Apocalypse Circular-Chapter 504 - 502 Doubt

Lu Luo imagined the world population situation of his previous life. Setting aside other countries, there were two with over a billion people each. Especially his home country in his previous life, which had long surpassed a billion, so this scale of population was nothing new to him.

"A billion, wow, that’s a lot! Hahaha!" Lu Luo offered a token laugh of agreement. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

But Wu Yi sensed his perfunctory response.

"It seems you don’t understand the demographic dividend."

Lu Luo shook his head but didn’t argue.

However, from Wu Yi’s words and behavior, he still sensed something unusual about this woman.

A normal woman who enjoys watching TV and idol dramas rarely pays attention to these matters.

It’s even less likely she could analyze these complex issues related to politics and social welfare so articulately.

Some things can’t simply be memorized by rote; they require a degree of personal understanding.

The Wu Yi before him already possessed some personal insights.

"You really are quite impressive, knowing so much."

"It’s alright; I mostly just heard it from others."

Wu Yi sensed something was amiss and suddenly didn’t want to speak further.

"Let’s rest early. Tomorrow... we’ll be participating in an official mission."

"Sure, you get some sleep too."

Several days of interaction had allowed Lu Luo to develop a fairly harmonious way of getting along with Wu Yi. At least it was no longer awkward when she emerged from her bath undressed.

Lying in bed, Lu Luo began to ponder how he should conduct himself in the coming days.

Should I make a stunning debut or maintain a low profile? It’s such a difficult choice!

"What are you muttering about?" Wu Yi heard Lu Luo’s murmurs.

"Oh, just thinking about how I should behave tomorrow."

"What do you mean?"

"I’m not sure about your department’s intentions, or their attitude towards me."

"Are these things that important?"

"Of course. My time isn’t exactly tight, but at this point, I still hope the Imperial can give me a clear answer."

"I see..."

Wu Yi was pensive. She knew the clear answer Lu Luo wanted concerned the position and status the Imperial would grant him in the future. But the directive from above was clear: to let Lu Luo be sidelined for a while, allowing him to settle. Then, they would assess his actual capabilities and mettle through real combat. This was considered a fairly standard procedure. Wu Yi herself couldn’t intervene.

Her main reason for coming to be with Lu Luo was to get to know him during this process. Through this, she hoped to gain a future ally, or rather, an assistant. If she could control a talented Seventh Tier, that would naturally be perfect. Yet she also knew that people like Lu Luo were usually proud and ambitious. That’s why she had considered winning Lu Luo’s approval through shared ideals. Although there had been no substantial progress yet, their relationship was at least somewhat harmonious now.

Lu Luo was an idealist. Therefore, her next step was to approach him through ideals and principles.

「...」

The next day, Lu Luo rose early, awaiting assignment from the Imperial Inspection Department. His power was immense; the Imperial should be aware of that. So he, too, was eager to see what kind of Imperial mission would require the conscription of Seventh Tier experts!

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK!

There was a forceful knock on the metal door, and Team Leader Zhang Zhe’s voice sounded from outside.

"Time’s up, everyone out."

"Alright!"

Lu Luo dressed and followed Wu Yi out. Lacking an Inspection Department uniform, he looked somewhat out of place in Zhang Zhe’s team.

"Here’s your temporary uniform. Perform well this time."

"Hmm?" Lu Luo was somewhat unclear about Zhang Zhe’s meaning.

"Director Zhang asked me to tell you."

"Is that so? You mentioned before that I could call home. Can I do that now?"

Zhang Zhe looked at the relaxed Lu Luo, momentarily unable to tell if the man was confident or simply ignorant.

Having been sidelined here for so long, hadn’t his attitude changed even a little?

Zhang Zhe glanced at Lu Luo and finally took out his own phone.

"You can."

Lu Luo didn’t stand on ceremony, took the phone directly, and dialed his home number.

"Hello... Honey!"

After Lu Luo walked away, Zhang Zhe and Wu Yi exchanged a look, seemingly communicating with their eyes. Wu Yi shook her head and gestured an ’8’ with her hand towards Zhang Zhe.

Zhang Zhe frowned slightly upon seeing the gesture.

It meant Eighth Order!

To get close to Lu Luo, did their team have to face an Eighth Order Exotic Species?

The risk was simply too great.

Even if Lu Luo could defeat it, his team would suffer heavy casualties.

