In the investigation of paranormal events

In a dark, confined room, an eighteen-year-old boy slowly awoke, gradually raising his unfocused eyes and opening them to focus his gaze.

"Where...am I?"

The boy mumbled weakly, looking around listlessly, seemingly confused.

The boy's name is Jiang Cheng. He is an orphan. His parents died in an accident when he was six years old, and he has been living alone ever since. Now, for some unknown reason, he has come here.

"Where... am I?"

The boy began to look around, his mind somewhat dazed.

Upon closer inspection, the solitary confinement cell where the boy was located was extremely harsh, and the entire cell was completely airtight.

Most importantly, at some point, a terrifying and oppressive atmosphere began to spread throughout the room, making the entire room seem eerie.

The entire solitary confinement cell looked as if it had been built specifically for holding serious criminals.

Before Jiang Cheng could react, she heard hurried footsteps approaching.

"Clap clap!" That was the sound of leather shoes hitting the ground.

Then, a strange man opened Jiang Cheng's cell door and walked in.

This was an extremely eccentric man. He wore sunglasses, dressed in all black, and had a silver scarf wrapped around his neck. However, the scarf wasn't tacky; it was adorned with ornate patterns, and the scarf hung down in front of his chest…

The stranger sat down, then took off the white scarf and sunglasses, placing them aside as if in a formal setting and following proper etiquette.

But when the man took off his sunglasses, Jiang Cheng was completely stunned.

What comes into view is an extremely handsome face, with regular features and distinct angles, making it impossible not to take a second look.

Of course, what is most eye-catching, or rather, what is most surprising, is his eyes. The strange man in front of him has a pair of blue eyes, like a pair of dazzling sapphires, shining brightly!

Jiang Cheng paused, staring blankly at him, her mind filled with countless thoughts.

How could there be such strange people in the world! Especially those eyes! Are those really something a human could have?!

But what puzzled Jiang Cheng most was who the person in front of her was, and where she was.

Seeing Jiang Cheng's bewildered expression, the stranger smiled calmly and said:

"Let me introduce myself, Mr. Jiang Cheng. I am your interrogator, responsible for handling the case related to you. You can call me Chen Ran."

"Chen Ran?"

Jiang Cheng then realized the name of the strange man in front of her: Chen Ran...

"Alright, Mr. Jiang Cheng, let's get down to business."

As she spoke, Chen Ran took a document out of her loose pocket and handed it to Jiang Cheng across the table. Then she crossed her right leg over her left and put her hands together in front of the table.

"Mr. Jiang Cheng, you have been sentenced to death for intentional homicide. This is your sentencing notice."

"Is there anything else you want to say, or... your last words?"

These words struck Jiang Cheng like a thunderbolt! Jiang Cheng was momentarily stunned, then abruptly stood up and loudly questioned:

"Death penalty?!" The tone carried a hint of doubt and fear.

"Are you kidding me?!"

Jiang Cheng was completely dumbfounded. He had unknowingly arrived in this godforsaken place, and before he knew what had happened, he was sentenced to death?!

"I'm just an ordinary person, and I have to work three jobs every day just to make ends meet, otherwise I can't even afford the rent. I only have a few hours to rest on Saturdays and Sundays, and I don't even have time to rest on weekdays."

Jiang Cheng had just left the orphanage a few years ago and entered society, but in order to survive, she has been working hard every day.

If it weren't for Chen Ran's conversation today, Jiang Cheng would never have imagined that he could be associated with "murder" in his life.

"Where's the evidence?!"

"Besides, I had no motive whatsoever!"

"Are you trying to frame me on purpose! And make me take the blame?!"

Jiang Cheng became increasingly agitated as he spoke, like a wild beast about to go berserk, his body trembling slightly.

Actually, it's not Jiang Cheng's fault. Anyone would find it hard to accept being taken to a completely unfamiliar place for no reason and then sentenced to death in a daze.

Jiang Cheng's reaction was just that of a normal person.

"Hehe! Mr. Jiang Cheng, please don't get so agitated."

"I'm not the main executor; I'm just here to interrogate you."

"and……"

"We have plenty of evidence here."

As Chen Ran finished speaking, a cold glint flashed in her eyes, and then sounds began to emanate from above the solitary confinement room.

Jiang Cheng was startled and immediately looked up.

The large screen at the top lit up and then slowly began to play a video.

