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

Chapter 154 Returning to Headquarters
The black SUV sped along the highway leading to the city center of Linjiang, like a ghost.

The car was quiet, with only the faint hum of the engine. Mo Fei gripped the steering wheel firmly with both hands, his gaze fixed straight ahead, his eyes revealing an unprecedented determination. He occasionally glanced at the back seat through the rearview mirror; Bai Yu was resting with her eyes closed, the crystal-clear bead in her hand emitting a faint silver glow.

Lance sat in the passenger seat, a specially made miniature computer resting on his lap. His fingers flew across the keyboard, and data streamed across the screen like a waterfall.

"Old Bai, the defense level at headquarters has been raised to the highest level. Just three minutes ago, the council issued the 'ultimate elimination order' against us."

Lance's voice was cold and flat, as if he were stating something trivial that had nothing to do with him.

"The Ultimate Erasure Order?"

Mo Fei snorted coldly, a mocking smile playing on his lips.

"Those old guys are quick on their feet. We're risking our lives on the front lines, and they just turn around and label us traitors. Old Lan, can you find out who issued the order?"

"It was personally signed by the director and passed unanimously by the council."

Lan Ce pushed up his glasses, a cold glint flashing across the lenses.

"This means that as soon as we appear within the headquarters' sensing range, all the defense matrices, all the automated turrets, and even all the on-duty investigators will attack us immediately. No warning, no trial, just kill us outright."

Bai Yu slowly opened her eyes, and a strange silver light was now flowing in her originally deep eyes.

"Let them sign."

Bai Yu's voice was soft, yet it carried an undeniable authority.

"A rule is a rule because it can restrain the weak. But when a rule encounters its 'source,' its only way out is to submit."

He looked down at the beads in his palm.

This crystallization, embodying the "original rules," was continuously infusing his soul with a vast amount of information. He could feel that his connection with this world was undergoing a qualitative change. The previously obscure and difficult-to-understand lines of logic, requiring the aid of cryptic explanations, were now as clear as transparent spider silk in his eyes.

"Cough...cough cough."

A low cough came from the back seat.

An Mu slowly opened his eyes. His face was still somewhat pale, but his sharp eyes had regained their luster. He propped himself up and sat up, glancing at the scenery outside the window, then at Bai Yu beside him.

"Captain, you're awake!"

Mo Fei's tone revealed an undisguised excitement.

An Mu didn't speak; he first checked his internal condition. The silver lines that had been like a persistent, insidious infection had completely disappeared, replaced by a warm yet powerful energy flowing slowly through his meridians.

"Bai language".

An Mu looked at Bai Yu with a complicated expression.

"what have you done?"

"I got back what was rightfully ours, Captain."

Bai Yu handed the bead to An Mu.

An Mu's pupils suddenly contracted. As the owner of the "Iron Wall Kingship," he could sense the terrifying power contained within this bead more directly than anyone else. It was a power capable of overturning the existing order and redefining reality.

"Is this... what Shen Qing and Lin Huai-ren pursued their whole lives?"

An Mu reached out his hand, wanting to touch it, but the moment his fingertips approached the bead, he felt a tremendous repulsive force.

"It only recognizes you now."

An Mu withdrew his hand and exhaled a long breath.

"Bai Yu, do you know what bringing this back to headquarters means? This isn't a return; it's a declaration of war."

"I know."

Bai Yu put the bead back and turned to look out the window.

"But running away won't solve the problem. The director's stance, the council's conspiracy, and that man who has been hiding in the shadows—they are all waiting for this moment. Rather than waiting passively, we should take the initiative."

An Mu remained silent for a long time. He looked at Bai Yu's pale yet resolute face, and suddenly smiled.

"Alright. This old man of mine will go crazy with you one last time."

He turned to look at Mo Fei.

"Mo Fei, full speed ahead. If we're going back, we need to make it look like we're coming home."

"Got it!"

Mo Fei slammed on the gas pedal.

The SUV roared furiously, like a mad bull, and charged straight off the highway exit, speeding toward the black behemoth standing in the city center.

Linjiang City, Nightmare Investigation Bureau Headquarters.

This building, known as the "Black Tower," is the guardian of the entire city and the center for handling countless supernatural events. At this moment, the atmosphere in the square below the Black Tower is extremely oppressive.

Hundreds of fully armed investigators had already set up a perimeter. Dozens of massive automated defensive turrets slowly rotated their muzzles, locking onto the only entrance to the square. In mid-air, several heavy Falcon drones hovered, casting huge searchlights.

On a high floor of the Black Tower, behind a huge floor-to-ceiling window, the director stood with his hands behind his back. He was still wearing that impeccably tailored black uniform, the medals on his chest gleaming under the lights.

"They're coming."

An adjutant strode in, looking nervous.

"Target vehicle has entered the perimeter of the plaza, one kilometer away. Defense matrix has locked on. Open fire immediately?"

The director didn't turn around; he looked at the two bright headlights in the distance, his tone indifferent.

"All defensive towers, fire freely. I want to see them reduced to rubble."

"Yes!"

