Then who am I?

As if knowing he couldn't help and wanting to avoid danger, Qin Ran stayed honestly on the shore throughout the entire examination of the lakebed, Lu Xin's response to the sudden mutation, and the investigation team's members digging for the source of pollution. He found cover and occasionally poked his head out to see how things were progressing.

Now, seeing that the people at the bottom of the lake had suddenly stopped and all turned to look at the shore, he slowly stood up. Seemingly concerned about the results, he waved his hand vigorously and shouted, "Did you find anything?"

Then he saw Lu Xin and the three investigation team members slowly walking towards the lake.

The three investigation team members tightly clutched their guns, their eyes behind the glass visors appearing very nervous.

"What's wrong?"

Qin Ran watched Lu Xin and the three investigation team members approach, noticing their formation, which subtly surrounded him. Coming from the wilderness, he was very sensitive to such actions and asked them warily, "What's wrong?"

"Who are you?"

Lu Xin looked at Qin Ran and slowly asked.

Qin Ran appeared quite bewildered, "What do you mean by that?"

It was clear that he was genuinely confused and completely unable to understand.

On the channel, Corporal Han Bing's voice sounded, "Suggest we reveal it directly and observe his reaction!"

"Agreed!"

Chen Jing said coldly, "Investigation team, go on alert!"

"If you are Qin Ran..."

Lu Xin slowly began, turning back to look at the lakebed, "Then who is the corpse we dug up?"

"What corpse?"

Qin Ran's expression became somewhat unnatural as he asked slowly.

"We found the source of pollution, it's a corpse!"

Lu Xin seemed very patient as he explained carefully, "That corpse... is you..."

Qin Ran's expression seemed to go blank, his throat bobbing.

Lu Xin continued, slowly asking, "So, if you've been dead for a long time, then who are you now?"

As he asked this question, his mind raced. He recalled Qin Ran's every action when he first saw him, seeing him sitting in the office, constantly eating as if never full. He also remembered how Qin Ran, without a second thought, would immediately reach for his gun to point at someone. He also thought of the basement where four people were held, and how the body parts there seemed fewer than expected.

"No... that's impossible..."

After a long while, Qin Ran mumbled, "If you dug me up, then... who am I?"

Lu Xin just watched him quietly.

The three investigation team members tightened their grip on their guns even more at that moment.

In the distance, under rows of searchlights, the heavily guarded City Patrol Army remained silent, the quietness oppressive.

Only the Crimson Moon in the sky shone brightly, like falling red silk threads.

"I..."

Qin Ran became even more flustered. He looked at Lu Xin as if seeking help, "Little brother, tell me, who am I?"

"He's very similar to those fruits..."

At this moment, Lu Xin's palm grew cold as Sister took his hand.

Hearing this, Lu Xin immediately reacted.

When he was fighting with the dark figures on the "odd tree" before, he had already noticed how familiar those dark figures were.

But at that time, he hadn't paid attention, nor could he connect them.

It was only now that he suddenly remembered that all those dark figures looked like Qin Ran.

It seemed that those dark figures, whether tall or short, fat or thin, all gave Lu Xin a sense of familiarity. The reason was that their vague facial features or actions resembled Qin Ran, just different versions of Qin Ran in various heights and builds.

However, the more this was the case, the less he could tell Qin Ran who he truly was.

"I... I am..."

Under the gaze of countless eyes around him, Qin Ran suddenly became somewhat frantic. His throat bobbed, and he shouted twice, but his voice turned hoarse. Suddenly, he ran towards the lake like a madman. All the guns around him swung towards him with a rustle, but Chen Jing's command did not come through the channel, so every gun merely pointed at him without firing.

All eyes watched as Qin Ran rushed to the bottom of the lake, next to the corpse.

Seeing him stare fiercely at the corpse's face, he suddenly let out a howl, his entire being seemingly driven mad.

He suddenly shouted, "Fake, all fake, you all wanted to harm me..."

"I knew it, entering High Wall City would bring no good..."

"You want to harm me..."

"..."

As he yelled, he suddenly kicked the corpse forcefully and then strode towards the other side of the lake.

On the other side of the lake, not far away, was the High Wall.

He actually charged straight towards the high wall, seemingly trying to climb over and escape.

Especially at this moment, his figure looked somewhat strange, and his running speed was getting faster and faster.

"Capture him alive!"

Chen Jing urgently ordered over the comms.

The three members of the investigation team immediately raised their guns and aimed at Qin Ran's legs.

But at this very moment, gunshots also rang out from atop the high wall.

The area was already surrounded by blockade soldiers, and there were also soldiers on the high wall. Seeing Qin Ran charging towards the high wall, especially with a speed that was terrifyingly beyond normal human capabilities, they unhesitatingly opened fire on the seemingly mad Qin Ran.

With a "thump," Qin Ran's charging body collapsed to the ground.

He struggled for two more moments, then became still.

Lu Xin and the three investigation team members saw this and immediately waved their hands, rushing towards the high wall. Upon reaching Qin Ran's corpse, they saw he had been shot twice in the chest, blood gushing out. He was clearly beyond saving. It seemed this "source of pollution" was unexpectedly easy to deal with, yet everyone's heart was filled with endless questions: what exactly was going on?

In reality, in the end, he had rather hoped to see Qin Ran turn into a monster. That would have at least explained some things, but Qin Ran hadn't. He had only seemed a little crazy at the end, and his running speed was somewhat abnormal...

Even with careful recollection, he couldn't tell if his exaggerated speed was just an illusion.

What confused him even more at this moment was:

If Qin Ran was the source of pollution, then what about the people who came seeking revenge on Qin Ran before?

Just as Lu Xin's mind was filled with stray thoughts, he felt someone shake his hand. He looked down and saw his Sister looking curiously at Qin Ran's corpse. He instinctively glanced over and felt a jolt of surprise. He saw that Qin Ran, shot through, was still bleeding, staining a patch of mud red. But this blood seemed to be flowing endlessly. As it flowed, the corpse was also shriveling.

His body became hunched, his appearance withered, and in a short time, he transformed into a different person.

"Who is this?"

Lu Xin exclaimed, alerting the investigation team.

They had also noticed the change and quickly took photos, sending them via the electronic devices on their arms.

Soon, the sound of rustling files came from the comms.

Immediately after, Han Bing's voice, unable to hide her astonishment, rang out: "This is... this is Cui Wang!"