Build an ancient-level power in the nightmare world

"Who said they didn't find anything?" Benjamin said calmly.

Upon hearing Benjamin's words, the gray-haired man standing nearby instantly brightened his vacant eyes. He sat up abruptly and said urgently, "Boss..."

Benjamin interrupted the gray-haired man as soon as he finished speaking.

"Apartment building at 037 Nottingham Street," Benjamin quickly announced a place name.

Upon hearing this, the gray-haired man, who had just straightened up, deflated as quickly as a punctured balloon.

The apartment building had already been investigated a month ago, and apart from a faint aura of darkness, nothing unusual was found.

After the situation was reported, the higher-ups did not order further investigation, but instead assigned them to other tasks.

As for that guy named Chris, we've already investigated him.

The previous investigation found no problems with the other party.

The reason Benjamin impersonated someone from Madison Asset Management to contact the other party was because the secret box that was taken away by the other party earlier, which was entrusted to Madison Asset Management for disposal 50 years ago, was suspected of having problems.

The torchbearers were originally an officially backed Extraordinary organization, and the Madison Asset Management Company had several hidden major shareholders who were actually members of the core families of the Empire.

Their Torchbearer team's base was set up in the basement of Madison Asset Management for this very reason.

Since the apartment at 037 Nottingham Street has already been investigated once, why is Benjamin bringing up this place again?

The gray-haired man's eyes, surrounded by dark circles, flickered almost imperceptibly before he said uncertainly:

"So, that guy from earlier really did have a problem?"

Benjamin shook his head, his gaze fixed on the empty space ahead. Many past images flashed before his eyes, but he spoke calmly as before:

"As you probably know, there are many different kinds of rune arrays with various effects set up in the outer area of ​​this Torchbearer's stronghold."

These formations operate automatically under normal circumstances, and as the captain of this stronghold, I have control over them.

After I brought him into the array's area of ​​influence, he was almost immediately affected by the array's interference with his senses. At the same time, I also noticed that the banishment array, which was highly effective against creatures of the Dark Realm, was also briefly in effect.

"But after the dark aura on his body was dispelled by the formation, the exile formation automatically shut down. This is enough to show that the other party was not possessed by a dark creature."

"But it also shows that the other party has indeed come into contact with creatures from the Dark Realm, or even... come into contact with the Dark Realm itself." The gray-haired man narrowed his eyes slightly and said, echoing Benjamin's words.

Benjamin did not deny the gray-haired man's speculation. He turned to look at the man and ordered, "Reopen the investigation into the apartment building at 037 Nottingham Street. This time, you and Vivian will go together."

Upon hearing Benjamin's command, the gray-haired man immediately stood up, his right hand clasped together, and swiftly tapped his left shoulder. "Understood."

Seeing how excited he was, looking like he couldn't wait to get to the mission location, Benjamin added seriously, "This investigation can't be as simple as just doing a test like before. This time, you and Vivian will have to pretend to be a couple and live in apartment 037 Nottingham Street."

"This... an undercover mission? I'm fine with that. As for Vivian..." The gray-haired man waved his hand, looking at Benjamin with an expression that said, "It's up to you now."

"Even if Vivian has any complaints about you, she won't have any objections when it comes to this mission." Benjamin glanced at the gray-haired man slightly. "Don't underestimate your colleague, Chase."

"I've never underestimated her," Chase grinned, denying Benjamin's accusations against him.

"This mission requires you and Vivian to live in Apartment Building 037 for an extended period to investigate and record all intelligence related to the Dark Domain."

Benjamin looked at Chase intently and gave him some instructions:

"You should be aware of the situation there as well. Our colleagues at the Torchbearer's Rom City branch issued a warning a month ago based on the calculation results from the Star Orbit Difference Engine. Although our subsequent investigation did not find any traces of Dark Domain intrusion there, we did discover a trace of Dark Domain aura."

"The aura from that time might have been left by a dark creature that stayed there, or it might have been that the dark domain was indeed active there once before going silent."

"You're a seasoned investigator now, so I don't need to overemphasize the dangers of the Dark Domain. I just want you to remember that for our Torchbearer team, the most important thing is intelligence gathering, not fighting on the front lines."

After saying this, Benjamin gave Chase a meaningful look, then slowly got up and walked towards the innermost secret room.

Chase stood there, watching Benjamin's departing figure. After hesitating for a moment, he finally asked, "What exactly is inside that secret box?"

Benjamin, with his back to Chase, did not stop. A faint blue light flashed in his left eye behind his monocle, and then the hidden door on the wall slowly opened automatically.

Benjamin stepped into the dark, secret room. His deep voice came from behind the door, "Empty."

"ha?"

Chase watched as Benjamin's figure was about to disappear into the secret room and quickly followed after him.

He couldn't believe anyone would be so bored as to spend a fortune commissioning Madison Asset Management to send an empty box to people 50 years from now.

……

8:40 in the evening.

After Chris got home, he didn't rush to open the secret box. Instead, he made himself a simple dinner.

Although he had a few desserts at Madison Asset Management, he knew very well that those things wouldn't last him all night, and he didn't want to wake up hungry in the middle of the night.

After having dinner and clearing away the dishes, Chris sat at the square table in the living room, carefully examining the bronze-colored box that was completely exposed to the air.

The box had no special patterns; it was just a very simple bronze square box with an irregularly shaped keyhole on one side.

Chris took out the key that was said to be the only one that could open the secret box, looked at it for a while, and then suddenly remembered something.

He got up, went into the washroom, grabbed a wet towel, covered his mouth and nose, and stood at a position where he could easily insert the key into the lockbox with his right hand outstretched. He carefully inserted the key into it.

Chris gently turned the key handle, and he could clearly feel the slight jolt of the mechanical structure turning from the key.

The barely perceptible sound of gears turning was masked by Chris's breathing.

With a crisp sound, Chris felt the key in his hand hit a hard object and could no longer be turned.

At the same time, the secret box, sealed for 50 years, was opened with a two-millimeter crack.