117 Countdown

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Huo Wenxi narrowed her eyes. When she looked over, Zhu Ning felt as if an invisible instrument was scanning his body.

Huo Wenxi exhaled smoke. "But if your theory is true, it seems you've explained some of my doubts."

Huo Wenxi: "I found a photo of Jiang Ping. Judging from his eyes, he looks like a completely different person."

As expected of an intuitive system, these tiny details can become clues.

Huo Wenxi smiled. "Jiang Ping's helmet video is with the garrison troops. They don't use the same system as us. I requested it but haven't received a response."

Previously, Zhu Ning had always sent Huo Wenxi to listen, but this time, the switch was made. "So I can only look at the records at the cleaning center. Jiang Ping's team had two accidents. The first was on January 2nd of the previous year. A huge rock fell on the wall, killing half of the cleaners."

Zhu Ning frowned. Huo Wenxi continued, "The video content has some screen distortion and flickering, but the outline of the main event is correct. They accidentally stepped on vines, and the mutated vines went crazy and killed half of the people."

Zhu Ning felt that it sounded very familiar. Isn’t this the same method that Da Huanghua used to kill people?

Huo Wenxi, worthy of being the team leader, had an astonishingly good memory, completely avoiding the need for documentation. "The second time was on March 16th of last year. The entire team was wiped out. We don't have any video footage, only a death notice."

"The death notice was written very simply. It said they accidentally encountered crocodile-like pollutants. Two stationed soldiers led a team across the river, and the cleaner died halfway through. From the existing information, there's really nothing to suggest. It just makes people feel like they were unlucky and happened upon something."

No wonder Chongzi has been doing this shit for so long, his method is really clean.

It's like it knows in advance where the pollution is and leads people there.

Huo Wenxi said as he watched Zhu Ning's reaction, "The third time was you this time. Everyone's helmet video is blank. If it really parasitizes different people and has also parasitized the garrison troops, there might really be a way to solve this problem."

Zhu Ning: "So you believe me?"

"No," Huo Wenxi shook his head. "There's too little information. I have a great idea. I can order an investigation team outside the wall. You, with your S+ level spirit, will lead them. You can retrace Jiang Ping's steps. By connecting the three events, we might be able to obtain new intelligence."

Zhu Ning frowned, "Huh?"

Is this sending her to death? It can't be that ruthless, right?

Zhu Ning: "...I don't think it's very efficient?"

Huo Wenxi smiled wryly, "I'm just kidding you. I can't bear to send my precious one to die."

Zhu Ning felt a chill on her back. Why did she think Huo Wenxi could do it?

Huo Wenxi thought that sending Zhu Ning outside the wall might require passing the headquarters' review, after all, she was a talent that the headquarters had its eyes on.

Huo Wenxi: "The information you gave me is not enough for me to believe. I'll give you another chance to convince me again."

Zhu Ning: “…”

She wanted to squeeze out all possible information from Zhu Ning, and her intuition told her that Zhu Ning had something to say.

Huo Wenxi's smile faded and he became a little serious: "Remind you, this is really your last chance."

Huo Wenxi was definitely not teasing her this time. As expected of the youngest team leader in the cleaning center, he was really hard to manipulate.

No wonder so many people are unwilling to deal with her, and no wonder she was the one who dealt with the alien species in Yixue last time, and she handled it perfectly, with no alien species infiltrating into the crowd.

Zhu Ning said stubbornly, "The following is my guess."

Huo Wenxi found this sentence very interesting. Wasn't what he said before just a guess?

"This is just my guess. I don't have any evidence, so I didn't plan to tell you." Zhu Ning said, "The story I just told you is not complete, and the information I got is also incomplete."

"The deserted village started because someone went missing, and then they came back. Where was this bug discovered?"

There's a missing piece in the bug's story: it doesn't explain where it originated.

Where had Old Man Wu and the missing people gone in the first place? Were they drawn to the insects? Was something calling them?

The insect only gained human intelligence and memory after entering Old Man Wu's body. Before that, it had no intelligence?

It is already dead, and Zhu Ning may never figure out this problem in his lifetime.

Zhu Ning: "Which demon hunter team was in charge of the contaminated area in the back mountain?"

Huo Wenxi: "The Maple Forest team, a total of five people. They didn't reason out the logic of the back mountain and directly flattened it with force."

Zhu Ning: “…”

Good, this is very Witcher.

Huo Wenxi: "It all started when patrolling troops heard singing in the mountains behind. The tune was incredibly ancient, like some kind of ritual. They measured the pollution concentration and determined it was a Class A contaminated area. They then called the Cleaning Center for help, and we dispatched demon hunters and cleaners."

Zhu Ning frowned. Sing?

She might have to go and see the Maple Forest Team mission video when it comes out.

Zhu Ning: "The back mountain and the deserted village are very close, two Class A pollution areas overlap. In fact, there is a third one, that big yellow flower."

Huo Wenxi frowned. Dahuanghua had a video record, but Huo Wenxi ignored it after hearing the story of the deserted village.

