CHAPTER 31: CHAPTER 31 DO I LOOK LIKE SOMEONE WHO WOULD BE GREEDY FOR THIS LITTLE MONEY?

The continuous killing had imbued Lu Luo with a certain murderous aura. Although subtle, it was enough to intimidate Zhou Kai, and even Chu Qi appeared somewhat bewildered when she looked into his eyes.

In front of Zhou Kai and Chu Qi, Lu Luo extended the Devourer’s tentacles and pierced into the body of Red Shell, beginning to devour this Second Tier elite creature.

"You are devouring the Life Energy of a Second Tier creature. You have gained 2 Sequence Value and 300 Energy Points."

Lu Luo’s act of devouring had, of course, caught Chu Qi’s attention. Her gaze flickered evasively as she asked in confusion, "Lu Luo, what are you doing?"

While the Observer was still available before its overclocking mode expired, Lu Luo silently asked in his mind, Is there a similar lower-tier Sequence to the Devourer’s, Grade B?

"B-61-Carrion Eater: The effect is to consume corpses to restore one’s own physical strength and heal injuries. However, Carrion Eater uses the mouth, and yours doesn’t quite resemble that."

It doesn’t matter; you don’t use your brain when reasoning with a woman, anyway, Lu Luo thought. While devouring, he turned to Chu Qi and said, "B-61-Carrion Eater. This is my second Sequence. Not many people know about it, so keep it a secret for me, alright?"

After speaking, Lu Luo even deliberately winked at Chu Qi, giving off the impression that he was saying, ’this is a secret just between the two of us.’

"Ah!" Chu Qi exclaimed softly. She stared at Lu Luo’s face, which, despite being covered in scars, was still handsome. She froze for a moment. Could it be that Lu Luo is interested in me? Could there be a chance for me to join him?

"Don’t worry, I’ll definitely keep it a secret," Chu Qi said. "And thank you, Lu Luo, for saving me twice just now."

Chu Qi’s words were actually a psychological suggestion, implying that they had formed a bond. But Lu Luo simply waved his hand dismissively. "We’re classmates. Why thank me?"

This marked the end of their fated connection, not the beginning. Lu Luo was never meant to stand on the same side as Chu Qi.

Off in the distance, by a window on the same floor, Ludie stood drenched by the rain. He silently lit a cigarette for himself. This doesn’t make sense! Isn’t he an orphan? Who on earth taught him to kill Exotic Species and simultaneously flirt with girls? His Sequence... Never mind, I’m already here. I should just get to work.

「...」

Only a few minutes had passed since the battle ended, and their hearts had yet to calm down. Lu Luo had finished devouring Red Shell and started walking toward the Ghoul’s corpse.

However, he casually picked up the Mercenary Warblade that Chu Qi had dropped on the ground, as well as the pistol from Zhou Kai’s hand.

"JD-6 Mercenary Warblade"

Grade: Common

Damage: 4-16 (Under the conditions of 1 Strength point and no Dark Energy enhancement, it can penetrate up to 16 points of Constitution in defense. This will not be prompted again.)

Description: The sixth-generation standard-issue warblade produced by the Sword and Shield Weapon Factory; sharp and durable.

"Red Rose 390"

Grade: Common

Damage: 5-40

Configuration: Caliber 12, magazine capacity 26

Description: A large-caliber, high-capacity pistol from the Rose series, released by the Sword and Shield Weapon Factory in Wasteland Year 390.

"Hmm, not bad!" was Lu Luo’s fair assessment of the two pieces of equipment, after which he tucked both weapons into his waistband.

Chu Qi watched wide-eyed as Lu Luo appropriated her two pieces of equipment. She raised her hand slightly. "Uh, Lu Luo, the gun and the knife are..."

Lu Luo covered the knife and gun with his shirt, which was almost tattered, and asked, puzzled, "What knife and gun? Oh, you mean these? I saw you were injured, so I helped you carry them. Besides, do I seem like the kind of person who would covet such worldly possessions? And do I look like someone who would covet such a small amount of money?"

"Clearly an orphan from the welfare institute, yet he’s talking as if he’s the son of Yang Huateng. PTOOEY!"

Although it was somewhat strange why Lu Luo had undergone such a significant change in character, Chu Qi felt that this change wasn’t bad. At least it confirmed that Lu Luo could be motivated by benefits. As for the weapons, she smiled. "Forget it. They’re yours. Consider them a memento."

Hearing her say that, Lu Luo’s face practically bloomed with delight. What a sensible girl!

「...」

After Lu Luo had devoured Red Shell and the Ghoul, his Energy Points had reached over 400. This was a tremendous fortune. He suppressed the urge to upgrade his stats right away because someone was approaching.

The floor was currently empty, and any sound or shout carried clearly. The footsteps from afar made two distinct sounds: one crisp, the other dull. Clearly, one person was wearing high heels. As for the other, the sound was indistinguishable.

"Captain Ludie, coming here so late without a search warrant and pointing a gun at the head of a Wasteland entrepreneur seems rather against the rules, don’t you think?" The speaker was Song Hana, her voice somewhat strained.

Ludie replied, "The signs here suggest a battle took place. Could it be Exotic Species again? They’re truly a nuisance. If it indeed involves Exotic Species, then it doesn’t seem wrong for me to investigate here. Instead of worrying about that, you should be thinking about how to explain the relationship between Blue Sky Pharmaceuticals and the Exotic Species."

Song Hana also saw the signs of battle on this floor. Looking at the nearly shattered rooms and corridors, she felt a surge of triumph. In her opinion, sending five Second Tier Exotic Species to deal with a few college freshmen should have been incredibly easy. The only odd thing was that, even after walking this far, she hadn’t seen the corpses of Lu Luo or the others. Could the Exotic Species have eaten them?

"Yes, the frequent Exotic Species incidents are indeed terrible," Song Hana said. "I wonder if you Hunters have been doing your jobs properly, allowing Exotic Species to get in."

"Preventing Exotic Species from entering is the job of the Wall Guardians. What does that have to do with us Hunters?" Ludie retorted. "Moreover, as to whether these Exotic Species came from outside the Wall, I think you might have a clearer idea than I do."

"Song Hana and Ludie have arrived together. He must be here to save you."

The footsteps of the two drew closer, and under the dim lights of the hallway, their figures gradually became visible. When Lu Luo saw the two clearly, he understood why the previously overbearing Song Hana now sounded so tense and strained: Ludie’s gun barrel was pressed against the back of her head, looking as if he could blow her brains out at any moment.

If Lu Luo could see Song Hana, then naturally, Song Hana could see Lu Luo and the others as well. Her pupils contracted, and her body tensed instantly. "You all..."

She didn’t continue, but her mind was reeling with frantic questions: How is this possible? How could they have survived? Chu Qi isn’t dead, Gu Fangyi and Lu Luo aren’t dead—not a single one of them died! Where are Red Shell and Round Mirror? What exactly happened here?

Having decided to go all-in and kill everyone here, including Chu Qi, Song Hana had already turned off the surveillance for these floors and cleared out all personnel. So even if she wanted to know what had happened, there was no way to check the surveillance footage or question anyone.

Although Ludie had witnessed Lu Luo’s group battling from the window earlier, he now feigned surprise. "These kids look like they’ve been through a fierce battle! What happened? Can someone fill me in?"

At this moment, Lu Luo, who had already made a shady deal with Ludie, immediately understood. He stepped forward to begin his performance. "Captain Ludie, we were attacked by Exotic Species—very powerful ones! There were Ghouls, mutated Blue Shells, and Specter Species..."