"Take a good look, Mr. Jiang Cheng."

"We have complete evidence of your crime, as well as your motive."

Jiang Cheng stared intently at the screen.

On the screen appeared the image of a woman tied to a pillar. Judging from the location, it appeared to be an abandoned, unfinished building.

Then a man walked towards her, holding a knife, with a wicked grin on his face. He slowly approached her, and then what happened next was a horrific scene...

Upon closer inspection, the person's appearance was none other than Jiang Cheng!

Jiang Cheng's pupils constricted upon seeing this, his face filled with disbelief: "No! This is impossible! This is impossible!"

"This must be a frame-up! This must be a frame-up!"

"This video must be fake, right? This video must be fake, this video must be..."

Jiang Cheng was completely panicked at this moment, and he kept repeating the same words.

Chen Ran simply shook his head and replied, "No, Mr. Jiang Cheng, we have already had it professionally verified. This video is 100% genuine and has not been tampered with in any way."

"and……"

At this point, Chen Ran's lips curled into a cold smile.

"Mr. Jiang Cheng, don't you think the woman in the picture looks familiar?"

At this moment, Chen Ran seemed to be deliberately guiding Jiang Cheng to confess, speaking in a provocative manner.

"Familiar...?"

Jiang Cheng then came to his senses and abruptly shifted his gaze back to the screen.

The woman in that picture.

He recognized him.

That was his former boss!

She was an extremely wicked woman. Back when Jiang Cheng worked for her, she not only verbally abused Jiang Cheng, but also frequently delayed paying Jiang Cheng's wages.

Jiang Cheng even had a labor dispute with her over this, but in the end Jiang Cheng successfully won the lawsuit, received compensation, and then left that store forever.

And now, this woman is dead, and she died at the hands of "herself"!

"Mr. Jiang Cheng, now that you recognize who she is, you must know your motive for the crime very well."

Chen Ran said with a mischievous grin.

"This...how is this possible..."

Jiang Cheng muttered to himself, his mind almost stopping, unable to accept reality...

"Alright, Mr. Jiang Cheng, now you have the evidence and motive you wanted."

"In that case, hurry up and sign this judgment notice."

As she spoke, Chen Ran reached out and moved the judgment notice forward again, until it was completely in front of Jiang Cheng.

Jiang Cheng remained motionless, like a piece of wood, completely dumbfounded. He opened his mouth, but only managed to utter a few hoarse sounds.

After a long while, Jiang Cheng's gaze slowly shifted to the judgment notice and the two prominent words "death penalty" on it.

Fear, dread, and helplessness flooded Jiang Cheng's mind, making him wonder if he was dreaming, and if everything would end once he woke up.

Jiang Cheng's entire body was trembling slightly from extreme fear.

Seeing that Jiang Cheng was hesitant to sign, Chen Ran continued to provoke him, "Mr. Jiang Cheng, please sign quickly, I don't want to waste too much time."

"Or... I can do it for you."

As she spoke, Chen Ran stood up, walked to Jiang Cheng, took Jiang Cheng's trembling hand, and began to write the two characters "Jiang Cheng" stroke by stroke.

"No! No! No!"

Jiang Cheng shook his head in fear, broke free from Chen Ran's hand, and tried to escape like a madman, but all he encountered was a cold wall, leaving him nowhere to retreat. The extreme fear even made him start to grab the wall with his hands.

Chen Ran watched this scene and smiled meaningfully, knowing that the time was almost right, so she sat back down in her original seat.

"Mr. Jiang Cheng, you actually have another option to choose from."

"This choice will save your life."

These words shone into Jiang Cheng's heart like the sunshine of spring, and upon hearing them, Jiang Cheng felt as if he had seen a glimmer of hope for life.

She quickly turned her head and looked at Chen Ran as if she had seen a lifeline, her eyes filled with a strong desire to survive.

Jiang Cheng said excitedly, "I...I can still live?"

"Yes, Mr. Jiang Cheng, you have a second option."

"What is it?!"

Jiang Cheng was already getting impatient.

"That means joining Project Apocalypse."

"The...Apocalypse Project?"

Jiang Cheng was somewhat bewildered; it was the first time he had ever heard of this plan.

"Yes, as long as you join Project Apocalypse, you won't have to die, Mr. Jiang Cheng."

For Jiang Cheng, this was his only way out, and for Chen Ran, this was precisely why he came here.

