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

Chapter 117 Real Fireworks

Sunlight.

Real, warm, sunlight with a hint of dust.

When Bai Yu opened her eyes, this was the beam of light she saw, lazily lying on the white blanket.

There was no distorted purple-gold color, no sticky malice, and no suffocating sense of high-dimensional oppression.

This is the headquarters of the Nightmare Investigation Bureau, in the S-level special care ward.

"call……"

Bai Yu exhaled a long breath and tried to sit up. Instead of the expected soreness, her body felt incredibly light.

That feeling was like being relieved of a heavy burden that I had carried for many years; every cell in my body was cheering with joy.

"Awake? My Sleeping Beauty."

In her mind, Hei Yan's voice was still elegant and annoying, but Bai Yu could hear a hint of pleasure hidden in it, "You slept for three whole days. But thankfully, your soul didn't fall apart, instead... it became even more delicious."

"Shut up, don't use the word 'delicious' to describe me."

Bai Yu retorted inwardly, then clenched his fist.

boom!
A surge of power flowed through his fingertips. It wasn't just physical strength, but a more fundamental sense of control that touched the very edge of the rules.

He subconsciously glanced at the water glass on the bedside table.

Thoughts moved slightly.

hum-

A tiny ripple suddenly appeared around the once-transparent glass. The next second, the glass vanished into thin air and reappeared in his palm.

It did not follow any movement trajectory.

It is folded.

By directly folding the space between two points, instantaneous material transfer is achieved.

"Is this... the power of the Eye of God?" Bai Yu looked at the water glass in her hand, her eyes slightly brightening.

"That's just the tip of the iceberg," Hei Yan explained lazily. "Although that eyeball is a half-baked deity, its spatial rules are real. Now, you not only possess an advanced version of 'Phase Travel,' but you've also gained a passive skill—'True Sight.' Try concentrating and see."

Upon hearing this, Bai Yu took a deep breath, and a flash of purple-gold light disappeared into the depths of her pupils.

brush!
The world has changed.

The once pristine white walls transformed into a complex of countless lines in his eyes—the structural lines of the building; the dust particles floating in the air were clearly visible, their movement traces discernible; and at the entrance to the ward, several orbs of energy of varying colors were slowly approaching.

A ball of fire, as hot and violent as a raging flame, that was Mo Fei.

A calm and steady figure, like a precision instrument, that was Lan Ce.

A mass as heavy and profound as a mountain—that was Anmu.

There was another wisp... though faint, it emanated a pure, warm pink glow—that was Lu Yueqi.

"coming."

A smile played on Bai Yu's lips, the light in her eyes fading.

Click.

The door was pushed open gently.

There was no loud voice or forced entry from Mo Fei as expected.

The burly man, nearly two meters tall, was tiptoeing through the crack in the door like a thief, carrying two huge insulated food containers. Seeing Bai Yu sitting on the bed, his large, bell-like eyes instantly lit up, but then, as if remembering something, he forced a low voice and said in an extremely awkward, breathy tone:

"Awake...you're awake? How are you feeling? Are you dizzy? Do you feel nauseous?"

Seeing Mo Fei's cautious demeanor, Bai Yu almost burst out laughing.

"Old Mo, be normal, you're giving me goosebumps."

"Damn it! I was just afraid of disturbing you!" Mo Fei instantly lost his composure, strode over, and slammed the food box on the table, making it shake three times. "The doctor said you've suffered from mental exhaustion this time and need to rest! Rest, do you understand? It means you can't be stimulated!"

Although he was shouting, Mo Fei's hand movements were surprisingly meticulous.

He opened the food box, inside which were neatly arranged layers of ingredients: thinly sliced premium beef, bright green vegetables, and cleaned tripe and duck intestines. At the bottom was a pot of still-steaming hot beef tallow broth.

“This is…” Bai Yu was stunned.

"Hot pot!" Mo Fei chuckled, revealing a set of bright white teeth. "You suffered so much in that godforsaken place, you need to make up for it when you get back, right? This is the freshest stuff I picked out at the market, the beef, the marbling, it's amazing!"

"Eating hot pot in the hospital room?"

Lan Ce, following behind, adjusted his glasses, looking helpless. "Mo Fei, according to Article 12 of Chapter 3 of the 'Regulations on Medical and Health Management,' it is strictly forbidden to eat foods with pungent odors in the ward. Moreover, Bai Yu's current digestive system..."

"Stop, stop, stop!" Mo Fei waved his hand impatiently. "Lan Siyan, stop talking nonsense. Bai Yu is a dream enterr, her physical strength is stronger than an ox, why is she so delicate? Besides, this is an S-level ward, the ventilation system is military-grade, it can suck out the smell of hot pot, even if you put out a poison gas bomb!"

