CHAPTER 424: CHAPTER 424: THE ASHEN CLOAKED MAN’S SLAUGHTER (6K)

Luo Muqing trembled as he stood up shakily before Qi Xinzhu. A large wound on his chest spouted a torrent of fresh blood. Qi Xinzhu knew how severe her blow had been; if Luo Muqing continued like this, he really could die.

"Mr. Luo, is this necessary?"

Qi Xinzhu’s seemingly warm-hearted question became the cruellest mockery of Luo Muqing at that moment.

A toad lusting after a swan’s flesh? Where exactly had he been defeated?

"I’m not a damn toad!"

Qi Xinzhu was bewildered. She didn’t quite understand what Luo Muqing was saying, but since he insisted, she had no reason to hesitate. "If you’ve decided to continue fighting, then I will respect your decision."

Qi Xinzhu’s respect was simple: to give her all and take Luo Muqing’s life in the shortest time possible. The dead don’t fight back, which would mean less trouble for her.

"Come on, let’s see just how wide the gap between us is!"

Luo Muqing’s eyes displayed a frenzy, as energy mixed with his own blood erupted around him. Both hands shot forth, and the hidden needles within the blood were also flung. The needles were sharp but tiny, concealed in Luo Muqing’s blood and difficult to spot with the naked eye, unless Qi Xinzhu had abilities akin to Hawk Eye or Observer. Otherwise, being hit was almost inevitable.

As Luo Muqing made his move, Qi Xinzhu was already prepared to attack. Having said she would respect him, she naturally went all out. Drawing her alloy broadsword, Qi Xinzhu was ready with her killing move.

"Sword Heart Second Form—Fu Yu."

Sword rain and blood rain began to intertwine in the air. Qi Xinzhu’s Sword Qi, imbued with Holy Radiance, effortlessly pierced through Luo Muqing’s blood rain. One after another, the Sword Qi, sharp as blades, pierced into Luo Muqing’s body.

THUD! THUD! THUD!

Blood flowers burst forth from Luo Muqing, and the man who still couldn’t grasp the situation thudded to the ground. His strength, after all, was too weak. Despite the system’s teachings and guidance from his seniors in the society, Transcendents of the Empire always faced one problem—their lives were too comfortable. Most of their fights resembled gang brawls. Without the Wasteland Alliance’s life-and-death urgency, they couldn’t hone the battle skills needed to dance on the blade’s edge. Even though he was at the same tier as Qi Xinzhu, being instantly killed by her was almost unavoidable.

Only when the Fu Yu Sword pierced through Luo Muqing’s body did his released needles barely arrive. The blood rain concealed the needles, but when they got close to Qi Xinzhu’s body, they were still kept at bay by layers of Holy Radiance.

BANG!

The energy hidden within the needles suddenly erupted, somewhat resembling a Sequence Fluctuation. They carried a secondary impact, piercing through Qi Xinzhu’s Holy Radiance and finally approaching her skin.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

But these were mere sharp needle-like objects; having lost the force of the secondary impact, the needles retained only a bit of sharpness and momentum. Qi Xinzhu’s current constitution was not much different from Lu Luo’s, the only difference being the Unbeliever’s damage reduction. Even without using Holy Radiance, she had become immune to the impact of bullets. Needles less substantial than bullets stood no chance.

The needles fell one by one to the ground, failing to even puncture Qi Xinzhu’s skin. Highlighted by the referee’s monitoring, these hidden weapons were magnified. The audience witnessing the match gasped in astonishment.

Luo Muqing was defeated, and so was the Sunset Association, so thoroughly defeated! And Luo Muqing himself, not only did he utterly fail, but he also staked his own reputation. Without immediate treatment, his life might also be at risk.

Was it really worth it?

By then, the medical team had already rushed onto the stage and carried Luo Muqing away. From their attire, Qi Xinzhu gathered that these people were members of the Sunset Association. They did not mention a word about the hidden weapons, as if the incident had never happened. Hidden weapons were not usually banned in society tournaments or Transcendent battles, since many cultivate stealth and surprise as their methods. But neither Luo Muqing nor the Sunset Association specialized in hidden weapons. The outcome of this battle was a slap in the face.

The instructor in the stands was not enraged by Luo Muqing’s defeat, unlike his earlier eagerness. He seemed unsurprised by Luo Muqing’s failure. On the contrary, after Luo Muqing’s defeat, his attention fixated almost exclusively on Qi Xinzhu.

Qi Xinzhu was aware and turned to look at the stands. As her gaze met with the Sunset Association’s guide, Qi Xinzhu frowned slightly.

This person has been watching me since the beginning, hasn’t he? What has he seen in me? Or does the Sunset Association take an interest in me, perhaps even bear a grudge?