"Project Apocalypse is specifically designed for death row inmates like you."

"If you join, you won't die, and you can even atone for your sins in the days to come, and maybe even gain your freedom."

"Gain...freedom?" Jiang Cheng murmured to himself.

However, Jiang Cheng's doubts also arose. Since this plan was so good, what should he do after joining the plan to atone for such a serious case?

"Furthermore... not all death row inmates are eligible; only those who pass the screening and assessment are qualified to become candidates for the 'Apocalypse' project."

Jiang Cheng had regained some of his senses and asked, "What will happen if I join this plan?"

"Well... you'll know once you join, Mr. Jiang Cheng."

Chen Ran clearly wanted to play the riddle-taker with Jiang Cheng, but Jiang Cheng couldn't do anything about it.

After all, he now only has two paths: if he doesn't join, he'll only face death; if he joins, who knows what the future holds...

Could it be that he's going to be a "guinea pig"? If that's the case, Jiang Cheng will truly be living a life worse than death!

After thinking for a while, Jiang Cheng began to hesitate.

"To join, or not to join...?"

Jiang Cheng swallowed hard, his brows furrowed, unable to make a decision for a long time.

"That's just how it is. You can decide what to do, Mr. Jiang Cheng."

"By the way, you have one hour to consider. If you haven't finished considering after one hour, then you will automatically choose option 1—the death penalty, to be carried out immediately!"

As she spoke, Chen Ran glanced at the clock above the solitary confinement cell. The clock was ticking away, as if telling the countdown to Jiang Cheng's death.

At this moment, Jiang Cheng's forehead was covered with a fine layer of sweat, but he quickly made a decision.

"I choose to join Project Apocalypse!"

Even though I don't know what happened, I absolutely cannot just die in this confused state!

To survive, there is only one path to take...

"Very good, Mr. Jiang Cheng."

"This was the right choice."

Chen Ran smiled meaningfully, revealing a thought-provoking expression.

Then he took out a piece of paper and said, "Sign it, Mr. Jiang Cheng."

"What...what is this?" Jiang Cheng asked somewhat nervously.

"Of course it's the application form for Project Apocalypse, what else could it be?"

Chen Ran waved his hand helplessly and said nonchalantly.

Despite Chen Ran's words, the more Jiang Cheng looked at it, the more he felt that it didn't resemble an application form at all, but rather a "contract of servitude"! A form leading to "hell"!

Even so, Jiang Cheng had no choice but to sign, as it was the only way for him to survive.

Jiang Cheng picked up the pen and quickly signed it.

"Very good, Mr. Jiang Cheng."

"You can leave here in an hour."

"Next, I will take you to where we are supposed to go."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Cheng gasped and said uneasily, "One hour? That fast?"

"Yes, Mr. Jiang Cheng, only those who join Project Apocalypse receive this treatment, and you are one of them."

Swallowing nervously, Jiang Cheng replied, "Okay."

Jiang Cheng hesitated, but it wasn't a big deal. Once he got out, he was determined to find out what was going on!

After saying these words, Chen Ran left.

……

One hour later.

Chen Ran took Jiang Cheng away from the confinement room.

"Chen Ran, where are we going?"

"Shh! Don't speak, Mr. Jiang Cheng. You'll find out soon enough."

Chen Ran made a shushing gesture to Jiang Cheng, then smiled slyly.

"Okay... alright."

Despite this, Jiang Cheng remained uneasy, constantly looking around at the unfamiliar surroundings. He wondered, "Where am I?"

A short while later, the two arrived at the elevator. Chen Ran then took out a card from her pocket and swiped it at the detection entrance next to the elevator.

Then the elevator doors opened.

"Let's go."

Chen Ran said.

Then Jiang Cheng followed.

Inside the elevator, Chen Ran didn't rush to press the floor button. Instead, she pressed the elevator's on/off button three times in a row before finally pressing the floor button herself.

The floor buttons are strange; unlike regular floor buttons, they don't have a plus sign and a minus sign. The floor numbers are Arabic numerals from one to ten.

Chen Ran wasn't surprised. Instead, she tapped the minus sign as usual and pressed "3".

"Does this mean we have to go down to the third basement level?"

Soon, with a "buzz!" sound, Jiang Cheng felt his mind instantly stop thinking and become dazed.

The elevator doors opened the next second, and Chen Ran stepped out.

Jiang Cheng was still in a daze, not having reacted yet.

