After listening to Shang Jianyao's words, Jiang Baimian immediately grasped the key point:
"Yes, I also feel that Qiao Chu's charm isn't as strong as before."
"Although he is indeed handsome and tall, he hasn't reached the point where a single glance would make someone infatuated. Moreover, he's cold and has a terrible personality. The longer you spend with him, the less you like him, and you might even start to hate him."
All these feelings were previously vaguely hidden in the secret recesses of Jiang Baimian's heart, occasionally discovered. Now, like sand and stones exposed after the tide recedes, they are directly exposed in her mind.
She said to herself:
"No wonder I've always felt something was wrong according to the chip, instinctively trying to arm myself and create distance from Qiao Chu..."
Bai Chen, who was next to her, also heard what Shang Jianyao was saying. After a few changes in expression, she said:
"The more I recall, the more bizarre it feels... How could we have been so eager to please Qiao Chu, following him to this incredibly strange and dangerous city ruin?"
Here, there are "Advanced Mindless," mutated terrifying creatures, incomprehensible periodic "maintenance" mechanisms, an extraordinarily mysterious laboratory, and unknown entities emitting earth-shattering roars, making it more terrifying than any city ruin Bai Chen has ever visited.
"Yes, yes." Long Yuehong nodded repeatedly, "I'm such a normal person when it comes to sexual orientation, yet I would occasionally think that if it were Qiao Chu, it might not be bad, ugh..."
As he spoke, he felt nauseous.
"Are you pregnant?" Shang Jianyao looked at Long Yuehong, not knowing if he was serious or pretending.
Without waiting for a response, he continued:
"Maybe this is some kind of ability?"
Jiang Baimian spat:
"Are you saying Long Yuehong has the ability to get pregnant, or that Qiao Chu has the ability to charm?
"Charm, yes, that must be it.
"And all abilities must have boundaries. Unless you become a Year Deity in mythology, there are limits to the range, the number of targets, and the corresponding degree.
"Ah, right, I remember before when I wanted to go downstairs to relieve myself, Qiao Chu wouldn't let me, only allowing us to do it on the other side of the same floor and unit. Also, just now, he said that when we reached the end of the corridor, we shouldn't rush to turn the corner but report first.
"This shows that the range of his ability doesn't exceed thirty meters.
"And as for the number of targets, it's obviously not limited to just one person, no, one creature. Is it whoever enters the corresponding range is automatically charmed?"
After listening to Jiang Baimian's analysis, Long Yuehong, Bai Chen, and others felt even more horrified, deeply realizing how abnormal their previous behavior had been, yet they had felt it was a matter of course, as if they were bewitched.
"Terrifying, truly terrifying." Just as Long Yuehong exclaimed, he suddenly noticed a problem, "Huh, weren't we just feeling extremely terrified, unable to straighten our bodies?"
How did we start a discussion now?
Shang Jianyao replied in a serious tone:
"Because what we saw and felt before were just illusions.
"Once you don't take them to heart and ignore them, you won't be affected."
"Illusions..." Long Yuehong then recalled that Shang Jianyao had mentioned this before.
He panicked a little and quickly asked:
"Should we get out of the illusion first? What if those 'Mindless' attack us while we're at it?"
"That's right." Jiang Baimian raised her left hand holding the flashlight, wanting to slap herself to "wake up."
She pondered seriously for a second, thinking it might hurt a bit, and decided to fire a shot at the mass of wriggling flesh and blood to make it difficult for the "Mindless" creating the illusion to maintain the effect of its ability.
Just then, the mass of flesh and blood they saw suddenly crumbled and reformed into a male "Mindless" struggling to stand up.
At the same time, they heard a soft thud.
The female "Mindless" tried to get up, using a sharp dagger she had found from somewhere to attack the "Old Task Force," but before she could leave the makeshift "wooden bed," she fell back down due to the pain in her lower body, and even the dagger fell to the ground.
Her expression became extremely distorted. She forcibly propped herself up and reached into the tattered cotton blanket between her legs with both hands.
Soon, she pulled out a wet, dirty baby from between her legs.
The baby's navel was still connected to a whitish-flesh umbilical cord.
"Wah!"
A clear cry rang out, echoing inside the room.
Jiang Baimian, Shang Jianyao, and others who were supposed to shoot didn't pull the trigger.
The female "Mindless" quickly broke the umbilical cord and held the baby in her arms.
Then, she turned her body to the side, keeping the "baby" away from the intruders.
Her expression was both fierce and wary, and her cloudy eyes had become moist, carrying a hint of pleading.
"Wah! Wah! Wah!"
The baby cried incessantly. The female "Mindless" bowed repeatedly, making a constant呜呜呜 sound, as if begging for something.
The four members of the "Old Task Force" fell silent, not responding, but not opening fire either.
After a few seconds, Shang Jianyao tilted his head and looked at Jiang Baimian:
"Team Leader..."
Before he could finish, Jiang Baimian sighed deeply and said to the female "Mindless":
"You guys go."
Immediately afterward, she had an idea and, not caring if the other party could understand, pointed to the air in front of her and said:
"Can you create an illusion for us one more time?"
While speaking, she had already turned the gun to the ground, took a few steps forward, and kicked the dagger away.
