First Use! Jigsaw Anomaly [Memorial]

Seeing the little girl's miserable death.

The figures trembled all over, their faces filled with rage!

"Were we still too late?"

"Damn it, another little girl died at his hands!"

"I swear I'll bring that bastard to justice!"

They were criminal police officers.

Ever since Yang Wei made his move, Linjiang City Police Department had received report after report.

And after investigating the scenes, they discovered—

All the victims were children, both boys and girls.

They were around one to three years old.

Their deaths were extremely bizarre. They had bled from all seven orifices, and their hearts had been gouged out with horrifying violence.

This perverted serial killer seemed to be staging a real-life version of the seven deadly sins.

"Bloody footprints here! The killer left this way!"

"After him!"

The righteous detectives hurriedly drew their guns and chased after Yang Wei.

But after only a few steps—

They heard breaths appearing out of thin air beside their ears.

It was as though someone was violently inhaling their scent.

One detective at the forefront did not even have time to react.

His body began to shrivel violently before he collapsed to the ground as a corpse.

More horrifyingly—

His corpse continued to contract, like a balloon rapidly deflating, until it became a bizarre dried corpse!

The other detectives turned pale at the sight and staggered back several steps.

But death did not spare them.

They fell to the ground one after another.

Their bodies began to shrivel violently.

As though the flesh and blood beneath their skin had been forcibly drained away, they instantly became dried corpses with nothing but skin stretched over bones!

[Hehe, you're really impressive.]

[Your Weird Scent is no ordinary anomaly. The moment you smelled that foul stench on them, the medium had already been established.]

[By now, they have become a delicacy in Its mouth.]

[Poor things. They didn't even know how they died and could only leave this miserable world with incomprehension in their eyes.]

[It has successfully helped you deal with another group of pests.]

[How will you thank It?]

Yang Wei, who was holding his phone, wore a calm smile when he saw the text prompts flickering with crimson flames.

Then, he quickly entered Linjiang No. 1 Middle School.

Inside the hotel Chen Yu had rented.

After a fierce battle, Chen Yu smiled faintly once he confirmed that the Jigsaw Medium had indeed disappeared.

It seemed this incident had been resolved.

Just as he was about to head out—

He discovered someone squatting outside the door.

She was exceptionally beautiful and had an excellent figure.

Unfortunately, perhaps because she had not slept all night, her eyes were a little swollen, with dark circles beneath them.

"Han Ningning? Why are you here?"

Chen Yu was startled and looked at Han Ningning in surprise.

Only after seeing Chen Yu open the door and come out did Han Ningning rise to her feet. Looking somewhat haggard, she said, "Those people from [Apocalypse] want to deal with you. As one of the Orderkeepers—and also your classmate—I have to protect you..."

"Don't worry! I borrowed a very powerful anomaly from the Investigation Bureau. With me here, you'll be fine!"

Han Ningning puffed out her barely budding chest, full of courage and conviction. "I won't let them hurt you!"

Protect me?

Chen Yu smiled. It was not mockery; he simply found Han Ningning rather adorable.

"So you didn't sleep at all last night?"

Chen Yu asked.

"Right. I was afraid they'd come the moment I closed my eyes."

Han Ningning answered honestly.

"Why didn't you knock?"

"I did, but you seemed to be asleep..."

At the mention of this, Han Ningning looked slightly embarrassed. It seemed a little humiliating, but in front of Chen Yu, she had apparently already grown used to being embarrassed.

After coming here, she had no idea how many times she had knocked on the door.

But Chen Yu had not responded at all.

Chen Yu felt a little awkward upon hearing that.

Han Ningning had probably knocked while he was dealing with those people from [Apocalypse].

At this point, Han Ningning still did not know that Chen Yu had already dealt with everyone from [Apocalypse].

"Sorry. I'm probably a heavy sleeper."

Han Ningning did not pursue the matter. Instead, she glanced around and said, "The intelligence shouldn't have been wrong. Why haven't the people from [Apocalypse] made their move?"

"They did. I just dealt with them."

"Dealt with them? Th-that quickly?" Han Ningning froze. Even with all her imagination, she could not figure out how Chen Yu had broken the [Memorial Ritual]!

[Stupid idiot.]

[Is he someone you're worthy of casually speculating about?]

[Is he someone you can possibly see through?]

[Let me tell you, you lowly lump of flesh.]

[Everyone from Apocalypse is already dead, and the anomalies on them have been devoured by him.]

[Surprised? Didn't expect that, did you?]

[If your understanding is too shallow, don't blame others for being too advanced.]

The prompts appearing on her phone stimulated every nerve in Han Ningning's body.

