Chapter 47: The Spider’s Shot

“Direct cleanup…”

Lu Xin’s heart sank slightly as he heard the voice on the channel. “How do we clean them up?” he asked.

There are almost a hundred people in that factory…

“Don’t worry, our target isn’t the workers!”

Gecko seemed to sense Lu Xin’s concern and chuckled softly. “Our job is to clean up the pollution source, not kill the polluted individuals. While preventing the spread of pollution is always our top priority, we avoid bloodshed whenever possible.”

“Besides, based on the current situation and the Investigation Team’s previous report, the Contamination Source Body’s ability seems to primarily affect those nearby rather than assimilate them. This means the workers are only lightly polluted and can still be saved.”

Lu Xin let out a small sigh of relief. “So we just need to kill the factory manager?”

Gecko shook his head. “We can’t kill him now. If we did, he’d likely unleash a Mental Plague just before dying. All the moderately infected individuals would uncontrollably scatter, posing a huge threat to the surrounding area… Though, they probably wouldn’t get far anyway. Take a look around, you’ll see what I mean…”

Lu Xin actually didn’t even need to look around.

It was pitch black in all directions, with only sparse streetlights illuminating patches of stark white ground.

Lu Xin knew that hidden in the darkness were heavily armed troops. If the workers from the factory building escaped and scattered, they would be shot on sight. The Satellite City wouldn’t allow anyone to break the cordon.

Just like back then at the coffee shop.

With this thought, he frowned. “We need to clean it up immediately, but we can’t kill him… Then what…?”

Gecko chuckled. “Linda, give us your recommendation.”

Though he couldn’t see her, Lu Xin guessed Linda was frowning on the other end. But since it concerned the job, she answered very seriously, “Our mission this time is to sever the Pollution Source, interrupt its influence on the workers, and then immediately contain it. This will give the Support Team a chance to enter the factory building and take the affected workers for treatment.”

“Therefore, I recommend using a specialized high-powered tranquilizer gun for a long-range takedown, forcing the Pollution Source into immediate unconsciousness!”

After a slight pause, apparently considering that Lu Xin was listening and, as the one being guided, needed to understand the reasoning behind her suggestions, she added, “Because Zheng Yuanxiong hasn’t completely lost control yet, he still retains some human characteristics. This makes the tranquilizer gun plan viable. If he had completely lost control, it wouldn’t work!”

Lu Xin listened intently and nodded, not considering whether Linda could actually see him.

Listening in, Gecko suddenly interjected, “This guy can affect a hundred people simultaneously. His Psychic Power level must be pretty high. He might even form a powerful Telekinetic field to interfere with or even stop my bullet before it hits him.”

Linda’s voice came over the channel, “So, if you agree with this plan, I’ll instruct the Support Team to trigger an explosion on the east side of the factory in thirty seconds. The loud noise and shockwave should divert some of Zheng Yuanxiong’s attention. That way, even if he tries to use Telekinesis, it should be unstable due to his divided focus.”

“That’s when you take your shot.”

“But you’ll only have one instant. One chance!”

…

Gecko chuckled softly.

“Heh heh…” Gecko chuckled lowly. “Dear Linda, your voice is lovely…”

A heavy sigh came over the channel. It seemed Linda was already exasperated.

But before she could respond, Gecko cut in with a grin, “Agreed!”

As he said this, he opened the long case on his back, revealing a sleek, menacing sniper rifle. Gecko’s hands moved with blinding speed, assembling the various parts with crisp, precise clicks. Once the bullet was chambered, he hooked his legs onto the iron railing, hanging upside down.

The dark muzzle aimed steadily at the factory building three hundred meters away.

Over the channel, Linda’s voice turned exceptionally calm. “Countdown initiated!”

“Thirty…”

“Twenty-nine…”

…

Time seemed to slow, and everything around fell deathly silent.

The only sounds were Linda’s calm countdown over the channel and the faint whirring of machinery from the factory building three hundred meters away.

Lu Xin took it all in, focusing intently.

Even his Sister beside him tilted her head, observing Gecko with apparent curiosity.

Lu Xin realized then that Gecko’s position was different from his Sister’s. He had hooked his legs onto the railing and hung fully upside down, gun aimed at the factory building. He truly resembled an agile, precise spider.

His Sister, crouching nearby… just looked oddly cute in comparison.

“Countdown: one! Prepare!”

As these thoughts flickered through Lu Xin’s mind, Linda’s voice on the channel reached the final count.

And in that same instant, a bright flash erupted to the east.

Followed immediately by a tremendous boom.

At the same moment, Lu Xin caught sight of Gecko’s lips curling into a slight smirk as he squeezed the trigger.

He instinctively looked towards the factory building. As his vision focused, he saw that the glass seemed to tremble slightly from the massive explosion. The other workers inside remained oblivious, continuing their tasks mechanically. However, the factory manager, Zheng Yuanxiong, was momentarily distracted, instinctively glancing towards the source of the explosion.

Just then, a bullet resembling a red syringe pierced through the glass.

Despite being three hundred meters away, Lu Xin thought he heard a faint *thwip* sound.

The red syringe struck Zheng Yuanxiong at the nape of his neck, drawing a spurt of blood.

Even for a tranquilizer dart, hitting a target from three hundred meters required incredible force. Zheng Yuanxiong was knocked off his feet, crashing to the ground. In that instant, nearby light fixtures and plastic pipes seemed to warp slightly.

After falling, he seemed to try and push himself up, but with only a slight exertion, he slowly collapsed again.

The tranquilizer appeared highly effective.

…

…

“Got him!”

Gecko instantly retracted his rifle. With a quick flex, he swung himself back onto the top of the tower, grinning. “Linda, what did you want to say to me?”

Linda sounded slightly relieved over the channel, but her tone remained ice-cold. “Proceed to the next step!”

“Roger that!”

Grinning, Gecko rummaged in his backpack and pulled out something made of glass that resembled a helmet, cradling it in his arms.

He then grinned at Lu Xin. “Let’s go, brother. Time for the cleanup!”

With that, he simply leaned straight back and fell off the water tower, plummeting from over thirty meters high.