dan is dead, do they plan to move against the Inner Ring?"

"Even if you ask me about such things, Uncle Luo, I wouldn’t know."

"If the Inner Ring collapses, what good would that do you?"

Luo Xuemin had expected Shi Tingyu to continue deflecting, but unexpectedly, after he posed this question, she countered, "Then again, what benefit is there for me if the Inner Ring continues to exist?"

Luo Xuemin was about to say that within the Inner Ring, she could have power, wealth, and the deference of others. But he didn’t voice these thoughts. He knew that if Shi Tingyu was speaking this way, then the things he’d considered—power, wealth, deference—no longer held any appeal for her.

"It seems something outside holds more appeal for you."

"Yes. The world is vast. One shouldn’t linger in one place for too long."

"But I also don’t wish for this place to be destroyed," Luo Xuemin stated. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

Neither could persuade the other. Further debate at this point would be meaningless.

"Never mind that. When will they make their move?"

"What do you think?" Shi Tingyu teased.

"In the next few days? And will Lu Xiaotian be the one to act?" Luo Xuemin was desperate to confirm this. Because this was both a crisis and an opportunity. If Lu Xiaotian was indeed taking action, the Inner Ring could set aside its grievances and unite. They could try to join forces to eliminate this Nightmare Demon. If Lu Xiaotian died, the Fourth Ring would lose its leader. A leaderless Fourth Ring wouldn’t last long before disintegrating. Then, a counterattack from the Inner Ring could restore everything to its proper course.

"Uncle Luo, you want to take action too? You should know, if I don’t agree, the Shi Family cannot help you."

Luo Xuemin didn’t care now whether the Shi Family would help; he only wanted to confirm if Lu Xiaotian would be involved. "Just tell me if Lu Xiaotian will be there. If Lu Xiaotian dies, you could still go outside, couldn’t you?" Luo Xuemin pressed, trying to tempt her.

Shi Tingyu suddenly laughed. "Uncle Luo, your proposition is very tempting. Alright then, I can tell you that Lu Xiaotian will indeed appear. Just don’t be too surprised!"

With that, Shi Tingyu hung up.

Luo Xuemin took another deep breath. The conversation hadn’t been long, but the amount of information exchanged was immense. He had confirmed several crucial points. First, their primary target was indeed Pope Luo Dan. Second, his deduction that their aim was to weaken the Inner Ring’s overall power ceiling was correct. And third, Lu Xiaotian would indeed appear in the upcoming attack. This gave him a chance for a desperate comeback—perhaps the Inner Ring’s only chance for victory.

As expected, crisis often accompanies opportunity. If we can seize this chance, we might just be able to make a comeback against all odds.

"Family Head, what are your orders?" Zhang Yifan asked.

"Consolidate all our forces. The plans we’ve laid, the fuses we’ve set—it’s time to light them all."

Zhang Yifan was silent for a moment. "Has it really come to this?"

"Yes. This is likely our last chance—a truly unique opportunity."

Luo Xuemin looked out the window. It’s an opportunity, yes, but the chances of success are still slim. Because Lu Xiaotian is incredibly powerful. In the current Inner Ring, perhaps only Luo Dan alone can contend with her. If Lu Xiaotian were merely an ordinary Eighth Order Monarch, they wouldn’t be this apprehensive. But what makes Lu Xiaotian truly terrifying is her complete absorption of power from the human system and her fully developed human intellect. This makes her the ultimate fusion of human intellect and Exotic Species form. The most difficult enemy to face.

"Make the preparations!" Luo Xuemin commanded.

"Yes, sir!" Zhang Yifan replied.