Members of Apocalypse, whom even the Bizarre Society treated as honored guests, were just... gone?

Chen Yu clearly had not done anything!

But the prompts on her phone could not possibly be fake!

Cold sweat instantly poured from her body.

Chen Yu's strength had once again shattered her understanding!

How had Chen Yu done it?

Those were people even Wang Zhengdao, the captain of the Orderkeepers, could not defeat!

But at that moment—

A sharp pain suddenly erupted in her head.

Then the pain grew increasingly intense!

A bizarre aura began to awaken from within her body, starting to take over her body.

Her consciousness began to blur.

[Hehehehe...]

Amid bursts of terrifying laughter—

The hair at the back of her head began to dance without wind.

And a bizarre smiling face emerged from the back of her head!

Ghostly Smiling Face!

This time, the Ghostly Smiling Face appeared with an even more powerful bizarre aura!

That aura spread from Han Ningning's head as the Ghostly Smiling Face grew larger, extending from the back of her head all the way to the crown!

Her face turned deathly pale!

This was a sign that the anomaly was reviving.

Chen Yu frowned at the sight. Why was the Ghostly Smiling Face starting to take over Han Ningning's body again?

Could it be that Han Ningning had not completely controlled the anomaly yet?

"How did this happen? You haven't controlled this anomaly yet?"

Han Ningning's face was pale, and her voice was weak. Cold sweat soaked her clothes. "I haven't completely controlled the Ghostly Smiling Face. We've always been in a state of balance. If I don't provoke It, It doesn't provoke me... But for some reason, last night I sensed a powerful fluctuation of bizarre energy. It agitated the Ghostly Smiling Face inside me, and now It wants to revive within my body..."

Last night, while Chen Yu was fighting Apocalypse and the others—

Every anomaly from Apocalypse had unleashed its trump card against Chen Yu.

They were incredibly powerful, generating waves of bizarre magnetic fluctuations.

And Han Ningning had been outside the room where Chen Yu was staying, struck by the powerful spillover of bizarre energy. The Ghostly Smiling Face had immediately gone berserk.

After saying that, she rose to leave. "I need to return to the Investigation Bureau."

"Return to the Investigation Bureau?"

"Yes."

Han Ningning explained her purpose to Chen Yu.

It turned out—

Ever since Luo Mu brought Han Ningning into the Investigation Bureau, its people had offered every possible suggestion, trying every means to help her control the Ghostly Smiling Face.

But they had eventually failed.

The Ghostly Smiling Face had always remained neutral inside her body.

However, if Han Ningning dared use the Ghostly Smiling Face's abilities, its bizarre aura would invade her body.

Now that she had used it so many times, the Ghostly Smiling Face's aura had become extremely dense.

The Investigation Bureau came up with a foolproof plan.

Since she could not control the Ghostly Smiling Face—

They would have Han Ningning control another anomaly.

If she successfully controlled a second anomaly, it could balance the Ghostly Smiling Face's bizarre power, preventing its aura from further eroding Han Ningning's consciousness and body.

Finally, Han Ningning said, "This is the only option left. Since I can't control the Ghostly Smiling Face, I can only control a second anomaly to neutralize its power. But an ordinary person can't control a second anomaly. The difficulty is extremely high. One wrong move, and my body will collapse."

Chen Yu learned that this method of using anomalies to counter anomalies had an extremely low success rate.

At the same time, he figured something out.

There were Ghost Controllers in this world who controlled multiple anomalies. Otherwise, the Investigation Bureau would not have come up with the idea of having Han Ningning control a second anomaly.

There had to be precedents.

"Since it's dangerous, don't go. I'll help you."

Chen Yu unexpectedly said, then stood up.

Han Ningning was such good bait for luring out anomalies.

He could not trust her to those people at the Investigation Bureau. It was better to handle it himself.

Han Ningning was just about to say something.

But Chen Yu was already staring at the Ghostly Smiling Face on her head.

When the Ghostly Smiling Face noticed Chen Yu staring at It, the corners of Its mouth immediately curled into a cold smile.

The Ghostly Smiling Face's killing rule was simple.

It made others look at It.

Once someone looked at It, they would sink into chaos, unable to break free. And anyone targeted by the Ghostly Smiling Face would also start laughing along with It.

Once they laughed to a certain extent—

They would die!

When the Ghostly Smiling Face looked into Chen Yu's eyes—

The teasing, smug expression in Its eyes instantly vanished.

At that moment, what It was staring at seemed not to be a human at all!

But a terror vast enough to fill heaven and earth!

An incomparably terrifying killing intent burst from Chen Yu's eyes!

