Lu Luo didn't speak. As a good Samaritan of the Wasteland, he couldn't bring himself to say something that would hurt others, at least not while he was in the Inner Ring.

But Bai Yuetong was much more direct.

"Stupid? It's almost like being brain-dead."

Hearing Dumb Hair say this only made Jin Chen's expression even more bitter.

"Actually, I'm not as stupid as you all think!"

Lu Luo looked at Jin Chen, and suddenly a thought crossed his mind.

He's already like this, why don't you just go along with him?

"Indeed, from the first time I saw you, I thought you were really smart."

Jin Chen glanced at Lu Luo.

"Are you serious?"

"Of course. I never lie."

That statement right there is problematic!

Jin Chen knew Lu Luo was bluffing, but he was still touched.

Why are "green tea" types so popular? Isn't it because of their praise and validation? Ordinary women would just say, "You can't do it anymore? Should we just forget it? Or maybe you should take some medicine? Are you better now?" But the "green tea" types? They'd say, "Wow, you're amazing! Mmm, I can't take it anymore. I love you to death!"

That's the difference between truth and lies.

Is what the "green tea" types say the truth? Definitely not.

Then do men know whether these "green tea" types are telling the truth or lying? Of course, they do.

But even if men know they're lying, they still enjoy it. Because being validated is indeed a very happy feeling.

Just like Jin Chen right now. Although he knew Lu Luo was talking nonsense, he was still pleased to hear Lu Luo call him very smart.

As a member of the Jin Family, a genuine, experienced second-generation wealthy heir, Jin Chen needed not the praise of his family and subordinates, but the approval of his enemies. Due to his lack of strength, he had never been approved of by his enemies. In the Inner Ring, everyone just lumped him together with trash like Luo Feng. But the difference, unknown to others, was clear to Jin Chen himself. Although he appeared to be a dissolute scion, he had never truly indulged himself, insisting on studying and cultivating every day. He tried his best to maintain his vision and foresight. One could even say that, aside from liking Bai Yuetong, he hadn't really done anything clearly wrong. And liking Bai Yuetong, in itself, couldn't be called wrong either.

So Jin Chen was very upset!

"Bai Yuetong, do you really like Lu Luo that much?"

Dumb Hair didn't know what was wrong with this blockhead Jin Chen today, but faced with such a question, she would answer seriously, no matter who asked.

"Yes, I like Lu Luo very much. He's the partner I've chosen."

Jin Chen nodded. "Sigh, Lu Luo is indeed pretty good. I think he's quite nice too. It's just too bad I'm a guy; otherwise, I might pursue him as well."

Hearing Little Jin say this, the atmosphere at the table suddenly became strange. Lu Luo inconspicuously shifted closer to Bai Yuetong, moving a bit away from Jin Chen. As for close guy friends, he could probably only accept Gu Fangyi and Zhou Kai!

Jin Chen noticed Lu Luo's movement and immediately called out, "Hey, I was just kidding! You don't have to react so strongly, do you?"

"It's nothing, my butt just itched."

"Lu Luo, the last time I went to the Outer Ring, I discovered something," Jin Chen said suddenly, while eating the food on the table.

Lu Luo paused. He was very concerned about matters related to the Outer Ring.

"What did you discover?"

"The wall outside stopped turning."

Lu Luo narrowed his eyes. Not many people might have known about this, but it definitely wasn't a small number. The Outer Ring was so vast that this matter was impossible to hide completely. As long as those from the Inner Ring paid attention, they would surely be able to sense it. But the true core of the problem lay in the significance of the Fifth Ring ceasing its movement.

"It only stopped moving at the beginning of this year. That doesn't mean it won't move again in the future," Lu Luo said, trying to downplay it.

Jin Chen looked at Lu Luo, then suddenly lowered his voice. "Lu Luo, the Fifth Ring will no longer move. You must have realized this long ago, right?"

Watching Jin Chen, Lu Luo composed his expression. "What are you trying to say?"

"I know the significance behind this, Lu Luo!"

The atmosphere shifted once again, turning from strangely eerie to suddenly oppressive. Bai Yuetong, who was beside them, glanced at Lu Luo. Feeling the oppressive atmosphere, she was even a little afraid that Lu Luo might kill Jin Chen to silence him right here. Although her actions were often brazen, killing a member of a Council family in the Inner Ring was a different matter altogether.

"Lu Luo..."

"Be good. I know what I'm doing," Lu Luo said.

"Oh!" Dumb Hair obediently sat back down.

Lu Luo looked back at Jin Chen, reassessing this seemingly simple-minded Inner Ring dandy. If Jin Chen were truly simple-minded, he wouldn't have said such things.

"Then tell me, what's the significance behind the Fifth Ring stopping its rotation?"

Jin Chen's voice grew even lower, and he even covered his mouth with his hand. "Once the Fifth Ring stops turning, the Third Ring will lose its reason for existence. The Second Ring is too small and can't accommodate that many people. When that happens, the entire order of the Wasteland Alliance will collapse! Am I right, Lu Luo?"

Seeing Lu Luo remain silent, Dumb Hair looked at him in surprise. From their conversation, she realized this might actually be true.

