Chapter 394: Collaboration of the Dead

“Teacher Wang Song where are you right now?”

“I… I’m still here What’s happened?”

“We have a lead on the problem, please stay put, I’m coming to find you now!”

Having confirmed the direction, Lu Xin quickly psyched himself up and first called the researcher.

After confirming the person on the other end was still “alive” he turned to the armed soldiers who were ready to help him and said, “What we need to do now is first confirm there are no remaining pollution risks in the vicinity then take these instruments and meet up with the researcher.”

The remaining four armed soldiers nodded immediately upon hearing this and split up to act.

…

They must have been decisive and nimble soldiers in life.

Now although their movements were unavoidably slower and their consciousness seemed somewhat stiff, they still worked efficiently. Under the division of labor arranged by Captain Li Jian—the one missing a piece of his head—and Lu Xin, someone immediately went to retrieve the detection device from the car to check for any residual radiation nearby while the other three went to examine the individuals who had mutated earlier.

Since these individuals could revive after death no one could guarantee they wouldn’t revive again.

The task now was to check if they had any residual mental fluctuations.

Fortunately the results were good. It seemed because these people had already mutated into mental entities and those entities had been eliminated they were now truly dead. It could be confirmed they wouldn’t revive at some point and become pollution sources.

Then samples were collected from each of them for subsequent experimental testing.

After finishing these tasks they loaded the observation post’s records, surveillance footage, notes and some weapons onto the truck.

The corpses here were piled together, doused with gasoline and cremated on the spot.

Facing the roaring flames their dead faces appeared stiff and ashen, filled with solemnity.

Led by Captain Li Jian they slowly saluted the fire.

Lu Xin wasn’t a soldier but his heart felt heavy too. He mimicked their gesture and offered a salute.

…

“Let’s go!”

After cleaning up they immediately got into the truck.

Lu Xin was responsible for driving.

Because these soldiers understood their current state. Although their self-perception felt normal under the influence of pollution, unpredictable mutations could occur at any time causing them to lose control.

Therefore not only could they not take the steering wheel but even though the passenger seat was empty they didn’t dare sit there.

Worried they might harm Lu Xin during a moment of lost sanity they all sat in the back compartment.

They preferred to endure the light rain rather than risk any complications.

…

The headlights tore through the dark rainy night as Lu Xin and the five soldiers drove towards the distance.

At this time there were at least two groups of people to find in this wasteland. One was the main team of the Information Gathering Team the other was Researcher Wang Song and others who were already dead but unaware of it, waiting in place.

Lu Xin needed to find Researcher Wang Song now and borrow his expertise to confirm some issues.

Researcher Wang Song had previously told Lu Xin their current location not far from the observation post only about thirty miles away.

Although the roads in the wasteland were difficult to navigate in the light rain Lu Xin asked his sister to help drive and used his glasses to pull up a map of the surrounding area. So they didn’t waste much unnecessary time arriving there in about an hour.

“Mr. Lone Soldier…”

Seeing the headlights illuminate the area behind a small slope someone from the helicopter came out to meet them.

When Researcher Wang Song appeared in the truck’s headlights Lu Xin’s heart sank slightly.

Although he had already confirmed it seeing the researcher’s appearance still made him feel a touch of sorrow.

At this moment there was a hole in his neck seemingly from a bullet passing through. Not only that but there were multiple wounds on his chest too. Large patches of blood soaked his white coat making for a shocking sight.

“Aiyo…”

When the truck stopped and the people in the compartment met Researcher Wang Song and his group they were all startled by each other.

Although the soldiers in the truck were prepared seeing Researcher Wang Song’s neck split open like a pomegranate, the pilot with a bullet hole right between his eyes and the little assistant whose head was almost烂成了西瓜 (làn chéng le xī guā – rotted like a watermelon) still startled them. Their already ashen and stiff faces showed a strange fearful expression which they tried hard to restrain.

Researcher Wang Song and his team were equally startled seeing Lu Xin arrive with these dead people.

…

“Indeed only those polluted or awakened in the same batch cannot detect each other’s abnormalities.”

“When people from different batches meet they can still see the fact that the other party is already dead.”

Lu Xin noted their reactions internally.

At the same time seeing the wounds on Researcher Wang Song and his team he made a tentative judgment. There were only three of them but they were also dead. Two had wounds clearly inflicted by others but the little assistant seemed to have shot himself under the chin. So that mysterious power not only caused people to kill each other but the last one might even commit suicide?

“I’m quite confident that we won’t be polluted by meeting each other.”

While observing Lu Xin explained in the simplest terms, “And regardless of whether they are polluted or not they are willing to help.”

These words were meant for both sides allowing them to understand the situation accordingly.

“This…”

Researcher Wang Song clearly in a worse state than the soldiers still glanced fearfully at them then seemed to steel himself saying, “Alright the most critical point now is how we solve the problem here.”

“The first thing is for you to look at these instruments.”

Lu Xin pointed to the transmitters and their fragments collected from the truck, saying:

“I need to determine the function of these things and their working principle.”

“If possible I hope to find a way to track these items.”

“The pollution we experienced is related to these things. As long as we find them all the pollution can be cut off.”

…

Researcher Wang Song looked at the truck and nodded gravely, “Time is short let’s begin.”

Everyone worked together moving the instruments from the truck.

