It is well known that schools and hospitals are hotspots for urban legends.
Orphanages are no exception.
Recalling the time he spent at the Kande Orphanage nineteen years ago, Jiang Wentao said, “We had three major legends at our orphanage. One was about a giant rat the size of a person that would come out of the small kitchen at midnight to make human flesh soup. Another was about a hanging ghost in the men’s restroom. If you heard him calling your name while using the restroom at night, you must not turn around. And the last one… was about the baby in the dormitory.”
Xiao Jinyu asked, “Have you ever seen the baby in the dormitory?”
Jiang Wentao replied, “Of course not. These are all legends, who knows who started them, but they suddenly began to spread. I haven’t personally heard the ‘ghost baby laugh’ or seen the ‘ghost child shadow.’ But I did hear another child in the orphanage mention that he heard child laughter at midnight.”
Pausing for a moment, he looked at Xiao Jinyu and analyzed, “Xiao Jinyu, my speculation about you being related to this dormitory’s ghost baby is just that—a guess. The fact remains that you weren’t an infant taken in by the orphanage; your name definitely wouldn’t be on Kande Orphanage’s list of children. But after the orphanage closed, you were adopted by Sister Xiao-Wen, who insists you were from the orphanage.”
Jiang Wentao didn’t elaborate further, but his meaning was clear to everyone present.
When a young unmarried woman suddenly has a child out of nowhere and claims it’s adopted, most often that child is her biological child.
Unfortunately, Xiao Jinyu knows that he is not her biological son; they have no blood relation.
So the most likely scenario now is: he was brought to Kande Orphanage by his mother.
But why claim he was adopted?
It’s highly likely that it was to give him a formal identity.
Since his mother hid him in the dormitory of the orphanage and caused a ghost baby legend, it’s almost certain that before being formally adopted by her, he was an undocumented person.
In the years just after Type A radiation ended, the government system hadn’t fully recovered to pre-radiation levels, and the management of personnel origin information was not very robust. If it were an unmarried young girl suddenly trying to register a child, officials would definitely inquire about the child’s background. However, if it were a caretaker from a closed orphanage bringing a child and claiming adoption during a time of population shortage and widespread displacement of children, officials wouldn’t conduct a thorough investigation.
After all, no one would suspect ulterior motives behind such an act of kindness as adoption. Especially since his mother also registered Xiao Jinyu. From then on, whether for schooling, exams, or hospital records, Xiao Jinyu had a traceable history, and he truly lived under the sunlight.
Xiao Jinyu asked, “How much do you remember about the Kande Orphanage?”
Jiang Wentao sighed, “Not much. It was just Sister Xiao-Wen and a few others taking us to school every day, and then we’d play after coming back. I don’t have a deep impression of Sister Xiao-Wen; to me, she was similar to the other sisters, nothing particularly special, just treating us well.”
Xiao Jinyu asked further, “Do you still keep in touch with anyone from the orphanage?”
“When I lived in Zhongdu, we did a bit, but after I moved to Haidu for middle school, that connection was completely cut off. By the way, Xiao Jinyu, you can try to find contact information for others from the orphanage, but I’m sorry I can’t help you with that.”
After a moment of silence, Xiao Jinyu earnestly said, “Thank you, you’ve already helped me a lot.”
After asking a few more questions, Xiao Jinyu didn’t disturb Jiang Wentao further. He soon left the hospital room, giving the Jiang family space to talk.
Jiang Wentao’s memories of the Kande Orphanage mostly revolved around playing with same-age companions.
He doesn’t have deep memories of the adults who took care of them. He can remember his mother’s appearance but can’t recall anything special she did. As for the other children in the orphanage, they were all ordinary in his memories.
And then there’s the ivy on the wall.
“I didn’t expect that the ivy pollutant mentioned by Captain and Vice Captain last month actually came from the Kande Orphanage! I really didn’t expect that, not at all. Could it be that it was already contaminated when I lived in the Kande Orphanage? But we didn’t feel anything at all.”
Of course, ordinary people couldn’t sense the existence of Contaminant 002.
This ivy had been at Kangxin Middle School for nineteen years without being discovered or contaminating humans. Its discovery was purely a coincidence of time, place, and people.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
The automatic door of the ward slowly closed behind him. Through the thin door panels, there were complaints full of worry from his parents and the son’s laughter, creating a warm family atmosphere.
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Su Jiuzhou: “It seems that I’m always present whenever your background changes?”
Xiao Jinyu: “…Mm.”
