Horror Game Designer

Chapter 35: The Cannibalistic Incident

From the moment Ma Lian joined the Lishan Investigation Bureau, he had always been a figure of authority, never encountering a new recruit bold enough to challenge him. That was until he met Gao Ming. Ma Lian, a bit taken aback by Gao Ming’s audacity, slowly removed his leather gloves, flexing his fingers as he walked towards him.

Sensing the threat, Gao Ming silently grabbed the firefighter’s axe that Zhu Miao Miao nonchalantly placed against the desk. The sharp edge of the axe caught the light, casting a menacing gleam.

Ma Lian’s face contorted with a mix of surprise and skepticism. He found it hard to believe that Gao Ming would actually have the gall to use the axe against him. Although logic told him that Gao Ming was unlikely to attack, he couldn’t help but hesitate in his steps.

Just then, Chen Bing of Team Three quickly intervened, placing herself between Ma Lian and Gao Ming. “Old Ma, watch it!” she exclaimed, halting her colleague in his tracks.

“I won’t be held back!” Ma Lian declared, his voice firm as he pointed a gloved finger at Gao Ming. “But mark my words, I will take the time to ‘educate’ you newcomers properly!” With these final words, he turned and left the office of Investigation Team One, his presence still lingering.

Chen Bing didn’t say much else, aware of her father Chen Yuntian’s high regard for Gao Ming. “No one is scheduled for duty in Investigation Team One right now. You both should get some rest. Remember, we depart at midnight.”

Once the others had left the room, Zhu Miao Miao quickly stowed away her firefighter’s axe. She turned to Gao Ming, her voice laced with concern, “Brother, it’s not worth the trouble. Just ignore their remarks.”

Gao Ming, appearing nonchalant, replied as he moved to the resting room, “I wasn’t doing anything serious, just examining your axe.” He then turned his attention to preparing a bed for Wan Qiu. “Wan Qiu, you can sleep here tonight. If you need anything, just call me.” He handed over his phone number before settling Wan Qiu in.

After ensuring Wan Qiu was comfortable, Gao Ming also readied himself to rest.

Zhu Miao Miao watched him with a mixture of admiration and frustration, a small smile on her face. “You really do take things easy,” she mused. Gao Ming was an enigma to her; some might call him self-centered, but he was always the first to leap into danger to save others. Others might label him as distant, yet he showed deep care for an orphan suffering from a brain condition as if they were family. Some might criticize him for being reckless, but he had thoughtfully offered Zhu Miao Miao the other bed, knowing she had had a long day.

“He’s not perfect, but he’s undeniably a good person,” she thought to herself as she set her alarm and lay down on the other bed in the duty room, quickly drifting off to sleep.

At 11:30 pm, Gao Ming awoke, donned his coat, and quietly exited the Investigation Bureau. He hopped onto his electric scooter and made his way back to Minlong Street No. 4. While night patrols usually required a team, Gao Ming felt confident enough to handle it alone.

As Gao Ming entered the dilapidated building, he stumbled upon a chair that had seen better days. Choosing to sit on the fourth floor, he leaned against a bag filled with memorial photos, a grim reminder of lives once lived.

Surveying the eerie atmosphere, he mused to himself, “If any of the old residents stumbled upon this scene, they’d likely be frightened out of their wits.”

He wryly noted the setup around him, “A haunted house, memorial photos, and myself – the perfect trio of essentials. Now, it’s time to step into the shoes of those who have passed.”

His thoughts drifted to the young boy from apartment 405, “He seems to be among the living, yet his presence feels almost spectral.”

Holding the memorial photos, Gao Ming plunged deep into the emotional turmoil of the child’s life, letting sensations of pain and fear wash over him. During this process, he thought he detected faint sounds of heated arguments and physical scuffles: a dish crashed to the floor, its contents spilling across the tiles and slowly seeping under the door into the bedroom.

Then, a sudden noise – the soft but distinct sound of a closet door closing – snapped him back to the present. However, no shadow or figure was in sight. It was clear that something unusual had already transpired.

Gao Ming, with his backpack in tow, cautiously opened the door to room 405 and stepped into the bedroom that the boy once occupied.

“The noise originated from here,” he whispered to himself.

As he slowly opened the closet door, his eyes landed on an unsightly doll.

Puzzled, he thought, “I remember this doll. It was taken to the Investigation Bureau. How did it return here?”

Removing the doll, Gao Ming scattered some snack crumbs on the floor and peered back into the closet. There, on the moldy inner wall, someone had scrawled a message with a crayon in uneven letters – “I won’t harm people! Leave!”

“Could this be some kind of threat?” Gao Ming wondered.

After a moment’s contemplation, he took the crayon and responded on an empty space in the closet, “Minlong Street is under my watch. If you want snacks, I can leave them here. Toys, game consoles, textbooks for any grade – just let me know what you need.”

Finding himself running out of room, Gao Ming squeezed into the closet to continue writing, “If you’re feeling lonely, I’m here for a chat. I hope you won’t harm the adults trapped in the shadows…”

The closet’s interior now looked hauntingly cluttered with messages as if cursed.

Gao Ming set the crayon down and flexed his left hand – he had deliberately used his non-dominant hand to disguise his handwriting.

