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

Chapter 67 The Undercurrents Beneath the Noise
Returning from that distorted and polluted land of "Eden" brought no joy of victory to the team. On the contrary, a heavy and oppressive cloud, like the inescapable shadow cast by that black tower, loomed over everyone's hearts.

Nightmare Investigation Bureau Headquarters, Class A Medical Zone, Special Care Observation Room.

Bai Yu has been lying here for three whole days.

Thanks to the tireless efforts of Dr. Lin Lan and her world-class team of soul engineering specialists, his soul, which was on the verge of complete dissipation, was forcibly pulled back from the brink of death.

The life-energy-filled liquid of the "Stillness Fountain" nourished his shattered soul fragments anew, while the immense spiritual energy infused into him by the "Cradle" in those final moments acted as a resilient adhesive, rebuilding the soul fragments in a way that was far more stable than before.

From a physical and energy perspective, he is even "healthier" than he was a year ago.

However, this is just an appearance.

"All physiological indicators are stabilizing, and the soul energy fluctuations have returned to above the safe threshold." Lin Lan looked at the series of stable green data on the monitoring screen, but her usually calm and intellectual face showed no relief. "However, the energy reaction of the mark on the back of his hand has increased by at least thirty percent compared to before. It is no longer a passive 'coordinate,' but more like a 'living terminal' that has established a deep connection with the host. I can't even tell whether this is the will of the 'Tower' further eroding... or whether Bai Yu's soul, during the process of being repaired by the 'Cradle,' has also absorbed a part that should not belong to him."

Outside the glass window of the observation room, An Mu, Mo Fei, and Lan Ce listened quietly, their expressions growing increasingly solemn.

"So... Dr. Lin..." Mo Fei's voice was hoarse like a rusty blower. His arm was still in a thick cast, a wound inflicted by a monster's bone blade when he covered the retreat for everyone at the stairwell. "Old Bai... is he better now, or worse?"

Lin Lan was silent for a moment before finally giving the most precise yet most unsettling answer: "He's like a patient who has just undergone a heart transplant. The surgery was successful, and he survived. But his body now has an extra 'heart' that could potentially be rejected at any time. And the other end of this 'heart' is connected to a terrifying entity that we can't possibly understand."

"Isn't there any way to get rid of it?"

"What should we do? Cut it off with a knife?" Lin Lan rubbed her temples wearily. "Mo Fei, you have to understand, that's not a real organ, it's a 'concept.' A 'concept' that's deeply bound to Bai Yu's soul essence. Unless we can find a way to completely format his soul at the conceptual level, any attempt to forcibly remove it will only lead to another complete collapse of his soul. And this time, there won't be a second 'cradle' to save him."

A suffocating silence fell over the observation room.

They won the battle for "Eden," yet it seemed they had lost the entire war. The enemy, known as the "Tower of a Thousand Heads," had planted a seed that could never be eradicated in their most prized ace investigator in a way they couldn't comprehend.

This victory was so heavy it was almost suffocating.

"He's awake."

An Mu, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up.

Everyone immediately turned to look, and the young man on the sickbed had eyelashes as long and delicate as butterfly wings that were trembling almost imperceptibly.

……

A week later.

Inside a private room encased in special soundproofing material, in the exclusive dining room for Class A personnel at the Nightmare Investigation Bureau headquarters.

In the center of a huge round table, a rustic-looking copper hot pot was bubbling and steaming. Divided by a yin-yang symbol, one half of the pot was filled with the fiery red oil of Sichuan and Chongqing hot pot, with chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns floating freely; the other half was a milky white broth of mushrooms, garnished with red dates and goji berries. The two distinct aromas intertwined in the air, blending into a rich and enticing fragrance that would make anyone's mouth water.

"Come on, come on! Beef tripe! Top-quality beef tripe! It's all about the precise seven dips and eight lifts! Even a second longer and it's overcooked!"

Mo Fei's signature booming voice echoed in the private room. His cast had long been removed, and he was now wielding a pair of extra-long chopsticks with an air of triumph, like a general commanding the front lines of the hot pot. In his left hand, he rhythmically dipped a large slice of meticulously cleaned tripe into the bubbling red oil. A moment later, like a tireless feeder, he dumped plate after plate of evenly sliced ​​beef, mutton, beef aorta, duck intestines… into the churning red sea.