Shang Jianyao and others followed into the room, but didn't show any signs of attack.
The female "Mindless" was stunned for a moment. Not knowing whether she understood Jiang Baimian's words or was creating better conditions for leaving, she really let out a low roar again.
Shang Jianyao and others then saw green trees and abandoned cars in front of them.
It was as if they had been transferred to the street outside.
"Sure enough, as soon as we return to reality, we automatically feel that Qiao Chu is too charming and want to follow him." Jiang Baimian felt the changes in her heart and said with a solemn expression.
"If it's automatic charm, why weren't those two 'Mindless' affected?" Bai Chen raised her doubts. "Didn't Qiao Chu say that even Nightmares, non-human creatures, want to get with him?"
Shang Jianyao immediately emphasized:
"I said that."
Bai Chen then realized that she had been brainwashed by Shang Jianyao and quickly changed her words:
"What I mean is, even Nightmares, non-human creatures, are charmed. What about 'Mindless' who were once human?"
"Maybe she's giving birth, and all her emotions are focused on that." Long Yuehong guessed.
Jiang Baimian nodded:
"It seems that Qiao Chu's charm has a limit to its strength. Therefore, he didn't dare to be too vicious or hostile along the way, fearing that the charm would fail."
Without waiting for others to speak, Jiang Baimian changed the subject:
"We can't waste any time. Now, the main thing is to think of a way to not be affected by the charm after returning to reality.
"We haven't left the corresponding range yet."
Shang Jianyao immediately responded:
"Let me try."
"Good." Jiang Baimian was most looking forward to seeing what tricks this "Awakened" could pull off.
Shang Jianyao then turned his head and looked at Bai Chen:
"Lend me the mirror."
Although Bai Chen was confused, she still took out the palm-sized mirror box she carried with her and handed it to Shang Jianyao.
Shang Jianyao opened the mirror box, looked at himself in the mirror, and his eyes gradually darkened:
"You like Qiao Chu;
"Many people like Qiao Chu;
"You can't have him;
"So?"
Shang Jianyao's expression instantly twisted, becoming extremely sinister.
He quickly answered his own question:
"So, I can only kill him.
"If I can't have him, no one else can."
Shang Jianyao said these two sentences with murderous intent, extremely determined.
"..." Jiang Baimian's mouth opened slightly, speechless.
"It can be done like this?" Long Yuehong blurted out.
He felt a bit of inexplicable fear towards Shang Jianyao, afraid that one day he would also deceive himself in this way, making him do something disgusting.
Bai Chen was also a little stunned. It wasn't until Shang Jianyao returned the mirror to her that she subconsciously asked:
"Why don't you use your ability on us?"
"I can only affect myself in the illusion." Shang Jianyao replied with a clear smile, "Once we're out of the illusion, I will use my ability on you one by one. I can't let you stop me."
"Hoh, even the starting point of thinking has changed." Jiang Baimian didn't say anything more, afraid that some word would awaken Shang Jianyao and prevent him from being affected by the "Reasoning Clown's" ability.
She raised her right hand and fired a shot at the location of the wooden chair in her memory.
In the sound of the bang and the changes it brought, the four members of the "Old Task Force" left the illusion at the same time.
At this time, the male "Mindless" and the baby had disappeared, leaving only a trail of blood leading to another exit of the room.
The female "Mindless" was standing at that exit, not yet far away.
Seeing Shang Jianyao, Jiang Baimian, and others wake up, her cloudy eyes once again bent down her back, as if bowing to them.
Then, she turned her body, ran out of the room, and disappeared into the corridor opposite.
"Her recovery ability is very strong..." Jiang Baimian's focus would occasionally be off, just like Shang Jianyao.
At this time, Shang Jianyao walked to her side and said:
"Team Leader, look:
"You like Qiao Chu;
"Many people like Qiao Chu;
"You can't have him;
"So?"
Jiang Baimian's expression changed a few times, and finally she replied viciously:
"So, I have to knock him out and drag him back!"
Shang Jianyao neither agreed nor objected. He used the same method to make Bai Chen and Long Yuehong develop a desire to attack Qiao Chu.
Of course, the source of their desire to attack was different. One wanted to force himself on him, and the other developed a psychological distortion due to inferiority.
After completing the pre-emptive preparations, Shang Jianyao patted the side of the assault rifle and said with a smile:
"Our current combination can be called the 'Disappointed Love Alliance'."
Jiang Baimian glared at him and emphasized:
"We can't let Qiao Chu get too close later. He is also an 'Awakened,' and he must have other abilities.
"As soon as he appears at the entrance of the corridor, we open fire immediately. Well, everyone target different parts to form a crossfire network."
"Okay." Shang Jianyao and others replied without raising their voices.
After checking again, Jiang Baimian picked up the walkie-talkie hanging on her tactical belt, pressed the button, and said:
"We have reached the end of the corridor and encountered an 'Advanced Mindless' and two ordinary 'Mindless'.
"The 'Advanced Mindless' is giving birth and didn't attack us too much. She escaped from here."
After a few seconds, Qiao Chu's cold voice came from the walkie-talkie:
"Wait for me to come over."
ps: Asking for recommendation tickets~