Apocalypse Circular-Chapter 443 Inspection Department - Han Ding (Over 5K)
Only when I had full control of the GuiXi District would Zhang Changming have enough operational space and influence.
No matter the relationship between him and Lu Luo, protecting Bai Yuetong was always his silent endeavor.
Moreover, the intensity of this protection increased as his contact with Bai Yuetong became more frequent.
Lu Luo wanted Zhang Changming and Bai Yuetong to meet; Bai Yuetong herself shared this intention.
But when they both thought this way, Zhang Changming refused.
According to him, not meeting was better than meeting. If he didn’t see her, he could imagine Bai Yuetong as the embodiment of Bai Qingshuang’s will, envisioning her as his ideal.
Meeting, however, would change things; Bai Yuetong would still be Bai Yuetong, and that would never change.
Hearing Zhang Changming agree so readily, Lu Luo chuckled softly. "I thought I’d have to waste some words on you. After all, a guy like you is particularly stubborn and troublesome."
"Being stubborn doesn’t mean being stupid," Zhang Changming retorted. "It’s because I have my own convictions. I can be stubborn about many things because my principles won’t allow me to do otherwise. But this matter is different. If I clear out the Inspection Department in the GuiXi District, I will have even more power. By then, Little Bai will be even safer."
Investigating the remnants of the Bai Family was precisely what the Inspection Department was doing. Once he became the complete controller of the GuiXi District’s Inspection Department, he could meticulously adjust the direction of investigations and the scope of operations. Then, protecting Bai Yuetong would indeed be effortless.
"Alright, since you’ve made your decision, I won’t say much else," Lu Luo said. "I don’t even know why you always refuse to meet Bai Yuetong. But since the decision has been made, I won’t say anything more. Make your arrangements well, and look forward to a great battle between the Inspection Department and the unstable societies!"
"Oh, by the way, have you contacted the Princess lately?"
"Wu Liji?" Lu Luo hesitated for a moment, thinking of the woman who had... an accident in front of him. Well, it wasn’t exactly that, but he still thought a woman should have some restraint in certain aspects. "I haven’t contacted her recently. What’s up?"
"The Princess has encountered some trouble recently that might be quite difficult to deal with," Zhang Changming said.
"Trouble?" Lu Luo was somewhat surprised. "Didn’t she say she was doing quite well before, with her status steadily rising? What could be so difficult?"
With his support, Wu Liji had taken a very significant leap in both resources and strength. Although not much was revealed on the surface, this strength should have been enough to ensure her safety.
"The Imperial Family’s marriage arrangements are her biggest crisis!"
"Marriage arrangements? As a Princess, doesn’t she have the right to refuse?"
"The Princess is already twenty-eight years old, quite an age among princesses. A twenty-eight-year-old woman, still unmarried, would naturally be subject to gossip. The Emperor might usually ignore his princes and princesses, but as soon as this subject is raised, he naturally has to give it some thought. The root of the marriage arrangements still lies in conflicts of interest."
Zhang Changming’s explanation helped Lu Luo understand. Wu Liji’s growth had become a threat to the status of certain princes and princesses. Her unmarried status was her greatest weakness, and this weakness had been exploited by others; it was that simple.
"Can’t she just find someone as a pretense to deal with it for now?" Lu Luo asked.
"She is a Princess; how could she deal with it casually? Although it’s said that a Princess can marry freely, and that is written in the Imperial Family’s regulations, who can truly understand the will of the Emperor? Of course, I’ve only heard about this matter. If you want to know the specifics, you’d better contact her yourself."
Lu Luo nodded; Zhang Changming had indeed given him a wake-up call. As allies, his attention to Wu Liji had been too limited these past two years. During this period, he was more concerned with his own development, and Wu Liji handled many of the external negotiations. If something happened to Wu Liji, their development would also hit a bottleneck, something Lu Luo did not want to see.
"I understand."
「」
After leaving the Inspection Department, Lu Luo immediately took out his phone and dialed the private number Wu Liji used.
However, the person who answered was not Wu Liji herself, but an Imperial Family maid.
