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

Chapter 131 Three Thousand Meters Underground

The SUV suddenly stopped in front of a patch of wasteland on the northern outskirts of Linjiang City.

This area was originally an unfinished housing development, overgrown with weeds taller than a person. Several half-built concrete frames stood forlornly, like a row of giant tombstones. And deep in the shadows of these unfinished buildings, a dark underground entrance was hidden—the Linjiang Metro North Suburb Terminal.

This site was abandoned ten years ago due to a construction accident. It is said that they dug into something they shouldn't have, and the entire construction team vanished overnight, leaving not even a bone behind. Later, it became a famous haunted adventure site, but very few people who go in ever come out fully conscious.

"arrive."

Bai Yu pushed open the car door and got out, the gravel under his feet making a crisp, cracking sound. The night wind, carrying a damp, musty smell, blew out from the dark entrance, like a giant mouth breathing.

"This place... the eerie atmosphere is even stronger than that tollbooth we just went to." Mo Fei jumped out of the car, carrying his battle axe, his brows furrowed. "Old Bai, are you sure this is the 'back entrance'? It feels more like the gates of hell to me."

“The underlying logic of the boundary marker system is based on the spiritual vein nodes of the city.” Lan Ce walked over carrying the terminal, the light from the screen illuminating his serious face. “And this abandoned subway station is located right on a ‘fatal flaw’ in the spiritual vein of Linjiang City. When the system was designed, a pressure relief valve was specially left here to prevent energy overload. That is, what we call the ‘backdoor’.”

"So, we're going to crawl into this 'fatal flaw'?" Mo Fei's lips twitched. "That sounds ominous."

"Stop talking nonsense, get ready to go in." Bai Yu interrupted their chatter, turning to look at Lu Yueqi, "Are you scared?"

Lu Yueqi's face was deathly pale. She gripped the brim of the ghost hat tightly, as if trying to hide herself inside. Hearing Bai Yu's words, she took a deep breath, nodded tremblingly, then shook her head.

“I’m scared… but I can feel something inside calling to me.” She pointed to the dark entrance. “It says… welcome home.”

"Go home?" Bai Yu's eyes narrowed. This was not a good sign.

"Stay close to me, don't fall behind."

The four filed in, their figures quickly swallowed by the darkness.

……

The subway station looks even more dilapidated inside than from the outside.

The floor was covered in a thick layer of dust and broken glass. The billboards on the walls were long faded, and the faces of the celebrities on them had been painted with some unknown black paint, turning them into grotesque grimaces. Most of the overhead light bulbs were broken, and only a few emergency lights stubbornly flickered with a ghastly green light, casting long, twisting shadows that danced and distorted on the walls.

"Buzz... Signal jamming level five." Lan Ce's voice echoed in the empty station hall. "Radio is out of service; we can only rely on wired connections or short-range acoustic communication. Mo Fei, is your exoskeleton radar still working?"

"What a load of crap, it's all just snowflakes." Mo Fei cursed and patted his helmet. "The magnetic field in this godforsaken place is a complete mess."

"Shh-"

Bai Yu, who was walking at the front, suddenly stopped and held up one finger.

Everyone held their breath instantly.

Tick. Tick.

Apart from the distant sound of dripping water, there was a deathly silence all around. But within this silence, there was an extremely subtle yet so dense sound that it sent chills down one's spine.

rustling... rustling...

It felt like countless feet were rubbing against the ground, or like countless sheets of paper were being turned over.

“Down below,” Lu Yueqi suddenly spoke, her voice very low, “Platform level. So many…so many people.”

"A person?" Mo Fei gripped his battle axe tighter.

“No, not living people.” Lu Yueqi’s body began to tremble uncontrollably. “They are… people in a hurry. They are very anxious… if you block their way, you will be torn to pieces.”

“Commuter vengeful spirits,” Bai Yu judged instantly. “This is a unique urban nightmare community. They were crushed by the pressures of life in life, and even in death they continue to repeat the mechanical behavior of commuting to and from get off work. Their resentment comes from ‘being late’ and ‘being crowded’.”

