C-Class Special Pollution Source-No. 039

"Terrifying..."

Even after walking out of the building with a huge backpack on his back, Gecko was still speaking with lingering fear.

"Why are you so afraid of her?"

Lu Xin followed behind Gecko and asked curiously.

Seeing how carefree Gecko had seemed at first, Lu Xin had thought he really wasn't afraid of anyone...

"You heard her say just now that she'd make me strip naked and dance among the crowds?"

Gecko turned to look at Lu Xin, his expression serious.

Lu Xin was a little surprised. "She'd really do something like that?"

Gecko shook his head. "She has!"

"..."

Lu Xin silently imagined the scene and thought, That really is terrifying...

"All right, time to get to work!"

Gecko reached the roadside, slowly stretched, then turned and smiled at Lu Xin. "Brother, since Old Chen asked me to show you the ropes, I won't hold back. Our Spider-type is different from other ability types. The best way to learn is in the middle of an operation. I don't know how to explain all those theories and principles, so just watch what I do..."

Lu Xin nodded, knowing how to deal with an experienced colleague.

He had to make the other party feel respected without appearing too restrained.

They had only just reached the roadside when a black jeep drove up to them. The two of them got in.

The driver didn't even ask where they were going before driving them straight toward the northern part of the city.

In the car, Gecko handed Lu Xin a box. Lu Xin opened it and found a black wireless earpiece inside. He had used one before, so he took it out, put it in his left ear, and switched it on. Gecko did the same, then laughed. "Here we go..."

"Processing Team channel connected..."

"Information Analysis Team channel connected..."

"..."

A cold, crisp voice soon sounded over the channel. "Signal test!"

"Haha..."

Gecko immediately switched to a sleazy voice. "Dear Linda, I haven't heard your voice these past few days. I've missed you!"

The crisp voice replied, "My name isn't Linda. My surname is Tie, and my name is Tie Cui."

Lu Xin immediately glanced at Gecko.

Gecko gave an awkward laugh. "A name like Tie Cui doesn't suit such a lovely voice of yours, so I'll keep calling you Linda. Even just having that name on my lips makes my heart itch. It feels so good..."

The female voice over the channel said, "Then you can call me Tie Cui Linda."

Gecko instantly made a constipated face.

"The following is a briefing on the Special Pollution Event:

Reference number: C-Class Special Pollution Source—No. 039

Target level: C-class

Infection level: Low

Threat level: Medium

Event summary: Special Pollution Source No. 039 was discovered by the Investigation Team ten days ago..."

"..."

Lu Xin had assumed he should listen carefully to these briefings, but he hadn't heard what Tie Cui—or Linda—said afterward, because Gecko had already reached over and pinched the earpiece, then leaned toward him with a mysterious air. "You heard that, brother? This is the most important lesson I have to teach you. The Information Analysis Team is our most important partner..."

Lu Xin deeply agreed. The Information Analysis Team could provide him with a great deal of information in a timely manner.

Gecko said, "Think about it. Without them keeping us company and chatting with us, how boring would it be when we went out on missions?"

Lu Xin: "..."

Why was this different from what he had imagined?

"Every Information Analysis Team leader is assigned exclusively to members of our Special Action Team. The purpose is to help us coordinate better and develop an unspoken understanding, so that we can achieve twice the result with half the effort when carrying out cleanup missions. And another thing—think about it. Every time we go on a mission, we chat with them. Every time we go on a mission, we chat. If we keep chatting like that, wouldn't we..."

Gecko winked at him, looking as if to say, You know what I mean.

Lu Xin subconsciously thought of Corporal Han Bing, whose voice was soft and whose manners were impeccable. He wondered whether she would be assigned to him in the future.

"So, for those of us who go out on missions, flirting is the number-one priority!"

Gecko generously passed his experience on to Lu Xin. Only then did he release the earpiece and laugh. "Linda..."

"Call me Tie Cui!"

"All right, Tie Cui Linda. Last time, you still hadn't told me whether you were single. You just hung up..."

Linda's calm voice came through the channel. "That was because I was in a hurry to feed my child."

"..."

Gecko looked as uncomfortable as if he had swallowed a fly, his entire face scrunched up.

But his expression soon relaxed again, and he smiled. "Don't joke with me. I'm not that easy to fool. Do you think I don't know how strict the management is in your Information Analysis Team? How could they possibly let you bring a baby into the office?"

"..."

Linda said, "Who said my child is a baby? He might be in his twenties, for all you know!"

Gecko looked as uncomfortable as if he had swallowed two flies.

The jeep soon arrived in a gloomy area in the northern part of the city. Tall factory buildings and spacious roads covered the area, but the streetlights were few and far between, making it extremely dim. Only in the distance could they see glaring lights shining from inside one of the factories. Gecko and Lu Xin both got out of the vehicle, and Gecko even hoisted the long, tall box onto his back.

"Dear Linda, I'm about to go save the people of this city again. Is there anything you'd like to say to me?"

"Yes!"

The female voice in the channel fell silent for a moment before saying, "Stop calling me Linda. And if you do call me that, don't put 'dear' in front of it!"

"All right, Linda!"

Gecko happily waved his hand, then suddenly raised his eyebrows at Lu Xin. "Let's go!"

"Hm?"

Lu Xin paused slightly. He saw Gecko's rather tall, even sturdy-looking body suddenly leap high into the air and land on the brick wall beside them. At a height of three or four meters, Gecko waved at him, then lightly pushed off the wall with both feet and climbed straight upward. The surrounding lights were already dim, making his figure almost impossible to see.

"Huff..."

Lu Xin also let out a breath, then extended a hand to the side.

"Why won't you give me candy?"

Sister's somewhat frightening little face appeared in the night, her gaze filled with resentment.

Lu Xin reached up and pinched his earpiece, then whispered to Sister, "Children who eat too much candy will get cavities..."

"You think I'm a child..."

Sister seemed a little angry as she stared at Lu Xin ominously.

Lu Xin seriously looked Sister over and said, "You are a child. A pretty one, too..."

Sister seemed to choke.

After a while, she lifted her little face, partially hidden by black hair, and asked, "The kind of pretty that's been pieced together?"

Lu Xin nodded seriously. "Yes!"

Sister fell silent, as if thinking.

"I don't just want candy. I want the black kind, the kind that's so sweet it turns bitter..."

Only after a long while did Sister speak again, her tone firm. At the same time, she stretched out both hands. "Ten pieces..."

"All right..."

Lu Xin calculated the number of candies in his pocket and nodded as if helpless.

Then he held out his hand. Sister looked a little happy as her cold little hand finally slipped into his palm and closed around it gently.

At that moment, Lu Xin felt his body grow light. The wall standing before him seemed to turn into level ground. He carefully climbed along it, met up with Gecko on the top, then followed the electrical cables with him to the roof of a neighboring building. After that, they climbed onto a rusty water tower, crouched atop the iron tower beneath the Crimson Moon, and stopped.

"What took you so long? I thought you'd taken the subway again..."

Gecko looked back at him and asked in a low voice, "Do you see the Pollution Source?"

Following his gaze, Lu Xin looked into the distance and saw the factory about three hundred meters away.

Then he narrowed his eyes slightly, bringing the scene closer. Through the factory windows, he saw what was happening inside.

His back tensed slightly.

In the night wind came Sister's quiet giggle, audible only to Lu Xin. "Fun..."