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

Chapter 79 A Messy Shopping List
early morning.

After several rainy days, the long-awaited sunlight finally shone through the specially designed one-way privacy window and onto the ground again.

Bai Yu slowly opened her eyes.

There were no nightmares, no struggles, and no suffocating feeling like drowning.

This was the most peaceful night he had slept since the "Luoshui Village" incident, or rather, since his broken soul was forcibly glued back together by Hei Yan.

He lay quietly on the bed, not getting up immediately, but turning his head to look at the golden dust floating slightly in the air, feeling the insignificant warmth of the sun baking his skin.

His sea of ​​souls was no longer the silent abyss filled with death and nothingness; though still deep, it reflected the light of dawn.

That dreamlike cycle of reincarnation in the Pure Land was like a thorough baptism of the soul. Qin Yixuan originally intended to use "happiness" as the most vicious cage to imprison him forever, but she never expected that the "real" feeling full of everyday life would become the only antidote to heal the "brokenness" deep in his soul.

He no longer clings to protecting the "past" that has long since passed, nor is he lost in the "future" that is full of unknowns and dangers.

For the first time, he truly possessed his own "present".

He has noisy companions, people he needs to protect, and a "present" where he can look forward to tomorrow.

He slowly sat up, and instead of habitually walking towards the shadows that made him feel safe, he went to the window, reached out, and pulled the heavy curtains open completely.

The even brighter sunlight poured in without reservation, illuminating the entire room and his face, which, though still pale, was no longer cold.

He squinted slightly, enjoying the slightly dazzling warmth.

"Dong dong dong——!"

A burst of energetic and urgent knocking suddenly erupted like a storm, shattering the rare tranquility.

"Old Bai! Old Bai! Are you up yet? The sun's already high in the sky! You promised to go on a big shopping trip today, you didn't forget, did you?!"

Mo Fei's signature loud voice, with its powerful penetrating force, rang in clearly.

Bai Yu sighed softly, but a faint smile involuntarily crept onto his lips. He walked over and opened the dormitory door.

Outside the door, Mo Fei's massive, towering figure almost completely blocked the doorway. He was dressed in a simple sports T-shirt and shorts, radiating an inexhaustible vitality.

"Yo, you're awake?" Mo Fei grinned broadly when he saw Bai Yu open the door. "I thought you'd figured out some life philosophy yesterday and ascended to heaven on the spot. Hurry up and wash up. Lan Ce is already waiting downstairs. He says he wants to hold a pre-battle meeting about the 'rationality and optimal allocation of picnic supplies.'"

Bai Yu nodded, said nothing more, and turned to walk into the washroom.

As he rinsed his face with cold water and looked at his familiar yet unfamiliar self in the mirror, he could clearly feel that something had truly changed.

Ten minutes later, in the underground parking lot of the Bureau of Investigation headquarters.

Beside a specially modified black SUV, Lan Ce leaned against the door with a serious expression, holding a tactical tablet in his hand, his eyes behind his glasses gleaming with rationality.

Opposite him, Lu Yueqi looked like a primary school student about to go on a spring outing, her face filled with uncontrollable excitement and anticipation. She was carrying a huge backpack that was completely disproportionate to her petite figure, and it was bulging inside, with no one knowing what it contained.

Seeing Bai Yu and Mo Fei approach, Lan Ce pushed up his thick-rimmed glasses, cleared his throat, and said in a serious tone, as if giving a mission briefing, "Alright, now that everyone is here, let's begin. Based on my comprehensive analysis of the purpose of this picnic, the physical condition of the participants, and the environment of the destination, I have compiled an optimal list of supplies to purchase."

As he spoke, he turned the tactical tablet in his hand toward the crowd. A detailed table, accurate to two decimal places, was displayed on the screen.

"Considering our main purpose is relaxation rather than high-intensity physical training, I recommend focusing on low-fat, high-protein, and easily digestible foods. For staple foods, I suggest whole-wheat bread or quinoa rice balls, which provide stable carbohydrates. For protein sources, I've chosen skinless chicken breast, deep-sea fish fillets, and hummus, which is rich in plant-based protein. For vegetables, broccoli, asparagus, and cherry tomatoes are the best choices, as they are rich in vitamins and antioxidants. As for drinks, zero-calorie sparkling water and unsweetened green tea can satisfy our dual needs for taste and health."

He paused for a moment, then concluded, "By purchasing according to this list, we can precisely control the total calorie intake for this picnic to within 8,750 calories, ensuring sufficient energy supply without putting any unnecessary burden on our bodies. Perfect."

After listening to his speech, which sounded like he was reading a thesis, the entire parking lot fell into an eerie silence.

Lu Yueqi opened her mouth, looked at Lan Ce's face which was full of "science" and "rigor", then looked at her own backpack stuffed with potato chips, cola and chocolate bars, and a guilty expression appeared on her face. She silently hid the backpack behind her back.

