Chapter 202: Chapter 202: This Woman Can Kill Ganmu with Three Punches (Seeking Full Subscription)
"The Nightmare Demon’s Nether Guidance Pearl!" How could Lu Luo possibly forget such a thing from his time in the Nightmare world? It was precisely by relying on the power of the Nether Guidance Pearl that he had accumulated enough attributes and, with the help of severe poison and the environment, defeated Li Qingshu. These events were not so long ago.
"Indeed, it’s not only Exotic Species themselves that possess Life Energy. The power of Netherflame can also draw out Life Energy, and the way Netherflame induces Life Energy is very special! While Life Energy poses no threat to Brother Kane and me, for ordinary humans, it must be an absolutely lethal poison, right? One without a cure! What will be the final outcome for those gluttons who ate the chef’s breakfast? Mutations? Death? Or contracting a Dark Energy disease?"
Talking about toxicity without considering dose is irresponsible. Such a tiny amount of Life Energy is almost negligible. If you hadn’t eaten it, I wouldn’t even be able to detect it. Nobody is clear on what the specific outcomes might be.
Lu Luo nodded slightly; the situation in the Fourth Ring had become somewhat delicate and special. He could be sure that the Nightmare Demon had three fallbacks: one was the Netherflame Mark, similar to the one on Lu Yu. The second were those who had consumed food containing Life Energy. The last one was the source of this Netherflame incident.
If both the Nightmare Demon and Noah were evil entities, then Noah would be lawful evil, while the Nightmare Demon would be chaotic evil. Though Noah also had an agenda, he played by the rules and didn’t cause widespread destruction. Compared to him, the Nightmare Demon was much more crazed. Fortunately, the Hunters’ response was swift and of high quality, and the leaders in charge were not foolish, which prevented a large number of casualties. However, to investigate the ultimate purpose of the Nightmare Demon’s actions this time, there was still a very long way to go.
The Nightmare Demon had previously set the Twilight Ritual for six months later, which meant a little over a month from now.
The Twilight Ritual! The Dusk Ceremony!
Could he have moved up the time for the Twilight Ritual?
Before he realized it, Lu Luo had arrived at the door, and Gu Fangyi interrupted his thoughts.
"Brother Luo, where are you planning to go now?"
"I was originally planning to stay with her the whole night, but after thinking it through, I realized this kind of protection is meaningless. I can’t be sure whether she will have an Outburst tonight, nor can I handle the aftermath if it does happen. So I want to take this opportunity to go to the Security Bureau to meet with Ludie and sift through some intelligence on these events, to see if I can find a fundamental solution. Qi Xinzhu will stay behind, together with you."
Gu Fangyi was stunned for a moment; normally, he alone would have been enough. He was now very strong, and even if a Third Tier Exotic Species appeared, he could handle it by himself. At this time, the Circular must be short-staffed, so Gu Fangyi didn’t quite understand Lu Luo’s arrangement.
"Why?"
Lu Luo looked at Lu Yu’s room and pondered for a while. "I know you can now independently take care of Third Tier Exotic Species, but your way of handling them means killing. After all, she’s my sister, and I want her to live. Consider it a selfish wish of mine."
Gu Fangyi was slightly taken aback. Has Brother Luo already prepared for the worst?
"I understand, I’ll do my best..."
Lu Luo shook his head. "You don’t need to do your best; at any time, preserving your own life is the most important thing. Although we’re inside the wall, with the current situation, there is no difference between inside and outside the wall anymore. If I can find a solution to the Netherflame, or if that Netherflame Mark doesn’t change, naturally that would be best. But if I can’t find one, I’m leaving this place in your hands."
Lu Luo’s voice was somewhat low; he had promised Lu Yang he would take good care of Lu Yu. He hadn’t expected that after just a few days of getting along well, such an incident would happen.
"I got it, I’ll keep watch here."
"Mhm, I trust your ability to handle things."
Lu Luo didn’t tell him where Qi Xinzhu was, and he didn’t ask, just hoping that the night would pass safely!
The two split up outside the hospital. Lu Luo left using a Jet Belt, and Gu Fangyi also used a Jet Belt to take his position at the sniping spot and start assembling his rifle. After returning from the amusement park, Bai Yuetong had upgraded the equipment of all the main members of the studio, with no exceptions, not even for Zhou Kai. Especially for Lu Luo, he could now be said to be fully armed. It’s just that most of the equipment was hidden within Noah’s Star.
"Hey, Ludie, it’s Lu Luo. About the Nightmare Demon, I need some intelligence. Could you help me access the files on the recent East Ring riot? I want to look up something."
"Hmm... you come over."
Ludie’s tone was hesitant. This was strange, as he wasn’t usually like this.
"Is there a problem?"
"You’ll know once you get here."
"Alright, I’ll be there right away."
