Chapter 83: Psychic-Parasitic Artifact

Lu Xin had known for a long time that there was a place called Bengbu Port in Satellite City No.2, but he had never visited it. For a considerable period, he wasn’t someone who enjoyed moving around much; his life alternated between two points, a routine that had persisted for many years.

However, having grown up in Satellite City No.2, he was aware that the reconstruction of Qinggang City relied heavily on the existence of these ports. Back when Highwall City was first established, while the wilderness outside teemed with crazed maniacs and mutated creatures, the transportation of supplies into Qinggang City was largely facilitated by these ports. Even now, it remained one of the most crucial transport hubs.

Naturally, dense traffic inevitably brought along hidden problems.

Such as this Mr. Xu.

…

When Lu Xin and Chen Jing stepped out of the vehicle, they saw the entire port was swarming with armed soldiers on guard. Lu Xin guessed they must have been dispatched as soon as Chen Jing received his phone call and stationed here. However, before Chen Jing obtained concrete information and personally arrived with Lu Xin, she hadn’t authorized them to commence the search.

“Where is the painting?”

Chen Jing’s pupils glowed a faintly unnatural red under the scattered port lights.

Xu Xiaoxiao, who had already been coaxed into falling asleep nestled in Mr. Xu’s arms, drowsily opened her eyes and then pointed in a certain direction.

Chen Jing glanced around, and immediately two burly soldiers stepped forward, each taking one of Xu Xiaoxiao’s arms.

Then, together, they strode purposefully in the direction she had indicated.

Three soldiers wielding plasma weapons surrounded them tightly, providing close protection.

Soon, they ventured deep into the port, weaving through rows of chaotic containers until they found the specific storage container where Xu Xiaoxiao had hidden the painting. It was tucked away inconspicuously between several large containers. Seeing this particular container, Mr. Xu also appeared somewhat helpless. Clearly, this wasn’t the designated storage location he had arranged; Xu Xiaoxiao’s previous confession revealed she had acted out of strong personal motives, hiding the painting in a place even he didn’t know about.

The container was secured with a thick iron chain and a large padlock. Without waiting for Chen Jing’s order, upon confirming this was the target container, two nearby soldiers stepped forward wielding blowtorches that spat out blue flames, swiftly melting through the chain.

The iron chain clanged loudly onto the ground, its noise jarringly distinct in the silent port.

“Let me handle it.”

Lu Xin walked forward towards the container at this point.

The two soldiers cast him grateful looks and, receiving Chen Jing’s silent nod of approval, quietly retreated.

Watching Lu Xin’s back as he approached the container, Chen Jing’s gaze softened slightly.

If Lu Xin had to describe it, he would have thought it was the look of an appreciative superior.

…

Creak…

Lu Xin pulled open the container door, releasing a waft of chilly, stale air.

At that moment, everyone reflexively held their breath. Several soldiers raised their weapons.

But nothing unusual happened inside the container.

It looked like a container that hadn’t been opened for a long time. Its contents were simple: a few wooden crates and several black carry-on bags piled in one corner. Only one painting, draped in a black cloth, leaned quietly against a wooden rack in the middle. Lu Xin didn’t see anything strange about the painting itself, nor did Chen Jing’s detector react…

Lu Xin stepped forward softly. Under everyone’s watchful eyes, he picked up the painting.

Still, nothing happened.

The painting was light and ordinary, only the black cloth covering it lending an air of mystery.

Lu Xin turned to look back at Chen Jing.

Chen Jing nodded and said to the side, “Bring in the Support Team!”

…

Soon, the distinctive heavy and synchronized footsteps of the Support Team echoed outside the container. Two individuals clad in black protective suits carried in a noticeably reinforced, flat glass case. Lu Xin then placed the painting inside this case. He watched as they locked it securely and, holding it carefully by its handles, passed it to Chen Jing. The handles were designed precisely for her to grip easily.

Lu Xin glanced at Chen Jing, a hint of worry in his gaze.

What if she also became contaminated…

Chen Jing’s eyes flickered over, seeming to read his thoughts. She said calmly, “Relax, I won’t be contaminated. Research on this painting will only be conducted within a secure environment. During transport, if anything unusual happens, I should be able to resist it for a while.”

“Besides…”

She turned, her gaze sweeping over Lu Xin, and added, “If something really happens, aren’t you here?”

Lu Xin immediately flushed red, turning his head deliberately away as if he hadn’t heard the remark.

“Hah!”

Chen Jing gave a short laugh. She turned to the others and announced, “I will personally escort this painting back to the Research Institute at Headquarters!”

