Chapter 184: The Controller’s Trail

As expected. Two of them.

Sensing the twisted mental power appearing at the base of the building, the Drunkard’s expression grew serious. He whispered to Lu Xin, “I’ve covered the entire building with my ability, so they can’t pinpoint my home. But they’re patient, searching floor by floor. It’ll be tough dealing with them tonight. Still, their existence is limited, usually only lasting about three to four minutes.”

“From my observation, they’re different from ordinary Mental Monsters. They have a strong sense of purpose. Someone’s clearly controlling them!”

“I suspect the person controlling them is hiding nearby. That’s where you come in…”

“While these Mental Monsters are busy looking for me, you need to check outside. I estimate the controller isn’t too far away. If you can find them, or figure out how they’re doing this, our job here is done…”

…

Lu Xin finally understood why the Drunkard had requested Spider-type support. He gave a slight nod.

“Be careful!”

Then, he picked up his bag, quietly pushed the door open, and stepped into the living room. “Sister,” he called out softly.

The surroundings were silent. There was no response.

Only in the Drunkard’s parents’ room did the couple, already asleep under the influence of alcohol, show faint, subconscious smiles.

“Finally, someone called Wu Gege ‘sister’…”

…

Sister hadn’t followed him again. That kid was getting really mischievous…

When there was no response after his call, Lu Xin started to feel anxious.

Last time, during the Ghost capture, Sister had already been a bit disobedient.

This time, she hadn’t even shown up yet.

He was here to provide support this time, so naturally, the Drunkard’s opinion was paramount. Finding the source of those two Mental Monsters within these few minutes was the most crucial part of the mission. Unfortunately, that damn girl wasn’t around at the critical moment…

…With this kind of work ethic, how would she ever survive in society?

…

…

Worrying about his sister’s future, Lu Xin tiptoed out the door and headed straight for the end of the corridor.

There was a side window in the corridor. Lu Xin slipped through it.

The Drunkard lived on the twelfth floor. Looking down into the darkness was enough to make one dizzy.

Even though Sister wasn’t there, Lu Xin could still use her ability. He took a deep breath, and his body entered an unusually calm state, as if every part of him was in perfect, strange equilibrium. Then, biting his backpack between his teeth, he pressed both hands against the wall. With a slight swing, he pushed off the window ledge he stood on, sticking suspended against the wall’s surface.

He had to admit, even if his body could do this, his mind still found it terrifying.

One slip and he’d end up like a smashed watermelon.

“Three to four minutes…”

He repeated the timeframe mentally, reminding himself, then slid straight down.

His body moved like a spider in the shadows, descending to the first floor. Lu Xin then peered around the corner.

Under the crescent Red Moon hanging in the sky, two towering monsters were climbing the face of the residential building.

One was three to four meters tall, with a bloated body and slender limbs.

Crucially, it had no head, only a giant mouth located on its abdomen. However, a “necklace” was wrapped around its body. Looking closely, the necklace was strung with human heads, the bloodstains still fresh.

The heads were actually alive, blinking their eyes or licking their lips, their eyes shining as they scanned the surroundings for the monster.

The other was an ivy-like insect. Its body clung to the building face, extending upwards bit by bit, sprouting numerous branches. At the end of each branch was an eye, peering through the windows into the building.

…

…

“So this is how they’re searching for the Drunkard?”

Lu Xin immediately confirmed the Drunkard’s assessment.

These two Mental Monsters were indeed looking for her, and most likely, they were being controlled by someone.

Normal, wild Mental Monsters operate purely on instinct—polluting, attacking, and devouring any person or living creature they encounter.

If wild Mental Monsters had appeared here, they would have recklessly started attacking this building, or rather, everyone in the residential area, instead of carefully searching floor by floor like these two were.

Since they were being controlled, where was the controller hiding?

Lu Xin looked into the distance. He remembered that the two monsters seemed to have come from two different directions, one from the left and one from the right.

Therefore, tracing these routes backward, their intersection point was likely where the controller was.

With a plan in mind, Lu Xin drew his gun. Crouching slightly, he used the cover of night to dash forward quickly.

Inside the Drunkard’s residential area, the small roads curved around the central buildings. Streetlights lined these paths. Lu Xin ignored the intersecting routes, sticking to one curved path and running forward, gripping his gun tightly. A bullet was chambered, the safety off. He planned to shoot anything or anyone suspicious on sight.

However, using the speed granted by his sister’s ability, he circled most of the residential area within seconds.

But he saw nothing.

The residential area was empty and pitch black. The crescent Red Moon hung silently above, looking down on the rows of high-rises. There was nothing.

Lu Xin frowned, straining his eyes to see into the distance.

His thoughts raced, expanding on the clues. Judging by the extinguished streetlights earlier, the two Mental Monsters had followed the small roads. Therefore, the intersection of those roads should be where the controller was located.

In other words, the small gate at the southeast corner of the residential area was the most likely spot.

But focusing his gaze there, he saw nothing either.

Even the security booth was quiet, with just two guards inside, smoking and chatting casually.

They had no idea that something had already entered the community.

…

…

*Whew…*

Lu Xin stopped in the shadows, staying out of the guards’ line of sight.

He forced himself to calm down. Sister still hadn’t appeared, and he had no one to consult with.

About a minute had passed. The Drunkard might already be clashing abilities with the two Mental Monsters. Logically, he had to use this time to find the controller and subdue them…

But he couldn’t see anything alone. Should he just give up?

Lu Xin felt unwilling to quit. He took a deep breath and started to calm his mind.

After joining the Special Cleaning Department and experiencing so much, his mindset had subtly changed.

At least he no longer became tense and anxious at the first sign of trouble.

Since his playful sister wasn’t around, and this wasn’t serious enough to call Mom and Father over, he decided to handle it himself.

He wondered, *What would Mom do if she were here?*