Chapter 197: Chapter 197 What Qi Xinzhu Wants! (Request for Full Subscription)
This time, Lu Luo didn’t save money by taking the orbital train; instead, he chartered two vehicles to return to East Ring.
Throughout the journey, he gazed out of the car window, pondering Noah’s words.
Unlike Nightmare Demon, who had called him one of its own, Noah didn’t seem to care much about distinctions between species.
Judging from the world he had constructed, there were indeed Exotic Species of all kinds present.
Moreover, the Exotic Species in Noah’s world didn’t live under constant high pressure like those on Nightmare Demon’s side, where a single misstep could lead to being burned to death by Netherflame.
Overall, Noah’s treatment of other creatures seemed much more benevolent compared to Nightmare Demon.
Noah...
"Bro Luo, we’ve arrived."
"Hmm!"
[It seems like you’re surrounded by people, quite a few in number, and all of them are elite forces of Second Tier or above.]
Lu Luo hadn’t yet considered returning to Circle Studio for a quick rest and recuperation.
A group of people clad in neat blue military uniforms, emanating powerful energy fluctuations, intercepted Lu Luo.
These uniforms... are they from the Constitution Guard Corps? Did they come specifically for us?
The leading guard produced his credentials.
"Lu Luo, Gu Fangyi, Zhou Kai?"
Lu Luo scrutinized the guard’s credentials and, after confirming their authenticity, nodded.
"That’s us. What’s the matter?"
"Don’t be nervous. We’ve received information about an Alternate Space incident at the Southern Ring amusement park, and we’d like to ask for your assistance with the investigation."
In reality, Lu Luo had already anticipated such an investigation; however, he’d expected these people to come tomorrow, after he had had a good rest today.
Yet, only a few hours after they had left the Southern Ring, these people had already shown up.
It seemed that the Alliance’s level of concern for this incident was far greater than what Lu Luo had imagined—much greater, in fact.
"Lu Luo."
Gu Fangyi gestured with his chin towards Qi Xinzhu’s vehicle. Lu Luo followed his gaze and noticed the Church’s forces had also arrived.
Moreover, it appeared that the Constitution Guard Corps was having a conflict with the Church, but those from the Church were members of the Four Knights Corps.
The members of the Four Knights Corps were, without exception, elite powerhouses starting at Second Tier. They were tall and imposing; clearly, the Constitution Guard Corps team was no match for them.
After a brief exchange, the members of the Constitution Guard Corps were pushed aside by the Church’s forces.
It’s usually not so obvious, but looking at it now, the Church’s people are really overbearing!
The Constitution Guard with Lu Luo, seeing the situation was not good, quickly urged, "Mr. Lu Luo, we mean no hostility and will not do anything impolite. This is just a routine request for assistance with an investigation. Please come with us promptly."
"Ah! Alright, then."
Lu Luo did not make it too difficult for the few members of the Constitution Guard Corps.
Everyone was just trying to make a living. Since the Church had already taken Qi Xinzhu and the others, Lu Luo decided to be fair to both sides; they could each take half, so no one lost out.
「...」
The East Ring Security Bureau was currently packed with members of the Constitution Guard Corps, the Church, Hunters, and other factions.
Ordinary guards were mostly squatting at the entrance, keeping watch; there was no need for them to enter.
Lu Luo was starting to regret following the Constitution Guard Corps back.
Now, all he could do was enviously watch Qi Xinzhu’s group, realizing the Church handled things differently: their interrogators weren’t the ones who made arrests.
The Four Knights Corps had brought them back, but the ones conducting the routine questioning were all gentle and delicate-looking young Priestesses.
Meanwhile, on the Constitution Guard Corps’ side, it was all rugged, burly men.
Even though I have plenty of girls around me, all top-quality, none of them are here now! This stark difference in interrogation methods is really making me uncomfortable.
"Mr. Lu Luo? Drifting off again?"
The Constitution Guard questioning Lu Luo had a large beard, making Lu Luo even more uncomfortable.
"Sorry, I got lost on the path of life."
[If only I had known!]
"Uh, so has Lu Luo now found his own path again?"
"He has."
"That’s good."
The one questioning Lu Luo was very polite, which Lu Luo found a bit strange. He wasn’t familiar with the Constitution Guard Corps; there seemed to be no reason for them to be so courteous to him.
Politeness is nice and all, but I’d still prefer a girl.
"May I boldly ask, do you have any girls in the Constitution Guard Corps?"
"Yes, we do! The Constitution Guard Corps has a women’s unit. Loads of girls, and every single one is beautiful."
[Tsk tsk, look at the gleam in his eyes, he’s definitely an old pervert.]
Lu Luo put on an eager, inquisitive expression.
"Really?"
"Of course, it’s true."
"Then could you request a female interrogator for me? My recent experiences have been too harrowing; I desperately need someone to soothe my fragile soul."
"Ah? This... okay, fine."
The bearded man looked earnestly at Lu Luo and finally agreed to his request.
And so, the person interrogating Lu Luo was indeed replaced by a ’girl’—one who was 2.05 meters tall, with arms thicker than Lu Luo’s waist.
