The witch gulped down a large mouthful of the Life Force Potion, then grabbed a few Dark Spirit Stones, held them in her hands, and suddenly crushed them!

HUM!

Black energy pierced through Witch Luo Ling's body in an instant.

The erratic flow of Dark Energy coursed around the room, leaving Lu Luo and his two companions somewhat shocked.

Even without using any observational abilities, they could see the aggregation and flow patterns of Dark Energy in the air.

The candy didn't take long to make, only about a minute.

But the fluctuation of Dark Energy would probably be felt throughout the entire base, perhaps even its outskirts.

Witch Luo Ling opened her arms.

The Dark Spirit Stone in her right hand had turned into charred remains.

But in the palm of her left hand, a crystalline, translucent yellow candy appeared.

This candy emitted the kind of spiritual light Lu Luo had seen before; it looked like the real deal.

Lu Luo picked up the candy.

[Witch's Candy - Yellow]

Grade: Rare

Effect: After eating, your Constitution +1.

Description 1: You cannot eat more than 99 candies.

Description 2: This is due to the coercion of the great capitalist Lu Luo. —Witch Luo Ling.

After obtaining the candy, Lu Luo's gaze lingered on Description 2.

[This hint suggests that Witch Luo Ling is resistant to the idea of making candy.]

What do you mean by capitalist coercion? I called you out to work. If you don't work, who's going to support an idler!

Lu Luo squinted but didn't bring up the matter.

"Yellow represents Constitution! Luo Ling, is there a way to control the color of your candy?"

Luo Ling shook her head. "It's impossible because each candy is a choice of destiny!"

Lu Luo nodded; not being able to determine attributes was indeed a pity.

Because aside from himself, everyone else's development path had attribute inclinations.

Take Gu Fangyi, for instance. As a shooter, mobility was his most important attribute.

Then came strength as a secondary one. The destructive power of firearms didn't rely on strength at all.

Lastly, due to his attack range, Gu Fangyi's Constitution attribute provided the lowest benefit.

It wasn't to say it was negligible, but if a sniper was forced into close combat, the battle would essentially become uncontrollable.

Therefore, letting Gu Fangyi consume Constitution-enhancing candy was a foolish act.

Conversely, for Qi Xinzhu, being a Healer, her Constitution attribute provided the highest benefit.

Once Qi Xinzhu's Constitution was high enough—say, after cultivating to 50 herself and then eating 99 yellow candies to enhance it to 150.

Perhaps then she could, like me, endure damage and then heal herself? Become an unkillable tank?

Although turning such a beautiful girl into an unkillable tank sounds strange, this was indeed the plan with the highest return for Qi Xinzhu's attribute values! And Constitution, that sort of thing, had other uses too! Well, high Constitution means good health! For instance, for... *these* things!

...

Lu

Be careful, Qi

Xiao Luo Zhu

...

Lu Qi

Xiao Zhu Xin

Luo

...

Qi

Zhu Xin

Lu Xiaoluo

...

Let's get back to the point.

"Alright, from now on, aside from the four of us, no one is allowed near this room."

"What about Brother Kane?"

"Let's keep Brother Kane in the dark for a while too! This matter is too big, and he's prone to slip-ups."

"Understood."

Lu Luo refocused his attention on Witch Luo Ling.

"Luo Ling, I will find a way to bring you enough Dark Spirit Stones and Life Energy from Exotic Species, so focus on making the candies!"

Witch Luo Ling blinked. She understood Lu Luo's meaning: she was being treated as a tool for making candies. To this, Luo Ling expressed her doubts.

"So, Master, will you leave me a little bit of life?"

Lu Luo frowned slightly. Luo Ling's response made him realize something.

Summoned beings with intelligence would possess a sense of self and complete cognitive abilities.

For the time being, summoned beings were loyal. However, Lu Luo wasn't quite sure, nor could he confirm, whether they would always remain loyal.

What if one day the summoned beings were no longer loyal? This would be a very troublesome issue.

"Are summoned beings absolutely loyal?"

[Aside from those bound by contract, no summoned being is absolutely loyal.]

"A contract beast! The White Snake?"

The Observer's hint made Lu Luo even more certain that Luo Ling, although an opportunity for their collective strength to grow, might also represent a hidden danger!

After all, the effects of the candies were too potent for Lu Luo to give up.

Even if he couldn't mass-produce high-attribute champions, he could still enhance his main team.

After careful consideration, Lu Luo still felt that summoned beings, especially Lord-level ones, required proper testing.

"If I say I won't, would you betray me?"

Upon hearing Lu Luo's words, Luo Ling's already unsightly face became even uglier!

Her smile twisted her entire face, silent and disturbing as her cavities and wrinkles trembled, as though the mute button had been pressed on her.

"Of course not, you are my great master!"

Lu Luo nodded and left the room temporarily with Gu Fangyi and Qi Xinzhu.

[She lied!]

Lu Luo nodded slightly, indicating he was aware.

"Brother Gu, Xinzhu, from now on, you two are stationed here!"

