CHAPTER 144: CHAPTER 144: THE EMERGENCE OF EPIC EQUIPMENT (ADDED FOR THE LEAGUE LEADER WHO GOT ANGRY)

Qiao Xing no longer provided housing for Lu Luo and Qi Xinzhu; only Bai Yuetong still returned to stay at Qiao Xing’s place.

However, for the past few days, Bai Yuetong had been holed up in a tiny research lab on the second floor of Circle Studio, which Zhou Kai had set up for her. She hadn’t emerged for several days. Aside from eating and using the bathroom, she seemed on edge, completely absorbed in her work. Zhou Kai was somewhat afraid she might mutate. This was because Bai Yuetong would often talk to herself in the room, conversing with a certain "sister."

As the founder of Circle Studio and the one who had rented the premises, Zhou Kai knew there was a supernatural entity within. A red-dressed Specter Species resided here—Lu Mengna! Thus, he had been considering whether Bai Yuetong was possessed and whether he should call Lu Luo to handle it.

In Bai Yuetong’s small room, she was adjusting belt-like equipment. The peculiar thing was how she requested tools.

"Number 4 screwdriver."

The No. 4 screwdriver actually levitated and landed in Bai Yuetong’s hand.

"A file, and a Number 1 hex key."

After Bai Yuetong spoke, new tools floated up, aiding in her tinkering and assembly. After a simple flip of a switch, she touched her dusty hair and smiled.

"Alright! The Little White Flower Jet-Propelled 3D Maneuvering Device Mark I - Test Version is officially complete! Oh, I’m exhausted. Thank you, Sister Na, you’ve worked hard too!"

As Bai Yuetong expressed her thanks, a red shadow gradually materialized—it was precisely the Third-Tier Specter Species who resided there, one of the "Brides," Lu Mengna.

When Bai Yuetong first arrived, Lu Mengna, not wanting to interact with people, had planned to scare her. But unexpectedly, Bai Yuetong spotted her immediately, as if her Specter Species state was completely invisible to Bai Yuetong. Bai Yuetong showed friendliness towards her; therefore, Lu Mengna didn’t try to scare her anymore. Besides, even if she had, Bai Yuetong didn’t seem like she would be scared.

Bai Yuetong stayed in the room every day, working on her research and occasionally speaking to Lu Mengna. Over time, the human and the Specter Species, through their back-and-forth conversations, eventually became friends.

Today, Bai Yuetong’s long and painstakingly crafted creation was finally completed, and naturally, Lu Mengna was thrilled for her. When this Specter Species got happy, wasn’t it natural for her to conjure some spectral flames to liven things up?

The entirety of Circle Studio then became gloomy and somewhat terrifying.

「...」

"Brother Kane, it’s haunted!"

"Nonsense! Why would it be haunted all of a sudden? Calm down, it’s not a big deal."

A few operatives downstairs at Circle Studio, including Zhou Kai himself, were cowering in a corner of the room. Red flames flickered about, making the room feel eerie and terrifying—it was far too frightening! Moreover, these individuals were all low to mid-tier operatives; none of them could handle such a situation. They could only squat by the wall, shivering.

Fortunately, Zhou Kai constantly monitored his evil-warding energy to ensure it hadn’t diminished; otherwise, he would have called the police long ago.

Bai Yuetong is still up there; nothing had better happen to her, he thought.

Zhou Kai knew Bai Yuetong’s identity was special, and Lu Luo had specifically emphasized this to him. But no matter how special her identity was, it wasn’t as important as his own life!

"You, stop hiding! Yes, you! Go upstairs and check."

Zhou Kai pointed at a nearby operative. The operative was stunned for a moment, then suddenly convulsed and collapsed, foaming at the mouth.

"UGH! UGH! Brother Kane, I’m having an episode! It’s my convulsive disorder! I can’t go! UGH!"

"Damn it all! I don’t remember you having this ’illness’ when you were collecting your pay from me! Move it!"

Zhou Kai kicked the man aside, mustered his courage, picked up the pistol Lu Luo had previously provided him, and prepared to go upstairs.

Just then, the door behind him suddenly opened. Zhou Kai flinched, spun around, and fired.

