Lu Yan dialed Dr. Li Rui's number.
No answer. Later, the phone went dead, automatically powering off.
His messages on WeChat received no response either.
Despite working at the same hospital, Lu Yan and Dr. Li's relationship wasn't close enough to exchange home addresses.
Shortly after Lin Sinan left, compensation for the last surgery came through—a direct deposit, a hefty sum after tax, landing in the low six figures.
In all his years at the hospital, it was Lu Yan's first time receiving such a generous bonus.
With no immediate work, he didn't head to the hospital.
Normally, after a windfall, people would indulge in shopping to treat themselves.
He pondered for a moment, then emptied the convenience store downstairs of water and instant noodles.
Inside, the elderly gatekeeper nodded along to the radio.
"At 10 am today, our city police discovered a fugitive in Qujiang Park. The fugitive attempted to take a hostage and was shot on the spot."
Lu Yan recalled the last thing Li Rui said over the phone today.
He was in a rush to open the door and hung up before finishing.
The person mentioned a place starting with "Qu."
Now, it seemed to be Qujiang Park.
Lu Yan lowered his head, searching for related news. Unfortunately, no media outlet provided information about the suspect. It seemed to be a generic press release, and all the news was more or less the same.
Finally, he found a blurry aerial photo—a person in a black combat suit lying on the ground.
He'd seen Li Rui wear that suit before, a gift from his girlfriend, a Canadian Goose.
Dr. Li loved it and had shown it off in the department for several days.
A sense of unease expanded within Lu Yan.
He drove to a nearby large mall and went on a frenzy of shopping.
The mall seemed unprepared for a customer shopping as if stocking up for a warehouse, arranging a truck to deliver Lu Yan's purchases.
Food, medicine, mineral water, portable gas stoves...
What he bought filled two entire guest rooms.
It was a good thing Lu Yan lived alone; otherwise, he wouldn't have had enough space.
"Bro, why'd you buy so much? This won't be used up for years."
The delivery guy, helping with the haul, was utterly puzzled.
Lu Yan wasn't one to explain and replied, "For a microbusiness."
The delivery guy: "..."
Hard to comprehend.
In the evening, Lu Yan, as usual, turned on the TV, preparing to cook while listening to the evening news.
"The pollution source in H City has been contained, and the emergency state will soon be lifted, resuming traffic..."
As the anchor spoke, her expression changed abruptly. "We interrupt this broadcast with breaking news."
"We have an unidentified pollution-related illness in our city, suspending all activities. We urge all citizens to voluntarily self-isolate at home and avoid going out. K City is temporarily under lockdown!"
Like Lu Yan, the several million residents of K City received the same message.
A cloud of panic descended upon K City, shrouding it in gloom.
In residential groups, notification tones chimed continuously.
"What's happening? A pollution-related illness?"
"No signs beforehand, it's so sudden!"
"I have a business trip scheduled for tomorrow!"
For most people, a pollution-related illness was something happening abroad.
Initially, there was some anxiety. After all, no one wanted to turn into a monster. But in the last two or three years, with daily reports on pollution-related illnesses, people gradually realized this ailment wasn't untreatable. It actually lessened their fear.
They just never imagined that one day pollution would strike close to home.
The residential community management issued a statement: "Homeowners, please be assured. We've received the notice. Even though you can't go out, the property will still serve you. If you need essential groceries, you can make a list and hand it to us. We'll definitely help you through this difficult time!"
Meanwhile, in Lu Yan's colleague group, a cluster of doctors were deeply engrossed in discussions about this contamination illness.
"It's not within the scope of traditional medical systems. Will we, as doctors, be conscripted?"
"Ah, I have a patient scheduled for a tumor removal surgery. Unable to leave home now, can't go to the hospital. What do I do?"
"Why should even doctors be quarantined at home?!"
Though reports about the contamination illness were common, some doctors were curious about it. But... it was only their professional obligation that endowed them with slightly more information than the average person.
At least, the management of this contamination illness was no longer within the realm of medicine.
This sort of world-altering contamination illness, in the majority's perception, was still merely as troublesome as influenza or AIDS. Initially, even the research institute thought so.
People optimistically believed that humanity would conquer this contamination illness just as they did with smallpox.
But Lu Yan, as he stared at the messages on the screen, wore a grave expression. He recalled the fish eggs he saw during the surgery yesterday.
Lin Sinan claimed there wouldn't be secondary contamination, yet Li Rui had begun to deform.
In the morning, he called Director Hu. The Director informed him that he was already on a plane heading back to his hometown.
The Director hadn't shown any symptoms of contamination.
During the surgery, only Li Rui had come into contact with the pierced fish eggs.
Could bodily fluids... transmit it?
This time, the lockdown was exceptionally stringent.
The next morning, Lu Yan stood by the window, as usual, gazing outside. His bedroom window faced the community gate, offering a clear view.
A military armored vehicle parked at the gate, followed by several armed officers descending from it.
Countless individuals had been relocated from various bases to City K to manage this sudden crisis.