"Jiang Ping said something that really struck me. I asked him why the flower couldn't be killed, and he said, 'How do you know which polluted area it belongs to?'"

Jiang Ping was already a bug at that time, and it seemed to know something.

"So there are three overlapping pollution areas in such a small, shabby place. Two of them are known to be Class A. A single flower can cause nine deaths. If it's just a subsidiary pollutant in a certain area, it's probably at least Class A, and even more terrifying, it might be Class S or above. I don't know much about this, but from what I understand, there must be a very powerful pollution source in that area that hasn't been discovered."

This was completely Zhu Ning's guess, because she was not an investigator and had no understanding of nature, but in her understanding, there might be something unknown in the deserted village.

Pollution sources can infect each other, they influence each other and gradually expand the scope.

Logically speaking, Zhu Ning only went outside the first-level protective wall, which is safer than the real nature. Otherwise, Fang Ying would definitely be very nervous when assigning her a task.

But this place was more dangerous than she had imagined, and it was full of dangers. She had just escaped from the tiger's mouth when she stepped into the mud.

Zhu Ning was talking nonsense and after that he was waiting for Huo Wenxi to refute him, but he waited for a long time and he didn't get any rebuttal.

Zhu Ning looked up at her, but Huo Wenxi had already put out his cigarette. "Your guess is logical."

Zhu Ning's heart skipped a beat; this sentence was the final word.

Huo Wenxi thinks she is right?

She seemed to have been denied all the time and suddenly she was affirmed, and she felt a little uncomfortable.

Huo Wenxi: "Under normal circumstances, the pollution level of the first-level protective wall is below Class B. We only sought help from the cleaning center when we discovered Class A pollution in the back mountain."

Grade A is an unexpected situation, and three Grade A's are even more so.

Zhu Ning sorted out his information. The only thing he could be sure of was that the pollution concentration outside the first-level protective wall seriously exceeded the standard.

And there may be an unknown source of contamination.

If this is true, then when this pollution source is activated one day, just outside the first-level protective wall and so close to human cities, they won't even have a buffer zone.

There are unknown unnatural humans inside the wall, and there are unknown polluted areas that are constantly growing outside the wall.

Attacked from both sides, Area 103 can’t hold out for long.

…

Zhu Ning and Huo Wenxi talked alone for an hour.

An hour later, Zhu Ning was sent back to the room, and Huo Wenxi sat there alone for a long time.

She did not lie to Zhu Ning. This was truly a private space that even Prometheus could not know about. Therefore, only Huo Wenxi knew the information.

If it is true as Zhu Ning said, Huo Wenxi, as one of the few people who know the truth, has the opportunity to change reality. She has power, status and brains.

Zhu Ning wants to form a united front with her?

She looked up at the tree in the room. It was an artificial species, a "cyber plant" that did not need water or sunlight, but it looked no different from a normal tree.

Technology has developed to the point where humans can get close to nature without having to touch it, and the simulation feels very real.

There are fewer and fewer real plants in human society, and they have been replaced through technology, but plants, insects and animals in nature have already entered human society.

Unnatural human invasion.

What do they want to do after they invade? Infect the whole world?

If the pollution outside the wall is not resolved, Huo Wenxi will even have to be prepared for the day when District 103 will have to be evacuated en masse.

Zhu Ning gave her a difficult problem, and Huo Wenxi had to make a choice.

Huo Wenxi stood up. Fang Ying had been waiting at the door for a long time. "Team Leader Huo."

Huo Wenxi asked, "What's wrong?"

Fang Ying: "Yue Kaiyuan submitted an application for you."

Yue Kaiyuan applied for an investigation into Zhu Ning. He did not have the authority to conduct a search, only the ability to interrogate.

The only one with the ability to search is the Abnormal Events Team. Yue Kaiyuan meant that as long as he was allowed to enter Zhu Ning's home, he would be able to find clues.

As long as Zhu Ning is alive, there will be flaws. There must be unusual traces in her home. If Yue Kaiyuan catches her, he will be able to unravel the mystery.

Huo Wenxi saw that Zhu Ning’s registered home address was a beehive.

slums.

Zhu Ning was a fifth-class citizen born in the slums, but Huo Wenxi always ignored this fact.

Huo Wenxi: "Reject the application. Terminate all investigations into Zhu Ning by other departments. Use my authority to initiate a separate confidentiality plan for her. All her files will be locked and collected and sent to the Abnormal Events Team. Her personal information will be hidden from the system. All employees must obtain my permission before accessing her files."

"Also," Huo Wenxi said, "During the observation period, no one is allowed to talk to her for more than three sentences without my permission."

"Other cleaners on this mission are not allowed to report back without my permission, pass on messages, or use communication tools. Draft a confidentiality agreement for this mission. I'll have Zhuang Lin compile the agreement for you later. Wait for them to sign it after they regain consciousness."

"Xu Meng and Li Nianchuan are waiting for my follow-up measures."

Huo Wenxi spoke very quickly, and Fang Ying was a very professional assistant, writing down every small request.

Fang Ying has been working in the cleaning center for many years, and the more she listened, the more puzzled she found it. Every requirement of Huo Wenxi was very strict.

