World version update

Chapter 317 City Layout, An Unexpected Joy

"It really is Mr. Lu!"

Quentin's face, which had been slightly stiff with shock, was instantly replaced by excitement and ecstasy after confirming Lu Yan's identity.

Without hesitation, he strode forward and knelt on one knee before Lu Yan. His heartfelt respect and humility were in stark contrast to his arrogance and indifference when facing the other reincarnators.

Lu Yan, on the other hand, looked at his old friend, who had changed so much, with great interest.

He clearly remembered that the last time he came to this cyberpunk version and first met Quentin, Quentin was just an ordinary person who was living in the cave and had barely undergone the most basic and crude psionic modifications.

Strictly speaking, Quentin at that time could not even be considered a true psionicist; at most, he was a henchman with physical abilities slightly stronger than the average person.

Although towards the end of that version, thanks to Lu Yan's enormous influence and the changes he initiated in the Lower City, Quentin also obtained a not-too-low position in the reorganized City Fourteen, which can be considered as his initial step onto the stage of power.

But in just a few years, Quentin has not only become a pivotal figure in the law enforcement team of City Fourteen, but his strength has also increased by leaps and bounds, reaching the level of a genuine Archangel-level psychic.

It should be noted that although Lu Yan himself has undergone several versions of trials and tribulations in the past few years, and his strength has changed dramatically, in terms of cultivation level in the cultivation system, he has only improved from the Qi Refining stage to the Nascent Soul stage.

In terms of the speed of advancement alone, it is almost comparable to Quentin Tarantino's meteoric rise.

Of course, the situation here cannot be simply measured by realm.

The cultivation system emphasizes gradual progress, focusing on honing one's foundation and comprehending the Great Dao. Progress is relatively slow, requiring cultivators to accumulate knowledge and skills over time.

The psychic system in this world leans more towards technological modification. With enough resources and top-notch technical support, one can undergo advanced psychic modification surgery and quickly become a powerful psychic.

The difference between the two cannot be fully summarized by simply the difference in their levels of attainment.

However, Quentin's current strength and status are enough to show, from one perspective, the astonishingly rapid development that Quentin himself and the city of Fourteen he is in have achieved in the years since Lu Yan left.

"It seems you've made great progress over the years, already reaching the rank of Archangel." Lu Yan said with a hint of admiration in his voice and a smile.

Quentin remained kneeling, his expression growing even more humble and respectful as he replied, "Mr. Lu, you flatter me. Quentin's success today is all thanks to you."

Lu Yan raised an eyebrow, a hint of curiosity in his eyes: "Oh? What does this have to do with me?"

He had no recollection of giving Quentin any direct access to the Angels of Power.

Quentin raised his head, his eyes filled with reverence, and slowly said, "Mr. Lu, do you still remember Shaq?"

Lu Yan nodded.

Quentin continued to explain: "Mr. Lu, you should know that when our City Fourteen was first established, the highest level of psionic modification technology we possessed was only up to the level of a high-ranking psionicist."

The technical information regarding higher-level psychic abilities is only fragmented and incomplete, making effective modifications impossible.

"However, as the matter of the Heavenly Dao Code that you left behind back then, Mr. Lu, spread more and more widely in the outside world, its ability to effectively resist the monitoring of the intelligent God has also been gradually confirmed."

Therefore, many high-ranking officials within global corporations, unwilling to be completely stripped of their power by the intelligent god, began secretly contacting our City Fourteen, hoping to establish a clandestine relationship with us and jointly oppose the intelligent god.

"To show their sincerity, they began to provide us with some more advanced psionic modification technologies."

This includes complete techniques for modifying extraordinary psychics, as well as some information on modification techniques for those at the Principality level.

"However, the transformation technology at the level of the Principality is a near-perfect psionic transformation scheme that was deduced by the intelligent God by combining countless computing powers."

Aside from the Seraph-level modifications that only exist in legends and have never been truly seen by anyone, the Principality-level psionic modification technology is the most advanced individual combat capability enhancement technology in this world.

Therefore, even the top executives of the global giants we cooperate with are unwilling to easily hand over such core technologies to us in their entirety.

"The council took a different approach, secretly dispatching a group of elite spies to infiltrate the interior of the global giant in an attempt to steal relevant psionic modification technology data."

"At that time, because of your sudden disappearance, Mr. Lu, Shaq was ostracized and suppressed by various forces within City Fourteen."

