Chapter 90: The Unscrupulous Lu Luo (Seeking Subscriptions for the Second Update)

The three of them headed back towards the city district. Returning to the city was a time-consuming endeavor, but Lu Luo did not change his decision. In his past life, Lu Luo often heard people say that it was a time of high-speed development, a time when time was supposedly most scarce, and if one didn’t grasp it, it would be too late. However, he thought the opposite. Lu Luo believed that when one feels it’s too late for something, it’s actually the earliest opportunity. He was still young. If he extended the timeline a bit further and set aside the 250,000 contract, then what he had in abundance was time. He could take things slowly and make steady progress. This time, even if he didn’t reach 20 in all attributes, he could find another opportunity to venture out. On their way back, Lu Luo and his companions had already cleared most of the Exotic Species, so the three of them moved quickly. In just over two hours, they could already see the distant buildings. Looking at the buildings that seemed within reach, and Qi Xinzhu who was humming a tune, Gu Fangyi found it hard to contain himself. "How can she still be so happy after all this time?" "What makes you think I’d know now when I didn’t before?" Lu Luo also found it strange. Was returning to the city district really something to be so happy about? By the time they reached the edge of the city district, the sky had grown very dim. Lu Luo scanned the nearby buildings, and his gaze finally rested on a two-story convenience store. Such a small place would be very easy to clear; they wouldn’t need to spend too much time. They just needed to make do for one night. The next day, they had to continue to the Rubble Wilderness, so the conditions didn’t really matter. "Let’s stay here. First, we’ll..." "Lu Luo, there are people," Gu Fangyi interrupted Lu Luo. "Hmm?" Lu Luo lowered the hand he was about to point towards the two-story convenience store and looked towards the Rubble Wilderness. He saw that on the increasingly dark skyline of the Rubble Wilderness, Blue Sky Pharmaceuticals’ team was scattered, heading towards the city district. The original team of twenty people now only had twelve left, including Chu Qi and Wang Zheng. Besides Chu Qi, only one of the other five women had survived. In such a desperate flight, women’s physical stamina was a natural disadvantage. The remaining twelve people were also injured and exhausted, but even as a battered remnant, they still exuded a strong scent of blood. When Lu Luo and his group spotted the other party, the other party naturally saw them too. After a few seconds of stalemate, Gu Fangyi and Lu Luo had already raised their guns, confronting the other party. Qi Xinzhu, seeing this, also raised her Shock Sword. However, this time, the team leader Wu Sen pushed down the muzzle of his team member’s gun. "Let’s not complicate things. They’re just a few kids. We’ll deal with it after we regain our strength." "Yes!" [The distance is too far to parse the other party’s conversation content.] From a distance, Wu Sen made a flat, pushing motion with his palm towards Lu Luo’s group. This gesture, used exclusively outside the Wall, signified a desire for peaceful coexistence and non-interference. Seeing that the other party had no intention of attacking for the time being, Lu Luo and his companions also slowly retreated, lowered their guns, and made the same gesture towards Wu Sen. He also didn’t want a conflict. Not to mention, under these circumstances, if the enemy laid down covering fire, Gu Fangyi would most likely die. Qi Xinzhu’s survival would depend on her actual strength; only he was fairly confident of escaping under such covering fire. As the other party approached, Lu Luo gave them a quick scan and formed an initial judgment. They must have encountered some dangerous Exotic Species... this level of casualties... Lu Luo was very clear about the power of a well-equipped team. They had a complete weapons and firearms system, ample ammunition, and coordinated teamwork with covering and crossfire. There were various hand grenades, concussion bombs, and even things like hand cannons. This was in addition to their own armor, any drugs Blue Sky Pharmaceuticals might