The Nature of Anomalies and a Personal Inquiry

Fu Ziyu’s expression shifted, becoming exceptionally vivid.

“This…”

In his hand, he held the phone Zhao Yunzhong had given him—a special custom-made device from the Department of Anomalies. It was entirely black, devoid of any logos or markings.

An open document was displayed on the phone’s screen.

He didn’t know how to begin; could such a bizarre thing truly exist?

Yet, the document contained records of similar incidents from across the country, and even from abroad.

The document was extensive, and his finger scrolled for a long time.

He noticed that most of the incidents were recorded within the last six months, though some earlier entries dated back as far as 2001.

At the very bottom of the document, a special seal from the Department of Anomalies was imprinted.

It depicted a triangular lock with a half-open eye in its center.

After a quick scan of these incidents, he saw that among the many cases, a few unfortunate souls had genuinely laughed themselves to death.

One particularly well-known case involved a famous comedian, whose death had been reported as a suicide due to depression.

Fu Ziyu realized that the strange events of this night bore a striking resemblance to those documented incidents.

“Is it alright?”

Fu Ziyu returned the phone to Zhao Yunzhong, posing the question abruptly.

“This document’s classification level is public,” Zhao Yunzhong stated.

Naturally, Fu Ziyu still harbored some questions.

“I saw the document mention that to resolve such anomalous incidents, one or more rational, sorrowful, or even enraged ‘intruders’ are all that’s needed?”

Zhao Yunzhong pulled out a pack of cigarettes, but then put them away again, saying:

“It’s quite simple. Imagine a scene: a group of friends are happily drinking and feasting in their ‘home,’ filled with laughter and a joyful atmosphere. But suddenly, a stranger barges in. How would they react?”

“Invite him to join the revelry?”

Fu Ziyu blurted out, then chuckled:

“Just kidding. I imagine most people would quiet down and observe this ‘intruder,’ wouldn’t they?”

“Precisely,” Zhao Yunzhong affirmed.

“Of course, that’s assuming they haven’t gotten ‘drunk’ yet.”

A flicker of realization crossed Fu Ziyu’s face. Those who were “drunk” were entirely submerged in their “happy” emotions, and someone in a drunken frenzy would be incredibly difficult to rouse. This, he understood, was why some people had literally laughed themselves to death.

Thus, Fu Ziyu immediately grasped the requirements for an “intruder.”

Considering the description of “Happy Air,” which affects those who inhale it, the emphasis seemed to be on a “joyful” atmosphere. However, a person who was sufficiently rational, sorrowful, or angry would find it challenging to be swayed by such an environment.

Such an individual, suddenly appearing in a “happy” atmosphere, would often prove to be highly disruptive.

This explained why the dossiers on “Kong Yiji” and “Happy Air” were publicly accessible. Anomalous incidents of this nature were often disrupted by unwitting “intruders” before they could cause widespread impact. Afterward, they typically became mere after-dinner conversation for a few, never escalating into uncontrollable societal effects.

“So what do we do now?”

Fu Ziyu glanced towards the direction of the duty room, then asked:

“Are you going to look for that ‘Kong Yiji’?”

Zhao Yunzhong, however, shook his head, countering with a question of his own:

“How would we find them? Where would we look? And who exactly is ‘Kong Yiji’?”

He then immediately answered his own questions:

“We can’t search, we won’t find them, and we can’t determine who ‘Kong Yiji’ is.”

“Just as Chief Fu said earlier, ‘We are all Kong Yiji, and we are all patrons.'”

“They are indeed omnipresent, yet eternally untraceable.”

A hint of helplessness crossed Zhao Yunzhong’s expression as he continued:

“This is also why I say that anomalous objects are even more bizarre and terrifying than malevolent ghosts.”

The atmosphere suddenly grew heavy.

Fu Ziyu clapped his hands loudly, a smile spreading across his face:

“Hey! So, you’re saying I somehow muddled through and resolved the hospital incident tonight?”

