Chapter 274: The L Era

Chapter 274: The L Era



"May the best one win!"

Within the Divine Space, as the flickering and gradually forming gateway came into view, the immortal deity holding a sword among the eight spoke in a deep voice and swiftly rushed towards the gateway.

"Never think you can get out! It must be me who leaves!"

The other immortal deities were not to be outdone, each displaying their divine abilities, frantically rushing towards the location of the gateway, even though it had not fully formed yet.

The intensity within this space was too high, and the immortal deities had not displayed many of their extraordinary abilities. They fought amongst themselves, resembling gamblers in a casino who had lost everything and were now desperate to win back their losses.

Lu Ke had only been trapped here for a few months, but these immortal deities had been locked away for thousands of years! The calmness on their faces was merely an illusion. In this unchanging world, the immortal deities had gone mad, but their insanity was not apparent.

"The Real Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea, huh."

Lu Ke's original body narrowed his eyes, observing these immortal deities who cared nothing for themselves and sought to usurp his achievements. His gaze was cold and indifferent.

...

"I knew it would be like this!"

Feeling the eight intense gazes coming from within the gateway, the Lu Ke outside snorted.

Not a hint of lust, greed, or ignorance could be found in this space. How could any intelligent life form possibly enjoy such a place? Tranquility and non-action did not mean a complete absence of desires or thoughts. The eight immortal deities had probably long grown tired of this bland and tasteless space and were eagerly awaiting an opportunity to escape.

Otherwise, why would they have so readily contributed their power to help Lu Ke's original body open a breach and release a part of himself—the current Lu Ke?

"I'm sorry, but the one who must leave is the original body."

Lu Ke spread out his palm, and the eight great demons, shrunk to the size of toy dolls and barely clinging to life, appeared in his hand.

He had spared their lives for this very moment! The latest demon being devoured, the Holy Lord, still retained a sliver of strength and could speak.

"Master, spare me. I am your loyal stepping stone."

"I yearn for the days when you trampled me underfoot. I once swore allegiance to you; do you remember?"

Lu Ke chuckled twice. The last person to believe in the Holy Lord was the strongest shadow mage of modern times, Dragon Blade, who had been split in two by Lu Ke, the strongest shadow mage of a thousand years ago, and his corpse had been put to good use.

Believing in the Holy Lord's promises was like believing that Vala wouldn't love money, Tru loved fish, Xiao Yu would listen obediently, and District Thirteen was the safest place.

"If you had just been a loyal stepping stone, it wouldn't be a problem, but you ran away."

The Holy Lord argued, "It was the Devil Dragon who forcefully took me away!"

"Now I really feel a bit sorry for the Devil Dragon. Having a father like you is a curse for eight lifetimes."

Lu Ke shook his head, and a mirror deity's light shone from his hand.

This was the ability to manifest inner fears; the light shone upon the eight great demons, and they all transformed into...

Malevolent Lu Ke!

Lu Ke: ...

He scratched his chin awkwardly, realizing that the demons' psychological shadow of being devoured had surpassed their fear of sealing the immortal deities.

No worries, everything could be adjusted.

Lu Ke modified the magic parameters and activated it again. This time, he captured the second most feared role, and it turned into...

Benevolent Lu Ke!

Lu Ke: ...

Alright, alright.

It seemed that in order to enhance the live-streaming effect, the image of the Saint Fighter hanging the demons up to beat them had also become a mental torment for the demons.

On the third attempt, the magic finally met Lu Ke's expectations.

The eight ancient demons transformed into what they feared the most—the immortal deities, weakened to the point of helplessness.

Then, through the power of communication magic, the ancient demons, now in the form of immortal deities, emitted a green magical glow and connected with the true immortal deities.

This connection was not for marking a path or transmitting power but for cursed synchronization!

Lu Ke took out a gem with a black luster—the original Jira Emerald, which brought endless misfortune to its holder. Now was the time to use it.

He flicked his finger, and the black gem shattered with a boom. The dust was transferred from the eight ancient demons, who were in a terrible state, to the immortal deities through the connection.