Xuan Qing and Xie Jiazu were still asking about the progress of the incident. Huo Wenxi set such a high level of access permissions, which not only excluded ordinary employees, but also excluded ministers like Xuan Qing.

Did he completely disregard other departments and directly bring Zhu Ning under his protection? What did Zhu Ning say to Huo Wenxi that earned her such "high-level" treatment?

Fang Ying: "What about this mission report?"

Zhu Ning gave a task report, which lasted for an hour. Where is the report?

This is what everyone is paying attention to and everyone is curious.

Huo Wenxi: "I'll write the mission report this time."

Fang Ying was stunned. Huo Wenxi wrote the mission report herself? Then no matter what she wrote, what she submitted was the truth.

It can only be the truth, and no one else can question it.

…

Zhu Ning returned to the pure white room.

Zhu Ning collapsed on the bed, exhausted from talking to Huo Wenxi. The information was overwhelming, and Huo Wenxi agreed with her guess.

Instead, it made her a little confused.

She was in good spirits now because the choice had been made by Huo Wenxi. With a big boss in front of her, Zhu Ning felt less stressed.

After she came back, the staff gave her a mental status examination report. Her mental status had risen again, reaching 1450, and she was included in the category of high-level talents.

Zhu Ning felt very strange about the increase in her spirit value, because she didn't feel anything every time, but the test results were increasing.

It was strange. Zhu Ning thought about it carefully and found that there was indeed something different. She hadn't felt a headache for a long time.

It seems that she has integrated very well with the system in her brain, making her an exceptional experimental subject?

But if the price keeps going up, won't I be arrested and investigated? This will attract too much attention, right?

She was also informed that both the First Military Region and the Cleaning Center Headquarters had received Zhu Ning's inspection report, and that the headquarters would subsequently send someone to conduct a comprehensive inspection and assessment of her.

Inspect and evaluate, these two words sound like they are used to treat objects.

Sure enough, what Zhu Ning had thought before was right. People who are particularly outstanding are prone to getting into trouble, and generally such people are prone to early death.

However, Zhu Ning has already become prominent enough, and this mental value has become her protective shell to some extent. Others may have to think twice before doing anything to her.

So this is what was meant by asking whether Zhu Ning was willing to report on the mission. At that time, Zhu Ning really had the right to be unwilling.

But instead of remaining silent, it is better to take the initiative into your own hands.

Zhu Ning sorted it out. She only provided information and there was nothing else to do. She might as well think about her own troubles.

Zhu Ning closed her eyes. She slept for a long time this time. After being locked up for two days, the only thing she did was sleep.

The next day, all her examination equipment was taken away, and no one spoke to her during that time.

Zhu Ning also received her physical examination report the next day. The results of her life expectancy test came out, and she was estimated to live only one year.

The cleaning center tested her body's functioning and found that Zhu Ning needed to consume a high amount of energy every day, which put a huge burden on her body.

They haven't found the cause yet, nor have they found a corresponding solution. The only solution suitable for Zhu Ning is to upload her consciousness and completely abandon her redundant body.

Zhu Ning knew that the system was really eroding her body, and a once scrapped experimental subject could never reach a perfect state.

All props used have a price.

The defective nature of this product makes it difficult for her to live a long life, but Zhu Ning still said that it is not certain who will perish first in this world.

The countdown clock has been turned, both the countdown to doomsday and the countdown to Zhu Ning's life.

She could even hear the clock ticking.

On the third day, a staff member handed her regular clothes. The clothes in the cleaning center were all sportswear, black pants and white sweatshirts.

A crack appeared in the pure white room, and the shape of a door was outlined. The staff was waiting for her at the door.

"Thank you for your cooperation. Your observation has concluded."

Is she free for now?

The author has something to say:

Thank you to the little angels who voted for me or provided nutrient solution between 2022-11-11 14:30:16 and 2022-11-11 22:31:37~

Thanks to the little angels who threw the grenades: Aji, Youdu 1;

Thanks to the little angels who cast mines: Zheng Junheng 1;

Thanks to the little angels who irrigated the nutrient solution: Zui Zui Zui Gong 60 bottles; Song Jian Zhao Ming Yue 55 bottles; Bei Ming Yue Xi Pei Bao Lu 54 bottles; Afternoon Balcony 50 bottles; Wei Mang Yan Yu... 32 bottles; Han Mu Chun Hua, Mirror Truck, Jia Yue 20 bottles; Aiyo 19 bottles; Mian Mian 16 bottles; Yan Yu, Xiao Xiu Yu Tang Waving Hands, Jiao Jiao Pi Yang Yang Bao 15 bottles; Super Love Spicy Food, Magical Girl Er Dai, Self-Tearing Type Player, 26799528 10 bottles; Qi Qi 9 bottles; Duplicity Zhang Jianian, Double Ten and Two, White Birch, Earth Dog 5 bottles; Tian Feng, Black Rabbit 2 bottles; Zai, Tian Gan, Escape from Eden, 17964234, 32525186 1 bottle;

Thank you very much for your support. I will continue to work hard!