"Hey Mo Fei, can you at least have some manners?" Lan Ce, sitting across from him, pushed up his black-rimmed glasses with a look of disdain. He was carefully picking up a freshly cooked crispy tofu skin roll from the clear broth pot with his chopsticks, and with an almost chemistry-like precision, gently dipping it into the dipping sauce in front of him, made with sesame oil, minced garlic, oyster sauce, and cilantro in precise proportions. "According to the second law of thermodynamics, this haphazard way of adding ingredients will only cause a sharp drop in the temperature inside the pot, thus prolonging the cooking time of all the ingredients and seriously affecting the final taste."

"Get lost! What kind of rules are you talking to me about when we're eating hotpot! I'm eating for the atmosphere! Understand? You bookworm!" Mo Fei retorted without any politeness, then picked up a large piece of slightly curled, hot beef and put it into Captain An Mu's bowl without saying a word. "Here you go, Captain! You must be exhausted from arguing with the higher-ups about that 'Eden' thing these past few days! Eat more meat to replenish your strength!"

An Mu looked at the mountain of meat piled up in his bowl, a helpless, bitter smile appearing on his usually resolute face. He didn't say much, but silently picked up his chopsticks, took a piece, and put it in his mouth. That rough but sincere concern eased the tension in his heart caused by the intense meetings of the past few days.

But sitting on the other side of the table presents a completely different scene.

"This...this shrimp paste is ready, eat quickly." Lu Yueqi's voice was as gentle as a breeze brushing across the lake. She was carefully using a slotted spoon to scoop up a few plump, freshly formed shrimp pastes from the clear broth pot, carefully draining the broth from them, and then gently placing them into the clean bowl in front of Bai Yu.

She glanced at the half-empty glass of warm water in front of Bai Yu, then immediately picked up the kettle and refilled it. Her movements were so natural and full of meticulous care, as if she had rehearsed them countless times.

Bai Yu remained silent, watching the girl bustle about for him. His face still bore a sickly pallor, but his deep eyes held a clarity and warmth like the sky after a rain. He picked up his chopsticks, took a steaming shrimp paste, and slowly put it in his mouth. The bouncy texture and the savory mushroom broth warmed him from his tongue all the way to his stomach.

“It’s delicious, thank you,” he said softly.

"No...you're welcome..." Lu Yueqi's cheeks flushed slightly, and she lowered her head somewhat shyly, poking at the few green vegetables in her bowl with her chopsticks.

Since that special journey in the "Cradle," a journey that could be described as a "soulful embrace," their relationship underwent a subtle change. It was no longer a simple relationship between protector and protected, nor merely a bond filled with gratitude and guilt; it transformed into a tacit understanding that needed no words. She became the only lighthouse in his sea of ​​nothingness, and he became her most steadfast harbor in this dangerous and dark world.

"Hey! You two! Can you stop flirting over there?" Mo Fei's untimely loud voice rang out again, breaking the small, ambiguous atmosphere. "I'm going to eat this whole hot pot by myself! Lao Bai, you should eat some spicy food too! A real man should eat spicy food! Look at these duck intestines, they're so crispy!"

As he spoke, he picked up a large chopstick of duck intestines that were being scalded in the hot oil and was about to put them into Bai Yu's bowl.

"Mo Fei!" Lu Yueqi immediately raised her head like a cat guarding its food, puffing out her cheeks and glaring at him. "Bai Yu has just recovered from a serious illness! The doctor said he can't eat spicy or stimulating foods!"

"Tch, what kind of doctor? Do we in the Investigation Bureau believe in that kind of doctor?" Mo Fei scoffed, but obediently stopped what he was doing, stuffing the duck intestines into his mouth instead, and mumbled, "Fine, fine, you decide, you decide... Honestly, we're not even married yet, and you're already so controlling..."

