Chapter 88: Level-One Alert

“Lu Xin, did you hear what I said?”

Chen Jing called out anxiously, even wanting to step forward and grab Lu Xin.

But at that moment, Lu Xin just stood there silently, radiating an indescribably dangerous aura around him.

Even Chen Jing, who had experienced countless perilous events, felt a deep dread.

Subconsciously, an intuitive sense of danger made her completely afraid to touch Lu Xin at this moment.

She didn’t know if it was because Lu Xin had exhausted far too much Mental Power all at once earlier, causing his emotional state to bottom out, or if it was some other reason. But she could feel that Lu Xin was definitely in some extremely terrible condition.

…

“Woooooo…”

Right then, a heavy, thunderous siren abruptly began to sound, its waves reverberating layer after layer from afar.

This sound possessed a weighty power and a terrifying texture. Like a tidal wave, it suddenly burst from all sectors of Satellite City No.2. With an utterly frightening, powerful force, it rapidly washed over every building and street within the city, shaking every resident. It felt as if their very souls had been profoundly jolted at that very instant.

This was precisely the alarm she had just ordered activated.

Whenever such an alarm sounded, it signified that Satellite City No.2 had entered a level-one alert state.

Everyone needed to immediately seek cover in the nearest shelter; otherwise, a threat to their Life was imminent at any moment.

In the past, such an alarm would only sound during large-scale Maniac group actions, when they assaulted Highwall City.

In the memories of the city’s inhabitants, this alarm hadn’t sounded for nearly ten years.

…

Even Lu Xin slightly raised his head at the abrupt blaring of the siren.

“The entire Satellite City No.2 is already under the threat of Contamination…”

“The whole city is in Chaos, Lone Soldier, do you still have the capacity to carry out the mission?”

It was precisely as Chen Jing was speaking urgently.

She didn’t actually know if her words at this moment could have any effect on Lu Xin. She simply sensed something was wrong and thus kept speaking to him. This was one piece of experience she had summarized after facing multiple Psychic Contamination Incidents.

“The whole city is in Chaos?”

Lu Xin suddenly frowned and turned to look at Chen Jing.

Focus returned to his eyes, and a human-like expression of worry surfaced on his face.

Chen Jing’s heart eased slightly. She nodded urgently, “At least four sudden large-scale Psychic Contamination Incidents have erupted, and all have spread. Everyone in Satellite City No.2 is under threat. The level-one emergency defense system has been activated now, but…”

“Explain on the phone!”

Lu Xin jolted, suddenly becoming agitated.

The phrase “everyone in Satellite City No.2 is under threat” seemed to have directly pierced through to him.

The previous blankness vanished instantly from his face. He urgently said to Chen Jing, then turned and strode forcefully forward.

In one stride, he was already on the road. The street was now pure pandemonium. Car crashes and people wounded by the earlier gunfire were everywhere. Countless people acted as if crazed, fleeing towards the distance. Lu Xin swept his gaze and immediately spotted a motorcycle knocked over on its side. Its owner was injured in the accident, now trapped on the ground in agony.

Lu Xin stepped over, lifted the motorcycle.

The owner shouted loudly, “Thank you, thank you…”

Before he could finish, he saw Lu Xin swing his leg over the motorcycle and twist the throttle violently.

The vehicle shot out at an Aberration-like angle, teetering precariously, threatening to skid sideways and throw him off.

At that instant, Lu Xin snapped his head around, looking straight at Little Sister.

Little Sister, who had been warily watching Lu Xin all this time, saw his expression. A huge smile instantly spread across her face.

“Big Brother…”

She cried happily, scuttling quickly across the ground to catch up to Lu Xin. Then she leaped high, wrapping her arms around him from behind.

The motorcycle, which had been on the verge of crashing, twisted abruptly back into control at an utterly impossible angle. Its tailpipe spewing thick black smoke, it roared away like a rocket, weaving between several cars, speeding towards the city center.

It left behind only the stunned motorcycle owner.

…

“He’s…”

Watching Lu Xin’s actions, Chen Jing froze for a moment. Then, realizing something, a wave of relief suddenly washed over her.

She wiped her lips fiercely and walked purposefully back. Four Armed Soldiers, guns shouldered, had already come to her. Initially, sixteen Armed Personnel were present across the four escort vehicles for protection and security. But during the Chaos and the crazed gatling gun sweep, a full twelve soldiers had been killed. Only these four remained alive and had managed to report back to her.

“The spread of the Contamination Zone at Jiujiang Road is expanding…”

Chen Jing tightly gripped her phone, desperately trying to recall every detail she had just witnessed as she spoke urgently:

“The Contamination Incident was suspected to relate to a girl proposing marriage. The contaminated seem to harbor an abnormal obsession toward their lovers or partners, accompanied by extreme possessiveness… the kind where they want to devour the other!”

“Issue two immediate orders to all Investigation Teams!”

“One, intercept and question anyone exhibiting unusual behavior or signs of mental instability instantly. If the person is desperately seeking a partner—partners in every sense count—and remains unpersuadable, destroy their transportation immediately… lethal force is authorized!”

“Two, immediately inform everyone via all media—broadcast, television—to lock doors and windows, take shelter without delay…”

“Stay put and hide!”

“Don’t go looking for loved ones, especially their damn partners!”

“…including same-sex relationships!”

“…”

While issuing these orders, she kept striding forward.

Her abdominal wound tore open, sending sharp pain racing through her, yet she didn’t even flinch.

Bang! Bang!

Without glancing sideways, she raised her gun and shot dead two Contaminated individuals in a nearby vehicle who were already viciously attacking others of the opposite sex. She then pushed through the surrounding chaos, arriving at its epicenter—where the girl proposing to her boyfriend stood.

Now, the girl in a wedding dress knelt amid wreckage.

Her abdomen bulged grotesquely high, while her dress had turned almost entirely crimson.

She sat frozen on her knees, head tilted up, empty eyes fixed blankly on the sky.

Her mouth hung wide open, filled with blood-red matter.

Like a statue carved from stillness, she showed almost no sign of life.

Chen Jing took an Electronic Device from an Armed Soldier beside her, snapped a photo, and transmitted it.

Then, in a low voice, she commanded four soldiers to form a protective ring around her.

She herself crouched slowly before the girl, reaching out to press a hand on her shoulder.

Her pupils transformed into pools of blood-red.

Her voice, barely audible, slipped out: “You need to tell me everything. Everything about you and him…”

The girl remained unmoving, her gaze dull, pupils seeming to dissolve away.

“You’re not truly dead yet…”

The crimson in Chen Jing’s eyes deepened. “You can still feel me. You hear my words… don’t you?”

“The dead can’t hear me speak. So you still cling to life…”

“You cling to life because you guard a secret inside…”

“So… you wish to share that secret with me before you die. Share it openly. Hold nothing back…”

“…”

Under those piercing words, the girl’s rigid body trembled almost imperceptibly.

Her fading pupils faintly contracted.

The Armed Soldiers guarding the perimeter shivered instinctively.

They knew the tales about Headquarters well: it recruited individuals with bizarre abilities. Some who attended meetings in the Main City flirted with every remotely attractive female colleague; some possessed looks that could make anyone fall in love; others forbade anyone from nearing within three meters. But the most chilling was the legend of one woman—said to wake the dead for questioning.

…This city had always been protected by Maniacs!

…

Beside them, Mother, who had been watching silently, suddenly offered a faint smile.

Then, reassured, she turned and melted into the chaotic crowd.