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

Chapter 137 The Stripped Power

Black feathers covered the sky.

Each feather is like a heavy sword forged through countless hammer blows, possessing a sharpness capable of slicing through space. They intertwine and recombine in the air, forming a massive, ever-rotating black vortex.

Baiyu is suspended in the center of the vortex.

The purplish-black flame in his left eye had burned to its limit. Dark purple lines appeared on his originally pale skin. These lines seemed to have a life of their own, pulsating slightly with his breathing.

"A nation of greed, crumbling!"

Bai Yu's voice was not loud, but it carried an undeniable authority.

As his words fell, the countless black feathers instantly accelerated. They didn't directly collide with the towering stone giant, but instead, like a swarm of hungry locusts, frantically devoured the regular light streams on the stone giant's surface.

"No! This is impossible!"

Ye Tiannan's almost manic roar came from the stone giant's chest.

He was horrified to discover that his connection with the ruins of the Black Tower was being forcibly severed. The building fragments that had previously obeyed his commands suddenly felt a sense of "betrayal" upon contact with Black Feather.

The stone giant's arm began to disintegrate.

The giant limb, originally formed from countless reinforced concrete and nightmare energy, was now peeling off in large swathes, like snow melting under the scorching sun.

"Your 'greed' is to possess, while my 'greed' is to take away."

Bai Yu slowly extended his right hand and made a grasping motion in the air.

"Click——"

A crisp cracking sound resounded through the sky.

The head of the stone giant, the massive stone block miniatured from the top of the Black Tower, was crushed by an invisible force.

"Team One, retreat!"

Captain Anmu's voice came through the radio. Although he was pinned to the ground by the powerful energy, his commander's intuition told him that the current balance was extremely fragile.

"Lan Ce, exit route!"

Anmu shouted as he did his best to maintain the "Iron Wall Royal Authority." The golden light barrier teetered precariously amidst the billowing dust, resisting the terrifying shockwaves generated by the collapse of the stone giant.

"Calculating! Damn it, the logic chain here has completely broken!"

Lan Ce knelt on the ground, his fingers rapidly tapping on the wristband. Due to excessive tension, fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead and slid down his glasses.

"The spatial coordinates are undergoing a non-linear shift. Mo Fei, help me stabilize that transmitter!"

"Roger that!"

Mo Fei let out a low growl. Instead of charging straight at Lan Ce as usual, he quickly slid to the side and moved to Lan Ce's side.

His massive frame stood like a solid shield, firmly blocking Lan Ce's path. His hands firmly gripped the constantly trembling "rule fluctuation detector," his muscles taut, the veins on his arms bulging like writhing dragons.

Mo Fei's eyes were fixed on his surroundings. He keenly sensed that the air around him was becoming viscous, a sign that the rules were about to completely collapse.

"Old Lan, hurry! This place isn't going to hold out much longer!"

Mo Fei's voice was deep and steady, without a trace of panic. After countless brushes with death, he had learned how to maintain absolute restraint in the midst of a frenzied battle.

"Found it! Southeast, at a 30-degree angle! There's a logical flaw there!"

Lan Ce suddenly looked up and pointed to a desolate ruin.

"Yueqi, it's up to you now!"

Lu Yueqi's face was deathly pale, but her eyes were unusually determined. She bit her lower lip tightly, so much so that a trace of blood seeped out.

"Pardon... activated!"

The energy within her body erupted without reservation. A pure white light spread out from her center, forcibly creating a circle with a diameter of three meters within the chaotic black field.

Within this circle, all gravity, pressure, and mental pollution are instantly neutralized.

"Baiyu! Come back quickly!"

Lu Yueqi shouted loudly at the figure in the air.

Bai Yu glanced down at his companion.

The black flames in his eyes subsided slightly. He knew that if he continued in this state, he might completely lose control.

"Heiyan, that's a wrap."

"Tch, what a disappointment. I was so close to witnessing the most spectacular self-destruction."

Hei Yan's elegant yet slightly sinister voice echoed in Bai Yu's mind.

Bai Yu ignored its teasing. He suddenly waved his hand, and the countless black feathers instantly contracted, transforming into a jet-black robe draped over his shoulders.

His figure fell like a shooting star, landing precisely within the white halo erected by Lu Yueqi.

"go!"

Captain Anmu gave the order.

The five of them huddled together and rushed toward the logical flaw that Lan Ce had pointed out.

The moment they stepped into the breach, the black tower behind them let out its final, mournful cry.

"Boom--!"

The entire black tower, along with Ye Tiannan's broken stone giant, turned to sand at this moment.

Gray dust billowed into the sky, obscuring the sky for several kilometers in radius. The once magnificent headquarters complex was transformed into a desolate sea of ​​sand in just a few seconds.

……

Two hours later.

Inside an abandoned air-raid shelter on the outskirts of Linjiang City.

Lanze placed the last jammer at the entrance of the bunker. With a faint hum, an invisible signal shielding field enveloped the entire bunker.

"Phew—we're safe for now."

Mo Fei plopped down on the ground, panting heavily. He checked his arm; there were several cuts from construction debris, but they weren't deep.

