Apocalypse Circular-Chapter 459: Brushing Past Each Other (4K)

Is there a problem with the rate of time flow?

Truth be told, even Lu Luo, now the master of the Doomsday Disc, couldn’t perceive the flow of time in this space. He had already discarded the Noah’s Star he previously possessed, along with items like watches that were inside it. Now, Lu Luo relied primarily on the Observer to sense time. If the Observer stated there was an issue with the time flow here, then there undoubtedly was. In such ambiguous situations, the Observer had always proven very reliable.

"Is there a specific explanation?"

[Sensing is unclear. Your own senses, in particular, have been distorted.]

"What do you mean?"

[Some seconds pass incredibly quickly, far faster than normal, while others stretch out, feeling agonizingly slow.]

Fast and slow? Can seconds even be described that way?

[Some seconds might last only a hundredth of their usual duration, while others could extend for what feels like several hours.]

Lu Luo pondered for a moment; he could roughly grasp what the Observer meant. However, he had no clue why this was happening.

The Doomsday Disc seems to have some connection with me, but I’m not very clear about the current situation. In any case, it has stopped responding. It seems to be doing something, something I’m unaware of.

Regarding matters of the Disc, the Observer no longer volunteered information, as the Disc itself had transcended the level of a Sequence. Lu Luo’s original plan had been to drag Noah into the Disc Space and then use the continuous Sequence Power within the Disc to control him. This would effectively create a pseudo-seal, thereby constraining Noah. But upon entering the Disc Space this time, Lu Luo didn’t even know Noah’s whereabouts, let alone how to seal him.

As for the ground beneath him, Lu Luo was almost certain it was the Doomsday Disc’s true, tangible form. Its uneven surface was covered in the various runic symbols of the Sequences.

Does the appearance of this place have something to do with my ascension to the Seventh Tier? What is the Doomsday Disc trying to convey?

Lu Luo sensed there had to be a reason for the Doomsday Disc’s current state, though the exact cause eluded him.

Suddenly, Lu Luo clenched his fist, and the entire Disc trembled slightly. But nothing further happened.

Perhaps this was its last act of defiance, its final assertion of control over the Doomsday Disc?

This won’t do. I need to find a way to the central point of the Disc.

Lu Luo gazed out at the seemingly boundless world. Even with his Observer-enhanced vision, he couldn’t discern its edges from here. Where his sight failed, there seemed to be only a flat horizon.

By the way, how large is this place exactly?

[Hard to say. However, in a place where time itself can be distorted, the notion of spatial boundaries loses much of its meaning.]

Lu Luo nodded thoughtfully. So, once time was distorted, space became unreliable as well...

Leveraging the power of the Seventh Tier, he slowly ascended into the sky. Indeed, just as the Observer had stated, this space was warped by some unknown force. Even the light from the unfamiliar stars appeared bent. This distorted light prevented Lu Luo from seeing very far. From his current altitude, his vision blurred beyond about ten kilometers. This was the limit of his sight, even with the Observer’s augmentation.

What a bizarre environment.

He couldn’t pinpoint his exact location, but even without coordinates, he had a plan.

After a while, the Observer couldn’t help but interject with a hint!

[Using the Devourer Sequence in such a manner... it’s truly astonishing.]

Having discarded Noah’s Star, Lu Luo was essentially empty-handed. Even if he made markings on the ground, the spatial instability could alter them. But Lu Luo quickly devised a solution, for this was the world of the Disc! Within the Doomsday Disc’s world, his Sequence abilities were limitless and consumed no energy.

So, he began planting tentacles in the ground...

He planted a colossal, inactive tentacle every 5,000 meters, each capable of extending to nearly a kilometer in height. This way, even from a distance of 5 kilometers, he could determine his position. If a tentacle vanished, it would indicate a problem with that specific area.

"Have you ever heard a story about a tentacle mother?"

[No.]

"What about stories involving mushrooms?"

[...I’ve heard the one about the little girl picking mushrooms.]

Lu Luo also fell silent, as he had heard that story as well.

"Alright, you have no sense of humor at all."

Using this method of planting tentacles, Lu Luo began a systematic exploration of the surrounding region, gradually making his way toward the center of the Disc World.

