Apocalypse Circular

"A coffin!"

Lu Luo shifted his attention to the coffin at the center of the room.

Yet in his mind, he was still thinking about the matters concerning the mummified Ali.

This woman had many problems!

It felt somewhat off for the Dawn Disc to choose such a person as the inheritor.

Not just because of the twists and turns in Ali's life.

Perhaps her life truly was tragic, but Ali herself was also problematic.

The way she did things was full of problems, and her worldview was extremely radical.

Such a person was filled with negative energy; Lu Luo wouldn't say this about just any normal person.

But to Lu Luo, Ali seemed either mentally ill or had a psychological disorder.

*For such a person to be chosen, it must be deliberate; there's no second possibility.*

Deliberately... what's the purpose of deliberately choosing such a person?

Lu Luo had many questions about the Dawn Disc, hoping to find answers before the end of this journey in the Inner Ring!

"Let's go, to the coffin!"

The coffin appeared only after he turned the candlestick, intended to store Ali's belongings.

He had already explored the entire maze once over, and apart from this coffin, there was nothing else left to check.

Hopefully, this place hides a path leading to other areas!

Lu Luo came to the side of the coffin and threw its lid aside.

The interior of the coffin was carved with all sorts of symbols.

*These should be alchemical symbols, but they're too ancient and completely different from the mainstream alchemy of today. Based on a simple analysis, they should be for the protection of the flesh and soul.*

"But her body still rotted away!"

*Unless frozen, no preservation method, no matter how powerful, can maintain a body full of vitality for a thousand years. The key issue is not the length of time the body is preserved but the vitality of the body. Though she became extremely weak, it's undeniable she's still alive. That's the power of the Dawn Disc.*

To survive like this for over a thousand years?

*Everyone has different pursuits, right? You should understand the concept of seeking common ground while preserving differences.*

Hearing the Observer say this, Lu Luo felt even more horrified.

No wonder that person's constitution was so frail.

Is that so?

*Yes.*

Lu Luo silently nodded again, skipping over the topic, and then reached toward the bottom of the coffin.

TAP! TAP! TAP!

Knocking on the bottom with his fingers, Lu Luo was almost sure it was hollow.

"It's hollow underneath."

"Mhm, there should be something."

Lu Luo withdrew his fingers and pushed hard on the coffin in front of him.

BOOM!

The heavy stone coffin was easily pushed aside by Lu Luo.

And beneath the stone coffin was a staircase so narrow that only one person could pass through.

The stairs were deep, so deep that Lu Luo, even with the Observer's abilities, couldn't probe to the very bottom.

"Xinzhu, come over!"

"Okay!"

Lu Luo took Qi Xinzhu's hand, and they walked deeper into the Doomsday Sanctuary.

「...」

The Church, Lu Luo, Bai Yuetong.

At this moment, all three groups were coincidentally converging towards the true inheritor's location.

The Church's people were currently fascinated by the labyrinth-like heptagonal rooms.

On Bai Yuetong's side, she was continuing to tunnel through the ground, drawing ever closer to Lu Luo's location based on her own perception.

Only Lu Luo and Qi Xinzhu, after overcoming various obstacles and rooms, finally arrived at the hall that Qi Gefei and the Judgment Chief had previously visited, which was like a starry sky.

"Lu Luo, so many coffins!"

Qi Xinzhu looked at the stone coffins and nervously pulled on Lu Luo's finger.

The previous mummified Ali had given her a great shock.

Whether it was her experiences or her methods of vengeance, they all showed that she was not quite like a normal person.

Thankfully, there was only one coffin in that room.

But there were so many coffins in this place!

If every coffin contained a monster like Ali, then this place...

Just as Qi Xinzhu wanted to say something else to Lu Luo, a somewhat distant female voice emerged at the center of the room.

"You've come?"

"Hm?"

Qi Xinzhu was startled, and Lu Luo also looked up towards the source of the voice.

Even the Observer didn't notice the other party's presence!