have supplied, and the accumulated equipment of Transcendents. It was safe to say that in a place like the Rubble Wilderness, a twenty-person team from Blue Sky Pharmaceuticals should have possessed absolutely overwhelming combat power. The Exotic Species that had forced them to flee in such disarray were probably not from the Rubble Wilderness. Therefore, one could easily conclude that they had pressed further onward. According to the old Hunter’s Handbook records, at the end of the Rubble Wilderness lay the Mother-and-Child Swamp. The Mother-and-Child Swamp was already considered a high-danger area in Sector C13, teeming with endless poisonous Exotic Insects and various mutated swamp monsters. There was also a regenerating aberration that had once brought a Hunter team to a bitter end: the Mother-and-Child Shuimeng. If these people had encountered the Mother-and-Child Shuimeng, then such heavy casualties would be easy to understand. As Lu Luo observed the others, Wu Sen was also observing Lu Luo. While walking, he sized up Lu Luo’s group of three, his small, triangular eyes like those of a venomous snake. He recognized Lu Luo, the young man he had briefly met during the 404 Biological Exhibition Hall mission. When his gaze swept over Lu Luo and Gu Fangyi, his eyes showed only an indifference to life, devoid of any other emotion. Only when he looked at Qi Xinzhu did Wu Sen’s gaze linger for a moment, revealing a hint of greed. However, Wu Sen’s professionalism was still very high. What he valued most was himself; even if he were to make a move, now was not the time. Wu Sen soon withdrew his gaze from Qi Xinzhu and turned calmly to the other team members, saying, "We’re far enough away now; it should be safe here. Let’s find a place to rest for a while. Don’t disturb those people." "Yes." After Wu Sen gave his orders, the tense nerves of the other Blue Sky Pharmaceuticals team members also temporarily relaxed. The slaughter by the Mother-and-Child Shuimeng had put immense pressure on them. Fortunately, they had enough concussion bombs; otherwise, they might not have escaped. Even now, they weren’t entirely sure whether that monster had continued to pursue them or not. The team members filed into a small building behind Lu Luo’s group in a relatively orderly fashion. All were silent, but several of them paused, their gazes lingering on Qi Xinzhu. [These people hold strong hostility towards you, please be cautious.] Unlike Wu Sen, who could control himself, the greed in their eyes was entirely unconcealed—a naked desire to possess. Putting other things aside, just that look made both Lu Luo and Qi Xinzhu feel very uncomfortable. His old classmate Wang Zheng paused at the foot of the stairs, glancing first at Gu Fangyi, then at Lu Luo. "Gu Fangyi, you’ve really fallen far. Now you’re actually his lackey." Lu Luo couldn’t help but bristle at such provocative words. Yet, when he glanced at Gu Fangyi, he found Gu surprisingly calm. It seemed that for him, being Lu Luo’s lackey wasn’t so bad after all. However, calm as he was, he couldn’t lose face. Gu raised an eyebrow. "What? You have a problem with that?" Wang Zheng curled his lip. Any sentimentality from their school days had been worn away during his training over the past month or so. Thinking naively about terminating their contracts? How could independent operators like Gu Fangyi and Lu Luo possibly get by without the resources of a large corporation? Gu Fangyi had lorded it over them from the orphanage for so many years; who among them didn’t harbor some resentment? If given the chance, Wang Zheng wouldn’t mind sending this ’prodigy’ on his way. "Self-degradation." After dropping that remark, Wang Zheng turned and went upstairs. The last person remaining from the Blue Sky Pharmaceuticals team was Chu Qi. At this moment, Chu Qi was covered in filth. Mud, dust, and sweat clung to her, making her look utterly bedraggled. She walked forward and patted Lu Luo and Gu Fangyi on their shoulders. Her expression was hard to interpret, a mixture of bitterness and resignation. An inexperienced young man like Gu Fangyi, upon seeing Chu Qi’s expression, would immediately imagine she had suffered some terrible loss or been bullied. As for Lu Luo, if not for his past life—having freeloaded in