BANG!

Lu Luo plucked the dented bullet from his head, suppressed his anger, and roared at the group, "What the hell do you think you’re doing?"

"Brother Luo, I really didn’t mean to! It’s haunted upstairs, and Bai Yuetong is still up there!"

Lu Luo surveyed the room filled with red flames and took out the faintly glowing Lu Mengna Red Xia from his pocket. Two cross-shaped wrinkles appeared on his forehead.

"Spare the rod, spoil the child. These women just need to be disciplined."

Qi Xinzhu shot him a look, and Lu Luo quickly added, "Not including you."

With that, Lu Luo headed straight upstairs. Qi Xinzhu, fearing he might actually thrash Bai Yuetong, hurried after him.

「...」

The moment he pushed open Bai Yuetong’s door, Lu Luo saw her dancing with Lu Mengna.

Dancing with a Specter Species? Could she be under mind control?

Consequently, as Bai Yuetong watched with somewhat terrified eyes, Lu Luo lunged towards her.

Bai Yuetong’s first thought was, This guy, he’s not going to punch me again, is he?

But this time, Lu Luo was noticeably gentler. He didn’t hit Bai Yuetong; instead, he grabbed her by the neck and lifted her up as if she were a small chick.

Meanwhile, the Qi He in Lu Luo’s hand had begun to circulate.

Lu Mengna was one of the "Brides," her background was pitiful, and considering Ludie had vouched for her, she wasn’t inherently harmful. So, even though she was a Specter Species, Lu Luo hadn’t laid a hand on her. However, allowing Lu Mengna to live here was the absolute limit of Lu Luo’s tolerance. If this Specter Species dared to harm anyone, she definitely couldn’t be allowed to stay.

"Wait, Lu Luo, what are you doing? We’re celebrating! Don’t hurt her," Bai Yuetong pleaded.

Hearing Bai Yuetong’s plea, Lu Luo turned to look at her. "Celebrating? Have you been brainwashed by the Specter Species?"

"No! I don’t have any assistants here. Sister Na has been keeping me company all this time."

Bai Yuetong looked rather pitiful. Lu Luo knew that Circle Studio provided almost negligible help to Bai Yuetong. Even when it came to funding, they weren’t particularly generous. For a talent like Bai Yuetong, staying here was indeed a raw deal. He confirmed, "Are you sure?"

"I’m sure."

Lu Luo turned to Lu Mengna. His current aura was incredibly imposing, exuding a powerful sense of menace towards Lu Mengna. "Lu Mengna, come here."

The last time Lu Mengna had encountered him, she, a Third-Tier Specter Species, had been confident in her ability to suppress Lu Luo. Now, however, that was completely impossible; she’d be lucky not to be killed instantly. Moreover, there was a very strange quality about Lu Luo. How to describe it? In Lu Mengna’s eyes, as a Specter Species, Lu Luo was different from everyone else. Even Bai Yuetong, who could communicate and speak with her, was vastly different from Lu Luo. So, when Lu Luo ordered her to approach, the Third-Tier Specter Species didn’t dare refuse.

"From now on, do not use your powers inside the studio. Since Bai Yuetong can communicate with you, then you will serve as her assistant here."

Lu Mengna nodded. At this moment, she wouldn’t dare contradict Lu Luo; it would mean death.

"Alright, what are you celebrating?" Lu Luo shifted his gaze back to Bai Yuetong. A celebration needed a reason, right?

"I made this!" Bai Yuetong presented the belt she had crafted. It was still its raw metallic color, unpainted and unpolished—clearly a rough, unfinished prototype.

"A belt?" He picked it up, and the Observer immediately provided information.

[Little White Flower - Jet-Propelled 3D Maneuvering Device I]

Rating: Epic

Effect 1 - Jet Levitation: Converts Dark Energy or other elemental energies into jet power for levitation.

Effect 2 - Jet Propulsion: Converts Dark Energy or other elemental energies into jet power for propelled flight.

Usage Duration: 10 minutes.

Introduction 1: Although it lacks the quality of Epic-grade equipment, its creation is truly of epic significance.