However, members of the Inspection Department did not have the authority to defy orders. Even he was no exception, so he could only nod.

"Yes."

Wu Yi smiled. She was now also looking forward to Lu Luo’s subsequent performance.

"Alright, Captain Zhang, thank you."

After Lu Luo returned, he handed the phone back to Zhang Zhe. Having assured his family of his safety, he felt even more carefree.

Would he be anxious if the Imperial didn’t come for him?

He had been anxious before, but not anymore; he even felt a bit comfortable now.

He could use this time to build his own strength.

Being caught between the Imperial and the Angel Envoys was incredibly difficult. His current situation, however, felt somewhat like a vacation.

His only concern had been his family. Now that he had assured them he was safe, he had nothing more to worry about.

If the Imperial and the Angel Envoys left him alone for six months or a year, that would be the best-case scenario.

By then, he could accumulate substantial power, perhaps even enough to confront the Imperial and the Angel Envoys.

He wouldn’t need to worry about these things then.

Let me just drift out here for a while.

Next, Lu Luo boarded a vehicle and arrived at the Imperial airport. All airports in the new Imperial were military-use only; aircraft were not employed for civilian purposes within the Imperial. They certainly had the capability to civilianize them, but they never chose to do so, mainly because airplanes were too risky and their operational costs too high. If one encountered aerial Exotic Species, the chances of survival were incredibly low. Therefore, this mode of air transport was suitable only for Transcendents. After all, even if they fell from the sky, they had a better chance of survival.

「...」

"So this is what an airplane looks like!"

"How is it? Your first time flying?" Wu Yi said with some pride. Displaying the Imperial’s power was something every Prince and Princess enjoyed doing. They subconsciously considered these things their family’s possessions, or even their own.

Lu Luo looked out the window at the clouds and smiled, "Yes, it’s my first time on such a rare thing."

The military aircraft here weren’t fast. By the time they flew over the rear territories of the Imperial, they had been airborne for eleven hours.

Wu Yi retrieved a set of micro-parachutes from behind her and tossed one to Lu Luo. This type of parachute was different from those used by ordinary people. Since Inspection Department members were generally Fifth Tier at minimum, their parachutes were essentially short-wing gliding devices. They were designed merely to help them land safely; a slow descent wasn’t a feature. This type of parachute, with its precision deployment capability, could also be considered a kind of weapon.

"Get ready to go down. Take this and figure out how to use it yourself; I won’t teach you. Follow us. This time, our target is a Seventh Tier oddity, the Moro Giant."

Lu Luo looked at the parachute with a strange expression. How should he put it?

For him, it was utterly useless!

The reason was simple: he could fly.

"Uh, I can fly. I basically have no use for this sort of thing."

"Uh..." Wu Yi then remembered that Lu Luo was already a Seventh Tier Transcendent.

And Seventh Tiers could fly!

Why did they always subconsciously forget that?

"Well, suit yourself. This is a photo of the Moro Giant. It’s one of the powerful, hard-to-deal-with oddities in this area..."

"Give me a communication device."

"Huh? I haven’t finished speaking."

"Just give me a communication device," Lu Luo reiterated.

Wu Yi hesitated for a moment but eventually complied, handing Lu Luo a long-range walkie-talkie.

Walkie-talkie in hand, Lu Luo walked straight to the aircraft’s door, then gave Wu Yi and Zhang Zhe a slight nod. With that, he jumped.

"This..."

Zhang Zhe really wanted to say that this Lu Luo seemed different from what they had imagined.

Can someone like him truly be controlled by others?

He’s not even twenty-six, is he? He should be twenty-six this year. But to be Seventh Tier at that age... he must be incredibly proud.

Wu Yi, too, was now finding Lu Luo difficult to fathom. What on earth is a person like this thinking?

What exactly must be done to win over such an individual?

In Wu Yi’s view, Lu Luo’s talent undoubtedly placed him among the elite few capable of reaching the highest echelons.

If she could secure Lu Luo, she would truly possess the qualifications to ascend to the peak.

This was an irresistible prospect, one for which she was willing to pay any price.

"Let’s observe first. Has the Unicorn been located?"

