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

Chapter 112 Face-Off and Reality

"Battle is about to begin!"

With a low growl in his heart, Bai Yu advanced instead of retreating, like a black arrow released from a bow, crashing fiercely into that eerie mirror face!

A pitch-black, ethereal power coiled around his right fist; it was neither flame nor smoke, but an absolute darkness that seemed capable of swallowing light. Those were the fangs bestowed upon him by Hei Yan, the fangs of a "predator."

"Give me... pieces!"

Bai Yu's eyes were as cold as knives, and his right fist, accompanied by a whistling sound as it tore through the air, slammed heavily into the face of the mask-stealer!

clang--!
A sharp, teeth-grinding thud echoed throughout the square.

The expected scene of the mirror shattering did not occur. Bai Yu felt as if his fist had struck an indestructible alloy wall, the enormous recoil traveling through his arm and throughout his body, making his bones ache.

On that smooth, mirror-like face, only a ripple, like waves on water, appeared.

Then, a strange scene happened.

The image of Bai Yu reflected in the mirror did not disappear as the real Bai Yu retreated. On the contrary, the "reflection" revealed an extremely evil smile in the mirror, then suddenly reached out from inside the mirror and grabbed Bai Yu's right wrist, which was still not retracted!
That hand was cold, slippery, and incredibly strong, like being gripped tightly by hydraulic clamps.

"...I've...caught...you..."

The masked man let out a piercing, shrill laugh, a sound like countless pieces of glass rubbing against each other, sending chills down one's spine.

The next second, the "Baiyu" in the mirror began to struggle frantically outwards. Its features twisted and deformed, gradually transforming into a terrifying face devoid of skin, filled only with blood-red muscles. It opened its massive jaws and bit down hard on Baiyu's arm!
"Is this... a copying and backlash at the rule level?"

Bai Yu was startled, but he didn't panic. His combat instincts, honed through countless brushes with death, allowed him to react instantly.

He did not try to break free by force, but instead followed the other party's pulling force and his body suddenly lunged forward, his left hand instantly pulling out the "soul-guiding lamp" from his pocket!
"Since you like looking in the mirror, then you can look in it as much as you want!"

Bai Yu let out a low shout and shoved the Soul-Guiding Lamp directly into the face of the Face-Stealer!

Zhi——!
The white flame inside the Soul-Guiding Lamp, ignited by pure good intentions, burst forth with an unprecedentedly dazzling light the moment it touched the mirror!
The light was not scorching, but it carried a sacred aura that purified all impurities.

“Ahhhhhh——!!!”

The man who stole the face let out a shrill scream. Under the white light, the once indestructible mirror-like face began to emit wisps of black smoke, as if it had been doused with concentrated sulfuric acid, and quickly became mottled and cloudy.

The "reflection" that peeked out from the mirror let out a painful roar under the white light, and the hand that was gripping Bai Yu's wrist loosened as if it had been electrocuted, and it retreated back into the mirror in a disheveled state.

"Chance!"

Bai Yu's eyes narrowed; he gave the other party no chance to breathe.

Taking advantage of the moment when the Facebreaker was paralyzed by pain, he once again summoned the desire to devour within him. Black void power frantically condensed in his right hand, this time transforming into a jet-black blade instead of a fist!

"Black Words, lend me some power!"

He meditated in his heart.

"Heh, take it. Don't embarrass me." Hei Yan's lazy voice echoed in his mind.

boom!
A larger, purer dark power surged into Bai Yu's arm through the soul contract. He felt as if his right hand was grasping a black hole, and even the surrounding space began to distort slightly.

"Void - Boundary Severance!"

Bai Yu roared, his right hand transforming into a black lightning bolt, and slashed fiercely down at the mirror face that was already covered in cracks!

Click——! ! !
This time, there were no obstacles.

That mirror-like face, capable of reflecting all attacks and replicating all fear, shattered completely like fragile thin ice under this blow!

Countless tiny shards of glass scattered and flew everywhere, each reflecting a distorted, pained face—the faces of the victims whose faces had been robbed by it.

As the mirror shattered, the Facebreaker's massive body began to rapidly disintegrate. It didn't bleed; instead, it transformed into thick, black mist, writhing and dissipating wildly in the air.

At the center of that dissipating black mist, a crystal-clear ray of light was quietly suspended.

Bai Yu reacted quickly, grabbing the point of light in his hand.

It feels slightly cool to the touch and has a hard texture, like a perfectly polished crystal.

[Item Obtained: Mirror Heart (Fragmented)]

[Description: The core of the Facebreaker, condensing the essence of countless false faces. Wearing it allows one to see through low-level illusions or temporarily impersonate any face one has ever seen (consumes mental energy).]

"nice one."

Bai Yu smiled slightly and put the "mirror core" into his pocket.

With the death of the Facebreaker, a surge of pure energy flowed into his body through his palm. It was an energy far greater and more advanced than that of the "Memory Eater" he had killed earlier.

He felt the water level in his parched sea of ​​soul rising at a visible rate. The power that had been suppressed so tightly had now recovered nearly 30%.

