“Chen Ping himself...”
“Dead. He died a year ago from a fall from a great height. Our people were responsible for the death notification and body identification.”
“Could someone be impersonating him? Plastic surgery, or some kind of disguise?”
“While plastic surgery is advanced, it cannot change the shape of the skull.”
“The traces inspection section used the most advanced facial recognition comparison system in the country. It can perform precise comparisons with an accuracy rate far exceeding 99.999%.”
“They compared it no less than a hundred times. The face in the surveillance footage is indeed Chen Ping.”
“What about the eyewitnesses?”
“There are two eyewitnesses who claim to have ‘encountered a ghost.’ One is Zhang Yue, an employee of an advertising company on the seventeenth floor of Hongxing Mansion, and the other is Wang Lei, a delivery rider for a food delivery platform.”
“According to Zhang Yue, she did indeed see Chen Ping's ghost in Hongxing Mansion, and she also saw a strange woman dressed in ancient clothing.”
“A woman in ancient clothing? Is there a connection to the Chen Ping incident?”
“Our people are currently investigating. Regarding that part, detailed information will be distributed to everyone later.”
“Could it be that Chen Ping is not dead?”
“The moment the video began to spread, our people went to Chen Ping's home to confirm. Based on a comparison between extracts from his ashes and the DNA of Chen Ping's parents and daughter, Chen Ping is definitely as dead as can be.”
“Then is it possible that this Chen Ping has a long lost twin brother?”
“We retrieved the birth records from the hospital where Chen Ping was born, as well as his mother's prenatal checkup files. We also took a statement from the doctor who performed the prenatal checkups. The possibility is very small.”
Ma Mingyuan replied matter of factly:
“Additionally, let me remind you that even with twins, the facial recognition system can successfully distinguish them.”
“Then do you really expect me to believe that Chen Ping has truly come back from the dead?”
At the conference table, a man of similar age with slightly thinning hair clenched his fist:
“Regardless of the possibility, my suggestion is to first take control of Hongxing Mansion to avoid civilian casualties. Also, the surveillance footage must be kept confidential to prevent public panic.”
There had been examples before.
A few years ago, rumors of a ‘zombie outbreak’ rose in a neighboring province. The public panicked and began a massive buying spree of glutinous rice and paper money, and many people even turned to superstitious activities.
In the end, it turned out to be nothing more than an internet rumor, but the harm it caused was very real.
That entire year, the leadership of the neighboring province was overhauled, and the newly appointed leaders lost quite a bit of hair from the stress.
“If it were possible, I would not want to believe it either.”
Ma Mingyuan smiled bitterly. “The video has already leaked. Before this, similar supernatural videos were already circulating online.”
“The rumors of ‘the dead returning’ and ‘vengeful ghosts seeking revenge’ are spreading far faster than expected. Despite our cyber police working overtime, a small portion of the videos still got out.”
Someone nearby added:
“After receiving the video, our people immediately cordoned off the building under the pretext of a ‘gas leak.’ But we cannot keep it cordoned off for too long, or it will increase the panic among the surrounding residents.”
“In other words, it is impossible for anyone else to be in the building?”
A woman in a police uniform immediately raised her hand to signal:
“I suggest that since the source of the incident is this ‘Chen Ping,’ we should start the investigation from him. As the people's police, since someone is crying ‘injustice,’ we cannot ignore it. I apply to contact ‘Chen Ping’ in an official capacity!”
“Comrade Qin Yue is right.”
Ma Mingyuan glanced at the woman, a look of praise appearing on his face.
“Without investigation, there is no persuasiveness. Whether we are facing a human or a ghost, once the other party threatens the lives and property of the people, it is our turn to take the stage.”
“I propose the formation of a special task force to make contact with this ‘Chen Ping’ and see what his demands are.”
“I disagree! Who will guarantee the safety of our comrades' lives?”
The man who had just objected slapped the table and said:
“If you ask me, we should just tear down the building. Have the army bring over a couple of cannons and blast it. No matter what kind of monsters or ghosts are in there, I guarantee it will be wiped clean. To the outside world, we will call it a military exercise. Before long, no one will be talking about it.”
“Old Hao, watch your tone. Are you a bandit? The Mayor and the political commissar are both here, cough, cough.”
Ma Mingyuan coughed once to signal him.
Firing cannons in a busy downtown area?