That means the other party's strength or ability can perfectly shield them from the Observer.

*The other party is very special. It's not just a matter of strength; she herself is very special...*

This time, Lu Luo didn't criticize the Observer for being useless.

He was well aware that sometimes it really wasn't the Observer's fault.

And the kind of person he feared encountering most was an enemy that the Observer could not identify, because such a person not only had unpredictable abilities but often also indicated that their power was not something the current Lu Luo could handle.

Looking at the figure from a distance, Lu Luo spoke up, "Who might you be?"

"Judgment Chief! Lu Luo, she is the Judgment Chief, Bai Qingshuang."

Qi Xinzhu's voice by his side had already reminded Lu Luo of the other party's identity.

The one standing in the land of the inheritor, waiting for Lu Luo, was none other than his mother-in-law, Judgment Chief Bai Qingshuang.

Following Lu Luo's usual thick-skinned tactics, if it were someone else, he would have already rushed up and started calling her "Mom" without hesitation.

Lu Luo had no psychological burden calling people by familiar terms; the key was *who* he was addressing.

For example, he had no reservations when it came to Qi Xinzhu's parents.

But the Judgment Chief was different; Lu Luo had heard too many stories about her.

Her strength and status were too special, and too dangerous.

Lu Luo felt that it was better to be more conservative when facing the Judgment Chief.

"Greetings, Judgment Chief."

Bai Qingshuang's steps were slow as she walked towards Lu Luo.

She held her head high, and due to her injuries, her complexion was somewhat pale, giving her an air of coldness and arrogance.

Facing such power, Lu Luo chose to bow his head, which was not too proud to begin with.

Nonsense. Those who don't fear power are all dead. 'He who understands the times is a great man'—that's the truth of this world.

Lu Luo lowered his head and bowed, appearing in front of Bai Qingshuang like an obedient little chick.

His politeness was not just because of Bai Qingshuang's formidable abilities and high status.

It was also because Bai Qingshuang was Bai Yuetong's mother; they both shared the surname Bai.

Lu Luo felt that he should show Bai Qingshuang sufficient respect.

This respect stemmed not only from awe for the strong but also from reverence for an elder.

Bai Qingshuang stopped in front of the two of them, her powerful presence making it impossible for them to even lift their heads.

Fortunately, this oppressive feeling lasted only for a while before Bai Qingshuang withdrew it.

Lu Luo raised his head and looked at the woman who influenced the entire Alliance's situation.

And Bai Qingshuang was also looking at him.

"You're more handsome in person than in your pictures. I originally thought she would pick a research type, a science and engineering nerd. Unexpectedly, she still went for looks. Such a young girl's mentality."

Bai Qingshuang turned her head away. Though she spoke in such a manner, Lu Luo still saw the faint smile at the corner of her mouth.

It seemed that she was quite satisfied with Lu Luo, especially with his appearance.

"Judgment Chief is joking."

"It's no joke. In terms of looks, you are indeed outstanding. The only pity is that there are slightly too many women around you."

Bai Qingshuang said this while glancing at Qi Xinzhu, who was standing beside Lu Luo.

Qi Xinzhu might have been a little defiant, but at this moment she chose not to argue with Bai Qingshuang.

This woman was too dangerous; rashly arguing with her could lead to trouble.

"Qi Xinzhu!"

Bai Qingshuang shifted her gaze from Lu Luo to Qi Xinzhu.

Sensing something, Lu Luo subtly pulled Qi Xinzhu behind him, adopting a protective stance.

*Her power is too strong... It can even interfere with and affect me. She's not an ordinary Seventh Tier!*

"Hmph, you seem to be quite adept at caring for women."

Bai Qingshuang's tone was calm and relaxed, but Lu Luo didn't share her sense of ease.

He noticed that Bai Qingshuang was almost soaked in blood at this point.

"Judgment Chief! Your injuries?"

Bai Qingshuang looked down at her own wounds and shook her head indifferently.

