Chapter 1: Strange Objects

Heavy clouds hung over the city, with the collapsed and damaged buildings in the distance still standing crookedly. The slightly foul-smelling murky air filled every corner of the city, as the dusk sun carried a hint of eerie crimson. Like many other places, Tianchang City was a wounded city...

Li Yi, who had just finished his part-time job, walked through the desolate and dilapidated streets of the old city. He skillfully and carefully avoided the puddles of stagnant water on the uneven ground, then quickly slipped into an alleyway. The network of alleys crisscrossed, connecting various parts of the old city, offering shortcuts that saved time...

Cough!

As Li Yi walked by himself, he suddenly caught a whiff of a putrid smell. He couldn't help but cough a couple of times but didn't dare linger. He hastened his steps, quickly moving away from the area shrouded in the stench. He knew that smell was the result of a body decomposing after death...

The people at the bottom of the city were like rats in the sewer, barely managing to sustain a normal life. Even in death, they could only quietly rot and decay in dark corners until the stench became unbearable, at which point the sanitation teams would discover them. After all, the world had changed, and even in well-ordered cities, the mortality rate remained high...

"I wonder how my luck will fare this time, whether I can make it through this challenge." The 20-year-old Li Yi sighed helplessly, his eyes revealing a hint of confusion and weariness. However, his gaze quickly regained determination, and his steps quickened slightly...

Following the address from his memory, he crossed the alley and arrived at a decades-old residential complex in the old city...

Despite the poor environment in the old city, at least it was safer than other areas, less prone to accidents. The seemingly rundown and desolate old city actually housed many people, living like ants, consuming everything the city offered to survive...

"Ah, yes, this is the place," Li Yi found the location from the address...

However, upon entering the complex, he noticed a gathering of people in the central square. In the midst of the crowd, he even saw the figure of an investigator...

"I hope nothing serious has happened," he muttered to himself, then curiously approached...

"I heard that someone in Apartment 701 of Building 4 died a gruesome death. It was so bloody that the blood flowed into the corridor. This couldn't be a normal death; it must have been some special accident, or else the investigators wouldn't come to this place."

"Who lived in Apartment 701? I have no recollection. Does anyone know?"

"That woman with big wavy hair, dressed very flamboyantly."

"Oh, now that you mention it, I remember her. Her name is Liu Li, 32 years old, unmarried... with a generous bosom."

"What?" 

Upon hearing this, several nearby people looked at him with surprise.

A man in his thirties shook his head, looking thoughtful...

At that moment, an investigator emerged from the corridor of Building 4, followed by several sanitation workers carrying a body bag, presumably containing the body of Liu Li...

"What's the situation?" asked the lead investigator, Wang Jian, responsible for this old city district.

Though Wang Jian had an average appearance and was in his twenties, his eyes were sharp, seemingly emitting a glint in the dim light, giving an eerie feeling...

"The body of the deceased was dismembered into several pieces, and the scene was extremely bloody. However, from the current investigation, the cause of death seems to be... suicide," another investigator approached, his face grave, and whispered some details from Apartment 701...

Wang Jian nodded, his expression calm. He seemed unfazed by such situations, having encountered even more bizarre events before...

"Any other clues?" Another investigator added, "There is a resident opposite Apartment 701 who seems to have seen something."

Afterwards, a young man in his mid-twenties was brought over...

"I'm Investigator Wang Jian. Tell us, what did you see in Apartment 701?" Wang Jian inquired.

The young man nervously said, "I... I saw someone intermittently walking into Apartment 701 last night."

"Intermittently?" Wang Jian furrowed his brow slightly. "Are you playing games with me?"

"No, absolutely not. That person did walk in intermittently," the young man affirmed with certainty.

Wang Jian's expression darkened. He suddenly reached out and grabbed the young man by the neck, staring coldly into his eyes, then tossed him aside. "Another lunatic. Take him away."

"Understood."

The young man immediately struggled, "No, I'm not crazy, I'm not crazy. Someone did walk in intermittently into Apartment 701. That person is the murderer, she didn't commit suicide. I have no problems. I was watching from the door yesterday, and..." 

At this point, Li Yi, who had been watching silently, decided to leave the crowd with his bag and head towards the first building. This matter had nothing to do with him, and he was only here to make money, not to invite unnecessary trouble...

"Wang Men Residential Area, Building 1, Apartment 201."

Li Yi took a deep breath and arrived at the unfamiliar address, then knocked on the old door.