Qi Xinzhu quickly realized there might be a problem with Luo Ling, whom Lu Luo had summoned; otherwise, Lu Luo wouldn't have assigned them to guard here.

"Lu Luo, is there a problem?"

"Yes, I can't guarantee Luo Ling's loyalty. Therefore, you two need to watch over her here. Monitor this place, and also keep an eye on Luo Ling. Without an established Domain, a Lord's combat power is somewhat reduced. Besides, the witch isn't a combat-type Exotic Species to begin with. Even if she were to revolt, you two should be able to hold her off."

Gu Fangyi and Qi Xinzhu looked at each other.

"Understood!"

"Also, regarding the candies, these candies hold incredible value. Red represents strength, yellow represents Constitution, and blue represents agility. After she makes the candies, you need to collect them immediately, but don't eat them right away."

Qi Xinzhu quickly said, "We will keep the candies aside for you."

Seeing Qi Xinzhu say this, Gu Fangyi also nodded in agreement.

[Goodness, such devotion!]

Lu Luo understood Qi Xinzhu had misunderstood, so he clarified, "No, they're not for me to eat. Summoning the witch and creating these things were meant for your use in the first place. One can only use up to 99 witch candies. I have already used 99 at the Nightmare Castle, so I can't use any more. But you can! This is a very powerful way to augment your attributes; make sure to seize this opportunity."

"So... you're worried there might be issues with the candies?"

Lu Luo looked at Qi Xinzhu with satisfaction. My wife is indeed smart!

"Right. Since we can't be sure of the witch's loyalty, we also can't be certain about the safety of the candies. After all, she is a Lord-level Exotic Species, so it's better to be cautious. I'll go talk with Brother Kane; you two stay here and watch over things!"

Both Qi Xinzhu and Gu Fangyi, being sensible people, immediately nodded.

"Okay!"

「...」

In the stairwell on the second floor of the base, Lu Luo and Zhou Kai sat together, smoking.

"Brother Kane, aren't you going to ask what happened down there? Such a large Dark Energy fluctuation, you must have felt it, right?"

"Why ask? If you're not telling me, you must have your reasons! I'm still in charge of Circle Studio's finances, so I haven't been sidelined to the edge of the workshop, have I?"

Zhou Kai's candor made Lu Luo smile; this trusting atmosphere was comfortable for both of them.

"You rascal! If I had sidelined you, would you run off with the money?"

"Of course, I've even planned the escape route with the funds."

"Damn you."

"I don't have a sister! You do, and you got her in through the back door; she's working under me now."

"Damn!"

Lu Luo gave Zhou Kai a friendly punch, and they both laughed.

Zhou Kai was not upset that Lu Luo wouldn't let him into the lower levels.

Don't ask why; the answer is simply that they've bled together.

Compared to those studies, Zhou Kai cared more about how Circle Studio could earn more resources.

Yes, Circle Studio no longer accepted Alliance Currency. This was a policy set by Lu Luo. Transactions with Alliance Currency had encountered obstacles.

At the moment, the only designated currency was Dark Spirit Stone. Besides Dark Spirit Stones, grain bars and water could also be used as basic currency, with most transactions being barter-based.

But as for Alliance Currency, Lu Luo's side had definitively decided not to accept it.

Now, with the Dark Energy Level in the Fourth Ring significantly increased, it was possible for Dark Spirit Stones to appear in everyday life. You might wake up one day to find a Dark Spirit Stone has naturally formed in your rinsing cup, for instance.

In such an environment, Dark Spirit Stones would indeed become more common.

But the functionality of Dark Spirit Stones destined them to be a stable resource.

With Lu Luo's refusal to accept Alliance Currency, many gathering points in the Fourth Ring had followed suit.

The schism between the Inner and Outer Rings began with this economic divide. What was missing next was the political divide.

Lu Luo wasn't the only one subtly pushing for this kind of political separation; the Hunters were doing so as well.

From the Hunters' consecutive refusals of the Security Bureau head's dispatches, it was clear the Hunter Group harbored rebellious intentions.

Lu Luo wasn't quite sure what gave the Hunters the confidence to confront the Inner Ring Faction.

But through Ludie's death, he had some speculations.

Seventh Tier! There must be restrictions on the Seventh Tier. What kind they are, Lu Luo wasn't sure about at the moment. Ludie had finally reached the Seventh Tier, but tragically, right up to the end, he never told me what its ultimate restriction was. But he guessed that a Seventh Tier's mobility, or perhaps their ability to act, must come with some extremely severe limitations. For example, would taking action result in serious injury? Or even death?

Lu Luo had researched history in the library, and from these records, he found an astonishing similarity.

When the Rogue Giant was killed a hundred years ago, three Seventh Tier individuals from the Inner Ring took action.

Three Seventh Tier individuals ganging up on one Eighth Order Exotic Species might not guarantee a swift, crushing victory, but it certainly wouldn't have been too difficult.

This is because humanity's Seventh Tier individuals are capable of contending with higher-order Exotic Species, though perhaps at a slight disadvantage in a one-on-one fight.

But three against one should have presented no pressure at all.

