Chapter 520: Inviting the Guest into the Urn

Still, that's how it's said, but Old Li and the others couldn't possibly believe whatever Tang Luo says.

Someone looked at the monitor beside them.

It "faithfully" reflected Tang Luo's current condition; all indicators were normal, with no sign of lying.

Of course, this was only for reference.

The other party claimed to be one of the "Gods and Buddhas"; they might have special techniques to bypass this level of testing.

For now, treat this person as a God and Buddha and take them seriously.

Even if they aren't, the performance just now was already enough for the entire Heavenly God's Gift to treat them as the most important matter.

First intimate contact, and it needs to be even deeper.

Afuna spoke: "Is Your Excellency from the Holy Buddha's side?"

"No, this poor monk does not belong to any side." Tang Luo said.

"You just said you came looking for an old acquaintance; what old acquaintance? Other Gods and Buddhas?" Old Li asked.

"Correct." Tang Luo said, "You few should be the highest ones of Heavenly God's Gift, right?"

The few people exchanged a glance, not concealing it.

Saying they were just nobodies now wouldn't work unless others believed it.

They'd expended such tremendous effort, invested enormously, suffered heavy losses to catch the other party, then tell him we're not the leaders, our leader fundamentally doesn't want to see you.

Who would believe that.

"Very good." Getting an affirmative answer, Tang Luo praised, "Then you can take this poor monk to see the Gods and Buddhas behind you, right?"

"You yourself are a God and Buddha; do you still need to meet through us?" Afuna asked.

The other party's identity was truly puzzling and unclear.

"They're hiding; this poor monk can't find them." Tang Luo said.

"Hiding, can't find..." The few people pondered Tang Luo's words.

Indeed so; the Gods and Buddhas behind Heavenly God's Gift have always been hiding.

Such incomparably powerful Gods and Buddhas, why hide?

If this "Victorious Fighting Buddha" is indeed one of the Gods and Buddhas, using this as a basis for deduction, many things make sense.

The so-called Gods and Buddhas are not true Gods and Buddhas.

I'm afraid they're just a group of relatively powerful people; compared to the humans struggling on the wasteland, they possess powerful special abilities.

Therefore they control the wasteland humans to do things for them.

At the same time, these people's power isn't invincible, but limited.

Just like the Victorious Fighting Buddha before them would ultimately be caught by them; the other Gods and Buddhas would meet the same fate.

This also explains why the "Gods and Buddhas" act high and mighty, hiding "above the nine heavens."

Because "if punishments are unpredictable, then authority is unfathomable."

Even Old Li, Afuna, and the others, as the Gods and Buddhas' "contactees," agents, prophet-like figures.

They hold no greater reverence for the Gods and Buddhas.

If the Gods and Buddhas truly stepped down from their pedestals and made contact with them, what would happen?

The Victorious Fighting Buddha caught before them is a very good example.

Gods and Buddhas?

Nothing more than comparatively precious specimens in my laboratory!

Old Li and the others were all somewhat excited.

It's different now! The world might really become different!

"Can you take this poor monk to find them?" Tang Luo asked once more.

"What does Your Excellency want to do by finding them?"

"Probably catching up." Tang Luo spoke the truth; of course, there are many ways to catch up.

Which specific way to catch up depends on the situation at the time.

"Catching up..."

The few people all felt this word sounded weird coming from this Victorious Fighting Buddha's mouth.

"'Holy Buddha' Your Excellency." Afuna said, "Is every God and Buddha's combat power as strong as you?"

"No, every God and Buddha is different." Tang Luo said, "Some strong, some weak; the directions of strength also differ. This poor monk belongs to the comparatively strong ones, in combat."

These words undoubtedly gave these people another reassurance pill.

"We need to request instructions from the Upper Gods; whether to see Your Excellency is not something we can decide." Afuna said.

Impossible to just meet and chat, then have them take Tang Luo to the ruins.

There they'd also secretly probed before, unfortunately with no harvest.

Now they've obtained an extremely precious specimen, or rather a "channel"; through this "person" they can glimpse the leopard through a tube, and explore the Gods and Buddhas' truth as much as possible.

Afuna and them would definitely keep Tang Luo in hand and study him well.

Once everything that can be understood is understood, then make the next plan.

"Then go request instructions. Also, release this poor monk; being tied up like this is very uncomfortable." Tang Luo said.

"Not now; after all, Your Excellency is a dangerous element. Please forgive our caution; no one dares let an unrestrained male lion prowl beside them." Afuna refused openly and righteously.

"..."

From several small holes in the room, colorless, odorless, formless hypnotic gas began to spray out silently.

This is Heavenly God's Gift's most high-end hypnotic gas.