The smile on the Ghostly Smiling Face immediately drooped. As though It had seen a ghost, It was terrified beyond measure and hurriedly shrank back onto the back of Han Ningning's head, covering Itself with her hair as It trembled there.

Han Ningning only felt the bizarre aura occupying her body suddenly vanish, and all her discomfort disappeared as well. After sensing the extreme terror transmitted by the Ghostly Smiling Face—

She looked at Chen Yu in astonishment.

"Y-you, how did you do that?"

This was the Ghostly Smiling Face that even the Investigation Bureau had exhausted every method to suppress.

In the end, they could only compromise by having her control a second anomaly.

Yet Chen Yu had merely glanced at the Ghostly Smiling Face, and It was scared back into hiding!

Was his gaze really that terrifying?

Just how strong was he?!

A faint smile hung on Chen Yu's face, as though he had resolved something utterly insignificant. He waved a hand and said, "I don't know why It's so afraid of me. I only looked at It once."

Han Ningning stood there with her mouth agape, unable to say a word for a long while.

"Right, I still have something to do, so I'll be leaving first."

Chen Yu remembered that he still had to go look at apartments. The people from Apocalypse had wasted his time midway through, so he packed up his things and left directly.

Han Ningning remained in the room, stunned stiff.

[Beep beep beep!]

A phone rang, startling Han Ningning and finally pulling her out of her shock.

She took out her phone and saw that it was Luo Mu calling.

She hurriedly answered.

Luo Mu and the others had been extremely anxious. They knew that the Ghostly Smiling Face on Han Ningning's body had yet to be controlled, so they had been keeping a close watch on her.

Having her control a second anomaly to balance out the Ghostly Smiling Face's power was already the best solution they could think of.

"Captain Luo, hello."

"Where are you? Were you with the Zoo Mystery Man?"

"No... he just left."

"Alright, we'll come pick you up. The anomaly on your body is still an unknown variable. It has to be dealt with as soon as possible."

After hanging up, Luo Mu headed to Han Ningning's hotel with Zhang Ping, Wang Zhengdao, and the others.

By coincidence, Xu Ao followed along as well.

He was very curious about Han Ningning's condition.

Han Ningning had not controlled an anomaly, yet she was part of the Investigation Bureau. Meanwhile, the Investigation Bureau intended to use a second anomaly to balance the other one within her. He found that extremely strange.

Then the group drove over.

By the time they arrived at the hotel, Han Ningning was already waiting at the entrance.

The Investigation Bureau members hurried out of the car and walked toward Han Ningning.

"Let's go. The anomaly on your body needs to be suppressed as soon as possible. We'll return to the Investigation Bureau, and I'll arrange for someone to help you control a second anomaly right away."

Luo Mu stepped forward and spoke to Han Ningning.

Zhang Ping and Wang Zhengdao said nothing, but both wore grave expressions as they watched Han Ningning.

Han Ningning was extremely dangerous right now. One small mistake, and the anomaly in her body might revive and take over her body.

Yet Han Ningning showed no abnormalities at all. Instead, she smiled and said, "There's no need to go back. The anomaly on me is being very well-behaved now. There hasn't been any unusual movement."

At those words, Luo Mu frowned and carefully examined Han Ningning.

There truly was no longer any sign of an anomaly outbreak around Han Ningning. What was going on?

He could not help asking in astonishment, "What happened? Where's the Ghostly Smiling Face?"

"After he glared at it once, the Ghostly Smiling Face immediately retreated. From the looks of it, it probably doesn't dare show itself anymore."

Han Ningning spoke.

Even now, the incident still left lingering fear in her heart.

If not for Chen Yu, she likely would have had to take the risk of controlling a second anomaly.

The chance of success would have been minuscule.

"He glared at it once, and it retreated?"

Once those words came out, it was not just Luo Mu.

Even the stern-faced Zhang Ping and Wang Zhengdao widened their eyes, staring at Han Ningning in disbelief.

Yet Han Ningning did not look like she was lying!

And the anomalous aura around her truly had been suppressed.

Even Xu Ao, who had just been watching the spectacle, was utterly dumbfounded!

What kind of existence was the person who had helped Han Ningning?

He had merely glared at the anomaly on her body, and it obediently backed down?

"Who is that person?"

Zhang Ping could no longer contain himself and hurriedly asked.

"Uh... he's the friend who went to the zoo with me."

Han Ningning said.

The moment those words were spoken.

Zhang Ping and the others were even more dumbstruck, cold sweat instantly breaking out all over them!

The mysterious person at the zoo had already displayed quite a few methods before, leaving them deeply shaken.

