Although he felt it was a waste of time to return from City S and then go on a business trip to City X, spending four hours cleaning his house, Lu Yan still took on the task. After all, he was curious about what Zong Yan looked like now.
System: "[Just be mentally prepared.]"
In Tang Xunan's dream, many faces were blank. Therefore, among the few with visible faces, Lu Yan couldn't help but pay attention.
In his impression, Zong Yan looked like the high school heartthrob on the basketball court, the kind whose eyes would narrow into slits when he smiled.
City X was in the southern part of the mountains, historically known as a major pig-rearing province. Even in the technologically advanced 22nd century, it remained the nation's meat granary.
Coincidentally, the infamous high-risk pollution zone slaughterhouse was also located in the outskirts of City X.
It was said that on the streets at midnight, one could see some half-naked butchers with snake tails and pig heads, wielding blood-stained cleavers, searching for fresh pig meat all over the place.
Summer was generally hot, and City X was not only hot but also lacked rain, making Lu Yan, a water-scarce fish, quite uncomfortable.
He sniffed the air, and in the dry atmosphere, there was a faint salty and fishy smell.
Close to the seaside, there would be the smell of seawater, close to the forest the scent of vegetation, but coming to City X was like entering a large butcher shop.
Corpse-eating flies buzzed around loudly; as soon as Lu Yan got off the plane, he encountered at least three of them. He remained expressionless, but internally he was on the verge of collapse. Suppressing the urge to immediately turn back, he bought a hat and mask at the duty-free shop, put on sunglasses, and wore gloves. Only then did he feel a bit better.
Because Lu Yan was wrapped up tightly and had a good temperament, coupled with the fact that the pickup personnel from the Pollution Disease Prevention and Control Center in City X came from the military and were wearing suits, it looked like a celebrity airport photo shoot.
Many people around took out their phones.
The work of the Harbingers mostly involved confidentiality agreements and was not suitable for too many people to know. The staff had to raise their hands and repeatedly say, "Stop taking pictures!"
The more they said not to, the more people gathered.
The staff had to awkwardly lead Lu Yan away through a special passage and onto a private car.
The system's voice was particularly annoying: "[Oppa, give me an autograph! Honestly, do you want to debut in the entertainment industry? Making 2.08 million a day is not a dream, much more than what you earn at headquarters.]"
Lu Yan didn't want to pay it much attention.
His body temperature was low, even though he covered himself tightly, and despite the high temperature in August, he wasn't sweating. So, even in the car, he didn't take off his protective gear.
The accompanying staff felt awkward. "Sorry, Mr. Lu. City X has been like this for a few years. Headquarters sent people a few times, but they couldn't find a solution."
Lu Yan asked, "Is it because the 'slaughterhouse' has become like this?"
Staff: "Most likely. Actually, it's not that bad. The pollution source of the slaughterhouse is not contagious. In all these years, in City X, we haven't seen anything. It's just that the proportion of missing people in City X is relatively high... And because of the existence of the slaughterhouse, there hasn't been a second case of pollution disease in City X. Overall, the public order is still very good."
Lu Yan felt the staff was overly optimistic, perhaps because they hadn't seen much of the pollutants.
By the side of the couch, how could others sleep soundly? Whether for humans or pollutants, the principle was the same.
Even if City X could tolerate the slaughterhouse, could the slaughterhouse tolerate City X?
In the eyes of the slaughterhouse, perhaps City X was just like their own pig farm, and the people living in it were blissfully unaware.
Or maybe, even if anxious about this, most ordinary people didn't have any other way.
In Lu Yan's eyes, City X was like a tall building built in the earthquake epicenter, with the risk of collapsing at any time.
He decided to warn headquarters about the situation here several times, after all, as a provincial capital, City X had a significant population.
The car drove to the Pollution Disease Prevention and Control Center in City X.
After checking the staff ID card, fingerprints, and other data, Lu Yan was taken to the innermost medical area of the prevention and control center.
Many Harbingers' diseases were already unrelated to science. Here, the resident doctors were actually researchers from the research institute.
The layout of the medical area made Lu Yan quite familiar, not much different from the corridors of an ordinary hospital. It's just that the doors of the wards were replaced with special iron doors, and entry and exit required the ID card of the staff.
In the wards, pollution could be isolated, and to some extent, it could also restrict the use of talents.
By the time Lu Yan arrived, the researcher from the First Research Institute had been waiting for a long time.
He was a serious-looking old man, with a heavy arrogance between his eyebrows, obviously accustomed to a high position.
In the past, the First Research Institute was undoubtedly the first among the thirteen research institutes, with the longest history and the most advanced technology, making significant contributions to pollution disease prevention.
But now, because the director took 01 and left, other researchers felt an inexplicable pressure. Especially in terms of experiments, they faced even more constraints.
However, this pressure was still within the acceptable range for now.
The director told them that he wanted to conduct a new experiment with a hunting dog, but this experiment did not obtain headquarters approval.
He wanted the degree of the dog's mutation to exceed 100.
It was well-known that with the same data, the attacking power of pollutants was stronger.
In the past, Gong Weibin also conducted some experiments, transplanting loyal genes into distorted people, allowing their mutation degree to exceed 100, and observing their reactions.
The result showed that after transplanting the "dog" gene, these pollutants did not show aggression towards their owners. This proved that pollutants could be tamed, just like other animals.
