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

Chapter 136 The Caged Bird and the Abyss

The air inside the house seemed to freeze.

Bai Yu's fingertips traced the broken jade pendant, the icy touch spreading from her fingertips to the depths of her heart. The character "Yu" was deeply engraved, exuding an air of antiquity.

"Old Bai, are you really going?"

Mo Fei broke the silence. This time, he didn't slam the table or shout; he simply asked in a deep voice. His large hand rested on his knee, his knuckles turning slightly white from the pressure. He knew Bai Yu's personality; once she made up her mind, nothing could change it.

“I had no choice.” Bai Yu raised her head, her eyes calm enough to be frightening. “Since the judge dared to come alone, it means Ye Tiannan has made thorough preparations. If I don’t go, he really will send the person in the photo to the containment chamber.”

“But the identity of that ‘mother’ hasn’t been confirmed yet.” Lan Ce pushed up his glasses, his fingers flying across the keyboard. “I just compared the background of that photo. Although it’s blurry, judging from the architectural style, it’s the headquarters sanatorium from thirty years ago. The baby in the photo does indeed have a very high match to your childhood records.”

“That’s a trap.” Captain An Mu stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the gradually dissipating fog outside. His figure appeared unusually tall, like an insurmountable mountain. “Ye Tiannan is gambling with your feelings. He knows that although you appear cold on the outside, you value these things the most in your heart.”

“I know it’s a trap.” Bai Yu put away the jade pendant and picked up the black leather notebook. “But the truth is hidden in the trap. About me, about Hei Yan, about that man from fifty years ago. If I don’t go, I will only ever be a pawn in Ye Tiannan’s hands, a ‘mother nest’ that can be replaced at any time.”

“I’ll go with you.” Lu Yueqi stepped forward, her voice clear yet firm, “My ‘pardon’ can help you suppress the rule field inside the Black Tower. Since they want you back, they certainly won’t dare to attack me in public.”

“No, you stay in Linjiang City.” Bai Yu shook her head.

“Brother Baiyu, don’t even think about getting rid of me.” Lu Yueqi looked directly into his eyes. “Your current state is very unstable. If I don’t help you balance the growth of the ‘seed,’ you might have been swallowed by nightmares before you even saw that woman.”

Bai Yu fell silent. He had to admit that what Lu Yueqi said was true. Ever since he acquired the power of "greed," the energy within him had been constantly on the verge of going berserk.

“Go ahead.” An Mu turned around, his eyes revealing a resolute determination. “Our team has never had the habit of abandoning its teammates. Since they’ve walked right into our trap, then we’ll tear this trap apart.”

“Captain…” Mo Fei’s eyes lit up.

"Mo Fei, check all spare ammunition. Lan Ce, bring those jammers that haven't been tested in actual combat yet. Since headquarters is going to play big, we'll play along to the end," An Mu gave the order.

"Yes!"

……

Five hours later.

The black special off-road vehicle was once again driving on the highway leading to headquarters.

The scenery outside the window rushed past. As they drew closer to the Black Tower, the oppressive atmosphere in the air grew exponentially. Bai Yu closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair.

Deep within his consciousness, Hei Yan was curled up in the shadow of that ancient book.

"Oh dear, Baiyu, you've really gotten me into serious trouble this time." Heiyan's voice was filled with unprecedented frustration. "The things in that diary are awakening some memories I hate. That man... he's a madman."

"He created you, didn't he?" Bai Yu asked in her heart.

“Creation? No, he just ‘fished’ me out of the abyss and then fattened me up with the despair of countless people.” Hei Yan let out a cold laugh. “He wanted to use me to control the so-called ‘ultimate rules.’ But in the end, he found that he couldn’t control me at all, so he chose to turn himself into a part of the rules as well.”

"So, the man in the photo is really him?"

"Appearances can be faked, but that nauseating 'hunger for knowledge' cannot be faked." Hei Yan's voice deepened. "Bai Yu, be careful of the Judge. The box he's holding isn't for photos; it's the secondary core of 'greed.' He can directly sense the fluctuations of authority within you through that box."

