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

Chapter 153 The Truth Behind the Charred Bones

On the desolate outskirts of Linjiang City, weeds grow rampant.

The night wind swept through the withered reeds, making a mournful, plaintive sound. Bai Yu and the other two bent over, using the waist-high grass as cover, and quickly moved towards the shadows in the distance. Mo Fei carried An Mu on his back, his steps extremely light, each step precisely avoiding the dead branches, displaying an agility that was inconsistent with his burly physique.

"Old Bai, three 'Falcon' drones have been detected, covering this area in a fan-shaped search pattern."

Lan Ce stared at the miniature computer on his wrist, his voice low but carrying an undeniable calmness. His slender fingers danced rapidly across the screen, and invisible electromagnetic interference waves spread silently outwards from them.

"Is it possible to hack their visual modules?"

Bai Yu stopped and looked back. The city lights in the distance had become blurry, like a dream about to end.

“No, these are the latest models, using quantum-encrypted links. I can only create a dynamic blind spot, causing them to have a delay of a fraction of a second when they scan us.”

Lance pushed up his glasses, revealing a dense array of hexadecimal codes flashing across the lenses.

"That's enough. Mo Fei, stay close to me."

Bai Yu turned around and looked ahead. At the edge of that wasteland, a massive complex of buildings lay like a giant beast crouching in the darkness, silently awaiting the arrival of the uninvited guest.

That is the First Mental Hospital of Linjiang City.

Even from hundreds of meters away, Bai Yu could still smell a nauseating stench. It was a mixture of burnt smells, formaldehyde, and some kind of rotten knowledge. The silver button hidden in his pocket was now unusually cold, like a block of ice pressed against his chest, constantly reminding him that the truth was just ahead.

"This place... feels even more eerie than Shen Qing's laboratory."

Mo Fei muttered something under his breath. He could feel An Mu's body trembling slightly on his back. Although An Mu had fallen into a coma, as the possessor of the "Iron Wall Royal Authority," his subconscious was still instinctively rejecting this extreme malice.

"The official conclusion given for the fire ten years ago was that the wiring was aging."

While adjusting the interference frequency, Lan Ce rapidly synchronized the data.

"But according to the secret backup I just hacked into, the fire started in the basement. Moreover, all the escape routes in the hospital were locked from the outside when the fire broke out. None of the 432 patients and medical staff survived."

"Four hundred and thirty-two lives were lost. Shen Qing used these 'fuels' to launch the replacement plan."

The Bai language was as cold as ice.

They walked through the last patch of bushes and came to the rusty iron gate of the hospital.

The gate was bound with heavy chains, covered with faded seals. Strangely, these seals were not in the official format; they were covered with distorted symbols that looked more like some kind of sinister incantation.

Bai Yu reached out and gently touched the iron gate.

hum-

A faint vibration traveled from his fingertips. His right eye instantly turned an eerie purple, and Hei Yan's voice echoed in his mind.

“Yu’er, this isn’t an ordinary lock; it’s a ‘cognitive lock.’ If you believe this door is closed, you’ll never be able to get in.”

Bai Yu closed her eyes, feeling the vibrations emanating from the button.

"Rule Analysis: Cognitive Restructuring"

He muttered to himself, a trickle of silver liquid flowing from his fingertips. The liquid quickly seeped into the gaps in the chains.

Click.

With a crisp sound, the seemingly indestructible chains melted away like ice, much to Mo Fei and Lan Ce's astonishment. The iron gate slid open silently, revealing a gravel path leading to the main building.

"Let's go, hurry up, 'Falcon' is turning back soon."

Bai Yu was the first to step into this deadly place.

The scene inside the hospital was even more horrific than what was visible from the outside.

The walls of the main building were covered with fire marks, the charred plaster peeling off like old tree bark. The corridors were filled with twisted iron beds and scattered medicine bottles, some of which still contained unidentified liquids that reflected an eerie light in the moonlight.

"Old Bai, look at these."

Lance pointed to the scratch marks on the wall.

The scratches were incredibly deep, etched directly into the concrete. Each scratch ended with dried, blackened blood. Most chillingly, the scratches were arranged in a remarkably regular pattern, making them appear less like a struggle and more like the writing of some kind of script.

"They are taking notes."

Bai Yu stopped in front of a wall, his right eye fixed on the scratch marks.

