A Dire Report and a Startling Revelation

Ten minutes later, Zhao Yunzhong departed from Jinxin Garden Estate. He left without a moment of hesitation or delay.

Upon returning to his office at the police station, Zhao Yunzhong made a brief call. Just as he hung up, he saw Fu Ziyu enter, stifling a yawn.

“Ah, Yunzhong, back so soon? How was the investigation?”

Fu Ziyu casually pulled over a chair, sat down, and rubbed his cheeks as he spoke.

Zhao Yunzhong’s expression was grave as he replied, “Captain Fu, the situation is considerably worse than I anticipated.”

His tone grew heavy and laced with helplessness. “That estate is practically a ghost den.”

“Oh?”

Shedding his casual demeanor, Fu Ziyu frowned and asked, “Besides Chen Jinquan’s situation, is there something else? Why was Chen Jinquan the only one to report it?”

“Precisely. Besides ghosts, there are also anomalous objects there, and I suspect more than one.”

Zhao Yunzhong explained, “Even I was affected by the anomalous objects when I first entered, overlooking some obvious oddities… let alone ordinary people.”

“Furthermore, the sheer number of ghosts in that estate is inextricably linked to the presence of these anomalous objects.”

Upon hearing this, Fu Ziyu didn’t delve into the connection between anomalous objects and ghosts, instead asking, “Then what about Chen Jinquan? Is he not ordinary?”

“Chen Jinquan…”

Zhao Yunzhong repeated the name, his eyes suddenly lighting up.

“I actually overlooked something else.”

His fingers tapped the desk. “Anomalous objects, unless bound by a specific symbiotic relationship or human intervention, never cooperate. Instead, they fight to the death upon encountering each other, until one completely devours the other.”

Fu Ziyu asked, “Are you saying the anomalous objects within the estate are fighting amongst themselves? And the one controlling Chen Jinquan is at a disadvantage? That’s why Chen Jinquan occasionally broke free and had the chance to report to the police station?”

“Exactly.”

Zhao Yunzhong nodded.

Fu Ziyu pondered for a moment, then suddenly began, “So, could we perhaps…”

Before he could finish, Zhao Yunzhong cut him off. “No!”

Zhao Yunzhong knew exactly what Fu Ziyu was implying: letting the anomalous objects deplete each other through infighting, allowing them to reap the benefits.

However, such a strategy was always the last, most extreme resort for the Department of Anomalies.

Ghosts are born from anomalous objects. They feed on human souls, generating “ghost energy,” which in turn nourishes the anomalous objects.

While this ecological chain hadn’t been fully confirmed by the Department of Anomalies’ experts, a consensus was gradually forming internally.

Therefore, in an uncontrollable environment, allowing two anomalous objects to fight would ultimately result in the most tragic losses for ordinary people, who were at the bottom of this food chain.

Fu Ziyu showed no displeasure at being interrupted. Even without an explanation from Zhao Yunzhong, he instantly understood that there must be a crucial detail he was unaware of.

“My apologies, I shouldn’t have spoken out of turn.”

Fu Ziyu apologized, but Zhao Yunzhong shook his head. “There’s no need. It’s perfectly normal for you not to understand some things…”

After all, there were many things that even they, as Anomaly Investigators, didn’t fully comprehend.

A silence then settled over the office.

The two men simply stared blankly at each other.

“Yunzhong, is there anything you’d like to say?”

After about a minute, Fu Ziyu was the first to speak.

“Well, Captain Fu…”

Zhao Yunzhong started to speak, then abruptly fell silent.

His hand went to the small book in his pocket.

After waiting for a moment, Fu Ziyu still didn’t hear Zhao Yunzhong speak.

Time simply continued to flow in silence.

The two men continued to stare blankly at each other.

Another minute or two passed. This time, it was Zhao Yunzhong who spoke, “Captain Fu, is there anything you’d like to say?”

He repeated the exact words Fu Ziyu had used earlier.

“Me? I’d like to say…”

Fu Ziyu, too, left his sentence unfinished.

He rubbed his dry eyes, his gaze drifting towards the window.

Zhao Yunzhong understood the words Fu Ziyu hadn’t uttered.

He knew Fu Ziyu wanted to see Fu Ziqing.

He also knew what Fu Ziyu was still hesitating about.

“I’ll head back now. I barely slept last night. I’ll ask Director Zhao for some leave and go home to catch up on sleep,” Fu Ziyu said suddenly.

He turned his head, yawned again, and stood up.

“I’m off, then. I can’t really help with anything anyway, Yunzhong. You just keep busy, alright?”

As Fu Ziyu spoke, he turned and started to walk out.

Zhao Yunzhong, however, suddenly followed him.

“Did you drive here, Captain Fu?”

His question was utterly redundant; they had arrived at the police station in Fu Ziyu’s car that very morning.

Therefore, he continued, “Driving while tired isn’t good. Let me drive for you.”

“That works.”

Fu Ziyu didn’t refuse.

Taking leave didn’t take much time. Fu Ziyu simply informed Director Zhao, who merely told him to rest well, without even requiring a leave slip.

Zhao Yunzhong drove out of the police station. Fu Ziyu told him the destination, and before they had gone far, Fu Ziyu seemed to have fallen asleep in the passenger seat.

Thus, the journey passed in silence.

The small car entered the underground garage of Jinxiu Tiancheng Estate. After parking, Zhao Yunzhong gently woke Fu Ziyu.

“Huh? Are we already here?”

Fu Ziyu seemed a little disoriented, then said to Zhao Yunzhong, “Yunzhong, come up and sit for a bit.”

Zhao Yunzhong shook his head. “I can’t. I still need to return to the police station to prepare for recruiting new team members.”

Fu Ziyu didn’t insist. “Alright then. You can take this car. Old Wang lives in the same estate as me, so I can just ride with him tomorrow.”

“Understood, thank you!”

“What’s with the politeness?”

Fu Ziyu deliberately feigned a hint of displeasure, then continued, “Well, I’m heading back now.”

“Okay, Brother Yu, take care.”

Zhao Yunzhong smiled.

Fu Ziyu got out of the car, and just as he was about to close the door, he heard Zhao Yunzhong call out, “Brother Yu, wait!”

“What is it?”

Fu Ziyu bent down, half his body leaning into the car.

He noticed Zhao Yunzhong’s expression seemed a little tense.

He sensed that what Zhao Yunzhong was about to say would be very important, which made him feel a slight tension as well.

Zhao Yunzhong’s lips moved, but he didn’t speak immediately. His eyes flickered.

Fu Ziyu waited quietly.

Then, Zhao Yunzhong said in a deep voice, “Actually, Fu Ziqing is with me.”

Fu Ziyu nodded with a solemn expression. Only after a few seconds did he suddenly exclaim, “What?!”

“Fu Ziqing is with me, inside an anomalous object.”

Zhao Yunzhong said, providing more detail.

“You’re kidding…”

Fu Ziyu wanted to say Zhao Yunzhong was joking, but he knew Zhao Yunzhong wouldn’t joke about something like this.

His mind racing, he suddenly smiled.

It was a very benevolent smile.

That smile sent a shiver of unease down Zhao Yunzhong’s spine.

“Brother Yu, calm down…”

No sooner had the words left his mouth than Zhao Yunzhong saw Fu Ziyu, like a furious lion, lunge into the car, his large hands seizing Zhao Yunzhong’s collar tightly.

“What the hell did you do to my sister!?”

Fu Ziyu roared, his voice erupting within the small car and echoing through the garage.