Douluo Unrivaled: The Beginning Materializes the Black Abyss and White Flowers

Chapter 286 Shangguan Weier's Defection

"Looks like I was found out after all."

Tang Wutong showed a hint of helplessness, then explained, "I have regained my childhood memories. I am no longer called Wang Dong'er, but Tang Wutong. This is my real name."

"Tang Wutong? Her surname is Tang."

Upon hearing this, Beibei and the others exchanged glances.

Wang Dong'er is a member of the Haotian Sect, which is originally the sect of the Tang family. It is only natural that she is surnamed Tang; it would have been strange if she had been surnamed Wang before.

But is she really still the same Wang Dong'er she used to be?
Recovering childhood memories and regaining one's original name, yet the changes are so drastic—is this really normal?
Wang Dong'er is self-reliant, proud, independent, cautious, and meticulous, while Tang Wutong in front of her gives people a feeling of innocence and naivety, as well as a naive curiosity about everything around her. The difference between the two is too great.

Suppressing their doubts, Xiaoxiao and the others reluctantly accepted Tang Wutong's explanation and changed their way of addressing her, no longer calling her "Dong'er" but "Wutong".

At the same time, they also learned that Tang Wutong was also a Master, and her Servant Vita happened to be "sisters" with Hanabi, and they had an extremely good relationship.

When they heard the news, Xiao Xiao and the others' expressions turned somewhat strange, and they looked at Tang Wutong with more sympathy.

Is it really normal for this seemingly gentle and elegant Ms. Vita to be able to get along with someone as eccentric and fun-loving as Hanabi and even be called her "sister"?

Moreover, Tang Wutong's obvious dependence on Vita aroused suspicion in Xiaoxiao and the others.

You should know that Wang Dong'er used to be extremely independent and self-reliant, and had a rather stubborn personality. She would never have relied on others like this.

Next, on the way to Mingdu with the Shrek Academy and the Haotian Sect, Tang Wutong's behavior along the way made Xiaoxiao and the others feel cold.

She showed a strong curiosity about everything in Mingdu, her eyes filled with a desire to explore. At the same time, she looked at everyone with a subtle sense of detachment, as if in her eyes, everyone else was from a different world, with an insurmountable gap between them.

That kind of arrogance hidden in his bones made Xiaoxiao and the others feel a strange chill.

This is definitely not the Wang Dong'er they remember.

Although Wang Dong'er was somewhat arrogant, it was out of confidence in her own strength and respect for the strong. She had never been so condescending, as if she regarded everyone else as dust.

Seeing Tang Wutong's demeanor and actions, which were so different from before, Xiaoxiao silently lowered her head, her eyes filled with disappointment and confusion.

Beibei clenched her fists tightly, her knuckles turning slightly white. Jiang Nannan also lowered her eyes, her long eyelashes concealing the complex emotions in them.

The sun still shone brightly in Mingdu, and the streets were still bustling, but a faint gloom seemed to hang over the hearts of the Shrek members.

Lu Jingming did not immediately lead his group to the Mingdu Hotel, where the Sun Moon Empire was hosting the participating academies.

After all, not all the people accompanying the group were contestants or team leaders. According to the rules, the others were not allowed to stay in the hotel that was specially prepared for the event.

Those who were able to step into the Mingdu Hotel were only Wang Qiu'er and other contestants personally selected by Lu Jingming, as well as Jing Liu, the team leader.

As for the others, unless they are on the list of participants, they can only find their own inns or hotels to stay in.

However, Lu Jingming was not entirely without a foothold in Mingdu.

"Yingying, it's been a long time. You've had a tough time these past few days."

In front of a secluded three-story building in the city, Lu Jingming looked at the white-haired girl waiting there and spoke gently.

The white-haired girl was none other than Ji Yingying, the King of Hell of the Impermanence Division. Over the years, she had been leading the Impermanence Division in secret operations in Mingdu, making great contributions to Haiyuan City.

Standing next to Ji Yingying was a girl with long pink hair and wheat-colored skin, none other than Nana.

She was staring at Lu Jingming with curiosity. Although she had heard many legends about this city lord and had been told to serve him loyally, this was the first time she had seen him in person.

"Ah Ming!"

Upon seeing Lu Jingming's figure, Ji Yingying's originally icy gaze softened instantly. The change was so drastic that it was as if an emotionless doll had suddenly gained warmth and become a living, breathing girl.

Nana, who witnessed this scene, immediately showed an expression of disbelief.

Having followed Ji Yingying around for a long time, she knew all too well how ruthless and decisive Wuchang Douluo was.

Ji Yingying rarely shows such a gentle expression, let alone engages in normal conversation with others.

