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

Chapter 36 Memory Cage
A month has quietly passed since the "Dreamland" toy factory incident.

In the past month, Lu Yueqi's life has undergone tremendous changes.

She completely bid farewell to her identity as a witty and humorous paranormal anchor in front of the camera, and devoted herself wholeheartedly to the rigorous training of the Nightmare Investigation Bureau.

Bureau of Investigation Headquarters, B-7 Simulation Training Room.

This is a huge circular space where the scenery can be changed at will according to the settings.

At this moment, the place has been simulated as a gloomy cemetery. Tilted tombstones, withered tree branches, and thin mist constantly rising from the ground... all these scenes combine to create an unsettling picture.

Lu Yueqi stood alone in the center of the cemetery. She wore a dark gray custom-made combat uniform, her hair neatly tied in a high ponytail, and her pretty face, which always carried a hint of childishness, was filled with focus and vigilance. Her breathing was steady and long, and the hand holding the tactical flashlight no longer trembled as it had a month ago.

"The target is approaching, located at seven o'clock, and is fifteen meters away. Control your emotions and don't stand out like a campfire in the dark."

Bai Yu's emotionless voice came through the tactical headset clearly.

Upon hearing this, Lu Yueqi took a deep breath and slowly closed her eyes. She didn't turn around, but instead focused all her attention on her own sensory world. She could clearly feel a cold and malicious energy silently sliding towards her through the mist. It felt like an invisible venomous snake flicking its tongue, searching for her weakest point.

The fear remains.

But after a month of hellish training, Lu Yueqi has learned not to be dominated by fear, but to treat it as a highly accurate alarm.

She suddenly opened her eyes, and a faint icy blue light flashed and disappeared deep within them.

"Om-"

An invisible chill emanated from her, spreading outwards like a transparent ripple. This chill wasn't a direct physical cooling effect, but rather a spiritual one of "solitude" and "tranquility." The swirling mist on the ground, permeated by the chill, seemed to freeze momentarily, momentarily stagnating.

Within that stagnant fog, the outline of a twisted humanoid shadow emerged.

It's now!

Without the slightest hesitation, Lu Yueqi turned around and drew a uniquely shaped silver pistol from the quick-draw holster at her waist.

That was a "Mental Shock Sedative Gun" specially made for her by Lan Ce, which could fire out the "Deep Cold" power she channeled in the form of a compressed beam.

"boom!"

With a dull thud, a beam of icy blue light struck the dark figure precisely.

"hiss--"

The dark shadow let out a shrill scream, its body twisting violently, a visible layer of white frost forming on its surface. Its movements became slow and stiff.

"pretty."

A brief compliment came through the earphones.

Lu Yueqi did not relax in the slightest. She could feel that the malice had not dissipated, but had become even more violent due to her injury.

"Roar!"

The dark figure suddenly broke free from the frost's restraints, transforming into a black lightning bolt that pounced on her at several times the speed it had before!

Too fast! There was no time to dodge!
Lu Yueqi's pupils suddenly contracted, and the shadow of death instantly enveloped her.

Just at this critical moment, an even more imposing figure stood in front of her like a wall.

"Get out of my way!"

Mo Fei's signature booming voice rang out like thunder. The battle axe in his hand, crackling with high-frequency electric light, brought with it a howling gust of wind and slammed into the dark figure with the force of splitting mountains and shattering rocks.

"boom!"

Before the shadowy figure could even utter a mournful cry, it was completely cleaved into countless energy particles by this incredibly violent attack.

The scene in the simulation training room receded like the tide, returning to a bright metallic white.

"Huff...huff..." Lu Yueqi supported herself on her knees, panting heavily, cold sweat already soaking through her combat uniform.

"Tch, your reaction is still too slow. In a real battle, you'd be dead by now." Mo Fei, carrying his battle axe, turned to her and said. Although his tone was as impolite as ever, his eyes held less of the initial skepticism and more of a barely perceptible approval.

"Mo Fei, you're too hasty." Bai Yu walked out of the control room. "This is her individual assessment."

"Assessment my ass!" Mo Fei glared. "That thing has a B-level energy burst at the end. How is she, a newbie, supposed to handle it? Is this training or murder?"

"Mental pollution index peaked at 68.4%, heart rate fluctuations were within the safe threshold, and the 'Deep Cold' power guided stability rate by 12.7%." Lan Ce's voice came from the other side. He adjusted his glasses, and a series of complex data was displayed on the tactical tablet in his hand. "Judging from the data, her performance today was perfect. As for the final outburst, that was a stress test I added on the spot. Considering Bai Yu's presence and the controllable level of danger in the room, the test was not dangerous. Congratulations, Lu Yueqi, you passed the test."