After returning the doll to its original place, Gao Ming settled in for a lengthy wait.

Around 2 am, his black ring abruptly vibrated, emitting alternating red and yellow lights.

“Am I caught up in some abnormal event? But why are both lights active?” he wondered.

Upon seeing the message displayed on his black ring, Gao Ming’s face twisted into an expression of complexity. Without delay, he made his way back to the Lishan Investigation Bureau.

After his departure, a peculiar scene unfolded in the bedroom. The unsightly doll, as if possessed, picked up the crayon and crossed out the words “school textbooks.”

Gao Ming raced back to the Lishan Investigation Bureau on his scooter, sensing the urgency in the air as he arrived. The various investigation teams were already on high alert, an atmosphere of tension permeating the building.

Shortly after, Chen Yuntian, their director, appeared on the internal projection screen. His face bore a serious and somewhat foreboding expression.

“Director, everyone’s assembled,” Ma Lian, who stood at the front of the group, reported in a subdued tone.

Chen Yuntian, with a solemn demeanor, relayed grave news, “We’ve just received confirmation that an investigation team we sent to assist in the Eastern District has disappeared without a trace.”

This announcement sent shockwaves through the room. The Bai Xiao team, which had been dispatched, was renowned within the Lishan Investigation Bureau. Their exceptional intuition and remarkable senses had seen them through four Level 3 abnormal events in Xinhai. Now, Investigation Team One, considered the bureau’s most elite team, was left with only two members – a rookie who had joined merely two days ago and another member who didn’t possess a black ring.

Ma Lian, visibly shaken, asked, “Director, what exactly transpired with the abnormal event in the Eastern District?”

Chen Yuntian’s gaze briefly lingered on Gao Ming as he explained, “I’m heading to the special hospital established by the Eastern District Investigation Bureau. Since the incident, only two investigators have managed to escape. One suffered severed limbs and has since died; the other, although alive, seems to have been driven to madness by fear.” He continued, “I’ll be back before dawn. Maintain your usual duties for now. The tasks normally assigned to Team One will be temporarily redistributed to other teams.”

The projection faded, leaving a deafening silence in its wake. Everyone present struggled to process the severity of the situation.

Gao Ming, deep in thought, pondered over the dire circumstances. “How many lives has this abnormal event in the Eastern District claimed? Qin Tian, Bai Xiao, and skilled members from various branches…” He began to suspect foul play, “The more sinister and horrific the game, the slower its encroachment into reality. I can preemptively resolve ghost story-level games, and such games can escalate if ‘nourished.’ Is someone intentionally feeding a ghost story? Are investigators’ lives being sacrificed to fuel this menace?”

Chilled by the implications of his thoughts, Gao Ming resolved, “No! We can’t allow that ‘game’ in the Eastern District to escalate! I must gather a team and head there tomorrow night!”

Without hesitation, Gao Ming grabbed his phone and called Yan Hua, instructing him to come to the Lishan Investigation Bureau in the morning.

However, the anticipated wait until dawn proved unnecessary. Just two hours later, Yan Hua arrived at the Lishan Investigation Bureau. His imposing figure and the striking giant ghost tattoo covering his body immediately drew the attention of the investigators.

“Why are you here so early? Don’t you have a match tonight?” Gao Ming inquired, leading Yan Hua into the office of Investigation Team One.

“Could you clarify what you require from me?” Yan Hua inquired with directness and clarity.

Gao Ming began to unfold the complexities of their current predicament. “There’s been a significant shift in our circumstances. Tomorrow night, I intend to investigate a peculiar and unusual occurrence…” He proceeded to thoroughly explain the series of events that had unfolded in Hanhai.

Yan Hua, after a moment of contemplation, decided to place his trust in Gao Ming, albeit with a stern warning. “Should you deceive me, be aware that I will not hesitate to take your life,” he declared with a seriousness that brooked no argument. In a symbolic gesture of commitment and a break from his past, he forcefully removed the silver badge affixed to his sleeve and tossed it onto the desk with a clatter. “In the underground boxing world, I’m known as Number 17. Address me as such whenever we’re in public,” he instructed firmly.

“Understood, Number 17,” Gao Ming acknowledged with equal seriousness.

Meanwhile, Gao Ming was deeply engrossed in the intricate preparations for the operation planned for the following night. Concurrently, Chen Yuntian made his way back to the headquarters of the Lishan Investigation Bureau. Upon his arrival, he diligently distributed assignments among the various investigative teams before finally heading towards the office of Investigation Team One.

It had been less than two days since Gao Ming joined his team, and now, startlingly, the team had shrunk to a mere duo.

Confronted with such a rapid and alarming rate of member disappearance, Chen Yuntian couldn’t help but think that in Gao Ming’s position, he might have chosen to step back from the mission.

Recalling his earlier advice to Gao Ming about the importance of fostering strong relationships, Chen Yuntian felt the onset of a headache, a mix of worry and anticipation.

As he opened the door to the office, bracing himself for the possibility of Gao Ming’s resignation, he was unexpectedly greeted by the imposing, nearly two-meter-tall figure of Yan Hua.

Chen Yuntian, taken aback by this unexpected presence, asked with a mix of curiosity and caution, “Who might this be?”