"puff--"

Mo Fei finally couldn't hold back and let out a mocking laugh.

He slowly pulled a pair of extremely peculiar glasses from his pocket and put them on. The lenses of the glasses were not ordinary glass, but rather made up of two small LCD screens, on which a constantly changing colored pie chart was displayed.

"Ahem," Mo Fei cleared his throat, mimicking Lan Ce's manner as he pushed up his comical glasses, and said in a deliberately profound tone, "Comrade Lan Ce, according to the real-time data from my newly developed 'Multi-Dimensional Emotional Spectrum Analyzer,' in your 'perfect' proposal just now, the red area representing 'happiness' only accounts for 3.14%, while the gray and black areas representing 'boredom' and 'pain' account for a whopping 96.86%."

He pointed at Lancer and accused him in a heartbroken tone: "We're going on a picnic! We're going to relax! We're going to enjoy the sun, the grass, and the food! Not to attend a damn nutrition seminar! The stuff on your list, is that food? That's animal feed! It's for those herbivores photosynthesizing in the gym!"

Lan Ce's temple twitched involuntarily. He stared coldly at Mo Fei, his eyes behind his glasses seeming to look at an incomprehensible primitive creature: "Mo Fei, I must remind you, your unhealthy eating habits have pushed your body fat percentage above the warning line for an A-level investigator. Moreover, your so-called 'happiness' is essentially just a brief and irrational surge of dopamine after consuming high-fat, high-sugar foods. This low-level physiological pleasure is a completely different concept from the mental relaxation we seek."

"I don't care about dopamine or endorphins! I only know that a picnic without pork belly and fatty beef is soulless!" Mo Fei raised his arms and shouted, like a revolutionary leader launching an uprising, "I declare that I, Mo Fei, today represent the vast majority of the people to completely overthrow your tyranny, which is full of 'rationality' and 'health'!"

"That's foolish! That's primitive! That's irresponsible towards your own body!"

"This is inhumane! It's stifling natural instincts! You are a sinner for all time in the culinary world!"

Seeing that the "academic" debate between the two was about to turn into a full-blown fight, Bai Yu, who had been silent all along, finally spoke slowly.

"All right."

His voice wasn't loud, but it was like a magical incantation that instantly silenced the two men who were on the verge of exchanging blows.

They all turned their gaze to Bai Yu, awaiting his verdict.

Bai Yu looked at Lan Ce and said calmly, "Your list is very good and healthy. We will purchase a portion of it."

A victor's smile appeared on Lance's face.

Then, Bai Yu turned her gaze to Mo Fei and continued in her calm tone, "Buy pork belly and fatty beef as well."

Mo Fei's expression instantly brightened, and he raised an eyebrow at Lan Ce with a smug look.

“But…” Lan Ce was about to voice his objection.

Bai Yu interrupted him directly: "When you're out having fun, the most important thing is to be happy."

After saying that, he turned to look at Lu Yueqi, who had been silent like a nobody, and asked, "What about you? Is there anything you'd like to eat?"

Lu Yueqi's body stiffened abruptly; she hadn't expected Bai Yu to ask her that. She nervously clutched the hem of her clothes and whispered, "I...I'm fine with anything. But...if possible, I'd like to buy some cotton candy, and...and some grilled sausages..."

"Okay." Bai Yu nodded, then opened the car door and got in. "Let's buy everything then. Let's go."

He defused an impending "war" with such nonchalance. Mo Fei and Lan Ce exchanged a glance, both seeing a complex expression in each other's eyes. They could clearly sense that Bai Yu was truly different today.

In the past, although he would participate in their discussions, he was more often a calm observer, an arbitrator who made the final decision at the most crucial moment. He always carried an air of aloofness that made him unapproachable.

But today, he's like a true "family member." He listens attentively to everyone's thoughts and tries his best to take care of everyone's feelings. His long-frozen heart seems to be melting little by little with these noisy and lively companions.

"What are you all standing there for? Get in the car!" An Mu, who had already gotten into the driver's seat at some point, slowly rolled down the window and looked at the group of people who were still standing there in a daze. He spoke in a calm voice that was full of helplessness but also had a hint of a smile.

"Coming!"

Everyone then seemed to wake up from a dream and squeezed into the car.

The black SUV let out a deep roar and shot out of the slightly dark underground parking lot like an arrow, resolutely driving into the sunlit and bustling city traffic.

……

The largest warehouse-style supermarket in the city center.

Bright lights illuminated the entire vast space as if it were daytime, and a dazzling array of goods were neatly arranged on tall shelves, stretching to the horizon. The air was filled with the aromas of various foods, the fresh scent of cleaning products, and the bustling sounds of people, creating a symphony full of life.

A group of people pushing a huge shopping cart seemed somewhat out of place as they navigated through this sea of ​​bustling, everyday life.

