The Paper Phone’s Secret

“Yes, Director, I understand. I’ll go investigate again tomorrow.”

“That’s right. The Deng family withdrew their report, stating the matter had been resolved. As for who resolved it, they claimed not to know.”

“However, Deng Shuqi, the eldest daughter of the Deng family, withdrew 2.3 million in cash from her private account today. Its destination remains unknown.”

“I suspect this money was paid to the individual who resolved the Deng family’s issue. It’s highly probable that person is also aware of the existence of the anomalous realms, and might even have survived one, just like me, bringing something back.”

“Understood! Rest assured, Director, the mission will be completed!”

****

Inside the Linjiang Hotel in Bail City, a slender woman with striking silver short hair, exuding an air of competence, slowly lowered her phone.

Next to the clunky, iron-box-like mobile phone, a paper-crafted replica of the latest Fruit phone lay eerily. Beneath the paper phone was an ID badge, hastily left out.

It conspicuously read: National Special Events Investigation Bureau, Seventh Investigation Department, Third Action Team Leader, Chu Annian.

Chu Annian was dressed in a sophisticated professional suit. Her form-fitting pencil skirt and delicate black stockings accentuated her curvaceous figure.

She possessed a remarkably good physique, both well-proportioned and healthy. Her rare silver-white short hair, in particular, was stunning beyond words.

Such a woman would invariably draw subconscious glances and lingering stares wherever she went.

Yet, at this moment, her exquisite and beautiful face was etched with a mix of tension and bewilderment.

She gazed at the distant river view—or, more precisely, at the resplendent Jinbaihan Nightclub not far from the riverbank.

Since noon today, the overwhelming malevolent aura emanating from the Jinbaihan Nightclub had abruptly vanished.

Even more astonishing, just before the malevolence dissipated, a faint, almost ethereal divine aura had briefly appeared, as if a deity had descended. Afterward, the malevolent energy vanished without a trace, as if it had never existed.

There was undoubtedly something amiss here; a clear explanation had to be found, no matter what.

“Hm?”

Just as Chu Annian was lost in thought, she suddenly noticed a light emanating from the paper-crafted phone on her table.

Confronted with this eerie phenomenon, she showed no fear. Instead, a surge of pleasant surprise washed over her.

She picked up the phone from the table, examining it carefully. The device now functioned like a normal mobile phone; despite its paper construction, it operated without a hitch.

However, the phone’s desktop displayed only a single live-streaming app.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Chu Annian tapped on it. Inside, a sweet and adorable young girl was live-streaming alongside a graceful, mature woman in a magnificent qipao.

It appeared to be a sales live stream, with the products being sold consisting entirely of joss paper, paper effigies, and paper-crafted villas.

As Chu Annian watched, she hurriedly grabbed her own clunky phone and began recording.

This paper-crafted phone was something she had brought back years ago, having narrowly escaped death from an anomalous realm.

Whenever it was with her, it would occasionally light up, allowing her to watch certain live streams, much like today.

Truth be told, if she were to recount the content of these live streams to others, they would surely dismiss her as insane.

She had personally witnessed Zhong Kui live-streaming a ghost hunt, Lord Guan live-streaming fortune-telling, and even Taishang Laojun live-streaming alchemy.

Initially, Chu Annian found it unbelievable, dismissing it as utter nonsense.

Yet, how could a paper-crafted phone, devoid of power or chips, display such images to her?

It wasn’t until the National Special Events Investigation Bureau, the agency she now belonged to, sought her out that she was forced to believe.

The world was no longer peaceful. The place she had narrowly escaped death from before was not an accident scene, but something called an anomalous realm.

Such incidents had occurred many years ago: the Dragon Fall Incident, Lin Family Residence No. 37, the Twin Fish Jade Pendant, the Forbidden City Ghost Shadows, and Fengmen Village.

These weren’t mere fabrications, but successive anomalous realms—stories passed down by those who had participated and barely escaped with their lives.

As Chu Annian had also escaped an anomalous realm, even acquiring an artifact from within, she was naturally recognized by the organization.

Thus, the Special Events Investigation Bureau had recruited her, incorporating her into their ranks to assist in handling supernatural occurrences.

Every time strange images appeared on her paper-crafted phone, they were recorded and saved.

This time was no exception. However, what puzzled her was that previous broadcasts had always featured identifiable deities or heroic spirits. Why, then, was this time a beautiful little girl she had never seen before?

And why did her surroundings feel somewhat familiar?

‘An anomalous realm?’