"How is this possible?"

As someone who had lived in the Third Ring for many years, Bai Yuetong found it hard to believe Jin Chen's conclusion.

However, Lu Luo nodded at this moment, affirming Jin Chen's words. "Nothing is impossible, because the Third Ring has always been in a very awkward position. The First Ring is where the Dawn Disc is stored, and the Second Ring is a high Dark Energy area. Although these two rings are small, they both have a relative irreplaceability. But the Third Ring doesn't. Once the Fifth Ring stops moving, the environmental conditions of the Fourth Ring will become identical to those of the Third Ring. Moreover, the Fourth Ring has dozens of times the area of the Third Ring. At that point, the Third Ring's significance will be reduced to a minimum. The superiority complex of the Inner Ring people will also collapse overnight. So, what Jin Chen said isn't wrong."

Bai Yuetong blinked. If it were any other woman from the Inner Ring, she might have argued vehemently with Lu Luo at this point. But not her. Instead, she leaned into Lu Luo's embrace, saying with a look of lingering shock, "Thank goodness, thank goodness! My man is from the Fourth Ring. Looks like we won't have to worry about food and drink in the future."

Jin Chen watched the two of them flaunting their affection, feeling a bitter pang of jealousy, as if he'd swallowed a very sour lemon. "We're discussing serious matters. Could you stop with the PDA?"

"Okay, sorry."

They then returned to the previous topic of conversation.

"Jin Chen, I didn't expect you to have such foresight," Lu Luo commented.

"I told you, I'm not stupid. This matter has too great an impact on the Inner Ring. I've caught glimpses of the Inner Ring's future. But as for the final outcome, no one can see it clearly. However, I can be sure that the impact on the Council will be far greater than on the Church—significantly so. Even if the Fourth Ring is reclaimed in the future, the existing order will likely be completely reshuffled."

Jin Chen's view was actually very close to Lu Luo's. However, as someone from the Inner Ring, Jin Chen still believed that the Inner Ring would reclaim the Fourth Ring, which was where his view differed from Lu Luo's.

"Jin Chen, have you shared these thoughts with anyone else?"

"How could I dare? Do you really think I'm that stupid?"

Lu Luo nodded again. He didn't know how many people in the Inner Ring could foresee things to this extent, like Jin Chen. However, thinking about it, the way prices in the Inner Ring had skyrocketed to their current levels might also be related to this matter.

"So, what do you plan to do?"

"I've already converted all the money I've saved over the years into resources, especially precious metals and medicine. Although I don't know what the future of the Inner Ring will be like, stockpiling these two things should be fine, right?"

Precious metals and medicine? This Jin Chen really did have foresight. These two things would indeed become hard currency amidst the coming changes, perhaps even highly sought-after commodities.

"Your choice isn't wrong. Since you've thought so far ahead, why do you still stay in the Inner Ring, playing your rich wastrel games?"

"Lu Luo, my family, my status... they dictate that there are many things I simply cannot do. I know I don't have good cultivation talent; reaching the Third Tier by relying on resources is already my limit! Everyone in my family thinks I'm incapable, and they wouldn't understand my ideas. But I'm not willing to resign myself to this! I also want to have my own venture, my own career, but I can never find the right opportunity. So, Lu Luo, can you do me a favor?"

"A favor? What kind of favor?"

"Resources in the Inner Ring are already extremely scarce. Many people have realized this, but not the severity of the problem. The failure of the Inner Ring Faction's Seventh Tier expert this time will cause trade between the Inner and Outer Rings to become extremely distorted for a long time to come. No one will be willing to take risks again before the Church returns to normal operations. So, trade is inevitable. When that time comes, our Jin Family will also be seeking trade partners in the Outer Ring."

By the time Jin Chen said this, Lu Luo already understood his intentions.

"You mean you want me to become a trade partner for your Jin Family? But one of the reasons I came to the Inner Ring this time was to discuss this very matter with Bai Yuetong's father. So, I can't give you a definitive answer right now."

Lu Luo spoke sincerely, but Jin Chen clearly didn't want to let this opportunity slip by.

"Don't worry, I won't interfere with your dealings with the Luo Family. I'll only handle things that you don't. I will introduce you to my family so you can become a trade partner between the Inner and Outer Rings. I'll give you lower prices, and even help you get things you want but can't obtain yourself. And my request is simple: you just need to allow me to become the person in charge stationed in the Fourth Ring. This is the only legitimate reason I would have to be stationed in the Fourth Ring long-term."

Things he wanted but couldn't obtain himself!

Jin Chen's thinking was very clear, but Lu Luo sensed the underlying sadness. Behind the seemingly glamorous facade was a life he couldn't control at all. That's why he so desperately wanted to escape. However, as a second-generation heir, Jin Chen had also enjoyed many privileges that others never had. It was a kind of trade-off, Lu Luo supposed.

"Alright, I agree. If the opportunity arises, I will do that."

"Thanks, Lu Luo! You definitely won't regret this deal today!"

After saying his piece, Jin Chen stood up and left, glancing at Dumb Hair only as he was about to depart.

"You two are a good match!"

"Thank you."

