Chapter 95: The Black and White Bridge

Qingjie Bridge is the only passage between the South City and the East side of the city. It sits right between the Wanzhong Mall and Beiluo Street the locations of the two Special Pollution outbreaks. Blocking these areas confined the spreading Pollution Source within a specific zone.

Ten minutes ago the Security Hall and two City Patrol Army teams arrived at the designated location to establish control.

But reports just came in that the number of polluted individuals swarming the area is rapidly increasing almost reaching the breaking point…

Their orders were to avoid opening fire if possible but if the blockade failed…

…

Listening to Han Bing’s update over the channel Lu Xin rushed to Qingjie Bridge seven kilometers away.

From a distance he could see countless people gathered at this end of the bridge.

They all moved slowly swaying unsteadily with their arms hanging limp as they shuffled forward step by step.

At the other end of the bridge armed personnel had blocked the entrance countless menacing gun barrels aimed across.

When Lu Xin dealt with the Pollution Source earlier the regular soldiers didn’t enter because in large-scale sudden Pollution Incidents like this they couldn’t guarantee their own safety. They were deployed only to block major intersections.

In such chaotic situations only Ability Users and Investigation Teams could enter the polluted area.

Still the City Patrol Army and the Security Hall were a huge help right now.

Given the terrain blocking the bridge effectively contained the Pollution Source within a limited area.

Precisely because this bridge was so crucial they would resort to opening fire if the situation on the other side seemed uncontrollable.

…

…

“They’ve started mutating…”

Lu Xin watched the slow-moving people his heart sinking slightly.

At this point he wasn’t afraid of the frantic ones running wildly that just meant their pollution wasn’t as severe. Stopping them was simple just temporarily disabling their mobility. But when they slowed down appearing calm the problem became much worse because they developed a “lovers’ suicide pact” mentality.

Either way whether they broke through the bridgehead or succumbed to the “lovers’ suicide pact” death was the only outcome.

…

…

Lu Xin took a deep breath and looked ahead.

Although a huge crowd had gathered at the bridge it wasn’t like the rooftops earlier where he felt overwhelmed.

Besides even though there were many they moved slowly. There was still a chance to save them…

“Tired?”

He glanced at his sister asking quietly.

“Hmph…”

Sister tilted her small face up at him. “Tired or not I still have to help you work don’t I…”

Over the channel Han Bing replied gently “We’re fine you’re the ones doing the hardest work…”

Faced with both replies Lu Xin just grunted an “Mm”.

Then he leaped down from the building face grabbing a rope dangling in mid-air.

Now he needed to figure out how to disable this entire group’s mobility simultaneously…

But just as he picked up speed about to charge into the crowd something felt wrong.

His running speed slowed. The surrounding buildings and streets rapidly faded as if their colors were washed away. Even the deep night and pale lights vanished quickly replaced by a high-contrast black-and-white world. It felt like he’d suddenly run from reality straight into a dream.

Lu Xin stopped abruptly turning to look around. He was stunned to find himself in what looked like an anime world. Everything was rendered in black and white lines sketching out simple yet vivid scenes clear yet complex.

He could even see the people around him.

The people he’d just seen walking woodenly toward the bridge looked completely different here.

Their faces were full of expression as if they believed this place was real.

Glancing around everyone was running wildly embracing each other leaping for joy.

Some had one or several members of the opposite sex clinging to them looking as blissful as a 200-pound man frolicking on a beach.

Others held hands with women sketched in black and white lines slowly climbing stairs also drawn in black blocks. They reached the platform at the top embraced the women and then fell together…

Below the platform was a lake drawn with heavy ink.

The dense ink symbolized the lake’s bottomless depth.

They jumped into the lake splashing ink flowers then climbed out contentedly only to start climbing the stairs again.

…

…

The intense black and white visuals stung Lu Xin’s eyes making him feel slightly dizzy.

“What is this?”

Lu Xin looked left and right but realized his sister was no longer beside him.

He didn’t understand the situation or how he’d entered such a strange world. His scalp tingled slightly.

“Mr. Lone Soldier what happened?”

Han Bing’s anxious voice came through the channel.

“I’ve suddenly entered a very strange place…”

Lu Xin asked instinctively “Can you see it?”

Han Bing quickly replied “Everything looks normal from here… What strange world?”

Just as Lu Xin was about to describe the place he heard a strange voice nearby “Hey you…”

Looking up he saw a bald uncle in a white undershirt and shorts walking towards him holding a thermos cup. His expression was odd. “Young man you’re not polluted how did you get into my world?”

“Pollution?”

Unsure if he was friend or foe Lu Xin said quietly “I’ve run into a bald uncle…”

“Bald uncle…”

Han Bing’s voice was still on the channel. After a slight pause she reacted quickly “Is that Drunkard?”

Alerted Lu Xin looked at him and said “I’m Mr. Lone Soldier from the Second Satellite City.”

“Oh a colleague…”

The uncle understood immediately. “I just came over from Satellite City No. 4. The situation here is under control. Anyone running this way inevitably enters my ability’s range and once they’re in they can’t escape or die… By the way if you’re an Ability User how did you suddenly end up in my range too…”

Lu Xin was taken aback “Shouldn’t you be telling me that?”

“…If I knew would I need to ask you?”

The uncle clicked his tongue and shook his head. “Strange. The power I’m using now should only affect ordinary people.”

As he spoke he extended his hand toward Lu Xin.

Lu Xin reached out and grasped his hand. Everything around them changed.

The bizarre manga world faded rapidly and he returned to reality finding himself among the crowd at this end of the bridge.

He could even see the people around him acting out fragments of their experiences in the manga world. Those surrounded by the opposite sex wore happy smiles while those who repeatedly jumped off the building kept falling and getting back up.

“There’s actually an ability like this…”

Lu Xin paused slightly then looked forward at the person whose hand he held.

He was suddenly startled.

The person shaking his hand wasn’t the bald uncle but a girl in a school uniform who looked only seventeen or eighteen. She had a ponytail and a very innocent appearance. She pulled her hand back opened the thermos cup in her hand and took a sip. Lu Xin caught the pungent smell of alcohol and realized her thermos was filled with white wine.

“Alright young man hurry off somewhere else. I’ve got this no problem.”

Saying this she nonchalantly picked her nose turned around and continued exerting her ability on the surrounding people.

Lu Xin was completely stunned.

Not until a sharp pain shot through his leg did he quickly look down to see his sister biting him.

“What are you doing?”

He reached down picked up his sister and questioned her silently.

“I saw you spacing out just now. I was helping you snap out of it…”

Sister folded her arms mid-air looking displeased at Lu Xin and answered righteously.

“Well you bit me a little late then…”

Lu Xin replied briefly not wasting any more words. Turning to leave he asked quietly “What’s her situation?”

“Drunkard is a seventeen-year-old girl still in school.”

Over the channel Han Bing seemed to anticipate Lu Xin’s question explaining “However she has an inexplicable self-perception disorder. In her consciousness she believes she’s a sixty-year-old uncle. So whenever Drunkard activates her ability pulling people into her illusion we see her appear as an uncle within it.”

Lu Xin let out a slow breath finding it somewhat unbelievable.

Whether it was the doll too beautiful to be real or this uncle with a ponytail…

…It seemed like all his colleagues had some issues!