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

Chapter 147 The Polar Night is Coming
The jeep sped through the empty streets.

The sound of tires screeching against the pavement was particularly jarring in the deathly silent city. Bai Yu sat in the back seat, his body swaying slightly with the vehicle's bumps. He looked down at the notebook in his arms, his fingertips tracing the line of blood-red words: Don't trust anyone.

These words felt like a cold steel needle, piercing his nerve endings.

"Old Bai, have some water."

A large hand handed him a canteen. Mo Fei, keeping one hand steady on the steering wheel, glanced at him. The man's honest face was full of concern, his eyes clear and without a trace of impurity.

"Thanks." Bai Yu took the water bottle and took a sip.

The cool water flowed down his throat, slightly suppressing the restless malice within him. He glanced at the rearview mirror; An Mu was sitting in the passenger seat, clutching a walkie-talkie and constantly adjusting the channel.

“Still no signal.” An Mu put down the walkie-talkie, his brows furrowed. “Not only the radio, but even Lan Ce’s LAN detectors are shrinking their range. This city is being enveloped by a high-density, regulated field.”

Lan Ce sat next to Bai Yu, a specially made military-grade laptop resting on his lap. The light from the screen reflected on his black-rimmed glasses, and blue data streams flashed rapidly.

“Captain, it’s not just a signal.” Lan Ce’s voice was calm and precise. “According to energy modeling, there’s an anomaly in the power flow in Linjiang City. All the electricity isn’t being consumed; instead, it’s being directed to the power supply bureau’s core server room. It’s like a giant black hole now, swallowing up the city’s ‘light.’”

Bai Yu looked out the window.

One by one, the streetlights went out. It wasn't because of a power outage, but rather as if they were being forcibly covered by some black substance. Darkness emerged from the shadows on both sides of the street and spread rapidly.

"Where the light disappears..." Bai Yu repeated the prompt in his notebook in a low voice.

"What?" Mo Fei asked.

"It's nothing, let's speed things up." Bai Yu put away his notebook, his eyes sharpening. "We must cut off that node before the first wave of 'replacement' is complete."

The jeep sped through an intersection, and a huge industrial building came into view.

That was the Linjiang City First Power Supply Bureau.

The entire building was entangled by several thick high-voltage cables, which were now emitting an eerie silver light, like the blood vessels of some giant creature. A strong ozone odor permeated the air, and due to the overload of electricity, the surrounding air even emitted a faint crackling sound.

"Stop the car." An Mu raised his hand to signal.

Mo Fei slammed on the brakes, and the jeep came to a steady stop fifty meters from the power supply bureau gate.

"Mo Fei, check the high-frequency axe energy." An Mu quickly issued the order. "Lan Ce, deploy the silence shielding field. We need to infiltrate inside without disturbing the 'residue' on the outside."

Mo Fei got out of the car and pulled two heavy battle axes from the trunk. He didn't rush into battle, but carefully checked the energy bars on the axe handles.

"Energy at full capacity, structure stable," Mo Fei reported in a low voice, his entire demeanor displaying a highly vigilant attitude.

The four men advanced in a standard tactical formation.

Bai Yu walked in the center, and he could feel the rules around him distorting. The laws of physics here seemed to have become extremely unstable; gravity would occasionally shift by a few degrees, and the visual sense of distance was also becoming disorienting.

“Thirty degrees to the left front, three ‘remnants’.” Lan Ce stared at the miniature display on his wrist. “They have become completely ‘silverized’ and belong to the rule guardians. Once they are discovered, it will trigger a chain reaction.”

Mo Fei gripped his battle axe tightly, shifting his center of gravity slightly downward. He didn't charge straight in, but instead coordinated with An Mu's movements, using flowerbeds and abandoned vehicles as cover.

"Baiyu, analyze the rules of the gate," Anmu said in a low voice.

Bai Yu closed his eyes, and Hei Yan, deep within his consciousness, let out a soft laugh.

"Oh dear, this crude patchwork... it's practically a desecration of art."

As the power of Black Words surged, White Words' vision changed.

The once tightly closed alloy door vanished from his sight, replaced by countless intertwined silver threads. These threads pulsed at a specific frequency, forming a closed loop.

“It’s the ‘touch and die’ rule.” Bai Yu opened his eyes, his tone calm. “Any living organism that comes into contact with the door will be instantly transformed into a conductor of high-voltage current. Lan Ce, give me a three-and-a-half-second frequency interference.”

"clear."

Lance took a cylindrical jamming device out of his bag and precisely stuck it into the gap of the door.

"Three, two, one, go!"

Lanze pressed the button.

A gap suddenly appeared in the silver undulation on the gate.

Mo Fei stepped forward, braced his broad shoulders against the door, and pushed hard.

crunch--

The door slowly opened, and the four quickly slipped inside.

Once inside the power supply bureau, the sense of oppression became even stronger.

