Chapter 151: The Flesh Tree’s Secret

When that piece of flesh was cut from Lu Xin’s back all the Avengers swarmed towards it devouring it ravenously.

Qin Ran became strangely quiet. The grotesque tree resembling flesh and blood continued its upward growth, countless vines forcefully stretching outwards. At the tip of each vine grew a twisted human-shaped “tentacle.”

But it was as if he’d been paused completely still and motionless.

Stranger still the town residents who had rushed over torn apart and eaten the small piece of flesh also froze.

They remained frozen in their pouncing posture their expressions turning vacant.

It seemed that after eating the flesh their revenge was complete and their resentment vanished.

At this point Lu Xin felt even more certain about the logic chain behind Qin Ran’s ability.

There was only one way to stop his pollution at this stage: complete the revenge.

However he also had an ability to transfer hatred.

Therefore those whose hatred he transferred were essentially afflicted by a curse that could only be broken by death.

Perhaps because Lu Xin was an Ability User or maybe because he had his family’s protection the curse only polluted a part of his skin. If it were anyone else their entire being would likely be corrupted.

And that meant only one path: death.

Before dying any Avengers killed in self-defense or retaliation would only fuel Qin Ran’s pollution.

But now that the pollution had been stopped what would happen?

…

…

Lu Xin looked towards Mom wanting to hear her suggestion.

But Mom’s brow was furrowed her gaze fixed intently on Qin Ran as if deeply captivated by some change happening to him.

Lu Xin looked up too. The flesh-and-blood tree wasn’t completely still. Its trunk surface was slowly writhing ridges rising and gradually forming the shape of a human face. On closer inspection it looked just like Qin Ran.

“Very good…”

The strange bark-like face moved its mouth. The voice was muffled but it was definitely Qin Ran’s.

“This is the first time I’ve felt such rapid growth…”

Where the face’s eyes should be the flesh stretched taut to its limit then tore open sideways revealing two empty sockets.

Those eyes stared intently at Lu Xin. Its features twisted and writhed the expression savage like a madman.

But his voice sounded unusually calm. “Such enviable power… My growth rate is directly proportional to the cursed target’s psychic power. Just how strong must you be to allow me to complete the fifth stage of pollution so quickly?”

Lu Xin remained silent watching Qin Ran.

Sixteen human-shaped fruits now hung from the Human-shaped Fruit Tree.

Around them more than thirty town residents lay sprawled on the ground.

He vaguely felt another piece of the puzzle falling into place.

From the previous 041 Special Pollution Incident it was clear that “Qin Ran’s” pollution speed increased exponentially.

Each subsequent stage doubled the previous one but correspondingly the required time also doubled. Therefore in the previous incident the danger level assessment for the 041 Special Pollution wasn’t high because this method inherently limited his pollution speed.

And pollution speed is often a crucial factor in determining the danger level of a special pollution incident.

But this time facing Qin Ran directly Lu Xin found his pollution speed was completely different from before.

This time the speed was simply insane…

According to him the reason was related to Lu Xin himself?

…

…

“You’re special. I think I’ve already guessed why.”

“Unexpectedly right at the end the Escaped Lab mission has been completed by accident…”

“…”

As Lu Xin pondered the face on the trunk spoke slowly.

At the same time a strange smile appeared on the face as it began to slowly merge back into the trunk.

*Buzz!*

Lu Xin’s body jolted. He snapped his head up looking at Qin Ran.

“Escaped Lab?”

This was the first time Lu Xin had heard this name and it gave him an extremely strange feeling.

It was also at this moment that Mom standing nearby suddenly turned cold. Her delicate elegant smile seemed instantly overshadowed. As the red moonlight shone down her refined features cast shadows across her face.

“This must end…”

Mom spoke softly her voice sounding somewhat chilling.

“Okay!”

Lu Xin agreed in a low voice his body tensing.

He also wanted to deal with Qin Ran quickly.

Because he didn’t have much experience fighting Ability Users he didn’t dare delay even for a moment lest something unexpected happen.

So even though doubts arose in his mind they didn’t affect his decision.

Even if he had questions he had to completely neutralize Qin Ran’s combat ability first…

…

…

*Swish!*

The moment the thought formed in his mind his body was already surging forward.

Slightly crouched his body naturally assumed the optimal sprinting posture.

Moreover he timed his move precisely as Qin Ran’s face began merging into the tree trunk.

Through observing the grotesque flesh-and-blood tree Lu Xin intuitively felt this was Qin Ran’s weakest moment.

As Lu Xin charged Qin Ran’s face had already half-merged into the trunk. All the vines and branches began to tremble slightly especially the human-shaped fruits growing on them which were rapidly opening up. Since all the fruits were composed of individual human-shaped mental entities it looked as though they were all opening their arms.

Forcefully opening their arms as if to embrace something…

…

…

“Every ability system basically has three abilities…”

“If Qin Ran’s curse and his method of using the Human-shaped Fruit Tree to pollute others are two of his abilities…”

“Then he should still have a third ability…”

“…”

Lu Xin attacked at this precise moment to prevent Qin Ran from using his third ability.

Because he didn’t know what that ability was.

From the details it seemed Qin Ran couldn’t activate the third ability until his face completely merged with the trunk.

“You… You’re not allowed to hurt him!”

But just then a loud shout suddenly erupted from the pitch-black house behind them.

The cry was hoarse and tense strangely sounding like a duck being strangled.

The instant the sound rang out Lu Xin’s heart thumped loudly.

He subconsciously glanced in that direction his pupils constricting slightly.

He could see a large head poking out from behind a door in one of the rooms. It looked a bit odd. The owner of the head was secretly watching him. Though nervous they stared directly at him and loudly made their demand.

The crucial thing was for at least a split second Lu Xin’s heart leaped.

He actually felt a subconscious reluctance to refuse the request and an urge to obey abandoning his attack on Qin Ran.

The somewhat ugly features on that large head actually looked rather cute at this moment…

…

…

“It seems you accepted a gift you shouldn’t have…”

Qin Ran’s face about to merge back into the trunk noticed Lu Xin’s distraction.

A strange smile spread across his face.

Simultaneously on his outstretched vines the embrace of over a dozen human-shaped fruits was about to unfold.

…But just then Lu Xin’s momentarily paused figure suddenly accelerated again!

Like a blurry shadow under the moonlight he crossed the dozen or so meters in an instant rushing right up to the Human-shaped Fruit Tree.

His hand plunged straight into the trunk grabbing Qin Ran’s neck which had already mostly merged into it.

His eyes seemed devoid of emotion as he stared intently calmly indifferently at him…

…

…

“What’s going on?”

A look of genuine surprise finally appeared on Qin Ran’s face.

He had clearly seen Lu Xin distracted just a moment ago seemingly hesitating whether to charge at him.

But the next second Lu Xin was right in front of him grabbing his neck just as he was about to fully merge into the trunk.

“It was that rose seller wasn’t it?”

Lu Xin looked at him and said calmly “If you accept his things you develop a liking for him right?”

“My sister has already gone to find him.”

“You probably don’t know what Sister does to the things she likes…”