"Let's go."

"Mr. Jiang Cheng, stop daydreaming."

Chen Ran glanced back at Jiang Cheng and reminded him.

"Oh, okay...okay."

Jiang Cheng hurriedly tiptoed out of the elevator, his head still feeling a little dizzy.

Then, Chen Ran introduced herself to Jiang Cheng.

Jiang Cheng's gaze kept wandering around this unfamiliar place...

"To get to this place, you need to go through three security checks."

"But we have a 'pass,' so we can just take the elevator there."

It's obvious that the "pass" Chen Ran mentioned refers to the card swiped at the elevator.

Jiang Cheng looked around and saw that the place was crowded with people. Everyone was focused on their work, engrossed in their computer screens and muttering something under their breath.

Besides, there were all sorts of people walking around in a hurry, carrying stacks of documents in their hands, seemingly extremely busy.

This place is like a giant office, capable of accommodating tens of thousands of people working here simultaneously.

"Where am I?"

Jiang Cheng muttered to himself.

"Come with me, Mr. Jiang Cheng."

"I can't believe there's a place like this in the world."

Jiang Cheng was somewhat surprised; he simply couldn't fathom how such a massive office could be built underground!

Jiang Cheng followed Chen Ran into a room and had just stepped inside.

Jiang Cheng was astonished by the sight before him. The room was completely white! There was nothing there! It was like a dream!

Am I seeing things...?

"Don't panic, Mr. Jiang Cheng. This is your first time here, so you're not familiar with the place yet. You'll get used to it over time."

Chen Ran comforted her.

Jiang Cheng swallowed hard and nodded, but his gaze never left the room.

Soon, a figure slowly emerged from the distance, gradually becoming clearer from a blurry image.

He was a middle-aged man who looked very kind and gentle. He greeted us warmly as soon as he came up: "It's a pleasure to meet you, Jiang Cheng. We've been waiting for you for a long time. From now on, you will be a containment expert."

Jiang Cheng: "??"

"What? Me?"

"What are you talking about? I don't understand."

"It seems he's not quite clear yet. Chen Ran, why don't you introduce him to Jiang Cheng?"

"Mr. Jiang Cheng, I'm sorry to bring you in this way, but it's the only way we have to go."

"You possess Class A containment object number 0986—'The Yin-Yang Eye.' We cannot leave you unattended, but we also cannot simply take it down. Therefore, after careful consideration, bringing you into our fold is the best course of action."

"And we've already thought of a code name for you."

"Containment expert Jiang Cheng, codename—Ghost Eye."

"Containment expert... Yin-Yang eyes..."

Jiang Cheng's mind was a complete mess at this moment, and he muttered to himself.

Chen Ran and the kind old man exchanged a glance, and then the old man slowly said, "Chen Ran, I'm entrusting Jiang Cheng's matter to you."

Chen Ran hummed in agreement, then said, "Come with me, Mr. Jiang Cheng, I'll show you around as we go."

Then Jiang Cheng followed Chen Ran out of the room, and Chen Ran introduced them on the way.

"As a Class A containment object, the Yin-Yang Eyes pose an extremely high risk, which is why we resorted to this desperate measure."

"The ability to see ghosts... what is that? And why do I have it? I've never seen it before..."

Jiang Cheng snapped out of his daze and asked in confusion.

Chen Ran calmly replied:

"The reason you haven't seen it is because you don't know how to use it, and you haven't developed it."

"Next, we'll teach you how to use it."

"Furthermore, I will be your guide during the initial period of your journey."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Jiang Cheng."

At this point, Chen Ran stopped and extended her hand.

Jiang Cheng was taken aback for a moment, but still shook hands. After the two shook hands to show their goodwill, Chen Ran continued to introduce herself to Jiang Cheng.

"Next, I will give you a tour of the Bureau of Investigation and introduce its history and various tasks."

"The Paranormal Investigation Bureau is an organization that specializes in handling all kinds of strange and bizarre cases, including bizarre and grotesque objects, various supernatural phenomena, and all sorts of strange creatures."

"Of course, we also have another name in the outside world—the 'Paranormal Investigation Bureau'."

"Of course, we have many more names like these, such as the Anomaly Management Bureau and the Paranormal Countermeasures Section."

"In addition, the Paranormal Investigation Bureau is a global organization, and all strange events around the world fall under our jurisdiction."