Lu Yueqi raised her head and looked at everyone with a somewhat blank expression.

Just then, the training room door slid open, and Captain An Mu walked in calmly. He looked at the girl in front of him, who was tired but had a determined look in her eyes, and a rare smile appeared on his face.

“Welcome, Investigator Lu Yueqi,” he said solemnly. “From today onwards, you are no longer a probationary member. You will be a full member of Team One of the Nightmare Investigation Bureau.”

In an instant, all of Lu Yueqi's fatigue and lingering fear seemed to be dispelled by those words.

She stared blankly at An Mu, then at Mo Fei and Lan Ce, before finally fixing her gaze on Bai Yu.

Bai Yu's face remained expressionless, but his eyes seemed to hold a hint of warmth and a smile more than usual.

Lu Yueqi's eyes welled up with tears. She straightened up abruptly and gave a salute with all her might, though it wasn't perfect, it was full of determination.

"Yes! Captain!"

……

Half an hour later, in the team's tactical meeting room.

Lu Yueqi, who had just completed her official promotion, was urgently summoned here before she even had a chance to change out of her combat uniform.

The serious and oppressive atmosphere in the meeting room was completely different from the relaxed atmosphere at the end of the training session, which immediately made her realize that there was a new task ahead.

"The holiday is over, everyone." An Mu sat in the main seat, his voice deep and serious. "Lan Ce, tell me about the situation."

Lan Ce nodded, his slender fingers tapping lightly on the virtual keyboard. The holographic projection in the center of the conference table immediately lit up, projecting an extremely complex star-map-like data model. At the center of the model was a node that continuously flashed a deep red light, labeled—[Threat Source: Tower of Ten Thousand Heads].

"The investigation into the 'Tower of Ten Thousand Heads' has made some breakthroughs in the past month." Lan Ce's voice was calm and clear. "Through in-depth analysis of the symbols in Lu Yueqi's grandfather's diary and cross-comparison with the 'Tower of Babel,' the highest-level 'Ω-level' encrypted file in the bureau, we have successfully tracked down an extremely important clue."

The projected image switched, showing a man's photo and his personal profile.

The man's name was Ruan Bo, and he was around thirty years old. He was a freelance folklore investigator and ancient book researcher.

"Three months ago, Ruan Bo's close friend and partner, an archaeology graduate student named Fang Heng, mysteriously disappeared after a field expedition. The prevailing theory at the time was that it was an accident. But Ruan Bo did not believe in this conclusion, and he began to investigate the mystery of Fang Heng's disappearance independently."

"When he was sorting through Fang Heng's belongings, he found a notebook filled with strange symbols and records. According to our deciphering, Fang Heng seems to have come into contact with forbidden knowledge related to the 'Tower of Ten Thousand Heads' before his disappearance, and he may have also performed some kind of ritual." Lan Ce's tone became serious. "Ruan Bo is a genius. Relying on his understanding of ancient mysticism, he actually managed to make initial contact with the existence of the 'Tower of Ten Thousand Heads' by following the clues in the notebook all by himself, without any external support."

"He realized how terrifying this thing was and deduced that his friend's disappearance was related to it. Two weeks ago, he sent an encrypted message for help to the outside world through a very secretive online channel. The message read: 'I am searching for a living tower, built with human memories and despair. I may also be being targeted by it. If I disappear, please follow this clue...'"

"This message was intercepted by our intelligence analysts. We immediately began trying to contact Ruan Bo, but it was too late."

Lance flicked his finger through the air, and the holographic projection switched again.

What appeared before everyone this time was a huge, dilapidated building shrouded in thick fog.

It was an abandoned mental hospital.

The building is in the Gothic style of the last century, with a towering clock tower, long and narrow windows, and large patches of dark green vines climbing the walls, making it look like an ancient castle that imprisons the dead.

“Anling Abandoned Mental Hospital.” Lan Ce’s voice seemed to carry a hint of coldness. “Located in Xishan, on the outskirts of this city. According to the last signal we tracked, Ruan Bo disappeared here. Moreover, this place has been completely covered by a ‘Deep Mental Nightmare’ with an S-level assessment.”

S level!
Lu Yueqi's heart sank. Although she had just been promoted, she clearly knew what this rank meant. The "Mountain God" of Luoshui Village was an S-rank. It was a battle that nearly wiped out the entire team.

