novelTele Chapter 95 Returning to Wuhun City
Chapter 95 Returning to Wuhun City
The parking lot at Base 7 is located on the first basement level, and only a few cars are parked in the spacious area.
Li Fulan was standing in front of the "Pathfinder III" off-road vehicle that looked like it had just emerged from a wasteland battlefield, holding a black toolbox in his hand, and was doing a final check.
This behemoth was entirely black, coated with a special stealth paint that gave it a dull metallic sheen under the lights. Its armor was a full three fingers thick, made of military-grade composite ceramic steel plates, reportedly capable of withstanding direct hits from small rockets. Six run-flat tires were half a head taller than it, their treads deep enough to hide a fist, specifically designed for extreme terrain.
The front of the car is fitted with a huge bumper, forged from a single piece of steel, as thick as an adult's arm. According to Engineer Gu, this bumper once smashed through a brick wall during a test, without leaving a single scratch on the car body.
The entire vehicle exudes a violent aesthetic that says, "I'm strong, don't mess with me."
"Although this thing drinks oil like water, in the Douluo Continent where there are no roads, it's the only thing that can run around happily."
Li Fulan walked around the car, checking the tire pressure and fuel level. Everything was normal; they were ready to go at any time.
He raised his hand, and the black storage ring on his middle finger flashed slightly.
A pale blue light emanated from the ring's surface, enveloping the entire SUV. The massive steel behemoth began to shrink rapidly, from the size of a truck to the size of a car, then from the size of a car to the size of a toy, finally transforming into a stream of light and disappearing into the space at his fingertips.
The SUV, weighing several tons, simply vanished, leaving only six deep tire tracks on the ground.
"Sixty-three percent of the storage capacity remains." Li Fulan glanced at the miniature display on the ring. "That's enough."
After doing all this, he took a brightly colored mushroom out of his pocket.
The mushroom was about the size of a thumb, its cap a mesmerizing purplish-red, its surface covered with fluorescent spots, and emitting a strange fragrance. This was a modified version of his third soul skill, "Hallucinogenic Poison Mushroom." Originally, its function was to induce hallucinations in enemies, but after his modification, it had become a "sleeping pill" for interdimensional teleportation—after ingestion, one would fall into a deep sleep, and their consciousness would automatically travel to another world.
Goodnight, cyberpunk. Good morning, hard bed.
Without hesitation, he stuffed the mushroom into his mouth, chewed it a couple of times, and swallowed it. The taste was a bit strange, like a mixture of mushroom and mint, with a hint of bitterness that was hard to describe.
That familiar feeling of dizziness instantly washed over me.
His vision began to blur, and the surrounding scenery became distorted. The parking lot lights stretched into long ribbons of light, and the concrete ground seemed to turn into a vast ocean. He felt his body sinking, and his consciousness, like a kite with a broken string, drifted into another dimension of spacetime.
dark.
Silence.
Then there is light.
"Well……"
When Li Fulan opened her eyes again, the familiar yet mottled wooden ceiling of the Starry Forest Hotel came into view.
The water stain on the ceiling was still the same, shaped like a duck with a crooked neck, its edges already yellowed and moldy. The snoring from the next room was deafening, like someone sawing wood. Outside the window, birdsong rose and fell, chirping and chattering, giving one a headache.
The bed beneath him remained as hard as if punishing his spine.
He lay there stunned for a few seconds, confirming that he was back in Douluo Continent, then rolled out of bed. The movement was a little too big, and the bed frame made a jarring creak, as if it were about to fall apart at any moment.
The air was filled with the dampness and earthy scent unique to the forest, mixed with a faint musty smell. That was standard in this shabby hotel, and I still hadn't gotten used to it after a few days.
He walked to the window, pushed open the dusty pane, and the cool morning breeze blew in, making him feel much more awake. Outside the window was a clearing overgrown with weeds, where several pheasants were pawing for food. When they saw someone open the window, they flapped their wings and ran away.
Li Fulan quickly washed up, tidied her signature short blonde hair, and went out.
The corridor was deserted; the mercenaries who had been drunk the night before were still fast asleep, and only the chubby innkeeper was dozing off behind the counter. The stairs creaked underfoot, and with each step, one feared they would collapse.