his gang’s clubhouse for six years and seen every kind of act imaginable—he probably would have believed her too. "How have you two been lately?" "We’re okay." Gu Fangyi had never denied his rather deep bond with Chu Qi. If the Blue Sky Pharmaceuticals contract dispute hadn’t caused their paths to diverge, they might genuinely have ended up together. "And Lu Luo?" "Ah? I’m doing alright. Just muddling along, waiting to die, you know? Life has to go on. What else can we, a bunch of rejects abandoned by the company, possibly do!" Lu Luo’s response made both Gu Fangyi and Qi Xinzhu take notice. Qi Xinzhu, in particular, was taken aback. She had assumed Lu Luo reserved his sarcastic tone for her, but now she saw he was the same even with old classmates. It seemed Lu Luo’s sarcasm was bone-deep. Chu Qi looked a bit embarrassed. She had intended to leverage their years of friendship, plus the help she’d given them at the company last time, to get Lu Luo and the others to lend her a hand. While Wu Sen and his men were still weakened, she hoped to incite a small conflict involving Lu Luo, which might allow her to leave with them or create an opportunity for her to escape. She believed that since she had saved Lu Luo at the company last time, it was only natural for him to help her now. Isn’t that how favors worked? However, Lu Luo’s unconventional way of speaking rendered the speech she had prepared for this meeting completely useless. That guy Lu Luo... I helped him last time. Has he forgotten? No, I can’t let myself be ruined here. In fact, while Chu Qi was thinking this, Lu Luo had his own perspective. He had long maintained that his actions were based on cause and effect. The root of all these events was the Blue Sky Pharmaceuticals 404 incident—a foundational logic that wouldn’t change. Why had they been dragged into Blue Sky Pharmaceuticals? Wasn’t it because of the 404 incident at the exhibition hall? If Chu Qi and Blue Sky Pharmaceuticals hadn’t had their issues, would the 404 incident even have occurred? If the 404 incident hadn’t happened, would they have faced that damn contract issue, or any danger at all? This logic was flawless. So, the events that night at Blue Sky Pharmaceuticals, in Lu Luo’s view, could not be considered help, merely Chu Qi’s way of making amends. Taking into account the Red Shell and the equipment they had gained, Lu Luo reluctantly considered them even. As for ’help,’ Lu Luo had never acknowledged it as such; only Chu Qi saw it that way. This wasn’t Lu Luo being cold and heartless; it was the result of valuable experience gained from years of undercover work—experience paid for with the lives of many subordinates. In the 404 incident, they had been passive. Blue Sky Pharmaceuticals and Chu Qi were the active parties. The underlying logic was crystal clear. Even the battle at Blue Sky Pharmaceuticals was merely an extension of the power struggle between Chu Qi and Song Hana. Song Hana was undoubtedly a vicious woman, but Chu Qi’s own ambitions were hardly small. The way she unconsciously mimicked those in positions of power had long been seen through by Lu Luo, a veteran of countless power struggles. Chu Qi craved power and had made thorough preparations for the moment she would seize it. Her saving Lu Luo and the other two might have seemed impulsive, but it was a calculated decision. She wanted to cultivate Gu Fangyi, viewing him and herself as part of her own power base. In fact, if not for Lu Luo’s exceptionally forward thinking and formidable abilities, they would inevitably have failed to repay the 250,000 debt. Unable to clear their contract debt, they would have inevitably joined Blue Sky Pharmaceuticals in the future, becoming subordinates in Chu Qi’s faction. These were insights Lu Luo had pieced together during tedious hours of cultivation. This was a woman of considerable foresight and planning; even Lu Luo had to admit her strengths. But her flaws were also glaring: her ambition was too great, her plans too grand, leaving her without the actual ability to execute them or the means to handle unexpected setbacks. How could Chu Qi’s current embarrassing predicament escape the notice of an old fox like Lu Luo? Last time at Blue Sky Pharmaceuticals, Chu Qi was trapped by Red Shell. Wasn’t today’s