Chapter 71: The Severely Contaminated

The villa was spacious and quiet, appearing not to be regularly occupied.

However, everything—the marble floor, the reliefs on the walls, even the piano before the floor-to-ceiling windows—was wiped perfectly clean. Accustomed to the gloom and cramped spaces of the old building, Lu Xin actually felt a bit constrained sitting in such a villa.

After taking a seat on the sofa in the living room, a man who looked like a Butler served tea, along with a plate of fruit and snacks, to Lu Xin and the portly Manager Liu, then quietly withdrew. Seizing the moment, Lu Xin took out the contract Manager Liu had given him yesterday. He had studied it carefully and even had Han Bing confirm there were no issues. He signed it now, each keeping a copy.

“You’ll only give me the 100,000 reward after she’s completely cured?”

While handing over the contract, Lu Xin confirmed one more point.

“Yes.”

Manager Liu (the fat one) smiled. “It’s like treating an illness. The treatment isn’t over until the patient is fully recovered, right?”

Lu Xin nodded. “Sometimes, even after the illness is cured, the mental state still needs recuperation.”

Manager Liu was taken aback for a moment, then hurriedly smiled. “Rest assured, we’ll take that into consideration!”

Only then did Lu Xin feel reassured. “Where is the person you want me to see?”

Almost as soon as he asked, the sound of wheels rolling on a smooth floor came from behind a door adjacent to the living room. Immediately after, the door opened. Three or four staff members in White Lab Coats pushed an upright iron box, roughly two meters tall, into the room. The box was tightly sealed, and from within came the noise of frantic banging and pounding.

There was also a faint, pain-filled, furious roar, like that of a wounded beast.

“She is here!”

An Old Man, leaning on a cane, followed the box out. He wore a crisp suit, his hair impeccably groomed.

Only his eyes looked weary, and one leg seemed weak when he walked.

“I’ll leave the specifics of the treatment to you gentlemen.”

The portly man stood up, smiled at the Old Man, gave a nod to Lu Xin, picked up his bag, and left.

At the same moment, the staff who had brought in the iron box also exited.

The empty living room was soon occupied only by Lu Xin, the cane-leaning Old Man, and the iron box emitting banging sounds.

“Please, sit.”

The cane-leaning Old Man settled onto the sofa. After inviting Lu Xin to sit, he sighed softly, glanced at the iron box, and said, “Inside is my daughter. Her name is Xiaoxiao. She’s only just turned twenty-one. Last year, she graduated from Qinggang University in the Main City, specializing in the research and preservation of pre-Cataclysm artworks. Even her Mentor often praised her remarkable talent in this field…”

“Only three months ago, she had just gotten engaged… the relationship was very good too…”

“Sigh, but who could have imagined… just then… she suddenly… became crazy…”

“No matter which Doctor we consulted, they couldn’t find a specific reason. So… I could only suspect she has been contaminated…”

“…”

Lu Xin thought for a moment. “Then why come to me? In this area… I’m not exactly… a professional.”

“I’ve already consulted quite a few!”

The elderly gentleman sighed softly. “I used my connections to bring in some experts privately. Although everyone suspects contamination, no abnormal level of Psychic Energy residue could be detected. Moreover, we live in the Main City, where the screening and handling of Spiritual Contamination are quite strict. Logically, she shouldn’t have been exposed to any Source of Contamination…”

“Then…”

Lu Xin frowned slightly. “Is it possible she is genuinely mentally ill?”

“No!”

The old man’s face suddenly became very serious. “I absolutely refuse to believe that. Our family has no history of hereditary illness. If she were mentally ill, it could only result from severe trauma. But I investigated everything leading up to her episode and found no major upheaval. From any angle, it’s inexplicable… she just slowly deteriorated to this state!”

Faced with the man’s obvious apprehension, Lu Xin wasn’t in a position to say much else.

“Please understand, Mr. Lone Soldier.”

The man, Mr. Xu, sighed again. “I am seventy years old. My earlier family… they all perished in the Cataclysm thirty years ago. Xiaoxiao… she’s a daughter I didn’t have until I was fifty. I see her as a gift from Providence. Therefore, I will spare no expense to cure her… otherwise… I don’t know what meaning my Life would have left.”

(Muttering internally about the reward) “Just one daughter… and only offering 100,000…”

“…that’s barely a fiftieth the value of this villa…”

He kept it to himself, though; the contract was already signed.

Mr. Xu’s expression made it clear he deeply cared for the girl.

This prompted Lu Xin’s curiosity. “If you care so much about her, why haven’t you taken her to the Special Contamination Department, seeing how severe her condition is?”

“About that…”

Mr. Xu hesitated slightly before answering. “You might not be aware, Mr. Lone Soldier, but knowledge of Special Contamination has already spread among many in the Main City… and they are… extremely concerned about it. If word got out that Xiaoxiao was contaminated… even if she were truly cured… she would likely face rejection and discrimination from many people. In that case, perhaps…”

“…it might severely damage her reputation!”

“For her… that could be an outcome worse than death.”

“That’s also why I’ve only sought private consultations and haven’t taken her to the Department. While I didn’t go through official channels officially, I did my utmost to find the most qualified professionals for diagnosis. What I hope for now… is that you professionals can cure Xiaoxiao discreetly… and… continue to keep this matter confidential after she’s cured!”

“…”

Having clarified these matters, Lu Xin slowly nodded.

He finally turned his serious attention towards the iron box. After a moment’s thought, he said, “Alright then, let me see her first.”

Mr. Xu exhaled deeply, nodded, then pushed himself up with his cane and slowly approached the box. He pulled a key from his pocket, unlocked it, and as he pulled open the side panel, he instinctively took a few steps back.

Creak—

The panel swung open under its own weight.

Inside, the box was lined entirely with special padding, evidently to prevent the occupant from hurting herself.

But as Lu Xin looked inside, he couldn’t help but start slightly.

Locked within the box was a young woman. She wore only a nightgown, her hair was wildly disheveled, and several injuries marked her body—some bandaged, others left untreated. Though she looked utterly wretched now, her eyes bloodshot, you could still see she must have been strikingly beautiful, like a celebrity on television.

Tight straps secured her around the neck, wrists, and ankles, immobilizing her within the box.

A rubber gag was clenched in her mouth.

Despite this, she strained violently against her bonds, roaring with an animalistic fury. The fierce banging noise from inside the box had been from her head—the only thing she could move—hurling itself against the metal.

……

Lu Xin couldn’t help but frown slightly. “What are the symptoms of her… condition?”

Mr. Xu’s voice held a trace of anguish. He rubbed his face hard before murmuring softly, “Mating.”

Lu Xin visibly froze.

Mr. Xu already looked deeply weary. “Like an animal… rabidly seeking to mate. With anyone… or…”

He clearly found it difficult to continue.