He then winked at Zhao Yunzhong:

“Tomorrow, you’ll have to put in a good word with Director Zhao for me, get me a commendation. Anomaly Investigator Zhao, remember to speak highly of me, alright?”

Zhao Yunzhong smiled.

“No problem.”

Then, he continued:

“Actually, when I arrived at the hospital, I measured its anomalous energy readings. They were within normal range, so this hospital is temporarily quite clean.”

While a Ghost Detector couldn’t precisely gauge a ghost’s true strength, it was highly reliable for simply detecting their presence.

As for anomalous objects, there were currently no reliable detection methods. They could often only be identified by Anomaly Investigators after they had already triggered strange incidents.

“Temporarily?”

Fu Ziyu seized on that particular word.

“Yes, temporarily.”

With anomalous incidents increasing, no one could guarantee that a place once clean would remain unpolluted in the future.

“That’s why I’ve returned to Chuanbei, to establish an Anomalous Affairs Team within the police department.”

Fu Ziyu didn’t press further, trusting that Director Zhao would soon make the announcement.

Silence settled over the ward, broken only by the steady, audible breathing of Old Wang and Old Xu.

Moments later, Fu Ziyu took a seat on the empty bed, then gestured to Zhao Yunzhong.

“Anomaly Investigator Zhao, come on, come sit beside me.”

“Chief Fu, you’re too polite. I’m a few years your junior, just call me Yunzhong.”

Zhao Yunzhong smiled and sat down as instructed.

As expected, Fu Ziyu immediately dropped all pretense of formality, hooking an arm around Zhao Yunzhong’s shoulder.

“Yunzhong, you rushed here so urgently, it can’t be just to handle an anomalous incident, can it?”

The moment Zhao Yunzhong arrived, he’d hinted at being Ziqing’s classmate. Fu Ziyu suspected it wasn’t merely an attempt to build rapport.

“Chief Fu, I…”

Zhao Yunzhong had barely started speaking when Fu Ziyu interrupted him.

“Hey? You told me not to be polite, so why are you being polite with me?”

Fu Ziyu’s brow furrowed, a displeased look on his face, as he continued:

“You also said I’m a few years older than you, so call me ‘Brother!'”

Zhao Yunzhong was taken aback.

“This… this wouldn’t be appropriate, would it?”

Fu Ziyu withdrew his arm, no longer hooking Zhao Yunzhong’s shoulder. He scrutinized Zhao Yunzhong with a serious expression for a long moment, his eyes narrowing slightly as he spoke:

“What’s wrong with it? Or do you harbor some strange thoughts?”

“Nothing of the sort!”

Zhao Yunzhong, equally serious, then chuckled:

“Brother Yu!”

“Mm, that’s better.”

Fu Ziyu, too, smiled kindly.

“Yunzhong, your Brother Yu asks, how old are you?”

Zhao Yunzhong was startled once more. Why did he inexplicably feel a sense of pressure?

He then answered honestly:

“Almost 38.”

“Almost 38…”

Fu Ziyu repeated the phrase, then fell silent abruptly.

“Your children must be dating by now…”

This quiet remark echoed softly in the silent ward.

Zhao Yunzhong turned his head, seeing Fu Ziyu gaze out the window.

In the pitch-black night outside, it was impossible to tell where his gaze truly landed.

As if possessed by an inexplicable impulse, Zhao Yunzhong spoke:

“I’m not married yet…”

Hearing this, Fu Ziyu shifted his gaze to Zhao Yunzhong, his tone earnest.

“You’re not young anymore; it’s time to get married.”

“My line of work… I dare not.”

Zhao Yunzhong’s gaze also turned towards the window.

“Dare not? Or simply don’t want to?” Fu Ziyu asked.

“It’s…”

This ordinary conversation, however, began to irritate Zhao Yunzhong.

He shouldn’t be wasting time on mundane topics.

“Tonight, I went to Huai Xiang Yuan at Chuanbei Middle School. It’s haunted there.”

He was an Anomaly Investigator.

An Anomaly Investigator who walked through the night.