Chapter 104: Withdraw Now

The situation took an unexpected turn; everyone’s hearts sank heavily.

At first, this Psychic Entity seemed easy to handle. It didn’t appear highly aggressive or contaminating. Yet, upon witnessing its growth rate, a sudden wave of panic washed over them.

All Psychic Entities possess the Instinct to grow and protect themselves.

Meaning, if left unchecked—allowing it to Contaminate and assimilate other spiritual entities—it inevitably grows.

But its growth pace varied depending on its grade.

This one, however… seemed entirely unbound by such limitations…

Under Lu Xin and Gecko’s assault, it skittered rapidly through the crowd. Wherever it passed, countless “faces” were drawn from the people and fused into itself. Its rate of expansion far exceeded Lu Xin and Gecko’s pace of destroying it.

……

“It’s already surpassed two thousand…”

Hearing the reported Psychic Magnitude over the comms, Lu Xin’s heart missed a beat.

During training, he had learned about the classifications, grades, and bounties for different Special Contamination Sources. He knew what a Psychic Entity exceeding two thousand Psychic Magnitude signified.

Normally, anything above two thousand could be rated at least a Grade-C threat.

And an “active” Psychic Entity, one capable of attacking and evading, was always at least one layer more dangerous.

Even worse: this Psychic Entity possessed such terrifying potential for growth…

……

“If this Psychic Entity can endlessly fuse with the Mental Power of everyone below the High Wall, endlessly growing, then…” Han Bing’s voice over the comms held a slight rasp. “…this could lead to unimaginable, horrifying consequences. Below the High Wall right now, initial estimates put the number at over two thousand people. Calculating each normal person as having roughly ten points of Psychic Magnitude… even a thousand people would mean a total Mental Power exceeding ten thousand. And a Psychic Entity reaching ten thousand…” She paused, her voice trembling faintly. “…would constitute, at minimum… a Grade-B threat?”

“…”

“Is there a solution?”

Lu Xin asked this before Han Bing could continue, though an assessment was already forming in his mind. Initially, Gecko had asked if he’d ever experienced ten thousand people crying at him.

Actually, it wasn’t that many beneath the wall.

Han Bing’s estimation was correct—around two thousand people.

The number might not sound enormous, but looking down from atop the High Wall, they formed a dense sea of humanity, utterly horrifying to behold.

And if all two thousand souls were devoured by the face Monster… just how high would its Psychic Magnitude soar?

Frowning grimly as he asked the question, Lu Xin kept charging relentlessly towards the Psychic Entity. With each impossibly exaggerated, wildly twisted motion, he tore strips off the Monster piece by piece.

Far along the High Wall, Gecko continued firing his sniper rifle. His supporting arm, gripping the weapon, had already begun to shake slightly. Was it from overwhelming pressure, or just the gunshot vibrations numbing his arm? He gasped, breath heavy, as wisps of acrid iron scent came from the dark, ever-so-slightly reddened muzzle glowing hot from the ceaseless torrent of specialized ammunition.

The abilities of both men were reaching their limits.

Yet a profound sense of powerlessness gnawed at them.

The Monster grew far too swiftly. Neither Lu Xin’s tearing speed nor Gecko’s destruction rate could keep pace with its expansion, lagging horribly far behind. It felt helpless as watching floodwaters rise, waiting for fate to decide.

“Hah…”

Lu Xin took a deep breath, straightening up. He stared squarely at the entity that now resembled a grotesque mountain built from human heads, swollen to immense proportions.

He recognized the futility of his efforts.

Simultaneously, Gecko’s frantic voice crackled over the comms:

“Special ammo is depleted! You… anyone found a way yet?”

……

“Beep! Beep!”

The alert tone sounded right then: “Psychic Entity Magnitude has exceeded four thousand!”

……

Han Bing’s voice surged with urgency: “I have issued an emergency priority alert to Headquarters, requesting support! But…”

On the channel, Tie Cui cut in, taking the words: “It’s practically useless.”