The adjutant accepted the order and left.

The next second, the defensive turrets around the square simultaneously erupted in dazzling flames.

boom! boom! boom!
A dense barrage of energy projectiles, like a golden rainstorm, instantly covered the area where the SUV was located. The massive explosion caused the surrounding buildings to tremble slightly.

However, before the smoke from the explosion had even cleared, a strange sight appeared.

The off-road vehicle, which should have been blown to bits, emerged from the flames unscathed.

No, to be precise, it didn't burst out; rather, the energy projectiles all mysteriously deflected their direction or simply dissipated in mid-air the instant they approached the vehicle.

Bai Yu sat in the back seat, his right hand gently raised, his index finger drawing an arc in the air.

"Rule definition: All kinetic attacks are ineffective within this area."

As he finished speaking, an invisible wave emanated from the SUV and rapidly spread outwards.

The gun turrets that had been unleashing a barrage of fire suddenly seemed to jam, emitting a piercing metallic scraping sound. Then, the gun barrels began to twist themselves, eventually contorting together like pretzels.

"This...how is this possible!"

The investigators in the square cried out in alarm.

They had never seen power at this level before. This was no longer a confrontation; it was rewriting reality.

The SUV came to a steady stop in front of the warning line.

The car door opens.

Mo Fei was the first to get out of the car. He carried the two enormous high-frequency battle axes, their blue blades particularly conspicuous in the darkness. He didn't make a move, but merely coldly surveyed the investigators around him.

"Team one, back in position. Anyone have any objections?"

Mo Fei's voice was deafening, causing the young investigators to instinctively take a step back.

Immediately afterwards, Lan Ce helped An Mu out of the car.

Although An Mu was weak, his captain's authority still made everyone present feel suffocated.

Bai Yu was the last to get off the bus.

He was wearing an ordinary black hoodie, and his face was still pale. But the moment he appeared, the air in the entire square seemed to freeze.

Bai Yu raised his head and looked at the upper levels of the Black Tower.

He could feel the director's gaze fixed on him through the glass.

"Chief, we're back."

Bai Yu's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached the ears of everyone in the square, and even echoed in every corner of the Black Tower.

"Alert! Fire! Fire!"

A senior manager in charge of on-site command was shouting frantically.

He drew his sidearm and fired a series of shots at Bai Yu.

boom! boom! boom!
The bullet stopped less than a meter from Bai Yu.

They seem to be embedded in an invisible wall, suspended in mid-air.

Bai Yu reached out and gently pinched one of the bullets.

"Rule analysis: Metallic properties, solid state, remove."

Before everyone's eyes, the bullet instantly turned into a pool of silver liquid, dripping onto the ground through Bai Yu's fingers.

Immediately afterwards, the remaining bullets also melted away.

"I have said that a rule is a rule because it can restrain the weak."

Bai Yu took a step and walked towards the gate of the Black Tower.

With each step he took, the paving stones beneath his feet resonated slightly. The investigators who had initially gathered around found themselves uncontrollably pushed back to the sides, as if an invisible hand were forcibly clearing a path.

"Stop him! Stop him quickly!"

The supervisor was still yelling, but he found that no sound could come out of his throat.

Bai Yu walked up to the heavy alloy door of the Black Tower.

This door is strong enough to withstand a nuclear explosion, and it is covered with complex binding runes.

Bai Yu didn't stop; he directly placed his hand on the door.

"Permissions reset. Enable."

hum-

The entire black tower trembled violently.

The alloy door, which had never been forced open, emitted a pleasant beep before slowly sliding open to both sides.

Bai Yu turned around and glanced at An Mu and the other two.

"Captain, let's go. Let's go see some old friends."

An Mu took a deep breath, straightened his uniform, and strode after him. Mo Fei and Lan Ce stood guard on either side of him.

The four of them walked into the Bureau of Investigation headquarters in this way, leaving behind a group of dumbfounded and trembling investigators.

Inside the Black Tower, an elevator takes you directly to the top floor.

When the elevator doors opened again, Bai Yu wasn't seeing an office, but a huge conference hall. The director sat in the main seat, flanked by council elders.

These elderly people, who usually held the power of life and death in Linjiang City, now had faces filled with fear and anger.

"Bai Yu! How dare you break into headquarters!"

An elder suddenly slammed his fist on the table and stood up, pointing at Bai Yu and shouting angrily.

"You're courting death! Do you think you can do whatever you want just because you have that thing?"

Bai Yu ignored him and walked straight to the conference table, pulling over a chair and sitting down.

"I'm not here to argue."

Bai Yu looked at the bureau chief, his eyes eerily calm.

"I'm here to take over this place."

"take over?"

The bureau chief let out a low laugh.

"Bai Yu, you are too arrogant. Do you think that by absorbing the 'original rules,' you are a god? Do you know what the price is behind this power?"

"I know."

Bai Yu took the bead out of her bosom and gently placed it on the conference table.

"The price is that I will become the 'guardian' of this world. And you will lose the power to manipulate the rules."

He turned to look at the elders.