They had never expected him to possess an even more shocking ability now!

Their estimation of the Zoo Mystery Man immediately rose several more levels!

A single glare had made an enraged anomaly retreat in fear.

What kind of existence was that mysterious person?

Several minutes later, everyone finally recovered from their shock.

But at that moment, Xu Ao suddenly cried out in terror, "Y-you mean that mysterious Man in Black... isn't he Nightfall?"

Recently, the names mysterious Man in Black and Nightfall had been appearing everywhere, causing a huge uproar.

Naturally, the Investigation Bureau and Bizarre Society both attached great importance to these two people.

Although neither Bizarre Society nor the Investigation Bureau dared investigate Nightfall or the mysterious Man in Black, the two had become too famous lately. They could always receive bits and pieces of unverified information.

"I heard before that Nightfall went to the zoo..."

"Later, the anomalous incident involving Ghost Joss Paper was suddenly resolved. And the person who logged into the forum and accepted that incident was Nightfall too..."

"But when dealing with those Apocalypse people just now, Ghost Joss Paper appeared... This..."

Several people spoke one after another.

The more they talked, the more the truth surfaced.

And the terror and shock on their faces grew increasingly intense!

"So that means Nightfall and the mysterious Man in Black are the same person?!"

In the end, no one knew who broke the deadlock by suddenly saying those words.

Hiss—

Everyone sucked in a sharp breath, nearly inhaling their lips into their lungs.

The sound was not loud, yet it was like thunder from the highest heavens, striking straight down upon everyone's heads!

It blasted their minds completely blank!

"Han Ningning, that Bla..." No, "Nightfall! Is he still in the hotel?"

Luo Mu was so excited that he could barely speak coherently. He rushed up, grabbed Han Ningning by the shoulders, and shook her fiercely.

"Uh..."

Han Ningning had never expected such a huge reaction from them. She hurriedly said, "H-he's gone. He said he had something to do and left first."

Hearing this, everyone instantly deflated like flames doused by water.

Zhang Ping's heart was racing with excitement.

He had never expected Nightfall to be the Man in Black, and Han Ningning had a good relationship with him!

This was a tremendous opportunity for the Investigation Bureau!

"Han Ningning, I'm assigning you the most difficult task with the highest authority. Use every possible method to stay by that person's side and win him over at any cost! His file has already been submitted to the state. From today onward, Nightfall will be one of the nation's strategic talents!"

Zhang Ping was beside himself with excitement.

Han Ningning froze when she heard that.

At any cost?

Could it be...

At that moment, Xu Ao finally recovered from his shock. He backed away repeatedly, withdrawing from the crowd. "Um, I still have something to do, so I'll be leaving. See you."

With that, he ran off in a flash.

Right now, every organization large and small in Linjiang City was watching Nightfall and the Man in Black. Yet they had discovered that the two were actually the same person.

This was huge news.

He had to tell Jiang Xinyue immediately.

Jiang Xinyue was in the Bizarre Society office when Xu Ao barged in without knocking, panting heavily as he said, "P-President! I have huge news!"

"This is Bizarre Society. Why are you acting so flustered? Where are your manners?"

Jiang Xinyue rebuked him before asking, "What is it?"

"Th-that Nightfall is the Man in Black. We all got it wrong. They're the same person..."

Upon hearing that.

"Really?"

A deep look of astonishment flashed across Jiang Xinyue's cold face.

Xu Ao told Jiang Xinyue everything he knew, then concluded, "Although we don't dare investigate him, he's simply too famous. There are always traces of information about him, and the activity records of those two people overlap perfectly!"

At those words, Jiang Xinyue could finally no longer hold herself back!

She had thought that two dark horses had appeared in Linjiang City.

But in the end, those two dark horses turned out to be the same horse.

Jiang Xinyue suddenly closed her eyes. "Wait for me."

The aura of the Nightmare Anomaly on her body rose and fell.

Xu Ao quietly withdrew from the office.

Otherwise, if he were caught up in the Nightmare Anomaly's effects...

Even nine lives would not be enough for him to lose.

Half an hour later.

Jiang Xinyue's secretary brought out a document that appeared to be a map and handed it to Xu Ao. "The president wants you to send this intelligence to Nightfall. She said... he definitely needs this right now."

"Yes." Xu Ao nodded, not daring to look closely at it.

[Buzz!]

[Buzz!]

His phone began vibrating.

Chen Yu picked it up and saw that it was a message sent by the official forum.

[Rodent, hello.]

[The Ghost Controller Ranking Tournament will begin soon. Hunting anomalies will determine the final rankings. The top ten will receive anomalous grand prizes, guaranteed to be what rodents like you desire most.]

