Apocalypse Circular

"Why change it? I think 'The Wall of Origin' is a good name."

"Why don't you like it? What's not to like? Tell me! Hurry up and tell me!"

Dumb Hair was somewhat unconvinced, and Lu Luo knew she was starting to get angry.

A woman's temper is like a balloon drifting in the air; you never know whether it will burst in the next second or continue to float.

To choose to reason with a woman at this time would be a very foolish thing to do.

So Lu Luo could only nod, compromising, "Alright then, from now on, this place will be called 'The Wall of Origin.' This will be our starting point, as well as a new beginning for the Wasteland Alliance."

Looking at the high wall, Lu Luo felt a slight surge of excitement in his heart!

Did he have ambitions? Yes, he did.

Every man has ambitions, but they keep them hidden deep inside.

Men rarely reveal their ambitions without absolute confidence.

Lu Luo was no different.

The title 'King of the Wasteland' did sound a bit juvenile.

But if he could achieve it, he wouldn't mind at all.

Just as Ludie had once told him, the Wasteland Alliance was already a decayed political organization.

In such an environment, there were many things he couldn't do.

Like Qi Xinzhu, like Bai Yuetong, and even...

If war really broke out, he wouldn't be able to live peacefully within the Wasteland Alliance.

There would always be people looking for trouble with him, incessantly so.

But if Lu Luo became the King of the Wasteland, things would be different.

He could have many women, he could establish new laws for the Wasteland Alliance, he could develop this place according to his own will.

Maybe by then it wouldn't be called the Wasteland Alliance anymore, but the Wasteland Empire?

Or perhaps choose another name?

Like the Empire of Origin?

These were once Lu Luo's fantasies. To realize these things was extremely difficult.

But now, he had an opportunity to make it happen.

And that was national trade!

If he could truly open up the channel between the Wasteland Alliance and the New Empire, then the speed at which he acquired resources would increase tenfold.

His talent, his energy, as well as the Breath of Favor, and so on, would all undergo a very obvious qualitative change.

As he developed, others were developing too, like Noah, Nightmare Demon, the Council Alliance of the Inner Ring, and Luo Dan's New Church.

If Lu Luo truly wanted to be the King of the Wasteland and had to compete with such Exotic Monarchs, there was only one way: to develop faster than them, so fast that these people wouldn't have time to react.

In a short time, to have power on par with the Exotic Monarchs, to have resources to contend with the Inner Ring.

That's what Lu Luo needed to accomplish.

"This is my chance, our chance, a perfect opportunity!"

"Lu Luo, what are you talking about?"

Qi Xinzhu didn't quite understand what Lu Luo was muttering to himself, but Bai Yuetong, on the other hand, could sense Lu Luo's ambition.

"His fox tail is showing."

"Fox tail?"

Their conversation was as enigmatic as a riddle, but Qi Xinzhu didn't care, as the sunset before them made her feel the light once more.

The Star of Dawn inside her also emitted some very positive responses.

"The Holy Radiance has increased, and it feels good!"

Lu Luo looked at Qi Xinzhu. He too had worried that once they left the Doomsday Halo area, the Star of Dawn in Qi Xinzhu's body might have some strange reaction.

After all, the Dawn Disc was imprisoned in this land.

However, after some thought, Lu Luo adopted an indifferent attitude. He wasn't the one imprisoning the Dawn Disc; he no longer needed to worry about those things. Qi Xinzhu was his wife, and a wife should certainly stay by his side!

"Let's go, let's check out the surroundings."

"Yes!"

After Lu Luo gave his command, personnel began to disperse in an orderly fashion, scouting the situation at the Fifth High Wall, also known as The Wall of Origin.

This was a new environment, after all, and many aspects, especially the local Exotic Species, required gradual exploration.

Lu Luo and his team hadn't encountered other high-level Exotic Species for a simple reason: a legion of Seventh-Tier monsters, the Giant Statue Guardians, stood guard around the Fifth Wall.

With such massive numbers, even an Eighth-Order Monarch would likely have to steer clear.

