Chapter 115: Chapter 115: Places Not to Touch (Seeking Subscriptions and Monthly Passes)
After six steam boosts, Lu Luo’s skin began to turn crimson, thick steam rising around him like a red steam demon.
This form was Lu Luo’s own creation; it was quite different from the normal state of three conventional steam boosts.
Steam Level Two was a super Outburst amplification technique that he, as a Fusioner and Observer, had optimized based on Lu Luo’s unique physical condition and Sequence Abilities.
If it were ordinary Transcendents, like Ding Peng, it would be absolutely impossible to activate six steam pressures.
Because they didn’t have Lu Luo’s Devourer, Observer, or Fusioner, nor did they have Lu Luo’s Extreme.
[The steam pressure impact has caused damage to your body, but the Toughness Effect from Sequence C-00-Extreme has made you immune to this damage.]
[Life Energy continuously consumed. At Level Two, Life Energy is depleted by 1 point per second.]
That’s right. In the Level Two state, the Steam Qi He would constantly inflict pressure shocks on his own body.
If it weren’t for the Toughness Effect, an incredibly abnormal Constitution would be required to be immune to such damage.
Unless one was a dual practitioner of strength and Qi like Lu Luo, and also specialized in a strength-related Constitution, it might be possible to activate Level Two.
And Lu Luo was someone who could push the steam state to its limit with his super-high Constitution, along with the Toughness Effect from Sequence Extreme.
In addition to the consumption of Life Energy, without the Devourer, one would have to use their own life force to activate Level Two.
It could be said that Lu Luo was more suited for the Dust Devil than Ludie; only he could push the Dust Devil to its limits, to an even greater extent than Ludie.
Feeling the surging power within his body, Lu Luo briefly entertained the thought that he was already invincible.
He quickly dispelled this notion, knowing it was just an illusion brought about by the rapid expansion of his power.
"A 1.8 times boost. That’s enough."
WHOOSH!
Like a jet plane, the ejected steam allowed Lu Luo to instantly accelerate, briefly reaching speeds more than 2.8 times his normal maximum.
BOOM!
An ordinary Qi He fist collided with the Holy Seal of Qi Gefei, the chief of the Knight of Justice, and Lu Luo was once again sent flying backward.
CRACK. Lu Luo felt his hand bones shatter, but he didn’t care.
Because after one full-strength contact, he already knew how strong he currently was.
"Let’s see just how powerful the so-called top reserve of the four great knights really is!"
WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
Lu Luo switched from defense to offense, rapidly closing in on Qi Gefei using the propulsion of the steam.
His movements were like a series of folding straight lines, so fast that even Qi Gefei could hardly see clearly.
What the hell is this? How can his speed increase this much? He should be very tired by now. What is this steam?
BANG! BANG!
Every punch and kick Lu Luo delivered to Qi Gefei was accompanied by a steam explosion.
The combination of high temperature, high pressure, and impact made it extremely uncomfortable for Qi Gefei, whose arms were starting to falter from continuous blocking.
But Lu Luo had also reached his limit; he was so tired he felt he could fall asleep instantly if he lay down.
"Observer, I can’t focus anymore. Plan my attack route."
[Received. First, disrupt the opponent’s vision to block their blind attacks.]
"HA!"
Red smoke spewed from Lu Luo’s mouth towards Qi Gefei. He had reduced its toxicity as much as possible; his only aim was to make it irritating enough to the eyes.
What he needed to do now was to defeat Qi Gefei, not kill him.
Defeating Qi Gefei would fulfill Han Shiyu’s request, satisfy Qiao Xing, and he’d have two influential figures to clean up his mess.
But if he killed Qi Gefei, the other’s identity would only bring him trouble.
"Ah! What have you done? Despicable!" Qi Gefei cried out.
Under the irritation of the Fire Poison, Qi Gefei’s eyes streamed with tears, making him unable to look directly at Lu Luo. This gave Lu Luo a perfect opportunity to attack.
[Strike with a straight punch to the left cheek.]
BANG! The straight punch hit Qi Gefei’s left cheek hard.