Qi Xinzhu was no greenhorn; she learned how to think for herself during Lu Luo’s absence. But clearly, she wouldn’t get an answer now; the man nodded at her with a smile before departing. She was left no chance to further inquire.

"Announcing the victor of this group, Qi Xinzhu!"

After the referee declared Qi Xinzhu the winner, Sola slowly stepped onto the stage. The moment before was Qi Xinzhu’s time of glory when more people would recognize her, fulfilling what Lu Luo had promised. Lu Luo’s strength was too outstanding. If other people knew about this excessive strength, it would definitely cause unnecessary trouble, such as the Inspection Department. Monsters like that would certainly investigate Lu Luo. There would also be various large organizations that would bring certain troubles to Circle Company. Individuals with excessive strength are very difficult to permit under certain rules. Even if they existed, such people could only exist within officialdom. But Qi Xinzhu was different; at 22 years old, she was at the peak of the Fourth Tier, which although incredible, was not considered excessive—it was almost at the level of the Empire’s top geniuses. However, this level was not considered beyond standard. Sola knew that Qi Xinzhu herself was much stronger than the average Fourth Tier, but other people didn’t know that. As the overt representative and the future representative of Circle Company, Qi Xinzhu was the perfect choice.

"Miss Qi Xinzhu, how do you feel?" Sola asked with great care.

"How’s Lu Luo doing?" Qi Xinzhu was more concerned about her husband than herself; after all, Lu Luo should be acting alone at this moment. Meanwhile, she had nearly forty members of Circular’s Breath of Favor unit waiting outside the door for her. These were the guards Lu Luo had left behind for her safety.

"We probably don’t need to worry about Lord Lu Luo, do we? After all, you should know about Lord Lu Luo’s strength." Sola was now firmly a Lu Luo enthusiast; anyway, whether true or false, just hyping up Lu Luo was the way to go. Besides, hyping him up makes Qi Xinzhu happy, so why wouldn’t she?

"You’re right. If he can’t deal with it, we wouldn’t be able to handle it either." Qi Xinzhu thought Sola made a lot of sense and thus felt relieved. After a day of fighting, she felt tired and hungry.

Qi Xinzhu then said to Sola, "Let’s go and grab something to eat. Besides the hotels, I haven’t been to any other interesting places in Coal Capital."

"Sure! Although I’m not from Coal Capital, I should still be a qualified guide."

"Then let’s go."

***

Elsewhere, Lu Luo was strolling in a corner of the sewer, buying several overpriced flatbreads from a street vendor and squatting in the corner to eat them alone. Since all the contestants from his group had been wiped out, aside from the one that Lu Luo had let go—the one who went for the groin kick—no one knew that Lu Luo was the actual victor of Group 81. Seeing Lu Luo buying flatbreads and the wallet he pulled out, some started to have crooked thoughts. Folks kept moving closer in front of Lu Luo, and one person’s cigarette butt slid down Lu Luo’s hair. But before he could make his move against Lu Luo, another of Lu Luo’s fingers had pinched the cigarette butt, and he instantly stood up. He shoved the cigarette butt up the guy’s nostril.

"ARGH!"

Screams continued to arise; this guy was also a Transcendent. The burning of a single cigarette butt wasn’t enough to cause his agony; what truly made him scream in pain was Lu Luo’s irresistible grip strength.

"Isn’t it good to be alive? Why would you provoke me?"

CRACK!

"ARGH!"

"I’m sorry, I’m wrong. I admit my mistake, big brother!"

The man before him screamed again, tears and snot streaking his face. His miserable state also served as a warning to others nearby looking to take advantage of the situation. Lu Luo was not the sort without any real strength. He was tough and not to be offended.

The man whose arm Lu Luo had broken was kneeling on the ground, showing submission to Lu Luo. However, Lu Luo didn’t sit on his back—that would be too degrading. He wasn’t the sort of villain who commits every conceivable evil. If someone provoked him, he just needed to fight back, no need to humiliate them. Retaliation and humiliation are different in nature.

"Where are you guys from?"

"I’m from Tianshan."

"I’m from the Northland."

***

These people each spoke about their origins. Their strengths varied greatly, and their identities were mostly subpar. From their stories, Lu Luo could better understand the darker side of the Empire. Most of them were members of gangs, and some weren’t even part of any organizations. The reason they were here was not to come out on top or anything like that, but to seek a better life and job. The challenger group at the society’s annual meeting was actually a great platform for exhibition. Here, they could fully showcase their strengths. Every year at the society’s annual meeting, some real organizations would observe these challengers. They would absorb a part of the seeds with excellent strength or potential to supplement their own societies. It was a good channel for promotion, and even though it wouldn’t make them core members immediately, being selected would definitely be better than living as wildmen previously. That was the sentiment that brought these people here.

