Chapter 185: Whispers of Madness

He remembered when they left the city to find those Knight Orders, Mom seemed to have an ability that could directly locate them.

As Lu Xin relaxed a bit, an image of his mother’s elegant figure flashed through his mind.

Gradually, he found himself becoming calmer.

Then he felt as if his perception of the world had suddenly become much clearer.

This clarity wasn’t visual but more like a mental sharpness. When he looked at the two guards by the entrance, they seemed thin and transparent. He could sense their thoughts…

It was like understanding at a glance they were discussing the unstable voltage in the residential area again.

People like that were clearly safe.

Lu Xin then scanned his surroundings. In the nearby small buildings many people were asleep their mental states complex and blurry. Everyone had different thoughts and emotions their colors intertwining into a vibrant ocean.

At this moment everything around Lu Xin seemed transformed in his eyes.

He could see the Mental Entities nearby and these entities displayed a wide variety of different colors.

Or perhaps describing them with colors wasn’t entirely accurate.

These colors were likely his brain’s way of processing the information into understandable images.

What he saw wasn’t color itself but the ‘state’ of the Mental Entities. He could easily discern from the various colors whether these entities were calm or agitated excited or depressed anxious or perhaps suffering some kind of depression.

Is this how Mom usually sees the world?

This was the first time Lu Xin had tried to forcefully use his mother’s ability. After all Mom wasn’t like Sister and Lu Xin had never borrowed her ability before. Usually when he needed her help she would appear proactively and assist him directly.

The countless Mental Entities and various colors flooding his vision were difficult for Lu Xin to process all at once.

But he quickly grasped the main point.

His primary goal right now wasn’t analyzing abilities but finding the person controlling the Mental Monsters.

So he forced himself to focus and looked around.

The surrounding building floors and walls now appeared like black semi-transparent objects.

Lu Xin could see the Mental Entities behind them.

And Lu Xin was certain that once he saw the person controlling the Mental Monsters he would definitely be able to distinguish them from the other residents in this community.

The Mental Entities of ordinary people and Ability Users were different. Furthermore the mental entity of an Ability User currently using their powers should also be distinct from a regular Ability User. If they were nearby he would definitely find them…

…Holding onto this thought Lu Xin’s heart soon sank slightly.

He couldn’t find the person controlling the Mental Monsters.

And he also confirmed one thing: it wasn’t that he couldn’t find them but that this person simply wasn’t here.

The Drunkard’s judgment was wrong.

Realizing this Lu Xin immediately turned and dashed towards the Drunkard’s home.

Since the person controlling the Mental Monsters wasn’t here there was only one way left to find them.

When Mom’s ability couldn’t locate them use Father’s method:

Directly capture those two Mental Monsters and force them to reveal where they came from…

…But how could he become more like Father?

…

…

Lu Xin could make himself act more like Sister allowing him to borrow her ability even when she wasn’t around. He could also think about how Mom usually acted and borrow her ability. But how could he borrow Father’s ability?

His personality was too different from his father’s.

Even if he tried to imitate him he couldn’t possibly capture the essence…

Mulling over this problem Lu Xin charged forward his pace quickening.

Soon he arrived downstairs from the Drunkard’s home.

Looking up Lu Xin felt a headache coming on a buzzing in his ears like being affected by chaotic television static.

However this feeling only made him pause for a second before he snapped back to reality and rushed into the hallway.

Although he could climb the wall Sister wasn’t with him. Lu Xin felt quite clumsy using her ability on his own. Just climbing down earlier had made his legs feel weak and the thought of climbing back up made him resistant.

Besides according to the Drunkard these monsters would approach from below so maybe he’d encounter them sooner this way.

Striding into the hallway Lu Xin didn’t have time to press the elevator button and decided to dash up the stairs.

But just as he took the first step he suddenly froze spotting a dark shadow ahead.

Focusing his eyes the shadow in the darkness became clearer. He saw her standing unsteadily in the hallway her eyes cold and gloomy.

