Global Ghost Stories: I'm Investigating Ghosts in My Nightmare!

Chapter 125 Undercurrents on the Way Home

It rained heavily.

The morning in Fog Ridge City was devoid of any light; only thick, leaden-gray clouds hung heavily over the mountains. Torrential rain poured down, violently washing over the greyish-white stone statues lining the streets. The originally viscous blood mist thinned under the rain, transforming into dark red streams that flowed into the sewers through the crevices of the bluestone slabs.

Bai Yu stood under the remaining eaves of the inn, gazing at the dead city through the rain, his eyes deep and unfathomable. He had long since put away his "Final Destination Suit" and changed back into his slightly oversized Investigation Bureau uniform. Although his face was still pale, his breathing had become much more steady.

"Old Bai, the car's been checked, the chassis's been reinforced, it can handle this kind of rough road." Mo Fei wiped the rain off his face and strode over. He carried two kettles of freshly boiled water, his movements steady without spilling a drop. He handed one of the kettles to Bai Yu, his tone unusually attentive: "Drink something hot. Your body temperature is frighteningly low after this battle; Lan Ce said it's a sign of spiritual exhaustion."

Bai Yu took the kettle, the warmth spreading through his body from his palm, relaxing his stiff muscles slightly. "Thanks. How's Yueqi doing?"

“Captain An is personally guarding her.” Mo Fei lowered his voice and glanced back at the modified van parked in the yard. “That girl is sleeping very soundly, and her breathing rate is very strange. Lan Ce said that it doesn’t seem like deep sleep in humans, but rather like the dormancy of some… some ancient creature. To be honest, Lao Bai, what she showed me last night really stunned me.”

Bai Yu didn't respond. He knew that although Mo Fei appeared rugged, he was actually very perceptive. The power Lu Yueqi displayed last night had completely overturned their understanding of "Awakened Ones."

"Heiyan, are you still not awake?" Baiyu called softly in her mind.

"Stop shouting, even I need to rest." Hei Yan's lazy voice rang out, tinged with disdain. "The aftershocks of that little girl's outburst last night almost ripped the cover off this nameless ancient book of mine. Bai Yu, let me remind you again, her current state is like a high-dimensional bomb that could explode at any moment. Those old guys in the Investigation Bureau aren't stupid; they'll definitely treat her as their most dangerous research subject."

Bai Yu gripped the kettle tightly, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force.

"The captain is out," Mo Fei reminded him.

An Mu walked down the steps with steady steps. He had changed into a sharp black trench coat, the Investigation Bureau badge on his chest gleaming coldly in the overcast sky. Although he had been through a hard night, he was still in good spirits, though the bloodshot eyes betrayed his exhaustion.

"Everyone get in the vehicles," An Mu ordered briefly. "Lan Ce has already uploaded the coordinates and preliminary report. Headquarters has reacted strongly and sent the 'Scavenger' team to take over the follow-up. We must leave before they arrive."

"Why should we avoid them?" Mo Fei asked, somewhat puzzled.

“Because the leader is ‘Black Crow’,” An Mu replied coldly.

Upon hearing this name, both Mo Fei and Lan Ce's expressions changed.

The Nightmare Investigation Bureau is not a monolithic entity. If Team One is the "sharp blade" responsible for tackling and resolving the most dangerous incidents, then "Black Crows" are the "vultures" responsible for post-incident cleanup, resource recovery, and internal investigation. They belong to the Bureau's Resource Management Department and operate with a sinister and ruthless style, often disregarding the lives of frontline investigators in their pursuit of valuable Nightmare Cores.

"Understood." Mo Fei nodded, turned around, and got into the driver's seat.

Lan Ce sat in the passenger seat, two high-performance laptops propped up on his lap, various complex data streams jumping wildly on the screens. He pushed up his black-rimmed glasses and said without turning his head, "Captain, I've blocked the real-time location of this vehicle. We'll take the old tunnel to the south. It's a longer route, but it will avoid the surveillance checkpoints on the main road."

The car started, the engine humming softly, and slowly drove away from the eerie mountain town that had been transformed into a forest of stone statues.

In the back seat, Lu Yueqi lay in a specially modified medical pod. Her complexion was unusually rosy, and her long eyelashes fluttered occasionally, as if she were experiencing some kind of long dream. Bai Yu sat beside her, holding the real-time monitoring device Lan Ce had given him, observing her various physiological indicators.

"Bai Yu, take a look at this."

Hei Yan's voice suddenly turned serious.

Bai Yu closed his eyes, his consciousness sinking into his sea of ​​knowledge. He saw the nameless ancient book automatically opening, and on the latest page, a brand new entry appeared.

[Item Acquired: Divine Remnant (Evolving)]

[Status: Merged]

[Current Stage: Early Form of Cause and Effect (Elementary)]

[Description: After absorbing the core energy from the 'Mountain God's' throat, the divine fragment within you underwent a personalized evolution. It is no longer merely pure energy, but has begun to touch the edge of 'causality'.]