Her coarse eyebrows and fierce expression made Lu Luo momentarily unsure of her gender.
She strode towards Lu Luo with the gait of a dragon and the prowl of a tiger, then plopped down on the interrogation room bench. The chair instantly let out an agonized CREAK.
Everyone else in the room observed three seconds of silence for the chair; it had borne an unbearable burden.
The bearded man, who had followed the woman in, now peeked his head around her.
"Mr. Lu Luo, the girl you requested is here. Are you satisfied?"
Lu Luo gazed at the brawny woman before him, the corner of his mouth twitching. He nodded stiffly.
"Satisfied."
[Regretting your decisions now, +1!]
"As long as you’re satisfied!" The bearded man cheerfully left.
Waiting outside for the bearded man was Luo Shan, Bai Yuetong’s older brother. He had finished one more round of the game than Lu Luo and had gotten out earlier.
He was the one who had arranged for the brawny woman to interrogate Lu Luo.
He already has my sister, yet he’s still thinking about fooling around. This guy really doesn’t know what’s good for him.
Luo Shan walked up to a ’No Smoking’ sign, lit a cigarette, and continued writing his own interrogation report.
As a squad leader in the Constitution Guard Corps, interrogating himself was standard procedure.
Thus, thanks to the help of this ’invisible guardian’ Luo Shan, Lu Luo’s interrogator was successfully swapped for a very substantial ’girl’.
「...」
The brawny ’girl’ still maintained a polite attitude towards Lu Luo, and the questioning proceeded normally.
"Mr. Lu Luo, could you tell us in detail what happened at the amusement park?"
[The muscles at the corners of the Host’s eyes and mouth are constantly twitching—is he getting epilepsy? Forget it, regretting your decisions now, +2!]
Lu Luo, ignoring the Observer, thought for a moment before recounting the events at the amusement park.
"After we entered the amusement park, we got lost almost immediately. I don’t know when, but we were pulled into the world of the Playground. First, we answered some simple fourth-year university questions, then played a surfing game. After that, it was hide-and-seek in a manor. Finally, I solved some seventh-year university problems and played some cards. Then we got out."
The female Constitution Guard questioning Lu Luo was a bit baffled. Wasn’t his description a little too vague?
"Um, Mr. Lu Luo, could you be more specific?"
"Alright. It was basically like this... then like this... and then like that..."
Lu Luo described his experience in the game in more detail, especially when he mentioned solving the puzzles and the final 17-Card game.
Even this brawny woman’s eyes lit up with an incredulous expression as she listened.
When she looked at Lu Luo again, her eyes were filled with shock and admiration.
"Mr. Lu Luo, you’re truly incredible! To overcome such a setup!"
"Just so-so."
[Third in the world.]
"Other than that, is there anything else worth noting?"
Lu Luo pondered for a moment.
"I met Noah."
The brawny woman’s pen clattered to the floor.
「...」
Lu Luo was moved to another interrogation room. His interrogators changed from the previous brawny woman to three new people: Luo Shan; a middle-aged man named Gu Hongyu; and a Priest in a clerical robe, Liu Wen.
"Lu Luo, you said you saw Noah? How do you know that person was Noah?"
"He told me so himself. And he specifically instructed me to tell you all this after I returned."
Gu Hongyu and Liu Wen exchanged a look, then both turned to Luo Shan.
Luo Shan remained stone-faced, showing no intention of commenting.
"Tell us specifically, what did Noah say?"
Gu Hongyu still looked at Lu Luo with contempt; Lu Luo knew he valued Noah, not him.
Looking at this arrogant Inner Ring dweller, Lu Luo found it somewhat laughable. Although Noah was an Exotic Species, his words rang true: the people of the Inner Ring, especially those in charge, had become arrogant and ignorant to an incurable degree. They were condescending to everyone and everything. The only things that could truly move them were threats to their own interests—like Noah himself, the Exotic Species who had once nearly wiped out humanity.
Lu Luo cleared his throat and sat up straight.
"Ahem. Noah said the Inner Ring doesn’t need people from the Fourth Ring, but he, Noah, does. The Inner Ring looks down on Fourth Ring people; he, Noah, looks up to them. The Inner Ring won’t give Fourth Ring people a chance; he, Noah, will. Manuals, technology, Dark Energy—you can obtain everything you desire in the Playground. The Playground will exist forever: past, present, and future. If the people of the Inner Ring aren’t convinced, let them come find me, Noah!"
Though I tweaked some of it, that was generally what Noah said.
Gu Hongyu, who was sitting opposite Lu Luo, shot to his feet with a WHOOSH.
Seeing him become so fierce, Lu Luo immediately showed an obsequious expression.
"What are you going to do, sir? You’re the one who told me to tell the truth, word for word!"
Gu Hongyu took several deep breaths and looked at Luo Shan.
"Captain Luo Shan, don’t you have anything to say? You must have been one of the participants in this incident, right?"
Luo Shan glanced at him. Though his father, Luo Xuemin, had proposed the principle of peaceful coexistence between Transcendents and ordinary people, Luo Shan himself didn’t subscribe to it. He believed more in his own strength and had even joined the Constitution Guard Corps against his family’s wishes.