Captain An Mu, like a worried old father, followed at the back of the group with a helpless expression, always on guard against what trouble Mo Fei, this "troublemaker," might cause.

Mo Fei, on the other hand, was like a wild man entering the city for the first time, pushing his shopping cart recklessly through the wide aisles. His eyes gleamed with the excitement of a hunter spotting his prey, and wherever he went, the various meats, cooked foods, and snacks on the shelves were swept away by a tornado and unhesitatingly added to his shopping cart.

"Pork belly! I want the kind with a good balance of fat and lean meat! That'll make it smell amazing when grilled!"

"Steak! Ribeye! The marbling is so beautiful, I have to get ten of them!"

Wow! Roast chicken too! It looks delicious! I'll have two!

Lan Ce followed behind him, like a mobile database, relentlessly criticizing every "junk food" item that Mo Fei swept into his shopping cart.

"According to calculations, this ribeye steak has a fat content of up to 37.8%. After being grilled over charcoal, the concentration of benzopyrene and other Group 1 carcinogens produced will be 1,200 times that of boiled chicken breast."

"The skin of this roast chicken was made using a large amount of nitrites and artificial coloring. Long-term consumption will cause irreversible damage to your liver."

"And that bag of potato chips you're holding has the same calories as you burn jogging five kilometers. Are you sure you want to be lapped in next week's physical training just for three minutes of cravings?"

"Shut up!" Mo Fei finally lost his temper. He grabbed a huge baguette and waved it menacingly at Lan Ce. "If you dare to say another word, believe me, I'll show you what 'physical exorcism' really means!"

Bai Yu and Lu Yueqi walked side by side behind the two.

Lu Yueqi was like a little mouse that had fallen into a rice jar. She looked at the beautifully packaged snacks on the shelf, her eyes sparkling. But she seemed a little embarrassed, just staring longingly, yet hesitating to reach out.

Bai Yu noticed her embarrassment. He didn't say much, but when passing by the snack section, he would stop seemingly unintentionally, and then, while Lu Yueqi's attention was drawn to other things, he would quietly pick up the snacks that she had been eyeing the longest and put them at the bottom of the shopping cart.

His movements were so natural and discreet, as if he were simply organizing the things that Mo Fei had haphazardly thrown into the shopping cart.

But his thoughtfulness and gentleness were still noticed by Anmu, who had been silently following behind.

An Mu looked at Bai Yu's profile, which was still aloof but no longer kept people at arm's length, and a hint of heartfelt relief appeared in his sharp, hawk-like eyes.

Just then, Bai Yu suddenly stopped in front of a shelf displaying various fruits.

His gaze fell on an apple.

It was an ordinary-looking Fuji apple, plump and round, exuding an enticing aroma.

However, for some reason, the moment he saw that apple, a faint sense of déjà vu, without any apparent cause, rippled across his heart like a pebble thrown into a calm lake.

It seemed that a long, long time ago, in a completely different setting, he had seen an identical apple.

Behind that apple seems to lie a cold memory filled with "betrayal" and "lies".

That chilling memory made his heart, which had just begun to warm, contract uncontrollably.

"Old Bai! Come quick! We have live seafood for sale here! How about we grill oysters for dinner tonight?"

Mo Fei's loud, energetic voice came from not far away, instantly pulling him back from his brief daze.

When Bai Yu came to her senses and looked at the apple again, the strange feeling of déjà vu had vanished without a trace. It had returned to being an ordinary apple lying among countless others of its kind.

Illusion?
Bai Yu frowned, but ultimately shook her head, forcibly suppressing the inexplicable unease.

Perhaps it's just that I've been through too much lately, and my nerves are a bit too sensitive.

He turned around and walked towards the noisy and bustling seafood area.

……

As they pushed their nearly overflowing shopping cart, satisfied with their "chaotic" shopping spree, the setting sun had already painted the entire city a brilliant orange-red.

On the way back, the atmosphere was much more relaxed and lively than on the way there.

While munching on the roasted chicken leg he had "risked his life" to rescue from Lan Ce's "rational tyranny," Mo Fei vaguely boasted about his "glorious deeds" of surviving alone in the wild for a month when he was young.

Lance, wearing his noise-canceling headphones, looked at the caveman next to him with a look of disgust. On his tactical tablet, he was efficiently planning the process of tomorrow's picnic, down to the minute.

Lu Yueqi, like a kitten who had stolen some candy, hugged a bag of cotton candy that Bai Yu had secretly bought for her, with a satisfied and happy silly smile on her face.

Bai Yu sat quietly by the window, watching the city street scene rushing past outside, listening to the noisy sounds full of life around him, his eyes filled with a gentle and serene light like the sunset.

He knew that this might not be the most "perfect" day of his life.

But this must have been his most "authentic" and "happiest" day.

He turned his gaze from the window to the backs of his companions in the front row, who were arguing heatedly over a trivial matter.

A genuine smile finally crept onto his lips.

(End of this chapter)