“Shen Qing’s experiment, Lin Huai-ren’s replacement plan, and the funds and resources you provided behind the scenes. We have to settle these accounts one by one.”

"You...you are so slanderous!"

The elder's face was deathly pale, and his voice was trembling.

"Where's the evidence? What evidence do you have?"

"The evidence is right here."

Bai Yu stretched out her finger and gently touched the bead.

A silver light screen instantly unfolded in the center of the conference hall.

On the light screen, countless long-forgotten images began to flash wildly. They were Shen Qing's frantic recordings in the laboratory, Lin Huai-ren's secret communications with council members, and the real instructions behind the hospital fire.

Every frame reveals a bloody truth.

A deathly silence fell over the council chamber.

The elders looked at themselves on the light screen, their backs already soaked with cold sweat.

"These... are all fake! They're hallucinations created by the nightmare!"

Another elder screamed and tried to rush up and shut down the light screen.

But before he could get close, he was pressed back into his seat by an invisible pressure.

"Rule judgment: 100% authenticity."

The Bai language echoed in everyone's ears.

"From this moment forward, Parliament is dissolved. All investigators will report directly to Team One."

He looked at the bureau chief.

"As for you, Chief. I'd like to know, where is that man now?"

The bureau chief's expression finally underwent a subtle change.

"Which man?"

"The man with one black and one white eye. The one who calls all of this a 'performance'."

Bai Yu stood up, placed his hands on the table, leaned forward, and stared intently at the bureau chief.

"He's the director of the whole show, isn't he?"

The bureau chief remained silent for a long time. Then he suddenly burst into laughter, a somewhat manic laugh.

"Bai Yu, you are indeed clever. But you still misunderstand one thing."

The director slowly stood up and took out a yellowed piece of paper from the drawer.

"He wasn't the director. He was just... an audience member."

"The real director is your father."

Bai Yu's brain buzzed, as if it had been struck by a heavy hammer.

"What did you say?"

"You think Bai Jianguo stole the button to protect you?"

The director's eyes held a hint of pity.

"No. He was doing it to complete the most perfect 'script'. He knew that only when you have experienced despair, experienced heartbreak, and finally reclaimed the rules yourself, can the 'original rules' truly awaken."

"You are the last 'gift' he left to this world."

Bai Yu staggered slightly, gripping the back of the chair tightly with her right hand.

This truth was even harder for him to accept than any of the scenes he had just witnessed.

"I do not believe."

Bai Yu gritted her teeth and said, word by word.

“He doesn’t believe it, but I do.”

An elegant voice suddenly rang out at the entrance of the conference hall.

Bai Yu suddenly turned around.

A man was leaning against the doorframe. He was wearing a smart gray suit and holding a glass of red wine.

What's most striking about him are his eyes.

His left eye was as black as ink, and his right eye was as white as snow.

"Fantastic, absolutely fantastic!"

The man clapped softly, and the red wine in his glass swayed slightly.

"Bai Yu, your performance exceeded my expectations. I am very satisfied with the ending of this play."

"who are you?"

Mo Fei had already drawn his battle axe, his muscles tense.

"Don't be nervous, big guy."

The man took a sip of his drink and smiled at Bai Yu.

“My name is Zero. You can think of me as the ‘recorder’ of this world.”

"Or perhaps... an old friend of your father's."

Ling walked towards Baiyu, each step he took was silent, as if he did not exist in this dimension at all.

"Bai Yu, now that you have the rules, the next task is up to you."

"What mission?"

Bai Yu calmed down, her silver eyes fixed intently on Zero.

"Repair this broken world, or... destroy it completely."

Zero reached out and pointed to the bustling yet fragile city outside the window.

"The nightmares that Shen Qing created were just minor trouble. The real threat is crawling out from the deepest part of the dream."

“If you don’t take this bead with you to that place, Linjiang City will become a dead city in less than three days.”

"which place?"

"Your first dream. That is... the place where you were born."

Zero put down his wine glass, his expression turning serious.

"Bai Yu, you don't have much time left."

Just then, the entire black tower suddenly began to shake violently.

The sky outside the window suddenly turned an eerie dark red.

Countless enormous shadows churned in the clouds, emitting deafening roars.

"Here they come."

Zero glanced out the window, his tone indifferent.

"Baiyu, make your choice."

Bai Yu looked at the strange phenomenon outside the window, then glanced at her companion beside her.

Anmu, Mofei, and Lance.

Although they were exhausted, there was not a trace of retreat in their eyes.

"team leader."

Bai Yu called out softly.

"here I am."

An Mu stepped forward and placed his large hand on Bai Yu's shoulder.

"Give the order, Team One will obey your command."

Bai Yu took a deep breath and raised the silver bead high.

"Mo Fei, prepare the vehicle. Lan Ce, lock onto the coordinates."

"We're going to put an end to this damn nightmare."

An unprecedentedly strong silver light erupted from his body.

At that moment, Bai Yu's figure appeared incredibly tall in the light.

He was no longer a victim, nor an experimental subject.

He is the rule of this world.

(End of this chapter)