[Perhaps you will have the chance to witness the grandeur of high-dimensional anomalies, before dying at Their hands!]

[Ranking Match duration... one week!]

[Struggle and howl to your heart's content in this anomalous apocalypse. Crawl desperately like maggots.]

"Ghost Controller Ranking Tournament?"

Chen Yu had learned about this event before, but he had not cared much about it.

Yet this mission caught his attention.

Rewards? High-dimensional anomalies?

Chen Yu immediately perked up.

Now that was something he could talk about without getting sleepy. What he urgently wanted now were high-dimensional anomalies with potential above 9 stars.

For someone like him who could devour anomalies, the level of the anomalies he controlled was not the most important thing. Potential was the top priority.

Unfortunately, there were not many of them currently in Linjiang City. At present, he only had the Ghost Pupil, Ghost Shadow, Ghost Butcher Knife, and the Ghost Shroud, which could only be considered half a high-dimensional-potential anomaly.

After joining the Ranking Match, he would encounter plenty of enemies.

Why not?

What Chen Yu needed now was rapid evolution!

He needed to restart the anomalies on his body and make himself stronger.

This was an excellent opportunity!

The only problem was...

He did not know where the anomalies were.

Even through Investigation Bureau assignments, they were not common, especially high-level anomalies with great potential.

The lack of information had unexpectedly become a rather painful issue for him.

But then his phone suddenly emitted a special forum notification.

Seeing the displayed ID, [Xu Aotian], Chen Yu could not help but pause. "What does he want with me?"

With that, Chen Yu opened the message and began reading.

[Hello, Mr. Nightfall.]

[The Ghost Controller Ranking Tournament is about to begin.]

The Ghost Controller Ranking Tournament in Linjiang City was about to begin.

Getting Nightfall to join the Ghost Controller Ranking Tournament and hunt anomalies would allow Nightfall to improve rapidly.

This was the opening Xu Ao had thought of to quickly close the distance between them.

[Is there something you need?] Chen Yu replied indifferently.

Xu Ao hurriedly answered: [Mr. Nightfall is one of Linjiang City's foremost Ghost Controller experts. Bizarre Society believes that you may be planning to compete for the rankings, but the anomalies in Linjiang City are tangled and complex, both hidden and known, making them difficult to locate. Therefore, we have prepared an Anomaly Game Map.]

[It marks Linjiang City's powerful Ghost Controllers, as well as anomalies of all kinds, large and small, old and new.]

[If you need it, I can send it to you by email right away.]

[Then thanks.] Chen Yu expressed his thanks.

Immediately afterward, a message arrived on the forum. He opened it and took a look.

He discovered that it recorded a list of all hidden yet powerful Ghost Controllers and even included an application.

[Anomaly Game Map.]

Chen Yu frowned and tapped it open.

A complete map of Linjiang City was displayed.

The map updated in real time.

There were quite a few markers on it.

Some were tiny red dots, and there were rather a lot of them.

Others were larger and more conspicuous, standing out among the smaller red dots.

The even larger red dots had turned into demon head icons.

Those icons were even pulsing and moving.

After zooming in on the map, detailed information appeared beside each marker.

This was: Lv.4 Ghost Controller [Ghost Vest].

[Potential: Two and a half stars.]

This was: Lv.5 Ghost Controller [Ghost Basketball].

[Potential: Two and a half stars.]

This was: Lv.6 Ghost Controller [Ghost Singing].

[Potential: Two and a half stars.]

They were all weak Anomalies. Chen Yu could not even be bothered to take an interest.

The larger the red dot,

the higher the level of the Ghost Controller or Anomaly.

Lv.9 Ghost Controller [Little Beauty Seamstress].

[Potential: Unknown.]

Chen Yu discovered that not only could he not see [Little Beauty Seamstress]'s potential rating, but she was also marked by a large red dot.

She was clearly a powerful Ghost Controller.

There were even higher-level Ghost Controllers after [Little Beauty Seamstress].

For example, Lv.10 [Ghost Homework], Lv.11 [Ghost Knocking], and Lv.12 [Ghost Swimming].

However, although these Anomalies were high-level, their star ratings were very low.

Several notes were listed below.

[Small red dot: Ordinary Ghost Controller.]

[Large red dot: Powerful Ghost Controller.]

[Demon: Boss-level Ghost Controller.]

After seeing all that, Chen Yu was slightly astonished.

Why did these Ghost Controllers look so familiar?!?

He suddenly remembered some terrifying urban legends about Linjiang City that his family had told him when he was little.

For example,

there was supposedly a strange tailor shop somewhere dark and unknown. Anyone who entered would never come out.