For the immortal deities in good condition, the Jira Emerald might not be a significant problem, but for the ancient demons, nearly devoured by Malevolent Lu Ke, the curse of the Jira Emerald was impossible to resist.

Within the Divine Space, the immortal deity holding a staff accidentally struck the one beside him, who exuded a powerful aura. What started as a competition for an escape route instantly turned into a physical altercation.

The two fought like madmen, dragging everyone around them into the fray, and the previously orderly actions became chaotic.

The unformed gateway flickered and disappeared from its original location, reappearing in front of Lu Ke's original body and solidifying completely at the same time.

When everyone else had terrible luck, the one with average luck became the luckiest.

Lu Ke's original body took a deep breath and stepped forward without hesitation. His vision blurred, and the oppressive feeling of being squeezed in the depths of the ocean vanished, leaving his body feeling incredibly light.

"No!"

Within the closing gateway, the eight immortal deities stopped fighting and looked at the slowly closing gate with despair, their eyes filled with venomous resentment.

"I have been more than merciful, truly."

Lu Ke's clone let out a cold laugh, and a series of immortal deity tokens appeared in his hand.

He had prepared various backup plans early on and had already designed reverse spells to seal the immortal deities based on the spells used to seal the eight great demons.

As he had once said, the enemies he considered were not the eight great demons but those above them, such as the immortal deities and the dark and light energies.

If the last one to leave had been another immortal deity instead of himself, those immortal deities might have had to find a new place to live.

It would no longer be a divine abode but a hell where their power and wisdom would be eroded. In comparison, continuing to hide in the Divine Space was already a decent outcome.

"You've worked hard, me."

"It's fine, I'm serving myself after all."

The clone nonchalantly waved his hand, and while this bizarre conversation sounded a bit awkward, it aligned with the actual situation. He glanced at the numerous mages who had already been stunned.

"They might not take it well, though."

The fact that the leader of their side, the Saint Fighter, and the World Devourer who had just declared the end of the world were the same person, and that the two of them combined were merely a clone of another person, was like a game of elimination where they merged twice in a row, which might be too much for their hearts to handle.

Lu Ke's main body shrugged, "They didn't suffer any substantial losses, so what's there to accept or not accept?"

Those who truly cared about him wouldn't mind a little white lie, and those who didn't, he couldn't care less about them. So, there was nothing to worry about.

"By the way, aren't you afraid that I might betray you?"

The clone suddenly revealed a smile with a hint of jest, "I possess all the dark forces and most of the light forces in this world, you know."

"Don't be ridiculous. Would you think that a part of your body would betray you?"

The main body rolled his eyes, unconcerned.

The clone's expression turned serious, "You know, when I see someone with fair skin and beautiful long legs in black stockings, a part of my body does want to betray me."

Main Body: "..."

This perverted thing, no wonder it's him! The clone stopped joking and walked up to the main body, giving him a hug as their bodies merged.

The dazzling white light gradually dissipated, and the fully restored Lu Ke opened his eyes.

Two massive auras that maintained the world's mechanisms descended before him, and a series of coincidental events began to unfold under their precise manipulation. The butterfly's wings formed a tornado at an astonishing speed.

They tried various methods to send Lu Ke back!

"I did anticipate this situation to some extent."

Lu Ke shook his head and then spread his palm, revealing twelve talismans lying quietly in his hand. He looked down at Xiao Yu, who was stunned by this series of changes, and smiled slightly.

"Xiao Yu, do you remember our competition?"

The current score of the talisman competition was 0-12, an even more impressive record than 0-7.

"My request is for you to join my camp, sharing my joys and sorrows, and advancing and retreating together!"

The unbreakable promise was fulfilled. The Son of the World, favored by both Shadow and Light Qi, was bound to Lu Ke, and the luck between the two was intertwined, inseparable.

The black and white Qi, which had been raging just a moment ago, suddenly stopped, like parents who wanted to abort their daughter after she was deceived by a scumbag but couldn't bear to do it. The two Qi paused for a moment and then slowly dissipated.

"Is the world spoiling her too much?"

Lu Ke couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of the situation. Binding Xiao Yu to him was just one of his strategies to deal with the black and white Qi, but the effect was surprisingly good, so much so that he didn't need to use any other methods.