"They're from my earlier fight with Fan Zhen. He is the Pope, after all, and quite strong. But it's nothing serious; they'll heal in time."

Bai Qingshuang spoke lightly, but Lu Luo's Observer told him at that moment,

*The Holy Radiance lingering on these wounds... each strike carries the power of a peak Seventh Tier! If even one of those attacks landed on you, you'd likely be reduced to ashes.*

Looking at Bai Qingshuang's wounds, Lu Luo grew even more puzzled about her conflict with the Pope.

"Judgment Chief, the outcome of your fight with the Pope...?"

"I lost."

Bai Qingshuang said it very calmly, admitting it straightforwardly as though she had lost an insignificant card game.

But Lu Luo was far from calm. If the Judgment Chief had lost, then the current state of the Church...

Compared to Judgment Chief Bai Qingshuang, Lu Luo had almost zero trust in Pope Fan Zhen!

The situation of the Dawn Church was too complicated.

It was no longer a situation that he could control. At this point, the best choice was to take Qi Xinzhu and leave this place.

"Judgment Chief, you're staring at me. Is there something you need?"

"You shouldn't be asking me that. Besides, you didn't come here because I asked you to, did you?"

Bai Qingshuang's words made Lu Luo slightly stunned.

Indeed, what brought him here had always been the Dawn Disc!

He was here out of necessity. Aside from coming to this place, there were no other exits to be found in the dungeon.

"Very well, Judgment Chief, may I now presumptuously ask how I should leave this place?"

"Get out? Heh, Fan Zhen has awakened, and until the victor between him and me is decided, not a single person who entered the Doomsday Sanctuary will be allowed out."

Lu Luo immediately caught a key point.

The Doomsday Sanctuary, huh?

This must be the place where the Church hides its secrets.

"Is there any record?"

*None whatsoever.*

As Lu Luo shook his head due to the lack of information, Bai Qingshuang suddenly asked, "Lu Luo, do you understand anything about the disc?"

Without specifying which disc, Lu Luo thought for a moment and then assumed she meant the Dawn Disc.

This question wasn't too difficult to answer, at least that's what Lu Luo believed.

"Regarding the Dawn Disc, I do have a certain understanding."

"However, the Dawn Disc itself told me most of this information."

"The information I found and explored on my own is actually very little."

"So, what I know might all be useless."

Bai Qingshuang shook her head. "That doesn't matter, because most of the information I know was also told to me by the Disc."

"Uh... so the things we know should be pretty similar, right? What does the Judgment Chief want to know?"

"What I want to know is, what kind of conditions did it offer you?"

Lu Luo could roughly understand what Bai Qingshuang meant by "conditions."

However, regarding those conditions, Lu Luo wasn't really interested. "Probably just some empty promises of grandeur, right? Are these things important?"

Lu Luo's description is rather interesting!

As long as Lu Luo doesn't have a favorable impression of the Dawn Disc, then many things can be discussed further.

"Empty promises of grandeur? It seems you don't think highly of the Dawn Disc! But these aren't the important issues. There is one thing that truly matters."

"What is it?"

"Lu Luo, do you know why the Dawn Disc is here and what its significance is here?"

*I can recite the tenets of the Dawn Church!*

The Observer had already thoughtfully displayed the tenets of the Dawn Church.

Lu Luo briefly reviewed the tenets of the Dawn Church and then hazarded a guess, "The role of the Dawn Disc is probably to save humanity from crisis and lead people toward the light? Of course, I'm speculating. If I'm wrong, I hope the Judgment Chief will correct me."

Lu Luo's speculation was just a basic guess. Holy Radiance possesses healing powers, and its nature appears luminous, so his statement wasn't entirely off base.

But Bai Qingshuang shook her head, completely denying Lu Luo and presenting a reason that Qi Xinzhu couldn't accept at all.

"There's nothing inherently wrong with inferring the Dawn Disc's purpose from the Dawn Church. But what if the Disc, in essence, isn't part of the Dawn Church? Then what do you think its significance would become?"