The Giant Statue Guardian legion was probably the final layer of defense left here by the people who built this place.

Unfortunately, Giant Statue Guardian 01, also known as the Stone Mother, had already rebelled.

Otherwise, the current Giant Statue Guardian legion would likely have been even more powerful.

"Lu Luo, there are some flying objects!" Gu Fangyi called out.

"I see them."

Gu Fangyi and Lu Luo both had strong observation skills. Standing on the high wall, they could easily survey the surrounding environment.

Beneath their feet flowed the Circular River, which was neither particularly wide nor narrow.

Crossing the river still posed a certain risk for Lu Luo and his team.

However, as Breath of Favor members, they were prepared with gliding equipment.

They also had plenty of Jet Belts.

If there were no interference, with the help of gliders and Jet Belts, these more than two hundred people should be able to cross safely.

But the problem now was precisely that there *was* interference.

In the sky, there were some Exotic Species flying about, with the upper bodies of bats and the lower bodies of snakes.

They kept circling around the High Wall, and as Lu Luo and his team's gazes swept over these Flying Snakes, the creatures were also observing them.

[Flying Snake, Third-Tier animal-type. Abilities: Chaos, Acid, Lightning, Frost, Flame, Unknown. Attributes: Strength 25, Constitution 25, Agility 75.]

"Flying Snakes, huh!"

Lu Luo's expression turned ugly as he saw the attributes of the Flying Snakes.

Their attribute values weren't strong, but their Agility of 75 was not something ordinary team members could handle.

Moreover, with their large numbers and ability to attack from a distance, if the team were to glide rashly and come under attack from the Flying Snakes, it could result in widespread casualties.

Most of the Transcendents from the Wasteland Alliance, including those from the Circle Company, were like fish out of water.

Under attack, many of these people might very well end up in the water.

Setting aside what might be in the water and whether strong Exotic Species might appear, just the inconvenience of falling into the water and the ensuing panic would likely be more than they could handle.

Gu Fangyi and a few others had practiced swimming at Lu Luo's insistence.

But even if they could swim, without sufficient practice and underwater combat experience, their fighting ability would be greatly reduced in the water.

So, Lu Luo was well aware that they should avoid aquatic combat as much as possible.

If it was unavoidable, then they'd consider underwater or in-water combat.

Now the question was, should they start clearing out the Flying Snakes?

The Flying Snakes had not launched an attack on them yet, and Lu Luo was not sure whether these creatures were neutral or hostile.

Though judging by their mouthparts, they were likely carnivores.

But for now, Lu Luo couldn't be certain whether they would attack on their own initiative.

If they rashly attacked now, would it enrage these Flying Snakes?

"Lu Luo, what do you say?" Gu Fangyi asked.

"Let me think."

Although Lu Luo said he was thinking, his hands didn't stop moving.

He had already taken a rifle from a team member.

As the leader of the Circle and possessing the formidable Observer Sequence, Lu Luo's advantage in shooting was unparalleled.

But he was more keen on close combat, which is why he didn't frequently use long-range weapons.

However, not using them often didn't mean he couldn't. When he began to fire, his 28-round rifle was accurate with nearly every shot.

RAT-TAT! RAT-TAT-TAT!

Precise and rhythmic bursts of gunfire commenced from Lu Luo's hands.

The Flying Snakes that Lu Luo targeted were first stunned and then became enraged.

They twisted furiously in the air but seemed somewhat reluctant to get too close to The Wall of Origin.

It was as if there was something within the confines of The Wall of Origin that they feared.

"A very nice shooting position. Let's start. Kill them all."

Lu Luo's command was somewhat cold, but no one raised any objections at the time.

RATATAT!

The rapid gunfire continuously rang in their ears. Kevin Jones watched the Flying Snakes die in droves, momentarily speechless.

He had not expected that taking these people on a trip to the Imperial would involve so many twists and hardships.

Whether it was the Flying Snakes, the behemoths, or the crawling lizards, these were things he had never encountered before.

Yet, with Lu Luo leading this expedition, difficulties and obstacles came one after another.

