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

Chapter 7 A new beginning

The police tape was removed, and the mall returned to its usual bustling state, as if the distorted spacetime and deadly rules of the "Dream Cafe" had never existed. Sunlight streamed through the glass dome, illuminating everything and dispelling the lingering gloom.

"You little brat, you're really courting death!" Mo Fei's loud voice was the first to shatter the peace after the ordeal. He slapped Bai Yu hard on the back with his large, fan-like hand, making him stagger. "You said the more people there were, the more trouble you'd cause, but you went in alone and almost got yourself killed! Hei Yan's abilities were affected? You dared to keep such a big thing a secret!"

Bai Yu coughed after being patted, his face even paler than when he came out of the ghost story. He waved his hand with a wry smile, but before he could speak, An Mu's serious face came closer.

“He’s right.” An Mu’s tone was more composed than Mo Fei’s, but the lingering fear and anger in his eyes were even clearer. “Bai Yu, I approved your return to participate in the mission because I trusted your judgment, not to send you to your death. The Nightmare ability became unstable, which is the highest level of alert. Why didn’t you retreat immediately?”

Faced with the captain's questioning, Bai Yu could no longer dodge the questions he had given Mo Fei. He suppressed his smile and answered seriously, "Captain, the situation at the time didn't allow it. The rules had already been activated, and I couldn't back out. Besides... that child was still inside."

He opened his palm, and there lay the crystal-clear glass marble, reflecting a warm light.

An Mu looked at the marble, then at Bai Yu's exhausted face, and his tense jawline finally softened a little. He sighed, took a card out of his pocket, and handed it to Bai Yu: "This is the medical department's mandatory rest order. From now on, you'd better go back and rest properly, and you're not allowed to take on any missions for at least a week. Let Lan Ce handle the follow-up report; you don't need to worry about anything."

"But……"

“No buts.” An Mu’s tone left no room for argument. “Also, the little girl you brought back is still waiting at the registration desk. Don’t let her think that our Nightmare Investigation Bureau is a place that just dumps people and then ignores them. Settle her in, and then, immediately, go and rest!”

Bai Yu knew she couldn't go against the captain's wishes, so she had no choice but to nod helplessly and accept the rest order.

When Bai Yu dragged his somewhat heavy steps back to the registration desk, Lu Yueqi was sitting on a chair in the waiting area, hugging her knees like a frightened little rabbit. Uncle Haiyin poured her a cup of hot tea and was chatting with her casually, trying to ease her tension.

Upon seeing Bai Yu, Lu Yueqi's eyes lit up instantly. She practically jumped up from her chair, rushed to him, looked him up and down, and asked worriedly, "Are you... are you alright? They said you have an urgent mission..."

"It's alright, it's all taken care of." Bai Yu gave her a reassuring smile, though it seemed somewhat forced due to exhaustion. "Sorry to keep you waiting. Is the registration all done?"

"Yes, Uncle Hai has taken care of everything for me." Lu Yueqi nodded, then secretly glanced at his slightly pale face and asked softly, "Is the mission... very dangerous?"

"It's alright, just a bit mentally taxing." Bai Yu brushed it off lightly, not wanting this girl who had just entered the other world to carry too much burden too early. He glanced at the time, "Let's go, I'll take you back to your home first, pack up your important things, and then move them to the bureau's living quarters."

"Oh? Do I need your help? I can manage on my own..."

"Are you sure?" Bai Yu raised an eyebrow. "Your house is now a 'haunted house,' aren't you afraid to go back alone?"

Lu Yueqi's face turned pale instantly, and she shook her head vigorously. The fear of that night was still vivid in her mind; she would rather sleep on the street than go home alone.

"Then... I'll have to trouble you," she said softly, her ears burning slightly.

"Me too! Me too!" Mo Fei, who appeared out of nowhere, put his arm around Bai Yu's shoulder and said to Lu Yueqi with a grin, "Sister-in-law... cough, sister-in-law... no, Miss Qiyue, how can we leave out physical work like moving things!"

Lu Yueqi was taken aback by his overly familiar enthusiasm, her cheeks flushed even more, and she could only look to Bai Yu for help.

Bai Yu sighed and pulled Mo Fei's arm off her shoulder, saying helplessly, "Shouldn't you be going back to write your report?"

"What's more important than helping a friend move! Captain An said Lan Ce will write the report!" Mo Fei said, puffing out his chest confidently.

Ultimately, the moving team was formed in this peculiar way.

It was already afternoon when I returned to Lu Yueqi's small apartment. The door lock had been damaged in the previous incident, and it was only slightly ajar. The moment I pushed the door open, a whiff of air mixed with dust and a faint smell of blood rushed out. The room was a mess; overturned chairs, shattered cups, and dried, dark brown stains on the wooden floor all served as reminders of the horrific scene that had unfolded that night.

Lu Yueqi's body trembled uncontrollably, and her fingers, gripping the hem of her clothes, turned white from the force.

A warm hand gently rested on her shoulder.

"It's all in the past." Bai Yu's voice was soft, yet it carried a reassuring strength. "It's safe here now."

He went in first and naturally began to tidy up the mess on the floor. Mo Fei also dropped his playful demeanor and silently helped straighten the furniture. Seeing them all taking action, Lu Yueqi took a deep breath, tried to suppress her fear, and began to organize her own things.

Her apartment wasn't big, but she had a lot of stuff, especially the equipment she used for live streaming, which she treasured dearly.