As Nana stared in disbelief, Lu Jingming stepped forward, gently took Ji Yingying's hand, and the two walked side by side into the small building behind them.

Nana stood there, stunned, her mind replaying Ji Yingying's slightly reddened earlobes. She felt like her worldview was about to shatter—this was no longer the fearsome Wuchang Douluo! She was clearly a lovestruck young girl!

"Everyone, please come with me."

Nana's stunned silence lasted only a moment. She quickly remembered her duty, bowed respectfully, and led Gu Yue and the others into the small building.

This small building was provided by the Ordinary Alliance and is also one of the strongholds of the Impermanent Division in Mingdu. It has always been hidden.

Of course, after this incident, the secrecy of this outpost will likely be completely destroyed.

After all, the Sun Moon Empire's spies, who were secretly monitoring Lu Jingming and his group, were not fools and would definitely notice something amiss when they entered so openly.

But Lu Jingming never intended to hide it.

He knew that after this Holy Grail War ended, the Impermanence Division would no longer need to operate in Mingdu, as the place was already fraught with danger.

He was almost certain that Xu Tianran would launch a war after the Soul Master Competition ended.

Regardless of whether Xu Tianran's plan succeeds in wiping out all the forces participating in the Soul Master Competition and the Masters and Servants involved in the Holy Grail War, as long as he has the strength, he will never let go of the opportunity to launch a war of unification afterward.

As a result, the Wuchang Division, which was originally relatively safe, would undoubtedly become a key target for Xu Tianran if it remained in Mingdu.

As for the Ordinary Alliance, their ally, they can only hope for the best. Whether they can see the current situation clearly depends on the judgment of that woman, Shangguan Weier.

Said Cao Cao, Cao Cao.

Not long after Lu Jingming settled down at this stronghold, Shangguan Weier, the leader of the Ordinary Alliance, came to visit him.

"Lord Lu, this should be considered our first formal meeting, right? Truly, heroes emerge from among the young. Lord Lu is indeed like a celestial being descended to earth, with extraordinary bearing."

Shangguan Wei'er was dressed in a flowing red dress, her black hair cascading down like a waterfall. Her face was stunningly beautiful, and she looked like a young girl in her late teens, alluring and charming.

Even Lu Jingming, who was used to seeing beautiful women, had to admit that this Alliance Leader Shangguan was indeed quite attractive. Shangguan Wei'er was the same; although she had seen Lu Jingming's photos before, she couldn't help but be amazed when she saw him in person.

In terms of both appearance and temperament, Lu Jingming was the most outstanding among all the men she had ever met.

Even Xu Tianran, who ascended to the position of regent despite his disability and wielded absolute power, seemed somewhat inferior to Lu Jingming.

"Alliance Leader Shangguan, there's no need for formalities. You've come here for more than just to praise me, haven't you?"

Lu Jingming remained calm.

Being praised by a beautiful woman is certainly a pleasant thing, but Shangguan Weier is old enough to be his mother. Besides, she has been praised so many times over the years that the initial novelty has long since disappeared.

“Very well, Lord Lu is indeed straightforward. I will speak frankly then. I want to lead the Ordinary Alliance to join Lord Lu, leave Mingdu, and leave this Sun and Moon Empire.”

Shangguan Wei'er's expression hardened, and a hint of fear flashed in her eyes as she spoke in a low voice.

Upon hearing this, even Lu Jingming was stunned for a moment, looking at her in disbelief.

It's important to know that the Ordinary Alliance is no small force; it is one of the three major underground forces in Mingdu, backed by the noble circle of the Sun Moon Empire, and it is thriving within the Sun Moon Empire.

Even though the Xishui Alliance, supported by the Holy Spirit Cult, later competed with the Pingfan Alliance and seized a lot of territory and business, the Pingfan Alliance was still a behemoth that could not be underestimated.

Yet the controller of such a behemoth, a titled Douluo skilled in diplomacy, is now proposing to submit to him, the city lord of Haiyuan City from another empire. This is truly unbelievable and too fantastical.

Lu Jingming shook his head, wondering if he had misheard, and asked uncertainly, "Alliance Leader Shangguan, are you sure you're not joking?"

“Lord Lu, Wei’er is not joking. You may not know, but Xu Tianran has gone mad. I don’t want to stay in Mingdu for another second.”

Shangguan Wei'er put on a tearful expression, looking pitiful and endearing.

Her appearance immediately made Gu Yue's eyes turn cold.

Not only Gu Yue, but Ji Yingying, who was standing guard beside Lu Jingming, was also staring coldly at Shangguan Weier.