This made Kevin wonder if such incidents continued, he might kill himself in frustration.

"That shouldn't happen, Mr. Lu Luo is a very reasonable person!" Kevin muttered.

"What are you talking about?" Qi Xinzhu asked abruptly.

"Uh, nothing, it's nothing."

Actually, Qi Xinzhu had heard Kevin's voice; she was just pretending not to.

She didn't need to say much, just give Kevin a subconscious reminder.

The shooting continued. Because they had sufficient ammunition and the team's combat level was quite excellent, and moreover, the Flying Snakes were completely unable to resist, the hunt lasted only about five minutes.

The sky was soon cleared of Flying Snakes.

With the threat of the Flying Snakes temporarily gone, Lu Luo gestured to the team members to start preparing their gliders for a flying descent.

A Jet Belt was provided for every five people, which could give the gliders extra power to ensure absolute safety.

After all preparations were made, Lu Luo decisively gave the command.

"Everyone, get ready... move out!"

"Yes!"

Countless gliders took to the sky, crossing the river in a cone formation and heading towards the mountains on the opposite side of the high wall.

However, the whole process was not as simple as imagined.

When the group had flown a third of the distance, the Flying Snakes reappeared.

Their emergence seemed almost premeditated!

And this time, leading these Flying Snakes were several even larger creatures.

[War Bat, Fifth-Tier Lord. Ability: Strong Wind. Attributes: Strength 110, Constitution 90, Agility 200.]

As soon as the War Bats arrived, they flapped their enormous wings at everyone.

The fierce wind threw the gliders off course, but luckily, Lu Luo and his team, with their Jet Belts, barely managed to withstand its onslaught.

But it wasn't over yet. After the fierce wind came the dense elemental attacks of the Flying Snake swarm.

Acid Spit, Fire Surge, Frost Arrows, Lightning Breath.

Various elemental attacks began to hail down on Lu Luo and his team.

Qi Xinzhu promptly activated the Holy Radiance defense, struggling slightly to resist the first wave of attacks.

However, this wasn't a sustainable solution. Lu Luo knew they had to eliminate these Flying Snakes, or at least scatter them.

"Gu Fangyi!"

"Understood."

As Lu Luo spoke, Gu Fangyi's sniper cannon began to charge.

Meanwhile, Lu Luo himself handed Dumb Hair to Qi Xinzhu and shed his gliding equipment, ready to act alone.

"I'll leave this to you."

"Don't worry, go!"

After nodding slightly, Lu Luo activated his Jet Belt, all its Qi He steam vents opening.

Within a few breaths, he was already on the back of a War Bat.

Lu Luo had no intention of pummeling this War Bat with his fists.

After all, it was a Fifth-Tier Lord, and there were many of them; killing them this way would be too slow!

Instead of using his fists, he had a better method!

Nightmare Power!

Lu Luo's pupils first turned the red of the Observer, and the War Bat beneath him also turned red.

The Sequence Force within both their bodies gradually synchronized, and then...

The power of the Nightmare Demon began to flow from Lu Luo's arms into the War Bat's body.

The War Bat's pupils gradually filled with a purplish-black hue; it stopped struggling and attacking.

Instead, it started to fly towards the center of the Flying Snake Exotic Species swarm.

BANG!

A War Bat attempting to block Lu Luo was shot down by Gu Fangyi with a single blast from his sniper cannon.

The power of the sniper cannon surpassed the endurance limit of a Lord-level Exotic Species.

A direct hit to the torso would leave even a Lord-level creature severely injured and on the brink of death.

Even if the shot went astray and hit a wing, the War Bat would lose its ability to fly.

As Lu Luo flew towards the center of the Exotic Species swarm, he released the War Bat beneath him.

He suddenly leaped into the air.

Hands clasped together!

Devourer of Worlds Core!

Countless crimson tentacles burst from Lu Luo's body and from the air around him.

These thin tentacles were extremely fast; even the Flying Snakes in mid-flight couldn't evade them.