"It sounds like a collection of the grievances of overworked office workers." Lance pushed up his glasses. "These kinds of things are usually quite numerous."

"Let's go down and take a look. That's the only way."

Bai Yu waved his hand and led the way to the escalator leading to the platform level.

The escalator had long been out of service, and the steps were covered in black grime. When they reached the halfway point, the scene below finally came into view.

Even Mo Fei, who was used to seeing big scenes, couldn't help but gasp at this moment.

The entire platform level was packed with people.

They wore all sorts of tattered business attire—suits, shirts, work clothes—and carried briefcases or breakfast bags. But their bodies were translucent gray, their faces devoid of features, only smooth skin marked with distorted times in black marker: 8:59, 9:01, late, deducted pay…

They wandered aimlessly on the platform, pushing and shoving each other, making that teeth-grinding "rustling" sound.

On the tracks, a subway train, long since rusted and rotten, stood parked. Its doors were wide open, crammed with even more vengeful spirits, who continued to push their way in, as if trying to burst the metal box.

"This number... there must be at least several thousand, right?" Mo Fei swallowed hard. "If we try to charge through them head-on, we'll be exhausted to death."

“They are very sensitive to sound and the scent of strangers,” Bai Yu said in a low voice. “Lan Ce, is there any way to make some noise and lure them away?”

“I can try using ‘Nightingale’ to simulate the subway arrival announcement.” Lanze quickly operated the terminal. “If their behavior logic is ‘catching the train,’ then it should work.”

"Try it."

Lan Ce pointed with his finger.

"Ding-dong—The train is about to arrive at the station. Passengers, please pay attention to safety and line up to board the train."

The announcement rang out in the empty platform area.

The next second, the entire platform erupted in cheers.

The vengeful spirits, who had been wandering aimlessly, turned around in unison like soldiers hearing a bugle call to charge, looking toward the source of the sound—a miniature sonic decoy that Lance had deployed at the other end of the platform.

"Roar--!"

Countless faceless figures split open, emitting sharp howls. They surged madly in that direction, trampling and tearing at each other, the scene briefly spiraling out of control.

"Now! Charge!" Bai Yu shouted.

Taking advantage of the moment when the horde of vengeful spirits was distracted, the four of them leaped down the escalator and raced along the base of the wall toward the maintenance passage deep within the tracks.

However, the accident still happened.

Just as they were about to rush into the maintenance passage, a vengeful spirit dressed in a security guard uniform suddenly darted out of the shadows and bumped right into Lu Yueqi, who was running at the back.

"Ah!" Lu Yueqi screamed in fright.

The scream sounded particularly jarring in the noisy platform.

The vengeful spirit of the security guard paused for a moment, and the skin on his face, which originally had the word "patrol" painted on it, suddenly cracked open, revealing a large mouth full of sharp teeth.

"Fare evasion..."

It grabbed Lu Yueqi's arm.

"Go away!"

Mo Fei, who was walking in front, reacted very quickly and turned around to strike with his axe.

puff!
The security guard's vengeful spirit's head was shattered like a watermelon, and black resentment exploded in all directions.

But this caused quite a commotion.

The army of vengeful spirits that were crowding the "subway" in the distance froze instantly. Thousands of heads turned around in unison, staring intently at this direction.

The feeling of being stared at by thousands of dead people is enough to make anyone's heart stop.

"Oh no!" Lan Ce's face turned pale. "We've stirred up a hornet's nest."

"Overtime...overtime...overtime!!!"

The horde of vengeful spirits roared deafeningly, their voices filled with boundless resentment and rage. They abandoned the false broadcast and surged towards the four like a tidal wave.

"Mo Fei, stop them! Lan Ce, blast open the passage door!" Bai Yu calmly gave the order, while pulling Lu Yueqi behind him. "Hei Yan, prepare to clear the area!"

“This amount of trash is going to be a lot of work to clean up,” Hei Yan said with some dissatisfaction. “And it will get my dress dirty.”

"Cut the nonsense!"

"Come on, you bastards!" Mo Fei roared, clashing his two axes together, sparking dazzling electrical sparks. He stood like an iron tower blocking the entrance to the passage, facing the surging tide of corpses without fear.

