90: Chapter 90 Head-to-Head

Just as the echoes of City Lord Zhao Tianyu's highly provocative "referendum" were still reverberating through the clouds ten thousand meters above, Luo Ning, who was on the VIP viewing platform, suddenly began to twitch violently without warning.

"Ah—!!!"

A shriek so shrill it didn't sound human instantly shattered the brief silence over Lianqiao Square.

Almost at the exact same time, the dozens of elite guards closest to Luo Ning and the survivors at the edge of the viewing platform heard the system's frantic warning alarms blaring in their ears simultaneously:

"[Warning! Ultra-high concentration contamination source detected!]"

"[Warning! Your SAN value is dropping rapidly! Current rate: 5 points/second!]"

"My head! It hurts so much!"

"What's going on?! My SAN value just plummeted below the safety line! Get back! There's high-tier Abyss aura!"

Terrified screams rose in unison.

The crowd that had been packed around the viewing platform scattered frantically, scrambling backward as if they had seen a ghost.

Amidst the shoving, countless people fell to the ground only to scramble back up and flee. In just a few seconds, an empty space dozens of meters in diameter was cleared out right in the middle of the once-crowded platform.

"Luo Ning!"

Zhou An's pupils contracted violently, and his heart seemed to skip a beat in that instant.

He watched the girl who had been joking with him just a second ago now crash to the ground like a broken ragdoll.

Without any hesitation, defying the system's frantic warnings of dropping SAN, he lunged forward.

"Luo Ning! What's wrong? Wake up! Look at me!"

However, by this point, Luo Ning's condition had spiraled completely out of control.

Her large eyes, which were usually clear, bright, and clever, had now turned into an incredibly eerie, pure purple.

Her distinct pupils had vanished entirely, replaced by two frantic, counter-rotating vortices.

She clutched her ears tightly, kneeling on the ground in agony. Her long, slender fingers convulsed, and her nails dug deep into the hard deck, snapping off and leaving behind terrifying streaks of blood.

"Stop screaming... Get out... I beg you... stop shouting in my head!!!"

Luo Ning shrieked hysterically, her voice hoarse and dripping with blood.

To his horror, Zhou An saw several thin slits eerily crack open on the side of Luo Ning's fair neck.

"[Passive Blood-Lock Berserk Talent triggered! Forcing the last 1 point of SAN value to lock. Duration: Three hours.]"

Even though an extremely rare passive skill had forcibly locked onto a sliver of her sanity at the last moment, preventing her from instantly turning into a mindless monster, Luo Ning was still enduring inhumane torture.

With the sharp "crack-crack" of bones dislocating, several bizarre purple fleshy lumps bulged on either side of her spine, throbbing violently as if some terrifying entity were about to break out of its cocoon.

On the high platform, the leaders of the Six Major Guilds all turned their gazes over in unison.

"That is..."

Guild Leader Lin Xiaotian's pupils contracted, his gaze instantly turning cold and ruthless.

He did not hesitate for a second. He waved his hand sharply and issued an unquestionable death order to the guard behind him: "Divine Realm Guard, hear my command! Immediately activate the highest-level force field to isolate the target! For the safety of all survivors, execute the aberrant immediately!"

"Hold on."

Just as the Divine Realm Guard was preparing to fire, Scar, who had been silent all this time, suddenly let out a raspy, grating chuckle.

His blood-red eyes stared intently at the close-up shot on the holographic screen in midair as he spoke in a sinister tone, "Guild Leader Lin, don't be in such a hurry to kill her. Everyone, take a close look at the man next to that woman. Isn't he the 'trusted general' that City Lord Zhao values so highly—the newly joined department head of Sky Engine?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire venue erupted in an uproar!

Since this conference was being broadcast live across the entire district, the retinal screens of nearly three hundred thousand people were currently displaying a crystal-clear close-up of Luo Ning's agonizing struggle and half-human, half-ghost aberration. Beside her, the bright Sky Engine department head badge on Zhou An's uniform chest looked particularly glaring.

"What?! How could City Lord Zhao's subordinate have a monster like this?!"

"That's impossible! Has Sky Engine already been infiltrated by the Abyss from within, turning it into a monster's nest?!"

"Is this the 'future' Zhao Tianyu promised us?! Letting a monster who could mutate and eat people at any moment hold a high-level position? Why the hell are we still building Sky City then! This is pushing us straight into a fiery pit!"

Hearing the rising tide of panic, doubt, and abuse from the tens of thousands of people below, City Lord Zhao Tianyu's usually calm and composed face turned so dark it looked like it could drip water. He clenched his fists tightly.

