Chapter 169-I Clean Up Garbage in a Wasteland World

Chapter 169 Choice

Countdown—Day Seven.

Huo Wenxi's contamination check was just a formality—it was over in eight hours.

But she no longer had eight hours to spare. Outside was chaos. Huo Wenxi sat in her office issuing directives, which her team members would carry out.

The matter was too far-reaching. The investigation team was only responsible for investigating—it had no absolute executive power. Other departments were equally busy. The senior leadership was in disarray, holding meeting after meeting with no solution in sight.

Huo Wenxi's face was deathly pale. She'd overused her Ability, and her body was in terrible shape.

Reports lay on her desk. Zhu Ning's examination results were in as well—stable as always.

Sixty-seven employees had been caught up in the incident. Only thirty had completed observation so far. Zhu Ning was one of them.

Huo Wenxi had reviewed Zhu Ning's examination reports many times before. But if a Contaminant could bypass existing detection protocols, then perhaps Zhu Ning could too.

Even while cooperating with Zhu Ning, Huo Wenxi hadn't set aside her suspicions.

Every task Huo Wenxi had assigned, Zhu Ning had completed flawlessly. After a moment's thought, Huo Wenxi notified Zhu Ning to leave the Sanitation Center immediately once her examination was done.

Huo Wenxi had broken through an invisible door.

The Contaminant's name was Kong Yue. His file was already on the desk. On paper, there was nothing suspicious—just an ordinary person. He didn't even have an Ability; his combat effectiveness came entirely from mechanical augmentation.

The team had hoped Huo Wenxi could identify the anomaly in these files, just as she'd once spotted the inconsistency in Jiang Ping's records.

But right now, Huo Wenxi couldn't do that. She had temporarily lost her Ability—no different from an ordinary person.

Intuition had always been her eyes. Now it was as if she'd lost her sight, living in total darkness.

Zhuang Lin knocked. "Team Leader, it's time."

Huo Wenxi stood. She was currently on Floor 300—even she had never been above that. This was as high as she'd ever gone.

She wasn't all-powerful within the Sanitation Center. She needed to report this situation.

Huo Wenxi entered a pure-white room. A thirty-meter-tall screen dominated the space, like an enormous cinema curtain unfurled.

A figure appeared on the screen—a woman seated behind a massive rosewood desk. Behind her hung a giant bagua disc that filled the frame, making the person look minuscule.

The woman in the seat had snow-white hair. Her name was Huo Jinsheng. If Huo Wenxi was called the Little Oracle, then this was the Old Oracle.

Huo Jinsheng's long braid wasn't hanging loose but neatly coiled at the back of her head. Given the sheer volume of hair, the coiled bun looked from the front like a symbol of authority.

On Huo Jinsheng's desk sat a printed photograph—the same one Huo Wenxi had previously used when consulting the family elders. She'd reproduced the information obtained from the Desolate Village and sent it to the senior members for identification. No one had replied, only saying they'd look into it.

Intuition told Huo Wenxi that the Huo family knew what it was.

Huo Jinsheng spoke: "Wenxi."

In Huo Jinsheng's presence, Huo Wenxi was deeply respectful. "Great-grandmother."

Huo Jinsheng was one hundred years old—the head of the Huo family, and Huo Wenxi's great-grandmother.

Huo Jinsheng interlaced her fingers. "Your Ability is gone?"

The Huo family's most valuable asset was their eyes. Huo Jinsheng's Ability was even stronger than her great-granddaughter's. There was no hiding it. "Temporarily," Huo Wenxi said.

Huo Jinsheng didn't dwell on the topic. "I sent you to District 103 to temper you. I had high hopes."

Huo Wenxi was the heir apparent.

Huo Wenxi said nothing. Huo Jinsheng asked: "What did you find?"

Huo Wenxi: "I'll compile a detailed report—"

Huo Jinsheng asked again: "What did you find?"

Huo Wenxi paused, then answered: "Contaminants can disguise themselves as humans. Someone may be planning to sacrifice District 103."

Huo Jinsheng offered no opinion. "What do you intend to do?"

Huo Jinsheng's phrasing was strange—asking what she'd found, what she intended. Huo Wenxi: "Save District 103."

Huo Jinsheng: "Then you're already too late."

Huo Wenxi froze. "Since when?"

Huo Jinsheng: "Before you got involved. The Mechanical Oceanarium was your last chance."

Huo Wenxi knew that whatever Huo Jinsheng said would come true. She could see part of the future.

Huo Jinsheng: "I suggest you give up. Leave District 103. It will be contaminated sooner or later."

Huo Wenxi's throat went dry. She was sharp—she immediately realized the Huo family had known all along.

They stood on Floor 300, far above the clouds, like a modern-day Tower of Babel built with cutting-edge technology.

The teeming masses below—their lives and deaths could be decided at will from up here.

Huo Wenxi asked: "Did this happen with your tacit approval?"

Huo Jinsheng: "It's a tradition."

Tradition.