After those three Seventh Tier individuals killed the Rogue Giant, their first reaction wasn't to use their immense power to quickly eliminate the vast numbers of Exotic Species from the Black Tide.

Instead, they abandoned the fight, choosing to retreat directly to the Inner Ring.

This was a significant point of doubt.

This wasn't an isolated incident. Of the five recorded Black Tide wars, excluding one vaguely documented case, the other four showed similar patterns.

The Alliance heavily emphasized the importance of the collective, the role of the team. Yet, when it came to Seventh Tier individuals, their roles and descriptions were deliberately blurred.

Not celebrating heroes was, in itself, a strange thing.

The outcome of every Black Tide war was attributed to everyone working together, a collaborative team effort that ultimately repelled the Black Tide.

These narratives might fool others, but they couldn't fool Lu Luo.

Lu Luo had personally experienced the power of an Eighth Order Exotic Species. A calamity is a calamity!

They possessed the power to destroy everything, a veritable disaster for humankind.

Moreover, the Domain power of an Eighth Order Calamity was so formidable it could interfere with reality.

Unless the number of Soxth Tier Transcendents reached an absurdly high level, relying on collective strength to contend with a Calamity was truly impossible.

Only the power of Seventh Tier human Transcendents could hope to match them.

Therefore, Lu Luo found the Inner Ring's method of downplaying the presence of Seventh Tier beings quite incomprehensible.

What exactly did they need to hide?

Just as Lu Luo was completely perplexed, a subordinate's voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Brother Luo, Brother Luo! Someone from the Security Bureau is looking for you."

"People from the Security Bureau? Are they Hunters?"

"Not just Hunters, but also administrative staff sent by the Inner Ring Faction."

Administrative staff sent by the Inner Ring Faction? This surprised Lu Luo somewhat.

At a time like this, shouldn't the two groups be at odds?

"Take me to them. Brother Kane, you stay busy here."

"Alright, you go on."

After reaching the first floor, Lu Luo saw the people from the Security Bureau.

There were some Hunters, and also some people in Security Bureau uniforms whom Lu Luo hadn't seen before; they were likely the administrative staff sent by the Inner Ring Faction.

Zhang Anran, captain of Hunter Team 22, stepped forward first.

"Lu Luo, what have you been up to these past few days?"

Zhang Anran's expression and demeanor struck Lu Luo as odd. The Observer's hint explained it:

[His eyes are filled with suspicion. Could it be that you've secretly done something shameful?]

I'll be damned, what could I have done that you wouldn't know about?

[Indeed, aside from running to Qi Xinzhu's house in the dead of night, there's nothing else worth mentioning.]

Exactly. Lu Luo's expression was very strange. He had been busy with base matters for the past few days, so how could the Hunters have found him? And people from the Inner Ring Security Bureau were here too? Aren't relations between these two groups quite tense right now? Why would they team up?

"Me, these past few days? I've been busy at the base! What's wrong?"

"Lu Luo, you should know by now that Wang Jie, captain of Hunter Team 1, killed the former head of the Security Bureau the night before last, right?"

"I am aware of that, but what does it have to do with me?"

Zhang Anran frowned slightly, seemingly trying to ascertain the truthfulness of Lu Luo's words.

"Wang Jie adamantly insists he did it himself, you know that, right?"

"I know. So, isn't that the end of it?"

Zhang Anran shook his head. "You're aware of the current situation in the Fourth Ring, and we don't plan on turning Wang Jie over. But the Inner Ring sent a team to reinvestigate, and there's been new progress in the case."

As Zhang Anran spoke, Lu Luo began to feel an unpleasant premonition.

"What evidence?"

"The Inner Ring sent someone who can reconstruct the process of death. Her Sequence is quite special. From the scene she replayed, the method used to kill Li Kaizhe, the former head of the Security Bureau, differs greatly from Wang Jie's fighting style."

"What's the difference?"

"Captain Wang Jie's ability is a dual mastery of Qi Path and Weapon Path. But the technique used to kill Li Kaizhe was purely Qi Path."

"Wang Jie knows the Qi Path, doesn't he? So he just didn't use a weapon. What's the issue with that?"

Zhang Anran narrowed his eyes, staring at Lu Luo again.

"This Qi Path is different; it's the Steam Form Qi Path."

Lu Luo's eyes suddenly narrowed. Steam Form Qi He! In his memory, including himself, only three people knew Steam Form Qi He. The first was Ludie, creator of the Dust Devil. Ludie was dead, so it definitely couldn't have been him. The second was Ding Peng, but Ding Peng's strength was only at the peak of the Second Tier. Furthermore, after the battle with the Black Tide, he had been sent to the Security Bureau's affiliated hospital to recover. Ding Peng had neither the strength nor the opportunity to commit the crime. The last one was himself. So, their suspicion of him was indeed well-founded. But the problem was, he hadn't done it! Why should he take the blame for something he hadn't done?

At this moment, the people from the Inner Ring Security Bureau had walked up to Lu Luo.

"Mr. Lu Luo, you are suspected of murdering an official of the Wasteland Alliance. Please come with us to assist in the investigation."

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