“Record the process of death. Shen Qing set up sensors in the fire scene to collect the fear and despair of these people before their death. These emotions are the best ‘logic lubricant’ to help him open the passage to the ‘source of truth’.”

"brute."

Mo Fei gritted his teeth and squeezed out two words. His fingers, gripping the axe handle, made a creaking sound from the excessive force.

They walked through the dilapidated hall and moved toward the administrative area behind the main building.

According to the coordinates provided by the button, the entrance is in the dean's office.

As I passed the nurses' station, a faint rustling sound suddenly rang out.

Mo Fei instantly swung his battle axe horizontally, blocking Lan Ce's path.

"Who?"

In the darkness, a figure dressed in a tattered nurse's uniform slowly emerged.

Her movements were stiff, and with each step, her bones made a sickening grinding sound. Her face had no features, only a smooth, charred patch of skin.

"It's time to take your medicine..."

A hollow voice came from her chest.

It is a 'shallow, concrete nightmare'.

Lance quickly gave his assessment.

"No, its energy fluctuations are strange; it's connected to the buildings here."

"Don't do it."

Bai Yu stopped Mo Fei, who was about to launch an attack.

“It’s a ‘rule loop.’ Once it’s killed, it will trigger an alarm, and the fire protection system of the entire main building will restart. At that point, we will actually be burned to death in that fire ten years ago.”

Bai Yu stepped forward and picked up a rusty tray from the nurses' station counter.

"The medicine is here."

Using the power of Black Words, he crushed a ball of pure nightmare power and turned it into several black pills, which he placed on a tray.

The "nurse" stopped. Her charred fingers trembled as she picked up the pill and stuffed it into a mouth that didn't exist.

"Good children... go to sleep... all of you go to sleep..."

Her figure gradually became transparent, and finally turned into a wisp of black smoke and disappeared into the air.

"call……"

Mo Fei breathed a sigh of relief and put away his battle axe.

"Old Bai, that was a brilliant move."

"Not a god, but understanding."

Bai Yu looked at the spot where the nurse had disappeared, a hint of pity in her eyes.

"These nightmares are actually the obsessions of the dead. They are trapped in the moment of death, constantly repeating the actions they took in life. If you follow their logic, they are harmless. If you try to resist, they are the most terrifying killers."

The three continued to move upwards.

The administrative area is located on the fourth floor of the main building. The damage here is relatively minor, and some unburnt wooden furniture can still be seen.

The dean's office door was ajar.

Bai Yu pushed open the door, and a strong musty smell hit her.

The room was large, with a large desk in the center. Behind the desk was a whole wall of bookshelves, most of the books on them were charred and would turn to powder at the slightest touch.

Bai Yu walked straight to the bookshelf.

He reached out and groped among the row of charred books.

"found it."

His fingertips touched a piece of hard metal.

With a gentle pull, the entire bookshelf emitted a dull hum and slowly slid to both sides, revealing a lift hidden inside the wall.

This elevator looks incredibly modern, a stark contrast to its dilapidated surroundings. Its surface is coated with a special light-absorbing layer, and it bears no markings.

"This ladder... seems to be of the Bureau of Investigation specifications."

Lan Ce stepped forward and carefully examined the control panel of the elevator.

"No, it's even more advanced than the bureau's. This is 'laboratory' level security redundancy. It seems Shen Qing has been operating here for a long time."

Bai Yu took out the silver button.

As the button approached the control panel, it suddenly emitted a soft silver light.

drop.

The control panel lit up, and a scanning box appeared on it.

"Identity verification: Bai Jianguo. Access level: highest. Welcome back, chief researcher."

A cold, synthesized voice rang out.

Bai Yu was stunned.

"Chief Researcher? My dad is the chief researcher here?"

Mo Fei and Lan Ce exchanged a glance, both seeing shock in each other's eyes.

In their minds, Bai Jianguo was just a senior pioneer in the Investigation Bureau. Although he had made outstanding contributions, they had never heard of him participating in any scientific research projects.

"Old Bai, there must be some misunderstanding here."

Mo Fei patted Bai Yu on the shoulder.

"Perhaps your father infiltrated the area on purpose to investigate Shen Qing."

"Let's go down first."

Bai Yu took a deep breath to calm her agitated emotions.

The three of them entered the elevator.