Thunk thump thump!

The muffled sound echoed in the dim hallway, surrounded by silence...

After a moment, the old door creaked open, emitting a yellow light, and a voice came from inside.

"Come in." The voice was deep...

Li Yi entered with a slight nervousness...

The living room was sparsely furnished, with a sofa, a few wooden chairs, and closed bedroom doors on either side. Under the yellow light, the space seemed somewhat claustrophobic...

"Friend, don't look around. You're late, and we're all waiting for you here." Several people sat on the sofa, both men and women, with a young man in a sweatshirt speaking...

Li Yi remained silent, just staring at the person sitting across from him...

After a moment of composure, Li Yi spoke earnestly, "Short of money."

The young man in the sweatshirt on the sofa chuckled, "Of course, who comes here for this kind of dangerous work if not short of money? Nowadays, life is cheap, and there's no shortage of people willing to risk it all."

Li Yi continued, "My parents are dormant, have been in a coma for six years."

"Both parents are dormant? Living for six years indicates you have two medical pods. Even a second-hand pod is worth at least a million. You don't seem like you're short of money," the man said, with a cold tone, "Give me a reasonable explanation, no tricks."

"The medical pods are broken and need repair. The repair cost is five thousand, which I can't afford. I saw someone recommend this job in the group, saying that they would pay ten thousand after completion. So, I'm here to try my luck," Li Yi explained his situation once more...

Perhaps believing Li Yi's words or seeing the unease and urgency in his eyes, the man's tone softened, and he smiled faintly, "Maintaining two dormant patients for six years has likely depleted any reserves you had. With the medical pod malfunction, the situation is dire. Dormant patients don't last more than thirty days. It seems you're willing to go the extra mile for your parents, which is commendable. In that case, I'll give you a chance. You've passed the test. Have a seat."

Li Yi breathed a sigh of relief and found a chair next to the sofa to sit down...

"Now that everyone is here, if anyone wants to leave before we proceed, feel free to do so. I won't stop you. In ten seconds, we'll begin discussing the task." The bright eyes of the man known as "Old Crow" hinted at a touch of threat...

Clearly, he was indicating that once they stayed, there would be no turning back...

In the dimly lit living room, everyone fell into silence...

Seconds ticked by...

No one left...

"Good, it seems you all have reasons compelling you to give your all. In that case, let's begin the mission," Old Crow stood up...

At the same time, the closed bedroom door opened, and a man in a suit emerged, locking the main door behind him. He stood like a towering wall at the entrance, preventing anyone from leaving...

"Old Crow, stop wasting time. Tell us what we need to do. We can't handle overly difficult tasks. We're here to earn money, not to risk our lives. We're ordinary people without cultivation, with limited capabilities," the man in the sweatshirt urged...

Old Crow glanced at him and said, "Be honest with me."

The man in the sweatshirt shrugged, unperturbed...

Those present remained silent, letting Old Crow continue without interruption...

Li Yi, along with the others, remained quiet, listening attentively. He hoped the task wouldn't be too perilous, as he wanted to return safely...

Seeing everyone stay quiet, Old Crow spoke seriously, "Ten days ago, an anomaly occurred in a building in the abandoned city district. Our people went in to investigate, but there was an accident, resulting in several deaths. Only two ordinary people survived in the hospital, barely clinging to life."

"For the second attempt, my partner and I went back to the building to search, but unfortunately, my partner fell there, and I barely escaped."

"However, from both searches, I obtained two key pieces of information. The first piece: there may be a strange object in that building."

As this revelation sank in, everyone widened their eyes in disbelief...

"A strange object? How is that possible? The abandoned city district has been searched countless times. How could a strange object still be there?" The man in the sweatshirt stood up, his breathing quickened...

Strange objects...

Artifacts from another world after the Heavenly Cataclysm, said to possess mythical and extraordinary powers...

Each strange object was priceless...

Countries worldwide aggressively reclaimed every strange object, sparking numerous battles over them...

If an ordinary person voluntarily surrendered a strange object, they would receive cash rewards of at least ten billion, in addition to unconditional entry into prestigious institutions, a lifetime without expulsion, a villa in the Stability Zone, an honorary position, and many other hidden benefits.

However, despite such hefty rewards, only two instances of voluntary surrender of strange objects had occurred domestically...

Because strange objects not only possessed extraordinary powers but also could change a person's destiny, propelling them onto a path of cultivation far beyond genius level...