I see! Lu Luo nodded. To root himself in the Empire, he must recruit Imperial talents. He wasn’t sure whether these people counted as talents. But people have their paths, rats have their ways; these individuals were already considered the most valuable wildmen in the GuiXi District. If Circle Company truly wanted to absorb talent, it was impossible to avoid these individuals. In the future, if there were plans to expand the business, they might even be useful. Lu Luo didn’t bully them, which also left a good impression.

Having gained the recognition of these wildmen, when Lu Luo was ready to leave the sewer park, all of them sensibly moved off to one side. Some of them even nodded to Lu Luo as a gesture. By this time, Group 81’s competition had already ended. Although there were not many spectators, there were still a few. Lu Luo’s performance would inevitably spread from the mouths of some people. As Lu Luo approached the exit, the old man from the Inspection Shadow Department also followed him out. But Lu Luo’s figure vanished in an instant, startling the old man who wanted to track him.

"Fuck, what’s the situation?"

He hurriedly chased after him, but after pursuing for a distance, Lu Luo’s figure was nowhere to be seen in the empty surroundings.

"Hey, aren’t you just verifying identities? Why are you following me?" Lu Luo’s voice suddenly came from behind him. The vast difference in strength between the two was enough for Lu Luo to treat the old man like a toy.

The old man was first startled, then quickly calmed himself down. "I’m just getting off work, what does it have to do with you? Follow you? I don’t know what you’re talking about. Don’t block my way. If you come any closer, I’ll just lie down, alright!"

When an old man plays the fool with you, there really isn’t much you can do. It’s not that Lu Luo could not call the police or something; it’s that the other party might be some special official profession. Moreover, he did not have the time and energy to tangle with such a person.

"You can follow me if you want, but it’s best not to follow me to a deserted place. At your age, surely you want to retire peacefully?"

"Are you trying to scare me? Come on, hit here, come on!" The old man craned his neck, pointing at his own forehead with his finger, as if he feared Lu Luo wouldn’t hit him.

A few passersby in the vicinity gradually turned their gazes toward Lu Luo. They seemed about to come over to watch.

Lu Luo laughed. Being watched is fine. Anyway, my warning has been delivered. He should be a bit more restrained now that he knows I’ve noticed him.

"I’ve already said what I had to say. If you’re not afraid of dying, then go ahead."

Without getting further entangled, Lu Luo slowly walked towards the venue’s stands, wanting to casually watch and see if he could find some promising talents like those club guides. Just as Lu Luo had bought a bag of popcorn and was ready to sit down to watch the competition properly, he suddenly felt a fluctuation from the Netherflame he had left in Wang Jia’s eye socket!

Wang Jia! Captured?

The ball of Netherflame was small, and its functions were simple—location and danger-triggered. If the Netherflame fluctuated, it meant Wang Jia was in danger.

Has the Inspection Department acted?

Lu Luo felt a bit excited. Why does the Inspection Department capture Sequence users? What is their ultimate fate? And why is Sequence Force related to artifacts? I want to understand all these things, and now seems like a great opportunity!

He handed the popcorn to a girl watching the match beside him and quickly left the venue. He wouldn’t miss such an opportunity!

***

On the other side of the city, as dusk was nearing its end, the hotel where the Cain Secret Cultivator Society was located had already turned on its lights. For some reason, the heavy hotel doors were already shut. Since Qi Xinzhu and the others had gone shopping, only Wang Jia’s family and some ordinary members of the Cain Secret Cultivator Society were left in the hotel now.

SQUELCH!

A spray of fresh blood gushed from a member’s chest. The gray-clothed warrior holding a short sickle shook the blade, then moved toward the next target. Warriors like him were now scattered throughout the hotel. The ordinary people here had been slaughtered, and the sparse members of the Cain Secret Cultivator Society were resisting. But with their low strength, they could not resist for much longer under such circumstances. Wang Yu and his son, Wang Gang, were already hiding on the roof of the hotel. Wang Jia, however, was in the hotel’s kitchen, fighting to the death without retreating.

***

Pushing aside a corpse, Wang Jia lit a cigarette for herself and took a deep drag. She immersed herself in this feeling. Not continuing to smoke, she carelessly tossed the cigarette aside and picked up a kitchen knife from the table. Her original weapon had already become dulled. She was out of bullets for her guns, and at this point, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say she was utterly out of options.

Eleven of them, huh!

Looking at the gray-clothed person who suddenly appeared, Wang Jia’s face turned sour. Her fingers trembled slightly as she forcefully gathered her energy and charged at the person once more. The not-so-sharp kitchen knife aimed directly at the opponent’s forehead.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Several gunshots rang out, and Wang Jia spat out something with disgust. Upon closer inspection, it was blood, maybe with some bits of internal organs.