Ludie didn’t spell out the details, but Lu Luo wasn’t suspicious, and he headed straight for the East Ring Security Bureau. Perhaps some people in the world were stronger than Ludie. But if someone was strong enough to capture Ludie directly, they wouldn’t need to use Ludie to threaten a nobody like him. So, Lu Luo simply hung up the phone.
It wasn’t long before the two met up at the Security Bureau, an unusual occurrence. In addition to Ludie, there was Team 33 Captain Luo Sen and Team 2 Captain Yang Liya.
Luo Sen was someone Lu Luo was relatively familiar with. He wasn’t exactly cold on the outside and warm on the inside, but he was quite reliable in his work. Yang Liya was more of a stranger, Lu Luo having only seen her once in Hunter business. At the moment, she wore the Hunter uniform, with simple short hair and an unremarkable face that expressed nothing but indifference. Lu Luo had heard that she was very capable, but he knew little else about her.
According to past records, the strongest Hunters were those in the first thirteen teams, and the rank indicated greater strength the closer to the front it was. Of course, Ludie had once been an exception. For Yang Liya to hold the position of Team 2 Captain, she was clearly no simple character. With three team captains showing up at once, Lu Luo knew that his action was no longer a private matter between him and Ludie.
Upon meeting, Yang Liya directly took Lu Luo to the Security Bureau’s archives. Although this was against protocol, it was an exception Yang Liya had specially requested. The four conversed while walking, and after brief introductions at the elevator, they had already started discussing matters related to Netherflame and Life Energy.
Upon mentioning this, Yang Liya, the temporary leader of their small team, went straight to the point. "Ludie has already told me about the issues with the Nightmare Demon and Netherflame. What do you know about Life Energy? And what do you know about Netherflame? How did you determine that this matter is related to the Nightmare Demon?"
Try not to get angry. This woman is strong, and I’m still analyzing her specific data.
Lu Luo didn’t like Yang Liya’s tone. He glanced at Ludie, saw him nod, and then gave his answer.
"Netherflame is a force that controls the cycle of life and death; I have a very limited understanding of its specific effects. But based on what I’ve discovered so far, Netherflame has the effects of releasing Life Energy, extracting Life Energy, briefly reviving someone in a state of consciousness, and instantly depriving the weak of life. The purple flame on the Nightmare Demon is Netherflame, so this matter is heavily related to it."
"How do you know the purple flame on the Nightmare Demon is Netherflame?"
Lu Luo paused. This woman is so annoying!
Luo Sen had already shifted his gaze elsewhere, clearly not wanting to get involved between the two, while Ludie patted Lu Luo on the shoulder. "Lu Luo, Captain Yang Liya is in overall charge of this incident; this is a very formal official investigation. So, there are some things that you still need to cooperate with."
Ludie’s expression was indifferent, and Lu Luo could not detect any emotion in him; his tone was also very serious. However, Lu Luo, who was already very familiar with Ludie, knew that under normal circumstances, Ludie would definitely not act like this. Lu Luo was quick-witted, and upon reflecting on Ludie’s tone over the phone earlier, he immediately realized something was amiss.
Is Ludie himself in some kind of trouble? Is he under surveillance?
This speculation lacked evidence, nor were there any obvious points of doubt. But Lu Luo still felt that his judgment was not mistaken. Because of the matter with the Bride, Ludie had been under surveillance by the Inner Ring for more than seven years, approaching eight. As the captain of Team 13, he had in fact been in a state of being sidelined, stripped from the center of power.
The Hunters couldn’t possibly be fools. Most of the elite members of the Fourth Ring were, in fact, Hunters. Therefore, there was a good chance that someone among these Hunters could find out Ludie’s status. They might even understand Qiu Guling, the Nightmare Demon, and Ludie’s current situation. Ludie had given up drinking and visiting prostitutes during this period. This was a very obvious behavioral change that would surely attract the attention of certain individuals.
Have they shifted their focus onto Ludie? So now the people of the Inner Ring, or rather the higher-ups of the Fourth Ring Security Bureau, want to find the Nightmare Demon through Ludie’s connection? This direction is actually a correct one. However, they probably don’t know about the matter of the Bride’s Twilight Ritual. That information should be exclusive to me.
Lu Luo quickly reviewed this information in his mind, taking only a few seconds. But Yang Liya was clearly not an easy person to deal with. She immediately pressed on, "Mr. Lu Luo, what are you thinking about? Is there anything that cannot be discussed in front of us?"
A hint of hostility began to rise in Lu Luo’s heart, and because of this slight hostility, the Observer considerately provided information.
Yang Liya, a Sixth Tier Transcendent, formidable strength, unknown Sequence, unclear abilities. Attributes: Strength 335, Agility 315, Constitution 110. PFFT! With a strength of 335, this woman could probably kill Ganmu with three punches!
Lu Luo was also somewhat shocked! Since he had never probed Ludie’s and Qiao Xing’s attributes, Yang Liya likely had the highest attributes he had ever seen!
