Chapter 117: Chapter 117: Dawn Disc (Requesting Full Subscription)
Quan Pu dared to take this order largely because of Lu Luo—the kind of intuitive and overwhelming power that Lu Luo projected, decisive and with terrifying potential.
In Quan Pu’s mind, a man like Lu Luo was definitely not the type to be a big fish in a small pond.
Just from his disdain for playing the campus bully in the college dormitories, it was clear that Lu Luo, seemingly easy-going, was in fact extremely arrogant.
Quan Pu took out his flask and guzzled a few mouthfuls of liquor before returning Lu Luo’s call.
"Brother Luo, I’ll take this deal. Just name your price."
"I don’t need anything else. Fifty-two small red vials, discounted to 310,000 for you. Cash on delivery, today. The location is the school’s potion lab."
"So urgent?" Quan Pu’s face was starting to sweat a bit more.
"If it wasn’t urgent, I wouldn’t go through your channels. Just tell me, can you do it or not?"
Quan Pu’s heart struggled once again, and while hesitating, he poured himself another drink.
Entering a drunken state, Quan Pu immediately activated his Sequence C-32, Drunken, triggering the effect of a 50% reduction in rationality while under the influence of alcohol.
But just as he triggered Drunken, he also activated his second Sequence, C-33, Sobriety.
Immune to one mind-reducing effect and, based on the 50% reduction ratio, it provides a feedback amplification to the mental faculties that should have been reduced.
Thus, by activating both Sequences simultaneously, Quan Pu could increase his rationality by 25%. Only in this drunken state could he make the most correct judgments.
It was precisely because of these two innate abilities that he had been able to spot Lu Luo’s distinctiveness the first time they met.
"Brother Luo, I’ll take the order. Please head to the lab and wait for me; I’ll be there within three hours."
"Very good. I hope our first cooperation will be a pleasant one."
Actually, Lu Luo still didn’t know how much psychological pressure his overt role as a Hunter brought to a black market trader like Quan Pu.
On his own turf like the school, Quan Pu should feel pretty safe, right? he mused. We’re all classmates; no one would scam another.
As for a double-cross or anything like that, he didn’t care anyway. Han Shiyu was right beside him. If anyone dared to double-cross them, he would welcome it.
After ending the call, Lu Luo returned to the potion laboratory.
Han Shiyu was methodically preparing potions, while Qi Xinzhu was using Holy Radiance to activate the small red vials.
He didn’t waste time there either but took out the Dark Spirit Stones he had collected earlier and started cultivating immediately.
For him now, every second was precious.
More than two hours later, Quan Pu arrived, and to Lu Luo’s surprise, he came alone.
"Brother Luo, I’m here."
Logically, for such a large deal, Quan Pu should have gone through company channels. If he used company channels, it would be unlikely for him to come alone.
He came alone now, so where did he get 310,000?
What Lu Luo didn’t expect was that Quan Pu, for this one deal, had directly misappropriated company funds—essentially embezzling.
Quan Pu opened the briefcase he carried. Inside were six stacks of crisp new bills, looking to be exactly 310,000 in total.
"Brother Luo, I’ve brought the money. Where’s the product?"
Lu Luo did not speak but instead placed his hand on the stacks of bills, waiting for the Observer’s prompt.
[A total of 3,100 notes of 100 Alliance Currency, for a total sum of exactly 310,000.]
[The drunkard still reeks of alcohol. His heartbeat is rapid, and his fingers are trembling. This person’s current state appears to be very nervous and very afraid.]
Lu Luo frowned slightly. Quan Pu is actually scared? He really came alone to handle such a big deal. This guy is a serious gambler!
"Give him the medicine."
Lu Luo waved his hand, and Qi Xinzhu handed the already prepared medicine box of small red vials to Quan Pu.
Quan Pu picked up the medicine box, took a deep breath, restrained the trembling of his fingers, and prepared to leave.
"Aren’t you going to check the goods?"
"Brother Luo is a Hunter. If he wanted to double-cross me, he wouldn’t go to such trouble."
Although Quan Pu’s hands were still trembling, he showed no hesitation or pause, simply walking out directly with the box of medicine.
Just as he was about to leave the laboratory, Lu Luo called out to him.
"Hey, Quan Pu."
Quan Pu’s hand trembled, and the medicine box nearly fell.
He mentally stressed to himself: Calm down, stay composed. Lu Luo probably isn’t going to double-cross me. Only after adjusting his demeanor did Quan Pu turn his head.
"Is there something else, Brother Luo?"
"You did a good job. I’ll come to you next time."
Quan Pu, as if a heavy burden had been lifted, showed a somewhat simple and honest smile, but no one believed he was genuinely that naive.
"Alright, then thank you, Brother Luo, for the business."
"Will Blue Sky Pharmaceuticals find out?" Qi Xinzhu stared at the box containing the 310,000 huge sum, her eyes a bit dazed. That’s so much money!
Now that Lu Luo had over 300,000 in his hands, everyone looked like a thief to him; he couldn’t even stand people getting too close.