Legend had it that someone once saw a living person having two heads sewn onto them inside that tailor shop.

Its name... happened to be [Little Beauty Tailor Shop]!

The moment Chen Yu saw [Little Beauty Seamstress], he thought of that story.

There were other legends too, ones he had often heard as a teenager—such as dying for failing to turn in homework, or a burly man drowning in a swimming pool only 1.3 meters deep...

The harmful ghost stories he had heard since childhood seemed to be closely connected to these Anomalies.

Back then, whenever he heard those ghost stories, he had only thought they were stories. He would be scared for a while, then get over it.

Whenever he saw strange things, he had assumed his eyes were playing tricks on him.

But he had never expected that once he truly crossed the threshold into the Anomalous world,

he would discover

that all of it had been real!

In other words, had the Anomaly Era arrived long ago?

He simply had not known because he had been an ordinary person back then?

Chen Yu had thought the Anomaly Era began when he received that message on his phone.

He had not expected that they had actually appeared long before that.

They and the Anomalies had merely remained hidden within the city, unknown to the public.

The ordinary people who were still in the dark now were just like Chen Yu back then.

"Then could this [Anomaly Era] game... also be an Anomaly?" A terrifying thought suddenly sprang into Chen Yu's mind.

At that moment, the [Ranking Match] section had already been pushed to the front page.

Its border even glowed in an eye-catching, gaudy fashion, making it impossible to ignore.

Chen Yu tapped into it.

The post mainly described the Ranking Match, which Xu Ao had already told Chen Yu about earlier.

After scrolling down,

he found that there were already nearly a thousand comments.

Anyone who could enter the Anomaly Era Official Website was a Ghost Controller!

Among the people leaving comments, were there any native Ghost Controllers recorded on the map?

[Damn, the Ranking Match is actually this exciting! Fighting Ghost Controllers counts too?!]

[This is going to be troublesome. Everyone will probably be on edge. Nobody knows whether they'll be the hunter or the prey the next second.]

[Brothers, anyone want to form a group? Let's just create an association directly. I've already come up with a name: Rock. Steady as a rock!]

[Haha, I'm definitely joining this Ranking Match. High-dimensional Anomaly rewards—where else could you find something this good?]

[This time, I'm charging onto the leaderboard! Everyone, watch me show my might!]

[Dream on. Even the badass Nightfall hasn't said anything yet.]

[Damn, now that you mention it, this Ranking Match is going to be a battle of dragons and tigers. Nightfall is definitely making the top ten at minimum. He's done quite a few earth-shaking things recently.]

[I'm really curious what grade the Anomaly controlled by Nightfall actually is!]

[...]

Among the comments were excited people, joking people, and frightened people.

Clearly, every Ghost Controller had received the Ranking Match invitation.

Chen Yu exited the Ranking Match post and prepared to look for useful clues.

After swiping the screen a few times,

his eyes lit up slightly.

This was an advertisement post. Chen Yu had seen quite a few advertisements while browsing the Anomaly Era Official Website before.

The reason this advertisement caught Chen Yu's attention

was because several eye-catching words were written on it: [Little Beauty Sewing].

Below was the advertisement copy for [Little Beauty Sewing].

[Beautiful sewing treasure, every stitch pierces the heart. Hello, this is Little Beauty Sewing. If your Anomaly has any damage, injuries, or malfunctions, bring it all to me for repairs and stitching. I guarantee to return a perfect Anomaly to you!]

[Little Beauty Sewing address: Corner Bend Community, Old District, Orange Blossom Avenue, Three Immortals Bridge.]

Now that the Ranking Match had begun,

most Ghost Controllers were clearly keeping silent.

The timid ones had hidden away. The bold ones did not hide, but they still did not dare to show themselves carelessly.

After all, Anomaly Abilities were utterly unreasonable. No one knew whether their head would still be attached to their neck the next moment.

Yet [Little Beauty Seamstress] alone was not keeping quiet. Instead, she was brazenly posting advertisements.

Wasn't this far too arrogant?

She simply did not take Ghost Controllers—or the Ranking Match—seriously.

Sure enough,

Chen Yu entered the advertisement post.

The advertisement had only been posted for a few minutes, yet more than a dozen comments had already appeared below it.

They were all messages from Ghost Controllers saying they were going to cause her trouble.

Chen Yu, however, curled his lips into a smile.

This was an obvious fishing trap, the kind where the fish willingly took the bait.

These Ghost Controllers were not actually idiots either.

But subduing a small boss-level Ghost Controller was simply too tempting for them.

"Right. Since she can sew, then... maybe she can do something with my Ghost Shroud too?"

