Three in the morning.
It should have been a time when everything had sunk into slumber.
Yet in this modern metropolis, colorful neon lights flickered amidst wine and revelry, beams wandering between skyscrapers and illuminating the sleepless city below.
Along the neat, wide avenues, streams of cars lined up in orderly fashion, shuttling across the city in accordance with traffic rules.
The commercial streets were still bustling with noisy pedestrians.
The bustling crowds formed flowing rivers of people, moving through the marketplace.
Looking down from above, they resembled rows of ants traversing a vast forest of steel and concrete.
Carefree, living in peace and prosperity.
Yet behind the light lay shadows, and behind tranquility, there must always be those who stood guard.
Qianli City, Beihu District.
A certain heavily guarded administration building was brightly lit at this hour.
Large numbers of security guards patrolled outside the building, dozens of police cruisers stood on standby, and every face wore a solemn expression.
Flashing red and blue lights intertwined, as if foretelling:
Tonight, something extraordinary was taking place.
...
A small conference room built to hold only thirty people was currently packed to the brim.
Around the conference table sat faces that frequently appeared on the news.
The owners of these faces sat upright with austere composure—some frowning, some silent, others lost in deep thought as they reviewed the documents handed out to them.
The file was not thick, spanning merely two pages.
Yet atop every page was a large, bold red header.
Everyone present understood what that signified.
【Report on the Investigation Results of the “Hongxing Mansion” Incident】
【Date: XX/XX/20XX】
【Location: Conference Room 1011, Qianli City Integrated Government Administration Building】
【Attendees: Vice Mayor of Qianli City, Leadership of Qianli City Public Security Bureau, Qianli City Political and Legal Affairs Commission, Heads of Relevant Departments, Heads of Reporting Sections】
【Host: Ma Mingyuan (Chief of Qianli City Public Security Bureau)】
【Agenda: 1. Summary of the Investigation Regarding the “Hongxing Mansion Haunting Incident”】
【2. Analysis Report on the Surveillance Footage of the Suspected “Ghost of Chen Ping”】
【3. ...】
“Ahem.”
Having finished reading the document in his hands, the middle-aged man seated on the right cleared his throat heavily.
Instantly, the low buzzing of murmurs vanished.
The entire room fell so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.
The man had a broad face with sharp, imposing sword-brows, exuding a heavy sense of oppression.
In his early fifties, his temples were slightly graying. His police uniform was impeccably pressed, his epaulets adorned with olive branches and the national emblem, projecting an innate, imposing authority.
“All right. Since I’m chairing today’s meeting, let’s not waste anyone’s time and get straight to the point.”
Ma Mingyuan picked up the remote presenter in his hand and clicked cleanly, resuming the paused image on the projector screen.
It was a piece of surveillance footage.
Grand floor-to-ceiling windows with a scenic view, neatly arranged workstations, game posters everywhere, expensive high-end computers at every desk, employees bustling back and forth...
It looked like nothing more than an ordinary, run-of-the-mill surveillance video.
The daily routine of a gaming company, with nothing unusual.
Yet in this setting, not a single person questioned it.
This hour, this conference room, this host.
All of this in itself signified an “abnormality.”
Sure enough, the scene in the surveillance footage changed.
—Clock-out time arrived. Employees left the company one after another until the last person cut the power and locked the doors and windows.
Although plunged into darkness, the footage remained crisp under the night-vision surveillance cameras.
【The night was deep, and the entire office was cloaked in darkness.
Outside the window, what seemed like bird shadows flitted past, and the sway of tree shadows danced across the glass.
—As though beyond the window, some grotesque, terrifying specter was trying to burst into the room.】
Yet nothing happened; the footage remained quiet.
Everyone watched with rapt attention, their eyes wide, unwilling to miss the slightest irregularity.
Suddenly, someone gasped in a low voice:
“Ah! The window!”
The window?
What was wrong with the window?
Many stared uncomprehendingly for a moment, but as realization set in, their faces slowly paled.
The report had mentioned that this gaming company was located on the twenty-seventh floor.
What kind of tree could cast a shadow on the twenty-seventh floor?
The footage changed again.
On the massive glass window, handprint after handprint suddenly appeared.
From left to right, their numbers increased sequentially, as if alive.
One, two, three...
The handprints spread across the floor-to-ceiling glass at incredible speed.
In the end, it—or rather, the owner of those handprints—stopped by the window edge.
The window swung open.
It came inside.
Everyone present merely blinked once.
Over a dozen chairs stacked atop one another as if manipulated by some unseen force.
Keyboards and mice flew in all directions, expensive monitors smashing to pieces across the floor.
Sofas, printers, books, whiteboards, air conditioners, potted plants—everything in sight seemed to have been struck by a hurricane, violently hurled to the ground in total disarray.
Debris scattered everywhere, leaving the place in utter shambles.
The unplugged printer in the corner abruptly whirred to life, spitting out black-and-white funeral portraits one after another.
The plain-looking, middle-aged man wore an honest, genial smile.
The shut-down computers powered on automatically, as if manipulated by a pair of invisible hands.
Keyboards clattered up and down, typing out large characters one after another into open documents:
【“Injustice”】
In the conference room, everyone drew a sharp breath in unison.
Someone pinched their own thigh, trying to tell whether what they were witnessing was real.
Someone spoke up: “What did the police trace inspection section say?”
“It has already been verified. The video shows no signs of CGI or forgery whatsoever.
Our people worked around the clock, analyzing the video frame by frame, and finally uncovered a few suspicious points.”
Ma Mingyuan chimed in at the right moment, raising his laser pointer:
“Pay close attention. At the 137-minute-and-49-second mark of the video, right here.”
He tapped the laser dot against the screen.
A corner of the image was enlarged. In the reflection of the glass, a blurry face appeared—its features entirely indistinct.
“Colleagues from the technical section processed this frame. Take a look.”
That screenshot was enlarged, sharpened, and enhanced until it finally yielded a somewhat familiar face.
Someone recognized the face:
“Isn’t that the person in the photo?”
Another frowned and chimed in, “So is it someone with superpowers? Magic? Or a stunt performance?”
“None of the above.”
Ma Mingyuan shook his head, refuting the suggestion:
“Ladies and gentlemen, the person we are currently looking at—his name, age, occupation, and even home address have all been fully verified.”
“Then what are we waiting for? Make the arrest!”
“Shouldn’t we avoid acting rashly and verify the authenticity of the video once more?”
“The computers could be controlled remotely by a hacker, but what about the chairs? The bloody handprints? How could tree shadows be simulated?”
“Drones? Or high-rise window washers using specialized gear?”
“Higher-ups issued a notice earlier warning that similar incidents might occur. Is that real?”
“Didn’t you read the report from the traces inspection section? There’s nothing wrong with the video. So bring the person into custody first, and won’t we know how he pulled it off?”
“I disagree with your approach.”
“You’re comfortable letting a ticking time bomb walk free outside? What if he poses a danger to the lives and property of the people?!”
The group was on the verge of erupting into a shouting match, everyone arguing until their faces turned red.
“Unfortunately, we cannot bring him into custody.”
Ma Mingyuan tapped on the table, the expression on his face growing increasingly somber:
“Because the Chen Ping seen in this video is a dead man.”
The conference room plunged into silence once more.
Only this time, the silence was chillingly profound.
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