To stabilize the collapsing situation, City Lord Zhao Tianyu took a deep breath and picked up the megaphone with the highest authority, his voice deep and majestic: "Silence, everyone! Do not panic! Department Head Zhou An and Luo Ning have been overworked recently while preparing materials for Sky City. They might have accidentally come into contact with a mild source of contamination while exploring ruins! This is an on-the-job injury! Sky Engine has the best medical team in the entire district. Guards, hear my command: take them away immediately for isolated treatment!"

"Mild contamination?"

Scar sneered, extremely arrogantly interrupting City Lord Zhao Tianyu's attempt to gloss over the situation.

"Zhao Tianyu, do you think everyone in the district is blind?! Look at those tumors on her back that are about to hatch. You call that mild? And look at how fast the SAN values of those around her are dropping—this is clearly a characteristic of high-concentration infection! Are you trying to shield this time bomb until she completely loses control and takes us all down with her?!"

With Scar's provocation, Luo Ning's state on the large screen deteriorated further. The tumors on her back suddenly swelled, and the outline of barbed tentacles could even be seen through the translucent membrane.

"Zhao Tianyu, don't drag everyone down with you just to save your own face."

Guild Leader Lin Xiaotian's eyes flashed like lightning as he raised his hand once more.

"Even a god couldn't save her from this level of contamination. Divine Realm Guard, execute the death order immediately!"

City Lord Zhao Tianyu's breathing grew heavy, a look of extreme complexity and struggle flashing through his eyes.

He knew very well that Zhou An was his most valued talent, an indispensable cornerstone for the subsequent development of Sky City, and Luo Ning was Zhou An's only weakness.

But now, public confidence across the district was collapsing rapidly under Scar's instigation. If he did not deal with this 'monster' immediately, his long-cultivated 'Sky City' plan would turn into a complete joke tonight.

In the balance between rationality and absolute interest, the scales ultimately tipped.

"Members of Sky Engine."

City Lord Zhao Tianyu's voice resounded through the megaphone, carrying an unquestionable coldness: "For justice, execute the verdict. Kill the aberrant on the spot!"

"I dare anyone to try!!!"

Zhou An let out a shrill roar like a cornered beast! His eyes instantly turned bloodshot, his eyelids nearly tearing open. Completely ignoring his rapidly plummeting SAN value, he stood like an iron tower, shielding Luo Ning behind him.

Around them, dozens of fully armed soldiers from the Divine Realm Guard and Sky Engine Guard raised their high-frequency energy rifles in unison. Cold infrared crosshairs tightly interlaced, locking onto Luo Ning, who was being shielded in Zhou An's embrace.

"Luo Ning! Look at me! Can you hear me?!"

Zhou An shook Luo Ning's shoulders desperately, his voice cracking and hoarse, "Wake up! Aren't you usually the smartest one?! Don't let this damn thing swallow you!"

Luo Ning did not react at all. She merely curled up on the deck in agony, incoherent murmurs escaping her lips.

Zhou An suddenly remembered something. Reaching into his storage space, he pulled out the Potent Mutation Inhibitor that Luo Ning had personally developed, along with a top-tier Epic-grade Healing Potion.

Without any hesitation, he ripped open Luo Ning's collar, plunged the needle deep into the side of her neck which was covered in purple veins, and pushed all the liquid inside.

One second.

Two seconds.

However, an unexpected turn of events occurred. After the liquid was injected, not only did the purple veins on Luo Ning's body show no signs of receding, but they also burst into an extremely blinding, sinister purple light, as if parasites in a long drought had just absorbed the ultimate nourishment! The speed at which her skin split open accelerated, and the tumors on her back began to throb frantically and violently!

It had absolutely no effect.

Faced with the bizarre power erupting inside Luo Ning, this top-tier potion designed for conventional contamination was as fragile as a piece of paper that could be punctured with a single poke, and it had even produced the opposite effect.

"No... This is impossible..."

Zhou An watched the empty potion vial slip from his hand and hit the ground with a clink. His hands, which were always incredibly steady and never shook, were now trembling violently.

The synchronized footsteps of the guards were drawing closer and closer. The sound of tactical boots stepping on the metal deck, along with the mechanical sound of energy rifles being cocked in unison, sounded exceptionally harsh and death-knell-like in the dead silence of the open space.

"Let her go, Zhou An."

Guild Leader Lin Xiaotian's cold voice drifted down from the high platform, devoid of any human emotion: "You are also the number one powerhouse in terms of combat strength in the entire district. You should understand better than anyone that she can't come back. Step back. If you stay close to her, you will die too."

Zhou An slowly raised his head.

His usually calm and composed face was now completely replaced by a ferocious and resolute expression.

With a swift "swoosh," he drew the short gun from his waist and aimed the dark muzzle with absolute stability at the surrounding guards who were closing in like a tide.

Under the disbelieving gazes of tens of thousands of people, Zhou An's voice was low and hoarse:

"I dare anyone to take a step forward!"