Do you not want to wear that uniform anymore?
Anyone with a brain would not say such a thing.
Not to mention how much revenue that building brings to the city's finances every year. Even if they could do it, the Mayor would never agree.
“Right, right, right.”
The Vice Mayor, who had been observing without speaking, seemed to come to his senses at this moment and nodded hurriedly.
“It is better to make contact first. Make contact and investigate clearly. I agree with Director Ma's suggestion to form a special task force. As for the activity funds from the municipal government, I will go to Director Zhao to approve the request. We must ensure the safety of our grassroots comrades' lives, and at the same time, we must never let the property of the people suffer loss!”
“Good!”
Ma Mingyuan struck while the iron was hot and called out several names:
“Then Qin Yue will lead the team. Zhou Nansheng and Xu Xiao will be in charge of logistics and command. For the rest, Director Man has many talents; you can take your pick. If you do not have enough people, I will swallow my pride and go to other cities to ask for talent to support you!”
Qin Yue stood up and gave a standard, crisp salute.
“I guarantee the mission will be completed!”
Determined and enthusiastic applause rang out in the office.
...
...
Nan Zhi was not aware of what others in the same city were doing at this time.
She was lying on the ground, arching her back and stretching her body like a cat.
The moonlight tonight was exceptionally bright.
The round moon hung high, and the clear moonlight poured into the room like water.
Wisps of ethereal lunar radiance drifted aimlessly, finally condensing into strands of Moon Essence that fell upon Nan Zhi's head.
If a cultivator were here, they would surely cry out in shock.
Condensed lunar radiance, a Natural Spirit Body!
Throughout the ages, many who relied on the essence of the sun and moon for cultivation would have to work hard for months just to condense a single strand of essence. It also depended on the right time, the right place, and people's blessing. If even one was missing, it would not work.
But Nan Zhi was just a little rookie who had barely stepped onto the path of cultivation, a Qi Refinement stage cultivator, yet she could easily condense Moon Essence.
The moon did not speak.
It just continued to hang gently in the night sky.
Nan Zhi stretched her waist again and let out a lazy yawn.
She had already slept for a while.
Since she began cultivation, not only did she have abundant energy every day, but even the time she needed for sleep seemed to have decreased significantly.
Before, even after sleeping for ten hours, her whole body would feel sore.
Now, by cultivating while sleeping, she could be full of energy and drive after only four hours of sleep.
Cultivation was simply too great.
No wonder the protagonists in novels loved cultivating so much.
Nan Zhi finished a session of cultivation. As usual, a layer of dark, grimy mud covered her pores. It was a mixture of dead skin and impurities expelled from her body. A little bit every day, a little bit every day.
Nan Zhi had already gotten used to taking a shower when she woke up in the morning.
After she finished her shower, Corn, who was treading inside an oversized hamster ball, rolled over. It was holding Nan Zhi's phone in its paws.
“Squeak, squeak, squeak!!”
Nan Zhi dried her hair, feeling a bit strange.
“New messages at this hour? Does no one sleep?”
She tapped on the WeChat icon showing a red “99+” and was surprised to find that a bunch of night owls in the company group were actually awake. To be precise, these people had not gone to bed yet.
“Holy crap! Hongxing Mansion has been cordoned off. They say there is a gas leak nearby and they need to inspect the pipes or something.”
“Give me a break. It is clearly a haunting. The boss on the twenty seventh floor is almost scared to death. These past few days, his social media has been nothing but burning incense and praying to Buddha. He even went to Lingyin Temple and asked for two hundred and fifty likes on his post to pray for blessings.”
“For real? I did not believe it before, but now I am a little scared.”
“Wait, if the building is cordoned off, are we still going to work tomorrow?”
“It is cordoned off, how are you going to get in? Climb the wall? Aren't you afraid of running into a ghost? [Screenshot of the ghost with small feet]”
“Damn, how do you still have that video? Mine was already 404ed!”
“I do not dare to sleep at all tonight. I wonder if the people at the game company are asleep? [Laughing-crying emoji]”
Hongxing Mansion was cordoned off?
Nan Zhi raised an eyebrow slightly.
She did not feel surprised; instead, she felt a sense of confirmation that things were going “exactly as expected.”
From the very beginning, she had never intended to let Chen Ping reclaim justice through mere scaring tactics.
Rate on N.U.