Bai Yu opened her eyes and looked out the window.

On the horizon, the outline of the Black Tower was already faintly visible. It looked like a black nail, firmly driven into the earth.

The car entered the headquarters' restricted area.

This time, there was no obstruction as expected. The gate opened automatically, and fully armed guards lined up on both sides, saluting the "defected" vehicle. The atmosphere was less like welcoming prisoners and more like holding some kind of eerie ritual.

The judge was standing on the steps of the Black Tower, still carrying that silver briefcase.

"Welcome back, White Language Executor." The judge bowed slightly, his smile gentle. "The minister has been waiting for quite some time."

Bai Yu got out of the car, followed closely by Mo Fei, Lan Ce, and Lu Yueqi. An Mu brought up the rear, his tall figure casting a long shadow in the sunlight.

"Lead the way," Bai Yu said coldly.

The judge turned around and led the group into the Black Tower.

The elevator did not stop at the conference room on the 99th floor, but instead went directly to the seventh basement level.

This is a top-secret area of ​​headquarters, and even An Mu, the team leader, is here for the first time.

The elevator doors opened, and a musty, damp smell wafted out.

The lighting here was dim, and the walls were covered with dark red pipes. From time to time, a low rumbling sound came from inside the pipes, as if some huge thing was wriggling inside.

“This is the ‘Root Laboratory’,” the Judge explained as he walked. “Fifty years ago, this was the research center of the Eye of Truth. Later, headquarters rebuilt the Black Tower on the ruins, and this place was sealed off. We only recently reopened it.”

"Is Su Jianguo conducting experiments here?" Lan Ce asked in a low voice, the detector in his hand constantly emitting urgent alarms.

“Su Jianguo is just an apprentice.” The judge stopped and pointed to a heavy lead door in front of him. “The real geniuses have always lived here.”

The judge pressed the fingerprint lock.

The lead door slowly opened, revealing a huge spherical space to everyone.

A huge glass container, filled with a pale green liquid, floated in the center of the space. Countless translucent tubes hung from the ceiling, connecting to the figure inside the container.

That's a woman.

Her eyes were closed, her long hair was spread out in the liquid, and her face looked very young, without any trace of age. Her chest rose and fell rhythmically, proving that she was still alive.

Bai Yu's breathing stopped.

That feeling of being connected by blood became incredibly intense at that moment. The "seed" within him trembled wildly, even emitting faint buzzing sounds.

"Who is she?" Bai Yu's voice trembled slightly.

"She is your mother, and also the world's first successful 'rule carrier'." Ye Tiannan's voice came from the stands above.

Ye Tiannan was wearing a white lab coat, his face still pale, but his eyes revealed a kind of fanaticism.

"Fifty years ago, in an attempt to unravel nightmares, that man used his wife as a test subject. He succeeded, but he also failed. His wife became a living 'rule black hole,' constantly devouring everything around her. To save her life, the man had no choice but to seal her here, using the energy of the entire black tower to sustain her."

Ye Tiannan walked down from the stands and approached Bai Yu step by step.

"Bai Yu, you are her only descendant, and the last 'backup' she left in this world. The Black Words within you are actually the evil thoughts stripped from her consciousness. If you want to save her, you must complete the final fusion."

"Merge?" Bai Yu sneered. "You want me to replace her and continue to provide energy for your 'god-making plan,' right?"

"No, you're wrong." Ye Tiannan shook his head, pointing to the container. "She's about to collapse. The Black Tower's energy can no longer suppress the rampage of the rules within her. Once she dies, the entire Linjiang City, and even the whole world, will be instantly devoured by the 'greed' within her. Only you, taking Hei Yan and the seed back, can quell her anger."

"He's lying," Black Words roared in White Language's mind. "He's using you! That woman is dead; the container is just an empty shell filled with rules!"

Bai Yu ignored Hei Yan and stared intently at the woman inside the container.