"They definitely will. After all, the small red vials are an exclusive product of Blue Sky Pharmaceuticals. It’s normal for them to notice."
"You clearly knew Blue Sky Pharmaceuticals would find out, yet you still did it? Their influence is significant."
"This way makes money faster. Besides, we’re now a department under Hunter. No time to explain, hurry up and get in the car."
Lu Luo was in a hurry because Qiao Xing had mentioned that he would take some time out every evening to teach him privately. This kind of instruction was undoubtedly Qiao Xing’s personal stash of knowledge, truly useful Martial Arts insights—something money couldn’t buy.
So he had to get back before nightfall; otherwise, given Qiao Xing’s personality and temperament, he might just go straight to sleep.
The two of them took a taxi back to the Siping District market. The sky was already getting dim; it was past 5:40 PM, nearing the normal end of the workday.
Lu Luo did not go to any stores because the Dark Spirit Stones in stores were already inspected.
Although the purity of these Dark Spirit Stones was fine, any that contained valuable inclusions would have certainly been detected and taken away.
Compared to the stores, he still preferred to visit the ’wild vendor’ stalls in Siping District.
The Dark Spirit Stones here might be caked with mud and dust, but these ’wild vendors’ lacked the technical means to inspect them.
Lu Luo, possessing the Observer, was perfectly suited for finding overlooked treasures in a place like this.
Even if he didn’t find any Dark Spirit Stones he could get as a bargain, with the Observer, he could still buy stones here that were relatively cheaper than in the shops.
With a clear goal and time pressing, Lu Luo rarely haggled with the vendors.
He devoted most of his energy to searching for Dark Spirit Stone companions, like the one associated with ’Grey.’
Having almost completed his search through the wild vendor area of Siping District without any finds, he was about to give up.
Then, from a newly arrived stallholder, he actually found a stone hiding a Dark Spirit Stone companion.
Completely satisfied, Lu Luo spent all of his 350,000-plus on Dark Spirit Stones.
A total of 548 grams, plus his own 40 grams, made 588 grams—quite a hefty lump.
With such an enormous amount of resources, Lu Luo finally had a solid basis for attempting to break through to the second, and even the third, energy aperture.
While it wasn’t completely dark yet, the two quickly hailed a cab and returned to the Church district.
"You actually spent the entire 350,000 on Dark Spirit Stones? What are you trying to do, Lu Luo?"
Qi Xinzhu didn’t understand why Lu Luo bought so many Dark Spirit Stones. Isn’t that a bit too extravagant?
"To advance to the Second Tier. You Inner Ring people are so rich—don’t you use Dark Spirit Stones?"
Lu Luo’s expression was a bit strange, but Qi Xinzhu looked even more perplexed after hearing his words.
"How could one use Dark Spirit Stones to advance tiers? Lu Luo, do you perhaps misunderstand the concept of cultivation progression?
It’s one thing for Inner Ring people to use Dark Spirit Stones to speed up cultivation progress and recovery, but using them for tier breakthroughs can easily lead to an unstable foundation.
If you fail several times in a row, it’s not just a waste of resources; it will also damage your own foundation and erode your confidence.
So, even though Inner Ring people are very wealthy, their choice is to go to the Second Ring to attempt breakthroughs, rather than using Dark Spirit Stones."
[Advancement failure? Unstable foundation? Eroding confidence? Apologies, but the host, possessing the Fusioner, cannot encounter the problems you speak of.]
Lu Luo really wanted to tell Qi Xinzhu this harsh truth, but after thinking about it, he decided against it. One should keep a low profile when necessary.
Being too high-profile makes you an easy target.
However, there were some things in Qi Xinzhu’s words that piqued his interest, such as the breakthrough in the Second Ring.
"Does breaking through in the Second Ring have any special effects? How many times denser is the Dark Energy there than here?"
"You know about this?"
Qi Xinzhu glanced at Lu Luo, seemingly surprised that he was aware of the higher concentration of Dark Energy in the Inner Ring compared to the Fourth Ring.
However, she didn’t continue, mainly because she couldn’t bear to discourage him. In her eyes, Lu Luo was progressing so quickly; he must be working incredibly hard.
If Lu Luo knew about the huge disparity that Inner Ring and Outer Ring people are born with, he might not be able to accept it.
Lu Luo saw the hesitation in her eyes but still felt the need to ask.
"If it’s not classified information, then don’t hesitate. Just tell me the truth. I can understand and accept any situation."
"The matter of Dark Energy concentration is indeed an Inner Ring secret. However, since you already know about it, there’s no harm in telling you now.
The Dark Energy concentration in the Third Ring is 4 to 5 times that of the Fourth Ring. And in the Second Ring, because it’s smaller, the Dark Energy concentration is approximately 20 times that of the Fourth Ring. But it’s not a regular area."
Lu Luo cursed internally. Damn, 20 times! Comparisons are odious; it really is infuriating. No wonder those Inner Ring folks are so arrogant all the time.
