Inside a small conference room at the Banzhen City Public Security Headquarters.
Guan Tong and Shangyuan Zi arrived as requested, and Suzuki received them there for a talk.
What surprised them both was that after they entered and Suzuki closed the door, she suddenly dropped to her knees.
"What are you doing?" Guan Tong asked.
Suzuki remained kneeling, head lowered, her voice panicked. "I... I want to ask you to save me. I don't know what to do anymore..."
"Get up first and tell me what happened."
Suzuki did not rise. She looked up. "I... I'm addicted to spores. The spores disappeared after Rule End, but the addiction is still there."
Guan Tong and Shangyuan Zi exchanged a glance.
They had indeed suspected Suzuki had a problem in that regard, but they had not expected her to admit it outright.
However, they still could not determine whether she was merely addicted to spores as she claimed, or whether she was a parasite disguising herself through deception.
As for the phenomenon Suzuki described—"the spores are gone, but the addiction remains"—it was indeed widespread.
Those who had become addicted to spores before Rule End but had not reached the point of becoming parasites had basically all developed this condition. Countless people had posted online about their experiences.
North Star's current approach was centralized quarantine and withdrawal treatment.
After all, many addictive substances had existed in the human world long before the Apocalypse Rules appeared.
Countries had long established systems for treating addiction. Modifying those methods for spore addicts was perfectly appropriate.
"Then go to an addiction treatment facility for isolated withdrawal treatment," Guan Tong said. "Shangyuan and I can't help you with this."
Fear appeared on Suzuki's face. "I... I'm afraid of places like that."
Shangyuan Zi said to Guan Tong, "Yingqi's