Merely possessing a strange object for a few months could elevate the recipient to extraordinary heights, and after a few years, everyone would have to defer to them...

"Don't make empty promises. I don't believe there could be a strange object in the old city district. The impact radius of one strange object is at least five kilometers, affecting such a large area. Are you investigators just here for a free meal?" A woman in a sundress, looking sexy, spoke up...

Her words brought a sense of calm to the others who were still in shock...

"You're right. Offering ten thousand to search for an invaluable strange object sounds absurd. If such a thing really existed, wouldn't we already know about it? This old city district has long been under heavy surveillance," the man in the sweatshirt responded to the woman...

Li Yi and the remaining individuals remained silent, watching quietly...

Old Crow maintained his low voice, "Strange objects are also categorized by grades, with complete and incomplete ones. The top-tier strange objects are certainly beyond our reach, but with some luck, finding a fragment of a strange object or even a broken strange object is not impossible."

"Your task is straightforward. Enter that building and find the object. Even if you can't retrieve it, I'll give you ten thousand if you confirm its location. If you can retrieve it, I'll give each of you two hundred thousand."

"You want us to risk our lives to find a strange object for such a small sum? It's a tough sell," the man in the sweatshirt smirked...

"What do you mean? Thinking of backing out?" Old Crow asked...

"No, I mean I want more money," the man in the sweatshirt replied, staring at him...

"Don't be greedy. Careful you don't earn money risking your life and lose it just as quickly," Old Crow said coldly, his eyes glinting like a beast lurking in the darkness...

Turning to Li Yi and the others, he said, "I'm negotiating for your benefit. Say a few words."

"This mission is dangerous. I request half of the payment upfront. Otherwise, I won't go. Who knows if you'll back out later," the woman in the sundress immediately proposed...

Clearly, when it came to strange objects, everyone couldn't help but start bargaining...

Li Yi didn't want to back down either. "I also think the payment is a bit low. Apart from the initial five thousand deposit, if we find what you're looking for, we should receive an additional ten thousand. As ordinary people, we know our limits. We can't retrieve it."

Before Li Yi finished, a muscular man with a crew cut on the sofa stood up. Though he was an ordinary person, his nearly two-meter height almost touched the ceiling, giving off an imposing aura...

"You, since you've come to me, I'll take the money no matter what. If you don't pay, I'll smash your head in with a punch," the man spoke in a stern and commanding tone...

The last person remaining, a middle-aged man with glasses and a slightly slender build, who had been quiet until now, finally spoke up, "Old Crow, right? Hand over the money for these four people to me. I'll handle this matter. Just make sure you get what you want back."

Old Crow fell silent...

After a while, he said in a low voice, 'I can tell that all of you are talented individuals, willing to go for money without regard for life. If this weren't a safe zone, I would have slaughtered all of you.'

The man in the hoodie continued to grin, the woman in the camisole rolled her eyes disapprovingly, the tall and burly man snorted disdainfully, and the man in glasses lowered his head slightly, adjusting his lenses and revealing a faint, enigmatic smile...

Only Li Yi seemed relatively composed, with a slight twitch at the corner of his eye, showing a hint of unease...

Seeing that no one reacted, the old crow, after a brief consideration, chose to compromise. After all, finding another group of people would be troublesome, and he didn't want to invite more trouble by prolonging the situation. Once the information leaked, it would be beyond his control...

'Let's go with what Li Yi suggested. Pay a deposit of fifty thousand first, and another hundred thousand upon completion. No more haggling. The deal is set,' the old crow declared.

The others fell into a brief silence, evidently accepting the terms...

'You haven't mentioned the second crucial piece of information,' the man in the hoodie asked again...

The old crow replied, 'The second crucial information is that the dangers inside that building are less for ordinary people, while those of us who have embarked on the path of cultivation are more likely to attract danger. That's why I approached you all. Don't waste time.'

With that, he signaled his henchmen at the door to open it...

'I have one more question,' Li Yi spoke up...

'Ask your question quickly,' the old crow replied coldly...

'What kind of danger exactly exists in that place, that even those of you who have cultivated cannot handle it?' Li Yi asked. 'This is crucial. At least we should know what we'll be facing later.'

'That building... is haunted,' the old crow said before leaving the room...

Haunted?

Everyone paused for a moment, feeling a chilling sense of horror creeping up in the dim, yellow light."