"What's the background of this mental hospital?" An Mu asked in a deep voice.

“The background is… ‘clean’,” Lan Ce said. “Anling Mental Hospital was established seventy years ago and was once the largest mental illness rehabilitation center in the city. But thirty years ago, an accidental electrical fire destroyed the entire hospital. The official report stated that the fire resulted in the deaths of all personnel. Since then, it has been completely abandoned.”

"An accident?" Mo Fei scoffed. "In a place like this, even a fool would know it couldn't be as simple as an accident."

“Yes.” Lan Ce nodded. “After reviewing the sealed files from that year, we found some suspicious points. A month before the fire, the hospital submitted an application to the relevant departments to purchase a large quantity of sedatives and restraint equipment, far exceeding the usual amount. At the same time, there was also an anonymous tip-off that the hospital’s director, Wen Maoran, was conducting an illegal experiment called ‘Memory Stripping Therapy’.”

"Memory stripping?" Bai Yu asked, a sharp glint in his eyes.

“Yes.” Lan Ce looked at him. “According to the scattered information, Dean Wen believes that the root of mental illness lies in painful memories. As long as these ‘memory lesions’ can be surgically removed, the patient can be cured. He seems to be trying to forcibly erase or tamper with the patient’s memories through some kind of drug and high-intensity mental stimulation. I highly suspect that this fire is likely the final result of the experiment going out of control.”

"So, the nightmare here originates from the disordered souls that have been altered, stripped away, and died in pain and despair?" Mo Fei's expression also turned grim.

“That’s one way to understand it. But it’s far more complex than a typical collection of resentment.” Lan Ce pulled up the reconnaissance footage transmitted by the drone. “After our ‘Nightingale’ drone entered the red fog area, all its optical and thermal imaging equipment malfunctioned. Only the audio unit intermittently recorded some sounds.” A sickening hissing sound came from the conference room’s speakers.

Immediately afterward, amidst the hum of electricity, some eerie sounds began to ring out intermittently.

“…Don’t come any closer…You’re not my mom…” a child’s innocent voice cried.

“…Where is my face? Who took my face…” a woman muttered nervously to herself.

"...What day of the week is it today? Did I take my medicine? Who am I?" an old voice asked in confusion.

Then, all the sounds disappeared, leaving only one sound.

That was the sound of wheelchair wheels rolling slowly and rhythmically on the old floor.

“Squeak… squeak… squeak…”

The sound seemed not to come from the speakers, but rather to ring out directly in the back of everyone's heads, sending a chill down their spines.

"The core characteristics of this 'deep mental nightmare' are not physical attacks, but 'cognitive pollution' and 'memory assimilation'." Lanze's voice pulled everyone back to reality from the eerie atmosphere. "It constructs a massive 'memory prison.' Any intelligent life that enters its range will have its own memories gradually stripped away, altered, overwritten, and replaced. You will slowly forget who you are, forget your purpose, and eventually, your memories will be replaced by a painful memory belonging to a deceased patient. You will become 'him,' forever trapped in this mental hospital, repeating his final despair."

"The drone transmitted a photo in the last second before it lost contact."

An extremely blurry yet terrifying image appeared on the projector.

It was an endless corridor. On both sides of the corridor were rows of tightly closed hospital room doors. And on the walls, ceiling, and floor of the corridor, countless faces of people in pain, contorted, and screaming silently appeared.

“Ruan Bo has most likely been ‘assimilated’,” Lan Ce concluded.

There was deathly silence in the conference room.

This could be an even more troublesome enemy than the village of Fallingwater. While the rules of Fallingwater are deadly, at least they are somewhat predictable.

Here, the enemy directly attacks your memories. Once your memories are corrupted, you'll even forget that you're being attacked.

Bai Yu stared quietly at the photo in the corridor. The faint, almost invisible "Eye of the Vortex" mark on the back of his hand sent a faint, cold tremor through him.

His pupils shrank slightly.

“Mission objectives,” An Mu finally broke the silence, his voice as firm as a rock, “First, find and bring back Ruan Bo, whether he is alive or dead. He is our only lead in the investigation of the ‘Tower of Ten Thousand Heads.’ Second, identify the core of this nightmare and assess whether it can be completely eradicated. Third, and most importantly, everyone must return unharmed.”

He glanced at Lu Yueqi, his tone becoming extremely serious: "Lu Yueqi, the danger of this mission far exceeds your imagination. Your 'Deep Frost' power may affect your spiritual body, but equally, your spirit is more easily corrupted. Are you sure you want to participate?"

