Horror Game Designer

Chapter 36: The Acting Group Leader

“Gao Ming emerged from behind Yan Hua with a look of determination etched on his face. He addressed the director with a solemn tone, ‘Director, as I’m sure you’ve noticed, the state of Team One is extremely critical. We are now down to just one new member, with all our experienced core team members either missing or unaccounted for. To put it bluntly, our team is in a state of crisis.'”

Director Chen Yuntian gave a small nod, his expression somber. He had a growing suspicion that Gao Ming was preparing to resign from the Bureau. The recent events had been harrowing – team members disappearing or meeting their end within a mere 48 hours – a situation that could push anyone to their limits.

Gao Ming continued with a resigned gesture, “The situation with recruitment is bleak as well. Our logistics staff informed us that there’s a lack of interest in joining Team One. Even the two candidates we had in mind have been lured away by other divisions. As it stands, it’s just Zhu Miao Miao and myself left to hold the fort.”

Director Chen Yuntian, understanding the gravity of the situation, responded thoughtfully, “This turn of events is beyond what I had foreseen. While I respect whatever decision you make, I do hope you’ll weigh your options carefully.” He was particularly concerned about Gao Ming’s decision, considering him a key investigator, especially since the mysterious disappearance of Bai Xiao.

Gao Ming replied with sincerity, “I have given this a lot of thought. Our colleagues faced these bizarre and unexplained incidents with courage, never showing fear or backing down. Now, when our Lishan Investigation Bureau is facing its darkest hour, I am ready to shoulder the major responsibilities for Investigation Team One.”

As Director Chen Yuntian listened, his expression slowly shifted from concern to admiration. He patted Gao Ming on the arm, commending him, “Your ability to confront challenges head-on is truly admirable!”

Gao Ming then suggested, “Since we are struggling to find new recruits, I will take the initiative to personally invite some members. I have a few trusted individuals in mind.” He gestured towards Yan Hua and Wan Qiu, who were standing nearby. “Director, I assure you, we will uphold the Bureau’s trust and standards.”

Director Chen Yuntian observed Yan Hua and Wan Qiu, noting their contrasting personalities. Gao Ming confidently added, “Having been a psychological counselor at Henshan High-Security Prison, I have a deep understanding of people. I can vouch for these two – they are reliable. Should anything go awry, I will take full responsibility.”

“The bar for junior investigators isn’t set very high, and these two are just about qualified. However, it’s important that they are fully briefed on the potential risks and dangers they may encounter,” cautioned the Director.

“I’m fully aware of that,” Gao Ming assured him. “I’ll train them to be top-notch investigators.” With a casual air, he then added, “And until we have a new team leader, I’ll take charge of Team One.”

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After carefully considering the situation, Director Chen Yuntian gave a nod of approval. He saw no reason to object. “Alright, Gao Ming, I appoint you as the acting leader of Team One. Your responsibilities will include overseeing personnel training and managing night duties. However, field missions will still be primarily handled by other groups.”

This rapid ascent in the Bureau was remarkable for Gao Ming. Having joined less than two days ago, he had swiftly risen from a deputy leader to the acting leader of the team. His new position, although temporary, was significant. If the team members he personally recruited were all criminals, his authority within the team would be unchallenged.

Chen Yuntian, noticing Gao Ming’s zeal, felt reassured. He then had his staff bring two extra black rings – symbols of authority and responsibility within the Bureau. He handed one of these to Zhu Miao Miao and entrusted the other to Gao Ming, saying, “Should you come across an exceptional recruit, you can bestow this black ring upon them.”

“Thank you for placing your trust in me, Director,” Gao Ming responded with a nod of gratitude.

Soon after Director Chen Yuntian left, Gao Ming’s status was officially updated in the system. He was now the acting leader of Investigation Team One of the Lishan Investigation Bureau.

Turning his attention to operational planning, Gao Ming said, “Our patrol area for Team One will include Minlong Street and Li Jing Street, where I reside. After we handle the ongoing strange incident in the Eastern District, we’ll start patrolling these two streets.” He handed the spare black ring to Yan Hua, elaborating, “The shadow world has its ways of infiltrating our reality through games, but we can also use games as a means to enter the shadow world.”