Left with no other choice, he was forced to accept the undercover mission and infiltrate the headquarters of a global conglomerate.

"Just over half a year ago, Shaq made a tremendous contribution within the global giant by chance."

He remained tight-lipped about the specifics of his achievements, but the result was that he rose to one of the highest-ranking figures in a global conglomerate and successfully acquired complete Principality-level psionic modification technology.

"Shortly afterward, the celestial canopy of the intelligent God began to expand outward at an astonishing speed, threatening to completely envelop the entire world."

To prevent any unforeseen circumstances and fearing premature exposure of his identity, Shaq decisively fled back to our City Fourteen with the invaluable Principality-level psionic modification technology.

"With this unique technology, Shaq regained his footing in our City Fourteen and quickly built and took control of the city's most powerful armed force, which is now our law enforcement team."

"It was only with Shaq's help that I was able to successfully undergo the psychic transformation at the level of an Archangel."

Before modifying me, Shaq solemnly told me that the reason he was able to achieve such great feats at the global corporation and ultimately obtain the Principality-level psionic modification technology was all because you, Mr. Lu, secretly helped him.

Without your help, he would never have succeeded.

After recounting all the causes and consequences of the past few years to Lu Yan in one breath, Quentin's gaze towards Lu Yan held an even stronger sense of awe.

Shaq himself has always been tight-lipped about the specific details of his great contributions to the global giant.

At the time, Quentin was curious, but he didn't fully understand the reason behind it.

But now that Quentin has witnessed firsthand Lu Yan's godlike abilities—capable of annihilating terrifying reincarnators far beyond his imagination with a mere flick of his finger—all his doubts have finally been answered.

In just a few years, Quentin, with a bit of luck and Shaq's support, rose from an elite psionicist to his current angelic status.

But this Mr. Lu in front of him has gone even further, far beyond Quentin's understanding and imagination!

After listening to Quentin's detailed account, Lu Yan's face showed a hint of emotion.

He was indeed somewhat surprised. He hadn't expected that what he had casually made in the previous version of the Great Collapse would trigger such a huge chain reaction in this cyberpunk version, and ultimately indirectly help City Fourteen acquire such crucial technology.

However, now that Shaq has such enormous power and influence, it is a good thing for Lu Yan to make his plans in this world.

"Where is Shaq now?" Lu Yan asked casually.

Quentin immediately replied, "Mr. Lu, today is the day when our City Fourteen holds its regular city council meeting."

As is customary, Shak should be in the parliament building participating in meetings right now. If it weren't for the emergency caused by the sudden intrusion of reincarnators into the street, his subordinates should also be in the city council meeting at the parliament building.

Lu Yan nodded slightly upon hearing this: "In that case, take me to see this so-called city council." Quentin immediately agreed respectfully, and then his gaze fell on the ground, on the Ascended Squad members who were trembling with fear and dared not even run away.

"Mr. Lu, what about these reincarnators?" Quentin asked hesitantly.

The people Quentin was referring to were the remaining members of the Ascended squad who had narrowly escaped the chaos of the previous battle.

In the previous battle, although the Ascended Squad was trapped by Bai Wuji's sword domain, after Lu Yan shattered the sword domain with a single finger, they escaped immediately thanks to Huang Sha's powerful artifact called the Sun Disc, thus narrowly avoiding being crushed by Lu Yan's Buddhist Kingdom.

However, they also witnessed firsthand the terrifying scene of many other powerful Reincarnator teams being easily annihilated like ants under Lu Yan's supernatural abilities that were beyond their comprehension.

At this moment, their fear had reached its peak, and they no longer had the courage to flee again.

Upon hearing Quentin mention them, the surviving Ascended team members were terrified and immediately begged for mercy, their faces filled with fear.

"Mr. Lu, we are willing to surrender!"

Lu Yan glanced indifferently at the few trembling ascendants, then flicked his finger.

A surge of energy, imbued with the aura of world-destroying rules, silently spread out.

"puff!"

The strongest member of the Ascended Squad, Huang Sha, the only one to reach the Nascent Soul stage and an eagle-headed human-bodied reincarnator, didn't even have time to utter a scream before turning into a handful of ashes and completely dissipating into the air.

All that remained was his sun disc, radiating a scorching heat, which floated in mid-air, its light dimmed, having lost its master's control.

