Chapter 99 I Once Had a Bride (Request for Full Subscription)

Lu Luo jumped lightly, not daring to use too much force, mainly fearing he might break through the hospital’s ceiling. Yet, the feedback from the jump surprised him! With just a slight leap, Lu Luo actually cleared over seven meters! This boost to his jumping power was a bit outrageous! Just as Lu Luo was immersed in the significant increase in his jumping ability, a voice suddenly appeared from behind him without any warning. "Why are you jumping so high? Do colleges still have high jump exams?" It was Ludie. His formidable presence always shocked even the great Observer. From a distance, Ludie hadn’t noticed anything, but as soon as he approached Lu Luo, his brows immediately furrowed. "Your physical strength..." Undoubtedly, Ludie could discern Lu Luo’s current strength at a glance, and he knew Lu Luo very well. From their first meeting to this day, a span of two months, Lu Luo’s growth rate had completely surpassed the limits achievable by a normal Transcendent. Even Ludie’s past self would pale in comparison to Lu Luo. "What’s wrong? Is there a problem?" "Never mind. It’s good that you’re progressing quickly." Ludie lit a cigarette for himself and then, out of old habit, passed one to Lu Luo. This time, Lu Luo initially wanted to refuse, but after a moment’s thought, he accepted the cigarette. "Smoking again?" Ludie asked, a bit puzzled. "Well, I went beyond the Wall once and felt like I was about to become a part of society." "A ’man of society,’ are we? Then I invite this man of society to tell us about the situation outside the Wall these past ten days. Be as detailed as possible." Ludie lit Lu Luo’s cigarette. The two sat smoking together, appearing like both friends and master and apprentice. Lu Luo understood Ludie; he wanted him to recount the entire operation outside the Wall so Ludie could analyze it. Lu Luo never thought Ludie would harm him, not because of some notion of Ludie’s selfless assistance. Rather, it was the Observer’s attitude, which shifted from arrogance to reverence during its several encounters with Ludie. Lu Luo might doubt others, but he trusted the Observer, with its flamboyant and cheeky Sequence. So, in front of Ludie, he didn’t plan to hold much back. "The events of these ten days went roughly like this!" Omitting his self-enhancement process, he detailed to Ludie everything: the urban exploration, the traps, the mother insect, the Gravel Wasteland, and finally, killing the Blue Sky Pharmaceuticals squad. He spoke for a long time, being as detailed as possible. Lu Luo wasn’t entirely sure if there were any flaws in his operation; he needed guidance from an experienced Hunter, and Ludie was one of the best. "Emotionally speaking, there was nothing wrong with your actions. However, procedurally, you actually had a better option." "A better option?" "That’s right. Although the final trap and ambush were very reasonable, you didn’t adhere to the strategy of striking the enemy when they are exhausted. A Transcendent squad, fully recovered and at full strength, might possess tactics you couldn’t anticipate most of the time. Luckily, you only encountered the Blue Sky Pharmaceuticals squad. If you had faced Hunters, members of the Church, or the Constitution Guard Corps, the danger would have been far greater. With your strength at that time, you could have struck when they were attacked by the water lemons the second time. You mentioned their scout didn’t even notice your presence while fleeing; that was the perfect opportunity. Your friend possesses Hawk Eye. In the darkness, his long-range combat prowess far exceeded theirs. He could have easily taken a vantage point and opened fire. The Blue Sky Pharmaceuticals members were utterly exhausted then—constantly fleeing, and they had also indulged with women. Under such mental and physical exhaustion, their combat effectiveness was practically nil. Given your state at the time, a direct nocturnal assault to eliminate them would have sufficed." Ludie only needed Lu Luo to recount the process once to spot the flaws in his battle plan, which surprised Lu Luo. Upon reflection, Lu Luo realized Ludie was correct. If he had struck directly, he indeed could have easily annihilated the exhausted group. "You’re right," Lu Luo conceded. "Heh, I’m just analyzing after the fact. Who can judge so calmly when they’re actually in the situation? And as I said, emotionally, your choice wasn’t wrong. That little girl, Chu Qi, had many problems, but she’s dead now. Burying her was appropriate." Lu Luo nodded. After pondering Ludie’s words for a moment, he turned back to him. "Anything else?" "When you brought the items back inside the Wall, did the Wall Guardians question