Introduction 2: The pinnacle of energy jet propulsion dynamics, one of the design concepts for Bai-style Construct Armor, unfinished prototype.

[Hint: Life Energy and other materials can optimize its structure to meet biological Construct standards.]

[Fusioner Recipe: Little White Flower + 350 Energy Points + Third-Tier Exotic Species Crystalloid or Stardust = Increases equipment usage duration by 1 hour.]

[Upgrading Fusioner level can reduce the energy cost for equipment fusion.]

Holy shit, she actually did it?

Although the object before him was somewhat different from what he remembered from his past life—more compact and lighter—the Observer’s description of its function made it clear: this was indeed a jet-propelled 3D maneuvering device. An Epic rating! Even the Wraith Blade had previously only been of Excellent grade, two full tiers below Epic. Ten minutes sounded short, but jet bursts usually only lasted a few seconds. In terms of combat application, this was undoubtedly a Divine Artifact, and its creator was standing right in front of him.

Furthermore, structural optimization could extend its usage time to one hour—a massive improvement. However, that would have to wait until after he enhanced his Fusioner abilities.

Lu Luo glanced at Bai Yuetong, only then noticing her grimy fingers and face. She was wearing a large pair of overalls, covered in dark grease and dust. Her once snow-white hair was a mess, though the tuft of Dumb Hair remained unchanged. It was clear how much effort she had poured into this device.

"Qi Xinzhu."

"Hmm?"

"Close the door first."

"Ah? Okay."

Bai Yuetong watched Qi Xinzhu close the door. As Lu Luo slowly approached her, she grew flustered. "What are you doing? Why did you close the door? I’m warning you, if you try anything funny, I’ll scream for help!"

Lu Luo ignored her and asked directly, "Has anyone else learned about this device?"

Bai Yuetong found it strange. Why did Lu Luo suddenly seem to place so much importance on this item? Could it be that he’d had a change of heart and wanted to develop Constructs with her independently?

"Have you come around? My Construct design philosophy is definitely flawless!"

"I asked if anyone else knows about this device."

"Er, many people know the design concept, but they all ridiculed me, so... But it doesn’t matter! We now have a working model—albeit still a prototype—that will definitely astound them."

"Is mass production possible right now?"

"Not really. This device requires very precise Crystalloids, and its consumption of them is extremely high. That’s why I used the Third-Tier Ghost Crab eyeball from your desk. Even with the eyeball from a Third-Tier Exotic Species, the Crystalloid’s integrity wouldn’t last long. Basically, this thing is inanimate. Without the nourishment of an Exotic Species’ Life Energy, its consumption rate becomes very high. Um, I used your Third-Tier eyeball... you’re not angry, are you?"

Bai Yuetong knew Lu Luo was stingy, so she had waited until this moment to tell him about using the Third-Tier Ghost Crab eyeball. To her surprise, Lu Luo, usually so penny-pinching, didn’t seem to care about the eyeball at all.

Lu Luo stared at Bai Yuetong in astonishment, remaining silent for a long while. From her explanation, he understood one thing: Bai Yuetong had long possessed the ability to design and manufacture Constructs. The reason she hadn’t succeeded before was that she had been caught in the trap of the limitations of Wasteland materials and energy sources. No material met the requirements for Constructs; even materials from high-tier Exotic Species couldn’t withstand the repeated impact of transcendent energy. The fundamental reason was that materials from Exotic Species would gradually lose their active properties once deprived of Life Energy—this was true for all such materials. Just as the Observer had once told him, if an Exotic Species’ corpse wasn’t processed quickly, its Life Energy would dissipate back into nature. Humanity still had no way to utilize Life Energy; Lu Luo was the sole exception.

"So, you’re saying no one else knows about the existence of this device yet?"

"Mm, nobody knows. If word got out now, it would definitely cause a sensation!"

Bai Yuetong’s way of thinking was simple: astounding people gave her a sense of self-worth. When others were shocked, she felt great.

But Lu Luo saw far greater potential, far greater benefits. Just as the Observer had evaluated, this piece of equipment was of epoch-making, Epic significance for Transcendents. Flight itself was already one of the most powerful abilities. And in combat, the ability to suddenly change direction, rapidly reverse course, and maneuver fluidly was an incredible enhancement.