***

Meanwhile, Noah had spent several days living in the mute woman’s wooden cabin, a life that was simple and warm. Noah found, to his surprise, that he felt no discomfort at all. What was particularly unsettling was that he didn’t dislike this life, a life almost devoid of pressure or ambition. This is terrifying.

Yes, it was terrifying!

This shouldn’t be me, Noah thought. I became human not to settle into a comfortable, stagnant existence. I want a much broader world.

But...

Watching the mute woman engrossed in her chores, Noah’s hands couldn’t help but caress her from behind.

It’s great to be a person!

That was Noah’s current feeling.

More precisely, it’s great to be a man.

His days consisted of eating, sleeping, and making love.

Such a mundane life... how splendid.

Though none of these activities were strictly necessary for him, in his past four hundred-plus years of existence, he had never truly experienced such pleasure. Especially the genuine need for emotional connection and physical intimacy. This new reality fostered a sense of contentment in Noah, making him reluctant to leave.

Give it some more time, just a little longer, and I’ll figure out a way to take her away from here. I want to give her a stable environment, let her have a good life!

Watching the mute woman sway beneath his touch, Noah’s eyes suddenly firmed with resolve.

Of course, all this is on the premise that I resolve things with Lu Luo and then get out of here.

Although Noah hadn’t been particularly active these past few days, he hadn’t ceased his mental analysis and exploration of his surroundings. He, too, had noticed the spatial instability. However, having become human, his senses weren’t as acutely perceptive of such subtleties as the Observer’s. Yet, his fundamental level of power was still somewhat higher than Lu Luo’s. His disadvantage in the battle against Lu Luo stemmed solely from the loss of the body he had painstakingly forged over 400 years. If he still possessed his original mechanical body, he was confident he could defeat Lu Luo head-on. This was, of course, assuming Lu Luo’s Doomsday Disc hadn’t developed any bizarre new abilities.

His mind made up, Noah began to organize the information from his previous battle with Lu Luo. Without the assistance of his usual intelligent machinery, he was forced to rely solely on his own brain. And human thought, after all, processes at a finite speed.

The only metallic object here was the mute woman’s kitchen knife. If he were to melt down the kitchen knife, Noah could fashion a very rudimentary metal calculator. While such a contraption would be a far cry from a true intelligent device, it could at least offer some computational assistance.

But Noah didn’t do it. The reason was simple: the mute girl would be heartbroken. At least until they left this place, Noah wouldn’t convert her kitchen knife into something else.

TAP! TAP! TAP!

The sound of the mute girl tapping on the tabletop jolted Noah from his reverie. Gazing at the mute girl, Noah nodded with a smile and began to meticulously eat the chunks of Exotic Species meat on the table. The food was prepared in the most basic way: plain boiled meat, devoid of oil or salt. For someone like Noah, who constantly sought transcendence, such fare was undoubtedly the most uninspiring. Yet, he found he didn’t care. Perhaps this time with the mute girl was, in itself, his most profound form of transcendence.

"Have you ever thought about leaving?" Noah suddenly asked. Whether intentionally or not, he posed the question while she was looking down, eating.

The mute girl, unable to hear him, nevertheless seemed to sense that Noah had stopped eating, for she looked up at him, puzzled. Her expression seemed to ask why he wasn’t eating, whether the food wasn’t to his liking.

"It’s nothing. It’s delicious."

The mute girl smiled and nodded, but once her gaze fell, a flicker of sadness crossed her face. She was very perceptive. Even though she couldn’t hear a word Noah said, she could still discern things from his facial expressions and movements.

Noah had been human for just over two years. A normal human of that age would still be an infant, incapable of concealing emotions; joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness would all be plainly written on their face. While Noah possessed memories and knowledge spanning over four hundred years, that entire period had been experienced as an intelligent machine. Since becoming human, he had largely been fumbling his way through, imitating others and drawing comparisons with the humans he had encountered in the past. Consequently, his progress was passably swift. But "passable" was the most that could be said. In two years, Noah still couldn’t completely disguise his emotions. During his time at the research institute, he had been incapable of even basic self-restraint, going so far as to manipulate and coerce the director of the Central Research Institute. His interactions with the mute girl here were, in essence, an Outburst of emotions Noah had long repressed. Such primal urges, unexperienced, are difficult to control.