Not a single light was on in the corridor, but the walls were covered with glowing fungi. These fungi emitted a ghastly green light, which cast an eerie glow on the cold transformer equipment.

“The humidity here is rising.” Lu Yueqi huddled in the middle of the group. Although she had no combat ability, her intuition as a “dream enterr” made her feel extremely uneasy. “I smell… rust and decay.”

“That’s blood.” Bai Yu looked down at the ground.

Although the light was dim, he could see drag marks on the floor. These marks led all the way to the core control room at the end of the corridor.

"Stay alert, Mo Fei, don't stray from the group," An Mu instructed.

Mo Fei nodded, his demeanor unusually calm. He used the blade of his battle axe to reflect the faint light, observing every blind spot.

When they reached the door of the core control room, Lanze suddenly stopped.

"Wait a minute." Lan Ce stared at the computer screen, his face turning extremely grim. "The energy modeling has crashed."

"What do you mean?" Anmu asked.

“There is no core control room here.” Lan Ce raised his head and looked at the heavy iron door in front of him. “According to spatial calculations, we should be standing on the rooftop of the power supply bureau. But our vision tells us that we are on the first basement level.”

Spatial misalignment.

This is the most common tactic used by the "Rule Distortion Nightmare".

"Old Bai, can you see through it?" Mo Fei asked in a low voice.

Bai Yu stepped forward and placed his hand on the iron gate.

His palm touched the cold metal, and a powerful electric current instantly surged through his body. Black Words let out a muffled groan in his mind, forcibly absorbing the impact.

“This isn’t a misalignment.” Bai Yu withdrew his hand, his eyes deep. “This is a ‘mirror image.’ What we are seeing and hearing now is what happened half a minute ago. The real danger is already behind us.”

As soon as Bai Yu finished speaking, An Mu turned around abruptly.

"Iron Wall Royal Authority, Resist!"

A golden light curtain instantly unfolded.

boom!
There was a loud bang.

In the darkness, a huge silver hammer slammed down on the light screen.

It was a monster over three meters tall, its body made of twisted cables and metal parts, with a huge, beating silver heart embedded in its chest.

“It’s the ‘Rule Guardian’.” Lan Ce retreated rapidly, simultaneously throwing out several sensor grenades. “It has locked onto our time anchor point!”

The monster let out a piercing electromagnetic roar and raised its heavy hammer once more.

"Mo Fei, engage them head-on!" An Mu shouted.

"give it to me!"

Mo Fei roared and launched himself forward like a cannonball.

But he didn't blindly try to take the heavy blow head-on.

The moment the hammer fell, Mo Fei slid under the monster's crotch, his high-frequency battle axe flashing a chilling blue light as it precisely sliced ​​into the monster's knee joint.

The high-frequency vibrations instantly severed the tangled cables.

The monster tilted its body, and the heavy hammer slammed into the ground, creating a large crater in the hard concrete.

"Baiyu, analyze its heart rate!" Anmu pulled the trigger repeatedly, and the specially made rune bullets exploded into clusters of golden sparks on the monster's body.

Bai Yu stood behind, his eyes now completely heterochromatic.

"Its core frequency jumps between 500 Hz and 1200 Hz. Lander, synchronization jamming!"

"Roger that!"

Lance frantically typed on the keyboard, and the interference spread through the hall's broadcast system.

The monster's movements became noticeably slower, and the silver heart in its chest began to beat erratically.

"Now, Mo Fei!"

Mo Fei used the wall's reaction force to leap into the air, his two axes merging into one.

"Break it for me!"

The battle axe generated a violent wind pressure and slammed into the monster's heart.

Click!

The silver casing shattered, and a large amount of electrolyte gushed out.

The monster let out a mournful cry of despair, and its massive body disintegrated into countless fragments.

"call--"

Mo Fei landed on the ground, leaning on his battle axe and panting heavily.

"Well done, Mo Fei." An Mu walked over and patted him on the shoulder.

Mo Fei grinned and wiped the liquid off his face: "This guy's skin is really thick."

The battle ended quickly, showcasing the team's exceptional teamwork. However, Bai Yu's expression remained unchanged.

He walked over to the pile of shards and picked up a piece of black metal.

A small number was engraved on it: Equipment Section, Investigation Bureau, Experiment No. 07.

Bai Yu's heart sank suddenly.

"What's wrong?" Lan Ce leaned closer.

Bai Yu handed the metal plate to Lan Ce.

After Lan Ce saw the words on it, his face turned deathly pale.

"This is impossible... This is the prototype of the 'rule suppressor' that the bureau developed last year. Why would it appear on this kind of monster?"

An Mu took the metal plate, his eyes turning incredibly cold.

"This means that either someone in the bureau was involved in the 'replacement' plan, or... this is not a power bureau at all, but a trap set for us."

Just then, the iron door to the core control room slowly opened.

A faint sound came from inside.

"Help... Is anyone there...?"