"Old Bai, how are you feeling?"

Mo Fei looked at Bai Yu, who was sitting in the corner.

Bai Yu was looking down, his black feather robe gone, replaced by a tattered trench coat. His face was even paler than before, almost translucent.

"not dead."

Bai Yu's voice was very soft, carrying an extreme sense of exhaustion.

He pulled the black leather notebook from his pocket. The cover was covered in gray dust, making it look even more old.

"Captain An, is Ye Tiannan really dead?"

Bai Yu raised her head and looked at An Mu, who was treating Lu Yueqi's wounds.

An Mu stopped what he was doing, his eyes deep.

"With that level of rule collapse, no one could survive. At least, Ye Tiannan in a physical sense has completely disappeared."

“But I still feel like something’s not right.” Lan Ce walked over and pushed up his glasses. “At the moment the Black Tower completely collapsed, I detected an extremely strong energy fluctuation. That energy didn’t belong to Ye Tiannan, nor to Bai Yu’s ‘Land of Greed’.”

"What is that?" Lu Yueqi asked nervously.

“It’s more like… data upload.” Lan Ce frowned, his expression serious. “It’s like someone pulled out something core the moment the Black Tower was destroyed.”

Upon hearing this, Bai Yu's fingers unconsciously tightened.

He opened his notebook.

The previously twisted characters became clear after the Black Tower was destroyed.

"Black Words, decipher the second layer of the code."

Bai Yu silently issued the instructions in his mind.

"Oh dear, this isn't a free lunch. Bai Yu, the crack in your soul has widened again. If this continues, I can't guarantee you'll see the sun tomorrow."

Although Hei Yan was sarcastic, Bai Yu's gaze began to change.

The text in the notebook began to overlap and rearrange.

The original records of the experiments, after being reassembled, became lines of chilling truths.

[Experiment Log: No. 001]

[Status: Perfectly integrated.]

[Mother body: Su Wan (now obsolete).]

Conclusion: Rules are not created, but 'awakened'. We are not creating gods, but welcoming their return.

At the very bottom of this page, a date is clearly written: Twenty years ago.

Bai Yu's breath hitched suddenly.

Twenty years ago?

If I am test subject 001, then for the past twenty years, I have been living under some kind of surveillance.

Even... all my memories of the past were carefully scripted?
"Old Bai, what's wrong?"

Mo Fei noticed that Bai Yu's mood was off, so he immediately stood up and walked to his side.

Bai Yu didn't speak, but simply handed the notebook to An Mu.

An Mu took the notebook and quickly glanced through it. His expression instantly turned extremely ugly.

“Su Wan…that’s Su Jianguo’s younger sister.” An Mu’s voice was a little hoarse. “According to the headquarters’ files, she died thirty years ago from an accidental nightmare infection.”

“It seems the accident was just a cover.” Lan Ce leaned closer, looking at the line of text. “They turned Su Wan into a ‘mother’ to nurture Bai Yu.”

"So what exactly is Brother Bai Yu?" Lu Yueqi's voice trembled slightly.

"He is a vessel."

A strange, gentle voice suddenly rang out inside the air-raid shelter.

"who!"

Mo Fei reacted swiftly, instantly drawing his spare short blade from his waist. He was like a tiger poised to pounce, his eyes fixed on the shadows deep within the air-raid shelter. An Mu also instantly released a faint aura of "royal authority," shielding everyone behind him.

From the shadows, a man in a gray trench coat slowly emerged.

He wore frameless glasses, had a handsome face, and looked like an ordinary university professor. He carried a black briefcase and walked with a composed gait.

"Don't be nervous, everyone in Team One."

The man stopped five meters away from the group and bowed slightly.

"Let me introduce myself. My name is Lin Yuan, and I am the last observer of the 'Eye of Truth'."

“The Eye of Truth?” An Mu’s eyes narrowed. “That cult that was banned fifty years ago?”

"A cult?" Lin Yuan chuckled and shook his head. "That's just a definition given by headquarters to cover up the truth. We're just a bunch of pathetic bastards pursuing the truth."

Lin Yuan turned his gaze to Bai Yu, his eyes revealing an almost fanatical sense of satisfaction.

"Bai Yu, you've done even better than I expected. The awakening of the 'Land of Greed' signifies that the plan has entered its final stage."

"What plan?" Bai Yu stood up, the black fire in his left eye flickering faintly.

"Let this world return to its original state."

Lin Yuan opened his arms, his tone becoming more spirited.

"You think nightmares are some kind of supernatural disaster? No, they are the world's immune system. Human desires, greed, and fear are eroding reality like a virus. And nightmares are created to eliminate these viruses."

"Nonsense and heresy." Mo Fei sneered. "Murder is murder, don't try to make it sound so noble."

"Murder?" Lin Yuan looked at Mo Fei, a hint of pity in his eyes. "Investigator Mo Fei, do you think you're protecting humanity? No, you're protecting a group of parasites heading towards destruction."

"Lin Yuan, what exactly do you want to do here?" An Mu asked in a deep voice.