The morning sun shone brightly on the open space in front of the hotel, casting a golden and warm glow.
Hu Liena and Xiao Wu had been waiting for a long time.
Hu Liena was still dressed in a sleek leather outfit, the black leather clinging tightly to her figure and outlining her breathtaking curves. With her back to the sunlight, her silhouette was edged in gold, making her look as if she had stepped out of a painting.
When she saw Li Fulan emerge, her gaze lingered for a moment on his handsome face, a barely perceptible glint in her eyes. Then she lowered her eyes and casually adjusted the scabbard at her waist.
Xiao Wu was squatting by the edge of the open space, teasing a passing lizard with a twig. The lizard was green and about the size of a palm. It dodged and weaved as she poked it, but finally couldn't stand it anymore and darted into the bushes.
"Let's go, let's go!" Xiao Wu jumped up, dusted herself off, and skipped over. "Master, you're finally awake! I've been waiting for so long!"
"Good morning, ladies." Li Fulan wore her signature gentle smile. "Walking back is too tiring, let's change our mode of transportation."
As he spoke, he walked to the center of the open space.
Hu Liena and Xiao Wu followed, watching his movements with curiosity.
Li Fulan raised his hand, and the black storage ring flashed slightly. Like a master about to reveal a magic trick, he elegantly snapped his fingers.
"boom--!!"
With a dull thud, the several-ton "Pathfinder III" crashed into the muddy ground!
Six enormous tires slammed into the ground, splashing mud that nearly covered Xiao Wu's face. The ground shook violently, and the hotel windows rattled, waking the sleeping mercenaries inside.
The SUV appeared out of thin air, like a steel behemoth summoned from another world.
It was entirely black, gleaming with a cold metallic sheen in the sunlight. Six tires, each taller than a person, were deeply embedded in the mud, the wide body almost completely occupying the open space. The front bumper was menacing, like the gaping maw of a ferocious beast.
Xiao Wu excitedly circled the steel behemoth several times.
"We meet again, you big iron guy!"
Her eyes were bright and sparkling; she wasn't as scared as last time. She reached out and patted the car body, making a thumping sound, then pressed her face against the window, almost touching the glass with her nose.
"Master, I didn't have a chance to ask last time, how exactly was this thing made?" she asked curiously. "Was it created using some kind of soul skill?"
Hu Liena stood to the side, her alluring fox-like eyes slightly narrowed, seemingly casually surveying the behemoth of metal.
"I've heard that some alchemists in the Heaven Dou Empire can forge soul tools." Her voice was casual, yet carried a hint of probing. "But I've never seen such an intricate creation. This kind of skill shouldn't be something ordinary people can master, right?"
Her fingers lightly traced the edge of the car door, feeling the precise rivets and seams, her brow furrowing slightly. This level of precision in manufacturing was something this world couldn't possibly produce.
"Where did you learn this skill?" She turned to look at Li Fulan, her eyes gleaming with inquiry. "Did you perhaps apprentice under some reclusive alchemy master?"
Li Fulan opened the car door, a faint smile playing on her lips.
"I haven't studied under any masters," he said casually. "I figured it all out myself."
Hu Liena's eyes flickered slightly.
He figured it out himself? This creation, comparable to a divine artifact, was actually researched and developed by him alone?
She gazed intently at Li Fulan, her purple eyes shimmering with an unbelievable awe and admiration. The secrets of this man seemed even deeper than the Starry Sky Forest.
"Master! Master!" Xiao Wu suddenly came closer, her eyes shining with anticipation. "Such amazing skills, can you teach me? I want to learn too!"
"Of course." Li Fulan reached out and ruffled her hair. "Once you have a solid foundation, your master will teach you slowly."
Xiao Wu cheered immediately and skipped and jumped into the back seat.
"You always manage to surprise me," Hu Liena said softly, her voice carrying a hint of allure that she herself didn't realize.
After saying that, she didn't ask any more questions, took long strides, and got into the passenger seat. The leather seat was softer than a hotel bed, making her sigh with comfort.