Huo Jinsheng had confirmed it—meaning the First-Class Citizen plutocrats were almost certainly in the know. They'd made some kind of deal with something.

Citizens of the other four classes were little more than fuel. The elites controlled the means of producing people—flip a switch, and they could churn out more Synthetics, Androids, and Replicants at will.

District 103 was being abandoned. Every First-Class Citizen had received advance notice and would evacuate immediately.

Huo Wenxi was a Huo. She was the family's future head. Huo Jinsheng was reminding her to act in accordance with her station.

Huo Wenxi had missed the optimal window for salvation. As long as she left District 103, she could walk away entirely. The Huo family wouldn't cling to a lost cause.

This would become a stain on Huo Wenxi's record. She'd been the golden child her whole life—she'd never once admitted defeat.

Huo Wenxi said nothing. Huo Jinsheng knew her great-granddaughter was stubborn. "I won't give you any hints. You may make your own choice."

This was Huo Wenxi's trial.

...

Zhu Ning walked out of the Sanitation Center building.

Every time she stepped out of this building, her mood was different. She'd instinctively look up at the structure piercing the clouds, wondering each time whether something up there was gazing down at her.

In the distance, the incinerator was burning. At night it looked like a lighthouse.

How strange—Zhu Ning actually thought of the junkyard as a lighthouse.

The Observation Room had been overwhelmed. Her check this time was fast—only eight hours.

But the Sanitation Center's meticulous researchers had probably realized by now that their instruments were meaningless.

Their equipment couldn't detect Non-Natural Humans.

The Sanitation Center was bleak. The lobby had been cleaned spotless, the floor gleaming, but yesterday's scene had been etched into every heart like a scar.

Someone saw Zhu Ning and didn't greet her. Their eyes held a flicker of hesitation before they hurried past.

Under the current circumstances, no one could guarantee their own safety, let alone anyone else's.

Zhu Ning sensed a subtle shift. She opened the Sanitation Center's official forum. The hottest topic was the investigation team's report.

Huo Wenxi had publicly announced that Contaminants were hiding among them. The official designation: Non-Natural Humans.

A term Zhu Ning had made up on the spot was now the official name.

The report set off a firestorm. If before there had only been vague unease, now it was practically stamped and sealed.

Employees still had countless questions—how to distinguish Contaminants hiding among humans, was there a method?

What exactly made them different from real humans?

Huo Wenxi answered none of these, saying only: await further notice.

Soon, the hottest post changed to: "Vote! Pick the Top Ten Most Suspicious Contaminants!"

The incident had made it clear to everyone that Contaminants were embedded around them. The online world descended into chaos—all manner of trolls crawled out. Under the cover of anonymity, they could do things they'd never dare in reality.

In real life, no one would point at Zhu Ning's face and ask if she was a Contaminant.

But in the online poll, she ranked first on the suspicion list. A thousand people had voted for her—more than double the second place.

The evidence users cited was surprisingly compelling. For instance: why had her very first mission involved a rating error?

Why did a mere Cleaner's personal abilities far exceed those of Demon Hunters?

What was so strange about the Desolate Village incident—what had she actually experienced? What was she?

Why was it always so convenient—surviving both the Desolate Village and the Mechanical Oceanarium?

Zhu Ning had guessed right. Everything that had once been seen as a strength was now a source of suspicion. If she were an ordinary employee, even she'd suspect herself.

A few voices defended her: "If she were a Contaminant, why would she save people? Use your brain."

"She saved my life. She's definitely not a mole."

Someone sneered: "It's called acting."

"How many people in the Grey Eagle Squad died on missions with her? Haven't you noticed she's a walking curse? Nobody who gets mixed up with her comes to a good end."

After that, the voices defending Zhu Ning dwindled—because the point was hard to refute.

The deaths of Grey Eagle Squad members had been made public. People suspected Zhu Ning was connected.

Others still tried to explain on her behalf, but the efforts were feeble, quickly drowned out.

Zhu Ning had expected this day would come. Building someone up and tearing them down were two sides of the same coin—she didn't control the narrative. Explanations would be useless.

In the Desolate Village she'd been the Cleaners' spiritual beacon. Now she was an object of loathing.

There were firearms in Zhu Ning's vehicle. Prometheus had provided her with a full set of standard-issue weapons. She'd never imagined she might need them against her own colleagues.

Ding—

She received a comm request. She assumed it was a stranger calling to hurl abuse, but when she picked up, it was Li Nianchuan.

Zhu Ning was rather surprised. Bao Ruiming's assassination list hadn't included Li Nianchuan. After the Desolate Village, he seemed to have settled into his own quiet life.

Li Nianchuan's voice came through immediately: "Zhu Ning! Are you okay?"

Zhu Ning: "I'm fine. How'd you hear about it?"

Hadn't Li Nianchuan resigned? How was he still browsing the employee forum?

Li Nianchuan sounded relieved. "A friend told me."

The incident had caused too big a stir. Someone had asked Li Nianchuan what he thought of Zhu Ning. He'd naturally defended her, singing her praises at length.

