Here's a smooth and easy-to-understand English translation of the passage:
"Zhou Qiming found Lu Yan's request quite odd. But because Lu Yan was so good-looking, he complied anyway. After all, being a fan or a follower, it's just a single letter difference.
When Zhou Qiming added this setting to the four individuals, the eerie and horrifying atmosphere around them considerably eased. However, in contrast, a different kind of longing surged within them. It was like a daughter seeing her mother after a long separation, wanting to rush into her arms.
Sure enough, highly polluted pollutants were no walk in the park to deal with. 'Congratulations, you won't have to get pregnant now,' the system announced. Although it congratulated them, its tone held an inexplicable regret, making one want to punch it.
Rolling water sounds echoed in Lu Yan's ears, akin to tinnitus mixed with the eerie noises of a nearby, unseen monster. This incessant noise was a headache-inducing nuisance.
The relationship between people and pollutants was akin to the food chain's hierarchy, like mice and cats. Occasionally, a few mice could confront the cat, but most of the time, the first instinct of a mouse upon seeing a cat was to flee. This was an instinct honed over centuries, engraved in their genes.
Without needing to say a word, the four individuals split up with remarkable mutual understanding. 'Survival for one is still survival,' they believed, with the survivors responsible for relaying the message from here.
This was inscribed in the Disease Prevention and Control Center's 'Harbinger Code of Conduct,' the first line on the first page.
Information and wisdom were the keys allowing humanity to triumph over strength.
Upon leaving Dragon Maiden Lake, rolling fog enveloped the surroundings. Despite Lu Yan possessing vastly superior night vision, he couldn't see anything in this white mist. Instead, his ears were filled with sharp laughter.
The pollutants towered above, resembling deities observing humans struggling in desperation.
Within no more than three minutes, they all returned from different directions. 'We can't get out,' the detective wiped the cold sweat off his forehead and said, 'My talent rank isn't high, but it's highly practical. We encountered ghost barriers before and used stealth to get out. This time, stealth failed.'
'Detective, Psychic Power Threshold at 2700. Support Class.'
'Talents: Stealth, Tracking, Clue Perception.'
'Mutations: Amnesia, Hyperthymesia, Mental Instability.'
Finally, the Dragon Maiden climbed onto the shore. In the moonlight, her long black hair covered the upper body densely adorned with fish scales. Instead of a human lower body, a long snake tail extended.
Even though the visible part of her tail was about five to six meters long, the rest remained submerged in the lake, casting a shadow under the moonlight.
The Dragon Maiden sported dragon horns on her head and carried four to five baby girls on her back. More monstrous than human, they were heavily decayed, their baby teeth transformed into long and terrifying shark-like teeth.
The pollution level on the detector stopped at seven thousand two.
'You guys go ahead!' Zhou Qiming drew his weapon, shielding the three others, and declared firmly."
Lu Yan wasn't a combat-oriented Harbinger, but due to his high spiritual power threshold, he possessed some combat abilities. After saying this, Zhou Qiming activated several buffs for himself: [Attack +150], [Defense +100], [Automatically release toxins that disrupt the nervous system of aquatic creatures].
With these buffs in place, the Dragon Maiden in front of him remained unfazed, and the little dragon girl uncomfortably swam back into the water. However, behind him, Dr. Lu, with a calm expression, suddenly covered his throat and began dry heaving.
[Feeling sorry for you, Zhou Qiming added a buff that automatically releases toxins disrupting the nervous system of aquatic creatures. Of course, I'm not saying you are an aquatic creature, but the fish in your body are.]
[It's almost passing out. Ugh, spewed a lot of fish eggs. Ugh, ugh, ugh——]
Lu Yan: "..."
He felt that the system didn't need to be so detailed.
Quietly distancing himself from Zhou Qiming, Lu Yan finally felt a bit better.
In the urgency of the situation, Zhou Qiming didn't notice this detail, thinking it was Lu Yan's first encounter with strong pollution, causing an adverse reaction.
Little did he know that he was already straying further from the path of pursuing Dr. Lu, a reverse sprint to the top.
"When we start fighting, you guys run. The farther, the better. If I come back, find a place to hide." Zhou Qiming's tone was heroic and handsome.
After all, he was a Harbinger ranked 100 on the forum, with a peak spiritual power threshold of 7600. Faced with the Dragon Maiden, the combined strength of the other three couldn't match this pollutant even if they added up.
Detective's eyes moistened: "Boss! You can't have anything happen! Our scamming gacha mobile game will be officially launched on the platform next week!"
Zhou Qiming angrily said, "Enough, I know you're a traitor sent by the Special Operations Department. Don't use your rhetoric on me. TD, doing games is a dead end, I've wanted to quit for a long time!"
[The Dragon Maiden is not here for you guys. She came ashore to find 'Father'... Of course, if your hostility is too obvious, she won't mind taking care of you too.]
In an instant, Lu Yan recalled the story background that the system had explained to him. His heart even felt a bit untimely compassion.
The more advanced the pollutant, the more intact the part of their consciousness that remained.
The Dragon Maiden had already merged with hundreds of little dragon girls.
Living each day in resentment. It was a setting added by Zhou Qiming that reminded her of something.
She still had an old father at home, waiting for her. Her mother died of cancer, and her father, under pressure, refused to remarry. Awkwardly, he combed her hair, made breakfast, and raised her into a young woman.
Whenever she talked about her dad with others, she would receive envy from them.
The last meeting was seventeen years ago. Through a small dungeon skylight, she saw him. Despite being in his forties, his hair was already completely white, and he looked exhausted.
Lu Yan asked the system, "Can I communicate with her?"
The Dragon Maiden seemed unable to speak, with only the slightly frightening whites of her eyes left.