Her strength and agility are so high! Such attributes! So strong! The captain of Team 2 is really something else!
This was an existence that could not be confronted directly; even if she were taken into the Doomsday Disc, it would require additional rotations of the Disc to stand a chance, and even then, the chances were not good. Transcendents were inherently more formidable than Exotic Species of the same Tier. Such a character was certainly not someone Lu Luo could handle at his current level.
"There’s nothing that cannot be spoken about. I will speak freely about what I know."
"Then can you tell me about the Nightmare Demon? How did you learn that Netherflame is associated with the Nightmare Demon?"
Although Yang Liya might be targeting Ludie, her ultimate goal, or their ultimate goal, was to resolve the problem of the Nightmare Demon. This was something Lu Luo and his group had in common. It was just that the strength and influence of the two sides weren’t on the same level.
"When I previously visited the Southern Ring, I encountered a wandering Nightmare Demon in the Thousand Lakes District. It killed many people at the time and unleashed Netherflame to harvest lives. Not just human lives, it spared no Exotic Species either; wherever Netherflame passed, nothing grew."
Lu Luo lied, and Yang Liya responded with a smile.
"Really?"
"Really."
Lu Luo refrained from adding, Believe it or not, I don’t care! Everyone has some pride!
"Alright then, what’s Mr. Lu Luo’s opinion on the recent East Ring riot?"
By this time, the four of them had arrived at the Security Bureau archives. Lu Luo had not yet had a chance to answer the question when he was stopped by the guard.
"This is the records room. Please present your credentials."
Yang Liya pushed past the guard at the door without hesitation. "I’m Yang Liya, and this is a special investigative operation. If you don’t want to die, cut the crap. If there’s an issue, go directly to the chief. If anyone has a problem with that, challenge someone from Team 2 to a duel. That’s all I have to say. I’m giving you three seconds to clear the way. Three, two..."
The guards couldn’t withstand Yang Liya’s domineering manner and quickly made way for Lu Luo and the other three.
Wow, this woman is fierce!
Lu Luo felt the same. And with the contrast in attitude, he suddenly thought that, compared to these guards, Yang Liya’s treatment of him had actually been quite benevolent.
Once inside, Yang Liya got straight to the point. "Our previous conversation was about some unimportant issues. Your questions weren’t important; the Nightmare Demon is the important issue. From now on, I hope we can work together sincerely to thoroughly investigate the Nightmare Demon. Channels, intelligence, and manpower—I’ll provide everything you need. You just need to give me the conclusion."
In the investigation, Yang Liya not only didn’t make things difficult for Lu Luo but gave him the most direct convenience. This made Lu Luo marvel that this woman really was extraordinary—business was business, personal was personal indeed! Indeed, someone who could become the captain of East Ring’s Hunter Team 2 couldn’t possibly be that simple.
"I understand. Right now, I need the detailed reports of all the incidents that occurred this morning."
"All of them? Can you even read them all?" Luo Sen questioned at this moment.
However, Yang Liya was very decisive and picked up the phone at hand. "Get me the reports on all Exotic Species incidents in the East Ring since this morning!"
"Include suspected case reports as well," Lu Luo added.
Why not say everything at once? Yang Liya gave him a glare but still offered Lu Luo her full support. "All the suspected reports as well."
She didn’t ask Lu Luo how he could read all those reports so quickly because with myriad Sequences, human abilities were endless. She reasoned that if Lu Luo dared to ask for them, he must have possessed such a capability.
Soon, several members of the Hunter team came over with a load of files.
"Captain Yang, here are the documents you requested."
"Lu Luo!"
"I know!"
Lu Luo took the documents and started to flip through them rapidly. His speed was so fast that sometimes it looked like a mere glance, as if he wasn’t reading at all. Ludie and Yang Liya were both silent, but Luo Sen once again voiced his doubt, "This guy, is he actually reading?"
But soon enough, Lu Luo gave a response that more than silenced his doubters. "Since this morning, Captain Luo Sen has dealt with a total of twelve incidents. Fortunately for my demonstration, Captain Luo Sen encountered Netherflame incidents in both the 79 Bath Center and Changming Street. The individual in the first incident was named Wu; in the second, Zhang. Do I need to go into more detail, Captain Luo Sen?"
What Lu Luo said was entirely correct, which left Luo Sen somewhat embarrassed.
Captain Yang Liya immediately glared at Luo Sen. "Shut up, Luo Sen. Don’t interrupt his work."
"Uh, got it."
The usually fierce Luo Sen was like a lamb in front of Yang Liya and completely stopped talking after being warned once.
Lu Luo focused intently on the documents. He flipped through a large amount of data in just about twenty minutes. This included suspected incidents and false alarms.
Observer is organizing data for the host. Please wait... Since this morning, there have been a total of 351 incidents involving Exotic Species, riots, and supernatural events. Seventeen incidents explicitly mentioned purple flames or were suspected of involving them.