The perceptive mute girl readily detected the change in Noah’s demeanor. She knew he was planning to leave, that he wanted to depart.

Initially, Noah was delighted; the mute girl’s passionate abandon brought him exceptional joy. Noah hadn’t understood such things before, but now he did. However, he soon realized something was amiss. The mute girl’s condition was not right. Her body seemed frail, and tears were streaming down her face.

Noah quickly stopped his actions and leaned closer to the mute girl, asking in a low voice, "What’s wrong?"

The mute girl cried silently for a while, not speaking.

Noah, seeming a bit impatient, asked again, "Tell me, what’s wrong?"

This time, the mute girl pointed at Noah, then placed two fingers on the bed, miming a walking motion. Finally, she pointed towards the door, indicating departure.

Noah understood her meaning, but he was at a loss for words. Because he *was* indeed planning to leave; he couldn’t stay here forever.

So...

"I still don’t know your name, or even if you have one. But ever since I arrived here,

"you’ve been like the dawn sun, illuminating the parts of me that were once shrouded in confusion.

"So, if you don’t have a name, from this moment forward, I shall call you Yang.

"Yang, would you be willing to leave with me? To leave this place and see the world outside?

"The world is vast and beautiful, and there are countless things we could do.

"We could even have children of our own.

"Will you come with me?"

Though the mute girl couldn’t hear his words, she could sense his sincerity. It touched her deeply, compelling her to nod.

"MHM."

It was the only articulate sound she could produce.

Receiving her affirmative response, Noah felt a surge of unprecedented joy. He was determined to leave; he had new aspirations for the future.

So what if the mute girl can’t speak? That’s not an issue. Once we’re out, I can develop intelligent voice-assistance devices for her. I can help her get anything she desires.

He already had new ideas for the future. He even found himself contemplating marriage and starting a family.

A man, well, before truly becoming one, often has to experience certain things.

Like first love! This feeling... it must be what they call first love.

Both wanted to continue, but at this point, Noah still cautiously asked, "Are you still okay?"

Seeing the mute girl nod, Noah began to move again.

Yet, before he could fully immerse himself in the moment, the ground beneath them began to tremble violently.

"An earthquake? Can there even be earthquakes in this environment?"

The mute girl was visibly panicked; clearly, she had never experienced anything like this. Noah withdrew and immediately swept the mute girl into his arms. Remaining in the hut under these circumstances was clearly dangerous; they had to get outside to ensure her safety.

"Let’s go!"

The moment they stepped outside, the small wooden hut behind them collapsed from the tremors. Noah frowned, his gaze fixed on a spot not far in front of them. A colossal tentacle erupted from the earth. Its surface, bristling with dense spikes and menacing maws, made the mute girl shrink back in fear.

Noah pulled the mute girl behind him and shouted at the tentacle, "Lu Luo, you’ve finally arrived!"

Not far from Noah, Lu Luo was cheerfully planting his tentacles. This particular tentacle was exceptionally large, being the one-hundredth he had planted—a milestone, a memento.

Yet, Noah’s shouts seemed to fall on deaf ears; Lu Luo gave no sign of hearing him. Once Lu Luo finished planting the tentacle, he turned to depart. He passed by so closely that he almost brushed against Noah, who stood right beside him.

Shielding the mute girl behind him, Noah refrained from attacking. His voice, however, dripped with surprise and sarcasm at Lu Luo’s apparent obliviousness, "That’s a terrible act, not convincing in the slightest! Lu Luo, surely you don’t think you already have me beaten, do you?"

When Lu Luo still didn’t respond after he spoke again, it became clear that Lu Luo had genuinely departed.

Noah, left standing there, was visibly stunned.

"What’s going on?"

***

Meanwhile, Lu Luo, humming a tune as he flew through the air, suddenly heard Noah’s stern, deep voice in his ear:

"Lu Luo, you’ve finally arrived!"

Lu Luo was startled. He looked around at the empty surroundings.

What the...? Lu Luo thought, completely bewildered.