Lu Xin paused for a moment. “Grandma Wang?”

…

…

Lu Xin had already met this old woman when he first came back with the Drunkard. Her surname was Wang and she seemed to live here with a child. She was a very kind old lady who would often share tasty food she made with her neighbors maintaining good relationships with everyone around.

Why would she be downstairs now in the middle of the night with Mental Monsters around?

“You’re the young man Gege brought back right?”

Grandma Wang looked up at Lu Xin her face showing a kind expression. But whether it was the dim light or something else her smile seemed somewhat stiff and a sinister glint flickered in her eyes.

She lifted the basket in her hand and slowly smiled. “I’m delivering some goodies to the neighbors…”

“Delivering goodies in the middle of the night?”

Lu Xin frowned slightly sensing something was off about her. He didn’t leave immediately.

“That’s right…”

Grandma Wang spoke slowly descending the stairs her voice sounding eerie in the dead silent hallway. “I’m just a lonely old woman living here with my little grandson. Who knows when someone might bully us? These neighbors ah not a single good one among them. Always eyeing the little bit of food I buy trying to fob me off with a few rotten fruits. I just choose not to argue with them…”

“After all if something really happens in the future I’ll have to ask them for help right…”

“If they eat my food and don’t return the favor do they think this old lady is so easily bullied?”

…

Muttering to herself she slowly came down lifted the basket and spat into it several times.

A strange smile spread across her face. “Let them eat let them eat…”

Lu Xin’s brow furrowed. He stared intently at the old woman but didn’t see any Mental Monsters on her so he just nodded.

With a leap he grabbed the stair railing and sprinted upstairs.

Climbing floor by floor he realized this building seemed to have transformed into a ghost domain.

He was still in the state of imitating his mother’s ability so he could see many things. As he ascended all sorts of scenes from the entire building appeared in his vision or rather directly in his mind.

On the fourth floor he saw a couple arguing. The woman stood outside the room heavily pregnant cursing viciously at the person inside. “You think I don’t know what you’re thinking? You’re just a bastard a bastard! After tricking me you started lusting after my best friend! Doing those disgusting things in the bathroom with her photo you think I didn’t see? You’re disgusting to death…”

“Crash! Bang! Smash!…”

The man inside was furiously smashing things. “I’ve had enough of you! Why do you act so pretentious every day? Don’t I know you used to hang out at nightclubs every night slept with who knows how many men? Why could those guys sleep with you just by buying you a drink but now I have to buy you a house a car expensive fruits? Why do I have to serve you subserviently?”

Lu Xin ignored them and continued rushing upwards.

On the seventh floor he saw someone fighting. A slightly overweight woman was forcefully slapping the face of an old man in a wheelchair. “You old coot hurry up and tell me where the money is hidden! Your son’s money is mine why did you hide it? Those thieving eyes of yours stare at my butt all day long you think I don’t know? You’re disgusting shameless! Serves you right if I push you downstairs…”

“Damn you don’t even think about running…”

The old man shielded his head yelling desperately. “Don’t even think about finding it! That’s my son’s money you won’t find it! I’d rather burn the money than give it to you! Dream on! A rotten whore like you should be thrown out into the Wasteland…”

…

…

The people in this building had all gone mad…

Lu Xin moved agilely sprinting up the stairs as if traversing through hell.

He saw a high school student in a school uniform and glasses crouching by a locked door pouring a bucket of gasoline on it. Then with a sinister grin he lit a match laughing coldly. “Burn to death burn to death! See if you won’t buy me a computer now…”

He saw a child violently shove an old person heading towards the stairs yelling “Stop nagging me! Go die…”

He saw a well-dressed young man stealing cured meat from a neighbor’s window sill.

He saw a wife pouring a bottle of green liquid into a soup pot stirring vigorously her eyes gleaming with fervent light. “Go die just go die! Why do I have to do all the housework? Why do I have to endure all the anger?”

“It’s better to die better if everyone just dies…”