“Brother Bai Yu, don’t go over there.” Lu Yueqi grabbed his sleeve, her face turning deathly pale. “The energy in that container… is gray. It’s eating up the surrounding light.”

"Yueqi, step back." Bai Yu gently pushed her hand away.

He walked toward the container, leaving a charred footprint on the floor with each step.

"Bai Yu!" An Mu wanted to step forward, but the judge stopped him.

"Captain An, this is a matter between the mother and son. Outsiders should not interfere." The briefcase in the judge's hand emitted bursts of red light, and an invisible pressure suppressed the team members firmly in place.

Bai Yu walked up to the container.

He slowly reached out and pressed his hand against the cold glass.

The moment she was touched, the woman inside the container suddenly opened her eyes.

Those were completely black eyes, without pupils, only endless nothingness.

“Yu…er…”

A dry, hoarse voice resounded directly in Bai Yu's soul.

Bai Yu burst into tears.

That profound maternal love, transcending fifty years, struck his heart deeply.

"Mother……"

"Run...quick..." The woman's voice became urgent and painful, "He's...eating me...he wants to...eat you..."

Bai Yu was stunned.

Just then, he noticed a huge black conduit connected to the woman's back. The other end of the conduit pierced through the laboratory wall and led directly to the top of the black tower.

"Ye Tiannan!" Bai Yu suddenly turned her head, her eyes filled with killing intent.

"It seems we've been discovered after all." The fervor on Ye Tiannan's face vanished instantly, replaced by extreme indifference. "That's right, she is indeed my energy source. But for the past fifty years, I've also been protecting her. Bai Yu, since you're unwilling to merge with her willingly, then I'll have no choice but to extract it by force."

Ye Tiannan pressed one of the controllers in his hand.

"Buzz—!" The entire rule field of the laboratory instantly distorted.

Countless black tentacles stretched out from the wall, frantically coiling towards Bai Yu.

"Mo Fei! Lan Ce!" An Mu roared, instantly unleashing the "Iron Wall Royal Authority" within his body.

A golden light enveloped everyone, forcefully blocking the tentacles' attack.

"Captain, I'll clear the way!" Mo Fei roared. Although he didn't have a battle axe, he picked up a heavy experimental device next to him and slammed it down on the judge.

"Overestimating yourself." The judge sneered, opened the briefcase, and a black ripple spread out, instantly shattering the experimental equipment into pieces.

Lance's fingers flew across the terminal on his wrist: "The network here is independent; I can't hack in from the outside! Baiyu, we must cut that conduit!"

Bai Yu was currently at the center of the tentacle attack.

Black flames surged from his left eye, and the short knife in his hand left a trail of black afterimages as he severed the approaching tentacles.

"Black Words, lend me your power!"

"Oh dear, this will incur interest." Although Hei Yan complained, the ancient book instantly appeared in Bai Yu's hand.

The pages flipped frantically, finally settling on the page about "greed".

"Rule changed: Devouring limit removed!"

Bai Yu let out a low roar, and a huge black vortex appeared around his body. The tentacles that had been attacking him were instead drained of energy the instant they touched the vortex.

"What?!" Ye Tiannan's expression changed drastically. "You can actually absorb the energy of the Black Tower in reverse?"

"You taught me this, didn't you?" Bai Yu's voice became unusually deep, carrying a chilling pressure.

He leaped up suddenly, his short knife flashing with a black light over ten feet long, and slashed heavily at the huge conduit behind the container.

"Crack!"

The tube was severed, and a viscous black liquid gushed out.

The woman inside the container let out a sigh of relief, and her body began to rapidly turn into sand, dissipating into specks of starlight in the liquid.

"No—!" Ye Tiannan screamed in despair, "My energy source!"

As the conduit was severed, the entire black tower began to tremble violently.

The ceiling above the laboratory began to collapse, and huge stones crashed to the ground.

"Baiyu, run! This place is going to collapse!" Anmu shouted loudly from under the light screen.

