The Headquarters is not yet finished with the final touches on the Ghostly Ancient Tomb.
The Ghost Tamer team led by He Ming was indeed just a makeshift force on the surface; countless battles were hidden in the shadows.
One of the teams sent by Headquarters was tasked with containing the Bronze Tree. The mission failed. The team members thought they had successfully contained the ancient tree, but when they returned to Headquarters, the Supernatural released from the Purple-Gold Alms Bowl had only condensed into a small branch.
The Ghost Tamer in charge of the mission was ashen-faced. The Headquarters executives were both shocked and furious. They were angry about the mission's failure, but they were even more afraid that the ancient tree possessed intelligence and knew how to sever its tail to survive. If that were the case, it would be terrible!
In addition, although the Headquarters sealed off Lanqiong Mountain, some well-informed Civilian Organizations still managed to infiltrate the tomb using special means after learning about the Ghostly Ancient Tomb.
These organizations are already on Headquarters' blacklist.
Big Dipper is also on the blacklist. During the last attack on Capital, two suspects Song Yue and Hou Qingxu, were arrested. One was a member of the Beidou Organization, and the other was a spy infiltrated by Big Dipper. Although they denied it, Headquarters temporarily blamed the Beidou Organization until further evidence was available. In any case, Headquarters had long disliked them.
At this time, the researchers in the Research Department and Supernatural laboratory were getting busier and busier. Everyone was working in an orderly manner. Many good things were unearthed from the Ghostly Ancient Tomb, and their abilities, hazards, and terror levels needed to be tested.
Some people in the lab were hoping to find some free time to take a break, but it was clearly wishful thinking. The researchers who were originally on leave were all forced to work overtime by a phone call.
"Shared expenses, time off in lieu, the 996 work schedule, and the divorce cooling-off period—these are practically the four great inventions of the new era," a researcher complained.
After complaining, they still have to work. Contact with Supernatural Items or Fierce Ghosts requires strict adherence to procedures to avoid unnecessary losses. Amidst the cries of many single researchers, the endless overtime, experiments, and reports seem like a recurring Nightmare.
"Professor Lin, how is sample number 1 doing?" A military personnel in a white lab coat asked Lin Lipeng, who was in the sealed gold laboratory, through an electronic device.
Wearing protective clothing, Lin Lipeng intently observed the changes in what was known as "Sample No. 1" and carefully recorded detailed data.
Number 1 is the branch of the Bronze Tree that the Headquarters' Ghost Tamers brought back from the ancient tomb. The complete Bronze Tree was too terrifying, and Headquarters had never supported the Research Department in studying it. But now that the Bronze Tree only has one branch, it will be much easier for the Research Department to apply for research.
"After the test subject came into direct contact with Number 1, their brain showed extremely high activity, and the surrounding reality was gradually distorted to a degree that exceeded our previous predictions," Lin Lipeng said calmly.
"To be honest, if even a single branch of the Bronze Tree is this powerful, I can't even imagine how terrifying the complete Bronze Tree would be," Lin Lipeng exclaimed, his words resonating with many people outside the laboratory.
Most people looked grim. Although the Bronze Tree was dangerous, its value was immeasurable. Once Headquarters gained complete control of it, the domestic Supernatural situation would be rewritten. But the Bronze Tree was lost, leaving only this branch.
Headquarters did consider dividing the Bronze Tree, but they simply couldn't do it!
The research on "Sample No. 1" has only just begun. Lin Lipeng is quite excited. Being able to turn human imagination into reality, if they really make some research results, it will be a blessing for all mankind!
"I'd like to ask the professors to continue their research. If any significant progress is made, please report the relevant experimental data immediately," the military officer ordered.
All the researchers, including Lin Lipeng, nodded. Although the work was tiring, it was a rare opportunity to participate in such a large-scale project.
Since the emergence of Supernatural powers, the academic community has been largely unexplored in this area. It's a huge pie waiting to be developed, and many people want a piece of the pie.
Lin Lipeng has set a small goal for now: to prove his abilities as much as possible and strive to achieve something in this experimental project!