The voice sounded weak and desperate, with an inexplicable sense of familiarity.

Bai Yu and An Mu exchanged a glance.

"Let's go in and take a look," An Mu said in a low voice.

The four people entered the control room.

The sight inside made them gasp in shock.

Countless power workers in work clothes were suspended from the ceiling, their bodies wrapped in silver threads, like giant silkworm cocoons.

A middle-aged man sat in front of the control panel.

He had his back to the crowd, and his body was trembling slightly.

"Who are you?" Mo Fei asked warily, raising his battle axe.

The man slowly turned his head.

When Bai Yu saw that face clearly, her pupils suddenly contracted.

That was... his father.

Or rather, it was a man who looked exactly like the father he saw in his hallucinations.

"Yu'er...you've finally arrived."

The man extended his hand, a kind smile on his face.

But behind that smile, Bai Yu saw that the man's eyes had somehow turned into two dark vortexes.

"Do not trust anyone."

The words resurfaced in Bai Yu's mind.

"Old Bai, is that your dad?" Mo Fei hesitated, the blade of his battle axe drooping slightly.

"Don't go over there!" Bai Yu shouted suddenly.

Almost at the same time, the man moved.

His body swelled up like an inflating balloon, and countless black tentacles emerged from his chest cavity, instantly sealing off the exit of the entire control room.

"Yu'er, stay here." The man's voice became heavy and eerie. "If you stay here, we can be together forever."

Anmu reacted extremely quickly, unleashing his Iron Wall Royal Authority once again, forcefully resisting the pressure from the tentacles.

"Lan Ce, analyze this guy's rules!"

Lance frantically tried to operate the computer, but a red warning popped up on the screen.

"Analysis failed! Its rule logic is a closed loop! It's using the memory of the Bai language for defense!"

Looking at the monster, Bai Yu felt an indescribable sense of sorrow welling up in her heart.

He knew that this was just an illusion created by the nightmare using his fear and longing.

“Black words,” Bai Yu murmured to himself.

"Heh, so you're finally asking me for something? My artwork."

"kill him."

Bai Yu's gaze turned completely cold.

He stepped forward, and the ruby ​​key in his hand emitted an unprecedented red light.

Analysis: Memory shattering!

The red light transformed into countless tiny throwing knives, instantly piercing through the black tentacles.

The monster let out a shrill scream as its body began to disintegrate.

"No...why...Yu'er..."

The man's face melted away, eventually turning into a pool of black, viscous fluid.

The pressure inside the control room vanished instantly.

Bai Yu stood there, panting heavily.

"Old Bai, are you alright?" Mo Fei stepped forward and patted his back with some concern.

Bai Yu shook his head and looked at the control panel.

A USB drive was plugged into the console.

Lan Ce stepped forward, removed the USB drive, and inserted it into the computer.

A few seconds later, his expression became even more serious.

“Captain, this is the complete distribution map of the ‘replacement’ plan.” Lan Ce’s voice trembled. “Linjiang City is just a test site. If the main power switch here cannot be shut down before midnight tonight, the entire province’s power grid will be taken over.”

"What time is it now?" Anmu asked.

11:15.

Time is tight.

"How do we shut off the main power switch?" Mo Fei asked.

“The main switch is at the very bottom of the power station,” Lanze pointed to a red dot on the screen, “but it’s under a ‘perfect darkness’ rule. Any light source will be rendered ineffective there, and even our senses will be deprived.”

“Absolute darkness…” Bai Yu repeated softly.

He looked at his hands.

The power of dark words is corroding his soul, and with each use, the cracks deepen.

“I’ll lead the way.” Bai Yu raised his head, his eyes resolute. “My rule analysis doesn’t need light.”

An Mu remained silent for a moment.

As the team leader, he knew how much mental pressure Bai Yu would have to endure.

But he knew even better that there was no other choice now.

"Mo Fei, you're in charge of carrying Bai Yu, maintaining physical contact, and preventing him from being swallowed by the darkness." An Mu gave the final mobilization order. "Lan Ce, prepare the last jamming missiles. Tonight, we're going to take back Linjiang City."

The four of them left the control room and walked into the deeper darkness.

After they left, the "father," who had turned into slime, slowly crawled on the ground and reformed into a blurry human shape.

It picked up a button that Bai Yu had dropped and put it in its mouth.

"Yu'er...we...will meet again...soon..."

Eerie whispers echoed in the empty corridor.

Meanwhile, the jeep was parked outside the power company gate.

A figure in a black trench coat stood quietly beside the car.

He reached out and gently stroked the Investigation Bureau logo on the car door.

"Team One... I really miss those days."

The man in the trench coat looked up, revealing a face exactly like An Mu's.

He smiled, turned and walked into the darkness.

At this moment, the polar night has completely descended.

All the lights in Linjiang City were turned off at the same time.

In the darkness, countless pairs of silver eyes slowly opened.

(End of this chapter)