Bai Yu landed on the ground, clutching the jade pendant tightly in his hand. He watched his mother gradually disappear, his heart filled with grief, but his eyes became clearer than ever before.

"Ye Tiannan, this is just the beginning."

Bai Yu turned around and led everyone towards the elevator.

Just as they rushed into the elevator, the judge blocked the doorway.

His face contorted into a grimace, and the silver briefcase in his hand was completely shattered, revealing a beating, blood-red heart inside.

"Since you want to leave, then stay here and be buried with the Black Tower!"

The judge suddenly crushed the heart.

"boom--!"

An indescribable, terrifying energy erupted on the seventh negative level.

The foundation of the entire black tower collapsed completely at that moment.

The elevator ascended rapidly, but the surrounding walls were constantly disintegrating.

"Lan Ce, can you locate the exit?" Bai Yu shouted.

"No, the spatial rules are completely messed up!" Lan Ce was covered in sweat. "We're like we're in a maze of broken mirrors!"

“I’ll do it!” Lu Yueqi suddenly stepped forward.

She bit her fingertip and drew a complex rune in the air.

"In my name, I pardon this chaos! Open!"

The white light pierced through the thick fog in an instant, opening up a straight passage in the shattered space.

The elevator plunged off the ground.

The group scrambled out of the wrecked elevator car in a disheveled state.

The headquarters was now a ruin. The towering black tower was slowly tilting to one side, and a tremendous roar echoed through the sky.

"Old Bai, look over there!" Mo Fei pointed to the end of the ruins.

Ye Tiannan stood atop a pile of rubble, his body undergoing a bizarre transformation. Countless black pipes extended from his back, connecting to the shattered remains of the black tower.

His eyes had turned completely blood red.

"Bai Yu...you can't escape..."

Ye Tiannan's voice turned into a low growl like that of a wild beast.

"As long as I'm here, the Black Tower will never fall!"

He suddenly waved his hand, and the entire tilting black tower stopped collapsing. Countless rubble reassembled in the air, forming a huge and twisted stone giant.

"This guy... turned himself into the spirit of the Black Tower?" Lan Ce exclaimed.

Bai Yu looked at the towering stone giant and felt its suffocating pressure.

He slowly raised the jade pendant in his hand.

The jade pendant shimmered faintly in the sunlight, and the character "语" (yǔ, meaning language) suddenly lit up.

An ancient and mysterious code flowed into Bai Yu's mind through the jade pendant.

"Heiyan, are you ready?" Baiyu asked in a low voice.

"Oh my, this is our trump card." Hei Yan's voice was filled with madness. "Bai Yu, today we'll show this 'god' what the real rules are."

Bai Yu's body began to slowly float into the air.

The ancient black book unfolded completely behind him, its pages transforming into countless black feathers that blotted out the entire sky.

"Rule Reconstruction: The Kingdom of Greed Descends!"

As Bai Yu finished speaking, a massive black domain, centered on him, instantly covered the entire Black Tower ruins.

The stone giant froze.

Ye Tiannan let out a terrified roar as he discovered that his connection with the Black Tower was being forcibly severed by a higher-level force.

"No! This is impossible! How could you possibly possess such power!"

“Because I am not a tool you created.” Bai Yu looked down at him, her eyes as cold as iron.

"I am Bai Yu, an investigator from Team One."

Bai Yu suddenly waved his hand.

The countless black feathers transformed into numerous jet-black longswords, carrying an aura of judgment, and roared towards Ye Tiannan and the stone giant.

……

On the hillside in the distance.

A man in a gray trench coat watched the explosion in the distance in silence.

He pushed up his glasses, took out an identical leather notebook from his pocket, and made a light mark on it.

“Experimental Subject 001, Awakening Progress: 90%”

The man closed his notebook, turned, and walked into the depths of the woods.

"It's almost here... the moment of 'the end' is almost here."

His deep laughter echoed in the wind, lingering for a long time.

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(End of this chapter)