Chapter 93: Rooftop Tragedy

“The preliminary logic chain for Special Pollution Source 096 has been established.”

“It starts with a gifted rose, causing the recipient to become contaminated. The pollution then grows within the recipient’s emotions.”

“When the recipient’s emotions reach a certain intensity, it triggers—though we can’t rule out someone manipulating the pollution source’s activation, which would explain the simultaneous outbreak of so many pollution incidents. Once triggered, the recipient becomes a source for secondary contamination. This contamination manifests by stimulating intense, abnormal fervor in surrounding people.”

“Couples affected by this secondary contamination will exhibit the following symptoms:”

“1. An amplified craving and longing for their lover, driving them to reunite at all costs.”

“2. Expressing intense affection through actions like embracing and kissing their lover.”

“Based on current data analysis, those affected by secondary contamination undergo a mutation after a certain period—currently estimated around thirty minutes—and display the same abnormal behavior: collective love suicide!”

“Those together with their lover might feel compelled to die together to prove their love.”

“Those unable to find their partner might feel an urge to jump from a high-rise building to prove their love…”

…

As Lu Xin rushed into the high-rise building, stripping the mobility from pairs of lovers heading upstairs hand-in-hand, Han Bing rapidly organized the data on the channel. She reported it to Lu Xin while simultaneously submitting it upwards. Her analysis was as clear as possible, visibly incorporating data submitted by other action teams, synthesized and analyzed.

Sudden pollution incidents weren’t just happening at Wanzhong Mall; several other locations in the city were also affected. Information wasn’t solely from here; investigation results and findings from other sites were being compiled and centralized by the Information Analysis Team.

“How did it get so complicated…”

Lu Xin muttered, swinging the flagpole in his hand as dull thuds echoed around him.

His voice was tinged with anger and confusion.

Anger, because of the massive casualties caused by this pollution incident.

These were living people. People who could eat, work, kiss, grow vegetables, maybe even help others. Dead, just like that?

Confusion, because of the event’s complexity.

He’d handled quite a few special pollution incidents before; it wasn’t unfamiliar territory.

But the logic chains he’d seen previously were either extremely simple or so bizarre they defied explanation.

Yet, this one, stemming from a single origin, had mutated beyond its initial logic chain.

…

…

“Because it’s man-made…”

Facing Lu Xin’s simmering anger, Han Bing’s voice on the channel remained remarkably calm, yet carried a hint of gravity.

“Even if a normal pollution source appears, it rarely causes such sudden, uncontrollable, large-scale chaos.”

“What we’re facing now is highly likely related to the theft of the mysterious oil painting Section Chief Chen reported not long ago. It seems the Ability Users from outside the city deliberately orchestrated this series of special pollution incidents to create turmoil, allowing them to escape…”

“Only through careful human planning could the harm of a pollution source be maximized like this…”

…

“Is it that Qin Ran again?”

Lu Xin’s heart sank slightly as he asked quietly.

“Yes!”

Han Bing stated calmly over the channel, “An emergency investigation into Special Pollution Source 041 has been launched, but leads are scarce, nothing concrete yet. What we can confirm is that the Ability Users from outside the city have caused massive chaos in the Second Satellite City.”

“Whatever their goal, the pollution is already a fact.”

“All we can do now is our utmost to clean it up… before more people die!”

…

Hearing Han Bing’s words, Lu Xin’s heart grew heavier, and his lips tightened into a thin line.

He stopped talking and sprinted up the building’s stairs towards the rooftop at top speed.

Along the way, he had already disabled five people.

When he burst onto the rooftop, he saw three people already standing at the edge.

On the left side was a middle-aged man pulling a plump woman along.

On the right was a skinny young boy.

They were practically stepping onto the high-rise’s edge.

Lu Xin forced himself into high alert, turning his head to look at his Sister.

His Sister, throughout this process, had been exceptionally obedient.

It seemed she understood how focused Lu Xin was right now, not only cooperating fully but also refraining from distracting him.

When Lu Xin glanced her way, she immediately understood his meaning.