Although he is still far from his peak, this 30% of his power is enough for him to have the confidence to protect himself in this strange wasteland.

"Well done." Hei Yan's voice carried a hint of approval. "You know how to use rule-based items to counter your opponent, and then use absolute power to finish them off. It seems you've begun to adapt to the way things work in this world."

"This is all thanks to that funeral director." Bai Yu glanced at the soul-guiding lamp in his arms. Although the white flame inside had dimmed a bit, it was still burning stubbornly.

He straightened his somewhat disheveled clothes and turned his gaze to the huge station in front of him.

With the gatekeeper gone, the gates of the Forgotten River Station opened wide for him. The dark entrance was like the gaping maw of a giant beast, waiting to devour any soul that dared to step inside.

"Let's go and see what secrets are hidden here."

Bai Yu took a deep breath, picked up the soul-guiding lamp, and stepped into the station.

……

Upon entering the station, the first thing you see is not the waiting hall you might expect, but a long, seemingly endless corridor.

The walls on both sides of the corridor were covered with a dense array of items.

Bai Yu took a closer look, and his pupils involuntarily contracted slightly.

That's a mask.

Thousands upon thousands of masks.

These masks are made of various materials; some look like they're made of human skin, some like they're carved from wood, and others like some kind of unknown metal. But they all have one thing in common—they are incredibly lifelike.

Each mask corresponds to a different human face. There are old people, children, men, and women. Their expressions vary: some are terrified, some are desperate, some are angry, and some are numb.

Bai Yu even spotted several faces dressed in modern clothes among them; they were "outsiders" who, like him, had mistakenly wandered into this place.

"This...is a museum."

A chill ran through Bai Yu's heart. These masks were probably those of the victims who failed the test and had their faces stripped away by the Face Thieves. Their souls may have long since vanished, but their faces were left here forever, becoming decorations for this eerie station.

“This is a selection process,” Hei Yan said coldly. “Only those who have a firm sense of self and are not misled by falsehoods are qualified to pass through here. The losers will only become decorations on the wall.”

Bai Yu nodded, her eyes becoming even more determined.

He continued down the corridor. The light from the guiding lamps dispelled the surrounding shadows, allowing him to see the path beneath his feet.

At the end of the corridor stood a tightly closed black door. Intricate runes were carved on the door, and in the very center was a groove whose shape looked somewhat familiar.

Bai Yu took out the newly acquired "Mirror Heart" and tentatively placed it into the groove.

Click.

Perfect fit.

With a soft click, the runes on the door began to glow with a ghostly blue light. Then, the heavy door slowly slid open to the sides, revealing the space behind it.

It was a huge circular hall that looked like an old dispatch room.

In the center of the hall, a huge holographic projection floats, displaying complex circuit diagrams and constantly changing data. Directly in front of the hall is a massive floor-to-ceiling window, through which one can see the gray wasteland outside and a railway track extending into the void.

But what caught Bai Yu's attention the most was a desk in the corner of the hall.

The table was piled high with various documents and instruments, and in the very center of the table sat an old-fashioned tape recorder.

The recorder's indicator light was still flashing slightly, indicating that it was in standby mode.

Bai Yu walked over quickly and picked up the tape recorder. Next to the tape recorder, he also saw a photograph.

That was a group photo.

In the photo, a young Lu Yuanshan, wearing a white lab coat, is embracing a little girl who looks only five or six years old, his face beaming with happiness. The little girl is holding a uniquely shaped sextant toy and making a face at the camera.

That was... Lu Yueqi's mother when she was young?

No, that's not right.

Bai Yu carefully examined the little girl's features and was suddenly struck by a jolt.

The little girl looked exactly like Lu Yueqi! "Is this... a distortion of the timeline? Or..."

Bai Yu suppressed her doubts and pressed the play button on the recorder.

rustling... rustling...

After a brief hum of static, a tired and hoarse voice came from the tape recorder.

"I am Lu Yuanshan. If you can hear this recording, it means you have defeated that imposter and arrived here."

"Congratulations, young man. You have a stronger will than I do, and perhaps better luck as well."

“I know you have many questions. About the world, about me, about that door.”

"Time is running out, so I'll get straight to the point."

"This is not the so-called afterlife, nor is it simply a nightmare realm. This is a 'rift,' a buffer zone between the real world and higher dimensions. It's like a giant junkyard, or a greedy digestive system, constantly devouring the souls and matter that stray into this place, transforming them into energy to maintain the existence of this space."

"Fifty years ago, I thought I had sealed that door. But I was wrong. I only plugged the leak with my own body. As time goes by, my power is waning, and my will is being eroded by that higher-dimensional being. The monster that impersonates me is the embodiment of the 'fear' and 'self-doubt' that have been stripped away from me."

"The real me is still deeper. Behind that door, in that absolute nothingness, I struggle to hold on."

"But I can't hold on much longer. That being is awakening, it longs to descend, it longs to turn our world into its playground."

"Young man, if you have the 'key' in your hand, don't hesitate. Bring it and come find me."

"Only the complete key can completely close that door, or... completely open it, giving us the power to fight."

"Remember, don't believe anything here except your own heart."