If Bai Yuetong could manufacture it, and he could optimize it with his Life Energy and control its distribution... The value of such an item would be immeasurable. A hundred thousand? Maybe two hundred thousand per piece? Or even more?

The only concern for Lu Luo now was that if the device’s capabilities became known, many people would get greedy ideas. Within the Fourth Ring, they could be said to have no natural enemies, but if the scope expanded to the entire Wasteland Alliance, it was a different story. Lu Luo was certain that the effects of this jet device would tempt even those from the Inner Ring.

"You two, and that includes Lu Mengna, must remember this: this equipment is temporarily classified as top secret within Circle Studio. You are to report only to me. Not even Zhou Kai or Gu Fangyi are to be informed of the specific details of this equipment. Everything must be kept confidential."

As soon as Lu Luo finished speaking, Bai Yuetong’s face fell. "I don’t want to! This is something I worked so hard to make! Why can’t it be revealed?"

"You’re mistaken. The technological patent for this item is held by Circle Studio. Furthermore, its technical schematics were improved by me, Lu Luo, the leader of Circle Studio. Moreover, this item was fully funded by Circle Hunter Studio. Therefore, you have no right to reveal it without my consent."

Bai Yuetong curled her lip disdainfully. "Tsk, how much money was that? A paltry sum of around a hundred thousand. I’ve never seen such a destitute organization."

Bai Yuetong scoffed at Lu Luo’s claim of full funding, but she did concede his point about improving the schematics. The concept of the jet-propelled 3D maneuvering device had, after all, originated with Lu Luo. Although she had progressively refined it herself, the final step of parameter optimization had been performed by Lu Luo. Therefore, Lu Luo’s claim to a share of the design patent wasn’t entirely baseless.

Hearing Bai Yuetong’s words, Lu Luo was inwardly shocked. She’s already spent over a hundred thousand? How did Zhou Kai approve that? How is he managing the finances? Didn’t we agree on only fifty thousand?

Never mind, he thought. Considering she actually managed to create the jet device, he’d forgive her for overspending.

"Circle Studio may be poor, but it’s where our dreams take flight. You wouldn’t understand. In any case, remember this: you absolutely must not leak any information about this matter, or the entire Circle Studio could be in jeopardy."

Lu Luo spoke with utmost seriousness. Neither Bai Yuetong nor Qi Xinzhu were reckless children, and they both nodded.

"Understood."

"Yes, understood. Lu Luo, is this thing really that important?" Qi Xinzhu was still curious why Lu Luo’s demeanor had changed so drastically when he held the belt. It was just a piece of equipment, not some legendary Divine Artifact from the Church. Was it really such a big deal?

"Very important. You are Circle Studio’s present, and this... this is Circle Studio’s future."

Qi Xinzhu blushed. You already rejected me, so why say things like that? What’s all this about ’present’ and ’future’? I don’t understand at all!

"Bai Yuetong, how long would it take you to make one of these?"

"If I have the right materials—high-tier Exotic Species Crystalloids—and enough money, I can probably make one a week. Many of the processes require extremely precise manual adjustments, and I only managed to finish it with Sister Na’s help."

"Good, well done. When I get back, I’ll have Brother Kane give you an extra reward."

"No need for a reward. The studio is so poor, just allocate the reward to the project budget. Also, where are you going?"

Lu Luo’s face darkened. Could you please stop saying the studio is poor? In the Fourth Ring, this studio isn’t poor at all, alright? If you insist on comparing it to the Inner Ring, then there’s no point.

"I’m taking Qi Xinzhu and Gu Fangyi on a trip beyond the Wall."

"You’re taking Qi Xinzhu but not me? Beyond the Wall? I want to go too!"

"You’re dreaming. How could I possibly take you to such a dangerous place?"

"I have a Mecha! Venturing beyond the Wall would be a piece of cake for me, wouldn’t it?"

"There’s nowhere for your Mecha to recharge beyond the Wall. And as for something as extravagant as recharging with Dark Spirit Stones—such extravagance is not permitted at Circle. Stay home and work hard."

"Tsk, you’re no fun."