"This is one of the institute's most precious inventions: the pollution disease's specific cure. Due to its derivation from pollutants, it's quite expensive. Please refrain from selling it for cash. There have been precedents of this before," emphasized the staff, "If you're short on funds, you can directly contact the headquarters. Your current cash withdrawal limit is five million."
The cure appeared in capsule form, with only four pills.
"For an F-class harbinger, the standard allocation is two pills per month. The remaining two are a performance bonus for your outstanding contribution in managing the pollution disease in K City."
[This cure is something special. It's different from the medication distributed to the mutated individuals in the containment facility. In critical moments, it's akin to a life-saving drug. Your mutation level isn't too high at the moment; you might want to stock up a bit.]
"Here's your work permit."
The work permit resembled an ID card, featuring Lu Yan's photo, fingerprint collection, and DNA coding.
"Every task completed earns corresponding contribution points. These points can be used for item exchanges, task assignments, pollution management, among other purposes."
"Finally, based on the data returned by researchers, here's the weapon prepared for you."
A dagger. Exquisitely crafted, Lu Yan retrieved it from its sheath, the blade shimmering with an ethereal blue light.
This dagger had a double-edged blade.
[Something fashioned from the bones of D-class pollutant Land Turtles, market value 500 contribution points. Giving you something too lavish might attract other masked superhumans. It suits you well. They've gone to great lengths here; are you the illegitimate child of the director?]
"Thank you," Lu Yan waved dismissively, "I quite like it."
The staff bowed deeply to him. "As long as you're pleased. Thank you for your contributions to humanity's future. We hope to serve you again next time."
...
When Lu Yan stepped out, he couldn't help but remark, "This is way too formal."
He hadn't done anything yet.
[Just words. Who doesn't have a bit of heroism and adolescent fantasies? Some people buy into this. You're also basking in the glory of your predecessors.]
This respect wasn't just for Lu Yan; it extended to all the Harbingers of the Special Operations Department.
The institute was theoretical, the Special Operations Department was practical, and the Pollution Disease Control Center was logistical. They supported each other, seeking a future.
Lin Sinan was waiting for him in the off-road vehicle at the entrance, sprawled over the steering wheel, eyes squinting lazily.
After taking the cure, his mutation had significantly decreased. From 53 a few days ago, it dropped to 39.
Contact with pollutants increased the degree of mutation, while staying away for a while caused it to gradually recede to a standard value. The function of the cure was to lower this standard value.
Lin Sinan's current standard value was 31. Exactly one-tenth of Lu Yan's.
As the frequency of medication intake increased, the body developed resistance... but that was an unavoidable outcome.
Lin Sinan gestured, "Let's go. I'll take you to meet your team leader."
He was the captain of the third unit of the sixth group.
"Logically, Lu Yan was supposed to join their team, but it seemed headquarters thought Lin Sinan's spiritual threshold was too low for the risky missions they were undertaking. Therefore, Lu Yan was assigned to another team.
Lin Sinan was quite accepting of this arrangement. His spiritual threshold was only at 1600, classifying him as a D-rank. It was hard to reassure anyone with such a low ranking while protecting a healing-type Harbinger.
Lu Yan was set to join a special operations unit known as Dragon Team. The team comprised fewer than forty members.
International Harbingers once marveled: 'On average, each member of the Dragon Team is worth three aircraft carriers.'
It had been years since new recruits joined the team, and Lu Yan was the sole addition in the past three years.
Seated in the back of the vehicle, Lu Yan paused, shutting down data transmission and slipping on a measuring device onto his left hand.
The dial displayed his abnormal values: 75 on the left hand, 31 on the right. Clearly, there was a discrepancy.
Lu Yan hadn't slept well in the past few days. The village they were heading to was over 200 kilometers from K City, and the road conditions were poor, taking at least three to four hours. He leaned back in the seat, succumbing to weariness.
Lin Sinan noticed his fatigue and spoke softly, 'There's a blanket in the back. Get some rest. I'll wake you when we arrive.'
With a mumbled 'okay,' Lu Yan drifted into slumber.
Upon waking, darkness had enveloped the surroundings. Feeling disoriented, Lu Yan was about to question their delay when a sudden alertness struck him.
He smelled blood.
The eerie silence was unsettling, and Lin Sinan was nowhere in the driver's seat.
'You're finally awake. Damn it, why did it come over here?'
'Time's short. Remember what I say —'
'You've encountered an A-class Pollutant, the Dream Eater. This place is both a dream and reality. What you see might not be real, yet it might not be false either. If you die, it's real. You'll become sustenance for the Dream Eater. I wonder what your soul tastes like. Unfortunately, I'm suppressed in this false space because you're not the dream's owner.'
'It wouldn't be this bad if it were just the Dream Eater, but I didn't expect that cursed wall to appear here as well. Overlaying each other, it's become a nightmare's high-level copy. I thought we were headed to the beginner's village, but we've stumbled into a hidden instance.'
'Someone's on the way to rescue. The key to leaving here: waking the dream's owner.'
'The only silver lining is, in this dream, you're not an unnamed female classmate... Well, I can't say more. It's about to discover me.'
The system went silent abruptly.
Lu Yan lay quietly in the back compartment, oblivious to any detection. Moments later, he fumbled and retrieved his phone.
Blocking the light, he checked his phone's battery, 90% remaining, but no signal.
In his inbox, there was a message from Lin Sinan:
'You're still not awake. I'll check outside first. Something seems off. Wait for me no matter what. Do not venture out. Stay safe.'
Back when Lu Yan was a doctor, he noticed the first discharged patients were always the ones who strictly followed medical advice.
So, he stayed put in the back until dawn. In the wee hours, occasional roars and cries outside didn't move Lu Yan.
But with daylight, Lu Yan finally traced the source of the blood stench.
Lin Sinan was nailed to the rear window.
Throughout the night, the corpse remained there, staring fiercely with blood-filled eyes through the cold glass. Several disgustingly large maggots wriggled out of his ears, crawling on the window.
Lu Yan's phone lay on the floor.
After a while, he murmured slowly, 'Dilated pupils, highly clouded. Mild putrefaction. Estimated time of death... 36 to 48 hours ago.'
...
...
Outskirts of K City, bordering W City.
The highway had been blocked off for quite a stretch. Countless traffic officers were frantically busy at the blockade.
Staff from the Disease Prevention and Control Center rushed to the scene, assisting researchers in analyzing the contamination source for over twenty hours.
Many reporters arrived, holding up their microphones:
—'The new contamination source in K City, what level is it? Does it pose a threat to nearby residents?'
—'Within the 48 hours of the mist's appearance, were there any survivors?'
Behind the traffic police was a thick fog.
The ashen-black fog churned ceaselessly, resembling Leviathan, an unmerciful behemoth swallowing everything."