“I’ve already entered the route map into the console. The next train is about to arrive. That’s the only way to the ‘Gate of Rift’—the ‘Midnight’.”

"Good luck. I hope we can meet again."

The recording abruptly ended there.

Bai Yu put down the tape recorder, his emotions unable to calm down for a long time.

Lu Yuanshan is still alive!

Although the situation is dire, he is indeed alive and continues to protect the real world as a "gatekeeper."

The so-called "Forgetful River Station" is actually a checkpoint set up by Lu Yuanshan to screen those who can help him. Only by passing the test of the Face-Stealers can one obtain the recording and gain the qualification to go to the end.

"As expected of the first legendary investigator, even in dire straits, he still managed to lay out such a backup plan."

A sense of respect rose in Bai Yu's heart.

He turned to look at the holographic projection in the center of the hall. Sure enough, it showed a red line leading to the deepest part of this wasteland.

At the end of that line, there is a striking symbol – [Ω].

That is the end, and also the origin of everything.

Just then, the entire station suddenly began to shake violently.

Rumble——! ! !
The tremor wasn't an earthquake, but rather a resonance from the depths of space. It was as if some enormous thing was approaching, and even the air began to feel heavy and viscous.

Bai Yu suddenly turned her head to look out the floor-to-ceiling window.

At the end of the railway track that stretched into the void, a thick cloud of black mist was rolling in.

Within the black fog, two blood-red headlights, like the eyes of a demon, pierced the darkness and locked onto Wangchuan Station.

That was not an ordinary train.

Its body was made up of countless twisted skeletons and black flesh, and its wheels were giant gears that emitted a chilling scream with every turn. On the roof of the train, countless bizarre monsters crouched, roaring greedily at the station.

That was the "Midnight" that Lu Yuanshan was referring to.

A train carrying despair and death.

"Woo——!!!"

The train let out a piercing whistle, its speed increasing instead of decreasing, charging fiercely towards the station with a destructive force!

That wasn't an entry into the station, that was a collision!

"Damn it, this isn't picking someone up, it's clearly here to kill them!"

Bai Yu's expression changed. He could feel the terrifying aura emanating from that train, an aura that he was definitely not capable of confronting head-on in his current state.

"Quick! Get to the platform!" Hei Yan's urgent voice rang out. "It won't stop. You have to jump on the moment it hits! This is your only chance to get on!"

Without the slightest hesitation, Bai Yu grabbed the photo on the table, put it in his pocket, and then turned and rushed out of the dispatch room.

He ran down the stairs, heading straight for the platform below.

The tremors behind me grew more and more intense, the lights above my head began to flicker wildly, and the masks on the walls fell off and shattered.

The entire Wangchuan Station was trembling, as if in fear of the approaching monster.

When Bai Yu rushed to the edge of the platform, the terrifying train of flesh and blood was already within reach!
A howling wind swept through, carrying with it a strong stench of blood.

"Jump!"

Just as the train's engine was about to crash into the platform, Bai Yu roared, his legs suddenly exerting force, and he leaped towards the speeding train like a roc spreading its wings!

boom!
His hands gripped the bone spikes outside a carriage so tightly that the immense inertia nearly threw him off. His body slammed heavily against the carriage wall, his internal organs feeling as if they had shifted out of place.

But he didn't let go.

He gritted his teeth, endured the excruciating pain, and used both his hands and feet to climb up the outer wall of the carriage like a gecko.

Just as he climbed onto the roof of the car.

Boom——! ! !
A deafening explosion erupted behind him.

The train of flesh and blood did not slow down; instead, it crashed directly into the platform of Wangchuan Station, carrying with it a cloud of rubble and dust, and roared into the void ahead!

Bai Yu lay on the roof of the car and looked back.

The magnificent Wangchuan Station had collapsed halfway under the train's impact. Countless masks were swept under the wheels and reduced to dust.

"Goodbye, Senior Lu."

Bai Yu silently recited it in his heart.

He turned his head and looked ahead.

The train was traveling on a track suspended in mid-air. All around was endless darkness, with only a faint glimmer of light visible ahead.

That's the end.

It was also the real battlefield.

However, before he could even breathe a sigh of relief, a teeth-grinding scraping sound suddenly came from the other end of the roof.

Bai Yu raised his head warily.

Outside a few carriages, several dark figures were slowly rising.

Those were the monsters that had been crouching on the roof of the car. They had humanoid outlines, but their bodies were covered in black scales, and they had a pair of tattered fleshy wings on their backs.

They discovered this uninvited guest.

"hiss--!"

The leading monster let out a hiss, spread its wings, and pounced on Bai Yu!

"It seems this train ride isn't as comfortable as I imagined."

Bai Yu gave a bitter smile and slowly stood up.

The strong wind tousled his hair, revealing his deep and determined eyes.

The dark, void power once again wrapped around his hands, radiating a chilling light in the darkness.

"Since we're already on this pirate ship, let's kill the captain and steer it ourselves!"

Bai Yu let out a low roar and charged towards the group of monsters!

On this train to hell, a new killing spree begins.

(End of this chapter)