Chapter 35: The Weird Decision of the Hunt

Jiang Hai City Police Department, the highest‑level conference room.

The atmosphere was so heavy it seemed you could wring water from it.

Attending were, besides Qin Yongchang, Zhou Weiguo and other Senior Executives of the City Bureau, as well as the entire "Jian Xie" Project Team led by Qin Zhixia.

Everyone's gaze focused on the three "foreign support" individuals with distinctly different artistic styles standing at the front of the conference room.

"Alright, let's skip the pleasantries."

Leading the group, the uncle in a black windcoat, Nie Yang, laughed, pulled out a chair and sat down, showing no trace of any Senior Executive airs.

He fished a Thermal Cup from his pocket, unscrewed the lid, blew on the floating goji berries inside, and leisurely took a sip.

"The severity of the situation has already been briefed to us by Director Qin while en route."

"Now, I need to hear from the front‑line comrades about your firsthand, most immediate impressions."

Nie Yang's gaze gently settled on Qin Zhixia.

Qin Zhixia stood up; her cold, beautiful face bore no extra expression.

"Let me speak then."

"'Jian Xie' and 'Ghost Wall' cases share commonalities; those things want to kill, but under conditions, and each has its own characteristics."

"First is the case codenamed 'Jian Xie'."

Her crisp, concise voice rang in the conference room, and the projection screen instantly displayed the pale, swollen face of the "Cavity Person."

Of course, the camera equipment could not capture the "Cavity Person"; the image was reconstructed from eyewitness descriptions.

"Based on the testimonies of our policemen and Project Team members, we have provisionally named it the 'Cavity Person'."

"Its killing conditions are divided into three stages."

"Stage one: the target experiences hallucinations and auditory delusions, and some inexplicable small‑scale physical phenomena occur nearby, such as objects falling. The most crucial sign is that the target hears a faint, intermittent heartbeat."

Qin Zhixia's speech was unhurried, yet every word was crystal clear, carrying a professionalism that compelled belief.

"This stage is its 'feeding' of the target's fear. Our psychology expert, Professor Chen, analyzed that by this method it continuously erodes the target's psychological defenses."

"When the target's fear reaches the threshold and the mind completely collapses, it enters the second stage—manifestation."

She paused, and her sharp Crimson Phoenix Eyes swept over everyone present.

"It will breach reality's boundaries, appearing before the target as a ghostly silhouette with a hollow chest."

"Finally, the third stage."

"It will chase and touch the target. Once touched, the target's heart stops instantly and fully necroses, inexplicable by any known medical theory."

A chorus of startled gasps rose in the conference room.

Xiao Zhang reflexively touched his own chest, feeling his heartbeat miss a beat.

"To summarize the 'Cavity Person's' traits," Qin Zhixia's voice pulled everyone's thoughts back, "its appearance is accompanied by the key element of a 'heartbeat.' And its killing requires the prerequisite of a 'psychological defense collapse.'"

After speaking, she pressed a button on the remote, and the screen switched to the eerie hallway of the Han De Building.

"Next is the case codenamed 'Ghost Wall'."

"This thing is more domineering than the 'Cavity Person' and also weirder."

"Its Murder Rule activates in a building's hallway. Once locked onto, the target is seized into a certain 'place'."

"Based on our analysis of past cases, the duration the target remains in that place varies slightly. We hypothesize this also relates to the target's psychological defenses."

"Once the psychological defense collapses, the target is directly 'teleported' to the building's rooftop terrace and, in full view, jumps to their death."

Qin Zhixia's tone grew a few degrees heavier at this point.

"Obviously, 'Ghost Wall' is more powerful than the 'Cavity Person'."

"Even if the target's willpower is strong and the psychological defense hasn't collapsed, being trapped in that unknown space without food or water will cause bodily functions to fail, the spirit to tire, and eventually the psychological defense will be exhausted."

"By then, death remains the sole outcome. It merely changes the method, starving, dehydrating, or driving a person mad."

These words made the atmosphere in the conference room oppressive to the extreme.

One requires a mental collapse to kill; the other can drain you to death even if your spirit is strong.

"Interesting."

A lazy voice abruptly broke the silence.

Everyone turned to look.

The white‑haired youth Mo Zixuan showed not the slightest fear; instead his eyes gleamed, his face full of excitement at the prospect of the hunt.

"The infinite loop in the hallway, the forced jump from the rooftop… *tch tch*, isn't this urban legend come to life? I love this script!"

His nonchalant, spectacle‑loving demeanor made Qin Zhixia's brows knit slightly.

And the bespectacled woman beside him, called L, still kept her head down, typing on her laptop as if the outside world mattered not to her.

Qin Yongchang cleared his throat, steering the topic back on track. He looked at Nie Yang and asked in a low voice, "Team Leader Nie, that's the situation. All resources of the City Bureau and the autonomous region are at the Action Group's disposal. What… plans do you have?"

Everyone's gaze once again centered on Nie Yang.

However, Nie Yang did not answer; he leisurely took another sip of water, then retorted, "Where are the surviving Han De Group directors currently placed?"

Qin Zhixia replied immediately, "They are temporarily housed in a single‑story Hospital on the city outskirts. After the Han De Building incident, they developed a severe psychological aversion to hallways and any high‑rise structures; the spacious, single‑level facility lets them feel a bit safer."

"Very good."

Nie Yang nodded; the warm smile on his face finally subdued a few degrees, replaced by a composed, strategic calm.

"My plan is simple."

"Since there are two enemies, we will split into two forces."

He extended two fingers.

"We must not only root out the 'Ghost Wall', but also capture the already vanished 'Cavity Person' at the same time!"

"What?"

Everyone was stunned.

The Cavity Person, after completing the revenge against Li Zhenhu, has completely vanished and has not appeared again.

How can one capture a target that has already disappeared without a trace?

Nie Yang saw the others' confusion, gave a slight smile, and turned his gaze to the two team members he had brought.

"Mo Zixuan, L."

Swish!

The white‑haired youth Mo Zixuan instantly straightened his posture, the frivolous expression on his face vanished, replaced by an eager fighting spirit.

The bespectacled woman L also stopped tapping the keyboard, lifted her head, and her gaze behind the lenses was calm and unruffled.

"You two, go and bring that Cavity Person back to me."

Nie Yang's tone was flat, yet carried an unquestionable command.

"Huh?" Xiao Zhang couldn't hold back, muttering softly, "Where… where can we catch it? We can't even find a Shadow."

Mo Zixuan heard it, turned his head, grinned at Xiao Zhang, showing a set of white teeth.

"Can't find it?"

"As long as it has existed, there must be a trail to follow."

He stuck out his tongue, licked his lips, his eyes blazing with fervor.

"As long as there's a scent, I can sniff it out from any nook or cranny!"

"Leave it to us, chief." L pushed up his glasses and replied succinctly.

Nie Yang nodded with satisfaction, then looked at Qin Zhixia and Qin Yongchang.

"As for the 'ghost wall'…"

He stood up, walked to the massive city map, and his gaze fell upon the Han De Building.

"Since it has taken the Han De Board of Directors as a target, it will surely strike again."

"I will personally lead the team, mobilize every resource we can, and lay a Heaven-Earth Net."

"This time, it is not hunting us humans…"

A sharp glint flashed in Nie Yang's eyes.

"But we are the ones hunting it!"