“If this Monster can infinitely assimilate the Mental Power of The Contaminated populace below it, then isolating it from them is the only way to halt its growth. Doesn’t matter if support comes from Headquarters or if we fix it ourselves—that’s essential.”

“Besides… by the time Headquarters support arrives… it will likely already be too late…”

“…”

“Damn…”

Gecko stood up from the high wall, he shook his arm vigorously a few times, and shouted, “What’s the most serious consequence?”

Tie Cui’s voice became heavy, she said, “This Psychic Entity, up to now, has not displayed strong aggression or contamination, it has only been continuously swallowing the ‘food’ prepared in advance for it. Plus, it is highly likely related to the creations of the Church of Technology, so I suspect this Psychic Entity has undergone some level of modification; it was manufactured…”

“And things that are manufactured have their own purpose!”

“If it doesn’t have strong aggression or contamination, and has such a high Psychic Magnitude, then the purpose is very probably self-destruction!”

“When a Psychic Entity self-destructs, it releases powerful Psychic Radiation!”

“To some extent, it can be treated as… a Bomb!”

“And a Psychic Entity with a Psychic Magnitude of ten thousand releasing Psychic Radiation…”

“It would kill, or distort all lifeforms within ten kilometers, and the final impact could even spread to the entire Satellite City…”

“…”

At the end, even Tie Cui, who was that calm, couldn’t help but let her voice tremble.

In the same channel, Gecko, Han Bing, and Lu Xin all fell silent simultaneously.

They had all guessed at one outcome.

Lu Xin said in a low voice, “So…”

Over the channel, Tie Cui continued his words, “So, we have only one solution…”

She paused, gritted her teeth, and said, “Eliminate all the contaminated people ahead of time!”

“…”

Lu Xin’s heart skipped a beat painfully, as if it had stopped for an instant.

The entire logic seemed extremely clear and natural.

How to cut off the growth path of an oversized Psychic Entity?

Of course, it was by solving the source of its “nourishment.”

Because once this oversized Psychic Entity grew up, it was highly likely to undergo a qualitative change that threatened Satellite City No.2, which was already in extreme Chaos. So, the primary task was to stop its growth.

On one side were nearly a million people in Satellite City No.2.

On the other side were these two-thousand-plus contaminated people; which was light and which was heavy was very clear.

But…

Directly eliminate over two thousand people?

Although… by now, far fewer than two thousand were left.

Lu Xin’s forehead throbbed faintly with pain…

…

Both the soldiers and Gecko on the high wall, and Han Bing and Tie Cui in the channel, remained silent for a long time.

This silence made people feel uneasy inside.

“Lone Soldier, Headquarters wishes for you to withdraw from the mission right now!”

Han Bing’s voice slowly spoke up after a long while.

It seemed that considering the earlier assessment of Lu Xin, Headquarters already believed he was not suited to be at the scene at this moment.

And Lu Xin was well aware of what would come next if he withdrew from the mission.

On the high wall, Gecko stood there holding a gun, his posture somewhat slumped and despondent.

Meanwhile, the officer among the soldiers on the high wall was on a call, his expression gradually growing serious… and panicked.

Lu Xin also stopped, he looked up, and could only see densely packed heads and faces that were either in pain or twisted. It was unclear if it was because the Psychic Entity had grown large enough to cause some change, but just looking at it gave Lu Xin an invisible pressure, making him subconsciously feel an urge to escape.

Feeling that pressure and impulse, Lu Xin remained silent.

One second, two seconds.

He could hear his own Heart pounding fiercely.

…

Then Lu Xin spoke in a hoarse voice, “I won’t withdraw, you withdraw!”

He said, as if worried it wasn’t clear enough, he added carefully, “All of you, withdraw completely from here.”

“What?”

Lu Xin’s response startled everyone in the channel; what crazy talk was this?

Using great determination, Lu Xin continued, “All of you, leave here immediately, the farther the better…”

“Do not approach me, and do not look at me by any means, not even through cameras…”

“Because, it could be very dangerous…”