situation strikingly similar? Both incidents reflected Chu Qi’s fundamental problem: great ambition but little capability, lacking the actual strength to deal with the troubles she stirred up. But he had no intention of extending a helping hand unless Chu Qi showed sufficient sincerity. Of course, the sincerity Lu Luo had in mind was not just an apology, a plea for mercy, or a polite inquiry. His gaze was fixed on the Ghost Crab eyeball hanging at Chu Qi’s waist—an item of substantial value, precisely what he desired. [Third Tier Exotic Species, the eye of a Swamp Ghost Crab, possesses very high medicinal value and serves as a material for some alchemical items, extremely valuable.] "Aren’t you going up? It’s getting late. Your companions must be waiting," Lu Luo said, effectively cornering Chu Qi. Gu Fangyi started to speak, but Lu Luo gestured for him to be silent. Gu Fangyi was a man led by emotions; Lu Luo was not. If, at this moment, Chu Qi genuinely sought their help and offered sufficient compensation, Lu Luo would have Gu Fangyi and Qi Xinzhu leave first, while he alone would lend Chu Qi a hand. With his current strength, relying on his resilience, which provided damage reduction, and his 20 points of Constitution, he was confident he could withstand some ordinary bullets, even those not imbued with Dark Energy. To obtain a valuable Third Tier Exotic Species eyeball, plus an intelligence line into Blue Sky Pharmaceuticals—this deal was worth making. However, if Chu Qi continued to play mind games and appeal to sentiment, it would be pointless. Truly unnecessary. Everyone chose their own path. Chu Qi’s expression turned ugly. She knew Lu Luo had seen through her intentions, but she still found it hard to accept. Looking at Lu Luo, Chu Qi said with dissatisfaction, "Lu Luo, don’t we have even a shred of friendship between us? Does it have to be this way?" "I’m out here as a Scavenger beyond the Wall, and you’re talking to me about friendship? And have you forgotten? First came the Blue Sky 404 incident, and *then* the contract." Chu Qi was struck speechless by Lu Luo’s rebuttal, unsure how to respond. She noticed Lu Luo staring intently at the Ghost Crab eyeball, his meaning perfectly clear. But Chu Qi had no intention of surrendering the eyeball. She needed resources for her comeback. If she gave the eyeball to Lu Luo, how could she make a comeback? How could she defeat Song Hana? "Shouldn’t friends help each other? Help me, just this once, for Qin Wanyu’s sake. They’re in bad shape right now. If we team up, we have a chance. Afterward, all their equipment can be yours. I only want the blood sacs." Still making empty promises. This woman is truly exasperating. Did she really think Wu Sen and his men wouldn’t be on guard? Four people to ambush a prepared team? And as for the word ’friend,’ it was fine when applied to Gu Fangyi and Zhou Kai. As for Chu Qi, Lu Luo felt it was better to stick to a transaction of crude benefits. "Chu Qi, even now, you lack clear self-awareness. Some things are beyond your capabilities, not things you should be doing. Before one harbors ambition, one needs corresponding ability." This was Lu Luo’s final reminder, but Chu Qi wasn’t listening. She was still trying to play the emotional card when her gaze suddenly fell upon Qi Xinzhu, who had been standing quietly behind Lu Luo all along. Seeing Qi Xinzhu’s beautiful face, tall figure, and perfect demeanor, Chu Qi seemed to have an epiphany. She said with a hint of disappointment, "So that’s how it is, Lu Luo. It seems you have your reasons for disregarding our bond. Don’t try to sound so righteous. I have my own plans. If you won’t help, then so be it." Chu Qi turned and went upstairs. Lu Luo knew she had misunderstood something, but he couldn’t be bothered to explain. A misunderstanding it was, then. They owed each other nothing anyway. Lu Luo looked at Gu Fangyi, intending to ask his opinion, but Gu Fangyi kept his head down, his expression hidden. Seeing that Gu Fangyi had no intention of speaking up, Lu Luo could only shake his head and lead the two of them away. He didn’t choose the convenience store next to the building occupied by the Blue Sky Pharmaceuticals team. Instead, he selected a small shop further away to rest, maintaining a safe distance.