Lin Lipeng was a workaholic to begin with, and after making up his mind, he worked overtime like crazy, drastically reducing his rest time and wishing he could stay up all night without sleep.
He applied to use Supernatural Item to eliminate sleep and rest time, and to keep his mind clear forever, but his application was rejected. Supernatural power can corrupt human thinking, and in such a crucial experiment, a brain interfered with by Supernatural could very well steer the experiment in a direction detrimental to humanity.
A few days later, Lin Lipeng in the lab rubbed his neck with his hand behind his back. Sitting still for long periods or maintaining the same posture made him feel uncomfortable all over.
However, his eyes remained fixed on the test subject who had come into contact with Sample 1, observing him carefully. Not long ago, a researcher said that a certain test subject had changed. Generally, after coming into contact with Sample 1, the test subjects' thinking would become uncontrollably active, their imagination would explode, and they would eventually go into an uncontrollable state, just like suffering from severe delusions.
However, among the many test subjects, there was an anomaly. He was relatively quiet and his mental state was much better than the others. This startled Lin Lipeng, who immediately began to observe this special test subject and record the data.
During his communication with the special experimental subjects, Lin Lipeng gradually felt that something had appeared in his mind, as if a flash of inspiration had passed through his mind.
"Professor Lin, you should rest a bit more. Don't keep pushing yourself like this. I'm afraid you won't be able to handle it," research assistant Xiao Yang said, looking at Lin Lipeng. "Professor Lin, you look terrible."
"Really?" Lin Lipeng touched his face. He was completely unaware that his facial skin had an indescribable bluish-black tinge, his cheeks were sunken, and his eyes were bloodshot with dark circles, making him look like a panda. He looked like he was about to die from overwork.
"Professor, you're not feeling well right now. I'll take over the data recording for now." At his assistant Xiao Yang's insistence, Lin Lipeng could only sigh and temporarily leave his beloved laboratory.
He was indeed a little tired.
Back at his residence, he washed up. Just as he finished wiping his face and looked up, his expression suddenly changed. He saw a strange gleam in his pupils in the mirror, and upon closer inspection, he discovered an unusual tree-like pattern in the center of his eyes!
Lin Lipeng was startled. He rubbed his eyes and looked carefully in the mirror. Everything in his pupils looked normal.
"Could it be that I'm too tired and am hallucinating?" Lin Lipeng reached out and touched his eyelids, then opened them wide and checked them repeatedly. Apart from the redness, there were no other abnormalities.
He turned on the tap and splashed cold water on his face, trying to keep himself as clear-headed as possible.
As a Supernatural researcher, he wouldn't ignore even the slightest anomaly, nor did he want to believe he was so exhausted that he was hallucinating. The Bronze Tree branch was something related to human consciousness; how could Lin Lipeng dare to be careless?
However, the next second, when he finished washing his face and looked up again, he froze on the spot. His reflection in the mirror was standing straight with a sinister smile on his face. He stretched out two fingers and stabbed them hard into his eye sockets!
Pfft!
He seemed to hear the sound of an eyeball bursting, and bright red liquid splattered out. Lin Lipeng felt his face stained with cold blood. He couldn't help but scream, took a step back, and fell to the ground.
"No, no!" He shook his head violently, barely managing to come to his senses. Only then did he realize that he was still standing in front of the bathroom mirror, as if nothing had happened at all.
"Another hallucination?" Lin Lipeng gasped for breath, involuntarily recalling the tree-like pattern he had seen in his pupils in the mirror earlier.
It was like a complete Bronze Ancient Tree, constantly shimmering with a strange metallic luster. Lin Lipeng could feel that something had appeared in his mind, as if someone was constantly whispering in his ear, like countless relatives urging him to get married sitting around him, talking incessantly, slowly twisting his will.
Lin Lipeng had no idea what was happening to him. The murmuring voice echoing deep in his mind grew stronger and stronger. From initial aversion to later feeling like he was listening to celestial music, the whole process took only a few seconds. He was so engrossed in it that he couldn't even call for help.
Driven by a powerful impulse, Lin Lipeng ran out of the bathroom, picked up a pen, and began scribbling and drawing in his notebook, muttering, "Great! I finally understand everything!"