"I've come to deliver something to Bai Yu."

Lin Yuan took out an exquisite wooden box from his briefcase and gently placed it on the ground.

"This is what Su Wan left for you. She said that if you live to see the day the Black Tower collapses, she will give this to you."

After saying that, Lin Yuan took a few steps back, and his figure began to blur.

"Baiyu, the world will soon be shrouded in a gray gloom. At that time, you will understand your true mission."

"stop!"

Mo Fei lunged forward, but his hand passed right through Lin Yuan's figure.

That was simply an extremely sophisticated projection of rules.

Lin Yuan has completely disappeared.

The air-raid shelter fell silent once again.

All eyes were on the wooden box.

Bai Yu stepped forward and slowly opened the wooden box.

There were no jewels or weapons in the wooden box.

There was only half a broken jade pendant and a yellowed letter.

Bai Yu took out the half of the jade pendant and placed it against the half in her hand.

"Click."

The two jade pendants fit together perfectly.

The original solitary character "语" (yǔ, language) transformed into a complete word after being combined with other characters:
[Yu Bing.]

"You can't talk about ice with a summer insect," Bai Yu murmured softly.

He opened the letter; the handwriting was neat yet melancholic.

[Yu'er, by the time you read this letter, your mother may no longer be here.]

Don't seek the truth; the truth is the sharpest knife in the world.

If I could, Mom would always want you to be that child running in the sunshine.

But if you have already awakened to 'greed,' then remember one thing: don't let dark words devour your heart.

In the old northern district of Linjiang City, there is a place called the 'Red House'. There lies the only key to survival.

The letter trembled slightly in Bai Yu's hand.

“The Red House…” Bai Yu closed her eyes, and fragmented images floated into her mind.

That was the place he often dreamed of before he woke up.

"Captain An, I want to go to the Red House."

Bai Yu opened his eyes, his gaze resolute.

An Mu looked at him and remained silent for a long time.

"Lan Ce, check the coordinates of the red house."

“Found it.” Lan Ce’s fingers flew across the terminal. “That’s where the earliest orphanages in Linjiang City were located. But fifteen years ago, a serious fire broke out there, and it was abandoned afterward.”

“An orphanage…” Mo Fei frowned. “Old Bai, where did you grow up?”

“My file says I grew up in the headquarters’ welfare home,” Bai Yu said coldly. “It seems my file has been fake from the very first page.”

“Then let’s go take a look.” An Mu stood up and straightened his coat. “Whether it’s a dragon’s den or a tiger’s lair, our team will accompany you to the end.”

……

at the same time.

Linjiang City, Old City North District.

Amidst a desolate landscape of rubble, stands a solitary little red building.

The walls of the small building were mottled and broken due to the fire, and most of the windows were shattered, like silent mouths.

On the top floor of the building, a little girl in a red dress was sitting on the windowsill, swinging her fair legs.

She held a tattered rag doll in her hand, staring blankly into the distance.

"Brother...are you coming back soon?"

The little girl murmured softly.

Behind her, the entire red house suddenly trembled slightly.

Countless tiny red threads spread out from the cracks in the wall, as if they were alive, weaving into a huge net in the air.

This network is slowly spreading across the entire city of Linjiang.

……

Outside the air raid shelter.

Bai Yu slung his tactical backpack over his shoulder and took one last look at the notebook.

"Set off."

The SUV let out a deep roar and plunged into the dark night.

Behind them, the lights of Linjiang City still shone brightly.

But no one noticed that in the shadows of the city, a gray, viscous fog was rising silently.

Wherever this fog passes, all colors slowly peel away.

A disaster even more terrifying than the destruction of the Black Tower is quietly unfolding.

Bai Yu sat inside the car, tightly clutching the intact jade pendant.

He could feel that the black words within his body were becoming unusually quiet.

This quiet is more like the calm before a storm.

"Hei Yan, what are you afraid of?"

Bai Yu asked in his heart.

"Afraid?" Hei Yan let out a nervous chuckle. "Bai Yu, I'm not afraid. I'm... excited."

“The thing hidden in that red house is a ‘masterpiece’ that I’ve been searching for for fifty years.”

The car sped along.

The road ahead was completely obscured by thick fog.

Bai Yu knew that the moment he stepped back into the red house, his life would embark on a path of no return.

But he didn't back down.

Because he speaks Bai language.

He is the man who, even with his soul shattered, seeks the truth in the abyss.

……

The headquarters ruins are hundreds of kilometers away.

Amidst the gray sand, a pale hand suddenly emerged from the rubble.

Immediately afterwards, a naked man with metallic skin slowly crawled out.

His face was blurred, but a chip that was flashing red light was embedded in his heart.

"Experimental subject...002...Activate."

The man mechanically turned his head and looked in the direction of Linjiang City.

His eyes instantly lit up with a cold blue light.

"Target...Baiyu...Execute the retrieval procedure."

The man's figure flashed and disappeared from the spot in an instant, his speed was astonishing.

In the wind, only a faint smell of burnt metal remained.

　happy New Year!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)