[Additional Attribute: Echo Saving Throw. You have absolute resistance to all forms of mental pollution based on sound, vibration, and frequency.]

[Passive Skill: Causal Perception (Fragmented). When you encounter a nightmare or character with whom you have a deep entanglement, you will have an intuitive warning.]

Bai Yu's heart stirred. This "gain" was greater than he had imagined. Cause and effect—in the world of Nightmare—belonged to the highest level of rules. Although it was only in its embryonic form, it already gave him an extra trump card when facing future threats.

"Don't be too happy yet," Hei Yan poured cold water on the situation. "Evolution comes at a price. Haven't you noticed? Although the cracks in your soul have been forcibly sealed by divinity, these cracks are becoming... transparent."

"transparent?"

“That’s right. When they completely disappear, you may no longer be Baiyu, but some kind of vessel that carries divinity. At that time, I may not even be able to protect your consciousness.” Heiyan rarely spoke without joking, his tone carrying a hint of worry.

"I understand," Bai Yu replied calmly.

The car bounced violently on the muddy mountain road. Lan Ce suddenly looked up, his fingers rapidly typing a series of commands on the keyboard. "Captain, something's wrong! The exit of the old tunnel ahead is blocked."

An Mu's eyes narrowed: "Who is it? The cleaner?"

“No, it’s a task force from ‘Black Crow’.” Lancer’s voice turned cold. “They used a high-frequency jamming matrix to completely disable all electronic equipment in that area. It seems they came prepared and were waiting for us here.”

"Mo Fei, slow down and prepare for negotiation," An Mu ordered in a deep voice. "Everyone, do not attack first, but be prepared for battle. Lan Ce, turn on the dashcam and backup recording equipment, and back up the process to my private cloud."

"receive."

The car slowly came to a stop at the tunnel exit.

Ahead, three jet-black armored off-road vehicles were blocking the road, their rooftop searchlights casting a blinding white light through the rain. A dozen investigators, dressed in black special operations uniforms and wearing crow masks, armed with electromagnetic rifles, surrounded them in a fan shape.

The leader was a thin man who was not wearing a mask, but only a long gray overcoat. His face was ashen, and his narrow eyes were cold and venomous.

He is the vice-captain of "Black Crow," codenamed "Shadow Crow."

An Mu pushed open the car door and stepped out into the pouring rain. He didn't use an umbrella, letting the rain soak his hair and clothes. His imposing aura exploded instantly, causing the "Black Crow" members, who were holding rifles, to instinctively take a half-step back.

"Shadow Raven, who gave you the authority to intercept a team's vehicles?" An Mu's voice sounded particularly strong in the rain.

Shadow Raven chuckled sinisterly, pulling a document stamped with a red seal from his pocket and waving it in the air. "Captain An, don't misunderstand. We're just following orders. The Resource Management Department received a report that a team illegally intercepted a high-value Nightmare Core during the Fog Ridge City incident and attempted to protect an extremely dangerous illegal Awakened. We're just here to ask you all to go back and assist with the investigation."

"A report?" An Mu sneered. "The Fog Ridge City incident hasn't been determined yet, and the report hasn't even been submitted. Where did this report come from? Shadow Crow, you're all too adept at making a big deal out of nothing."

“Captain An, please don’t make things difficult for us.” Shadow Raven’s gaze passed over An Mu and looked at the back of the van. “Hand over that girl to us, and you can leave immediately. Otherwise, I have the right to suspect that you have been mentally corrupted by the Nightmare and need to be forcibly quarantined.”

Inside the carriage, Mo Fei's hand was already on the handle of the battle axe, his muscles bulging slightly.

Bai Yu gently patted his shoulder, signaling him to calm down. He opened the car door and got out as well.

“She’s not some illegal Awakened One, she’s a victim.” Bai Yu walked to An Mu’s side, looking directly at Ying Ya. “Moreover, she’s currently in a deep coma and needs to return to headquarters immediately for top-level medical treatment. If something happens to her because of your obstruction, can you take responsibility?” Ying Ya looked at Bai Yu, a mocking smile on his lips: “Bai Yu, I heard you almost died on your last mission, even your soul was shattered. What, you haven’t rested enough and you’re already eager to play the hero? A girl who can cause a Source-level anomaly, and you call her a victim? Save those words for the interrogation room.”

"Get out of the way." An Mu took a step forward, and the ground beneath his feet cracked under the terrifying pressure. "I'll say it again, get out of the way. Otherwise, I will consider your actions as a treacherous attack on frontline combat personnel of the Investigation Bureau, and I have the right to kill you on the spot."

As An Mu finished speaking, a faint golden light appeared around him. Although the domain of "Iron Wall Royal Authority" was not fully activated, the suffocating pressure had already made the surrounding air thick and viscous.

Shadow Raven's expression changed. He knew An Mu was a madman, and if a fight really broke out here, the men he brought wouldn't stand a chance.

"Captain An, you are openly defying headquarters' orders," Shadow Raven said through gritted teeth.

“I will personally explain the headquarters' instructions to the director. You don't need to interfere here.” An Mu stared at him coldly. “Get out!”