you?" As Ludie asked this, his expression grew serious. If Lu Luo hadn’t handled it well, Ludie would have had to clean up a huge mess for him. "Yes." "How did you handle it?" "I bribed him." "Did he take it?" "Not at first, but I increased the offer, and eventually, he accepted." Hearing that the Wall Guardian had accepted the bribe, Ludie finally relaxed. He looked at Lu Luo with satisfaction. To demonstrate such meticulous thinking on his first trip outside the Wall truly made him worthy of being Ludie’s apprentice. "Hmm, not bad. I’ll give you a score of 70. Barely passing, just a bit above average." In his heart, Ludie actually gave Lu Luo a 98. He said 70 mainly to prevent Lu Luo from becoming arrogant. Yes, that’s what a teacher should do. Just 70 points? Lu Luo thought carefully. There were indeed a few areas that could have been optimized. Seventy points wasn’t too low. "Alright, 70 it is. Now, back to the main topic. You said you’d tell me about the Bride when I returned. So, tell me, what did you want to share about the Bride?" After speaking, Lu Luo took out "Lu Mengna’s Crimson Silk," Lu Mengna’s summoning item, and placed it before Ludie. Lu Luo had been discreetly investigating the Bride case for some time. He sensed that everything had been orchestrated by someone. Ludie looked at the red silk before him, seemed momentarily lost in thought, and then chuckled. "That girl, Lu Mengna, and that painter surnamed Wu were quite pitiful. A fine pair of newlyweds, dead just like that." "So you arranged the studio. I was wondering how I found such a cheap and conveniently located shop. How much do you know about this matter?" Ludie glanced at Lu Luo, an expression suggesting he knew far more than Lu Luo did, then shook his head. "You tell me what you’ve found first." Lu Luo thought Ludie was testing him, and Ludie thought he was testing Lu Luo. Then, the two conferred, and Lu Luo, like spilling beans, shared everything he knew. "Regarding the Bride, one must mention the Church’s Four Knights of Light, also known as the Apocalypse Riders." Lu Luo’s first sentence left Ludie completely baffled. How had the topic drifted so far? What exactly had this kid been investigating? "The Apocalypse Riders, founding heroes of the Alliance, symbols of slaughter and justice. In the Church, they are hailed as embodiments of light and shadow, meaning each rider represents duality. The First Knight among the Apocalypse Riders, the dark aspect of the Knight of Life, is the very incarnation of death—the Knight of Death. The origin of the Bride incidents is related to this First Knight of Life and Death. The power of death represented by the Knight of Death begins with death itself. It begins with the death of a bride, a nurturer of life. Her life force, through the ritual of the death-themed bridal bouquet, is mingled with the power of Holy Light. Ultimately, it manifests as the Fruit of Life, which also symbolizes an end." Reaching this point, Lu Luo glanced at the utterly confused Ludie and felt a bit dissatisfied. "Hey, I worked hard investigating all this. Are you even listening?" "Ah, this... um, I’m listening. Please continue." Lu Luo felt Ludie’s expression was odd. Was he trying to hide something? Did I say something wrong? Or overlook something? It would be bad if I misspoke and made a fool of myself. Seeing that Ludie had regained his composure, Lu Luo continued. "Whether it’s Lu Mengna or the Qian Ming family I encountered before, they all share similar characteristics, and the Church is also involved. So, I believe the Church is using pregnant brides to perform a certain ritual, and the purpose of this ritual is the Fruit of Life." Ludie’s expression is very strange. Did your words intimidate this big shot? Awed Ludie? Impossible, right? It’s just minor information anyone could find with a little research. Why would he be awed? At this moment, Ludie was no longer smoking; the cigarette butt had burned down to his fingers, yet he was oblivious. He just stared intently at Lu Luo’s confident expression. To him, Lu Luo’s findings were truly astonishing. Lu Luo knew far too much, much more than Ludie had imagined. This was especially true regarding the Apocalypse Riders and the Fruit of Life—details even Ludie himself was unaware of. After Lu Luo finished, he thought for a moment, ensuring he hadn’t missed anything, then asked: "Alright, I’ve told you everything I know. Now, tell me what you know." Ludie paused, quickly composed himself, and said calmly: "I didn’t expect you to know so much already. Your growth is quite surprising! Actually, what I know is about the same as what you’ve discovered. So, there’s no need for me to repeat it." Although Ludie’s expression was calm, Lu Luo could tell he was faking it. "Hey, Ludie, don’t tell me you actually know nothing. Were you just trying to get information for free? Acting all profound with me?" Faced with Lu Luo’s barrage of questions, anyone else would likely have become incensed. But Ludie was different. Disregarding his strength, just in terms of thick-skinnedness, he was even more shameless than Lu Luo. Making Ludie feel ashamed was simply impossible. "Don’t get so worked up. The capable should bear more responsibility. Those with ability naturally do more. As the saying goes, ’If you can do it, step up. If not, don’t flap your gums.’ So, since you’ve stepped up, I’ll keep my mouth shut. Is there anything wrong with me doing that?" Corporate-level understanding. Damn, what kind of twisted logic is that? But a question lingered in Lu Luo’s mind. "Why did you ask me to investigate the Bride matters? What was your purpose? For a loafer like you, wouldn’t it be better to hand such a complex case to someone else?" At this, Ludie’s calm gaze suddenly turned somewhat wistful. "I wanted to hand it off to someone else too, but I couldn’t. There was no way!" "Couldn’t hand it off? Why?" "Because, once upon a time, I too had a bride." Silence. A very long silence. Lu Luo wasn’t a fool. He certainly understood the meaning behind Ludie’s words: Ludie’s wife had also been a "Bride." Of course, "Bride" here doesn’t refer to a newlywed, but to the sacrificial victims of the Church. Her fate, then... "What happened?" An ordinary person might offer condolences, like "my sympathies" or something similar, but Lu Luo wouldn’t say such things. This was also why Ludie had entrusted this matter to Lu Luo—a tacit understanding inexplicably established between them. Ludie lit another cigarette, his gaze gradually drifting into memory. "That was over seven years ago. Back then, the 13th Squad was known as the Wasteland Hunters, and I was called the King of Hunters." "You? Just how much have you had to drink to be spouting such nonsense? Have you forgotten what Tier you are?" Lu Luo was clearly skeptical. You? The King of Hunters? Heh, go eat some peanuts. Ludie raised an eyebrow. "I reached the Soxth Tier seven years ago. What about it?" The host rounds up to the Second Tier, could arguably claim Third Tier, is conceptually close to Fourth Tier, and by stretching definitions, could be considered Fifth Tier! Yet, even so, he’s still weaker than the other party! Soxth Tier! Textbooks say the strongest humans are only Seventh Tier, and now a Soxth Tier master is standing right in front of me! "Soxth Tier, huh! Well then, never mind. Please continue your story." Lu Luo had already forgotten his earlier mockery of Ludie. "Back then, the 13th Squad was indeed full of spirit, and I had a group of excellent subordinates. My fiancée, Qiu Guling, was one of them. In the prime of our lives, we believed that by controlling the lands beyond the Walls, we controlled the entire world. The people within the Walls seemed insignificant. But I later realized I was wrong. During a joint mission with the Church, I was trapped by Exotic Species and became separated from my team. When I finally escaped and returned inside the Walls, I was informed that my fiancée had mutated. She had become a Specter Species Lord, codenamed—Bride. Qiu Guling, as the Bride, slaughtered all my subordinates. Hunter Squad 13 was wiped out overnight. Consequently, I was placed under investigation, my movements restricted for three years. I became a Hunter unable to venture out for three long years." Ludie’s tone was extremely calm, but Lu Luo could imagine the convoluted suffering involved. One’s lover mutating, all subordinates and friends killed by that same lover, and then being confined oneself—such events are enough to break anyone. Ludie exhaled a smoke ring and suddenly asked Lu Luo: "Lu Luo, do you know the prerequisites for human mutation?" "The prerequisites for human mutation? I know that erosion by Dark Energy can lead to mutation into Humanoid Species or other grotesque forms. Weakness, or invasion by an Exotic Species virus, can result in grotesque forms or animal-like species. Also, extremely deep resentment and hatred can create a Specter Species. Generally, these are the main reasons for human mutation." "You’re mostly correct. However, Qiu Guling should have been the least likely to become a Specter Species. At the time, Qiu Guling had just become pregnant. We were planning to get married after that mission. Though we occasionally had our squabbles, for the most part, we were very happy. So, the question is, what kind of hatred and suffering could a happy woman have experienced to make her mutate into a Specter Species? Especially since this woman was a Fourth Tier Transcendent."