[Use knife-hands to strike both eardrums.]
BANG! BANG! His knife-hands fiercely struck Qi Gefei’s eardrums.
[In desperation, the opponent is likely to swing their fists wildly in retaliation. Be ready to block.]
Lu Luo blocked Qi Gefei’s continuous punches with his elbows and found another opportunity.
[There is an opening in the opponent’s center. Punch straight at the torso.]
BANG! A heavy and powerful punch directly struck Qi Gefei’s chest.
[Block again. Attack the left jaw.]
BANG! An uppercut instantly shattered his opponent’s jawbone.
[Continue with another attack, breaking the injured ribs and severely damaging the celiac plexus.]
BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! A series of Qi He impacts pelted Qi Gefei’s body like raindrops.
"Ah!" Qi Gefei, his internal organs injured, finally let out a scream of pain.
[Kick the diaphragm fiercely to subdue the opponent with one strike.]
Lu Luo delivered a heavy and powerful side kick that sent Qi Gefei flying.
BOOM! The parish wall was smashed to pieces.
[Assessment of effects: severe tinnitus, fractured jawbone, three cracked ribs, four fractured ribs, diaphragmatic hemorrhage. Even though he can rely on a Priest’s Holy Light Healing to recover from his injuries, the psychological humiliation you’ve inflicted will be enough for him to remember you for a lifetime.]
Lu Luo stood gasping for air, ready to collapse at any moment.
Meanwhile, the other members of the swordsmanship area, whether from the Inner Ring or the Circular, were all watching with their mouths agape, dumbfounded by the scene.
"My God, what did I just see?"
"This guy, he defeated Qi Gefei! In a direct confrontation."
"And in such a state! Can someone from the Fourth Ring truly be this formidable?"
"He’s truly a strong fighter!"
Lu Luo wanted to relax, but now was not the time. The Observer’s warning was clear: Qi Gefei had not fainted; he was already standing up, with an odd aura emanating from him.
[Target status abnormal. Special energy is beginning to emit, different from the Holy Radiance of Justice. It’s filled with an evil aura.]
The Knight of Justice’s darker side... a Knight of Evil then! Lu Luo narrowed his eyes, sensing the aura emanating from the ruins.
"Urgh! Aaargh!"
Qi Gefei roared as he struggled to his feet, spitting blood and tearing off his half-plate armor to reveal his bare upper body.
At this moment, the Holy Radiance on his body grew even stronger, its color now a deep, saturated purple, completely different from the original golden-white Holy Radiance.
Qi Gefei’s body also swelled, making him taller and bulkier than before—clearly an abnormal state.
Lu Luo, for his part, wasn’t intending to hold back either. If Qi Gefei really intended to continue attacking him in this state, he would have no choice but to use the Deliberate Bombardment Fist to end it decisively.
"Qi Gefei has used the Evil Holy Seal! If you don’t want to be expelled as a group, you’d better stop him now!"
Qi Xinzhu stepped in front of Lu Luo. At her reminder, the members of the Knight of Justice belatedly realized that if they let Qi Gefei continue to run amok, they might not even be able to protect themselves.
The knights rushed forward and pinned Qi Gefei to the ground, ending this unbelievable struggle.
The most incredible thing was that Lu Luo, already exhausted and known as a ’mud-legged’ Fourth Ring resident, had managed to single-handedly defeat Qi Gefei, the leading reserve member of the Knight of Justice.
The strength and spirit he had displayed earlier possessed an awe-inspiring power.
Now everyone was silent, just quietly watching Lu Luo in the center of the training field. This was the awe and admiration reserved for the strong.
"Lu Luo, are you alright?"
Qi Xinzhu looked worriedly at Lu Luo, quickly placing her palm on his already bare chest.
At this moment, Lu Luo, due to energy depletion, could no longer maintain the Observer, which went offline to conserve power.
He looked at Qi Xinzhu, who was close at hand, her beautiful brows and captivating curves. After staying silent for a long while, he finally spoke.
"Xinzhu, join Circle Studio and come help me."
He needed money, a lot of money, and Qi Xinzhu could help him get a large amount now! The value of the little red vials was nearly equivalent to cash.
