Chapter 29: Explaining the Anomaly

“Other abilities?”

Lu Xin didn’t quite grasp what Chen Jing meant at first.

He thought seriously for a moment before asking earnestly, “What’s Psychic Power?”

Hearing this, Chen Jing suddenly chuckled before pushing a file from the bottom of the stack towards Lu Xin. “It seems you haven’t thoroughly studied the file I left you earlier. The so-called Psychic Power is the unit we use to evaluate the threat level of a Pollution Source and the ability level of a Mentally Altered Person. It specifically measures the strength of mental power!”

Lu Xin took the file. It was filled with complex, jargon-filled terms, units, and so on.

He vaguely remembered seeing similar things in the previous file, but it involved English, complicated formulas, and measurement methods.

Aside from the details about compensation, he hadn’t understood a thing.

Fortunately, Chen Jing continued her explanation right then. “You can think of it like this: a healthy adult male during his peak mental activity has a mental power of about ten units. A typical first-level Mental Monster or Pollution Source possesses a Psychic Power of roughly one hundred units. This often determines their pollution level!”

“Of course, one thing must be noted: Mental Monsters are not equivalent to Pollution Sources!”

“Although we often lump them together now, strictly speaking, only Pollution Sources with active aggression, even a degree of consciousness and corresponding changes, are what we usually refer to as Mental Monsters. Conversely, some Pollution Sources lack consciousness entirely. They merely distort the mental power of those polluted, causing certain effects!”

“Our work today clearly shows the difference between the two!”

As Chen Jing spoke, her expression turned more serious. “Based on the initial situation and intel, we first judged this as just an ordinary Pollution Incident. Only at the very end did we discover the Pollution Source had already become a Mental Monster.”

“Oh…”

Lu Xin put on an act of complete understanding, nodding thoughtfully.

Then, after a pause, he asked again, “So why did you ask if I was hiding other abilities?”

“Because you handled this Pollution Incident alone!”

Chen Jing looked at him, a barely perceptible smile on her face. “From your previous tests, your ability is classified as Spider-type, rated C-level, with a Psychic Power around one hundred units, fluctuating no more than fifty units. Typically, a Mentally Altered Person’s Psychic Power is often lower than that of a Pollution Source of the same level.”

“After all, a Pollution Source becomes what it is because its mental mutation breaks through limits and loses control. A Mentally Altered Person, on the other hand, has undergone mental mutation and significant enhancement but remains within their own control!”

“Therefore, we rarely decide to let a Mentally Altered Person face a Pollution Source alone!”

“Normally, it should be resolved by finding the Mental Pollution Source’s logic chain and core key…”

…

Lu Xin spoke up at the right moment, “So… what is a logic chain and…”

“The logic chain represents the surface patterns and modes of a Mental Pollution Source. This often indicates its infection method and level. For example, the initial logic chain summarized for Special Pollution Source 041 was revenge, with a somewhat predictable time pattern. We can use this logic chain to analyze the Pollution Source’s reactions and formulate cleanup or avoidance plans!”

“The core key represents the Pollution Source’s body, essentially its off switch. Turn it off, and it’s over!”

…

Chen Jing explained crisply, then looked at Lu Xin with an expression that said ‘I know you didn’t read the file carefully’. “Regardless of the situation, finding the Pollution Source’s logic chain and core key is always the optimal approach for cleanup. But you’re different. You didn’t look for these two things; instead, you chose to directly eliminate the Pollution Source. Pollution Source 036 was one thing, but 041 as well…”

“I have to say, although this method is very direct, it’s also quite… violent!”

“But this kind of situation isn’t common!”

Having said all that in one breath, Chen Jing paused, lit a cigarette, and smiled. “So, we still need to ask as a matter of procedure. Don’t be nervous; this is just a routine work report. Considering some people higher up might be interested in such events and raise questions, I need to write a decent report to explain things to them…”

…

“Oh, oh, I understand…”

Hearing about writing reports, Lu Xin nodded. He had experience in this area.

“Maybe it really is a bit unusual…”

Thinking about what Chen Jing had just said, Lu Xin slowly considered, “The key thing is… I wasn’t the one who resolved it…”

Chen Jing frowned.

Lu Xin answered honestly, “It was Sister!”

A thoughtful expression appeared on Chen Jing’s face as if considering how to phrase her next words.

As if afraid she wouldn’t believe him, Lu Xin pointed towards the trash bin outside the door. “The candy wrapper you just threw away, Sister ate that candy!”

Chen Jing couldn’t help frowning again and asked instinctively, “Then where is she now?”

Lu Xin looked at the top of Chen Jing’s head. “She’s right above you, smiling at you…”

“You…”

Although it wasn’t the first time she’d heard something like this, Chen Jing felt the hairs on her neck stand up slightly.

She forced herself to endure, keeping her neck stiff, not looking up.

But after holding back for a long time, she couldn’t resist stealing a tiny, almost imperceptible glance upwards, only to see empty space above her head.

This made her feel an urge she could barely contain.

Lu Xin added softly, “You can’t see her…”

Chen Jing glared fiercely at Lu Xin. After a long moment, she finally let out a soft breath.

She leaned back slightly, making it easier to look up at any moment, then said, “Fine, let’s drop this topic for now. What I’m more curious about now is, I already ordered you to retreat earlier. Why did you insist on charging towards that Pollution Source?”

Lu Xin took this question more seriously. “Because those three team members weren’t polluted yet!”

Chen Jing naturally knew those three Investigation Team members hadn’t been polluted. Headquarters’ psychological experts had already assessed them and found no signs of pollution besides some panic. Yet, at the time, many had witnessed them being controlled by the distorted mental force field of the pollution, even flying into mid-air and firing their guns at Lu Xin.

Under normal circumstances, such a situation would never be considered normal.

In other words, without Lu Xin, those three Investigation Team members were destined for elimination, one way or another.

And this was precisely what she didn’t understand.

So, she asked slowly, “How did you determine the three of them weren’t polluted?”

“How did I determine?”

Lu Xin seemed surprised by the question. It took him a moment to reply, “I saw it directly…”