Xiao Wu climbed around in the back seat, touching and exploring everything, full of curiosity about every button in the car.
"What's this?" She poked at the air conditioner vent. "Why is it blowing air out?"
"What is this?" She tugged at the seatbelt, almost strangling herself.
"What is this?" She pressed the window button, and the glass suddenly rolled down, startling her so much that she screamed.
Li Fulan listened to her chattering in the front seat, a smile playing on her lips.
The engine started, emitting a deep roar.
The sound was like the roar of a wild beast, echoing through the forest at dawn. Several heads peeked out from the inn; they were mercenaries who had been awakened by the noise. Their eyes nearly popped out of their sockets as they stared at the metal monster that was starting up.
The SUV slowly started, rolling over the mud puddles in the open space with a squelching sound. Then Li Fulan stepped on the gas—
"boom--!"
The car suddenly lurched forward, like a beast unleashed from its cage, brutally crushing through the bushes and speeding along the rugged dirt road.
"Aaaaaahh ...
Xiao Wu screamed in the back seat, gripping the armrests tightly with both hands, her whole body pressed against the seat by inertia.
The scenery outside the car window rushed past, the trees became blurry green shadows, and the pebbles on the ground crackled and popped under the tires. Occasionally, some animal would dart out from the roadside, but before you could even see what it was, it was already left behind.
"This speed..." Hu Liena gripped the handrail on the roof tightly, turning her head to look at Li Fulan, who was focused on driving, "is even faster than a speed-type Soul Master running at full speed."
Her voice was a little strained, clearly not yet fully accustomed to the speed. The wind rushed in through the half-open car window, making her hair fly wildly, but she didn't bother to fix it, her eyes fixed on the scenery rushing past outside the window.
"As long as you're willing to step on the gas, there's nothing you can't catch up to." Li Fulan held the steering wheel with one hand and casually rested the other on the car window, her tone as relaxed as if she were taking a walk in the park.
Sunlight streamed through the windshield, illuminating his profile and making his golden hair appear to glow. This gave him a divine yet alluring and inexplicably captivating charm.
"Speaking of which, I hope your teacher won't cause you any trouble when you go back this time?" he asked casually, "After all, you skipped work to come here."
Mentioning this, Hu Liena's relaxed expression slightly hardened.
She was silent for a moment, then sighed.
"Teacher... her situation isn't as glamorous as it seems from the outside." She lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously rubbing the seatbelt. "Those old guys in the Elder Hall, relying on the support of the Grand Elder, have been putting pressure on Teacher. They think Teacher's methods are too radical, even... somewhat heretical."
"Unorthodox?" Li Fulan scoffed, a hint of disdain flashing in her eyes. "In this world where strength reigns supreme, only the weak cling to rigid rules. Your teacher has foresight; those old fogies know nothing."
This blunt "criticism" unexpectedly sounded incredibly pleasing to Hu Liena.
She turned her head, her purple eyes shimmering as she gazed intently at Li Fulan.
"If... I mean if," her voice was low, as if she were revealing a secret that couldn't be heard, "if one day Teacher really breaks with the Elders' Hall, whose side will you be on?"
The question was asked lightly, but every word felt like a hammer blow to the heart.
Li Fulan glanced at Xiao Wu, who was already tired from playing and dozing off by the car window in the back seat, through the rearview mirror, then turned her head and gave Hu Liena a meaningful smile.
"Me? Of course I'm on the side of 'justice'."
He didn't answer directly, but his warm hand gently covered Hu Liena's cold hand, their fingers intertwined.
"Don't worry, with me here, even if the sky falls, I can drive this car and smash my way through."
Hu Liena felt the warmth from the back of her hand, and her heart skipped a beat.
She didn't pull her hand away; instead, she grabbed his hand in return.
After two days of rapid travel, the city that symbolized the highest glory of Soul Masters finally appeared on the horizon.
The towering hexagonal city walls soared into the clouds, their black rocks exuding a solemn and cold aura in the setting sun. In the city's center, the Papal Palace's sharp dome pierced the sky, as if proclaiming its authority to the entire continent.
We've arrived at Wuhun City.