This experimental result gave the researchers at the First Research Institute a glimpse of new hope!
Gong Weibin believed that the Harbingers would be the same. Moreover, compared to distorted people, Harbingers had stronger self-control to restrain their desires.
However, this proposal faced unprecedented strong opposition from headquarters, to the point of continuous shelving.
"To make progress, there is no way without paying a price." Gong Weibin said loudly, "We pursue the truth! We believe in data!"
"These conservative and unchanging people! With the current rate of pollution growth, humanity will soon be eliminated! Harbingers will soon be eliminated too! Only pollutants can fight against pollutants!"
"I voluntarily become the sacrificial person for this! — History will prove that we are right."
"This time, I will leave with the hunting dog and complete this experiment. You don't need to help me. Just join others in condemning me. The First Research Institute has always been the beacon of human civilization!"
The day he left, the First Research Institute was filled with a solemn and tragic atmosphere.
...
...
Lu Yan scrutinized the researcher in front of him. His name was Wei Chengwu. The other person also appraised him, and despite being an ordinary person, Wei Chengwu's aura was anything but weak. In the First Research Institute, he had dissected more Harbingers than Lu Yan had ever seen.
The system scanned him: [Wei Chengwu, head of the First Research Institute's research group. A loyal follower of Gong Weibin, participated in numerous human transformation experiments, and collected low-level Harbingers from around the world for experimentation. Believes that Harbingers, like pollutants, are monsters. A staunch extremist.]
The director of the Prevention and Control Center forced a smile, "Mr. Lu, this is Wei Chengwu, a senior researcher from the First Research Institute. He's currently in charge of Subject 07."
Lu Yan nodded slightly, showing no extra expression. Wei Chengwu seemed displeased, "Although we belong to different departments, I am a senior researcher with a senior title. You're just C-level, only a mid-level title. Young people these days, no manners at all."
Most of the time, Lu Yan wasn't one to talk much, but that didn't mean he couldn't talk. Lu Yan turned around and said, "Excuse me, I didn't realize you were a senior researcher. I've assisted in resolving two A-level incidents, one B-level incident, and two C-level incidents, roughly equivalent to indirectly saving the lives of a hundred thousand people. I wonder, what contributions have you made to humanity?"
Wei Chengwu's facial muscles twitched, "Can it be compared? Although we researchers don't go to the front lines, we've invented the pollutant fusion surgery, special drugs for Harbingers, and more. We solve pollution-related diseases at the source. Isn't that a contribution?"
"I don't deny these contributions from all research institutes. Some achievements can even be called great," Lu Yan replied softly, his tone gentle. "But, what does that have to do with you?"
"I—" The director intervened anxiously, "Mr. Lu, Dr. Wei. Let's go see Subject 07 first."
Wei Chengwu snorted coldly, no longer speaking. Lu Yan frowned slightly, "He's going too? I don't like being surrounded by strange people when using talents."
The director took a deep breath, "Dr. Wei is currently the chief researcher for Subject 07..."
"I am his researcher!" Wei Chengwu's blood surged, speaking without restraint, "Who are you to interfere?! You're just a free blood bag! If there's a problem with 07, can you bear the responsibility?"
Lu Yan's expression darkened. He turned and asked, "In the eyes of researchers at the institute, are healing-type Harbingers considered blood bags?"
The director felt this was a situation he couldn't handle. He said, "Please, Mr. Lu, follow me."
Passing by Wei Chengwu, Lu Yan couldn't help but pause. He walked over, bent down, removed his sunglasses, and whispered to Wei Chengwu's ear, "Old but not dead, that's for thieves. Understand? Stay away from my patient, bastard."
[Talent 111 - Delirium]
There was a tumultuous sound in Wei Chengwu's ear. He could only see Lu Yan's lips moving, as if he said something, but he couldn't hear it clearly. However, Wei Chengwu instinctively felt it wasn't something good. He snorted coldly and left.
Initially, the noise wasn't that loud, almost subtle. If one didn't pay close attention, they wouldn't feel a thing. Wei Chengwu left the Prevention and Control Center and returned to the employee dormitory alone, preparing to contemplate the subsequent transformation of Subject 07.
As he wrote at the desk, the noise in his ears gradually intensified, chaotic and disorderly, like the whispers of a devil. Wei Chengwu was just an ordinary person, not even awakened with talents. Maybe it was for this reason, or perhaps his mind was already abnormal. His reaction to Delirium was particularly severe.
Wei Chengwu's mind fell into extreme chaos and confusion. The harsh, piercing noise made him involuntarily cover his ears in pain. Blood flowed from his nose and ears.
In front of him, the most painful experience of his life appeared—27 years ago, in the laboratory, due to improper operation, he was bitten off his arm by a Harbinger that had turned into a pollutant.
That damn pollutant simply dissected him without anesthesia. After all, Harbingers didn't need anesthesia.
Thinking of his experiences today, Wei Chengwu's heart suddenly filled with grief and indignation. He had dedicated his life to fighting pollution diseases, only to receive such unfair treatment. Even Lu Yan could act arrogantly over him!
So, Dr. Wei posted a farewell message on his social media, expressing his disappointment with headquarters' attitude and his despair for the future of humanity. Then, he opened the window, leaped, and jumped from the top of the dormitory building.
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