"And Longhua City, where we are located, falls under the jurisdiction of the East Eighth Line."

"What you see now is the containment headquarters of the East Eighth Line."

Listening to Chen Ran's explanation, Jiang Cheng asked curiously, "Chen Ran, how many cities are there on the East Eighth Line?"

"Three: Longhua City, Jianghai City, and Hongxing City."

"Wow, it's huge!"

These three cities are all under the jurisdiction of the East Eighth Line!

Keep in mind that Longhua City alone is vast, covering more than 2 square kilometers! There are dozens of ordinary county towns alone, not to mention the two large cities behind it. Can the Investigation Bureau manage such a large area?

"It's manageable. Each city under headquarters is equipped with a dozen or so containment experts who are assigned to different areas and manage their own territories."

"Take me for example. I only need to be responsible for one-eighth of the area in Longhua City. This is my jurisdiction."

"One-eighth? That's still a lot! It includes at least five or six counties..."

"As your guide, and the one who led you into this 'new world,' from now on, I am also your teacher."

"But I don't like that title. You can just keep calling me Chen Ran."

"For the next period of time, I, the veteran, will guide you, the novice, on how to become a qualified containment expert."

"Once you complete the task targets, you'll be considered to have passed."

As she spoke, Chen Ran patted Jiang Cheng on the shoulder, revealing a relieved expression.

"So becoming a containment expert requires training?" Jiang Cheng muttered to himself.

"But I must warn you of something: containment experts don't live long."

Do you know the average lifespan of a containment specialist?

"How many years?"

"Three to five years."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Cheng was visibly taken aback.

In other words, a containment expert's life, from the moment they become one to the moment they die, lasts a maximum of five years!

"Are containment specialists' lifespans really that short...?"

"That's true. Dealing with those strange things all day long, accidents are bound to happen," Jiang Cheng thought to himself.

"So you need to be mentally prepared."

Chen Ran kindly offered this advice.

"Here, I'd like to introduce you to the original purpose of the Investigation Bureau and its core element—containment objects."

"There are many supernatural phenomena in this world that cannot be explained by conventional scientific theories."

"They are eerie, dangerous, and powerful. For ordinary people, encountering them means certain death."

"Therefore, in order to protect humanity, a global organization was established: the Paranormal Investigation Bureau. The purpose of the Bureau was to protect humanity from their harm and to contain them one by one so that they would never appear in the world again."

"So all the strange events you see in this world are actually real. The reason they disappeared is because they have been contained."

"Containment objects are also classified into different levels based on their hazard rating, namely Class D, Class C, Class B, Class A, and Class S containment objects."

"Moreover, even a Class B containment object, if left unchecked, is enough to destroy a city!"

Jiang Cheng swallowed hard after hearing this. No wonder they forced him to join; even a Class B containment object was enough to destroy a city.

My own Yin-Yang Eyes are Class A containment objects. If I leave them unattended, wouldn't that cause a major natural or man-made disaster?

"So my ability to see ghosts is this dangerous..."

Then, Chen Ran continued to explain:

"The contained items are generally divided into three categories."

"1. — 'Dead': an object, a place, a building, or even an area! They can be large or small, depending on the situation."

"2. — 'Living' beings, some unusual creatures, most of which defy logic, but follow certain patterns."

"3. — "Living thing", an object that is alive and has life. It can be a talking tool or a helper, such as a clock, gloves, and a book..."

"In addition, each contained item has its own unique number, such as 001 or 084."

"And our job as containment specialists is to contain these damn containment objects."

At this point, Chen Ran's tone became somewhat agitated, as if he had touched a sore spot.

Seeing Chen Ran's resentful expression, Jiang Cheng was somewhat puzzled.

What's wrong with Chen Ran? Why is she suddenly so angry?

Jiang Cheng sensed that Chen Ran must have some unspeakable secret, otherwise she wouldn't be so angry.

But Chen Ran quickly relaxed and even showed a relieved smile, as if nothing had happened.

"Alright, Jiang Cheng, let's move on to the next place."

"Mm." Jiang Cheng nodded.

Actually, there was a reason why Chen Ran was so angry. Jiang Cheng only knew that Chen Ran had a deep hatred for the contained creatures.

What Jiang Cheng didn't know was that Chen Ran's parents died at the hands of "them" when Chen Ran was young. So Chen Ran became a containment expert at the age of 16, and now he is 21 years old...