Yingya stared intently at An Mu, then glanced at Bai Yu, who stood expressionless to the side. He knew he wouldn't get the better of him today, so he could only wave his hand with a gloomy face.

"withdraw!"

Three black SUVs slowly made way for each other.

The van started up again, grazing past Shadow Crow. As Mo Fei passed by, he deliberately slammed on the gas, splashing Shadow Crow with mud.

"Captain, those bastards definitely won't let this go," Mo Fei said angrily as he drove.

“They’re just testing the waters.” An Mu sat in the back row, his expression grave. “The real pressure is at headquarters. Lan Ce, how much longer until we arrive?”

“It should take three hours,” Lan Ce replied. “I’ve already contacted Dr. Qin from the medical team. She’s an old acquaintance of ours and we trust her. As soon as we get into the station, we’ll take Yueqi directly to the intensive care unit.”

As Bai Yu watched the scenery rushing past the window, the unease in her heart grew stronger and stronger.

"Hei Yan, did you feel it just now?"

“I sensed it.” Hei Yan’s voice was somewhat amused. “That guy called Shadow Raven carries a very faint… rotten smell. It’s not the smell of a human, nor is it the smell of an ordinary nightmare.”

“That’s the scent of the mountain god,” Bai Yu continued.

“That’s right. It seems that the secrets of Fog Ridge City have already infiltrated the Investigation Bureau.” Hei Yan chuckled. “Bai Yu, the days ahead will probably be even more exciting than in Fog Ridge City.”

Three hours later, at the Bureau of Investigation headquarters building.

This is a magnificent building hidden in the suburban forest. On the surface, it looks like an ordinary research center, but underground there is a vast space hundreds of meters deep.

The car drove into the underground parking lot, where a medical team was already waiting.

"Quick! Get her to ICU 3!" Dr. Qin, a capable middle-aged woman, quickly directed the nurses to lift Lu Yueqi onto the stretcher.

Just as An Mu was about to follow, two uniformed inspectors blocked his way.

"Captain An, the director is waiting for you in his office. Please go there immediately." The inspector's tone was cold, carrying an unquestionable air.

An Mu glanced back at Bai Yu, his eyes carrying a hint of admonition. "Bai Yu, you go to the medical area and keep watch over Yue Qi. Mo Fei, Lan Ce, you two go and write the report, making sure the details are clear, especially the part about the 'Black Crow' interception."

"Understood." The group split up and went about their tasks.

Bai Yu followed the medical team to Special Care Zone No. 3. The walls here were all cast from a special alloy, capable of isolating most mental fluctuations.

"Dr. Qin, how is she?" Bai Yu asked, standing outside the observation window.

Dr. Qin frowned as he looked at the complex vital signs on the screen. "It's strange. Her bodily functions are evolving at an astonishing rate; her cellular activity is ten times that of an average person. But her brainwaves are in an extremely active, chaotic state. Bai Yu, tell me honestly, what exactly did she come into contact with in Fog Ridge City?"

Just as Bai Yu was about to speak, a series of orderly footsteps suddenly came from the end of the corridor.

A group of people dressed in white protective suits and wearing fully enclosed helmets walked over. They were pushing various complex instruments, and the leader was an elderly man wearing a monocle who looked gentle and refined, but whose eyes revealed an almost fanatical fervor.

He is Professor Su, nicknamed "The Eccentric Doctor," and is the head of the research department of the Investigation Bureau.

"Investigator Bai, the research department will take over the work from now on. Please leave." Professor Su's voice was gentle, yet carried an undeniable arrogance.

“Professor Su, this is Captain An’s order. I must stay here and guard this place.” Bai Yu refused to budge an inch.

"Captain An's orders?" Professor Su chuckled, pulling an electronic command from his pocket. "Just now, the director signed a special authorization, designating Lu Yueqi as a 'top-tier research sample,' with the research department in full charge. Investigator Bai, do you intend to disobey orders?"

Bai Yu looked at the instructions and her heart sank to the bottom.

The power struggle within the bureau was even more intense than he had imagined. No sooner had An Mu been taken away than the research department eagerly jumped out.

"Baiyu, don't fight them head-on," Heiyan reminded him in his mind. "Look around."

Bai Yu glanced around out of the corner of his eye. He saw several hidden presences quietly approaching from the shadows of the corridor. They were the "Guardians" of the research department; though not well-known, they were all experts at dealing with nightmares.

"I understand." Bai Yu took a deep breath and took a step back.

"Very good." Professor Su nodded in satisfaction and waved for his subordinates to enter the ward.

Bai Yu turned and left, but he didn't go far. Instead, he went to a corner of the medical area.

He took out his internal communicator and found an unread email.

The sender is anonymous.

The email contained only one sentence:

"Watch your shadow, the mountain god is watching you. If you want to save that girl, come to the archives, basement level five, at midnight tonight."

Bai Yu turned off the communicator, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

He looked down at his feet.

The hall was brightly lit, and his shadow was clearly projected onto the floor.

(End of this chapter)