This was the first time in over twenty years that Bai Yuetong had said "thank you" to Jin Chen.

After Jin Chen left, Bai Yuetong's expression became very strange. "Lu Luo, this guy is completely different from the brain-dead idiot I used to know, huh?"

"How could someone with such foresight be brain-dead? He's just been forced into a corner by his family. There's likely a significant difference between him and, say, the second and third sons of your Luo Family. But Jin Chen's strength lies in his remarkable self-control and the fact that he never stopped learning. In that respect, he's better than many people."

Bai Yuetong rarely saw Lu Luo praise someone, but her attention was never on such matters. "He said we're a good match. Based on that alone, I think he has excellent judgment."

"That's true. It's getting late. Should we head home for dinner?"

"Ah, actually, I'm already full!" Dumb Hair threw up her hands. She'd been eating and drinking all afternoon and was long since full.

Lu Luo, however, didn't seem to operate on the concept of "being full."

"Alright, if you're full, let's go. If you want to play more, we can continue tomorrow."

Dumb Hair pouted. "Sigh! We might not get the chance tomorrow. Lu Luo, I'm tired. Can you carry me?"

Clearly not wanting to leave, Dumb Hair started to act playfully stubborn.

Lu Luo, however, didn't put on any airs. He simply bent down slightly. "Come on, I'll carry you!"

"Yay!~"

Bai Yuetong leaped onto Lu Luo's back, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Lu Luo's own experience, however, was somewhat underwhelming. He had carried Qi Xinzhu on his back before, and compared to Qi Xinzhu's ample... fullness, carrying Dumb Hair was like carrying a paper cutout. Except when she hugged him very tightly and he could faintly feel some slight curves, under normal circumstances, it was indeed no different from an airport runway.

"I'm seriously worried for my future children!" Lu Luo suddenly lamented.

Afraid the kids won't have milk to drink?

Bai Yuetong's mind was quick. The instant Lu Luo voiced his lament, she understood what he meant.

"What crap are you spouting, Lu Luo? Hurry up and walk!" she snapped.

This wasn't the first time Lu Luo had teased her about her chest. It was infuriating, but there was nothing she could do about it.

Leaving the restaurant, the two strolled under the crimson glow of the evening sky. It was clear Dumb Hair was thoroughly enjoying this. Lu Luo enjoyed it too. After all, he rarely had time to spend with Dumb Hair like this, and such opportunities to deepen their bond weren't common.

Casually picking a small flower from a flowerbed in the green belt, Lu Luo handed it to Dumb Hair.

"For you."

"Thank you!"

Just as Dumb Hair tucked the flower into her hair, the sweet moment between them seemed about to be interrupted.

However, Dumb Hair, still perched on Lu Luo's back, hadn't realized it yet. She tilted her head, watching the shops and buildings flash by, and asked cautiously, "Lu Luo, today was wonderful! I talked with my dad for a long time last night, and I know things are difficult for you. If the obstacles between us are too great, we really don't need to rush things. I can wait; a few years don't matter. Once your strength and status are secure, it won't be too late to address those matters then."

Sigh, Dumb Hair must feel so insecure to say something like that!

Lu Luo didn't say anything, because several people had blocked their path.

They didn't move, but Lu Luo knew very well that these people had come for them.

A Fifth Tier Transcendent...

The one in the lead was a Fifth Tier. This was the first time Lu Luo had encountered a Fifth Tier Transcendent in the Inner Ring.

However, Lu Luo showed no intention of stopping and walked straight towards them.

"Lu Luo, are you listening to me?" Seeing that Lu Luo remained silent, Dumb Hair asked, somewhat puzzled.

"I'm listening!"

Hearing Lu Luo's affirmative reply, Dumb Hair's expression became even more crestfallen, and she looked a little wronged. "Your silence... does that mean you agree with what I said? That's true. You're still too weak right now; it's unrealistic to expect you to contend with the established families of the Inner Ring. You're still young, you have plenty of opportunities... So... how long will you make me wait?"

Lu Luo fell silent again, as he was now only a few meters away from the Fifth Tier opposite him.

The other party didn't yield, and neither did Lu Luo.

BANG!

Their shoulders collided squarely.

This Fifth Tier Transcendent from the Inner Ring was actually knocked to the ground by Lu Luo! And Lu Luo's body hadn't budged an inch. Even Dumb Hair, still on his back, only heard the sound but felt no distinct vibration.

The Fifth Tier sat on the ground, somewhat dumbfounded. The way things unfolded was rather different from what he had imagined. How could this Lu Luo's strength be so immense?

"You?!"

Lu Luo didn't look back. This time, he unleashed his entire aura and killing intent!

When these Inner Ring Transcendents looked at Lu Luo again, their expressions gradually began to twist. In their eyes, the evening clouds had turned blood-red. Countless eyes opened in the sky; these eyes, like indifferent Observers, stared fixedly at them. And Lu Luo himself seemed to transform from an ordinary human into a gigantic monster sprouting countless tentacles. These tentacles were covered with writhing mouthparts, eyes, and sharp spines.

These men had the distinct feeling that if they made any rash moves, they would definitely be devoured by this monster!

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