And it wouldn’t just be for now; if Qi Xinzhu stayed, he would have a lot of money in the future too!
Therefore, Qi Xinzhu’s significance to him was no longer simply that of a companion sent by Han Shiyu; this woman was a treasure trove.
"Ah? But I’m with the Church."
What did he call me? Xinzhu? Isn’t this nickname a bit too intimate? What does he mean? Should I agree?
"It’s not for free. I’ll pay you 165 a month... oh no, 200 for your work..."
The blush that had begun to color Qi Xinzhu’s face suddenly darkened. Two hundred yuan as salary! Haha, how generous Lu Luo is!
Just as she was about to righteously refuse Lu Luo, he finally fainted, collapsing into Qi Xinzhu’s arms, his face pressing against an inappropriate place.
"Lu Luo, you..."
Looking at the now sleeping Lu Luo, Qi Xinzhu just couldn’t bring herself to be angry.
She held Lu Luo in her arms and continued the healing.
By then, Qiao Xing had also approached. Seeing the fainted Lu Luo and Qi Xinzhu holding him, his expression was somewhat awkward.
I had wanted to teach him that strategy trumps brute force, but it seems unnecessary now. Persuading with reason isn’t bad either.
"Lord Qiao Xing," Qi Xinzhu said, her face overflowing with concern. Qiao Xing nodded to her.
"Take Lu Meng back to my place."
"It’s Lu Luo."
"Lu Meng, Lu Luo, close enough."
Qi Xinzhu felt that Qiao Xing was intentionally being sarcastic, but she had no proof. Besides, Lu Luo did indeed need a quiet and suitable place to rest.
"Yes, I’ll take Lu Luo back to rest."
Therefore, without further ado, Qi Xinzhu lifted Lu Luo onto her back and ran towards Qiao Xing’s house.
「With a bang!」
Qi Xinzhu pushed open the door and laid Lu Luo on the bed.
Bai Yuetong had not yet woken up, having chatted too long into the night with Qi Xinzhu.
Her Constitution didn’t allow her to wake up early without sleep as Qi Xinzhu could, so she was still lazily sleeping in.
"Qi Xinzhu, what are you doing? Let me sleep a bit more."
Qi Xinzhu didn’t say a word; she simply placed her palm on Lu Luo’s chest and started dispelling his fatigue and healing his wounds with the Healer.
The healing lasted for a full half an hour before Lu Luo’s stiff muscles finally began to relax. It was clear how poor his condition had been, how rigid his body was.
Qi Xinzhu touched Lu Luo’s forehead to make sure he had not fallen ill from the previous rain, exhaustion, and injuries, and only then did she breathe a sigh of relief.
"PHEW," she muttered. "This guy’s physique is as sturdy as a humanoid Exotic Species. To still be able to fight in that state... I really don’t know what he’s made of."
Although Qi Xinzhu had a good Constitution, she had not slept all night, had gotten up early, carried Lu Luo back, and used the S-05 Healer continuously for half an hour.
At this point, she was utterly exhausted. But, worried about Lu Luo’s condition, she simply knelt by the bedside.
"Get better soon," she murmured. "Only after you’ve recovered can we talk about you roping me into your group."
Qi Xinzhu said this with a smile and soon fell deeply asleep.
Three people on a not-so-large bed: Qi Xinzhu kneeling by the bed, with Lu Luo and Bai Yuetong on the bed. The scene was rather intimate.
Especially Bai Yuetong, who was a restless sleeper and became even more so in the deeper stages of sleep.
She turned over, her hand naturally resting on Lu Luo’s chest beside her. After a few touches, she mumbled dazedly:
"HEE HEE HEE, Qi Xinzhu, so you were padding it, huh? It’s so firm! See the side effects of working out now? Actually, you’re not that big, just about the same as me! Hey, the ’beans’ are pretty small!"
Bai Yuetong’s laughter was somewhat mischievous. Qi Xinzhu vaguely replied with a "Hmm," as if in agreement, and then the three of them continued to sleep.