As if sensing several cold gazes around her, Shangguan Weier immediately stiffened, dropped her pitiful appearance, and returned to her normal demeanor, as if everything just now was an illusion.

As expected of a woman who has spent many years navigating the elite circles of the Ming capital, her acting skills are truly superb.

Lu Jingming naturally wouldn't easily believe her words.

He did indeed have the idea of ​​subduing the Ordinary Alliance, after all, this group of people could be considered talented, and what Haiyuan City lacked most right now was talent.

His original plan was to wait for Ye Guyi to grow up, and then use Ye Guyi's power to take action when the Ordinary Alliance was in trouble, using both kindness and force to gradually subdue the Ordinary Alliance, instead of the other party inexplicably wanting to join him as it is now.

"Alliance Leader Shangguan, please speak frankly. Only by being honest with each other can we build a relationship of trust."

Lu Jingming tapped the table lightly with his fingertips, his tone calm, yet he exerted pressure on Shangguan Weier without her noticing.

Shangguan Wei'er intended to say a few joking words as usual, but when she was locked onto by several cold gazes, she immediately froze and honestly explained, "Lord Lu, as you know, the Ordinary Alliance controls most of the entertainment and catering industries in Mingdu. Those of us in this line of work are very sensitive to the dark side of this city."

Shangguan Weier's tone seemed calm, but Lu Jingming still caught a glimpse of deep-seated fear on her composed face.

As Shangguan Weier recounted her story, Lu Jingming's brows gradually furrowed.

It seems that Xu Tianran has not only targeted forces outside of Mingdu and the Jingyang Mountains, but has also not spared the people within Mingdu itself.

Many of the lower-level members of the Ordinary Alliance have recently gone missing.

Although they were just some insignificant thugs, Shangguan Wei'er was extremely perceptive and immediately sensed that something was wrong.

Through her network of connections, she vaguely discovered that the upper echelons of the Sun Moon Empire, including the few nobles she frequently interacted with, had undergone strange personality changes and were no longer like themselves.

With the exception of a few individuals, the entire upper echelons of the Sun Moon Empire seemed to have unknowingly fallen into the control of an invisible black hand.

Shangguan Wei'er was adept at understanding people's hearts. She discovered that those nobles who usually cherished their lives like gold had suddenly become unusually bold, with a tendency toward self-destruction and, more importantly, a desire to destroy everything.

This bizarre change even affected the key figures who controlled the empire's lifeline, including some level nine soul masters.

As for the regent Xu Tianran, he seemed normal on the surface, but whenever Shangguan Wei'er faced him, she could feel a deep-seated fear.

She knew in her heart that the Sun Moon Empire had changed, and so had Mingdu.

If we don't take action now, we may never have another chance.

Therefore, taking advantage of this Soul Master Competition, Shangguan Wei'er decisively decided to seek help from a powerful figure.

Within the Sun Moon Empire, she could find no one she could trust and could only turn to Haiyuan City, her former underground ally, for help.

Lu Jingming listened quietly, his fingertips still tapping lightly on the table, while his mind raced with calculations.

"If you want to join me, that's not impossible."

Lu Jingming slowly spoke, "But I need to know what you can offer me? And what makes you think I would risk offending the Sun Moon Empire to accept your Ordinary Alliance?"

A hint of joy flashed in Shangguan Wei'er's eyes, and she quickly said, "Lord Lu, the Ordinary Alliance has been operating in Mingdu for many years. Whether it's intelligence networks or connections in various industries, they are far superior to ordinary forces. As long as we pledge allegiance to Haiyuan City, all of these can be used by you. Moreover, we also control a considerable number of industries and assets in Mingdu, which can serve as a pledge of allegiance. As for Xu Tianran, his attention is currently focused on the Soul Master Competition and the Holy Grail War. As long as we act quickly enough and leave Mingdu before he can react, he may not immediately attack us. Besides, with Lord Lu's strength, would you be afraid of a mere Xu Tianran?"

Having been an ally of Haiyuan City for so many years, Shangguan Weier had a fairly good understanding of Haiyuan City's strength; otherwise, she wouldn't have thought of joining forces with Haiyuan City to get rid of Mingdu, a city she considered to have become a powder keg.

Lu Jingming remained noncommittal.

He knew that accepting the Ordinary Alliance would indeed bring many benefits to Haiyuan City, and he did not intend to refuse.

"Don't rush, go and prepare first. I'll let you know after the competition is over."

Lu Jingming spoke calmly.

Although Shangguan Wei'er was somewhat anxious, she knew she couldn't push too hard, so she could only nod and say, "Alright, I'll wait for Lord Lu's news."

After saying that, she got up to take her leave and left the stronghold.

(End of this chapter)