Lu Luo felt somewhat confused by Bai Qingshuang's words. He wasn't the only one; Qi Xinzhu was even more perplexed.

"Could the Judgment Chief explain a bit more clearly?"

Qi Xinzhu had deeper feelings for the Dawn Church than Lu Luo, but what the Judgment Chief was doing seemed to be slandering the Church.

If there was a problem with the Church, then the main reason would be that the people within the Church had issues.

Qi Xinzhu always believed that the Dawn Church's current situation had mainly resulted from changes in people.

The transformation of people's hearts led to the Church's current outcome.

Pope Fan Zhen had problems and made mistakes.

And Judgment Chief Bai Qingshuang couldn't absolve herself of responsibility either.

But the teachings of the Church itself were absolutely correct.

Qi Xinzhu firmly believed this.

If there was an issue with the Church, then one should work hard to make it better, not blame each other at such a time.

Seeing Qi Xinzhu, filled with righteous indignation, a smile appeared on Bai Qingshuang's face.

She appreciated Qi Xinzhu very much.

She had even previously considered removing the mark Fan Zhen had left on Qi Xinzhu and taking her as a disciple.

"You want me to be more straightforward?"

"Yes, more straightforward."

"Alright, then I'll make you completely understand what your years of faith have really been about."

Bai Qingshuang looked at Qi Xinzhu with slight arrogance, but Qi Xinzhu showed no intention of backing down.

A battle of convictions was inevitable.

Even Lu Luo, standing aside, did not interrupt their conversation at this time.

"Since you want it straightforward, I'll get right to the point. The Church is the Church, and the Disc is the Disc; the Dawn Disc and the Church were originally not part of the same system."

"Impossible, the Dawn Church has been around for more than 400 years."

Qi Xinzhu interrupted Bai Qingshuang, but Lu Luo stopped her.

"Xinzhu, I know you're a bit agitated right now, but I think it's better for us to let the Judgment Chief continue."

Qi Xinzhu looked at Lu Luo and finally nodded.

Seeing her calm down, Bai Qingshuang continued, "The Dawn Disc is independent; its existence has changed the doctrine of the Church. The doctrine of the Church has gone from following the truths of the world to being distorted into seeking the light! The world was not so dark to begin with, but in order for you to seek the light better, it created all this darkness! All that you do—healing, praying—is just abetting an evildoer."

"How can that be..."

Qi Xinzhu couldn't believe it or understand it.

It wasn't just her; even Lu Luo had some difficulty understanding the situation.

"Judgment Chief, please continue."

"As believers, you always think that spreading Holy Radiance and converting others to the faith is a very righteous thing. But you have no idea what the Dawn Disc represents; you only know how to blindly spread those distorted doctrines, to help the Dawn Disc gain more followers, continuously empowering the strength of Holy Radiance. But do you know, every new believer adds a new burden to the entire Wasteland Alliance, to the Doomsday Halo."

"But the Church has always been saving and protecting people, right?"

"Saving? Protecting? What you see may very well be exactly what it wants you to see. The Church was once called the Church of Truth. Seeking truth, pursuing the balance between all things—that was the true doctrine of the Church, not spreading this so-called Holy Radiance. And now, let me tell you something even more ridiculous."

"The mission of the Church of Truth was to guard the Dawn Disc in this forsaken land of vigilance. Because the Dawn Disc was indestructible, and its power was filled with corruption. In the Doomsday Halo, this forsaken land, the Church of Truth guarded the Disc for a thousand years. But the power of the Dawn Disc was too formidable; it could never be destroyed. Its power was too great and pervasive, continually eroding this land. Eventually, the believers of Truth who remained here were also gradually corrupted by the Dawn Disc. Under the influence of this power, people's hearts and human nature would be unknowingly changed by the Dawn Disc, turned into its slaves."

Hearing this, Lu Luo gulped.

This information was just explosive!

The avatar of righteousness, the core of the entire Wasteland Alliance, the symbolic Divine Artifact, the Dawn Disc, was actually the source of all contamination?