"I am the Princess’s maid, Han Ding. May I ask who’s calling?"
Lu Luo was silent for a moment. This was Wu Liji’s private line, used for some of her secret matters and important negotiations. Unless necessary, Lu Luo would not normally call this number. But now, the person answering was not Wu Liji herself, which implied much more. Controlled by someone?
"Hello, Maid Han Ding. I am a subordinate of Her Highness the Princess. My name is Lu Luo. May I ask, where is Her Highness the Princess at the moment? I have something I need to report to her."
"Her Highness the Princess is currently occupied. If you have anything, you can tell me, and I will relay it to Her Highness the Princess on your behalf."
Lu Luo narrowed his eyes again. Could such a request really come from a mere maid? No matter how one looked at it, Wu Liji was a Princess. Even if a maid had significant authority, it was unlikely for her to directly intervene in the affairs of the Princess.
"This seems inappropriate. I will call Her Highness the Princess back later, then."
After saying that, Lu Luo hung up without giving the other person a chance to continue the conversation.
On the other end of the phone, Wu Handing tossed the phone to one side with an indifferent expression and began to browse through a document. This document was precisely about Lu Luo.
[Lu Luo, age 24, Fifth Tier strength, excellent potential, an outstanding commoner Transcendent discovered by Princess Wu Liji in the GuiXi District. Currently stationed in the GuiXi District, serving as a member of the Circle Company. Mainly responsible for the collection of resource points under the Princess’s control...]
This document seemed detailed, but a closer look revealed it contained nothing of substance. The provider of this report was the Inspection Department of the GuiXi District. With Wu Handing’s experience, it was impossible for the Inspection Department to produce such vague information. The state of Lu Luo’s information indicated it had definitely been altered.
Hehe, naïve fellow.
Wu Handing suddenly printed a new document from the smart device next to her. This document was also about Lu Luo, and the description on it was much clearer and more detailed than the original.
[Lu Luo, age 24, strength unknown, suspected Sixth Tier, currently the actual controller of GuiXi District’s largest covert force, Circle Company. Wife Qi Xinzhu, peak Fifth Tier strength, became pregnant a month ago. Circle Company dominates most of the Spirit Stone trade and guides societies in the GuiXi District. They have an inseparable relationship with all the district’s societies, even with the Inspection Department...]
This second document made Wu Handing’s expression turn slightly grim.
How much is this Lu Luo actually hiding?
Wu Handing knew very well that even in this document, Lu Luo had not revealed anything of substance. It could be said that whatever was revealed here was everything Lu Luo wanted to show others. For instance, his identity as the Circle Company’s boss was only confirmed a month ago. This meant that in the GuiXi District, Lu Luo already wielded immense sway. And the Imperial Inspection Department was completely unaware of this situation? How could that be possible?
What is Zhang Changming doing in the GuiXi District? What exactly does he want to do?
"Minister, Princess Wu Liji has returned."
"She’s back? Let her in then."
"Yes."
Wu Liji stormed in, but as soon as she returned, she saw Wu Handing examining Lu Luo’s information. Wu Handing also had Wu Liji’s personal phone next to her—all of this belonged to Wu Liji.
"Wu Handing, what are you doing? Don’t go too far!"
"Too far?" Wu Handing replied. "What are you talking about, sister? I’m just handling official business. You don’t need to get so worked up, do you? Or are you scared?"
"What do I have to be afraid of?" Looking at Wu Handing, Wu Liji felt a little intimidated. Unlike herself, who had broken through to Sixth Tier by stimulating her potential through the grey robe, Wu Handing had truly broken through to Sixth Tier on her own. Even though both were at Sixth Tier, Wu Handing’s strength was far above Wu Liji’s, and she showed signs of breaking through to Seventh Tier. It could be said that Wu Handing’s personal potential was something Wu Liji couldn’t even begin to compare to.
"Since you’re not scared, there’s no need to be tense. As the deputy minister of the Inspection Department, I have the right to investigate suspicious persons within the Empire. Like this Lu Luo..."