Lu Yueqi's face flushed bright red instantly. She was so ashamed that she wished she could disappear into the ground. She could only lower her head and poke the rice in her bowl with her chopsticks, making a protest sound as soft as a mosquito's buzz: "You... what nonsense are you talking about..." Looking at the noisy scene full of life in front of her, Bai Yu's lips curled up into a faint smile.

This feeling... is wonderful.

However, just as he felt a touch of warmth, the "Eye of the Vortex" mark on the back of his right hand, which was resting on the table, suddenly sent a chilling throbbing through him.

A gaze filled with malice and greed seemed to traverse endless void, silently landing in this private room filled with laughter and chatter, "appreciating" the warm scene before them with great interest.

Bai Yu's gaze sharpened instantly, and the smile on his face vanished, replaced by an unfathomable coldness. He subtly withdrew his right hand and hid it under the table. At the same time, his mental power, repaired and strengthened by the "Cradle," acted as an invisible barrier, instantly shutting out the malicious probing.

"What's wrong?" Lu Yueqi noticed his unusual behavior immediately and looked up at him with concern.

"It's nothing." Bai Yu shook her head, her face returning to calm, as if everything just now was an illusion. "I just suddenly remembered that I still have a report to write about the follow-up handling of 'Eden'."

He knew he shouldn't tell them this now. They had only just recovered from the devastating battle, and he didn't want to cause them to worry again because of him.

The war is far from over, and "The Tower" keeps a close eye on them.

The lively and heartwarming hot pot feast finally came to an end amidst Mo Fei's lingering complaints.

Everyone dispersed. Mo Fei was forcibly dragged away by Lan Ce under the pretext of "conducting a rehabilitation strength test after dinner," while Lu Yueqi insisted on taking Bai Yu back to his dormitory because she was worried about his health.

Walking silently down the futuristic metal corridor of the headquarters, the two cast long shadows that receded into quiet darkness after they passed.

"Um..." As they approached the dormitory entrance, Lu Yueqi finally couldn't help but speak, her voice tinged with hesitation, "Were you... preoccupied with something just now?"

Bai Yu paused slightly, looking into the girl's bright eyes filled with worry. He knew he couldn't hide it from her. After that journey of souls embracing, their connection had long transcended words.

He was silent for a moment, but finally chose to be partially honest: "It... was watching us just now."

Lu Yueqi's body stiffened abruptly, a chill instantly shooting from the soles of her feet to the top of her head. Of course, she knew what that "it" referred to.

"Then...what should we do?" Her voice carried a hint of barely suppressed panic.

"Don't be afraid." Bai Yu reached out and gently touched her forehead with his cold fingertips, as if soothing a frightened kitten. "I'm here."

Those three simple words were like a magical incantation, instantly dispelling all the fear in Lu Yueqi's heart. She looked at the man before her, at his eyes that remained clear and calm even as they bore the heaviest malice in the world, and nodded firmly.

"You...you should get some rest." She looked away somewhat embarrassedly and said softly, "I...I'm right next door. If you need anything...just call me anytime."

After saying that, she turned around and ran back to her dormitory like a startled rabbit.

Bai Yu smiled as she watched her somewhat flustered back, then turned around, opened her own dormitory door, and went inside.

The moment he closed the door, all the warmth on his face vanished without a trace, replaced by a coldness and resoluteness like that of permafrost.

He walked to the communicator and connected to Anmu's encrypted channel.

"Captain, it's me."

"Baiyu? What's wrong?" An Mu's slightly surprised voice came through the communicator.

“Regarding the ‘Fishing Tower’ project,” Bai Yu’s voice was devoid of any emotion, “I think… we can start it ahead of schedule.”

There was a long silence on the other end of the communicator.

After a long while, An Mu's voice, filled with exhaustion and helplessness, slowly rang out.

"...I understand. Come to my office at eight o'clock tomorrow morning to pick up the mission briefing. The location...I've already chosen it for you."

"Yes."

Bai Yu hung up the call.

He slowly walked to the window and looked out at the steel city that was still brightly lit in the night.

I am about to embark on another journey alone, one filled with unknowns.

But this time, his heart was no longer filled with the deathly stillness and emptiness of before.

In this cold city, within this enormous fortress, a lighthouse shines faintly but will never be extinguished, waiting for him to return home…

(End of this chapter)