A chilling atmosphere permeated the room, but Lin Lipeng seemed oblivious, or rather, completely unconcerned. He felt his mind was clear and increasingly lucid. In this "clear state," he seemed both unaware and completely absorbed as he scribbled on the paper.
The pen tip moved erratically, drawing a strange pattern on the pristine white paper.
"Hehe..." His lips curled into an exaggerated arc, followed by a burst of wild, joyful laughter. His entire face contorted and distorted, his expression crazed. Then, he entered some kind of abnormal state. Originally, he was just an ordinary Scholar, but now his entire face looked bluish, with a metallic sheen, like... the bark of Bronze Tree.
After a long while, Lin Lipeng finally recovered. He stood up and muttered, "That branch, I must take it out of Headquarters!"
He surveyed the room with a strange look in his eyes, clutching a piece of paper tightly in his hand. On the paper was what he had just drawn: a door. Strange patterns intertwined on the surface of the door, coalescing into the shape of a tree.
It was just a drawing on paper, but at first glance, I subconsciously felt that the tree was towering and majestic, with strangely twisted branches swaying, and a man's face growing in the very center of the trunk, his eyes closed, as if he were in a sweet dream.
Xiao Yu is shopping and going on a spending spree.
Yin Wenxian just sent her a message, reminding her to be careful and pay attention to her safety, as someone has been watching them recently.
Xiao Yu was startled. Recently, Queen of Spades had been in trouble and she couldn't contact her. If they were in danger, she really wasn't sure what would happen.
Distracted like that, Xiao Yu's desire to buy things vanished, and she decided to go home immediately. Before reconnecting with Queen of Spades, she decided to stay home.
However, since the enemy is in the dark while she is in the light, it is very difficult to escape when the enemy in the shadows wants to cause her trouble.
That night...
"Come on, come out and play together!"
The eerie, low voice echoed repeatedly, as if actively searching for someone. In a short while, the voice entered the room of a single, reclusive woman.
Xiao Yu was sleeping soundly, frowned. In her dream, she seemed to hear someone calling her real name. In her drowsy state, she got up, dressed, and went out the door.
She was sleepwalking.
She regained consciousness.
The voice kept calling her real name, but for some reason, she had PTSD about her real name, which woke her up in time.
Looking at the unfamiliar villa before her, she instinctively felt a chill run down her spine. If she hadn't woken up in time, she probably would have already gone inside.
"This place looks ominous!" she thought to herself. After all, she had experienced many Supernatural events, and the Supernatural atmosphere would instinctively make people feel uncomfortable. She felt that the house in front of her was haunted.
So Xiao Yu turned and left without wasting a second.
A few minutes later, Xiao Yu returned to the villa's front gate with a livid face.
She was trapped; her cell phone had no signal, and no matter which direction she went, she would end up back here.
Entering the villa would most likely lead to trouble, but Xiao Yu had no choice but to bite the bullet and go inside, because she vaguely sensed that the light in the room was getting dimmer and that staying outside might be more dangerous.
I knocked on the door of the villa. The door wasn't locked, and it opened with a knock, but only a crack, and a chilly wind blew out through the gap.
Xiao Yu pushed the door again, the hinges creaked, and after walking in, she saw only a dark corridor.
"What a strange design." From the outside, the villa looks very large, but once you open the door, there is only a long, narrow, and dark corridor. On the narrow and cramped corridor walls are murals with unclear meanings.
The murals were bizarre, resembling twisted limbs and severed bodies. Xiao Yu felt a chill run down her spine after looking at them for a few more moments. Her heart raced, and she strode forward, eventually finding a door at the end of the corridor.
She knocked on the door, but there was no response. It seemed as if Xiao Yu was the only living person in the huge villa. However, when she gently turned the doorknob, the door opened.
The villa's lobby comes into view, with a dark red carpet on the floor and a solid wood staircase leading to the second floor. The living room is dark, relying solely on natural light from the windows, giving it a very dim and eerie atmosphere.
"How can I get out of here?" Xiao Yu bit her lower lip, desperately racking her brains.