Douluo Dalu 2: The True God King
Chapter 380: [DD2]: 380

Chapter 380: [DD2]: 380

Inside the living room.

Wang Dong’er handed a cup of tea to Juzi, who quickly reached out to take it.

"Thank you!"

Juzi expressed her gratitude and took a small sip of the tea.

Wang Dong’er sat across from Juzi. As she looked at the elegant and stunning Juzi, a flicker of doubt crossed her beautiful eyes.

"Senior Juzi, is there something you need today?"

Wang Dong’er had a faint impression of Juzi but wasn’t familiar with her.

In total, she had only seen Juzi a few times. One memorable instance was during a gathering by the river with Su Yu, where Juzi was also present.

Apart from that, Juzi was practically a stranger to her.

As for Su Yu, Wang Dong’er assumed that Juzi and Su Yu couldn’t be too close. If they were, having spent so much time with Su Yu, she would’ve heard him mention Juzi at least once.

Their relationship wasn’t deep.

Now, with this senior suddenly visiting, it was obvious that this wasn’t just a casual call.

Although Wang Dong’er wasn’t particularly sharp, she could still figure out something this simple.

Facing Wang Dong’er’s question, Juzi held the teacup, her clear eyes flickering slightly. She replied softly, "I heard Su Yu come back, so I thought I’d come to see him."

Wang Dong’er frowned slightly, her gaze sweeping over Juzi with a hint of scrutiny. She responded calmly, "Senior Juzi, you’re not in luck. Su Yu isn’t home at the moment."

"Do you know where he is?" Juzi asked.

Wang Dong’er replied truthfully, "Su Yu went to Illustrious Virtue Hall today to take the Soul Engineer advancement assessment. I’m not sure when he’ll be back."

A flash of surprise passed through Juzi’s eyes.

Su Yu is taking another advancement assessment?

She had been paying attention to Su Yu and knew that he was already a Level 7 Soul Engineer.

Now, he was participating in another advancement assessment. Did that mean he was attempting to become a Level 8 Soul Engineer?

Shock! Surprise! Disbelief!

The thought stirred Juzi’s emotions, leaving her deeply shaken.

Su Yu was already aiming to become a Level 8 Soul Engineer. If he succeeded, wouldn’t he become the youngest Level 8 Soul Engineer in history?

Her mind was in turmoil, and her beautiful eyes widened in astonishment, struggling to calm her emotions.

After a long moment, she finally suppressed the waves in her heart, though her gaze grew even brighter.

"So that’s how it is. I’ll come back another day then," Juzi said with a small forced smile, preparing to leave.

"Let me see you off, Senior," Wang Dong’er said without attempting to stop her and stood up directly.

At the door, Juzi suddenly asked impulsively, "You look familiar. May I know your name?"

The girl in front of her seemed to know her well, even addressing her by name. Yet, Juzi didn’t recall ever meeting such a junior before.

Moreover, this junior’s appearance gave her a strange sense of familiarity.

Wang Dong’er smiled sweetly. "Senior Juzi, we’ve met before. I’m Wang Dong."

"Wang Dong?" Juzi’s pupils contracted, and she stared at Wang Dong’er in a daze. "You’re Wang Dong? You’re a girl?"

Wang Dong’er nodded with a smile. "Yes, my real name is Wang Dong’er. I disguised myself as a boy before for convenience in my studies."

"I see. Then you and Su Yu..."

"Su Yu is my boyfriend!" Wang Dong’er said cheerfully with a radiant smile.

Juzi’s expression shifted briefly, a flicker of unnaturalness in her eyes, but she quickly regained her composure.

"How unexpected. Miss Dong’er, it seems you and Su Yu are deeply fated," Juzi remarked with a sigh.

A girl disguising herself as a boy and ending up in the same dormitory as Su Yu, only for her identity to be revealed and they become a couple—it was all so... coincidental. Juzi didn’t even know how to react.

But wasn’t Miss Meng bothered by this situation?

Two-timing? Was that okay?

Juzi had never considered this possibility before. She had always thought Su Yu was a straightforward and pure-hearted person.

After all, Su Yu and Meng Hongchen’s relationship had always seemed enviably strong.

Now, hearing about Su Yu and Wang Dong’er’s relationship, Juzi felt as if the image she had of him had shattered.

Wang Dong’er chuckled. "Perhaps. I’ve always felt that Su Yu and I are destined to be together."

If it wasn’t fate, how else could she have run into Su Yu as soon as she arrived and ended up sharing a dormitory with him?

It had to be the arrangement of destiny.

Juzi smiled faintly but couldn’t hide the complicated look in her eyes.