Not only was the community gate sealed shut, but even the unit doors were locked. Only during grocery deliveries would they briefly open.
Many residents were anxious but felt helpless.
On the second night of the city's closure, while Lu Yan was sleeping, he suddenly heard a gunshot in the distance.
The electric bikes parked in the community started buzzing.
Lu Yan got up, cautiously parted the curtains slightly, and looked outside.
After a moment, he spotted a familiar rectangular metal block being carried out of the community by people.
That was the same metal capsule used for the patient initially brought to the hospital.
In the morning, the issue inevitably came up within the homeowners' group.
The management promptly clarified: "I inquired about it. Last night, a thief attempted a break-in. The guards, in their urgency, fired a warning shot. Nothing serious. The thief has been taken to the police station."
Lu Yan glanced at it and put down his phone.
He decided to wash an apple for breakfast, trying to calm his nerves.
Just as Lu Yan's hand reached the faucet, the system finally made a noise.
"[I advise you not to use tap water today.]"
"[Do you know, these disgusting parasitic fish eggs are transparent in their unparasitized state.]"
Lu Yan retracted his hand, feeling like eating the apple without washing it might just be okay.
He watched the news, eating the apple, while the system provided detailed explanations.
"[In the first phase of deformation, the fish eggs will enter your stomach, hatch, and undergo massive asexual reproduction. This phase can last for two weeks.]"
"[In the second phase, the eggs will travel through your bloodstream, settle in areas with more fat, absorbing nutrients, gradually surfacing on your skin.]"
"[In the third phase, the eggs will cover every part of your body. That's when you'll become the lowest-level pollutant! Usually hatching into fish-human hybrids.]" The system's voice sounded oddly cheerful.
"This is the life of despised parasitic fish eggs."
Lu Yan opened his phone and posted a message in all group chats and forums, urging everyone to stock up on bottled water.
Then, he casually searched for the contact number of the Contamination Disease Control Center in City K.
He felt at least obligated to issue a warning.
"[If I were you, I wouldn't make that call.]" The system suddenly spoke up.
"[Host, the Harbingers might not be sent to the research institute, but you will be, because you are Lu Cheng's son and possess my talent. Missing Lu Cheng back then has made the institute regret until now. Moreover, the institute's research on contamination is deeper than you think. I advise you not to worry needlessly.]"
"Of course, you don't have to believe me. After all, I'm just a system. But... I'd rather stay by your side. You're quite good-looking, after all." The system hesitated.
In the past, regardless of the system's soliloquies, Lu Yan never responded.
But this time, he, unprecedentedly, inquired, "What would happen if one were sent to the research institute?"
The system chuckled twice, "[Perhaps death is the best outcome. However, as a precious experimental specimen, you won't easily perish.]"
Lu Yan didn't want to die, much less be dissected alive. Hence, he temporarily abandoned the thought of calling the Contamination Disease Control Center.
Anxiety made him repeatedly wipe the floor with a cloth, even though his home was spotless, not a speck of dust beneath the bed.
"The response from the authorities proved to be quite prompt.
In the afternoon, Lu Yan witnessed the neighboring rich kid opening his window, erupting into a fit of rage on the balcony: 'Damn it! Why is the water cut off?!'
The property management group exploded.
This sudden water outage caught everyone off guard. No one had received any prior notice. What's more, the entire City K, and even a few nearby cities, simultaneously lost their water supply.
Water, something often taken for granted due to its ubiquity, suddenly became a matter of life and death in its absence.
The property management, evidently unprepared for such an event, scrambled to reassure the residents through their group chats.
Ever since the city lockdown began, Lu Yan's TV at home had never been turned off.
The local news anchor reported, 'This afternoon, due to mishandling by water plant workers, a large amount of cyanide was accidentally introduced into the reservoir. Cyanide is a highly toxic substance. To ensure residents' safety, our city has implemented an emergency water shutdown. The city hall will arrange for regular deliveries of clean water. We urge citizens to remain calm.'
In compliance with the city hall's lockdown policy, news anchors were conducting their broadcasts from home.
The general public remained kept in the dark.
Lu Yan pondered. It was a simple truth—everyone knew about this pollution disease but had no clear idea about its terrifying nature.
And fear of death is innate to humans.
If the truth were known, the facade of peace would instantly shatter. Many would resort to any means to leave City K. All it would take is for one person carrying the parasitic fish eggs, and disaster would spread worldwide.
A runaway train heading towards a track with one person on it and another with a group. Which would you choose?
The system chuckled softly.
'[Your thoughts, while not entirely incorrect, might need an understanding of something called pollution value... or maybe, the "san" value?]'
'[The more fearful, the more susceptible to pollution. If the media began broadcasting the true state of the world, trust me, within a month, the entire world would succumb.]'
'[Of course, that time isn't far off now.]'
'You seem almost eager for the world to end.'
Like some sort of malevolent antagonist.
'[Evidence suggests that evolution often occurs in sudden, leap-like bursts. New species emerge rapidly and remain relatively stable for a long time in the future.]'＊
'I'm just... impatient to witness your ascension to godhood.'"