It does certain damage to the human body, and the effect is even much better than when capturing Tang Luo.

But there are limitations too; it's only suitable in this kind of enclosed environment.

After capturing Tang Luo, all his performances and circumstances on the battlefield were compiled and collected into important data.

Through this they analyzed the opponent's upper limits — for instance speed, strength, and various resistances.

The output released now hovers near the analyzed upper limits, adjusting at any moment according to detected conditions.

"You people like this put me in a difficult spot," Tang Luo said.

"This is for our mutual safety," Afuna said. "Or alternatively, we can let Your Excellency leave, and pretend nothing ever happened."

"Oh, this time you don't need to ask your Shangshen for instructions?" Tang Luo suddenly said, with a hint of amusement.

"..."

Afuna's eyes sharpened; she had been careless.

"As long as we're willing, we can meet again at any time," Afuna said. "The safe zones of the Wasteland are all under the radiance of the gods and buddhas."

It sounded just like a devout believer.

"Heh." Tang Luo chuckled lightly, said no more, and lowered his head slightly, as if somewhat weary.

After a while, he closed his eyes and fell into deep sleep.

The hypnotic gas took effect.

Everything was exactly as the data analysis had predicted.

Personnel were left to stand guard for twenty-four hours; once the target fell completely into deep sleep, blood, hair, and other samples could be collected for further in-depth research and analysis.

The five of Afuna regrouped in the conference room, their expressions both grave and excited.

Especially Old Li, pacing back and forth in the room, occasionally gesturing at the air and muttering something, as if he had already begun researching that god-buddha.

"What if the gods and buddhas find out?" someone raised a core question.

"I'll repeat once more: the gods and buddhas have never been omniscient," Afuna said. "Don't forget our previous few tentative explorations of ruins — despite yielding no gains, they also drew no counterattack or countermeasures."

"They're not as powerful as we imagined!" Old Li whipped around and blurted out, "Half a month — give me half a month, and I'll research him through and through!"

"Through him, truly find those so-called gods and buddhas, dig out those rats in the sewers. When that time comes, we'll be the gods and buddhas of the Wasteland!"

"Put that way, you don't know much either?"

An abrupt voice rang out in the conference room — completely sealed, guarded outside by armed sentries where not even a mosquito could fly in.

"Who!"

Those three men, not young, already nearing old age, reacted quickly, instantly drawing their sidearms.

Aiming at every corner of the room — they didn't have the skill to locate by sound.

At the same time they moved to press the alarm.

Afuna and Old Li reacted much slower; they just stood there, stunned and bewildered.

A gale swept through the room.

In an instant, everyone lost control of their bodies, seized by an invisible force and pinned against the walls.

The alarms and firearms in their hands dropped together.

They fell on the thick, soft carpet without making a sound.

The conference room had no surveillance, and its soundproofing was excellent — which meant that if the intruder's entry hadn't alerted the guards outside,

then everything happening inside the conference room now wouldn't be known to the guards outside either.

This was the old nest bestowed by the Heavenly God, the safest place, bar none.

Even the Committee wouldn't set up a safety mechanism requiring a report outward every few minutes, rushing in to rescue if there was no movement.

Carrying alarms and guns was already enough.

When both failed simultaneously, it equally meant their lives and deaths were no longer in their own hands.

"It's you!"

Old Li, pressed against the wall, made out the ambusher and cried out in shock.

None other than that white-haired man.

But shouldn't he be trapped in the battle armor, fallen into a deep coma by now?

In the lab, there was indeed a Tang Luo with eyes closed — but that one was his substitute wooden dummy.

From the start, what these people caught was Tang Luo's substitute wooden dummy.

Tang Luo himself had used an Invisibility Talisman to tag along and watch the show, using the Merit Jade Lotus's invisibility state to conceal himself when needed.

"Hope you don't disappoint me again." Tang Luo seized one of them and directly cast Du Hun.

This performance ought to yield some harvest, after all.

A few minutes later.

In the conference room, two lay, two knelt, one stood.

The two lying down had both lost all signs of life.

Truth be told, Tang Luo hadn't expected the leaders of major Wasteland powers to be this fragile; he hadn't even used force, and they dropped dead on the spot.

He'd originally thought everyone in the Wasteland would be ruthless types.

The two kneeling — one was Afuna, the other a man.

The one standing was Old Li, his face twisted, near collapse, yet he endured the Du Hun, beaten into a pulp yet still unyielding unto death.

"Gods and buddhas, what exactly are you things?" Old Li stared dead at Tang Luo, voice halting.

"Hard to say — should be very powerful 'people'; actually we're all the same," Tang Luo said.

"As expected, you're human too!" Old Li laughed silently, blood flowing unceasingly from mouth and nose.

He was about to die.