Gao Ming then moved away from where Qin Tian was and started exploring Bai Xiao’s computer. His aim was to understand the full extent of a group leader’s permissions. As he browsed through the files, an email from the old city’s police station caught his eye. It was from Officer Li Lin, sent the previous night, but Bai Xiao had not had the chance to open it.

Upon opening the email, Gao Ming found several intriguing terms: “Inconsistencies in the recent Henshan High-Security Prison riot—unexplained discrepancies in the count of missing criminals, a mutilated corpse identified not as a prisoner but a doctor; and my psychological evaluation results over the past six months show a notable shift on a particular day, coinciding with the onset of the first strange incident in Xinhai half a year ago…”

At the end of the email, Officer Li Lin expressed hope that the Lishan Investigation Bureau would allow Gao Ming to assist in the police investigation.

Gao Ming, however, casually deleted the email. He felt confident about his mental state and believed he had more pressing matters to attend to.

He continued his search on the computer and eventually discovered a hidden folder. This folder contained detailed information regarding the mysterious incident in the Eastern District.

Delving into the chilling details of incident number 01764, Gao Ming discovered a horrifying account. “The first investigator who managed to escape the Eastern District incident was found with all limbs severed, yet there was no blood loss. His body bore inscriptions of sacrificial scriptures. Despite being rushed to the hospital, he succumbed to his injuries, and post-mortem, his body decayed at a rate three times slower than normal…”

“At the incident’s location, after midnight, a pervasive scent of raw meat lingered in the air. Members of the investigation team positioned outside the perimeter reported hearing eerie chanting sounds.”

“The origin of this bizarre incident was traced back to an apartment on Sishui Street in the Hanhai Eastern District. The apartment was the site of a brutal family annihilation, and this incident was believed to be linked to that gruesome event.”

To gain a deeper understanding, Gao Ming accessed additional internal files from the Bureau.

The upscale Eastern District rarely witnessed such horrors, but the Sishui Street apartment had a notorious past. Years ago, it was the scene of a shocking crime that rocked Hanhai – eight members of two families were brutally murdered, leaving no survivors.

The perpetrator of this heinous act committed suicide within the house following the massacre. Locals whispered that the building was cursed, heavily imbued with negative energy, and possibly built over a gateway to the spirit world.

As Gao Ming zoomed in on a photograph of the infamous murder house, studying the case in detail, Wan Qiu approached him, pointing to the computer screen with a murmured warning, “They’re all watching you.”

The photograph showed an empty scene, but Wan Qiu’s claim was unsettling. “What do you see?” Gao Ming asked, intrigued yet skeptical.

“Those eight victims, they’re watching you. I see old people, children… their lips smeared with blood. They’re all staring at you,” Wan Qiu explained, then drifted away.

Looking back at the photo, Gao Ming felt an eerie shiver run down his spine, an unnerving sensation as if unseen eyes were indeed fixed upon him.

Reflecting on the details – the meaty odor, the family massacre, blood-stained lips, and the abnormal rate of corpse decay – Gao Ming speculated, “Could this be the work of ‘Flesh Immortal’?”

The concept of Flesh Immortal wasn’t something Gao Ming had invented. He had stumbled upon it in an old book he had picked up from a street vendor. The book outlined a gruesome ritual for worshipping flesh, a concept so macabre that it had left a lasting impression on him.

The term “Flesh Immortal” was merely a euphemism. In reality, what this ritual produced was far from anything divine.

Although Gao Ming understood how to ‘play’ this game and knew the rituals involved in worshipping flesh, he was resolute in not pursuing such a path. Some things leave an indelible mark once delved into, a haunting presence that never fades.

“We need to find and stop whoever is feeding these horrific narratives. Such a person is not just dangerous but utterly devoid of morality and humanity.”

A grave crisis loomed. As these strange incidents became more frequent, more people would inevitably be drawn into them.

Some, having survived these encounters, might join the Bureau, dedicating themselves to protecting others. But there would be those seduced by the shadow world, who would transform into beings more terrifying than any ghost.