Once pierced by the Devourer's tentacles, a Flying Snake's body would rapidly weaken and shrivel up, as if its life force had been sucked dry.

The Flying Snakes died in droves, wailing as they tried to flee.

But Lu Luo's Devourer tentacles gave them no chance.

Qi Xinzhu and Zhou Kai focused on defense while Gu Fangyi used the sniper cannon to pick off War Bats.

Lu Luo himself provided control and large-area damage, with the other team members delivering concentrated fire.

Their tight coordination allowed them to decimate the swarm of Flying Snakes within a few breaths.

Kevin Jones, who had been trembling moments ago, was once again completely stunned!

"They're so strong! Their strength is incredible!"

As a servant, Kevin had never witnessed such human resistance against Exotic Species, nor such coordinated special operations.

The environment of the Imperial didn't require someone like him to engage in combat against Exotic Species.

In the Imperial, most Transcendents focused more on individual combat prowess.

Witnessing such coordinated combat not only deeply impressed Kevin but also broadened his perspective on Transcendent warfare.

"Miss Qi Xinzhu, you all are amazing!"

Qi Xinzhu didn't say anything, feeling there was no need to state the obvious.

Zhou Kai, on the other hand, found Kevin a bit irritating. The kid was always talking to Qi Xinzhu; did he have some ulterior motive?

Although Qi Xinzhu officially earned only a salary of 200, she was the boss's wife, after all.

This guy needed a talking to.

"Isn't that obvious? Do we need you to emphasize how formidable we are?"

"Ah, sorry, Mr. Zhou Kai."

"Let's go, hurry up!"

The gliders gradually brought Lu Luo and his teammates down to the shore, the entire process being relatively smooth.

The Circle Company members landed one after another, quickly packing up their gliding equipment and organizing their supplies.

Next, they would prepare for a journey deeper into the mountain range.

These tasks were handled by Gu Fangyi and Zhou Kai; Lu Luo didn't concern himself with them.

After landing, he went alone to the riverside.

This circular river was somewhat like the moat of the Doomsday Halo.

However, this river was not the legendary purple Nether River, but a grayish-blue one.

The water was filthy; at least Lu Luo couldn't see what lay beneath its surface.

Standing by the river, Lu Luo considered whether to go underwater to investigate, but the Observer dissuaded him.

[You've finally made it here. Isn't it good to be alive?]

"There's danger under the water."

[Indeed, there's a strong energy signature. But whether there's actual danger...]

Before the warning could finish, a huge splash erupted from the water with a BANG.

A six-legged crocodile suddenly lunged from the water, snapping at Lu Luo's head.

This scene reminded Lu Luo of the time he was attacked by a water creature in the outskirts of the Southern Ring.

"Brings back memories!"

BOOM!

Lu Luo grabbed one of the crocodile's teeth with a single hand, forcefully dragged it out of the water, and then slammed it onto the ground.

Dust and shockwaves rippled outwards.

Birds and small animals retreated; such might was clearly not something ordinary creatures could produce.

Animals are clever; they know what they can touch and what they shouldn't.

With one foot on the crocodile's head, Lu Luo completely immobilized the Lord-level creature.

The overwhelming power made Kevin's teeth chatter, still in a state of shock.

Is this still human?

However, Lu Luo's next action was even more casual. He drew his knife and chopped off the crocodile's head in one stroke.

SLICE!

Lifting the greatsword, which still sparked with electricity, Lu Luo found its blade already nicked after only a couple of uses.

He sighed with a bit of helplessness.

"Tsk, junk! We'll eat this tonight."

"Okay."

「At night, the group simply made camp by the river.」

This was a dangerous decision because the water might hide Exotic Species even more perilous than crocodiles.

But Lu Luo still decided the team should stay by the river.

Although the riverside was dangerous, at least their view wouldn't be obstructed.

If they ventured into the mountains now, the winding paths and forests would greatly diminish the team members' combat effectiveness.

This was not the outcome Lu Luo wanted.

So... cooking on the spot was the best choice!

At night, Lu Luo sat by the campfire, lost in thought. Some creatures shuffled back and forth in the forest, but he wasn't very concerned.