They slept soundly. Because Lu Luo and Qi Xinzhu were so exhausted, it was Bai Yuetong, despite her restless sleep, who woke up first.
She was wrapped around Lu Luo like an octopus.
Being wrapped around him was one thing, but her hands were also restless, and she occasionally let out strange, giggling laughs.
Suddenly, Bai Yuetong felt something was off.
"What is this?"
She opened her eyes groggily, and to her surprise, the person in front of her was Lu Luo! So what was it that she had just grabbed?
"AH—MMPH!"
She wanted to scream but immediately covered her mouth, because the sound she’d made had woken up both Lu Luo and Qi Xinzhu.
"UH!"
Bai Yuetong quickly turned around and pretended to continue sleeping.
Qi Xinzhu woke up a bit before Lu Luo. Seeing Lu Luo still looking exhausted, her irritation over the 200-yuan salary dissipated. He wouldn’t really pay me just 200 yuan, right?
"Awake?"
"Yeah!"
Lu Luo was still a bit dazed. He glanced beside him and saw a woman—Bai Yuetong?
[This woman has been awake for a while. She kept touching you and even let out a strange HEE HEE HEE laugh. Especially weird.]
Lu Luo’s face instantly darkened. She touched me and even laughed like that? What was that all about?
However, his mind was clearly not on women right now, at least not on Bai Yuetong.
"Qi Xinzhu, I need your help," Lu Luo said, looking at Qi Xinzhu for the second time.
"How can I help?"
"I’m really short on cash. I need money right now, and I don’t know many people. The only person I can think of who could help me is you. Please."
"What do you need me to do?"
"I have a large batch of blood bags that I need you to help me turn into small red vials. Circle Studio is short-staffed right now, and I hope you can join us at Circle Studio, to become a companion to Brother Gu, Brother Kane, and me."
Lu Luo’s attitude was very sincere this time, devoid of his usual flowery embellishments.
From past experience, Lu Luo knew Qi Xinzhu wasn’t swayed by flattery.
His usual ingratiating tactics would only backfire with her.
To get Qi Xinzhu’s help, sincerity was all that was needed.
Lu Luo sometimes felt that although Qi Xinzhu’s personality wasn’t very smooth, she was excellent as a friend and companion.
Qi Xinzhu hesitated. Han Shiyu had told her to follow Lu Luo, but hadn’t mentioned a scenario where Lu Luo would invite her to join Circle Studio.
Should I join Circle Studio now?
She was a Believer of Light, and the Church had high hopes for her, just as Bai Yuetong had mentioned.
If people from the Inner Ring found out she was always with Lu Luo, it would undoubtedly bring trouble to Lu Luo. She couldn’t be as carefree as Bai Yuetong.
However, looking into Lu Luo’s eyes, Qi Xinzhu found she just couldn’t say no.
"I accept."
"That’s great!"
Lu Luo pulled Qi Xinzhu into a tight hug, patting her back firmly.
"You’re a true friend! So loyal!" Lu Luo exclaimed. "Come on, let’s put swordsmanship aside for now. We need to make money, and quickly. I need it urgently."
Qi Xinzhu was completely baffled. Lu Luo hugged me? Is this considered assault? Should I call the police? Oh well, never mind. Maybe he didn’t mean it.
Lu Luo rushed Qi Xinzhu downstairs, completely ignoring Bai Yuetong, who was still there.
Who is she? What’s she doing? Pretending to sleep? What’s that got to do with me? All I care about now is making money!
After Lu Luo and Qi Xinzhu left, Bai Yuetong lowered the blanket she had pulled over herself, looking forlorn.
She looked somewhat bewildered, feeling that since arriving in the Fourth Ring, everything had gone contrary to her expectations. The scenario she had envisioned—where the people of the Fourth Ring would all admire her genius—had not materialized at all.
He’s really short on cash, huh? Ever since the incident with the Mechanical Arm, he seems to have needed money. But I don’t know how to make money; I only know how to spend it! However, if the conditions are right, I could try making that jet-powered maneuver gear... Hmm, he opened a studio called Circle Studio. I could go check it out.