After exchanging a few more pleasantries with Wang Dong’er, Juzi took her leave.

Watching Juzi’s departing figure, Wang Dong’er snorted lightly. "Hmph, another vixen trying to steal Xiao Su. Why is that guy such a magnet for trouble?"

Crossing her arms and pouting, Wang Dong’er muttered with a hint of resentment.

She suddenly realized how stressful it was to be Su Yu’s girlfriend.

The number of women coveting their man was just too overwhelming.

And each one of them was a beauty in their own right—enough to give her a headache.

Fortunately, while Su Yu was flirtatious, he wasn’t indiscriminate. Otherwise, who knew how many sisters she would have by now?

"No, I have to tell Meng Hongchen about this. I can’t be the only one worried. Hehe."

With a mischievous giggle, Wang Dong’er ran toward Meng Hongchen’s villa.

Soon, Meng Hongchen, who was in the middle of her cultivation, received the news.

"Juzi?"

Meng Hongchen raised her delicate brows and looked at Wang Dong’er. "You’re saying she’s interested in Yu?"

Wang Dong’er nodded solemnly. "The way she acted—it’s obvious she’s here for Xiao Su."

"I told her Xiao Su wasn’t home, and she left immediately. Isn’t that clear enough?"

"No." Meng Hongchen shook her head. "This isn’t as simple as you think."

"Yu once told me that this woman named Juzi isn’t to be underestimated. He warned me not to approach her if I can help it. Su Yu wouldn’t say that without reason."

"This woman has ulterior motives. This isn’t just a casual visit."

Wang Dong’er froze, her expression gradually turning serious. "You’re saying she has bad intentions and might harm Su Yu?"

"Not necessarily harm, but it’s not just a simple visit," Meng Hongchen said thoughtfully, her brows furrowing.

Given Su Yu’s identity and background, there weren’t many who would dare openly target him. Juzi wasn’t one of them.

It was far more likely that someone wanted to exploit his power to achieve some unspeakable goal.

And those were exactly the kinds of people Meng Hongchen despised.

"Dong’er, you stay here and guard the house. I’m going to find Su Yu."

Meng Hongchen decided it was best to inform Su Yu of this matter as soon as possible.

"Hey, hey, hey! Why do I have to stay? I’m coming too!" Wang Dong’er pouted.

"Fine, let’s go together," Meng Hongchen relented.

The two women set off for Illustrious Virtue Hall together.

...

...

Illustrious Virtue Hall.

Su Yu carefully fitted the final piece of the outer shell, and a brand-new soul-guided shell emerged before their eyes.

This soul-guided shell stood about 1.5 meters tall and had a diameter of roughly 80 centimeters.

Its entire body was a brilliant silver color, and intricate, complex patterns were etched across its surface, exuding an icy aura.

It radiated a faint, invisible killing intent as if silently declaring the terrifying power it possessed—enough to make anyone tremble in fear.

"So, he pulled it off. What do you all think?"

Jing Hongchen turned to the three people beside him.

For two days and nights, Su Yu had worked tirelessly, and finally, the soul-guided shell before them was complete.

From Jing Hongchen’s perspective, there was no doubt that this soul-guided shell had reached the level of an eighth-level soul tool.

"In terms of technical sophistication and energy density, this is indeed a genuine eighth-level soul-guided shell. However, certain aspects of it still leave me puzzled," said one of the ninth-level soul engineers standing next to Jing Hongchen.

The other two eighth-level soul engineers nodded in agreement.

From both a technical and energy perspective, Su Yu’s soul-guided shell met the qualifications of an eighth-level soul tool. However, Su Yu’s arrangement of certain core formations had left even them baffled.

This was because, during certain critical steps, Su Yu had deliberately concealed his work using his spiritual power, preventing them from seeing what he was doing.

"So, you all agree that this is an eighth-level soul-guided shell?" Jing Hongchen asked.

The three nodded unanimously—this point was beyond question.

Hearing this, Jing Hongchen smiled with satisfaction, a hint of admiration flickering in his gaze as he looked at Su Yu.

This brat had some skill.

He had created an eighth-level soul-guided shell. Truly, the younger generation was remarkable.

As for the ability to use soul tools, Jing Hongchen had never doubted Su Yu in this regard. With Su Yu’s strength, mastering an eighth-level soul tool would be effortless.

Passing the eighth-level soul engineer certification was a sure thing for Su Yu.

A sixteen-year-old eighth-level soul engineer—unprecedented.

Fortunately, this was his grandson-in-law and a student he had personally trained. Jing Hongchen was inwardly thrilled.

On the surface, he maintained a composed demeanor, but inwardly, he was ecstatic.