The conversation started a bit awkwardly, but it was not wrong.
The first time he realized he might not be his mother’s child was at the end of the Head Picking Parade, and Su Jiuzhou was there at the scene.
Now, discovering that he doesn’t come from the orphanage, again, Su Jiuzhou is present as a witness.
Xiao Jinyu turned his gaze away indifferently.
“This orphanage is quite interesting. From there emerged Contaminant 002 and a Tier 3 user. Adding you as someone brought in from outside, that makes two Tier 3 users.” As they walked, Su Jiuzhou casually remarked. He paused as if pondering, then continued after a while, “Perhaps, there might be some connection after all.”
Xiao Jinyu looked at him.
Su Jiuzhou smiled. “Currently, the Haidu Logic Research Institute has conducted some research on Contaminant 002 and found that it has extremely strong self-control over its contaminating abilities. Perhaps because it’s a plant, once its roots are buried in the soil, it can effectively control its contamination. That’s why it hasn’t contaminated a single student at Kangxin Middle High School for so many years.”
“Secondly, it has its unique ability.”
Xiao Jinyu interjected, “I remember its unique ability is to create a powerful area surrounded by countless logic factors. People inside it stay healthy without getting sick, but it’s also its downside. Because it’s Contaminant 002, it’s too powerful, even it can’t control the scattered excess powers. The teachers and students at school have stronger physical qualities than normal people due to the influence of its tiny released powers, making it difficult for them to get sick.” He added, “Of course, it’s only for minor illnesses. Serious illnesses like cancer, 002 can’t control. Overall, its side effects just strengthen the body.”
Su Jiuzhou nodded. “Exactly. So, you and Jiang Wentao becoming users may not be a coincidence.”
The young man’s eyes lit up slightly as he immediately understood what Su Jiuzhou meant.
“Our awakening is because… we were both ‘taken care of’ by Contaminant 002.”
Logic doesn’t arise out of thin air.
Each awakening of a logic chain signifies that the owner has participated in a certain logical event.
In other words, only those who have come into contact with others’ logic factors have the possibility of awakening their own logic chain.
However, not everyone can awaken a logic chain; it requires innate talent.
Suddenly, everything had an explanation.
Why could a small orphanage produce two Tier 3 users simultaneously? Because they were both influenced by Contaminant 002. It can be said that in that orphanage or in the subsequent Kangxin Middle School where teachers and students attend classes, they are more likely to awaken a logic chain compared to others.
Because they all once stayed in an environment filled with logic factors all the time.
Since the A-radiation event, the global population has dwindled to just 3.5 billion. China has a total population of 700 million, with over 20,000 users. This means that for every 35,000 people, there is a potential user. The probability is 1 in 35,000.
From 2025 to now, it’s been 21 years.
The personnel at the Kangde Orphanage were few and can be ignored. Based on Kangxin Middle School enrolling a thousand students each year, Contaminant 002 influenced over 20,000 people. Among them, two individuals awakened as users, with a probability of one in ten thousand.
Xiao Jinyu paused, his gaze focused. “It seems that Contaminant 002 must have awakened during the period of the Kangde Orphanage. In its early stages of awakening, it couldn’t control its powers well, so under its influence, both Jiang Wentao and I awakened. However, among the many students at Haidu New High School afterward, there were no users because it could control itself better.”
“So, 002 must have seen you.”
His steps abruptly halted, and Xiao Jinyu looked at the man before him.
Looking at the calm and composed expression of the young man, Su Jiuzhou raised an eyebrow lightly, his tone calm as if stating the obvious: “Wang Tao, Luo Sheng, they owe you a lot. You’ve helped them a great deal. You can ask the User Committee to help you gather some information, they definitely won’t refuse. However, over twenty years have passed, even with official intervention, it may not be possible to find detailed records from that chaotic period. But there’s a ready witness, someone who can help you anytime…” He smirked teasingly, “He can arrange a ‘meeting’ for you.”
Xiao Jinyu’s eyes narrowed slightly.
He knew that Su Jiuzhou was referring to Contaminant 002.
In fact, when Jiang Wentao mentioned not having contact information for other companions, the first thing Xiao Jinyu thought of was Contaminant 002.
No one knew more about that orphanage than a plant that had stayed there forever, unable to move. It was like a surveillance camera, observing everything happening in that orphanage every moment.
However, Xiao Jinyu didn’t say it out loud.