With a slight feeling of weightlessness, the elevator rapidly descended to the ground.

The numbers on the display screen jumped around extremely fast. -1st floor, -5th floor, -10th floor... finally stopping at -18th floor.

Ding.

The elevator door opens.

What appeared before them was a huge, futuristic underground laboratory.

Countless transparent pipes crisscrossed the ceiling, flowing with a silvery liquid. The liquid emitted a faint glow, illuminating the entire space as bright as day.

At the center of the laboratory was a huge circular hall. Suspended in the center of the hall was a transparent cylindrical container filled with that silvery liquid.

And directly below the container sat a person.

The man was wearing a pristine white lab coat, his back to them, and he was looking down as he took notes.

"Who?"

Mo Fei instantly raised his battle axe, the blue high-frequency light blade particularly dazzling in the dim light.

The man stopped writing and slowly turned around.

It was an aged yet vigorous face. His eyes were deep, revealing a wisdom that seemed to have seen through the ways of the world.

"You guys are faster than I expected."

The old man put down his pen and looked at Bai Yu with a smile.

"Bai Yu, it's been a long time. Or should I call you... Experiment 001?"

"You are... Dean Lin?"

Lance recognized the old man's identity.

"Lin Huai-ren, the director of the First Mental Hospital who disappeared ten years ago, was also Shen Qing's mentor."

"I wouldn't call him a mentor, but he was more radical than me in his pursuit of truth."

Lin Huai-ren stood up and straightened his white coat. "Bai Yu, you must have many questions. About your father, about Shen Qing, about this button."

He pointed to the button in Bai Yu's hand.

"But I suggest you take a look at this first."

Lin Huai-ren pressed a button on his desk.

The cylindrical container in the center of the hall suddenly lit up.

The silvery liquid began to churn violently, and then a blurry figure emerged from it.

It was a huge, distorted silhouette. It had no fixed shape and was constantly changing. Sometimes it looked like a person struggling in pain, and sometimes like a wildly growing clump of tentacles.

"This is……"

Bai Yu felt a sharp pain in his right eye.

"These are the 'original rules'."

Lin Huai-ren's voice became serious and fervent.

"It is the sum of all human nightmares, and the underlying logic of this world. Shen Qing thought he could control it, but he was wrong. No one can control nightmares; we can only... replace them."

"Replacement?"

Bai language keenly captured this word.

"That's right. To replace this broken world with a more powerful and perfect logic. That's the truth behind the replacement plan."

Lin Huai-ren walked towards Bai Yu.

“And you, Bai Yu, are that ‘perfect logic’.”

"Your father, Bai Jianguo, betrayed the laboratory and stole the 'anchor button' to protect you. He wanted you to live like an ordinary person, but he didn't know that you were born to belong here."

Bai Yu felt her mind go completely blank.

Experimental subject? Perfect logic?

These words were like bombs, exploding wildly in his world of perception.

"Old Bai, don't listen to his nonsense!"

Mo Fei roared and swung his battle axe, unleashing a blade of light.

"Rule rewriting: Kinetic energy cancellation!"

Lin Huai-ren simply waved his hand lightly.

The powerful blade of light vanished like smoke as it approached him.

“Investigator Mo Fei, your force is meaningless here.”

Lin Huai-ren glanced at Mo Fei indifferently.

“Every inch of space here, every drop of liquid, is made up of rules. I am the rule here.”

He looked at Bai Yu again.

"Bai Yu, make your choice. Will you join us and complete your father's unfinished work, or... become part of this machine like the fuel?"

Bai Yu stared intently at Lin Huai Ren, and silver tears once again flowed from the button in her hand.

"My father's unfinished business?"

Bai Yu sneered.

“My father’s mission was to protect, not destroy.”

The purple light in his right eye burst out completely.

Hei Yan's figure appeared completely behind him, and the nameless ancient book in his hand was flipped through frantically, emitting a sound like the wailing of thousands of wronged souls.

"Lin Huai-ren, you are wrong."

Bai Yu took a step forward, and the silver floor beneath his feet instantly shattered.

"I am not a perfect logic, nor am I an experimental subject."

"I am Bai Yu. An investigator from Team One of the Nightmare Investigation Bureau."

"Today, I will end all your madness here."

"Hehehe..."

Hei Yan's elegant laughter echoed in the hall.