To Li Nianchuan, if Zhu Ning was a Contaminant, then so be it. If all Contaminants were this good, he'd wish the whole world would turn into Contaminants.

Unfortunately, the colleague who'd asked didn't buy it—probably disappointed at not getting any juicy evidence, only an earful of gushing.

Zhu Ning swung onto her motorcycle. "Oh," she said flatly. Li Nianchuan paused, then asked: "Are you upset?"

Zhu Ning: "What's there to be upset about?"

Li Nianchuan: "Huh?"

Zhu Ning had already twisted the throttle. The Luxury Car's wheels spun as it launched into overdrive. The rush was incredible—wind screaming past her ears as she savored the extreme speed.

Driving seemed to quiet her mind. After a while, she answered: "Times are chaotic. They just need someone to vent on."

In a period of chaos and disorder, people would rather find someone to hate.

It wasn't that Zhu Ning was being saintly—she simply couldn't fix it. The more you argued, the worse things got.

In her previous life, Zhu Ning had gone through something similar. She'd first appeared in the media as a prodigious young markswoman—fame and fortune at a tender age. At the peak of public expectations, during the most important competition, she'd made a mistake. She'd nearly been flamed to death.

Some even spread rumors that she'd gotten into a relationship—lovesick and neglecting her training.

She hadn't even been of age. The tidal wave of public opinion crashed down on her.

During that period, Zhu Yao had pulled her out of the training camp, confiscated her phone, and asked just two questions. "Did you give it your all?"

Zhu Ning had protested immediately: "I trained so hard—of course I gave it my all."

Zhu Yao: "Can you change what happened?"

Zhu Ning: "...No."

Zhu Yao didn't ask anything more after that. She just took Zhu Ning out to have fun. That was the first time Zhu Ning had ever gone skiing.

She didn't owe anyone an explanation, nor did she need to prove anything.

The next time she reclaimed the summit, all those words vanished on their own—as if they'd never existed.

At this moment, Zhu Ning missed Ms. Zhu terribly.

Li Nianchuan said "oh," thinking that a big shot's mindset was indeed different. He'd come to comfort Zhu Ning, only to find it completely unnecessary.

Zhu Ning: "Besides, there are nine other poor souls on the list. I'm still number one."

The poll had a top-ten list. Zhu Ning was the champion. The most bizarre honor she'd ever received—the Golden Contaminant Award?

Li Nianchuan: "..."

What was there to be proud of?

Li Nianchuan asked: "What about the Captain? Is she okay too?"

Zhu Ning hadn't actually received word that Xu Meng had woken up. Not wanting Li Nianchuan to worry, she said: "She's fine."

Li Nianchuan exhaled. "As long as you're all safe."

They'd once been part of the same cleanup squad. The squad designation—A70265—read like a license plate, yet their bond was surprisingly strong.

Zhu Ning pulled over to the side of the road. She hadn't gone anywhere today—just sat watching the neon lights in the distance. "How's your restaurant coming along?"

Li Nianchuan: "Just signed a lease on a space. Renovating now—I'm living in the shop. Renovation's too expensive, so I'm doing everything I can myself. Once it's done, the very first meal, I'm inviting you and the Captain on opening day."

After all the conspiracies and darkness, hearing such mundane, everyday chatter warmed Zhu Ning's heart.

Except that with the apocalypse looming, there was no telling whether Li Nianchuan's restaurant would ever open.

The building was about to collapse, and the ants below remained blissfully unaware.

Zhu Ning fell silent for a moment, then said abruptly: "You should leave District 103."

"Huh?" Li Nianchuan thought he'd misheard. "Why?"

Zhu Ning: "No reason. Just take it as casual advice."

Li Nianchuan thought she was joking. For anyone below First-Class Citizen, relocating to another human base required enormous financial resources and the right connections—you had to be sure the other district would accept you.

Ordinary people could never afford something like that in a lifetime.

Besides, Li Nianchuan had just signed a lease—a full year's rent. Leaving now meant throwing all that money away.

But these words came from Zhu Ning. Li Nianchuan trusted her unconditionally. "I'll try," he said.

Zhu Ning acknowledged with a hum. Her Employee Wristband lit up, and she didn't feel like checking it—it was bound to be more hate.

But this time it was excessive. The forum page forced itself open. Zhu Ning closed it, and it reopened. Her first thought was that her wristband had been hacked.

Then she realized it was probably Prometheus.

Sure enough—Zhu Ning stopped trying to close the page. Her eyes grew deeper.

Zhu Ning: "Go to sleep. I've got something to take care of."

Li Nianchuan let out a surprised "ah" and was about to say something more, but Zhu Ning had already ended the call.

On the employee forum, a grey-black post kept pushing itself to the top, burying Zhu Ning's discussion thread. Prometheus had sent her a new Dead Post.

"Help! There Seems to Be an Extra Person in My House—I'm Too Scared to Talk to It"

---

Author's Note:

New arc starts tomorrow!

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