All obstacles were cleared, and Lu Ke looked at the slowly unfolding apocalypse, then glanced at the mages who seemed to be seething with anger but dared not speak. He snapped his fingers.

The sky instantly returned to normal, and the quiet night was filled with twinkling stars. The tremors on the ground ceased.

Far away, the raging ocean was calmed, and the black shadow that had been encroaching on the land stopped moving and retreated at a faster pace.

It was as if nothing had happened, and the world had returned to peace.

Lu Ke stood in the sky, casting an unprecedented giant Communication Magic, his voice reaching the ears of every living being.

"I declare, the L Era has arrived!"

...

San Francisco, Daddy's Antique Store.

Lu Ke floated in, looking at the stunned group at the dining table with a light smile.

"Yo! Everyone, I'm back."

Tru was momentarily stunned and managed to call out, "Master."

"You dare to come back!"

Xiao Yu slammed her chopsticks down, her furious expression causing Chen Long beside her to twitch his eyes, fearing that the little ancestor might anger the ruler who had just unified the extraordinary world.

What if he lost control and shot them all?

"Of course I'd come back for the New Year's Eve dinner. You know how terrible the food at that Chinese restaurant in the US is. Who would want to eat that!"

Lu Ke casually pulled up a chair and sat down.

Xiao Yu furrowed her brows, "Is this about food? You lied to me, and we're not done with this, you know?"

Daddy raised his eyelid, recalling the events of the previous night, "It's good to have you back. Let's eat first. I saved a cookie for you."

"Thank you, sir. I thought I wouldn't get any if I came back after midnight."

Lu Ke playfully made a heart gesture towards Daddy and then leaned on his hand, speaking to the still-angry Xiao Yu.

"Come on, don't be mad. How about I give you District Thirteen as your secret base?"

"Huh?"

Xiao Yu was stunned, her heart pounding, "What do you mean by that? Is District Thirteen under your jurisdiction now?"

"Hmph, I just got out. How can I be content with being the king of the inner world? I've already taken over the official forces, and soon you'll see the news of me unifying all countries on the news."

"Don't be ridiculous. How could the original leaders of the countries possibly agree? And can you even govern a country?"

Lu Ke propped his head on his hands, resting on the table, and said indifferently, "I think after seeing yesterday's scene, no one would object. Even if I released all eight Immortal Deities, they might not be my match. As for the scientific side, it's even less of a concern. Even if all the nuclear warheads in the world were aimed at me, they'd just be side dishes."

"As for governing, I can just leave such a troublesome task to my subordinates. I only need the world to quickly fulfill my personal wishes when I issue orders, like giving District Thirteen to you as a small matter."

Lu Ke winked at Xiao Yu, "But you can only start as a police officer, and you'll replace Chief Blake when you're an adult."

"Do you think giving me a secret base will make me less angry?"

Xiao Yu huffed, "I'll let you off this time, but don't do it again."

She really would!

"I promise, I promise.

Lu Ke smiled and nodded, his gaze shifting towards Cheng Long. "Uncle Long, what's your wish? How about I send you to prison? I saw how happy you were being the boss while catching the Wind Devil."

Cheng Long cleared his throat. "Just call me Cheng Long." He sighed, "There's one more thing, and I mean no offense, but I'm an archaeologist, Lu Ke."

Compared to the childlike innocence of a young kid, Cheng Long had a more mature and cunning mind, and his words were much more polite.

Lu Ke rolled his eyes. "Actually, I've been thinking of producing an anime with you as the protagonist, describing your struggles against the dark forces."

Xiao Yu's eyes lit up. "Will I be in this anime too?"

"Of course! You've always been the most crucial person, the C-position!"

"That's right! I'm perfect for this role!"

Xiao Yu's enthusiasm grew as she started daydreaming. Suddenly, she remembered something.

"If I become an adult and Uncle Long hasn't left District Thirteen, doesn't that mean he'll be under my command in the future?"

"Xiao Yu!"

"Uh... I was just thinking!"

Lu Ke glanced at the uncle and nephew duo, who were joking around, and approached his father.

"It seemed like you noticed something during last night's video conference. Aren't you angry with me?"