Given the team's current size, he, the boss, was no longer needed for guard duty.

So, daydreaming or cultivating were his daily options.

"Lu Luo, the roasted meat is ready. Want some?"

Qi Xinzhu was as considerate as ever. Not only did she roast the meat for Lu Luo, but she also seasoned it just the way he liked.

Of course, the others didn't receive such treatment; they had to prepare their own.

Especially Dumb Hair, the least capable among them, who still hadn't eaten a bite of warm food.

"Okay."

Lu Luo took the roasted meat Qi Xinzhu offered, his gaze once again deepening.

But Qi Xinzhu, who knew him well, could see that Lu Luo was in a good mood.

"In a good mood?"

"Yeah, a little excited."

"Yes, who would have thought that besides the Wasteland Alliance, there are other human settlements. Even now, it seems so unbelievable."

Lu Luo knew that Qi Xinzhu still held some nostalgia for the Dawn Church.

But the Church was no longer what it once was, and they couldn't go back.

"We need to adapt to this era, not wait for the era to adapt to us. The environment of the Wasteland Alliance isn't very suitable for a third-party power like us to develop. So we need to carve out a new environment. Get ready. If the conditions in the Imperial are favorable, we might settle there for a long time."

"Got it, my boss!"

"Bring Kevin over."

"Okay."

When Kevin Jones was brought before Lu Luo, the blond young man was somewhat at a loss.

Looking at Lu Luo with a hint of bewilderment, he asked tentatively, "Mr. Lu Luo, do you need me for something?"

"Mr. Kevin, there's no need to be so formal. The circumstances were different earlier, so my attitude might have been poor. We are safe now, and I apologize for my actions earlier."

Lu Luo's smile was disarming, which only made Kevin more frightened.

"No, no, no, Mr. Lu Luo, please don't say such things. According to Imperial law, someone of your status would be considered a noble in the Empire. I dare not speak to a nobleman like that."

"Heh, is that so? That really is quite rare."

Lu Luo picked up a skewer of meat and handed it to Kevin.

"Mr. Kevin, try some as well."

Looking at the skewer in front of him, Kevin's expression was hesitant.

In the Imperial, he had never eaten meat from Exotic Species before.

Especially since the Empire's propaganda pamphlets explicitly state that meat from Exotic Species is highly unstable.

Reckless consumption of such meat carries a high risk of self-mutation—an outcome no Transcendent wishes to experience.

So even though the crocodile meat before him smelled very appetizing and made Kevin's mouth water, he still didn't take a bite.

"Mr. Lu Luo, is this kind of meat really edible?"

"Rest assured, Mr. Kevin. This meat has been treated; it's clean and edible."

"But in our Imperial..."

"I know, you're probably going to say that your Imperial teaches that meat from Exotic Species is contaminated and can cause mutations, right? We have those concerns too, but we've also mastered methods to purify the meat of Exotic Species. Their meat is more nutritious than ordinary meat and more suitable for Transcendents to consume."

"Is that so? Then, may I... try some?"

"Yes, go ahead and try. You'll like it."

Under Lu Luo's gentle persuasion, Kevin began to eat heartily.

"Mmm, this tastes really good! Thank you for your generosity, Mr. Lu Luo."

"Mr. Kevin, what is the city you live in like?"

"It's probably a decent city, on the outskirts of the Imperial. Why do you ask, Mr. Lu Luo?"

"Nothing much, I just want to chat with you about some details regarding the Imperial."

"Sure, I'll tell you everything I know."

Under the influence of a certain power, Lu Luo and Kevin talked throughout the night.

Kevin was very excited. He didn't know why, but he felt remarkably energetic.

Even though this operation had been going on for a long time without rest, he didn't feel tired.

It wasn't until late into the night that his enthusiasm finally began to wane.

However, he failed to notice that his eye sockets had turned a deep purplish-black, as if he were utterly drained of mental energy.

"I had a lot of fun chatting today. The Imperial has so many interesting things. Go get some rest, Mr. Kevin. We still have to travel tomorrow."