"The Ghost Shroud's life-saving effect is excellent. The problem is that its level is a little too low now. It barely held up against the Jigsaw Anomaly's attack last time. I could give [Little Beauty Sewing] a try."

"Orange Blossom Avenue, right?"

Chen Yu put away his phone, then hailed a taxi to Orange Blossom Avenue.

After a journey of roughly half an hour, he finally arrived.

After paying and getting out, Chen Yu began looking around.

There was an old district near Orange Blossom Avenue.

According to the information provided, [Little Beauty Sewing] was located in Corner Bend Community.

After entering Corner Bend Community,

Chen Yu directly expanded the Slaughter Ghost Domain.

In an instant, the Ghost Domain's energy spread outward.

It directly enveloped everything within a one-kilometer radius.

Within that kilometer,

Chen Yu could sense every change.

He could see through every illusion!

Everything around him became a black-and-white backdrop.

This sort of wide-range search consumed a great deal of time and energy.

Like a human-shaped detector, Chen Yu expanded his Ghost Domain and began searching.

Finally, in a dark and shadowy corner of Corner Bend Community,

he discovered several strange figures.

Not only were these figures extremely bizarre, but they also emitted faint, intermittent Anomalous auras.

Ordinary people truly would not be able to detect those faint Anomalous auras.

If Chen Yu had not expanded the Slaughter Ghost Domain, he probably would not have seen them either.

"More than one?"

After sensing multiple Anomalous auras, Chen Yu paused slightly before letting out a cold smile.

Now this was getting interesting.

There was actually so much delicious food in this community.

Chen Yu did not immediately alert them. First figuring out their methods was the best approach.

Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated.

[Buzz!]

[What are you thinking?]

[This doesn't seem like you. Why aren't you charging in headfirst this time? The old you would have rushed over immediately.]

[So even you know fear this time?]

[You should know that they are all veteran Ghost Controllers! They are the city's nightmares.]

[You are not their match. It is not too late to leave now.]

[What? You said you want to swallow them whole?]

[Oh, dear, are you joking? Aren't you afraid they will kick your ass hard with their boots?]

[...]

A series of prompts appeared on his phone.

Just then,

"Tell me, where is [Little Beauty Seamstress]?"

A sharp shout suddenly rang through Corner Bend Community.

Curious, Chen Yu moved closer to look.

He saw a man radiating the aura of a Ghost Controller stopping an elderly passerby with white hair. The old man was hunched over, his face filled with terror, while the Ghost Controller's attitude was extremely forceful.

The Ghost Controller seemed to be asking for directions, but he was actually threatening him.

"I-I don't know. I'm a resident here. I've lived here for more than thirty years, and I've never seen a place called [Little Beauty Sewing]..."

The old man hurriedly replied.

"A Lv.8 Ghost Controller who controlled [Electric Wire Anomaly]."

Because Ghost Controllers had appeared, some high-profile Ghost Controllers had been listed by the official website.

Chen Yu had browsed the list and photos last time.

He recognized the guy blocking the old man as the Ghost Controller who controlled [Electric Wire Anomaly].

However, Ghost Controllers bullying ordinary people was already nothing unusual.

Chen Yu did not have that much time to concern himself with such things. He directly expanded the Slaughter Ghost Domain and began making his way over.

Within the Slaughter Ghost Domain, Chen Yu's speed was hundreds or thousands of times greater than usual.

It was perfect for traveling!

Less than a second after Chen Yu activated the Slaughter Ghost Domain, he arrived at the location of [Little Beauty Seamstress].

This was a dark corner.

Yet the surrounding darkness was dispelled by a small candle lamp glowing faintly.

The door was made of wood and looked quite old, its surface covered in traces left by time.

Beside the door were several brooms and pieces of furniture. If not for the plaque bearing the words [Little Beauty Sewing],

Chen Yu would have thought he had returned to his warm, comforting grandmother's home in the countryside.

But—

When Chen Yu took a step forward,

a faint chilly wind brushed past him.

Creak—

The wooden door let out an aged groan before opening on its own.

Inside stood a table, with an oil lamp from the last century burning atop it.

An emaciated old woman sat before the table.

A dark blue-green headscarf, over a foot wide and several feet long, was wrapped clockwise around her head from left to right in a herringbone shape, with a small length dangling from the left side.

She looked just like a kind old grandmother from the countryside.

She was threading a needle and mending a strange garment. What was astonishing was—

the needle and thread in her hands did not appear to be made of metal.

Instead, they looked like a bone needle fashioned from the polished and ground bone of some animal.

There even seemed to be traces of fresh blood on the bone needle.

