To be honest, Jiang Jianxin wasn’t particularly moved by Lin Xin’an’s invitation.
This was mainly because she was still in a state of confusion about the sudden turn of events.
So far, she only understood the meaning of a Talent.
But why were there contaminated monsters, and why had the apocalypse suddenly arrived?
What factions existed in the Superpower World?
And what exactly did the Madhouse do?
She hadn’t figured out any of these questions yet and didn’t want to rashly join a faction only to regret it later.
So, in response to Lin Xin’an’s outstretched hand, she simply clutched her sword, pursed her lips, and said nothing.
The young woman, dressed in a black and white prison uniform, stood by the shelves, holding her longsword.
Her posture was ramrod straight and her expression was cold, giving her the air of a powerful figure.
Lin Xin’an rubbed his nose, giving himself an out:
“It’s fine if you don’t join.
But this area is about to be overrun by contaminated creatures.
You saved my life, so come with me.
I’ll get you out of the contamination zone as a way to repay the favor.”
Jiang Jianxin thought for a moment before cautiously saying:
“Alright.”
The rain outside was still pouring.
Lin Xin’an gestured toward the heavy supermarket doors with his eyes, putting on a pitiful expression.
The corner of Jiang Jianxin’s mouth twitched.
She held her sword in one hand and opened the glass door for Lin Xin’an with the other.
“CLICK—”
The back door of the blue and white car parked outside the supermarket opened automatically.
Lin Xin’an slipped into the car, and Jiang Jianxin followed, sitting down beside him and closing the door.
The heater was on inside the car.
Warm air flowed from vents by the doors, creeping up her calves.
Lin Xin’an sneezed.
Through the rearview mirror, Jiang Jianxin saw that the person in the driver’s seat had a large livor mortis mark on their forehead and a bloodstained white cloth covering their eyes.
Her heart skipped a beat, and she glanced at Lin Xin’an.
The vain Doctor was currently fixing his hair.
A few drops of rain had landed on him as he got into the car, leaving his hair a sopping mess again.
Sensing her gaze, Lin Xin’an looked at her and smiled.
His Mind Reading Technique told him what Jiang Jianxin was thinking.
There was no malice in Lin Xin’an’s smile; he just found the powerful girl’s alarmed expression rather cute.
“Blind Sister, how long will it take to get out of the contamination zone?”
Lin Xin’an leaned forward and asked the person in the driver’s seat.
Jiang Jianxin also looked at the person in the driver’s seat.
Although she couldn’t see their face clearly, she could tell from their build that it was a burly, middle-aged man, who also appeared to be balding on top.
‘…Is it really appropriate to call him “Sister”?’
The person in the driver’s seat didn’t seem to mind the address.
It spoke in a deep, hoarse voice:
“The contamination zone is spreading.
Soon, the entire world will be submerged in the contamination.
After more than fifty years, this day has finally come.”
“Headquarters just issued a directive for all members of the First Mental Hospital to transfer to the Second Mental Hospital.
‘Your Majesty’ is stationed there, so it’s safer.”
Lin Xin’an’s relaxed smile vanished.
He asked nervously:
“What’s the situation at the First Mental Hospital?”
The person in the driver’s seat replied:
“This worldwide contamination first erupted in Tianma City, where the First Mental Hospital is located, and spread outward to here…
The First Hospital has already fallen.”
It turned its head toward Lin Xin’an, and only then did Jiang Jianxin see its full appearance.
It was a person who had clearly been dead for a long time.
Their body was somewhat shriveled, their skin covered in livor mortis.
It spoke in an indifferent voice:
“Something terrible happened on my end, so I couldn’t look after the First Hospital.
Many patients died there.
By the time I got there, all I could do was control the dead bodies to cover the escape of members of the Madhouse Physician Department.”
Lin Xin’an sighed.
Seeing Jiang Jianxin’s furrowed brow, he remembered she didn’t understand the situation and explained:
“Just as you heard, there are contamination zones in the world.
The world’s very first superpower user was born from one.
The contamination sources within these zones can mutate flora and fauna, or even create all sorts of bizarre things that never existed before.
Superpower users have always been the ones to suppress them, but recently, we’ve discovered that the zones are increasing in number, and the intensity and scope of the outbreaks are expanding.”
Lin Xin’an pointed out the car window.
“Like this time.
Our worst-case scenario has happened.
A contamination source erupted with a city as its epicenter and is rapidly expanding outward.
We estimate it will spread across the entire world in another three days.”
Jiang Jianxin was still a little confused.
“Then what’s the deal with this rain and these zombie-like things?”
“This rain is the source of this worldwide contamination.
We call it the ‘Disaster Rain.’ Most humans caught in it will turn into contaminated monsters, while a small portion will awaken a superpower, like you, and open the door to a New World.”
Jiang Jianxin asked again:
“So, can you get through this disaster safely by hiding indoors and avoiding the rain?”
Lin Xin’an gave a scornful laugh.
“Avoiding the rain leads to a more tragic fate.
This rain is the only chance for ordinary people to evolve into superpower users in a short period of time.”
“If you miss this wave of evolution, you’ll end up at the very bottom of society, completely at the mercy of others.”
The warm air was still blowing inside the car, but a cold sweat broke out on Jiang Jianxin’s back.
If not for the childhood diary she had inexplicably found, which changed her destiny, she would probably be one of those ordinary people struggling to survive right now.
Speaking of the diary, Jiang Jianxin thought of the four journals she had left at home.
Three were locked and couldn’t be opened.
The only one she could open had given her such a surprise.
Jiang Jianxin had a strange feeling that these four journals were very important and contained many secrets about her.
So, she couldn’t help but start planning when she could make a trip home to retrieve them.
‘This car with Lin Xin’an is headed for the Second Mental Hospital…
Should I get off at an intersection and go my own way?’
The psychologist sitting beside her glanced over, pointed to his ear, and said:
“Your thoughts are pretty loud.
Are you not even going to try and hide them from me?”
Jiang Jianxin said calmly:
“It’s impossible for me not to think about things the whole way here.
And many of the things I’ve encountered, I can’t even figure out myself.
There’s no need to hide them from you.”
Lin Xin’an stroked his chin and suddenly asked:
“Which residential complex do you live in?”
Jiang Jianxin looked at him, surprised.
“Why are you asking that?”
“I’ll go with you to find the journals.
We won’t go back to the Second Hospital just yet.”
Lin Xin’an said.
This time, it was the monster in the driver’s seat’s turn to be surprised.
“You’re really not going back to the Second Hospital?”
Lin Xin’an smiled, his tone light as he said:
“I failed to bring back the person designated by ‘Your Majesty.’ If I go back alone, I’m afraid the consequences will be severe.”
The monster in the driver’s seat didn’t speak, but after hearing this, Jiang Jianxin looked at him and said grimly:
“From the moment I took your psychological test…
this was all a pre-arranged setup.
You’ve had your eyes on me for a long time, haven’t you?”
Getting inexplicably taken to the station last night…
the list the police casually showed me…
the psychological test I passed so easily…
the invitation from the Madhouse.
It was all too much of a coincidence.
It was as if the [Madhouse] had known all along that she was a powerful superpower user and had used her supposed mental problems as a pretext to get her into the Madhouse without her realizing it.
Lin Xin’an blinked.
He neither confirmed nor denied it, simply saying:
“You’re too smart and too powerful.
But unfortunately for you, the Madhouse sent me.
It doesn’t matter if you don’t join.
I’ll stick to you like glue.”