“The situation is basically as described. The trapped civilian has returned ho safely, and the lockdown around the shopping mall will continue until tomorrow. During this ti, evaluation personnel will ensure no residual risks remain within the sealed zone.” Song Cheng stood before Bai Li Qing’s imposing desk, carefully summarizing recent events. “anwhile, the Technical Division is currently analyzing various data streams and audio-visual records gathered by the Deep Diving Unit during their mission.”
Bai Li Qing sat silently behind her expansive desk, her expression calm, giving away none of her inner thoughts. Only after Song Cheng had finished speaking did she nod slightly. “Have any conclusions been reached so far?”
“We’ve confird this is an entirely new Otherworld. Sensors from the Deep Divers indicate a depth range of Level 1 to Level 2. It manifests as a district veiled in dense fog, likely a mirrored reflection of the real world. The exact boundaries remain unknown, though preliminary analysis suggests depth increases as one ventures deeper into the mist.
“This particular Otherworld exhibits an unprecedented characteristic: it randomly generates Entities that should belong to other known realms. Currently identified Entities include the Ink Stain, Carnival Revelers, and Tree Granny. Based on this, we’ve provisionally assigned it a Danger Level 3. However, given the limited sample data, this assessnt is strictly provisional. We strongly advise that no Spirit Realm Detective teams or individual Investigators attempt entry unless they are highly experienced groups like Fairy Tale or Hotel.
“Of course,” Song Cheng paused briefly, sorting out his thoughts before continuing, “there’s no imdiate concern about unauthorized entry, as we haven’t identified any stable ans to open this Otherworld. At present, there are only two confird thods of entry: Yu Sheng’s Door-opening ability, or using the locator left behind by Deep Divers before evacuation, which would require sending Deep Divers back in.”
Song Cheng paused again, his expression grave. “Beyond the entry conditions, our imdiate research priority is determining precisely how Entities are generated inside. This phenonon—one Otherworld spawning Entities from others—is unprecedented. We urgently need to clarify this chanism. How many types of Entities can it produce? Could it even generate those classified Danger Level 4 or higher? While our current records show Ink Stain, Carnival Revelers, and Tree Granny appearing individually, we cannot rule out the possibility that multiple Entities might manifest simultaneously.
“Depending on what answers erge, this Otherworld’s true threat level may actually be far greater than currently rated—Level 3 may simply represent its baseline.”
After Song Cheng finished speaking, Bai Li Qing remained silent for a long while, seemingly lost in deep thought. Eventually, she raised her head. “Little Song, besides the Entity-generation chanism, don’t you also find the unusual conditions surrounding this Otherworld’s appearance and opening suspicious?”
“Director, you an…”
Bai Li Qing tapped her desk gently with one finger, her voice quiet but firm. “Those dozens of short-lived vibrations—each lasting barely a second and nearly unnoticed by our instrunts—as well as the sudden disappearance of all traces afterward.”
Song Cheng’s eyes widened. “You think soone deliberately erased the traces?”
“A human-engineered incident,” Bai Li Qing stopped tapping, her expression turning serious. “Doesn’t it seem plausible? Those short bursts strongly resemble tests—experints aid precisely at opening this Otherworld.”
“But the civilian who beca trapped…”
“Might have been deliberately selected as part of the experint,” Bai Li Qing said gravely, “to confirm that the entrance actually opened.”
Song Cheng frowned deeply. “Who could be reckless enough to perform such dangerous experints within Borderland? And who could possibly have the capability—”
He abruptly stopped, embarrassnt flickering across his face as he t Bai Li Qing’s eyes.
Both quickly averted their gaze, sharing an unspoken mont of understanding.
“Of course, it’s definitely not him,” Bai Li Qing said flatly.
“I never said it was him either,” Song Cheng quickly added.
An awkward silence fell between them for a few seconds.
“Nevertheless, we must consider ‘deliberate sabotage’ as a plausible theory,” Bai Li Qing continued evenly. “We have many enemies. The phenona from the night of the Angel’s Descent caught attention from all directions. It wouldn’t surprise if so misguided factions decided to seize this opportunity. Stay vigilant.”
“Yes, Director.”
Song Cheng soon left after completing his report. Bai Li Qing remained seated at her desk, deep in thought.
After a while, she opened her computer, accessing a series of video recordings.
Fog-shrouded streets. Scenes of intense combat. Destroyed remnants of the Carnival Revelers…
All these visuals were firsthand docuntation, captured from various angles by caras carried by the Deep Diving Unit mbers.
After scanning through the footage briefly, Bai Li Qing stood up from her desk, lightly tapping a particular spot on the desk’s corner.
A soft humming sound resonated faintly from the ceiling above.
In the next instant, the room plunged into darkness. Hidden projectors embedded within the ceiling and floor awakened, painting every wall and object with dazzling holographic lights. Reality vanished beneath a tide of flickering imagery. Dozens of videos appeared simultaneously, splintering further into hundreds of fragnts sorted by tifras, flooding every inch around Bai Li Qing.
Every scene began playing at once, speeding swiftly through recorded events.
Bai Li Qing poured herself a glass of water, drinking slowly as her eyes carefully examined each second, fra by fra, captured by the Deep Divers.
