Logic Chain and Core Key

Soon, the support team that had been waiting at the periphery also sent people in.

They were all wearing thickened protective suits and glass masks as they arrived at the wild lake.

Two long boxes, each with three layers of glass protection, were carried over. Qin Ran and Cui Wang's bodies were then placed into two separate boxes. A layer of black cloth was draped over them, making them look like two crystal coffins.

During this time, hardly anyone spoke.

This was because, no matter who it was, they were unable to explain the bizarre situation before them at this moment.

After securing the two bodies, they sent people with the same detection instruments that the investigation team had used into the lakebed. They probed meticulously, inch by inch, as if searching for any remaining mental residue.

Cheng Hui and his two investigation team members also put on glass helmets. After a preliminary conversation and assessment by several people in white coats from the support team, they were instructed to remain where they were and rest without contact with others.

It was said that they would undergo a series of tests and mental assessments to ensure they had not been genuinely contaminated.

Meanwhile, Lu Xin, wrapped in a thick blanket, sat by the lake like a victim, watching obediently.

The sound of helicopter rotors turning could be heard in the air, and two beams of light shone down from above.

Chen Jing, dressed in a military uniform, emerged from the helicopter. She wore black sunglasses and high military boots, and stepped through the mud to reach Lu Xin. "Regardless of anything else, this cleanup mission has been completed," she said.

She paused slightly and deliberately added, "I will apply for a special bonus for you."

A warm feeling spread through Lu Xin.

However, the doubts in his heart still lingered, and he asked, "Then this matter..."

"Special personnel will analyze and investigate it," Chen Jing replied. She glanced in the direction of the crystal coffins, which were being transported into a vehicle by staff members. "In our handling of mental pollution incidents, we often encounter things that seem almost inexplicable. However, as long as we find some clues and conduct detailed investigations and research, most of them can be explained. I believe this time will be no exception."

Listening to her words, Lu Xin felt inexplicably reassured, and the gloom in his heart dissipated considerably.

"In fact, as of now, we are not entirely without clues," Chen Jing suddenly said. "I've already heard the investigation team report the entire sequence of events. You heard the fish talking?"

Lu Xin was taken aback, recalling the frenzied scene of all the fish shouting, "Qin Ran wronged me, pay for murder with your life."

His throat tightened, and he nodded.

"Fish don't talk," Chen Jing stated. "I didn't hear any similar sounds on the channel, so that must have been a hallucination caused by your exposure to the source of pollution. But this matter is still a good starting point. For example, the fish were shouting, 'Qin Ran pay with your life'..."

"So, which Qin Ran needs to pay with his life?"

"..."

"This..."

Chen Jing's words gave Lu Xin a creepy feeling. He felt like he understood something, but couldn't quite grasp it.

"Let's go," Chen Jing said, stepping aside. "There's still some work to be done."

"Okay!" Lu Xin obediently stood up and walked alongside her.

Chen Jing didn't lead Lu Xin towards the helicopter, which disappointed him slightly, as he quite wanted to ride in a plane.

They arrived near the outer cordon, where Chen Jing had a car brought over. She and Lu Xin then drove the vehicle straight towards the city center. Soon, they reached an old but very sturdy building. Lu Xin looked up and saw people in green uniforms entering and exiting, realizing they had arrived at the Satellite City Guard Department building.

Chen Jing walked in familiarly and took the elevator to the seventh floor. She first led Lu Xin to an empty conference room and told him, "Rest here for a while. I have some small matters to attend to, and then I'll come back to talk with you."

Lu Xin sat down obediently and watched Chen Jing walk out with the clatter of her leather boots.

The conference room seemed to have been prepared in advance. Both inside and outside the room were very quiet, with no one passing by. A cup of coffee, some chocolates, and a plate of colorful candies were placed on the table.

Seeing no one around, Lu Xin secretly picked up the coffee and took a sip. He found it a bit bitter, not as good as the instant coffee he usually drank in the office. So, he dropped a few of the square sugar cubes from around the cup into it and squeezed in the sachets of creamer. This way, the taste improved considerably, barely measuring up to what he usually drank in the office.

He had heard the office director say before that coffee, tea, and sugar were all valuable commodities nowadays, things outsiders could only dream of.

However, he wasn't interested in the chocolates and candies, but his sister was curious and tried one.

"I like it so much..." She excitedly hugged all the chocolates and candies to her chest.

"Then you can eat them all!" Lu Xin smiled at his sister, very grateful for her performance today.

"Okay, I'll eat them all!" His sister wouldn't be polite with him at all.

At the same time Lu Xin was waiting in his office, Chen Jing had already arranged other tasks.

This included a vehicle, escorted by a fully armed team and a mental anomaly, to transport two reinforced glass coffins to the Special Research Institute. It also involved a fully armed squad detaining everyone at Sifang Company for surprise interrogations, and gathering as many personnel as possible to collect all activity logs and intelligence on Qin Ran and Cui Wang.

The first thing to emerge was a report.

It contained the analysis of residual organizations collected by the previous investigation team from the location where Cui Wang's body was found.

The analysis result displayed only one line of text: "Confirmed this organization matches Qin Ran (Pollution Source 041 at the lake bottom)."

When Chen Jing entered the conference room carrying documents, the plates were already empty. Lu Xin was tidying up the wrappers and debris on the table. Seeing Chen Jing enter, he stood there somewhat sheepishly, clutching a handful of candy wrappers, unsure where to discard them.

Chen Jing took the candy wrappers from his hand and threw them into the trash can outside.

In her mind, she silently made a note: "Likes sweets... or perhaps craves sweets after using his abilities?"

"A thorough investigation has been completed."

After sitting down, Chen Jing produced a newly printed document and said to Lu Xin, "No residual mental energy was detected in the lake, meaning this mental pollution incident, codenamed 041, can be declared successfully resolved."

"Although there are still some other lingering doubts, at least no one else will be harmed for the time being."

"..."

Lu Xin nodded quickly, "That's great."

Chen Jing could tell that Lu Xin was genuinely happy, which gave her a strange feeling.

Especially when the current calm Lu Xin overlapped with the Lu Xin who dealt with that Super Level 1 Mental Monster.

She almost felt like she was the one who was splitting...

"Others will be responsible for the research and further investigation into Pollution Source 041."

She thought to herself, clasping her hands and resting her chin on them. Her eyes, which appeared deeper and narrower than those of ordinary people, looked seriously at Lu Xin. "What we need to do now is discuss and review this cleanup operation. For instance, normally, dealing with a source of pollution involves finding its logic chain and core key. Only by locating these two points can the source of pollution be eliminated with minimal cost. This time, however, we didn't actually find those two points..."

She paused slightly and said, "But we still resolved it."

"So..."

"Do you have any hidden abilities?"

"Otherwise, how could you have resolved a source of pollution with a mental level close to two hundred units all by yourself?"