“Take Mr. Xu and the others into custody, temporarily isolate them. Also, all existing goods belonging to them in this port are to be sealed immediately. Task two Armed Squads with transporting them back to Headquarters. The Main City must initiate a strict investigation into everyone who had contact with Xu Xiaoxiao. Simultaneously, notify the Administrative Hall of Satellite City No.2—every individual associated with this smuggling incident at this port is to be identified and apprehended!”

“…”

With each order she uttered, the personnel beside her acknowledged it and carefully recorded it.

Then Chen Jing addressed Lu Xin, “You come back with me to the Guard Bureau first. A helicopter is already prepped there.”

Lu Xin nodded and followed her out.

When they re-boarded the Jeep, Lu Xin, under Chen Jing’s watchful eye, moved from the back seat to the passenger seat and dutifully fastened his seatbelt.

Chen Jing glanced at him as she slid into the driver’s seat. “Learn to drive later on. From now on, driving will be your responsibility.”

Lu Xin nodded again, his cheeks flushing slightly.

Actually, he knew that in others’ eyes, someone of the Spider-Type shouldn’t need formal driving lessons—they ought to just know how instinctively once they held the wheel. But the truth was, he genuinely didn’t know how to drive. Nor was he comfortable always relying on Little Sister’s abilities for such mundane tasks. Moreover, he felt sure he wouldn’t drive as skillfully as Chen Jing.

As the vehicle set off again, it was noticeably apparent that the level of security had increased. Two black Jeeps packed with fully armed soldiers led the way upfront, while two more vehicles followed closely behind as escort.

“So… what exactly counts as that painting?” Lu Xin broke the silence within the car. “I thought only living people could become Sources of Contamination.”

“Didn’t you resolve a Special Contamination Source designated as 072 yesterday?” Chen Jing countered instead of answering directly.

Lu Xin nodded. “Yes. That incident seemed quite low-level.”

“In a way, 072 shares a fundamental similarity with this painting!” Chen Jing explained. “After a person dies, they simply become matter. But if influenced by particularly potent Mental Power, matter too can become a carrier for Sources of Contamination. This demonstrates that matter can, by some means, bear Psychic Energy. The Special Contamination Source 072 you dealt with yesterday, and even the previous incident number 041 related to Qin Ran, all fall under this category.”

“And if dead bodies can bear Mental Power, then naturally, certain special items can too. Previous research long ago discovered that through certain abilities or methods, items can be imbued to hold and retain Psychic Energy. Some Ability Users deliberately exploit this trait to achieve things without having to be physically present.”

“We call such items ‘Psychic-Parasitic Artifacts’.”

“Parasitic Artifacts?” Lu Xin frowned, pondering the implications.

“Yes, meaning they’ve been parasitized by a portion of Mental Power.”

“Psychic Energy possesses a certain vitality, so something hosting it is called ‘parasitic’!” Chen Jing offered a casual explanation. “Some of our standard-issue weapons are manufactured based on this principle. You might encounter them later.”

Lu Xin nodded, imagining what such a parasitic artifact might look like, and fell silent again.

He didn’t particularly enjoy quiet, yet he wasn’t someone who constantly chatted either.

It had always been like that.

…

Amidst their sporadically spaced conversation, the vehicle had already entered the urban area onto a main road. Noticeably, the surrounding street lights multiplied, and the flow of traffic increased compared to the port’s narrow lanes, vehicles weaving back and forth like a loom.

After driving for an indeterminate amount of time, they reached a red light where the vehicles ahead unexpectedly came to a halt.

Chen Jing waited for a moment, then leaned towards the walkie-talkie. “What’s the situation?”

The driver of the leading vehicle responded through the device, “There’s some sort of accident ahead…”

“A girl is standing in the middle of the road… proposing marriage?”

“Increase vigilance!”

That was Chen Jing’s first reaction. Then she asked, somewhat puzzled, “A marriage proposal? In the middle of the road?”

Over the walkie-talkie, the driver from the car ahead sounded helpless as he replied, “Yes!”

A few seconds later, seemingly after some action on his end, a black electronic screen beside Chen Jing’s steering wheel lit up, swiftly displaying a scene from the road ahead. The image showed seven or eight vehicles jammed together. Several drivers had gotten out; some were whistling, others were yelling curses, demanding they move.

A few cars down, a girl in a wedding dress could be seen in the middle of the road, holding a large bouquet of roses.

It had rained not long ago, and the hem of her dress was already dirty. The girl looked to be in her early twenties. She wore a stylish pair of large-framed metal glasses. Her hair was styled in a shoulder-length, side-parted ‘pear blossom’ cut, and her face bore delicate makeup. She appeared youthful and trendy, embodying the picture-perfect girlfriend in the eyes of many young men.

The object of her proposal was a slightly chubby young man. He wore a black jacket, jeans, and white sporty sneakers – average to the point of vanishing in a crowd. The strange part was the girl in the wedding dress. She was kneeling on the road, shoving the bouquet of roses at him, crying, “Please marry me, okay?”

