Chaotic Reaction

Kaos led‍​⁠‌⁠​​‌‌‌⁠‌‍‍⁠⁠‌‍‌‍‍⁠‌⁠ the way, while Sienna and Jiang Xiao flanked An Yu to the left and right, shielding him.

“Outdoor temperature: -54ºC.”

Jiang Xiao stowed his detector. The lower the temperature dropped, the sharper and more freezing his red eyes became. Frost had encased his body in a solid shell of ice. His mental stability had dropped to 44, breaking past the warning line.

He looked up at the frost permeating the high altitudes and provoked, “Only four degrees away from my critical state. I hope the bastard hiding in the shadows matures a bit faster and doesn’t keep me waiting too long.”

An Yu squinted at him through the swirling snowstorm with a look of utter disbelief before quickly turning away, burying his face deeper into the Commander’s overcoat.

To this day, he still couldn’t fathom a person like Jiang Xiao, who could ignite his fighting spirit at a moment’s notice.

Rather than giving Jiang Xiao a chance to “unleash his ultimate,” An Yu hoped they could drag the Super-aberrant out before the temperature dropped further, finish the mission, and go home to the Main City. He was about to freeze to death.

Qin Zhilu, who was silent throughout the walk, suddenly spoke up. “It’s cold, isn’t it?”

As he spoke, he pulled off his gloves. Before An Yu could react, the gloves were slipped onto his own hands. The supple leather, holding the warmth of its owner, immediately soothed his stiff knuckles.

“Sir?”

Qin Zhilu’s hands were now exposed to the air, yet he didn’t seem inclined to find a spare pair. He flexed his fingers slightly in the freezing wind and murmured, “They needed some air anyway.”

Those dark eyes watched the snowstorm, cold enough to make one’s heart tremble.

Kaos was shivering so hard he was hopping as he walked. “My communication signal with the Main City cut out five minutes ago. Can you still contact the Black Tower?”

“No,” Jiang Xiao said, tapping his terminal twice. “The Super-aberrant is getting stronger. A closed, disordered spacetime is forming here.”

Sienna sighed softly. “I still find it hard to believe that the Colonel and I could awaken such terrifying power by a single drawing from that Poet…”

“The existence of power is eternal; some people simply forget, only to be reawakened by a certain catalyst,” An Yu muttered to himself. His light voice was quickly swallowed by the wind, but Qin Zhilu, walking beside him, paused slightly and looked over.

An Yu caught the Commander’s gaze for a fleeting second before lowering his head back to the snow. “Because I’ve never understood why I have these abilities either. Perhaps… I’ve always had them.”

Since the attack on the shuttle bus on the day of the Winter Solstice, he has been feeling his way across the river, with the truth of himself on the far shore.

He didn’t care much for the end of the world; he only wanted to know what he actually was.

Jiang Xiao suddenly mused aloud, “The Poet awakened you, but who awakened the Poet?” A rare trace of regret surfaced in his red eyes. “Before I mutated, I used to accompany my mother to the cathedral every weekend to hear his evening prayers. In my memory, the Poet always had eyes naturally filled with compassion, as if he could see every destined tragedy yet remain gentle, comforting everyone with his prayers.”

Qin Zhilu replied, “It’s a pity those sorrowful, gentle eyes have become so resolute. No one knows what he’s thinking. Just as I suspect no one ‘triggered’ him. This is his own choice.”

Kaos tripped over his own feet.

“What is it?” Sienna asked immediately.

Kaos shook his head. “We’re almost there. Just a warning—the sight ahead is a shock to the psyche. Two of my comrades have already fainted. Be careful.”

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They continued forward. Soon, they saw the silhouette of the mining plant—

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Sienna had been holding her breath since she first looked up. She instinctively grabbed Jiang Xiao, whose mental stability abruptly plummeted below 40.

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He finally understood Qin Zhilu’s words.

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An Yu was shocked. “It actively submerged itself in chaos?”

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“The whole world is its fuel before it reaches heat death,” Qin Zhilu’s voice remained flat, perhaps even lighter than usual. “So now you know why, back in District 95, I chose to purge the entire city without hesitation. Once a Chaotic Reaction has started, there is no turning back. Regardless of whether humanity chooses to purge it, it will eventually face self-destruction. All humanity can do is prevent it from pulling in more fuel before it ends.”