A 20-fold difference in Dark Energy concentration, coupled with the Inner Ring’s extremely high economic level, means their cultivation speed can indeed crush that of the Fourth Ring.
If people from the Fourth Ring want to catch up in cultivation, their only option is to go beyond the wall.
"Lu Luo, you don’t need to feel the gap is that huge. As I said, the Second Ring isn’t a regular living area.
Only powerhouses who have reached a certain level of strength, and those preparing for a breakthrough, will go to the Second Ring.
Because the Dark Energy concentration in the Second Ring is too high, humans aren’t suited for long-term survival there. Therefore, the Third Ring is the main residential area for Inner Ring people.
At our age, due to the Dark Energy concentration, people from the Fourth Ring are typically around the First Tier—like you, Gu Fangyi, and some others from the Fourth Ring Churches. They are all First Tier.
Inner Ring people, on the other hand, are usually Second Tier—like me, and the members of the four major Apocalypse Knights Groups. They are all Second Tier.
Once your strength reaches the First Tier, you’ll have the ability to go beyond the wall. So, the gap between Inner and Outer Ring people isn’t actually that large."
Qi Xinzhu’s voice grew softer and softer. The gap isn’t that large? That kind of talk would only fool children.
However, hearing that the Second Ring wasn’t a regular living area and was typically only used by top experts for cultivation and breakthroughs gave Lu Luo some slight comfort.
But the sense of disparity between the Inner and Outer Rings was still immense. The Third Ring meant absolute safety, while beyond the wall was fraught with danger, requiring constant vigilance.
The Dark Energy within the Inner Ring is mild and easily absorbed, whereas the Dark Energy outside the wall is chaotic and can even lead to mutation.
Humans can’t even stay outside the wall for extended periods. Except for Hunters, the longest visa is only for 100 days, and upon return, they must undergo various inspections. Can it even compare?
"Then what about the First Ring? What’s the maximum multiple its Dark Energy concentration can reach?"
The Second Ring is already 20 times that of the Fourth Ring. Wouldn’t the First Ring be 100 times? Even if one could only stay inside for a few days, that would be equivalent to a year outside!
Regarding the First Ring, Qi Xinzhu shook her head.
"The situation in the First Ring is a bit complicated. Normally, no one lives there. Only the Believers of Light from the Church can enter, and even they cannot stay for more than one day.
Because the First Ring is not only the foundation of humanity and a protected area, but also humanity’s final power barrier."
Lu Luo raised an eyebrow slightly. The foundation of humanity? Protected area? Power barrier?
"What do you mean by ’protected area’? Why doesn’t anyone live in the First Ring? Based on the multiples, the Dark Energy concentration in the First Ring should be 100 times greater, right?"
"Lu Luo, surely you haven’t forgotten what happens when Dark Energy concentration becomes too high?"
Lu Luo was startled; he had been considering the concentration multiples of Dark Energy but had forgotten that Dark Energy itself is a very dangerous form of power.
Dark Energy doesn’t just create Transcendents; it also creates powerful Exotic Species.
If there really were 100 times the Dark Energy, then there would be at least 100 times the Exotic Species. Even the mildest Dark Energy is still Dark Energy.
If it were truly 100 times, even a broken piece of rock could potentially mutate.
"Are you saying that staying in the First Ring for too long can cause one to mutate into an Exotic Species?"
"Yes. The Dark Energy in the Inner Ring is indeed much milder than in the Fourth Ring or beyond the wall, making it very suitable for human cultivation.
But even the mildest Dark Energy is still Dark Energy; its fundamental nature hasn’t changed.
Dark Energy is inherently the source of all danger. Overly concentrated Dark Energy will only cause humans to mutate.
The Dark Energy in the Second Ring already poses a certain degree of danger to many people, let alone that in the First Ring.
Even the most devout Believers of Light, under the influence of high-concentration Dark Energy, can potentially mutate. We call this kind of mutation...
Sacred Judgement."
[Secret Knowledge is being recorded...]
"Sacred Judgement!"
There was a hint of regret and sorrow in Qi Xinzhu’s words, as if certain aspects of the First Ring reminded her of some unpleasant matters.
Lu Luo paused for a while; he now had to consider Qi Xinzhu’s emotions.
Qi Xinzhu is now considered an employee of Circular, the kind that earns 200 Alliance Currency a month.
Next, she can continuously create value for Lu Luo, which will be an immense fortune. His future pay-to-win cultivation will depend entirely on her. Lu Luo treasures her greatly; nothing can go wrong.
Seeing that Qi Xinzhu’s mood had somewhat recovered, Lu Luo continued his questioning.
"So, what exactly is that thing inside the First Ring? Does it have any specific function?"
"The thing inside the First Ring... well, it’s somewhat special. It’s called the Dawn Disc."
When Lu Luo heard "Dawn Disc," he paused, and then his pupils constricted.
A disc... I seem to have one of those too! And it looks incredibly powerful. How did the Observer evaluate it again?
[Above Sequence. Unable to evaluate.]