That was one of the most powerful contaminants in China, and he was just an ordinary user. Zhao Hen had once said that before the anomaly with 004 last month and Wang Tao asking him to observe the situation, he had never seen the true form of 004. Because he wasn’t qualified enough.
But now, with Su Jiuzhou bringing it up, Xiao Jinyu knew he could meet 002.
–The Spear of Judgment had agreed.
In an instant, various thoughts flashed through Xiao Jinyu’s mind: “Meeting 002 will definitely lead to meeting 004”, “I should coordinate with the silly baby ahead of time to avoid revealing anything”, “If I don’t notify him, I won’t know what expression the silly baby will have”, “Should I act surprised when I see silly baby’s true form for the first time, pretending I didn’t expect it to look like a robot”…
Apart from these thoughts, Xiao Jinyu had also planned what to do after meeting with 002.
It was unlikely that 002 would tell him whether they had met in the orphanage or if he was indeed the “ghost baby of the dormitory” as rumored. But there was no doubt that his mother had brought him there before entering the orphanage.
Between 2025 and 2027, his mother worked in three different places:
Jiuhua Hospital in Zhongdu City, an unnamed pet hospital that had long been closed, and the Kande Orphanage.
On December 11, 2025, the late Professor Huang came to Jiuhua Hospital.
On December 21, Xiao Jinyu was born.
On December 28, his mother suddenly resigned from Jiuhua Hospital.
…
The corner of the corridor was suddenly flooded with bright sunlight, causing the young man to flutter his eyelashes uncomfortably, his brows furrowing involuntarily.
Xiao Jinyu closed his eyes briefly.
— Perhaps his mother took him away when she left the hospital.
“…Spear of Judgment?”
As they walked toward the elevator, a clear and tender voice suddenly sounded from behind the two.
Xiao Jinyu and Su Jiuzhou turned together to see the newcomer and were both stunned.
It was a short boy wrapped all over in bandages, the white strips binding him like a mummy, leaving only his nostrils for breathing and a pair of clear round eyes visible, giving him an eerie yet cute appearance.
Now, those bright eyes stared intently at the man in black beside Xiao Jinyu.
Immediately, Xiao Jinyu recalled the name of this child.
A55 – Piggy Shampoo, Xiao Sinian.
Two weeks ago, this fifteen-year-old boy crawled out of Contamination Zone 19 covered in blood. It took about a week before he finally woke up from a critical condition. Unfortunately, his mother had passed away due to illness just a few days after he went missing. He never got to see his mother one last time. The medical staff sent his mother’s ashes to his hospital room, placing them by his bedside.
Upon hearing this news, Xiao Sinian fell silent for a while, then regained his composure and continued discussing with the members of the Extermination Squad how to capture the relativist.
Xiao Sinian’s injuries were severe but also strange.
Almost all the blood vessels in his body had burst. Anyone who wasn’t a Level Five user wouldn’t have survived long enough to leave the Contamination Zone.
Now, he could finally stand up.
This was also the first time Xiao Jinyu saw him outside the hospital room.
Xiao Sinian’s voice was hoarse, weaker even than Jiang Wentao, a Level Three user. But his tone was firm, and he stared unwaveringly at Su Jiuzhou, repeating word for word, “A01… Spear of Judgment?”
His voice resounded, and there was a momentary silence in the empty hospital corridor.
The next moment, Su Jiuzhou didn’t answer his question but instead opened his eyes wide in shock.
Then, abruptly turning his head, he looked at the young man beside him.
…
Locked in each other’s gaze.
At that moment, the same thought echoed in both of their minds.
『…Hah.』
Receiving no reply, Piggy Shampoo was a bit puzzled. Gripping his two small crutches tightly, he bit his lip and asked again, “Are you A01, the Spear of Judgment?”
Su Jiuzhou smiled. He looked at Xiao Jinyu quietly without turning his head, smiling as he said, “Yes, I am the Spear of Judgment.”
Xiao Jinyu’s face remained cold and indifferent, showing little expression. He also stared directly at the man in front of him. After a moment, he curled his lips into a faint smile and said, “Indeed. You are the Spear of Judgment, Su Yizhou.”
The author has something to say:
Little Goldfish: Wow~~ Look what I found? A wild Su Yizhou?
Ninth Sister: My wife is really mischievous. 【Smile】
Piggy Hero: Huh? What’s going on? What happened? 【Scratching my head in confusion】
He’s been found out so quickly. 😂
ahhh piggy shampoo is kinda cute, I’m glad he survived
Busted! 😂 Thank you for the chapter!
Thank you for the update 🖤 💯