The Unicorn was an Eighth Order Exotic Species in this area. Although its temperament was stable, it wasn’t quite Monarch-level. But its Eighth Order power was substantial. This time, their aim was not only to test Lu Luo but also to gain his emotional acknowledgement, so they planned to stage a tragic drama. The cost involved was already considerable, but Wu Yi felt it was all worthwhile.

"Its location has been confirmed. But if we proceed this way, we might lose many people on our side," Zhang Zhe mentioned, still somewhat hesitant.

His comment, however, was met only with Wu Yi’s cold stare.

"Captain Zhang, you’d better put away your excessive compassion. For a soldier, the most important thing is to obey orders. Understood?"

"Understood."

Zhang Zhe could not defy Wu Yi’s command; he could only obey.

"Alright, prepare to descend. Lu Luo is probably unfamiliar with this type of mission; we need to provide some guidance. Also, let the others get ready."

"Okay!"

Just as Zhang Zhe was about to notify the others to descend, Lu Luo’s voice came through the walkie-talkie.

"I have located the target; the position is approximately coordinates 661, 423. Preparing for forceful expulsion. Requesting instructions from superiors!"

"So fast?" Zhang Zhe and Wu Yi exclaimed in unison. They had worked with Seventh Tier experts before, but Lu Luo’s descent speed was clearly abnormal!

How did he manage that?

While Zhang Zhe hesitated, Wu Yi gave him a pointed look.

"Let him proceed."

Zhang Zhe nodded again, "Permission granted for forceful expulsion. Do what you want to do!"

"Understood!"

In the sky, Lu Luo smiled faintly. Qi He continuously compressed at his legs, like two jet engines. While this aerial jet propulsion wasn’t as fast as an explosive jump on the ground, it was already several times faster than a typical Seventh Tier’s flight.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

The continuous blasts of air caught the attention of the Exotic Species on the ground. By the time they shifted their gaze towards Lu Luo, he had already drawn the Ash Messenger, which had been concealed at his chest.

Sword Heart Second Form: Rain Cover.

Flowing Blade Like Flame: Sky Fire Meteor.

A rain of fire descended, fireballs relentlessly striking the ground. Numerous Exotic Species were engulfed by the intense heat and flames before they even had a chance to flee.

The Moro Giant stared blankly at the sky; Lu Luo’s power somewhat surpassed its comprehension. Then, Lu Luo descended from the sky and beheaded it with a single sword strike.

「...」

By the time Wu Yi and Zhang Zhe’s group landed, Lu Luo was already seated at the edge of the depression, grilling some food. Of course, he wasn’t roasting the Moro Giant; after all, it looked somewhat human, and eating it would be quite unsettling. He was eating a lizard-like Exotic Species, and it tasted rather good.

Upon seeing Zhang Zhe, Wu Yi, and the others arrive, Lu Luo generously held up a lizard leg.

"Just grilled. Have some."

Wu Yi and Zhang Zhe remained silent, having already spotted the Moro Giant’s head, which Lu Luo was using as a stool. The surroundings were covered in ash, a testament to an unknown battle.

Confirming the Moro Giant was dead, Wu Yi asked, a hint of disbelief and surprise in her voice, "Lu Luo, did you do all this?"

Lu Luo frowned slightly. Wu Yi speaking before Zhang Zhe again.

This wasn’t the first time.

Moreover, Zhang Zhe hadn’t voiced any objection, which contradicted his previously stated principle of absolute obedience to orders.

Unless...

Wu Yi was actually Zhang Zhe’s superior. Only that would explain Zhang Zhe’s unquestioning compliance.

Combined with the woman’s earlier demeanor and way of speaking...

Lu Luo felt there was definitely something off about this woman.

Is it my imagination? Or has this woman been putting on an act all along?

Without specific intelligence, there’s no way to judge if she’s feigning. However, your previous speculation is highly probable; she likely approached you with an agenda.

"Yes. Want some? This lizard leg tastes pretty good."

Wu Yi was somewhat speechless. Lu Luo exuded an air of complete relaxation and contentment. Since leaving the base, he seemed to have shed that sense of oppressiveness. He felt as free as a fish in the vast ocean, or a bird in the boundless sky.

Wu Yi once again doubted whether she could truly control this man. Is he really as simple as I imagined?

"I’ll pass, I’m not hungry."

"How about you, Captain? It tastes quite good. There’s plenty here; it would take me a long time to finish it all by myself."

"Well then... let’s have some too."

"You guys eat," Wu Yi said, walking away.