Chapter 90: The Rose Seed

Under the cover of night Lu Xin scaled eaves and walls, his movements like those of a giant spider.

He traversed rows of buildings and apartments with an eerie, almost impossible speed, vanishing into the chaotic night cityscape.

Perhaps because he felt more comfortable borrowing his sister’s power this time, he moved much faster than before.

In the darkness-shrouded city, under the unevenly scattered lights casting shadows from every angle, his figure blurred faster and faster. It created the strange sensation of him melting into the darkness only to reappear hundreds of meters away, sprinting beneath a distant streetlight…

“What’s the situation there now?”

While rushing anxiously he kept his voice steady, quietly asking Han Bing over the channel.

“First there was a murder case at South China Mall stemming from relationship issues, which then triggered a mass emotional disorder!”

Han Bing’s voice came through the channel fast and clear: “A man, triggered upon seeing his wife greet a male friend, suddenly went berserk and pushed her from the third floor of the mall. Overcome with regret he then jumped down himself. Many witnesses experienced intense emotional impulses and signs of mental abnormality after seeing this.”

“Judging by the chaos at the scene we can confirm a sudden mental pollution incident occurred.”

…

“He pushed his wife off just because she talked to a male friend, and then jumped himself?”

Lu Xin found the report confusing even as he listened. Swinging on an electric wire toward the opposite building, he landed firmly on the facade with both hands and began climbing upwards, asking softly, “Do we know what caused it?”

“Based on characteristic comparison it can be confirmed this incident is the same type as the Jiujiang Road proposal incident reported by Section Chief Chen!”

Lu Xin’s mind flashed back to the frantic scene he’d witnessed on Jiujiang Road. He remembered the crowds running everywhere and the overwhelming emotions, but he hadn’t seen any mental monsters. Problems like this were the hardest for him to solve.

He instinctively asked, “So how do we handle it?”

Han Bing’s voice hesitated for a moment on the channel, as if listening to instructions from elsewhere. A few seconds later she spoke quickly and clearly: “Team Leader Chen Jing just submitted her preliminary findings on the sudden special pollution source incident at the Jiujiang Road intersection in the Second Satellite City. It’s suspected to be similar to the special pollution incident at South China Mall.”

“Broadcasting Team Leader Chen Jing’s preliminary investigation report now:

“Tentatively designated Special Pollution Incident — 096

“Threat Level: High

“Pollution Level: High

“Core Key Point: Red Rose

“Pollution Origin: Suspected artificial creation and facilitated spread”

…

“Red rose?”

A flood of information rushed through Lu Xin’s mind. He recalled the image from the car’s screen of the girl proposing and ultimately killing the young man—like a rose dropped in blood. Then it bizarrely flashed back to the dispirited little boy he’d met outside the Red Moon Orphanage sometime ago selling a bouquet of red flowers. Especially the words he’d said:

“Give the rose to the one you like and she’ll fall in love with you…”

…

He didn’t even know why he suddenly remembered that, nor was he sure if there was any connection.

Was that boy an Ability User or a Pollution Source?

Was he working with Qin Ran?

So when he targeted me back then was it a random encounter or was he specifically after me?

…

…

After the routine report Han Bing added urgently, “This is the investigation report Team Leader Chen Jing obtained by using her ability to question that pollution source at the Jiujiang Road intersection, combined with her own deductions. She believes that Special Pollution Source Incident 096 is related to a strange rose. The pollution source at Jiujiang Road had received a rose during the initial stages of contamination.”

“Subsequently their emotions became markedly abnormal developing an unusual infatuation with the giver of the rose. During interactions with the giver, due to an inability to satisfy their distorted desire for perfect possession this emotion fluctuated wildly and grew. Finally at the Jiujiang Road intersection this accumulated emotion reached its peak instantly causing the mental pollution incident.”

“Team Leader Chen Jing speculates the logic chain can be understood as: when the rose passes from the giver to the recipient a seed is planted. The subsequent romantic interactions between the giver and the pollution source, generating various emotions whether distorted or normal, serve to nurture this seed. When these emotions reach an extreme intensity the recipient erupts.”

“The recipient receiving the rose and developing a distorted love for the giver is the first stage of pollution.”

“The recipient’s emotional outburst strongly affecting those nearby constitutes the second stage of pollution.”

“There is currently insufficient evidence to determine if a third stage of pollution will form…”

…

“Third stage pollution…”

Hearing this Lu Xin couldn’t help but feel a chill.

He had witnessed the intensity of the special pollution outbreak at the Jiujiang Road intersection. It was precisely the chaos caused by that outbreak that gave Qin Ran the opportunity to ambush the convoy, steal the painting and escape.

That pollution incident seemed to happen almost instantly, as if skipping the process entirely.

And if that one girl’s outbreak could suddenly affect so many people, and those affected could then trigger a third wave of pollution…

How terrifying would that be?

Could this explosive spread of mental pollution truly infect the entire satellite city in a very short time?

Subconsciously he whispered, “Then how do we stop it?”

Han Bing answered quickly: “Pollution that is sudden and has a rapid intense effect on surrounding people often has an unstable logic chain and its influence isn’t lasting because the core key lacks strong psychic power support.”

“Current data suggests the reason for the intense secondary pollution outbreak is that the rose received sufficient mental power replenishment from the girl. It used her own mental power to achieve such rapid transmission.”

“Its contamination method is: visual contact and radiative influence spread!”

“Anyone who sees the red rose parasite during its secondary pollution outbreak or is within a certain range will be contaminated, developing fervent romantic emotions and desperately seeking an object of affection.”

“However limited by the host parasite’s psychic power level, the degree of contamination formed instantly by this high-outbreak method is likely not too deep.”

“Therefore the crowd affected by the secondary pollution reacts strongly but should still be salvageable…”

…

“Recommended action objectives: One: Eliminate the red rose parasite cut off its contamination of the surroundings!”

“Two: Find those affected by secondary pollution stop their spread.”

…

By the time Lu Xin finished listening to Han Bing’s report he had already arrived in front of the South China Mall, more than a dozen streets away.

Clinging to the wall of the building opposite he looked down.

South China Mall was a shopping center north of the city center converted from an abandoned building from before the cataclysm. It covered a vast area with a tall structure and a wave-shaped dome. However because it hadn’t received proper overall cleaning in nearly thirty years it looked somewhat dilapidated. The originally grey-white facade showed many mottled moldy marks.

Inside the mall lights blazed brightly. The glass doors at the entrance and exit had been smashed. Countless frenzied people were flooding out appearing like sewage pouring into the city.

“I’m afraid it’s not going to be easy to stop them from spreading anymore…”

Lu Xin sighed softly. Pushing off with his legs he leaped down from the building towards the entrance of South China Mall.

It might not be easy but it had to be done.

After all it was work!