Behind her, the massive window shimred faintly. Mist rolled and shifted beyond the glass, rapidly reconstructing the streets swallowed by fog—streets born anew through Bai Li Qing’s powers.
A pair of phantom eyes opened within the shifting, misty landscape, swiftly darting through the projected scenery.
“Stop,” Bai Li Snow said suddenly.
The scene outside froze, the holographic images inside halting instantly at Bai Li Qing’s gesture.
Those eyes passed silently through the window, coming to rest beside Bai Li Qing. Their gazes locked onto one particular fra.
It was an unremarkable mont, rely an advertising board beside a street. Bright, colorful scraps from shattered Carnival Revelers drifted through the edge of the image, framing the clear letters on the sign—”XX Fresh Produce.”
“…The words are normal,” Bai Li Snow whispered.
Bai Li Qing nodded. “Indeed. If this were a mirror image, the words should appear reversed.”
“So, the true nature of this Otherworld isn’t as simple as ‘streets reflected in a Mirror,’” Bai Li Snow’s voice betrayed a hint of tension. “The Mirror is rely its gateway. The world behind it may well be independent, a separate…”
She hesitated.
Bai Li Qing finished softly, “Real-ti duplicate of our reality—or perhaps, more alarmingly, ‘another Boundary City’ entirely.”
A heavy silence filled the room.
Several minutes passed before Bai Li Snow cautiously asked, “How large… do you think it could be?”
Bai Li Qing shut off the holograms and sank into her chair, rubbing her temples.
“I don’t even want to guess.”
The phantom eyes drifted slowly to rest against the glass behind Bai Li Qing. After a long pause, the sisters muttered in perfect unison:
“Why do such absurd things always happen when he’s involved?”
A sharp knock on the door interrupted their musings.
Imdiately, Bai Li Qing straightened, her expression regaining its usual calm and composure. “Co in.”
A duty secretary entered quietly, placing a thick stack of docunts before Bai Li Qing.
“Director, these just ca from the Technical Division—data on the Anka Aila Crystals.”
“Crystal test results?” Bai Li Qing raised an eyebrow, flipping swiftly through the pages. Her expression shifted subtly.
“According to all tests conducted,” the secretary began earnestly, “the Anka Aila Crystals—both Mother and Secondary—show no special response to psychic attacks. We tested hypnosis, consciousness guidance, even advanced mory manipulation, mind control, and direct psychic shocks emitted by the Entity ‘Enthralling Butterfly.’ The Technical Division practically threw every type of psychic shock available in a lab setting at the crystals. The result, as stated in the report, was clear—zero protective effects.”
Bai Li Qing inhaled slowly.
She flipped through the file again, noting another concluding remark from the Technical Division:
Apart from psychic attacks, no other forms of stimuli have elicited special reactions from the crystals. In terms of specialized defense, the crystals exhibited no particularity.
“So,” Bai Li Snow’s voice echoed inside Bai Li Qing’s mind, monotone as ever, though tinged with subtle amusent, “these crystals are only effective against that doll…and nothing else?”
Even Bai Li Qing struggled to maintain her composure now. “This whole thing was specifically designed to counter her?”
…
Irene, completely absorbed in a brainless TV variety show, laughed so hard she toppled right off the coffee table, complaining noisily as she struggled back up.
Yu Sheng watched helplessly, rolling his eyes. “Keep watching that garbage and you’ll rot your brain—what little you’ve got left!”
“I’m a Doll! I don’t have a brain to begin with!” shouted another Irene defiantly from the sofa. Noticing the row of knives Yu Sheng had lined up, she tilted her head curiously. “Why do you have all these fruit knives and box cutters here? You’re not planning sothing creepy, are you?”
Yu Sheng sighed, picking up a knife and dragging it futilely across his palm. “The knife I usually use to draw blood doesn’t work anymore. I tried every blade we have at ho…”
“So, the knives aren’t the problem. It’s you,” Irene snickered, gleefully poking his hand repeatedly until the knife’s tip dulled visibly. “See? This is what you get for eating all that weird stuff and whatever nonsense that Fox cooks for you! I’ve always said your diet’s ssed up!”
Yu Sheng snatched the knife away. “Getting tougher is a good thing, isn’t it?”
“You’re beyond tough! Next ti you have appendicitis, the surgeon’s scalpel won’t even cut you!”
Yu Sheng blinked, montarily impressed by the doll’s vivid imagination, but then shrugged. “If that happens, I’ll just open a Door over an active volcano and jump in. Thirty minutes later, I’ll be back—appendix-free. Beats surgery anyway.”
Irene stared, mouth agape. “You’d rather suicide into a volcano than get surgery?!”
“Well, what else am I supposed to do?” Yu Sheng tossed the knife down in frustration. “At this rate, I’ll have to start carrying around a chainsaw—battery-powered won’t even cut it.”
Just then, Yu Sheng’s phone rang, interrupting their conversation.
Irene glanced at the screen and handed the device over. “It’s Bai Li Qing again.”
Yu Sheng sighed, taking the phone and placing it against his ear.
“What exactly is a ‘Crystal specifically made to counter Irene’?”
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