Wu Liji’s face turned very displeased. "Lu Luo is my capable subordinate; he has never been a suspicious person."
Wu Handing burst out laughing, her laughter vibrant and particularly lovely. "Hahaha, a subordinate? Sister, are you under some misapprehension about your own strength? Or do you have some misconceptions about my abilities and judgment? How could someone like him ever become your subordinate? Stop joking, sister. The way you’re speaking, you’re elevating yourself to a position that doesn’t belong to you. Understand?"
Wu Handing’s words were filled with mockery, and Wu Liji had no way to refute them. Lu Luo indeed wasn’t her subordinate. Their relationship could only be described as cooperative, and even in that cooperation, Lu Luo always seemed to be the one in control. For a Princess, such a subordinate role in the cooperation was actually very humiliating.
"I don’t know what you’re talking about. Lu Luo has been my subordinate from the very beginning, always has been."
"Still being stubborn? Do you know what your subordinate Lu Luo has been up to lately?"
"I haven’t been in contact with him recently." 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺
"His wife is pregnant!"
Upon hearing this, Wu Liji was taken aback. Although she had heard about Lu Luo’s situation before, the news still troubled her.
"Does it upset you?" Wu Handing continued to ask.
"What’s there for me to be upset about?" Wu Liji remained defiant, though her stubbornness clearly wasn’t yielding any positive results.
"Your subordinate, Lu Luo, has been very active lately! I think he’s a very suspicious person, but I don’t have any evidence. Can you cooperate with the investigation, sister?"
"I warn you, don’t touch my people."
"Your people? I don’t think so. He could be a criminal. Fighting crime is what we in the Inspection Department should do, and it doesn’t matter whose people are involved."
Wu Liji was powerless against Wu Handing. By this point in their conversation, she was left with no choice.
"Handing, what exactly do you want? If there’s something you want, tell me. If I can give it to you, I will."
"No, no, no, you can’t even protect yourself right now, so how can you talk about giving me anything? I will fight for what I want, not wait for someone else’s charity. Understand? Instead of this, you should be more concerned about your own marriage. I’m confiscating your phone. I’ll return it to you when I meet him."
"You?!"
"What? I’m confiscating a suspicious item, and you’re objecting?"
Wu Handing ignored Wu Liji’s angry gaze and left the room with a light laugh.
But after she left, Wu Liji actually began to smile.
Hah, such a self-righteous person. I wonder who will turn out to be the naïve one!
It was true that Wu Handing was strong and exceptional. Wu Liji admitted this; Wu Handing was indeed far more outstanding than herself. But this excellence had its limits. Even if Wu Handing was exceptional, so what? She didn’t understand Lu Luo at all. Lu Luo’s strength was completely off the charts. If Wu Handing were to interfere remotely from the Imperial Capital, using resources and influence against Lu Luo, then Wu Liji might be somewhat worried. But from what Wu Handing implied, she intended to go to the GuiXi District and confront Lu Luo directly.
If that was the case, Wu Liji could only sneer. She had never thought that Wu Handing could face Lu Luo head-on. That was something even Zhang Changming couldn’t do; what made Wu Handing think she could? Going there would inevitably lead to her suffering a loss; that was certain! Wu Liji was confident that once Wu Handing went to the GuiXi District, Lu Luo would teach her a good lesson.
"Then I wish you bon voyage, little sister."
「」
After Lu Luo hung up the phone, he received an anonymous text.
[I’ve encountered some issues, don’t worry.]
Although the text didn’t reveal the sender’s identity, Lu Luo immediately understood that it was a message from Wu Liji. The content didn’t ask for help or complain, indicating that Wu Liji could still handle the situation herself. If she couldn’t, she would probably seek his help.
As expected. It seems the time for me to enter the Imperial Capital is not far off.
Lu Luo always remembered the Judgment Chief’s request. He was definitely going to the Imperial Capital, but as for the Bai Family... He still needed to be wary of entities like the Royal Family Clan. Bai Yuetong was doing well now, and Lu Luo didn’t want her to be caught in the tumultuous and vicious struggles of the Imperial Family. The matters of the Imperial Capital could be addressed after he finished cleaning up and consolidating the GuiXi District. Then it would be about time to act.