[Perfect evolved form of the Dragon Maiden. Pollution level 7200, she's already part of the Dragon Maiden Lake.]
[Mutation talents: Mirage, Maternal Womb Proliferation.]
[Mutation direction: Sea Serpent Transformation.]
The mirage is like the ghostly maze they encountered, and the mother-fetus proliferation refers to the children that Zhou Kaiwen eliminated.
[She hasn't spoken for too long; she might have forgotten how. But she still understands; you can give it a try.]
So, Lu Yan stepped forward and walked to the edge of the lake.
By now, the atmosphere at the scene was already tense, ready to erupt.
The dragon maiden sneered at Lu Yan, revealing sharper teeth than those infant girls.
Zhou Kaiwen anxiously questioned, "What are you doing here?"
As he spoke, the indescribable scent on him seemed to intensify.
Lu Yan suppressed the urge to vomit and said to the dragon maiden, "You haven't evolved the ability to mimic, and in this state, you can't enter human habitats to find your father. Human society has more powerful harbingers to protect. I can help you bring your father here. I'm also an employee of a state-owned enterprise, and this is my work ID." Lu Yan presented the ID issued by the Special Operations Department. "Your father—"
[Zhao Cheng.]
"Zhao Cheng, whom I've met. He has been looking for you."
In that moment, the dragon maiden's initially angry expression turned blank.
"I said to Lock Dragon Well, and you should have heard it," Lu Yan tried to make his tone sincere, "You are a good person; this is not your fault."
The dragon maiden turned her head, staring fixedly at Lu Yan, silent, seemingly contemplating.
The pressure of being stared at by such a pollutant was comparable to waking up on the morning of the college entrance exam and realizing you missed the Chinese exam.
Just thinking about it, Zhou Kaiwen felt his scalp tingling. It was impressive that Lu Yan remained unfazed.
The dragon maiden opened her mouth and let out a roar.
The dense and damp fog around gradually dissipated, revealing the way out.
But not everyone could leave.
The dragon maiden's tail slapped the lake surface, producing a high-pitched sound like a sea monster's cry. It wasn't necessarily unpleasant, but it was so piercing that everyone present couldn't help but cover their ears.
Blood seeped through the detective's fingers. Others fared better, just feeling a bit dizzy.
Hundreds of little dragon maidens crawled out of the lake, rushing towards the three remaining people. They had no legs, so after getting ashore, they wriggled like long worms. Although their postures were contorted, their speed was frightening.
Chen Shier was scared and ready to use Iron Sand Palm, a low-pollution talent that allowed him to deal with one pollutant per punch. But Lu Yan stopped him, saying, "Don't resist! Trust me."
Chen Shier had to suppress his combat instincts and watched as the little dragon maidens surrounded them.
Fortunately, these terrifying and ugly pollutants didn't launch an attack on them.
The dragon maiden opened her mouth and spat out a long snake tongue, making a hissing sound.
[The dragon maiden says, "Give you three days. If you don't bring her father here, she'll tear you apart."]
Lu Yan relayed the system's message to the others and reassured them, "Don't worry; I'll definitely be back within three days."
This was an unavoidable situation. Zhou Kaiwen's spiritual power threshold had only returned to a level slightly above 6,000. Obviously, he couldn't beat the dragon maiden. Moreover, the fact that the dragon maiden could unconsciously host a ghost fetus was in a different league.
Chen Shier, the tough guy, teared up, "Doctor, you must come back!"
Zhou Kaiwen was shocked, "Dr. Lu, how do you know what she's saying?"
Lu Yan answered without hesitation, "Talent 914, Cross-Species Communication."
After receiving 6200 contribution points as a reward from Zhou Kaiwen, he bought the "Talent Sequence Periodic Table." Dr. Qiao, who compiled the table, stated that the ranking was based on factors like strength, help to humanity, and overall usefulness.
Talent number 914 had a very narrow application—communicating with intelligent beings. Many awakeners of this talent became outstanding veterinarians in the industry.
Qiao Yu also said that every talent that seemed like trash was just a misplaced treasure.
At least for now, using Lu Yan to fool people was quite effective.
In Beijing, at the Special Operations Department headquarters.
In the office, the minister uncomfortably adjusted his tie. He was always called the "Iron Blood Yama" at headquarters, but now he was practicing a smile, looking kind, like the old man next door who took a stroll every night.
Tang Xunan wasn't fond of interacting with strangers, so only he was in the office.
A few minutes later, the contact officer's voice came through the earpiece, "The Tyrant has arrived."
The office door was pushed open, and a chilling breeze swept in.
Tang Xunan pulled out a chair and sat down in front of the minister.
"Where are we going this time?" He casually placed the yellow dust on the table.
The minister laughed heartily, "You've just returned from abroad, and you're already thinking about going out again? Don't overexert yourself."
Tang Xunan didn't pick up the conversation, just staring at him with those calm, unnaturally beautiful golden eyes, like a lifeless doll.
The minister could only say awkwardly, "Actually, we want to assign you a new teammate. He's a healing-type harbinger. It might be helpful for you."
A cold smile played on Tang Xunan's lips, as if mocking himself, "Sending someone to die?"
"Regarding what happened back then, you don't need to blame yourself too much. We all agree that it wasn't your fault." The minister hesitated, "If you disagree, then forget it. It's because the news about him being a healing-type harbinger leaked, but he himself doesn't want to come to headquarters. For the sake of his safety, we hope he can stay by your side..."
Tang Xunan felt like smoking and wanted to pat his pet dog at home.
"Give me the information," he said.
The minister handed over the file. Tang Xunan glanced at the first page, eyebrows raised, "Huh? A guy?"
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