Chapter 27: Deserved Death

The entity of the monster had been wiped out, but the outbreak of the mental storm had worsened the situation once again. Those who had previously stopped laughing, collapsed, or were injured, were now succumbing to the effects of the transparent storm as their crazy smiles returned.

Everyone was expected to fight, bite, and return to the rhythm of demons dancing wildly. The brief pause was now considered a halftime break, and the referee had blown the whistle to continue the second half.

Luo Yajun swiftly pulled a man off a girl and flung him aside before shooting and breaking his leg. He then continued to communicate with the correspondent at headquarters through his headset.

"Have you arrived yet? Did the headquarters send an ox cart?" he asked impatiently.

"The commissioner is approaching and is expected to arrive within five minutes," the correspondent replied.

"Does the headquarters know that the situation has changed?" Luo Yajun interrupted, stepping on the leg of a madman while speaking. "The monster has been killed, but the spirit has gone berserk. Some kind of mental storm has formed. It's more powerful than before, and even I have been somewhat affected."

Luo Yajun had received special training in Secret Service Nine, and he knew what it was like to be affected by an infection source. He felt a certain oppressive atmosphere descending like a black cloud, almost suffocating him. The crowd laughing wildly and releasing violence seemed to form a black wall, overwhelming him from all directions.

There was also a penetrating laugh that seemed to permeate people's bones, echoing endlessly in his mind as if playing on a loop. Even as a special agent, he was disturbed, and he couldn't imagine how much impact this storm would have on ordinary people.

A noise came from the other end of the headset, followed by another voice soon after. "Agent Luo, this is Miyazaki from the Department of Infection Research. Can you hear me?" Professor Miyazaki's voice sounded from the other end.

"I can hear you, but I'm busy breaking legs," replied Luo Yajun, as he broke two more legs while speaking. Infected people couldn't feel pain, and the trauma couldn't stop them from laughing wildly, but it could effectively limit their actions and prevent them from continuing to turn the streets into unrestricted free kick competition rings.

"I've only theoretically deduced the release of the spiritual storm by the source of infection. To be honest, it's the first time I've seen it with my own eyes. It's incredible. The power of those ancient existences is really magical..." said Professor Miyazaki.

"Professor, can you get to the point? I'm in a hurry here!" interrupted Luo Yajun unfriendly. For some reason, listening to the professor's voice seemed to excite him a little. Could this be the legendary scientific madman?

"Okay, okay, then I'll just pick the conclusion," said Professor Miyazaki. "In short, the mental storm cannot be maintained out of thin air. To maintain such an output, there must be a source of infection at the location of the eye of the storm. Eliminate that source of infection, and the storm will naturally subside."

"So I just need to shoot a bullet into it?" asked Luo Yajun.

"No. If a rash long-range strike fails to kill it in one blow, it will intensify the scale of the storm and cause even greater irreparable damage."

Luo Yajun's movements paused for a moment, and he turned his head to look at the dark storm. "That means I have to go to the center to ensure that the source of infection is resolved?"

"Exactly. Someone needs to go in and make sure his head hits the ground."

"But some infected people can't die even if their heads fall, can they?"

"That's a rare case. Furthermore, even if you can't kill them by beheading, it can prevent the source of infection from sustaining the mental storm, and achieve the effect we want."

Professor Miyazaki paused and said, "Of course, it would be dangerous to do so. The infection intensity of the spiritual storm may be higher than that of conventional infection sources. To be honest, even if a special agent enters, I can't predict what the result will be..."

Luo Yajun was silent for a moment, then smiled lightly.

"Professor, are you euphemistically saying that I might become the same as these people?"

The crazy crowd surrounded him, and the messy neighborhood seemed to turn into some kind of distorted nightclub dance floor. As the only sober person, he seemed out of place on this huge dance floor.

"I want to remind you that even if you successfully eliminate the source of infection, it may have an irreversible impact on you," Professor Miyazaki said. "Maybe even if you save everyone, when the support team arrives, they may not be able to recover. No..."

"Don't worry."

Luo Yajun lit a cigarette, put the cigarette butt in his mouth, and walked towards the dark and transparent storm while changing the ammunition of his gun.

"I'll save a bullet for myself later if necessary."

After a pause, he grinned broadly.

"Professor, when you tell me this method, you are implying that this is what I should do, right?"

"I didn't say that. I just told you the solution and the stakes. As for what measures to take, it's your own business..."

Immediately after the line was cut, a crisp female voice sounded in the headset.

"Wait there for backup, this is an order."

That was Chen Meiyue's voice. Although she was much younger than Luo Yajun, she was his boss.

Luo Yajun smiled.

"Orders? You know that kind of thing can't restrain me." He lit a cigarette and continued to walk towards the center of the storm with slow but firm steps. "If I really wanted to obediently obey orders and follow the rules and regulations, I should be your superior."

Chen Meiyue's voice slowed down a bit.

"Brother Luo, you don't need to go. The support is coming soon, and the team at the headquarters is also studying whether there are other countermeasures..."

"Even if there are, we can't wait any longer." Luo Yajun interrupted her and said calmly, "Professor Miyazaki is right. This is the best solution at the moment, and I happen to be the most suitable candidate.

My time has long been stagnant. I work in nine places, and the only purpose of living to this day is to find a suitable destination.

If today is the day, then let it be a death of worth. No room for remorse or regret, for no one shall mourn my fate."

He grinned broadly, took a deep drag on his cigarette, and tossed the butt aside.

"I don't need anyone's pity. The only ones who will mourn me are the ones six feet under."

After speaking, he cut off the communication without giving a chance to reply.

At this time, he was already close to the periphery of the storm. The companion's voice disappeared from the headset, and layers of wild laughter followed. Distorted phantoms began to appear in front of his eyes. There were men and women, old people and children, all with horrifying and distorted smiles on their faces.

And that was just at the outermost edge. He didn't know if he would be safe and sound if he went in here, but he didn't care.

"Tonight, it's like he hitting this casino on a whim, without rhyme or reason. Even if it all goes up in flames, he couldn't care less. To die alone, and then swallow a bullet, now that's a truly sick and badass exit," the corner of his mouth hooked.

Definitely a deserving death.

However, Luo Yajun never expected that he wouldn't get the chance to act aggressively in the end. He felt a sudden tightness in his ankle.

And before he could realize whether it was a hallucination, a huge force pulled him to the ground and dragged him far away from the storm. Finally, he was thrown head down and feet up, hanging upside down under a street lamp.

"Wh-WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" Luo Yajun exclaimed.

He had been pretending to be a tragic hero on his way to his death, but being hung upside down in such an unrefined posture broke his facade. He tried his best to look in the direction of the bottom of his feet, only to see the bat monster standing on top of this street lamp, looking down at him with his black cloak like a battle banner in the storm.

With a claw gun, Batman pulled back Luo Yajun who was about to meet his demise, and hung him upside down on the lamp post.

"What are you doing!?" Luo Yajun was furious, "There is no time! Someone must stop that source of infection. I have to-"

Before he could finish his sentence, Batman had already jumped down and strode towards the center of the storm without saying a word, ignoring Luo Yajun's yelling.

Luo Yajun was stunned.

Did this guy intend to save him and then put himself in danger instead of him?

"Wait!" Luo Yajun struggled desperately, trying to stop the bat pretending to be crazy, "COMEEE BACK!"

Silent as a shadow, the Dark Knight vanished into the raging storm, his formidable presence lingering in the air like a tangible force. All that remained was the sight of his chiseled back, wrapped in the iconic cape that billowed behind him like a dark omen.