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Every time the Commander spoke of these things in such a calm tone, he felt uncomfortable.

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An Yu shook his head. “The compilation of time should be like a rushing river, but here it seems to have undergone a deformation. Thousands of trajectories are interlaced; it’s hard to untangle. Same thing for space, this thing has lost all sense of spatiality. Its interior will only be more chaotic.”

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Kaos suddenly interjected, “It has already mentally controlled the whole city. If it wants to, every single person will willingly become its fuel.”

Qin Zhilu glanced at him. “That doesn’t matter.”

Sienna frowned. “What do you mean, ‘it doesn’t matter’?”

“You can understand a Chaotic Reaction simply as a chemical reaction. If there are few reactants, everything is controllable. District 99 has only 200,000 to 300,000 people. Even if every single person sacrifice themselves after mutating, it wouldn’t be enough to cause a chaos that humanity couldn’t suppress.” Qin Zhilu said lowly, “Clearly, the Super-aberrant understands this too, which is why he’s hiding to gather nutrients.”

Sienna sneered, “Your indifference toward life truly opens my eyes.”

“The things that will open your eyes are likely still to come.” Qin Zhilu glanced at her, his expression cold and stern. “Remember, do not act rashly. Otherwise, I will not consider your research value regarding the Mysterious Advent, you certainly won’t walk out of District 99 alive.”

His tone was so frigid that even Jiang Xiao was stunned into silence.

Beside them, Kaos’ expression was even uglier. “It seems like no one is getting out of District 99 alive now. You’re just assessing the possibility of District 99 not endangering the Main City, aren’t you?”

Qin Zhilu didn’t react, only commanding: “Have the garrison send people to demolish the cult’s activity center.”

“What?” Kaos was shocked. “Why?”

Qin Zhilu glanced at him, and Jiang Xiao immediately snapped, “You like questioning orders far too much. That isn’t a quality a qualified soldier should have. You’re only in the military because of Colonel Disf, but now that he’s missing, you’d best smarten up.”

Kaos turned pale, stammering, “If it needs to be torn down, then tear it down… but my father couldn’t be the Super-aberrant. He’s always been loyal to humanity…”

An Yu had been silent the whole way, turning over the differences Qin Zhilu mentioned between District 99 and 95.

Finally, before they reached the small building, he reached out and tugged at the hem of Qin Zhilu’s coat.

“What is it?” Qin Zhilu stopped and softly asked.

“Commander, do you suspect that ‘fuel’ can control the Chaotic Reaction through self-awareness?”

Qin Zhilu arched an eyebrow. “You really are becoming quite…”

“I’m right, aren’t I?” An Yu had guessed correctly, but it made his heart feel even heavier. He whispered, “A Chaotic Reaction changes how time and space are compiled. My intuition is that life and consciousness can briefly remain inside it, but everything will eventually be churned and disrupted. All struggle is fleeting and meaningless. You’re right—it’s a perfect steady state. Its existence itself means destruction.” An Yu said softly, “I’m sorry, Commander. I don’t think anyone can act as ‘fuel’ to stop the spread of a Chaotic Reaction. You can’t, and I can’t either.”

Qin Zhilu solemnly looked at him, his gaze deep and unfathomable. An Yu bit his lip, looked down, and repeated, “I’ve disappointed you. I’m very sor—”

“This is for the best.” Qin Zhilu suddenly curled his lips in a gratified smile.

An Yu was stunned. “Huh?”

Qin Zhilu reached out and squeezed his shoulder, whispering, “When we get back, tell the Black Tower exactly that.”

An Yu hesitated. “Aren’t you solely responsible for the District 99 battle reports?”

Qin Zhilu shook his head. “The Black Tower already harbors suspicion toward me. Sooner or later, they will come questioning you. If you can’t interfere with a Chaotic Reaction, that is your most ideal state in the Main City.”

As he spoke, he gave An Yu a deep look and continued walking, leaving behind only a low murmur.

“It is best if you are vital to the protection of humanity, but not enough to become the Savior who erases the calamity.”