They also took out tents stands computers mental detection devices and so on from the nearby helicopter and truck. Under Researcher Wang Song’s command they hastily set up a simple workstation.

The samples Lu Xin had previously collected from the resurrected individuals were also moved into this workstation.

“Now I need…”

Researcher Wang Song began speaking hoarsely stopped halfway rubbed his throat and said, “Maybe I caught a cold from the rain my throat is a bit scratchy…” Then he continued, “I need your cooperation for some detection work. Everyone follow my command for now.”

Everyone including Lu Xin nodded.

Even the captain with the missing piece of his head felt strange watching Researcher Wang Song rub his already torn throat and complain about it being scratchy. Taking advantage of a break while moving things he secretly asked Lu Xin, “Are we like that too?”

“No.”

Lu Xin glanced at him, “You’re much calmer than him.”

“Alright!”

The captain scratched his head, “I don’t feel like my throat is scratchy either just my head is a bit itchy.”

Lu Xin gave him a deep look really wanting to tell him to stop scratching.

Watching this person constantly scratch his head and wipe brain matter onto his clothes was indeed quite strange.

…

Working skillfully and cooperatively with a group of dead people in the deep dark rainy night sounded somewhat unreasonable but Lu Xin handled it well seemingly treating these deceased individuals as his colleagues.

He placed great trust in them and showed no signs of discomfort or fear.

Compared to him both the captain’s side and the researcher’s side were still somewhat awkward.

They would still flinch slightly when suddenly seeing each other.

While muttering to themselves they couldn’t help but look at Lu Xin with some admiration.

“As expected of a member of the Special Action Team working with a group of dead people without any fear…”

…

Of course if Lu Xin knew the dead were currently complaining about his abnormal courage he would probably be speechless too.

“It can be confirmed these things are a type of signal converter!”

Soon Researcher Wang Song reached a conclusion stating affirmatively, “Their principle is the same as our signal transmitters but they use some materials from the field of mental radiation allowing them to receive and refract mental radiation.”

“It can be understood that they are using this method to spread a type of mental radiation to distant places…”

Meanwhile the little assistant also obtained detection results.

“By testing the residual tissues of the polluted colleagues it can be confirmed that they are indeed dead.”

“However a strange mental radiation stimulated their body tissues maintaining a surface level of vitality. I think this is why we saw those colleagues as… dead but they were still ‘alive’.”

“It’s the same principle as a dead frog exhibiting reflexes when stimulated by electrical currents.”

“Of course this stimulation is much stronger and much more complex.”

…

Researcher Wang Song nodded his expression seemingly excited:

“As long as we determine what this mental radiation is I think we can uncover the truth behind this pollution.”

…

Lu Xin listened to their words and nodded slightly.

In fact he had already determined what this pollution was.

Undoubtedly it was the ability belonging to the Queen of Happy Town somehow drawn out.

“The most important thing now is can we find a way to track this radiation?”

Lu Xin asked this question.

Only by tracking this radiation could he find the radiation transmitters scattered across the wasteland.

Destroying these transmitters was necessary to break this force field and sever the logic chain.

“Of course we can.”

Hearing Lu Xin’s words Researcher Wang Song smiled, “Once its wavelength is determined tracking it is easy.”

Lu Xin let out a long sigh of relief a hint of joy appearing in his heart.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

He said seriously to these people, “I will convey what you’ve done back to Qinggang.”

He spoke these words very earnestly even with some gratitude.

“Hehe that’s not important anymore just make sure our compensation funds are properly allocated.”

But after hearing his words Researcher Wang Song chuckled pulled Lu Xin aside and handed him an envelope, “Mr. Lone Soldier this is my suicide note. Remember to help me deliver it to my wife after the pollution is handled.”

…

Lu Xin who had been smiling suddenly froze looking at him in disbelief.

Researcher Wang Song still had a smile on his face, “Mr. Lone Soldier don’t forget I am a researcher.”

“When you told me to stay put and not move I already knew something was wrong.”

“Although I realized then that part of my logic was flawed and even knowing something was wrong it was hard to spot my own abnormality, it’s still quite simple to find the problem through a rigorous self-check method.”

“Admitting this fact is a bit difficult but it is the truth after all.”

“Through this I also inferred the reason why mental monsters are born when the dead learn of their own death.”

“Emotion.”

“An emotional collapse causes the deceased to experience an abnormality similar to losing control thus giving birth to a mental monster. But if one can calmly accept this fact or if one’s will overrides this emotion this mutation can be avoided.”

“I am a researcher I respect the facts.”

Saying this he smiled, “The only problem is waiting like this is indeed quite boring.”

“I was wondering how to spend this last bit of time.”

“Now I am very satisfied. Cooperating with you has given meaning to my final moments.”

…

Hearing these words Lu Xin didn’t know how to respond for a moment.

But Researcher Wang Song had already turned away chuckling loudly:

“Captain Li Jian I will immediately devise an algorithm. Then please notify the main Information Gathering Team. No need to discuss matters of life or death with them to avoid causing emotional chaos just tell them our objective.”

“Yes sir.”

Captain Li Jian responded loudly and picked up the walkie-talkie.

“Information gathering mission has changed. Releasing new mission orders now destroy the pollution field!”

The other end of the walkie-talkie crackled with static.

After a long moment a hoarse voice replied, “Read.”

“We’ve been waiting for mission commands!”