Chapter 45: The Truth

Wig?

As Felix focused his gaze, he became certain that he hadn't been mistaken.

Indeed, it was a wig—messy, jet-black hair. It was undoubtedly the same wig that had just concealed the face of the woman in white.

He lifted his head and followed the direction of the "female ghost." The person was now slowly standing up.

It was only then that Felix noticed that the individual was not a "female" ghost at all. It was a man dressed in a white lace-trimmed nightgown meant for women, wearing a black wig, and holding a blood-stained kitchen knife.

His complexion was unnaturally pale, and with the wig covering most of his face, he appeared to be an agile female ghost.

So, it turns out he's a cross-dressing boss?

In that moment, Felix felt astonished, thinking that the world had really gone downhill if even the underworld was infected by this twisted trend of men dressing as women.

No, it probably wasn't a ghost.

Based on the experiences of the Special Operations Unit Nine, most supernatural events thought to be related to hauntings often had a connection to the infected individuals. Drawing on the intelligence they had acquired earlier, a conjecture quickly formed in his mind.

The young man before them was Xu Wenhao. He had been infected and was diagnosed by doctors as deceased, but in reality, he may have entered a state of near-death, and the extraordinary vitality of the infected allowed him to come back to life, which is why his body went missing.

Thinking of this, Felix felt somewhat relieved. If it wasn't a haunting, then things could be explained more easily. He was a professional when it came to dealing with infected individuals.

Xu Wenhao, whose wig had been knocked off, stood up and was momentarily stunned, as if he had lost his sense of self. He lowered his head in confusion, then looked up to see Batman and Felix in front of him, seemingly startled.

"You have to stop her," he suddenly spoke, his voice weak. "Yunyun... I don't know why, but she's no longer herself now."

Yes, the person who had come back to life was no longer her, but something else, yet no one believed me. Dr. Li has already fallen victim, and you have to stop her from hurting anyone else."

Felix was taken aback.

Although he lacked experience and was a novice in action, his thinking was still sharp. In an instant, the flow of the case and some details flashed through his mind.

Ten days ago, there was an accident in the snowy mountains where a couple tragically lost their lives, with no survivors.

The girl was cremated, and the boy's corpse went missing. The boy had reported various bizarre phenomena to the Public Security Bureau, such as a male student disguised as a female ghost wielding a kitchen knife and the horrifying body parts found stuffed in the refrigerator.

"Are you talking about Guo Xiaoyun?" Felix said. "She's already dead."

"I told you, none of you believe me," Xu Wenhao shook his head. "She didn't die, that's the truth. She's been here all these days, with me. But she's not normal. She's transforming into something evil and terrifying."

"If that's the case, where is she now?" Felix interrupted. "If she's truly in this apartment, why hasn't she appeared?"

Xu Wenhao choked up, seeming unable to speak for a moment.

"She's already dead. She was cremated last week. Deep down, you actually know that," he said softly. "But you can't accept or refuse to accept this fact. So, you imagine that she's not really dead, that she's died and come back to life, but transformed into something else. You fantasize about her becoming a stranger, going crazy, and hurting others, but in reality, it was you who did those things."

At this point, Chu Cheng had already roughly figured out what had happened.

Because he suddenly recalled that he had seen a similar plot in an old movie, and Felix's mention triggered some vague impressions.

The boy's head was gradually lowering, and his face was shrouded in darkness, making it difficult to see clearly.

Was he struck by the truth?

Chu Cheng realized that his senior brother seemed unexpectedly reliable. Of course, it could also be because he had initially set low expectations for his teammates.

The regular agents of Unit Nine had so far given him the impression of Gotham Police Department. They weren't completely incompetent, and there were moments of brilliance in their independent investigations, but they paled in comparison to Batman.

Of course, it was possible that the leadership of Gotham Police Department had been spoiled by the presence of a big shot all year round, so as soon as they teamed up with Batman, they adopted an attitude of "the boss is leading, just follow along."

Chu Cheng even felt there was reason to believe that Batman had figured out a unique playing style of "one god leading four rookies" through countless battles with his teammates at Gotham Police Department, allowing him to excel even in the Justice League filled with superhumans.

Seeing the other person bowing their head without any response, Felix's confidence in his deduction grew stronger.

"We all lose important people, and I know it's incredibly difficult," he said, his voice becoming softer. "But life is unpredictable, and sometimes accidents just happen."

But the deceased are gone, and we all must learn to move forward. She certainly wouldn't want you to be held back because of her. And she wouldn't want you to make mistakes in her name, would she?"

The boy's body began to convulse. He kept his head lowered, seemingly sobbing.

"I'm sorry," he said, his voice trembling with tears.

"It's okay. It's not your fault. We will find someone to help you," Felix reassured him.

Felix also breathed a sigh of relief. He knew that the boy had regained his consciousness and his state had stabilized.

He had received training from Unit Nine on knowledge related to infected individuals and had heard about similar situations in the past. Infected individuals are often unaware of their actions. But once someone helps them understand the truth, there is a chance for them to regain their sanity.

Of course, the principles regarding infected individuals remain unchanged. Those with an infection level exceeding 50% are already beyond salvation, even if they briefly regain consciousness. And if the infection level surpasses 80%, the individual is considered biologically dead.

As Xu Wenhao was an infected individual who had "died and come back to life," it was highly likely that his infection level had exceeded 80%.

Of course, regardless of the circumstances, the task at hand remains unchanged.

After all, he is a deceased person. The deceased should obediently lie in their graves, and regardless of his own wishes, infected individuals pose a risk of infecting more people.

Xu Wenhao closed his eyes, lowered his head, and knelt on the ground. He seemed to be murmuring "I'm sorry" incoherently, appearing to have completely lost any intention of resistance.

So now, all that needed to be done was to return the deceased to the coffin, complete the mission to earn points and experience, and make a stylish exit by jumping out of the window. The mission would be accomplished.

Just as this thought crossed his mind, a sudden alert mark indicating an attack appeared on the screen.

Chu Cheng's pupils contracted, and out of countless practice battles, he instinctively pressed the right mouse button.

Batman, who was on the side, swiftly swung his palm to deflect a punch that came from the darkness. However, even with his vast experience, he failed to anticipate the immediately following kick. That kick struck hard against his chest armor, sending him sliding across the ground.

A smiling face appeared in the darkness.