He cleared his throat and said seriously, "Su Yu, why don’t you introduce your creation? You’ve been so secretive about it, not letting us see what’s inside. What exactly did you add?"

Su Yu brushed the metal fragments off his clothes, stepped forward, and respectfully cupped his hands toward the four of them before introducing his work:

"This is a long-range soul-guided shell I designed. I’ve named it ’Heaven’s Punishment Sword.’

"The main features of this soul-guided shell are high explosive power, high penetration, and long range.

"It can deliver a devastating strike to any target within 500 kilometers."

"Effective range: 500 kilometers. Maximum range: 750 kilometers."

"In today’s world, this Heaven’s Punishment Sword I’ve designed may not be the most powerful, but it is certainly the farthest-reaching and most accurate."

Hearing Su Yu’s explanation, Jing Hongchen’s face was filled with shock, and even the fat around his waist trembled.

"Su Yu, you... what did you just say?"

"Say that again. How far can it shoot?" Jing Hongchen couldn’t help but ask.

Su Yu smiled and replied, "When paired with the special soul-guided cannon I designed, this shell’s effective range can reach 500 kilometers, with a maximum range of 750 kilometers."

"You’re not joking, are you?" Jing Hongchen suppressed his voice. "Do you understand the implications of what you’re saying?"

Su Yu smiled calmly and said, "Of course I do. It means surpassing the maximum range of fixed-installed soul-guided shells."

"It’s more than that. What about accuracy? Are you certain of the 500-kilometer effective range?" Jing Hongchen pressed.

Su Yu spread his hands and said, "If you don’t believe me, you can test it. Within 500 kilometers, it’s guaranteed to hit wherever you point."

"Fine. Then let’s test it. If this turns out to be true, you’ll have made a monumental achievement."

Five hundred kilometers—what did that mean?

It meant crossing the Ming Dou Mountain Range and striking targets from the Sun Moon Empire directly into the Star Luo Empire’s territory.

The deterrent effect on enemy nations would be unimaginably powerful.

And most importantly, if the range could be extended to 500 kilometers, could it go even farther?

If so, imagine this: one day, a fixed-installed soul-guided shell could strike directly from Radiant City to Star Luo City.

What kind of deterrent would that be?

Su Yu’s words sparked a wild ambition in Jing Hongchen’s heart.

"Let’s go. We’re testing this cannon. Su Yu, you better not be bluffing."

Jing Hongchen grabbed Su Yu and hurried off, unable to contain his excitement.

As they left the lab, Su Yu ran into Meng Hongchen and Wang Dong’er, who had been waiting for him.

But Su Yu only had time to greet them briefly before being dragged away by Jing Hongchen, rushing out of Illustrious Virtue Hall.

The ninth-level soul engineer and two eighth-level soul engineers quickly followed, eager to observe and record the experimental data.

...

Two days later.

Jing Hongchen and his group returned, looking tired and dusty. Including the preparation period, they hadn’t rested for four days. Yet, every one of them was brimming with energy.

Jing Hongchen, in particular, had a bright gleam in his eyes, and even his steps seemed lighter.

As soon as they arrived at Illustrious Virtue Hall, Jing Hongchen awarded Su Yu the eighth-level soul engineer badge.

During the past two days, Su Yu had also completed all the other assessments required for using soul tools.

Removing his seventh-level badge and pinning the new eighth-level badge to his chest, Su Yu officially became a true eighth-level soul engineer.

"Wow, Yu/Xiao Su, you’re amazing!"

Seeing the eighth-level badge, Meng Hongchen and Wang Dong’er exclaimed in unison, their faces full of pride.

Inside Illustrious Virtue Hall, countless soul engineers looked at Su Yu with admiration and awe.

Such a young eighth-level soul engineer—terrifying.

"You should rest for now," Jing Hongchen said, his tone still tinged with excitement. "Come to my office tomorrow. We need to have a detailed discussion about this Heaven’s Punishment Sword."

The technology within Su Yu’s Heaven’s Punishment Sword was revolutionary—Jing Hongchen was certain of that.

No fixed-installed soul-guided shell before it had ever reached such a range.

It truly was like heaven’s punishment—an attack descending from the skies, striking without warning.

The enemy wouldn’t even know where the attack came from.

It was terrifying.

What’s more, the Heaven’s Punishment Sword’s power was formidable enough to threaten even Titled Douluo. Its combination of range, explosive power, and precision made it an unparalleled soul-guided tool.

Jing Hongchen could hardly wait to study its design.

But knowing Su Yu hadn’t rested for four days and had exhausted himself, Jing Hongchen forced himself to suppress his eagerness—for now.