His father leaned back in his chair, relaxed. "You seem much more lively than before."

"That's my benevolent side. Most of the time, I'm well-behaved and obedient. But the complete me... might not be so easy to deal with."

"Isn't the benevolent side also a part of you, just more prominent?"

His father sighed. "You've already given me a heads-up about your intentions, so how could I not notice?"

"Are you reconsidering ruling the world?"

His father chose his words carefully, offering reluctant advice.

"Okay, I'll consult with someone else again."

...

"You both have a guilty conscience. From now on, you'll dedicate yourselves to the Mafia."

In a magnificent magical palace, Chen Xiao Yu sat atop the highest throne, legs crossed, wearing elegant and noble queenly attire.

This was the palace of the Dark Lord, which Lu Ke had discovered, following the principle of draining every drop of the Dark Lord's blood. It would serve as their new base and a place to settle Xiao Yu in the future.

With her fate intertwined with Lu Ke's, the Xiao Yu from the future naturally became the Queen of the dark forces.

"The Shadow Mage and Dr. La Su will conduct scientific research, forming the Scientific Magic Research Division. Martial arts experts will train under Instructor A Fu, establishing the Security Division. Various Shadow Beasts will join the Magical Beast Safari Park, and after proper training, they'll become the highlight of the L era..."

She assigned roles to the Shadow forces below, and those given instructions were led away. The group that had followed Lu Ke from the start, including Wa Long, naturally received the best treatment. Most of the Shadow forces were assigned regular jobs, while criminals with records were sentenced to hard labor.

After everyone had left, Xiao She pointed at herself. "Hey, Queen, what about me?"

Chen Xiao Yu didn't even look up, waving her hand dismissively. "You'll be my foot bath maid."

"Hey, you're taking revenge on me, Bi Chi!" Xiao She exclaimed.

Xiao She immediately protested, rushing forward and grabbing Chen Xiao Yu's clothes. Her long legs executed a scissor kick.

"If I hadn't been momentarily distracted, I'd be sitting in your position right now! I knew Lu when you were just an eleven-year-old brat!"

Chen Xiao Yu grabbed Xiao She's vital spot, silencing her for a moment.

Damn, Bi Chi was right!

"You two seem to get along well," Lu Ke's voice echoed, as his adult form observed the sensual scene of the two women wrestling. He blinked playfully.

Xiao She, enraged, clutched Chen Xiao Yu's shoulder blade. "Who gets along well with this arrogant Bi Chi?"

Chen Xiao Yu targeted the more prominent pair, clenching them with force. The elasticity in her grip made her envious. She glared at Lu Ke, feeling dejected.

"What do you want?"

"I wanted to discuss the future details with you, but the situation has changed."

Lu Ke shrugged, inching closer to the entangled pair.

"Don't worry, I'm not here to break you up. I'm here to join you."

The two women, who had witnessed Lu Ke's demonic form the previous day, paled at his words, whispering to each other.

"What's the biggest size you've played with?"

"Cough... just once, and it was normal."

"Damn, this jerk has used dozens of techniques on me and even his half-dragon form."

Xiao She, unable to bear the injustice, squeezed Chen Xiao Yu tightly. Why was she allowed to mistreat her so casually, while Chen Xiao Yu received such gentle treatment and even replaced her as the boss's wife? Jealousy distorted her features, and she sighed at the unfairness of fate.

"Let's die together, Bi Chi!"

Soon, a barrier enveloped them, blocking all sounds and visuals.

...

Two million words later.

Refreshed and clear-minded, Lu Ke sat on the throne, crossed his legs, lit a cigarette, and slowly exhaled smoke rings.

It was passable, nothing special.

I apologize for this chapter not being as good as it could have been. Thank you to the readers who persevered.

Writing for a younger audience, I struggled to balance emotional scenes that felt too real and settings that were overly meticulous. I wanted to include everything, but the result was a scattered narrative.

I considered condensing the plot, removing some of the excess, and completing the story in about fifteen days or a million words. That might improve the overall reading experience.

At least the ending was somewhat satisfying. I'll think about revising it once the book is complete.

I'll take two days off for inspiration and to plan the next world.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end