Some say everyone's life is predetermined from the moment of birth, yet others contend that destiny is never immutable.
Perhaps the only certain future is that no one truly knows what will happen next.
Gao Ming reached into the black box and took out the bloodstained Black Ring.
He looked at the three members of the Investigation Bureau in front of him and asked, "How does it activate?"
"You need to enter your identity information and undergo triple verification. After that, you'll be its sole master." The tall, thin man's expression softened a bit. "I'm pleased you've made this decision. My name is Chen Yuntian, director of the Lishan Investigation Bureau in the Hanhai Old City District sub-bureau. Your Lijing Apartment falls under my jurisdiction."
With the help of an investigator, Gao Ming completed his identity verification. The moment he put on the Black Ring, he could view all the information stored inside it.
Most of the information was the unified Abnormal Event handling protocols of the Investigation Bureau, with a small portion being experiences passed down from previous owners of the Black Ring.
The Black Ring itself represented the pinnacle of technological achievement in Xinhui Smart City District and also bore the courage, fearlessness, and other glowing characteristics of ordinary individuals.
"You don't need to worry about your job at the game studio. If you don't want to resign, you can still go to work during the day as usual. We won't interfere with your life," said Chen Yuntian, closing the lid of the black box. "However, there are some things I need to make clear to you."
"The Old City District has the highest population density of the nineteen districts in Hanhai, the most transient population, and currently, the highest frequency of Abnormal Events. We've transferred a large number of investigators from Xinhu here, but that's barely enough to maintain the situation. We'll offer you the best treatment, and we hope you won't resist certain instructions we issue." Chen Yuntian always looked calm, as if he had lost human emotions, unable to feel anger, sorrow, or joy.
"How many Abnormal Events have you encountered in the Old City District?" Gao Ming was a bit curious.
"Level 0 Abnormal Events, 21 times; Level 1, 17 times; Level 2, 7 times; Level 3, twice."
"That many?" It had only been a few days since Gao Ming emerged from the tunnel, and he had thought there had been only a few incidents.
"There's no pattern to the emergence of Abnormal Events, and they aren't interconnected. However, one thing is certain: the frequency of Abnormal Events is increasing." Chen Yuntian spread his hands. "I will give you three days to adjust and adapt to the change in your status. After three days, you will join Team One of the Lishan Investigation Bureau, taking over from Qin Tian."
After watching Gao Ming put on the Black Ring, Chen Yuntian lifted the black box and, along with the other two bureau members, left.
"Gao! They didn't give you a hard time, did they?" Manager Gou and Wei Dayou rushed into the room. "These people are really inexplicable."
"I'm fine." Gao Ming's sleeve concealed the Black Ring. "Is everyone else okay?"
"We can't get back home tonight, so we're preparing to pull an all-nighter at the office. What about you?" Wei Dayou seemed to have rediscovered his passion for creating games.
"I need to go home for a bit."
Gao Ming left the room to find Xuan Wen waiting for him with a cup of coffee: "Your eyes have become a lot more resolute. Were you stimulated?"
"The horror game has become reality. Besides me, there are other players who will join. If the sly forces fall into the hands of certain lunatics, the situation could become even more chaotic." Gao Ming didn't take the coffee from Xuan Wen's hand.
"Indeed, rational people like you and me are quite rare," said Xuan Wen, naturally placing herself in the same category as Gao Ming.
"That's why I need to quicken my pace, use the information gap to acquire more, and take a greater initiative," Gao Ming said, shouldering his backpack containing the portrait of the deceased. "I'll leave Nightlight to you. Find out who the hidden killer player is, and then build a 'production line' specifically for creating games based on ghost stories."
"Do you actually trust me now?" Xuan Wen's eyes shimmered playfully. She had called him husband at their first meeting, but whether she truly liked Gao Ming was something only she knew.
"I've always trusted you," Gao Ming said, running down the stairs to hail a taxi, ready to head back to the Old City District.
"Chen Yuntian gave me three days to prepare mentally, but he didn't know that I was more anxious than anyone."
Silently fiddling with the Black Ring, the Investigation Bureau had a complete set of procedures for dealing with Abnormal Events.
Different scenarios require adherence to different rules, such as apartment rules, school rules, hospital rules, etc., these rules can greatly enhance the investigators' survival probability, but they can't help the investigators to clear the game.
Gao Ming was patiently studying the Black Ring when its signal light suddenly flashed; after feeling a slight vibration, he received a message from the Lishan Investigation Bureau.
"An Abnormal Event has been discovered on Minlong Street in the Old City District of Lishan, all available investigators please rush to the scene immediately!"
The vast majority of Abnormal Events occur at night, and now there were only a little more than two hours left until dawn. After thinking for a moment, Gao Ming asked the taxi driver to change the destination.
He decided to go to the scene to see how the Investigation Bureau operated, so that he would be prepared mentally in case he was investigated one day.
The taxi threaded through the city's roads, and gradually the dreamy skyscrapers were no longer in sight, replaced only by crowded, run-down apartments and rows of dark windows.
If the Old City District was the poorest area in Hanhai, then Lishan was the poorest and most chaotic place within it.
Lishan was not an actual mountain but referred to a sprawl of old apartment buildings erected without any planning or legal permits.
The dense concrete buildings were piled up high; there was no concept of space between them, and the residences on ground level hardly got any sunlight throughout the year.
After getting out of the taxi, Gao Ming walked through the narrow streets less than two meters wide, sewage draining from broken pipes high above, filling the air with foul odors, while curses and shouts occasionally reached his ears.
Looking up, the narrow sky was obscured by illegally entwined electrical wires, clotheslines, and advertisement boards. Instead of the night sky, Gao Ming saw only oppression, decay, and filth.
Taking a deep breath, Gao Ming walked past a dentist's clinic and entered the unlit entrance of the building.
The old metal sliding door screeched noisily as he opened it; inside, the building was completely open, brightly lit, with workers in black uniforms bustling about, most of them not wearing Black Rings.
Revealing his Black Ring, Gao Ming passed verification, and he felt the glances from the staff were filled with respect.
In the Investigation Bureau, front-line investigators wearing Black Rings seemed to hold high status.
"Hanhai Old City Sub-Bureau, Lishan Investigation Bureau, First Class Investigator Gao Ming, Badge Number 01919, hello," said the reception staff member, meeting Gao Ming for the first time, and patiently explained the situation to him, "To better understand Abnormal Events, the Lishan Investigation Bureau was established right in the most frequently occurring spots of Abnormal Events within the Lishan building complex. There are seven streets here, and your Team One is responsible for Minlong Street and Lijing Street."
"I received the message to go to Minlong Street."
"Team One has already left, you might have to operate alone; please come with me," said the staff member.
The staff member led Gao Ming to the back door of the building, where several black modified electric vehicles were parked: "The roads within the Lishan building complex are narrow; electric vehicles are more convenient. You can activate them directly with your Black Ring, and each vehicle is equipped with navigation and communication devices."
Gao Ming didn't waste words; he put on a raincoat and rode off on one of the electric vehicles.
He had lived in Lijing Apartment for quite some time and was fairly familiar with the surroundings. With the help of navigation, it took him only a few minutes to arrive at Minlong Street.
The caution tape had already been set up, with four investigators in black uniforms discussing something.
Taking off his raincoat and hat, Gao Ming displayed his Black Ring and approached the group: "My name is Gao Ming, I'm the investigator taking over for Qin Tian."