"Take her away!"

A masked gray-clothed person approached, grabbed Wang Jia by the hair, and dragged her on the ground with indifference. After Wang Jia fell, the killing in the hotel continued!

***

Lu Luo was running toward Wang Jia’s location. The distance was a bit far, but this was not a problem. His speed was extremely fast, and by his judgment, he would arrive at the hotel location in about another 7 minutes. But just as he was crossing past a huge building, Observer suddenly popped up a prompt.

[There is a Sequence Fluctuation, and it’s very intense! They’re fighting, right next door, inside that building.]

Huh? Lu Luo was somewhat surprised. Another Sequence Fluctuation? And they’re fighting? This is one of the few occasions I’ve seen Sequence users in the Empire. I can determine Wang Jia’s position with certainty now. So much so that, even if Wang Jia is dead, as long as her body isn’t dismembered, I can find her. So, is there an opportunity to take a look nearby now? See exactly what’s happening inside this building?

Lu Luo knew that curiosity could actually be quite dangerous. However, curiosity could also lead to progress. After giving it some thought, Lu Luo decided to go have a look.

The building’s main gate was already locked, and he couldn’t accurately judge what was happening inside. Putting on a mask, Lu Luo stealthily crept up to the building’s window. Peering through the glass, the situation inside took Lu Luo by surprise. Dead bodies, all of them were dead bodies. And the killing inside the building was still ongoing!

[It’s upstairs.]

"Let’s have a look inside!" Lu Luo smashed a pane of glass and flipped into the building. He hurried upstairs, and the Sequence Fluctuations grew stronger and stronger. Experts are fighting above, Sixth Tier experts!

"Hey, who are you?" A man in grey clothes spotted Lu Luo at the stairwell.

Lu Luo felt somewhat helpless. "Uh, one of your own."

"One of your own?" Their masks were grey and white, and Lu Luo’s attire was clearly different from theirs. The man was stunned for a moment, but he quickly realized something was wrong and reached for the alarm. Of course, Lu Luo wouldn’t give him such an opportunity. A hand chop gently swept across the man’s neck, and the masked man’s head flew up.

"Why bother? Isn’t it nice to be alive!" While complaining, Lu Luo began to strip the man’s clothes off. He moved quickly, and after donning the same grey and white outfit, Lu Luo tossed the man’s body down the stairs. At that moment, the communication device suddenly transmitted a voice.

"Eddie Eddie, I’m on the 13th floor, I need some backup."

The 13th floor, huh! My target is definitely not on the 13th floor, but higher up. But if I don’t respond now, I’ll surely be discovered.

Lu Luo recalled the man’s voice for a moment and then tried his best to imitate it. "Cough cough, I’m coming right away."

The other side seemed a bit puzzled, but no doubt came through the walkie-talkie; only the continuous sound of gunfire could be heard. Feeling puzzled, Lu Luo continued to run toward the rooftop. During this time, he saw several more grey-clothed men, most of whom were between Second and Third Tier. To be honest, they weren’t very strong, but the Fluctuations on the rooftop were getting stronger and stronger. Lu Luo could feel that the fight between the two sides was nearing its end. It seems I’m a bit late!

BOOM!

The ceiling of the 21st floor shattered, and a chubby man crashed to the ground, creating a large hole in the hard marble floor. By this time, Lu Luo had reached the 21st floor, and he could feel one of the Sequence Fluctuations. It was emanating from this chubby man.

[Sixth Tier Transcendent, ability unknown. Sequence B-Resentment: He can hold a grudge against a unit, increasing all damage dealt to that unit by 15% and reducing the damage he receives by 25%. Attributes: Strength 53, Agility 40, Constitution 35]

Such a weak Sixth Tier. Lu Luo looked up at the hole in the ceiling, where a person wearing grey clothes and a clown mask was standing. It was clear that this fatty was the one who had been beaten by the other person.

This Sixth Tier is really weak, but to be beaten like this, the person above sure has some skills! Let’s see the attributes!

[The opponent has been blocked by some force, unable to be probed. The only certainty is that the opponent is not Seventh Tier.]

Fine, as long as it’s not Seventh Tier, other problems are actually manageable.

"What are you here for? Which team are you from?" The person with the clown mask also saw Lu Luo and immediately asked. The moment she spoke, Lu Luo realized that the opponent was actually a woman.

A woman?

The clown frowned slightly. If he were one of my subordinates, he would never express such doubt, nor would he speak to me like that. Nor would he appear here at this time.

"You’re not one of us?" she asked.

Lu Luo blinked, and the pupils under his mask fluttered several times. "You’ve caught onto that? You really are quite clever."