"Wow! Is this the legendary live streaming room?" Mo Fei exclaimed dramatically, looking at the professional microphone, sound card, and ring light. "My niece is a huge fan of yours! She watches your live streams every day and says Qi Yue-chan is the cutest female streamer in the world! Um... could I get her autograph?"

The sudden request stunned Lu Yueqi, instantly easing the tense atmosphere. She looked at the tall man, over six feet tall, who was expectantly handing her a notebook, and couldn't help but chuckle.

"Okay...okay." She took the notebook and signed her name, "Qi Yue," a little embarrassed. "That's great!" Mo Fei carefully put the notebook away, as if it were a priceless treasure. "By the way, Bai Yu is also a fan of yours. Don't let his aloof act fool you; I've seen him secretly watching your live streams late at night several times!"

"Mo Fei!" Bai Yu's voice came from the bedroom, carrying a hint of warning.

Lu Yueqi's cheeks instantly burned hot enough to fry an egg. She secretly glanced at Bai Yu, who was carrying a large suitcase out of the bedroom, and her heart started pounding uncontrollably.

While packing, Lu Yueqi noticed that although Bai Yu didn't talk much, he was extremely thoughtful. He would wrap her fragile cosmetics in soft cloth, and he would straighten out all the tangled data cables one by one and tie them up with cable ties, his movements so practiced as if he had done them a thousand times.

As he lifted a heavy cardboard box full of books, Lu Yueqi noticed that his arm swayed almost imperceptibly, a fine layer of sweat appeared on his forehead, and his breathing seemed heavier than usual.

She then suddenly remembered that the strong and reliable man in front of her had just emerged from a deadly ghost story. He wasn't a tireless machine; he could get tired and get hurt.

"Um... I can do it myself." She quickly ran over, wanting to lend a hand.

"No need." Bai Yu stepped aside to avoid her hand and placed the box steadily on the ground. "It's not heavy."

His tone remained calm, but Lu Yueqi caught a fleeting glimpse of weariness in his deep eyes. At that moment, her heart was filled with gratitude.

After a busy afternoon, they finally packed up all of Lu Yueqi's belongings and loaded them into Mo Fei's spacious SUV. When the car drove back into that huge metal city, Lu Yueqi's mood was completely different from when she arrived.

The car didn't head towards the morning's office area, but instead drove to a completely different area. Here, instead of cold, metallic buildings, there were rows of neat apartment buildings, shaded by trees, filled with birdsong and fragrant flowers. The central area even had a small park, where children played on slides and elderly people played chess on benches, exuding a peaceful and serene atmosphere. If it weren't for the towering metal walls in the distance, it would look like an ordinary upscale residential community.

“This is the living area,” Bai Yu explained. “Most of the investigators’ families, as well as dreamers like you who need protection, live here. It has its own security system and is the safest place in the entire Investigation Bureau.”

The car stopped in front of an apartment building. Bai Yu helped her carry her luggage upstairs and opened the door to one of the apartments.

It was a standard one-bedroom apartment, simply and cleanly decorated, fully furnished with all necessary appliances, even the bedding was brand new. The south-facing balcony was bathed in sunlight.

"This will be your home from now on." Bai Yu put down the last box. "If you need anything, you can contact the logistics department. This is an internal communicator. In case of any emergency, press this red button and I will receive a notification immediately."

He handed Lu Yueqi a black, bracelet-shaped communicator.

Lu Yueqi took the communicator and clutched it tightly in her hand. Looking at the man who had been busy for her all afternoon, a thousand words stuck in her throat, but in the end, they all turned into the most sincere words: "Bai Yu, thank you."

"You're welcome." Bai Yu looked at her, her eyes softening. "Get some rest. You'll get used to it eventually."

After saying that, he turned around and prepared to leave.

"Wait a minute!" Lu Yueqi mustered up her courage and called out to him.

Bai Yu turned around, a questioning look in her eyes.

"You...you need to rest too." She looked into his eyes and said earnestly, "Don't...push yourself too hard."

Bai Yu paused for a moment, then a faint but genuine smile spread across his lips, like the warm winter sun, instantly melting away the weariness between his brows.

"Okay," he replied softly, then turned and left.

The door closed gently, leaving Lu Yueqi alone in the room. She looked around her new yet unfamiliar home, then at the familiar suitcases piled up in the living room. A complex mix of emotions welled up inside her: a farewell to the past, a sense of uncertainty about the future, but above all, an unprecedented feeling of peace.

She stepped onto the balcony, where the setting sun painted the sky a warm orange-red. In the distance, twinkling lights illuminated the residential area, filling the air with the warmth of everyday life.

This will be a new beginning for her.

Lu Yueqi rummaged through the box and pulled out her laptop, connected to the internet, and skillfully opened the live streaming platform she hadn't used for two days. Her inbox was exploding with messages; countless fans were asking why she had suddenly ended her stream that day, worried that something had happened to her.

Looking at the concerned messages, her nose tingled and her eyes welled up with tears. She typed a line, thought about it, and then deleted it. She repeated this several times, and finally, she only posted one sentence on her social media.

"I'm fine, sorry to have worried everyone. There's been some family stuff going on lately, we need to move, so I'll be taking a break from broadcasting for a while. See you when I get back. —Qi Yue"

After sending the message, she closed her laptop and let out a long sigh of relief. The past life might be gone forever, but she knew she wasn't alone. In this world shrouded in shadow, she too could find her own ray of light.

(End of this chapter)