But it didn't matter — from the other two who laid down the butcher's knife and converted to my Buddha, Tang Luo had already obtained what he wanted.

"Not the same, at least I have no interest in studying you." Tang Luo said.

"The world belongs to us, your rule will eventually end, humanity will rise, heaven and earth will be opened..." Old Li said with difficulty.

"Hmph."

Tang Luo chuckled, "Don't speak so righteously, it's all the same."

The heart of gods and buddhas, human ambition, Old Li's ambition are all the same.

What this old guy wants is to replace and become the new gods and buddhas, where does opening heaven and earth come from?

By the way, Tang Luo's mission this time is to "seek the method for humanity's renewed rise."

But to be honest, exactly how to do it, Tang Luo himself has no clue, first find those gods and buddhas then talk.

Must gods and buddhas be obstacles blocking humanity's path forward?

Not necessarily.

He casually picked up the gun nearby, one shot blew Old Li's head apart, Tang Luo stood up and said: "Let's go, we're heading to the ruins."

The ruins have no name.

The specific location is in a certain valley, this valley is year-round shrouded in thick mist.

Once inside, one quickly loses direction.

Any electronic device entering also fails, unable to use drones or similar things for exploration.

The Divine Grace bestowed by the Heavenly Gods transports many supplies here, placed at the edge of the thick mist.

Participants in the operation all think this is a supply storage base of the Heavenly Gods' grace.

Because of being year-round shrouded in thick mist, it counts as having natural protection.

On the wasteland, such places with some special features are not few; after heavenly disasters, one can often see many previously unseen "wonders."

Over time, everyone just got used to it.

Moreover, the pressure of survival also leaves everyone with no extra energy to look at those special sights.

Unless those wonders can be utilized, just like this misty valley.

Only the five members of the Committee know that this is the gods and buddhas' ruins, possibly a place where gods and buddhas exist.

As for the mountain-top building beside the great lake of the Watching City, legend says gods and buddhas once lived there, leaving behind ruins, the closest pilgrimage site to the Heavenly Gods (one of them).

That is an artificial construct established by the Heavenly Gods' grace, having nothing to do with gods and buddhas.

The mist-covered valley before the eyes is Tang Luo's destination.

On the surface, this is just another routine supply transport, several vehicles larger than the Black Crow King have stopped.

Individual Hands of God carry the supplies down, placing them at designated spots.

The team leaders have always been one of the five Committee members; this time it is Afu Na, showing how much the Heavenly Gods' grace values this place.

Therefore, even when the Hands of God suffer heavy losses, only they can still handle the transport.

This is for secrecy and protection.

Anyway, on the surface it's like that, no one noticed a Hand of God already walked into the mist and disappeared within.

Tang Luo wearing the Hand of God battle armor, acting as if the Heavenly Gods' grace once again couldn't hold back its probing.

At the edge of the valley, the Heavenly Howling Dog lies on a tree branch, tail hanging down, occasionally sweeping one or two times.

Before entering the Watching City, she had already switched to a state of covert observation and following.

With her sensitive nose, if Tang Luo startles the grass and alarms the snake, she can detect that snake better and faster.

You think only Tang Luo, but actually there's also my doggo!

Now as Tang Luo walks into the mist, nothing more happens.

The Heavenly Howling Dog merely stands guard, silently waiting.

Tang Luo walks in the mist, all is quiet, only the slight sound from the Hand of God battle armor moving.

After a while, some water flow sounds enter the ears.

The mist ahead has somewhat dispersed.

Tang Luo sees a vibrant lake ahead, with flying birds and walking beasts living near the lake—they shouldn't need to live near such a water source.

Because these walking beasts and flying birds are all mechanical constructs!

Tang Luo has never seen what mechanical beast needs to drink water, drinking gasoline is about the same, even if they need water, at least it's not for drinking.

These mechanical beasts are not close to living things; on the contrary, their cold, sharp metallic bodies and the red light in their eyes make people feel dread.

They are very quiet, their movements produce no sound.

Even to Tang Luo this outsider, they are invisible.

As Tang Luo gradually approaches this lake, suddenly a sound comes from underfoot, accompanied by a huge rushing water sound.

The lake ahead splits open a gap, lake water remains, forming two water curtains.

Between the water curtains is a downward staircase, leading to a deep underground space.

The Heavenly Howling Dog immediately stands up, sniffs twice forcefully, lets out a confused whimper, and rushes wildly toward where Tang Luo is.

"It's actually an invitation, then I can relax."

Tang Luo unhesitatingly walks toward the underground, behind him in the mist a small figure flashes, the Heavenly Howling Dog appears and jumps onto the battle armor's shoulder.

For Tang Luo, luring the enemy into the urn has always been a good thing.