The distance between the left and right sides was too great; they couldn’t possibly save all three simultaneously.

They had to split up, at least temporarily.

…

…

After a silent nod, Lu Xin kicked off violently, lunging towards the boy on the right edge.

As he shot forward, his Sister leaped from his back, rushing towards the middle-aged couple on the left.

One tackled the young boy, grabbing his waist and bringing him down less than ten centimeters from the edge. The other appeared eerily beside the middle-aged couple on the left, forcibly pulling them back.

“I like you, Nan Nan…”

The boy, eyes glazed over, screamed, still trying desperately to crawl towards the edge.

His face wore an expression of sorrow and despair, his hand clutching a photo of a girl in jeans.

Even after being pulled back by Lu Xin, he struggled towards the edge, crying out, “I told you so many times, I really like you! You never believe me! Now I’ll die for you, surely you’ll believe I’m sincere now…”

…

Lu Xin wasted no words. He grabbed a nearby flowerpot and smashed it directly onto the boy’s head.

“Clang…”

The flowerpot shattered. The boy passed out. Finally, quiet.

“Whether she believes you’re sincere might be a separate issue from whether she wants to be with you…”

Lu Xin glanced at the photo in the boy’s hand, letting out a soft sigh, then looked towards his Sister.

His eyes widened slightly at the sight.

He saw his Sister had tied up the middle-aged couple… using the man to bind the woman, and the woman to bind the man.

The old couple was twisted together like a pretzel.

…How did she even do that?

…

…

“Stop fooling around!”

Lu Xin hissed.

His Sister made a face at him, then sullenly untied them.

Once untied, the couple surprisingly seemed completely unharmed; arms and legs were intact and functional.

Lu Xin grew even more curious. How exactly did she manage that?

“Who are you talking to?”

Han Bing’s voice crackled through the channel, tinged with nervousness.

“…A boy who wanted to jump!”

Lu Xin explained, breathing a small sigh of relief. He looked up, and then froze.

A chill shot up from the pit of his stomach.

…

…

From the rooftop where he stood, he could see several other rooftops, high and low, in the distance.

And now, shadowy figures appeared on all of them.

Some were couples, holding hands, walking forward sweetly and blissfully. Others were alone, silently shuffling towards the edge. There was even one person walking numbly, dragging someone who was wailing, struggling, and screaming for help…

Now, with various expressions, they reached the edges of the rooftops and jumped off in lines.

Some jumped silently, hand in hand.

Some roared in anger, their cries stretching into long arcs from the rooftop down to the ground.

Some were weeping, holding each other tightly as they fell…

…

…

Lu Xin suddenly tensed. In just one glance, he could see dozens of people. Looking further, maybe hundreds. But the distance was too great. The nearest rooftop was forty or fifty meters away, while others were over a hundred, even several hundred meters off. He could see them clearly, but he couldn’t reach them…

The vast space suddenly made Lu Xin feel incredibly small, incredibly powerless.

“What happened?”

Han Bing saw some of the scene through the camera on Lu Xin’s chest, but the distance made it unclear. She asked instinctively.

“I see… on the surrounding rooftops… there are so many people…”

Lu Xin’s voice sounded strained. “But I… I can’t get there in time…”

Over the channel, Han Bing instantly understood the situation Lu Xin faced.

Her heart sank too. She paused for a moment before her voice hurried out, “Your abilities have limits. You… don’t blame yourself…”

Although she was trying to comfort Lu Xin, her voice clearly betrayed her own panic.

Save who you can save. Those you can’t, it’s because it’s beyond your capabilities…

Lu Xin understood this principle; the Old Director had told him before.

But even understanding it, seeing the countless people now standing on the edges of the surrounding buildings…

A strange emotion surged within him.

…

…

He wasn’t sure whether to call it a deep sense of powerlessness or a panic at the impending loss of so many lives.

This was the first time in a long while Lu Xin had experienced such intense emotion.

Just then, the roaring sound of helicopter rotors descended from overhead.