"Gravity Field - Thousand-Pound Drop!"

With the exoskeleton powered at full throttle, every axe strike Mo Fei delivered carried immense force. The leading vengeful spirits were instantly cleaved into pieces, black limbs flying everywhere. But the number of vengeful spirits was simply too great. They cared nothing for death, trampling over the corpses of their companions to continue their charge. Soon, Mo Fei was covered in vengeful spirits, biting and scratching with their teeth, frantically attacking the exoskeleton's armor.

sizzle-

The exoskeleton emitted an overload alarm, and its shield value was rapidly decreasing.

"The door's stuck! The electronic lock's rusted shut!" Lan Ce, sweating profusely, fiddled with the control panel in the back. "Give me ten seconds! I'm trying to force it open!"

"Ten seconds? I can barely hold on for five seconds!" Mo Fei kicked three vengeful spirits away, but five more immediately pounced on him. "Old Bai! Think of something!"

Bai Yu was preparing to forcibly unleash Hei Yan's power, even at the cost of further damage to his soul, to carve out a path.

Just then, Lu Yueqi, who had been hiding behind him, suddenly moved.

As she watched the frantically charging vengeful spirits, and the sparks flickering on Mo Fei's body, an unprecedented emotion erupted within her. It was fear, anger, and an instinctive urge to protect everyone.

"Don't... don't come here!"

She closed her eyes and let out a scream.

But this scream was different from the previous one of terror.

Om-!
An invisible, grayish-white ripple suddenly spread outwards from her center.

Wherever these ripples passed, time seemed to stand still.

The vengeful spirits, who were originally incredibly violent and filled with resentment, froze instantly upon contact with this ripple. The hideous black characters on their faces began to distort, fade, and finally become blank.

The entire platform level fell silent instantly.

It's like a noisy subway station during rush hour suddenly being muted.

All the vengeful spirits stood frozen in place, their hands hanging down, as if they had fallen into some kind of deep sleep.

"What... what's going on?" Mo Fei remained in the axe-wielding stance, staring at the bizarre scene before him, his eyes nearly popping out of their sockets.

Bai Yu was also stunned. He turned to look at Lu Yueqi.

The girl was panting heavily, her face flushed red. The ghost hat on her head seemed to come alive, its two drooping "ears" standing straight up and emitting a faint glow.

"This is... 'soul soothing'?" Hei Yan's voice carried a hint of surprise, even a touch of admiration. "No, it's more than just soul soothing. It's a 'pardon' from a higher being to a lower being. The thing inside her is even more interesting than I imagined."

“Pardon?” Bai Yu keenly grasped this word.

“She made these vengeful spirits feel like they’ve ‘clocked out’,” Hei Yan chuckled. “For these poor corporate slaves, there’s no rule more powerful than ‘clocking out’.”

"Off work?" Mo Fei's lips twitched even more violently upon hearing Bai Yu's retelling. "This is actually allowed?"

Just then, a crisp sound came from Lan Ce's side.

"opened!"

The heavy explosion-proof door slid open slowly, revealing a deep and dark maintenance passage behind it.

"Let's go! Before they can react!" Bai Yu grabbed Lu Yueqi, who was still a little dazed, and pushed Mo Fei into the passage.

Lance quickly followed, turned around and closed the door, then locked it again.

Through the thick iron gate, the crowd could almost hear the murmurs, like the whispers of a dream, emanating from the vengeful spirits outside:
"Off work...going home...going home..."

……

The maintenance access area was only dimly lit by emergency lights.

The four men leaned against the wall, panting heavily. That brief skirmish had been more exhausting than running ten kilometers.

"Girl, what's that move you just did called?" Mo Fei took off his helmet and looked at Lu Yueqi with admiration. "That was amazing! One shout shut those lunatics up! It was even more effective than the Lion's Roar!"

Lu Yueqi shrank back a little embarrassedly: "I...I don't know either. I was just really scared, and then I was thinking, 'Please stop moving, go and rest,' and then...they really stopped moving."