Hmm, let’s see how things have developed first.
Lu Luo slightly adjusted his attire, not using a disguise but simply adding a fake beard to make himself look a bit older. Then, he made his way alone to the underground black market of the Coal Capital, where Transcendents gathered.
The place was noisy, but standing in the midst of it all, Lu Luo was still able to pick up some useful information.
"Did you hear? Lukal found a lava fragment."
"Really? Is that true?"
"He says it’s fake, but many people familiar with him claim it’s real."
"Then it must be real!"
"Has anyone heard what effect that lava fragment has?"
"Don’t know, but I heard that Lukal made a breakthrough."
"Oh!~"
The group discussing this exchanged knowing glances and didn’t pursue the topic any further.
The lava fragment they mentioned was indeed a piece of the Ashbringer. Lu Luo’s Ashbringer was actually a weapon that could flow and change shape. For this operation, he had split the Ashbringer into thirteen parts, scattering them in thirteen different locations within the GuiXi District. The Lukal they spoke of must have obtained one of the fragments, because Lu Luo could already feel the presence of the Ashbringer fragments.
He found it amusing that these people were constantly nurturing the Ashbringer fragments with their own energy. If these people focused their energy on cultivation instead of researching treasures, they probably would have made a breakthrough long ago.
Truthfully, Lu Luo could understand the confusion of these independent individuals. Because they couldn’t see the path ahead, they had to grope their way forward on their own. However, he didn’t approve of them investing so much of their energy into a strange object.
After wandering around the black market for a while and shoving away several nightclub girls who had tried to flirt with him, Lu Luo left, feeling somewhat uninterested.
There were no experts here! At least, no experts from any societies were mingling among them.
It seems I’ll have to go outside to draw out those society members. I’ve absorbed almost enough energy; it’s time to gather them.
Lu Luo passed through the crowd and arrived near Twin Towers Mountain in the GuiXi District. Indeed, several fragments of the Ashbringer were hidden here, but the volcanic eruption at Twin Towers Mountain wasn’t caused by the Ashbringer fragments. It was something else Lu Luo had created. Since this was a purge of the wild societies in the GuiXi District, the Ashbringer alone wouldn’t suffice. A divine weapon’s emergence is bound to be accompanied by disaster, and the thing inside Twin Towers Mountain was the disaster Lu Luo had prepared for this event.
「」
After arriving at Twin Towers Mountain, Lu Luo frequently saw groups of Transcendents wandering around. They mostly carried large metal barrels and shovels, clearly prepared to dig for magma. But could they truly find a piece of the Ashbringer? No one knew!
Then, let’s settle down here.
Lu Luo found a spot at the foot of Twin Towers Mountain, set up a small tent, and arranged some protective traps, making himself look like a vigilant, lone Transcendent.
He had already informed Gu Fangyi about this operation, but Gu Fangyi’s task was to lead a team and assemble in the Coal Capital. They definitely couldn’t come here until the very last step. So, Lu Luo needed to personally observe, supervise, and guide the development of events.
It’s about time.
Over the next few days, Lu Luo stayed at the base of Twin Towers Mountain, occasionally digging around to keep up appearances, all the while awaiting the convergence of Transcendents.
「」
In the Coal Capital, at a branch of the Circle Company, Qi Xinzhu was engaged in some simple physical training to maintain her condition. But an unexpected guest arrived at that moment.
Qi Xinzhu stopped her movements. As she was about to drink a glass of plain boiled water brought by Sola, she suddenly felt that something was off. Sola hadn’t come over to greet her, and the surroundings were unusually silent.
"Who’s there?" Sensing danger, Qi Xinzhu immediately became vigilant.
"Quite alert, aren’t you, Miss Qi Xinzhu!" Wu Handing said, removing her hat as she stepped in from the doorway.
Seeing the Inspection Department uniform on the other person, Qi Xinzhu’s eyes tightened.