"Uh, okay, I'm off to sleep then."

Kevin felt somewhat reluctant to end the conversation, but after the purple color faded from his eyes, he did indeed feel a strong sense of exhaustion.

Overcome by sleepiness, he lost the desire to keep talking, went back to the tent Lu Luo had arranged for him, and fell into a deep sleep.

「The next day, the team set off fully prepared.」

"Lu Luo, aren't you coming?"

"You go ahead. I'll be there in a moment."

Qi Xinzhu frowned slightly but didn't say much more.

"Alright, be careful then."

Lu Luo, having separated from the team, stood alone by the river, looking back at it.

He felt there was something wrong with this river; deep inside, he seemed to sense something calling to him.

"This river... huh?"

After everyone had left, the moat actually began to change color.

Purple bubbles began to surge from the water. Lu Luo watched this scene with interest, a smile appearing on his face.

So, it is the Nether River then! The power that divides the realms of life and death has always been hidden here.

The purple bubbles, carrying surging Nightmare Power, began to spread throughout the river.

Netherflame ignited on the surface of the river, and a humanoid figure slowly appeared from within the flames.

"Has the Netherflame circulated to your hands now? How weak!"

[The entity is between a living being and a spirit. Danger level: Extremely high! Level cannot be determined.]

Lu Luo listened to the voice; it sounded like a woman's.

But the figure was amidst the Netherflame, and Lu Luo couldn't clearly see its appearance through the flames.

"The source of the Netherflame lies with Nightmare Demon; the Netherflame here is merely a lingering trace of her power."

Lu Luo adopted a very humble posture, as he hadn't figured out what this entity was.

Not only him, but even the Observer was unable to discern its condition.

From her tone, it seemed as if the Netherflame had been passed on from her to Nightmare Demon.

If this guess is true, then she's a major power! A true powerhouse!

"Quite humble of you. But your Seed of the Nether Source is no different from hers now. You're just lacking the time to grow. However, it's a pity you have to leave this place. The outside world is very dangerous, you know! Do you really want to go?"

The entity spoke to Lu Luo like an elder, and Lu Luo surprisingly felt no dissonance.

"Senior, is there anything you wish to tell me?"

"Senior? Hehehe, I like that title. But, weren't you waiting here specifically for me? You even had your companions leave first."

Lu Luo blinked somewhat blankly, "I just wanted to see what the legendary Nether River is really like."

"You want to see me? Well... okay then!"

As soon as the female voice faded, Netherflame began to approach Lu Luo.

[You're not running? Are you really prepared to let me find a new host?]

Lu Luo ignored the Observer's reminder. He felt that he couldn't back down at this moment; otherwise, he might miss something very special.

When the cold Netherflame landed on Lu Luo's face and gradually engulfed him, Lu Luo finally saw what the other party looked like.

A... Medusa?

Lu Luo could only think of that name.

Hair full of snakeheads, a human torso with a snake's body, and the lower body covered in scales. Her body was constantly burning with Netherflame.

Somehow, Lu Luo felt that her power was much stronger than that of an Eighth-Order calamity.

"Now that you've seen my appearance, are you satisfied?"

[So she's a snake. No wonder you were so keen on seeing her!]

Lu Luo was bewildered. He really couldn't be bothered with the Observer's commentary; the Medusa before him was clearly no ordinary entity. He had to proceed with caution.

"Senior, how may I address you?"

"I don't have a name of my own; Exotic Species don't give themselves names. However, during the time I have existed, humans have given me many names. For example, the Tenth Angel Envoy, or Meiqi!"

The Tenth Angel Envoy, Meiqi!

Lu Luo swallowed. By now, he had a rough understanding of her identity.

As a weakling like himself, it'd be better not to try and get something out of this situation.

"Senior Meiqi, why are you here?"

"That is not for you to ask. The fact that you can walk away from me is already a privilege. Don't be too greedy!"

Meiqi's reminder was quite kind. Lu Luo had achieved his objective and didn't want to stay here any longer.

