The Truth Behind the Madness

Luo Wei looked at the man who was begging for mercy in surprise, and instinctively exchanged a glance with Evelyn.

Evelyn sighed helplessly, "I’ve seen people who would do anything to escape from a mental asylum, but I’ve never seen someone who actually wants to stay here..."

"Don’t take me out, please don’t take me out..."

The cultist kept shaking his head, clearly showing strong resistance to the idea of leaving the hospital.

Luo Wei had no choice but to change his approach. "Fine, we won’t take you out."

When gentle persuasion didn’t work, Luo Wei resorted to force. He grabbed the man by the collar and threatened coldly, "Tell me about your cult, or I’ll kill you."

However, after hearing this, the cultist became even more terrified.

"The cult? The Truth Cult!!"

"I really can’t say anything, I’ll die! I’ll die horribly! Please, spare me..."

As he spoke, he nervously glanced out the window, as if he felt he was being watched. His entire body trembled violently.

"You’re not afraid of me killing you, but you’re afraid of them?" Luo Wei grew increasingly impatient with the man’s behavior.

He was about to teach the cultist a lesson, but Evelyn beat him to it.

A sharp crimson light flashed, and three of the cultist’s fingers were cleanly severed.

Blood instantly sprayed out, and the cultist clutched his hand, howling in pain.

"Ahhhhh—!"

A cold smile appeared on Evelyn’s lips. "I don’t care what you’re afraid of, but our time is precious. We don’t have time to waste here!"

She narrowed her eyes, looking down at the cultist’s agonized expression with satisfaction.

"So, answer this gentleman’s questions quickly, or else..."

After she spoke, the crimson blade transformed into a dagger and was brutally stabbed into the cultist’s thigh.

The cultist was on the verge of passing out from the pain.

Evelyn’s face suddenly turned vicious. "Or else, I’ll kill you in the most brutal way possible. Do you want to know how human specimens are made?"

The cultist looked up at Evelyn in horror.

Her gaze examined his body with utmost seriousness, as if she were genuinely considering how to disembowel him and clean out his organs...

Luo Wei chimed in, "You should believe her. My teacher has several human specimens at home."

The cultist shivered all over, then seemed to resign himself, slumping down weakly.

"Alright... ask your questions..."

Luo Wei silently glanced at Evelyn, wanting to give her a thumbs-up.

But he noticed that her current state seemed a bit off, as if she was suppressing some intense killing intent.

Her expression was both excited and agitated, a tendency she had shown during the defense of the old mansion, as if she hadn’t killed enough, as if she were possessed by the spirit of a god of slaughter.

"Teacher?" Luo Wei’s voice was tinged with concern.

"Just ask already! Aren’t you in a hurry??" Evelyn snapped impatiently.

Luo Wei frowned slightly. Though her behavior was unusual, questioning the cultist was indeed the priority now.

He turned his attention back to the cultist.

He recounted the police raids and the madness of the superhumans, then asked what methods the Truth Cult had used to achieve this.

The cultist opened his mouth, seemingly surprised by what had happened.

He then let out a bitter laugh.

"I told everyone not to trust that person, but they wouldn’t listen to me. Now it’s over, it’s all over..."

Luo Wei grew even more curious. It seemed this cultist indeed knew a lot of inside information.

As he handed over a bandage to stop the bleeding, the cultist began to explain what had happened within the Truth Cult recently.

After the airship bombing incident, the Truth Cult’s situation had become increasingly dire. The police had been relentlessly hunting them down, and their followers had dwindled. The remaining members had hidden in the chaotic and cramped lower districts to evade capture.

But two weeks ago, around the time Luo Wei was still at the southern manor, outwitting Ophelia, a mysterious man had approached them. He wanted to purchase a certain drug from them, offering not only a large sum of money but also a way to help them escape the police.

"Escape the police?" Luo Wei was surprised. "You’re at the top of the official wanted list, and the police always act in secret. How could he help you escape?"

"He provided intelligence..." The cultist trembled as he bandaged his wound. "He always had inside information, knew where the police would show up, and gave us escape routes..."

Luo Wei frowned, deep in thought. Someone who could provide such intelligence was likely an insider...

There was a mole within the authorities.

"What did he look like?" Luo Wei asked again.

The cultist shook his head. "He wore a hood and a mask. I couldn’t see his face, only that he was a man..."

"Alright." Luo Wei looked at him, recalling the mention of the 'drug' earlier, realizing it was likely the key to the superhumans’ madness.

He quickly asked, "What drug did he want to buy?"

The cultist replied, "It’s the one we use during our gatherings, a hallucinogen, something that’s highly addictive..."

"A hallucinogen?" Luo Wei immediately thought of something Evelyn had mentioned before.

She had said the Truth Cult was a dark wizard organization, and that they had started by dealing and manufacturing drugs. This so-called addictive hallucinogen was likely some kind of narcotic.

Helena chimed in, "What’s the effect of this hallucinogen? It’s not just addiction, is it?"

The cultist nodded helplessly. "According to our doctrine, once followers join us and donate their wealth... the God of Truth will forgive their sins, guide them to transcend this filthy mortal world, and allow them to touch the truth of the universe, thus entering a beautiful and holy paradise..."

"Of course, it’s all nonsense," he continued. "The leader developed this hallucinogen to amplify human senses. Happiness becomes more intense, and pain becomes more unbearable. During our specially designed rituals, when they witness fabricated miracles, they truly believe in them, becoming increasingly fanatical and devout..."

"Happiness becomes more intense, and pain becomes more unbearable..." Helena glanced at Luo Wei.

Luo Wei nodded with a complex expression. "Based on this principle, when people sense chaos in the city, their negative emotions would likely intensify, making them increasingly panicked and disordered..."

And for superhumans, this drug was even more insidious...

Superhumans were already teetering on the edge of madness. As their powers grew stronger, their sensitivity to supernatural phenomena would also increase, allowing them to hear sounds others couldn’t and see terrifying things invisible to ordinary people...

The superhumans who had participated in the raids against the Truth Cult had been driven to madness by this, their powers backfiring and turning them into uncontrollable lunatics.

"But... but..." The cultist grew more fearful. "I’ve used that stuff before. How could it be so potent? The entire city is probably going to go mad with us!!"

Luo Wei instinctively looked out the window at the thick fog.

He didn’t answer the cultist but continued questioning, "How much of the drug did that mysterious man buy?"

"He didn’t buy much..." The cultist said, puzzled.

Suddenly, as if realizing something, he exclaimed, "That’s it! That guy must have figured out the formula and started mass-producing it!!"

Luo Wei listened as the cultist explained that the mysterious man had once inquired about the formula for the hallucinogen, but their leader had refused, as it was a crucial bargaining chip for them.

The man hadn’t pressed further and hadn’t purchased much of the drug.

However, something unexpected happened one day.