"Words become law!" Mo Fei gave a thumbs up.

Bai Yu looked at Lu Yueqi, her eyes softening slightly: "This is your talent. Although your Nightmare hasn't awakened yet, its level is very high, naturally possessing an aura that suppresses lower-level Nightmares. You did very well just now, saving everyone."

Hearing Bai Yu's praise, Lu Yueqi's eyes lit up, and her original fear seemed to dissipate considerably: "Really? I... can I still help you in the future?"

“Of course.” Bai Yu nodded. “You will be our most important trump card.”

He wasn't lying. In this world where rules reign supreme, Lu Yueqi's ability to ignore or even rewrite those rules is practically a cheat code. Although she's currently weak and uncontrollable, her potential is limitless.

“Alright, break over.” Lan Ce checked the terminal. “This is maintenance access area C. Follow this road and you can bypass the outer defense network of the ‘boundary marker’ and enter the underground drainage system of Linjiang City directly. It’s about five kilometers from the city center.”

“Five kilometers… not far.” Bai Yu straightened up. “But it won’t be easy either. The ecological environment inside the boundary marker may have been completely mutated.”

"What's there to be afraid of? With Sister Lu here, we'll yell at one if one comes, and yell at two if two come!" Mo Fei was bursting with confidence.

"Don't be careless," Bai Yu poured cold water on the idea. "Her abilities are being used up quickly, and they might not be effective against high-level Nightmares. We still have to rely on ourselves."

After getting their gear ready, the group continued deeper into the area.

The passageway widened as they walked, and the humidity in the air increased. Large patches of black mold began to appear on the walls, like some kind of living creature breathing and wriggling.

After walking for about twenty minutes, a glimmer of light appeared ahead.

That's the exit of the passage.

When they stepped out of the passage, the sight before them stunned everyone.

They did not arrive at the sewers they had imagined, but instead stood on the edge of a huge underground cavity.

This hollow space is as large as several football fields, with the foundation of Linjiang City above it, supported by countless thick concrete pillars. At the bottom of the hollow, a black underground river flows.

But what's most shocking is the thing in the center of the hole.

That's a tree.

A "tree of steel and flesh" formed from countless corpses, abandoned vehicles, and construction debris. It stands a hundred meters tall, its roots deeply embedded in an underground river, drawing nourishment from the black earth. The trunk is covered with countless cocoons, each containing a humanoid creature that is slowly wriggling.

At the very top of the tree canopy hangs a huge, beating heart. With each beat, a visible red ripple spreads through the earth, reaching the city above.

"What...what the hell is this?" Mo Fei's voice was a little hoarse.

“This is an ‘incubator.’” Bai Yu’s face turned extremely ugly. “That S-class primordial entity… it’s not just incubating itself, it’s turning the entire city into its nutrient pool! These cocoons… are full of humans who have been captured!”

"Damn it!" Mo Fei cursed angrily, "These beasts!"

“Wait, that’s…” Lan Ce suddenly pointed to an area under the tree.

Near the tree roots, a small human team was struggling to hold on. They wore tattered Bureau of Investigation uniforms, leaned against a boulder, and were surrounded by all sorts of deformed monsters.

Although the distance was far, Bai Yu recognized the figure wielding the giant sword at a glance.

"It's Zhao Tiezhu from the second team!" Mo Fei recognized him too. "They're still alive!"

“They’re surrounded. They won’t last long.” Bai Yu’s eyes sharpened, and she made a decision instantly.

"Rescue!"

Without any hesitation, the four of them leaped down from the high exit and rushed down the steep slope toward the deathly arena.

"Mo Fei, clear the way! Lan Ce, cover! Lu Yueqi, stay close to me!"

"Roger that!"

The hum of the battle axe resounded once more, sounding the clarion call for counterattack in the deathly silent underground cavern.

The terrifying tree of flesh and blood seemed to sense the arrival of the intruders, and the heart on its canopy suddenly contracted.

Roar--!
Countless cocoons burst open, and newborn monsters fell from the trees, joining the hunt.

The battle is about to break out.

(End of this chapter)