"Although it's against the rules, this is a one-time exception."

An Mu, who was the last to enter, closed the door. His usually serious face now carried a rare hint of a relaxed smile.

He walked to the bedside, carefully examined Bai Yu, and lingered for a moment on Bai Yu's face, which was noticeably rosier. The worry in his eyes finally dissipated.

"How are you feeling?" An Mu asked in a deep voice.

"Better than ever before." Bai Yu cracked his neck, making a series of crisp sounds. "Captain, I'm sorry to have worried you this time."

"So you actually know that, kid!"

Mo Fei chimed in, expertly plugging in the induction cooker while muttering, "The door was about to close, and you still hadn't come out. The captain almost used 'Royal Power' to force his way in! If Lan Ce hadn't stopped him, saying that his life force was still increasing, we'd probably be going to the rift to rescue you by now."

Bai Yu felt a warmth in her heart.

Anmu's "Royal Power" is a forbidden move that consumes life force, and the old captain was really going all out to save him.

"By the way, where is Senior Lu?" Bai Yu asked.

"Have your final physical exam next door." Lu Yueqi, who hadn't said a word until now, walked over.

Today, instead of wearing that exaggerated ghost hat, she had her hair tied in a neat ponytail and was dressed in a simple white T-shirt and jeans, looking like a girl next door.

She looked at Bai Yu, her eyes slightly red, and suddenly bowed deeply.

"Brother Baiyu, thank you! Really... thank you!"

If it weren't for Bai Yu, she might never have met her grandfather in her life. That kindness was as heavy as Mount Tai.

"Alright, we're all on the same side, let's not get so emotional."

Bai Yu reached out a hand to help him up and laughed, "Besides, saving Senior Lu is also part of the mission. And... I also got quite a few benefits from that big-eyed guy."

"Speaking of benefits..."

Lan Ce suddenly pulled a tablet computer out of his briefcase, his fingers flying across the screen, the lenses reflecting streams of data.

“According to the tests, the peak energy fluctuations in your body have increased by a full 47.5% compared to before. And the stability of your soul… it’s simply a miracle.” Lan Ce looked up at Bai Yu, his eyes filled with the fervor of someone looking at a rare specimen. “Before, your soul was like a pieced-together porcelain doll, full of cracks. But now, those cracks have been filled by a high-dimensional energy. Although it hasn’t fully healed yet, its structural strength has increased by at least three orders of magnitude.”

"Simply put, you've become stronger, ridiculously stronger." Lan Ce pushed up his glasses and summarized, "According to the bureau's rating standards, your current overall combat strength has reached the threshold of 'Special S-level'."

Special Grade S.

That's the ceiling of combat power in the entire Nightmare Investigation Bureau; it's a being capable of single-handedly suppressing a calamity.

"Special S-level?" Mo Fei's hand trembled as he was cooking tripe, and the tripe on his chopsticks fell into the pot. "Holy crap! Lao Bai, are you on a rocket? We were on the same level before, and now do I have to call you 'sir'?"

“You can call me Dad,” Bai Yu replied calmly.

"Get lost!" Mo Fei laughed and cursed, then picked up the hot tripe and handed it to Bai Yu. "Eat yours, shut your mouth!"

The atmosphere instantly became lively.

The aroma of hot pot filled the ward, a unique and comforting scent of home cooking.

Bai Yu picked up a slice of fatty beef, dipped it in sesame sauce, and put it in his mouth.

Fresh, fragrant, and spicy.

The taste buds were instantly awakened. At this moment, the cold memories of fighting in the rift seemed to vanish with this hot meal. "By the way, besides the improvement in strength, the bureau's rewards have also come through."

Anmu took out a black and gold card and a sealed small box from his pocket and handed them to Baiyu.

"This is a new ID card, with an upgraded access level of A+, allowing access to 90% of the bureau's classified files. In addition, the reward for this mission is five million, which has already been deposited into this card."

five million.

This is a huge sum of money for ordinary people, but for investigators who risk their lives, it is simply a well-deserved reward.

Bai Yu took the card, casually put it aside, and her gaze fell on the small box.

"what is this?"

"Open it and take a look," An Mu said, keeping everyone in suspense.

Bai Yu opened the box, and inside lay a pale blue badge. The badge was shaped like an open eye, surrounded by intricate runes, and emanated a faint spiritual energy.

“This is… the ‘Awakened One’ medal?” Lance exclaimed softly.