“Yu’er, you’re right. This kind of decadent ‘art’ should indeed be eradicated.”

Lin Huai-ren's face darkened.

"Stubborn."

He abruptly pressed a red lever on his desk.

"Initiate 'Final Replacement'! Target: Baiyu!"

The container in the center of the hall exploded with a loud bang.

Countless silver liquids transformed into a massive, overwhelming wave that swept towards Bai Yu and his companions.

These liquids contain an extremely terrifying logical shock. Once touched, their self-awareness will be erased in an instant, turning them into soulless puppets.

"Lan Ce, lead the captain away! Mo Fei, cover us!"

Bai Yu roared, transforming into a streak of purple light as he charged towards the silver giant wave.

"Black Words! Full Power Unleashed!"

"As you wish, my master."

The figure of Black Words merged with the white words into one.

At that moment, Bai Yu felt as if his soul had been torn into countless pieces, each piece enduring extreme pain.

But he didn't back down.

The button in his hand burst forth with an unprecedentedly bright light, actually cleaving a path through the silver waves.

"Rule stripping: Existence erased!"

Bai Yu reached out and grabbed the distorted outline at the core of the giant wave.

boom!
Two extreme forces collided.

The entire underground laboratory shook violently, pipes on the ceiling burst, and silver liquid splattered everywhere.

"This is impossible!"

Lin Huai-ren let out an incredulous scream.

"How could you possibly withstand the impact of the 'original rules'?"

"Because... I'm not fighting alone."

In Bai Yu's mind, An Mu's perseverance, Mo Fei's generosity, Lan Ce's composure, and... her father's smile before his death appeared.

These emotions and these bonds are his strongest defense.

"Give it to me...break it!"

Bai Yu let out a deafening roar.

The silver button shattered with a crash, transforming into countless silver starlight that completely merged into Bai Yu's body.

In Bai Yu's right eye, the purple light gradually faded, replaced by a deep, pure silver.

Under the silver light, the distorted outline let out a shrill scream, then rapidly shrank, finally transforming into a crystal-clear bead that landed in Bai Yu's palm.

Everything was still.

The silver waves disappeared, and the collapsing laboratory stopped shaking.

Lin Huai-ren slumped in his chair, staring blankly at Bai Yu.

"You...you actually absorbed it..."

"No, I just put it where it was supposed to be."

Bai Yu looked at him coldly.

He felt something heavy had been added deep within his soul.

That was the "original rule".

It has now become a part of him, or rather, he has become its container.

"Old White!"

Mo Fei and Lan Ce rushed over and, seeing that Bai Yu was safe and sound, both of them breathed a long sigh of relief.

"How is Captain An?"

Bai asked weakly.

"Much better." Lan Ce looked at An Mu. "The silver patterns in his body have completely disappeared. He should wake up soon."

Bai Yu nodded and was about to speak when she suddenly felt a strong wave of dizziness.

His body swayed, and he looked like he was about to fall, but Mo Fei caught him.

"Old Bai, hang in there!"

"I'm fine... just a little tired..."

Bai Yu closed his eyes, feeling the newborn, vast power within his body.

He knew this was just the beginning.

Although he destroyed Shen Qing and Lin Huai Ren's laboratory and obtained the "original rules".

But the enormous shadow behind the Investigation Bureau still looms over Linjiang City.

Moreover, he could sense that the man with one black and one white eye was standing somewhere he couldn't see, smiling and watching him.

"Let's go... let's get out of here."

Bai Yu said in a low voice.

The three of them led An Mu slowly toward the elevator.

Behind them, the underground laboratory that had buried countless innocent souls began to slowly collapse and sink deep into the earth.

……

Linjiang City, late at night.

A black SUV was driving on the highway.

Bai Yu leaned back in the seat, playing with the crystal-clear bead in her hand.

"Old Bai, where are we going now?"

Mo Fei asked as he drove.

"Go to the Investigation Bureau."

Bai Yu opened his eyes, his gaze revealing an unprecedented determination.

"Go to the Investigation Bureau?" Mo Fei and Lan Ce were both stunned.

"We're traitors now. Going back would be like walking into a trap."

"Do not."

Bai Yu watched the scenery rushing past the window.

"The current investigation bureau needs a new 'rule'."

"And I am that rule."

In his hand, the bead emitted a faint light.

(End of this chapter)