Who would believe this if it were said out loud?

If it were someone else saying these words, Lu Luo would definitely not believe it.

But the person speaking now was the Judgment Chief of the Dawn Church!

She was the supreme authority in the entire Dawn Church.

She herself was revealing this; Lu Luo truly had no choice but to believe!

"Uh, Judgment Chief, your words sound a bit incredible."

Bai Qingshuang's complexion remained calm as she looked at Lu Luo and continued, "Incredible? The truly incredible part is yet to come. Four hundred years ago, the power of the Dawn Disc utterly corrupted the Doomsday Halo. Almost all those in power had been eroded by the Dawn Disc's influence. It was also in that year, with the establishment of the Wasteland Alliance, that the history of the Doomsday Halo was completely rewritten. Since then, the name Doomsday Halo has been nearly forgotten."

"People remember only the Wasteland Alliance! Some things may be forgotten, but the truth of history does not perish. There are always some people, some things, that have recorded this true segment of history. The Doomsday Halo is not a place where the apocalypse descends; it is the watchful sanctuary of the Sages. The Sages wanted to completely imprison the Dawn Disc here. Unfortunately, they failed."

"Failed..."

Hearing this, Lu Luo felt an inexplicable sense of regret.

He thought of that period in his motherland's history from his previous life; the Sages, indeed, were deserving of respect.

"Yes, they failed," Bai Qingshuang's expression also carried much regret.

"Does it feel quite ridiculous?"

Lu Luo immediately shook his head; he always held his own respect and admiration for forebears. "No, when the forebears did such things, they were never ridiculous. They might have succeeded, or they might have failed. But failure, in itself, is not a mistake. From the perspective of posterity looking back at our forebears, we can already feel their greatness. Their greatness and tragic spirit are far heavier than we can imagine! Because we, as descendants, have already seen the ultimate victory or failure, so we dare to jump to conclusions. But the forebears could not predict the future at the time of their sacrifice. They didn't know how significant their sacrifice was—to what they were guarding, to the victory or defeat of their motherland. They didn't know how many years it would take to succeed, or even if they could succeed at all. What drove them forward was solely their passion. At the time of sacrifice, all they could rely on were the beliefs in their hearts. So, they are worthy of respect, and they are endearing."

After Lu Luo spoke these words, Bai Qingshuang, who had always maintained her calm and indifference, couldn't help but be moved.

"Lu Luo, you're really not bad. I didn't expect you to be able to see so deeply, so far ahead..."

"I just like reading books."

Bai Qingshuang nodded and returned to the previous topic. "With the corrosion and erosion by the Dawn Disc, generation after generation, the Church of Truth finally disintegrated and vanished. The Dawn Church of today has completely replaced what was once the Church of Truth. From the moment the Dawn Church was established, the Dawn Disc has been constantly eroding this land. It constantly contaminates here, in order to completely control and purify this place."

"Without a doubt, in some sense, it has succeeded. However, because of its contaminating power, it has become impossible for Eighth Order Transcendents to emerge in the Doomsday Halo. Nowadays, even Seventh Tier Transcendents need the power of the Dawn Disc for promotion. This is something many people have already noticed. The strength and talent of humans in the Doomsday Halo are slowly declining under the corruption of Holy Radiance. This decline is almost irreversible. If this continues, the Doomsday Halo will never see an Eighth Order Transcendent. Without an Eighth Order Transcendent, the Dawn Disc would not dare leave this forsaken land. It is also perplexed; it wants to return to that place which once exiled it. So it is looking for someone with a pure soul—like me, and you, Lu Luo."

Lu Luo fell silent once again...

The Dawn Disc took a thousand years to completely erode the Doomsday Halo?

And then spent 400 years constructing a history that is both real and false?

That just sounds too far-fetched!

"Observer, could you be of some use?"

*Uh, I feel her level is too high. I can't get a word in edgewise. Maybe... just listen to her!*

Coward! Trash!