Chapter 104: Mountain of Faces

Things took an unexpected turn, and everyone’s hearts sank.

At first, this Mental Monster seemed relatively easy to handle. It wasn’t particularly aggressive or highly polluting. But seeing how fast it grew sent a wave of panic through everyone.

Mental Monsters instinctively seek to grow and protect themselves.

That means if a Mental Monster is left unchecked to pollute and assimilate other mental entities, it *will* grow.

However, the speed of growth varies depending on its level.

But this particular Mental Monster seemed to ignore such level restrictions entirely…

As Lu Xin and Gecko attacked, it crawled rapidly through the crowd. Countless ‘human faces’ were drawn out wherever it passed, merging into its form. Its growth rate astonishingly outpaced Lu Xin and Gecko’s efforts to destroy it.

…

…

“It’s already surpassed two thousand…”

Hearing the report on the Mental Monster’s psychic power level over the channel made Lu Xin’s heart drop.

His training had covered the classifications, levels, and even payment structures for different Special Pollution Sources.

He knew exactly what a Mental Monster with a psychic power level over two thousand represented.

Under normal circumstances, a psychic power level exceeding two thousand would already qualify it as C-level.

A ‘Mental Monster’ capable of actively attacking and evading is typically considered even more dangerous.

More importantly, this specific monster possessed such terrifying growth potential…

…

…

“If this Mental Monster can endlessly merge with the minds of the citizens below the High Wall to grow, then…”

Han Bing’s voice sounded strained over the channel, “We could be facing unimaginable consequences. Our initial estimate puts at least two thousand people below the High Wall. Assuming each person has roughly ten points of psychic power, just over a thousand people would bring the total to over ten thousand. A ten-thousand-level Mental Monster… that would become…”

She paused, her voice trembling slightly, “At least… a B-level threat?”

…

“Are there any solutions?”

Lu Xin asked before Han Bing could continue, already forming his own assessment.

Gecko had asked him earlier if he’d ever seen ten thousand people crying at him.

In reality, there weren’t quite that many people below the wall.

Han Bing’s estimate was likely correct, around two thousand plus.

The number might sound small, but looking down from the High Wall, it was a dense, terrifying mass of people.

And if all two thousand were devoured by the face monster, how high would its psychic power level reach?

As he asked this, Lu Xin’s brow furrowed tightly. He continued relentlessly attacking the Mental Monster, tearing off piece after piece with exaggerated, distorted movements.

Meanwhile, high up on the wall, Gecko kept firing. The arm holding his sniper rifle trembled slightly – whether from pressure or the constant recoil, it was hard to tell. He gasped for breath, the black muzzle of his gun glowing faintly red from continuously firing the special bullets, emitting a choking smell of burnt metal.

Both men were pushing their abilities to the absolute limit.

Yet, a sense of powerlessness crept into their hearts.

The monster grew too fast. Neither Lu Xin’s tearing nor Gecko’s shooting could keep up with its growth rate – they weren’t even close. It felt like watching an unstoppable tide roll in, leaving them resigned to fate.

“Huuu…”

Lu Xin took a deep breath and straightened up, gazing at the monster which now resembled a grotesque mountain of human heads.

He realized the futility of his actions.

At the same moment, Gecko’s anxious voice crackled over the channel:

“I’m out of special bullets! Have you guys… figured anything out?”

…

…

“Beep! Beep!”

Simultaneously, an alarm sounded: “Mental Monster psychic power level has exceeded four thousand!”

…

…

Han Bing’s voice was tight with anxiety, “I’ve issued a top-level alert to Headquarters requesting support, but…”

Tie Cui cut her off, “It won’t do much good.”

“This monster can endlessly fuse with the mental power of the polluted individuals below. To stop its growth, we have to isolate it from them. That applies whether support arrives from Headquarters or if we handle it ourselves.”

“Besides, by the time support from Headquarters gets here, it might already be too late…”

…

“Damn it…”

Gecko scrambled up from his position on the High Wall, shaking his arm vigorously. “What’s the worst-case scenario?” he yelled.

Tie Cui’s voice turned grave. “So far, this Mental Monster hasn’t shown strong aggression or polluting tendencies. It’s just constantly devouring the ‘food’ prepared for it. Considering its possible connection to a Technology Church creation, I suspect this monster has been modified somehow. It was manufactured…”

“And manufactured things always have a purpose!”

“Since it lacks strong aggression and pollution, yet has such a high psychic power level, its purpose is very likely… self-destruction!”

“When a Mental Monster self-destructs, it releases immense mental radiation!”

“In a way, you can think of it as… a bomb!”

“And the mental radiation released by a ten-thousand-level Mental Monster…”

“It would kill or horribly twist all life within a ten-kilometer radius. The final impact could even spread to encompass the entire Satellite City…”

…

By the end, even Tie Cui, usually so calm, couldn’t keep her voice from trembling.

Gecko, Han Bing, and Lu Xin, all listening on the same channel, fell into a heavy silence.

They all understood the horrifying conclusion.

Lu Xin whispered, “So…”

Tie Cui finished his sentence over the channel, “So, we only have one option…”

She paused, then said through gritted teeth, “Eliminate all the polluted individuals beforehand!”

…

Lu Xin’s breath caught. For a moment, it felt as if his heart had stopped beating.

The logic seemed terrifyingly clear and natural.

How do you stop a colossal Mental Monster from growing?

You eliminate its source of ‘nutrients,’ of course.

Because if this massive Mental Monster fully matures, it could undergo a qualitative change, threatening the already chaotic Second Satellite City. Therefore, stopping its growth is the top priority.

On one side, nearly a million people in the Second Satellite City. On the other, these two thousand or so polluted individuals. The choice, weighed in numbers, was obvious.

But…

Directly eliminate over two thousand people?

Although… far fewer than two thousand remained by now.

A dull ache started behind Lu Xin’s eyes…

…

…

…

A long, heavy silence descended, affecting the soldiers and Gecko on the wall, as well as Han Bing and Tie Cui on the channel.

The silence itself was deeply unnerving.

“Mr. Lone Soldier, Headquarters requests that you withdraw from the mission immediately!”

Han Bing’s voice finally broke the silence, sounding slow and deliberate.

Apparently, considering Lu Xin’s previous assessments, Headquarters deemed him unsuitable to remain at the scene under these circumstances.

Lu Xin knew exactly what would happen if he withdrew from the mission.

High above, Gecko stood holding his gun, his figure slumped with exhaustion or despair.

The officer in charge on the wall was taking a call, his expression slowly turning grave… then panicked.

Lu Xin had also stopped moving. He looked up, seeing only the dense mass of human heads, the pained and twisted faces. Perhaps the monster had grown large enough to cause some fundamental change because merely looking at it now exerted an invisible pressure, triggering an instinctive urge in Lu Xin to flee.

Feeling this pressure, this impulse, Lu Xin remained silent.

One second. Two seconds.

He could hear his own heart pounding in his chest.

…

…

Then, Lu Xin spoke, his voice somewhat hoarse, “I’m not withdrawing. *You* withdraw!”

As if worried they hadn’t understood, he clarified carefully, “All of you. Everyone get out of here.”

“What?”

Lu Xin’s response stunned everyone on the channel. Was he talking crazy?

Lu Xin repeated, seemingly steeling himself with immense determination, “All of you leave now. Get as far away as possible…”

“Don’t come near me. And don’t watch me through any means, not even cameras…”

“Because… it’s going to be very dangerous…”