This is a test for her, and also her last chance to quit.

Lu Yueqi's lips were a little pale, but she nodded vigorously in response to Captain An Mu's gaze.

“I am… a member of team one,” she said, emphasizing each word.

An Mu gave her a deep look, then slowly nodded: "Okay. Everyone prepare. Target: Anling Mental Hospital. We'll depart in twenty minutes."

……

The night was as dark as ink, and a black special operations vehicle drove along the winding mountain road leading to Xishan.

Outside the car window were bottomless cliffs and dense forests rustling in the wind. The atmosphere inside the car was extremely oppressive.

Lu Yueqi sat in her seat, her hands gripping the "Mental Shock Sedative Gun" tightly.

Despite having prepared herself mentally, the terrifying images described by Lanze still haunted her mind like a nightmare.

"Afraid?"

Bai Yu's voice came from the side.

Lu Yueqi turned her head and saw Bai Yu looking at her. His eyes were calm as still water, as if they were not going to solve an S-level nightmare case, but just to go on a normal outing.

“A little…” Lu Yueqi answered honestly.

"Don't be so tense. Focus your attention where it's needed. Remember, in a place like this, your memories might be your most vulnerable point." Bai Yu's voice was soft, yet carried a soothing power. "From now on, keep repeating three things in your mind: your name, the purpose of your visit, and a memory you will never forget. Use it as your mental 'anchor.' Once you find your thoughts starting to become chaotic, immediately drop this anchor and pull yourself back."

The most profound memory...

The image of Bai Yu saving her from the brink of death twice involuntarily surfaced in Lu Yueqi's mind.

Looking at Bai Yu, she felt much more at ease and nodded vigorously: "I'll remember."

The vehicle eventually stopped in front of a clearing at the top of the mountain.

As everyone got out of the car, a strange smell of disinfectant immediately filled their nostrils.

Before us lies the Anling Mental Hospital, shrouded in a blood-red mist.

It is larger and more dilapidated than it appears in the photos.

The walls of the main building were covered with black marks left by the fire, and the dark windows looked like the empty eye sockets of a giant beast, silently staring at these uninvited guests.

In the courtyard, the former garden has long been swallowed up by wildly growing weeds. A statue of the Virgin Mary lies in the grass, half of her face covered with moss, while the other half of her face has a particularly eerie and distorted expression of pity.

The surroundings were deathly silent; not even the chirping of an insect could be heard.

The crimson mist flowed slowly as if it were alive, enveloping the entire building in a barrier that kept it isolated from the world.

"Equipment check. Mental stability monitor, turn on." An Mu gave the final instruction.

The instruments on the wrists of the five people lit up simultaneously, displaying a green glow that represented "stability".

"Remember, we are a team." An Mu looked around at his teammates. "No matter what you see or hear, do not stray from the group. Maintain communication and report your status at any time. Let's go!"

The group of five people slowly walked towards the rusty wrought iron gate in battle formation.

The door was ajar, as if silently inviting them in.

Mo Fei walked at the front, and he slowly pushed open the dilapidated door with his tactical gloved hand.

"Squeak-"

The sound of metal scraping broke the long-standing silence of this place.

Behind the door was a spacious, dimly lit hall.

By the tactical light on the helmet, one could see that the service counter in the center of the hall was covered with a thick layer of dust, and large chunks of plaster had peeled off the walls, revealing dark red bricks underneath, which looked like dried blood.

The mixed smell of disinfectant and medicine in the air was even stronger, almost nauseating.

The five people entered the hall one by one.

Just as Lu Yueqi's foot stepped over the threshold...

"boom!"

The heavy iron door behind me slammed shut by itself without any external force!

The loud noise echoed hollowly throughout the hall.

"Be on guard!" An Mu's voice rang out instantly.

The group immediately formed a circle back to back, scanning their surroundings warily.

However, the hall remained empty, with only their own breathing and heartbeats.

Everything seemed to have returned to calm.

They are trapped; the hunt for memories has officially begun.

at this time.

"Ta...ta...ta..."

A crisp and rhythmic sound suddenly rang out from the depths of the second-floor corridor above their heads.

The sound was like a glass marble being rhythmically tossed to the ground by an unseen hand in an empty, dark corridor.

　Thank you to Qingshe, Book Friend 20240612112416239, Xingye Liufeng, and Yue Qingchen for the monthly tickets! (▽^*)⌒☆

　　Happy National Day!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)