And places like the Constitution Guard Corps, much like the Hunters, shared a common ailment: a lack of respect for ordinary people, especially those who were incompetent yet loved to throw their weight around. Yes, people exactly like Gu Hongyu.
"Minister Gu, my experience was quite different from his, so I can’t confirm if what Lu Luo said is true. However, his claim about being able to exchange for items is accurate. Look, this bracelet is what I exchanged for. It boosts strength considerably!"
As Luo Shan spoke, he even lifted his wrist, seemingly showing off deliberately in front of Gu Hongyu.
"Captain Luo Shan, that is contraband from Noah! It should be confiscated by the Constitution Guard Corps!"
"Exactly! I *am* a member of the Constitution Guard Corps. I’ll hand it over to myself. Is there a problem with that?"
"You!"
"Me?"
Luo Shan’s retort left Gu Hongyu speechless. Although the Inner Ring constantly promoted a policy of equality between ordinary people and Transcendents, many knew the truth: ordinary people and Transcendents could never truly be equal. This was a fundamental issue stemming from the disparity in individual power.
While the two were arguing, Priest Liu Wen stood up.
"We understand the situation you’ve described. Thank you for your cooperation, Mr. Lu Luo. You may leave for now. However, we may need to conduct further routine questioning later, so please keep your phone accessible."
"Of course. I’m a model citizen; I’ll definitely cooperate." Lu Luo quickly shook hands with the Priest, nodded to Luo Shan, and then departed.
「...」
Outside the Security Bureau, the others, having finished their questioning, had been waiting by the roadside for some time.
Gu Fangyi and Zhou Kai were playing cops and robbers with Qiao Xiao Mi, a game from their childhood.
Meanwhile, Qi Xinzhu and Bai Yuetong leaned against a wall together in silence. The atmosphere between them was strangely tense. In fact, Gu Fangyi and Zhou Kai had sensed this oddness and proactively taken Qiao Xiao Mi off to play.
When Lu Luo still hadn’t emerged after a long wait, Bai Yuetong was the first to speak.
"Qi Xinzhu, what’s it like to like someone?"
Bai Yuetong’s question was abrupt, yet Qi Xinzhu seemed to have been expecting it.
"Joy at first sight, longing when apart for a little while, and a heart that still pounds even after being together for a long time."
Qi Xinzhu’s answer was calm and direct, leaving Dumb Hair momentarily stunned.
"You know what? I hate you artsy types the most!"
Qi Xinzhu turned her head, her expression unchanging. "I’m in Biology and Medicine. According to the Alliance’s academic classification standards, I am unequivocally a science student. If you’re uncultured, just say so. Don’t make excuses; it’s pointless."
Bai Yuetong was furious but couldn’t find a comeback. Fortunately, Lu Luo appeared just then.
"He’s here!"
With Lu Luo’s arrival, their argument lost its purpose.
"Everyone must be exhausted. Come on, let’s go back and rest. We can discuss everything else later!"
Lu Luo first dropped Qiao Xiao Mi off at the Church district before returning to his own base.
Bai Yuetong winked at Lu Luo, then skipped cheerfully back to her lab, clearly in high spirits. She usually worked and slept there. With the newly acquired blueprint for the Dark Energy Particle Sniper Rifle, she’d have plenty to keep her busy researching for some time.
Zhou Kai went straight to his private quarters. Even though he hadn’t faced any real difficulties—Lu Luo had handled the questioning—Zhou Kai felt he’d experienced significant emotional turbulence and needed rest to calm his nerves. This wasn’t laziness; it was about maintaining a balance between work and rest.
Gu Fangyi, however, took his gun and went out to train. He was as diligent as ever, which was why he made the fastest progress among them all.
Lu Luo returned to his room. To his surprise, Qi Xinzhu followed him in and proactively closed the door behind her.
[Her heartbeat is very fast, and her emotions are fluctuating. What’s this woman going to do? Boys should protect themselves when they’re out and about; I suggest that the host should yell for help.]
Lu Luo was also quite surprised by Qi Xinzhu’s actions. What was she planning?
"Er, Qi Xinzhu, is there something you need?"
Qi Xinzhu advanced on Lu Luo steadily. He retreated step by step until his back hit the wall, with nowhere left to go.
[The host has actually been cornered by a woman! Real lousy.]
Qi Xinzhu planted her hands on the wall on either side of him, looking at Lu Luo with a somewhat defiant gaze.
"I want it too!"
Lu Luo felt like tearing his hair out.
"You want what?"
Qi Xinzhu’s brow furrowed slightly, her eyelashes fluttering, betraying her intense nervousness. Yet, after steeling herself for a moment, she didn’t back down.
"It’s that..."
Looking at Qi Xinzhu, Lu Luo suddenly found her rather endearing. With her usually reserved personality, how much courage and determination must it have taken for her to do this!
However, Lu Luo still pretended not to understand Qi Xinzhu’s intention and looked at her with a puzzled expression.
"Which one?"
[Can’t deal with it. The host is too sly; Observer is entering sleep mode proactively.]
Today’s Observer is surprisingly considerate!
"It’s just... MMMPH!"