“That’s right.” An Mu nodded, his expression turning solemn. “This is the highest honor awarded by the Bureau to investigators who have independently killed ‘conceptual-level’ Nightmares. In the entire Bureau’s fifty-year history, no more than ten people have received this medal.”

"Take it, you deserve it."

Bai Yu looked at the medal, her fingers gently tracing the cold lines on it.

Honor?
He didn't really care about these empty titles. But seeing the proud looks in his teammates' eyes, he still solemnly put the medal away.

"Thanks, Captain."

"Alright, now that we've finished talking business, let's eat! The meat's all overcooked!" Mo Fei yelled, pouring another plate of duck intestines into the pot.

Everyone sat around the pot, scrambling for the meat and teasing each other.

Mo Fei was so angry that he couldn't beat Bai Yu (after all, he had the spatial folding cheat) that he yelled loudly; Lan Ce was disgusted by Mo Fei's eating manners while precisely calculating the time to put the meat in the pot; Lu Yueqi was obediently pouring drinks for everyone on the side, occasionally stealing a glance at Bai Yu, her cheeks slightly red.

An Mu sat to the side, looking at the group of young team members with a look of satisfaction in his eyes.

This is what he wants to protect.

It wasn't about grand world peace, just a hot pot meal and a few smiling faces in this small hospital room.

After a few rounds of drinks (actually beverages), everyone felt slightly tipsy and relaxed.

"Bai Yu, what are your plans for the future?" An Mu asked. "The bureau has given you a month-long leave, so you can take a good rest."

"rest?"

Bai Yu put down her chopsticks, wiped her mouth, and looked out the window.

"I'll probably go back to my hometown. There are some things I want to confirm."

Since fusing with the "Eye of God," some blurry fragments seem to have appeared deep within his memories. These are clues about his parents' disappearance, and also the secret that Hei Yan has always wanted to explore.

“Alright.” An Mu nodded. “But don’t push yourself too hard. The world is not peaceful these days.”

"Not peaceful?" Bai Yu keenly caught the key word.

“Hmm.” Lan Ce picked up the conversation, his expression turning serious. “According to monitoring, since the fall of the ‘Abyss Watcher,’ nightmare activities around the world have not only not decreased, but have actually seen an explosive increase. It’s like… some kind of balance has been broken.”

“Moreover, many new types of nightmares have emerged.” Lan Ce pulled up a map, which was covered with red dots. “They no longer follow the old rules, but have become more cunning and more elusive. It’s as if… someone is directing them from behind the scenes.”

"Is someone in command?"

Bai Yu frowned slightly.

Nightmares are the embodiment of human fear, and are inherently chaotic and disordered. If they were to begin to organize, it would be a catastrophe.

"Don't think too much about it!" Mo Fei patted Bai Yu on the shoulder. "If the sky falls, the tall ones will hold it up. Our task now is to eat and drink well, and recharge our energy! Cheers!"

"cheers!"

The cups clinked together, making a crisp sound.

……

Late at night.

The teammates have left one after another, and the ward has returned to quiet.

Bai Yu stood by the window, looking at the city's night view.

Neon lights flashed, and cars and people thronged the streets.

On the surface, it still appears to be a prosperous and peaceful world.

"Black talk".

"What? You're getting sentimental right after you've eaten?"

Don't you think the moon looks a little strange tonight?

Bai Yu raised her head and looked up at the night sky.

Tonight is a full moon.

The bright moonlight shone on the earth, a beauty that was breathtaking.

But in Bai Yu's eyes, which had activated "real vision," the edge of the full moon was wrapped with an extremely faint red line that was almost invisible if one did not look closely.

The red thread seemed to be alive, slowly wriggling, trying to tighten its grip on the moon.

In the shadows of the city, countless tiny black threads are rising from the ground, connecting every sleeping person.

The direction in which those threads eventually converge is the city center—the tallest television tower.

“That is…” Bai Yu’s pupils contracted slightly.

“That’s a ‘cocoon’.” Hei Yan’s voice became playful. “It seems your teammate was right. Someone is using this city as nourishment, incubating something.”

"interesting."

Bai Yu looked at the TV tower, a cold smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

I thought I could finally have a few days of peace, but that seems like wishful thinking.

However, since I'm getting an S-level salary, I have to do some S-level work.

He reached out and made a grasping motion towards the tower from a distance.

"Whatever you're incubating, you'd better not mess with me."

"Otherwise, I wouldn't mind having another late-night snack."

Ding.

Just then, the phone on the bedside table suddenly lit up.

It was an anonymous text message.

The content is just a short line:

Welcome back to the real world, Observer 001. The game... has only just begun.