With a casual wave of his hand, Lu Yan sent the sun disc flying into his hand.

He examined the peculiar treasure imbued with the power of the Sun God for a moment before turning his gaze to the remaining four reincarnators. He said in a calm tone, "These remaining people seem to have some use. You can deal with them."

Although the remaining four ascendants were all at least at the Nascent Soul stage, comparable to the Primordial Angel level psionicists of this world.

But after witnessing Lu Yan's terrifying methods, they didn't dare to have the slightest thought of resistance when facing those extraordinary spiritualists in the law enforcement team whose strength was far inferior to theirs, and obediently surrendered.

After escorting these reincarnated prisoners away, Lu Yan, accompanied by Quentin, boarded a private airship bound for the Capitol Building.

Along the way, Quentin explained to Lu Yan in detail the current internal structure and power distribution of City Fourteen.

“Mr. Lu, the city of City Fourteen today is vastly different from when you left it back then,” Quentin said with a touch of emotion.

"Because a large number of powerful figures within the global giants, who are unwilling to be completely controlled by the intelligent God, are secretly and tirelessly supporting the development of our City Fourteen."

Therefore, in just a few years, the overall size and strength of our City Fourteen has expanded many times over.

"However, the expansion of power is inevitably accompanied by internal strife."

After you left, many of the elders who once held great power in the early days of the Fourteenth City were either assassinated under mysterious circumstances or ousted from the core of power for various reasons.

Shaq was forced into a spy identity and ordered to carry out a perilous infiltration mission to a global corporation because he lacked sufficient power and was unwilling to submit to the will of certain individuals.

Countless examples like this have emerged in the past few years.

"It wasn't until Shaq made a strong comeback with the complete Archangel-level psionic modification technology and quickly took control of the most elite enforcement team that the chaotic situation improved, and he regained some of the power that belonged to him."

The airship quickly reached its destination.

Stepping off the airship, Lu Yan entered the heavily guarded parliament building.

Walking down the wide corridor leading to the parliament hall, Quentin's expression turned serious, and he lowered his voice to say to Lu Yan:

“Mr. Lu, the power structure within City Fourteen can be roughly divided into three major forces.”

"The strongest among them is the one led by Shaq, which controls the most powerful armed law enforcement team and the most advanced Principality-level psionic modification technology."

"Another important force is the resistance army, which is a united force of the various underground organizations that first rose up against the intelligent God, as well as some rebels who fled from other cities."

Their numbers are vast, extending far beyond City Fourteen, and they seem to be backed by a mysterious force; their strength should not be underestimated.

"And the last force is the city council, which nominally controls the highest power in the city."

This council was actually established by powerful figures from other cities controlled by an intelligent god, who were unwilling to relinquish their power, through remote manipulation and the transfer of benefits.

Although they held nominal leadership, their strength was actually the weakest of the three parties before this, due to a lack of sufficient local military support.

"However, this balance began to subtly change after those mysterious reincarnators started entering City Fourteen three days ago."

Leveraging their nominal influence and vast resources, the city council quickly rallied a large number of reincarnators as external allies.

This has led to new uncertainties emerging in what was previously a relatively stable power structure.

"The main purpose of the city meeting we are about to hold today is to re-establish the dominant power of all parties under the new circumstances."

As they spoke, the two arrived at the end of the corridor, and Quentin respectfully pushed open the heavy alloy door for Lu Yan.

What came into Lu Yan's view was a huge and magnificent circular council hall, resembling an ancient Roman gladiatorial arena.

In the center of the hall was a circular platform for deliberation, surrounded by tiers of seats for observers, which were now filled with representatives from various factions.

The moment Lu Yan stepped into the council hall.

Almost simultaneously, two voices filled with surprise and disbelief rang out from different directions on the platform.

"Mr. Lu?"

One of the voices was slightly hoarse, but it was full of excitement and surprise at the long-awaited reunion.

Lu Yan looked in the direction of the voice and saw Shaq, whom he hadn't seen for a long time and who had now become a powerful figure in City Fourteen.

The source of the other voice was completely unexpected by Lu Yan.

The body, modified with psionic energy, is exceptionally robust, with metal bull horns growing on both sides of its head. Its appearance is exactly that of the leader of the Black Gang in the Mysterious version, who later joined the guild and became the guild leader.

Sain!

(End of this chapter)