Onlookers, seeking amusement, leaned against car doors shouting. “Say yes! She’s quite a catch…”

Others yelled, “Hurry it up! My old lady is waiting for me to get home for dinner…”

Confronted by this beautiful girl’s proposal, the young man seemed extremely resistant. He pushed away the flowers she offered while struggling to free his arm from her grasp, crying out, “Are you crazy? Doing this in the middle of the road? We already broke up! I’m begging you, just go home! Aren’t you embarrassed? I am!”

“No! I won’t!”

The girl’s voice cracked with tears. Her originally pleasant tone now sounded shrill as she shouted, “We didn’t break up! I didn’t agree! You were the one who said you loved me so much before! Why don’t you want me now?”

The slightly chubby young man sounded almost pleading now, visibly drained. “But… it was you who broke up with me before! I was the one begging you to explain! If not for my friends happening to see you, I wouldn’t even have known you were seeing so many others behind my back… Since we split, just let it be. Do whatever you want, I can’t control it. Just let me go home, okay?”

“I like only you!”

The girl shrieked. “I just realized it’s you I like! I’ve broken up with all those others! I’ve decided I’ll care about no one else but you from now on! I want to be with you forever! Isn’t this what you hoped for before? So why don’t you want me?”

More and more cars piled up, forced to stop by the commotion.

The crowd of spectators swelled. Some shouted, “What’s there to argue about? Go home and settle things!”

Others called out, “A beautiful girl like you bothering with him? Think about me instead…”

…

Amidst the jeering and scolding of the crowd, the young man was pushed to his limit. He desperately wanted to flee. He yanked his arm again with all his might, nearly pulling the girl to the ground. Despite putting in such effort, he still couldn’t break free from her hold. He only managed to pull her off-balance, almost toppling both of them over. He yelled in panic, “Let me go! Let go of me!”

The girl screamed shrilly, “I won’t let go! Not unless you tell me why you’ve suddenly stopped loving me!”

“That’s how it is with love… just like you said!”

Exasperated, the young man finally couldn’t hold back and roared, “Who behaves like you? All touchy-feely one minute, breaking up coldly the next! Look at yourself now! You’re like a maniac! Why are you stalking me so desperately? Why do you interrogate me over every word I say to a colleague? Why do you leap into arguments with anyone I even glance at? And why on earth would you suddenly jump out onto the road to propose?”

He shouted these words while desperately trying to pry the girl’s fingers off his arm, fighting as if his life depended on escape.

The surrounding onlookers were growing visibly impatient now. Some started relentlessly honking their car horns.

“What is this complete mess?”

Inside her car, after just a few glances at the screen, Chen Jing frowned. “Send someone out. Pull them to the side of the road… Also, notify the Investigation Team to observe that girl afterwards. I feel her mental state is… off.”

A voice replied from the walkie-talkie, “Understood!”

The sound of a car door opening and someone stepping out followed.

Just as Armed Soldiers, their arms cradling guns, entered the frame on the screen, the argument between the couple escalated. The girl was finally losing her strength against the young man. Seeing him about to break free, she suddenly leapt up frantically, shrieking:

“Because I love you! I realized I love you! And I know you love me! If you love me, why do you still look at others?”

“Why did you break up with me?”

“I already love you so much! Why can’t you love me back the same way?”

“…”

Shouting words like these, she threw herself at the young man again. She clung to him, desperately craning her neck to kiss him.

Though stronger, the young man clearly couldn’t fend off such an assault. His face and forehead were soon smeared with the girl’s lipstick. And the crimson streaks grew more intense… darker… Suddenly, the young man let out a blood-curdling scream. Shocked, everyone stared. Blood was gushing from his mouth as he stumbled back in horror. Meanwhile, the girl spat something out – a piece of flesh she’d bitten off.

The kiss had turned into a bite.

“I love you…”

“I love you so much… I never want to be apart from you…”

“So…”

“I will eat you…”

“…”Her voice raw with screams, she lunged violently at the young man once more, pressing down hard…

Or rather… sinking her teeth down…

The young man thrashed wildly, but his movements grew weaker and weaker… his cries fainter and fainter…

The air was filled with the girl’s frenzied screams. The sound seemed unnaturally amplified, pounding against everyone’s eardrums. The onlookers… the Armed Soldier who had moved forward to separate them… everyone present seemed frozen in shock by the madness unfolding before their eyes. Motionless, they simply stared blankly at the scene.

The bouquet of roses the girl had held lay scattered on the ground.

The binding ribbon had come undone, and the roses themselves were scattered. The rose petals mixed with the young man’s blood.

This image, like some unholy enchantment, burned itself into the pupils of every witness.