Even more astonishing was that

the thread the old woman used was not an ordinary spool of thread.

It was a... blood vessel with blood flowing through it!

Blood vessels as thread.

Bones as needles!

And after the door opened, the storeroom beside the room immediately came into Chen Yu's sight.

Foul crimson garments stained with all sorts of blood were tossed everywhere.

Viscous liquid slowly flowed within, while pale skeletal remains lay among it, serving as racks for garments covered in grime and bloodstains.

Severed human limbs were the most ordinary sight in the storeroom.

[You're here. A guest has finally arrived...]

At that moment, as if sensing something, the old woman suddenly snapped her head around in an eerie motion and stared fixedly at Chen Yu. Her dim yellowed eyes were cloudy and lifeless beneath the oil lamp's glow.

Chen Yu could see that this old woman had no pupils at all!

A suffocatingly eerie aura abruptly spread outward.

Level 9 Sewing Anomaly!

[Buzz!]

[You really know how to court death!]

[I told you not to come, but you insisted. Now it's too late even if you want to run.]

[Since you ran into it, pray that you can at least die quickly and painlessly.]

[No, sorry—you won't get a quick death.]

[Because it likes peeling off people's skin bit by bit... It seems to enjoy hearing the screams of those turned into "flesh-and-blood clothes racks."]

[Good luck to you!]

Scarlet notifications appeared on his phone once more.

They were clearly watching the spectacle with glee.

"Here I am."

Not only was Chen Yu unafraid, he stepped inside and smiled. "I've been searching for ages and finally found this place. Granny, how much does it cost to mend clothes here?"

[I... don't take money.]

The old woman's voice sounded even worse than weeping, like a mournful cry coming from the depths of her throat. It instantly raised goosebumps on anyone who heard it.

"No charge? Then wait a moment."

Chen Yu knew how Anomalies operated. He turned around and instantly activated the Slaughter Ghost Domain.

Then he vanished into thin air before the old woman.

He had not actually vanished; he was simply too fast.

About a second later, Chen Yu reappeared in the same spot, bringing a gust of wind with him.

But this time, he had a corpse slung over his back.

At a glance, the corpse belonged to the Ghost Controller who had previously controlled [Electric Wire Anomaly]!

"I'll use this as payment. Please make me an outfit. Is that alright?"

Chen Yu directly tossed Electric Wire Anomaly's corpse onto the floor, patted dust that did not exist from his hands, and smiled faintly.

This [Electric Wire Anomaly] bastard deserved to die.

Ever since controlling an Anomaly, he had been murdering people everywhere. The Investigation Bureau had been hunting him all along.

Chen Yu had not intended to bother with him, but since the old granny had asked for special payment,

he might as well kill the guy. It could count as eliminating a menace for the people.

Poor Ghost Controller of [Electric Wire Anomaly] had died without even knowing how.

Upon seeing the corpse, the old woman hunched her back and walked over to it. After stroking the body, the wrinkles on her aged face immediately relaxed.

[This thing carries an Anomaly's aura. Not bad. I happen to be lacking a Ghost Controller's skin to make clothes...]

Having said that, the old woman displayed her extraordinary strength.

Though her hunched body looked as though it could fall apart at any moment, she reached out with an old hand and effortlessly plucked Electric Wire Anomaly's head from its corpse before placing the body on the sewing table.

Only then did she look at Chen Yu.

[Since you have paid, I promised to mend your clothes. Tell me, what do you need me to do?]

What did he need?

Chen Yu had already thought it through.

He directly awakened one of the Anomalies within his body.

His clothes began to twist violently before finally transforming into an eerie Ghost Shroud.

He smiled at the old woman. "Granny, please sew a tombstone onto this garment. It needs my date and time of birth, my name, and my time of death. The time of death should be today—right now!"

After speaking, Chen Yu considered it for a moment before adding, "Oh, right. Don't sew it with anything else. Use my blood."

[Buzz!]

[What are you trying to do?]

[Are you insane? Aren't you alive and well?]

[Why would you sew your own tombstone onto it? Are you trying to die?]

[I truly understand you less and less.]

[If there were a ranking for courting death, you'd claim first place. Who would dare claim second?]

Scarlet notifications flashed across his phone, every word filled with shock.

Chen Yu paid them no mind.

But upon hearing this, even the old woman was visibly stunned, her cloudy old eyes widening.

[You want to sew your tombstone onto your clothes? Do you know what my Anomaly Ability is...]

[Anything I sew will immediately come true. If I truly sew that you will die today, then you will certainly die today.]

"That's exactly what I want—to die today. Please."

(End of Chapter)