But he was unsure what kind of attitude he should adopt in front of Meiqi.

After hesitating for a while, Lu Luo muttered, "So, I'll leave?"

[??? Good grief, are you eager for death? Something's off with you.]

The way Lu Luo said it made Meiqi also begin to doubt herself. She hadn't threatened the kid, had she?

This kid is really bold? Impressive, worth cultivating.

"Wait a second."

"Um! Is there something else?"

Honestly, Lu Luo didn't really want to develop too extraordinary a relationship with her.

He had thought that the Nether River was just a river, but the reality turned out to be that the Nether River was a snake.

This was too much to bear!

"What's your name?"

[Don't lie!]

Lu Luo hurriedly shut his mouth, stopping himself from announcing his idea to impersonate the lawless thug Zhang San.

"I'm Zhang... err, my name is Lu Luo."

"Good, you didn't lie to Meiqi. So Meiqi should now give a reward to a child who didn't lie. I'll give you something. I hope you like it."

Meiqi's snake-haired head suddenly coiled around Lu Luo's body, then her face slowly drew closer.

Her jade-like face made Lu Luo's heart pound with apprehension.

She's an Angel Envoy!

Meiqi kissed Lu Luo's forehead. A cool sensation flowed from his forehead throughout his body.

"I've helped you complete the rules of Netherflame. From now on, you'd better practice well!"

Meiqi's gift left Lu Luo somewhat bewildered; he hadn't figured out what else to say.

But Meiqi seemed to have no further interest in conversation.

"Little Lu Luo, you're too weak now. Once you've grown a bit more, you can come and find me again."

This time, Lu Luo finally caught on, his wits returning.

He knew Meiqi truly had no intention of harming him; otherwise, he would have died a hundred times over by now.

"Lady Meiqi, is there anything you need me to do?"

"Life and death, the cycle never ends. We live, they die."

The voice echoed in Lu Luo's ears, its meaning eluding him.

Looking at the river that had turned grayish-blue, Lu Luo was speechless for a long time.

Who are 'we'? And who are 'they'?

「In the Imperial, Dong'an City, a cottage on the border line.」

Wang Minze was gaming.

But his girlfriend, Li Wei, stood expressionlessly in front of him.

Wang Minze frowned slightly but did not stop his game, "What's wrong, baby?"

"Is the game fun?" Li Wei asked, her expression unfriendly.

"...Yes, fun," Wang Minze answered truthfully.

"Oh? Is that so? My boyfriend also likes to play."

Wang Minze was dumbfounded. What did that mean? Why was she bringing up her ex-boyfriend all of a sudden?

Wang Minze felt indignant; he wouldn't accept this!

With a bit of stubbornness, Wang Minze asked, "What tier is he now?"

Li Wei was confused. "?"

"What role does he play?"

Li Wei was even more confused. "??"

"Top lane, mid lane, jungle, or marksman?"

Li Wei was utterly bewildered. "???"

"Quick, tell me!" Wang Minze urged, visibly impatient.

Li Wei, on the other hand, was already somewhat dazed and stammered, "I... I'm not sure!"

"Didn't he play with you before?"

Without waiting for his girlfriend to answer, Wang Minze said smugly while continuing his game, "My ex-girlfriend didn't play before either, but then I taught her hands-on. Guess what tier she is now?"

Li Wei seethed, an angry vein throbbing on her forehead. "!!!"

"Go on, guess!"

Li Wei's face contorted with rage.

BAM! WHACK! BANG!

Sounds of a fierce beating came from the room. After a while, a battered and bruised Wang Minze walked out.

"If we're breaking up, fine! But why make me feed the enemy in the game... Ugh, forget it. Research, research!"

"Let's start a new research project! Like..."

Wang Minze watched from afar as a handsome, bare-chested man tore apart a Leader-class Exotic Species with his bare hands.

This astonishing scene made his fingers tremble slightly. Then, he awkwardly wrote on a piece of paper:

"Live stream from outside the city: Started by witnessing a wild man tearing an Aberration apart with his bare hands!"