Chapter 86: Weird Types and Grading

Federal Weird Investigation Bureau, headquarters "Hive".

The top‑level conference room's walls are cold, coarse concrete, devoid of any extra decoration; the massive circular light strip on the ceiling casts shadowless, pallid light, illuminating each person's face at the long table with sharp outlines.

Everyone here is a core member of the Weird Investigation Bureau.

The air is as heavy as a lead block.

At the head of the table, Wei Gong, dressed in a plain administrative jacket, sits with a perfectly straight posture, his greying hair meticulously combed.

He looks at no one; his gaze rests only on the already‑cooled tea cup before him, calm as a mountain rock.

"Two weeks."

After a long pause, Wei Gong finally speaks:

"In just two weeks, five new 'Special Contamination Incidents' have been reported and confirmed within the Federation's jurisdiction."

"Currently, the officially numbered Weird entities have reached nine sequences."

He lifts his eyes, those seemingly clouded old eyes scanning the room; the sharp edge of his stare makes every elite present instinctively tense their bodies.

"Among them, those already contained are: Sequence 001 "Cavity Person", Sequence 002 "Ghost Wall"."

"Sequence 003 "Smiling Dummy", of which only some proliferated individuals have been contained; the rest remain active."

"The remaining sequences have not yet been contained and are roaming freely within the Federation's territory."

Wei Gong's tone shows no fluctuation:

"They are: Sequence 004 "Revenant Clown", Sequence 005 "Ghost Knock", Sequence 006 "Red‑Clothed Female Ghost", Sequence 007 "Don't Blink", Sequence 008 "Hanged Man"."

"And… Symbiosis 001, Lin Fan."

With each name spoken, the conference room's temperature drops a degree.

Behind these codes lie deaths that defy ordinary explanation, signifying the collapse of the foundations of modern social order.

"Based on this, the Investigation Bureau's assessment team has established a grading mechanism for the danger levels of Weirdness, evaluating both the potential harm and the difficulty of containment. I, as Director, will now synchronize this with each Captain."

Wei Gong crosses his ten fingers, places them on the table, and slowly begins:

"Weirdness is divided into five levels: D, C, B, A, S."

"D‑level, Terror level. The Murder Rule is relatively simple; with firm will and thorough preparation, there is a chance to avoid triggering the rule, even to counter it. For example, Sequence 001 "Cavity Person"."

"C‑level, Fatality level. The rules are complex and lethal; without sufficient intelligence, even the strongest will cannot escape certain death once the rule is triggered, unless a powerful external force intervenes. For example, Sequence 002 "Ghost Wall". At this level, containment already demands a hefty price."

"B‑level, Chaos level. Conventional physical means struggle to restrain it; even with knowledge of the Murder Rule, unimaginable manpower and resources are required for a mere 'barely adequate response'. For example, Symbiosis Lin Fan."

"A‑level, Disaster level."

Wei Gong pauses briefly at this point:

"The assessment team's current judgment is that A‑level Weirdness cannot be truly 'contained'. All we can do is limit and curb its development. They are generally not single entities and may possess extremely strong memetic contamination and proliferative abilities. If left unchecked, they could destroy a large city, even evolve toward S‑level."

"Sequence 003 "Smiling Dummy" is the first A‑level we have encountered… So far, confirmed and suspected victims killed by the Smiling Dummy exceed 500, and the number keeps rising."

In the conference room, someone involuntarily draws a sharp gasp of cold air.

A single Smiling Dummy has already killed over 500 people, costing the Investigation Bureau elites like Su Chang.

And such a thing isn't even the top tier?

"What about… S‑level?" someone at the corner of the conference room can't help but ask, voice hoarse.

Wei Gong's gaze lands on him, and he calmly utters two words.

"Nation‑annihilation."

Boom!

Everyone's brain buzzes once.

"S‑level is currently only a concept. Yet according to model projections, once it appears, existing national systems will collapse completely in a short time, social order will vanish, and the population will face an unprecedented sharp decline in modern history."

"Its danger level far exceeds that of a nuclear bomb."

The conference room falls into a terrifying silence.

After a moment.

Wei Gong breaks the silence:

"Captain Mei, distribute the file materials."

"Yes!" a figure stands up.

Qin Zhixia, dressed in a crisp black uniform, has a lightweight exoskeleton on her right knee that glows with a faint blue light.

Her expression solemn, she hands out a thick stack of file materials one by one to each core member present.

Her movements are precise and efficient.

After distributing the files, she says nothing, walks back to the far end of the long table, and sits down quietly.

The crowd opens the files; beneath the glaring red "Top Secret" label are photos that make one's sanity plummet and rows of cold text.

First is 【Sequence 006, "Red‑Clothed Female Ghost"】

The file is simple: a university group photo, with a delicate girl in a red dress circled.

Incident record: 【...】 The third‑year foreign language major Zhou Jiajia, after prolonged collective bullying and isolation by dormitory and classmate girls, hanged herself in the dormitory two weeks ago wearing a red dress. Within the next three days, every girl in the foreign language department who had bullied, spread rumors about, or isolated her—totaling 38, including a counselor who knew but did nothing—died.

Currently, the third female dormitory building of the school is completely sealed; interior conditions are unknown, and anyone approaching hears a woman's mournful wail.

Murder Rule: Unknown.

Preliminary rating: B‑level!

Everyone feels a chill surge from the soles of their feet straight to the Heavenly Spirit Cover. Three days, 38 lives!

They turn to the next file.

【Sequence 007, "Don't Blink"】

The record describes several adventure streamers discovering a weeping stone statue in the mountains.

Whenever victims blink or turn their heads, the statue approaches at teleport‑like speed.

At the end of the "Don't Blink" file, a terrified portrait of a broadcaster whose neck has been twisted off is attached.

【Murder Rule: When not being observed, one can move at high speed, and the killing method is to twist the neck.】

【Preliminary rating: C level.】

When we turned to the third file, even the elites present had their faces turn extremely grim.

【Sequence 004, "Soul-Returning Clown"】

【The target randomly selects passersby as its "audience", and forces them to watch its magic performance.】

【If the victim refuses to watch, or shows impatience or lack of support during the performance, the target will use "magic" to kill the victim.】

【If the victim applauds, praises, and shows great enthusiasm throughout, after the magic proceeds for a while, the clown will gladly invite the victim as a "lucky audience member" to take part in its interactive magic.】

【For example, a head‑body separation magic: after a victim participates, the head is severed and then reattached. At first the victim is unharmed, but after moving away from the Soul-Returning Clown, the Weird rule fails, the head falls off on the spot, resulting in death.】

【Conclusion: Once the Soul-Returning Clown targets someone, there is no solution; fortunately, due to the Murder Rule's limitation, it kills only one person at a time.】

【Murder Rule: As long as one is invited to watch the magic, death is certain, but each time the Soul-Returning Clown only locks onto a single person as its audience.】

【Preliminary rating: B Ji.】

"We've all seen most of it?"

Wei Gong's voice pulled the crowd from the files' terror back to reality.

"Based on analysis of the existing data, we have drawn two preliminary conclusions."

"First, all Weird phenomena arise from post‑mortem transformations of humans, with the transformation conditions related to the intensity of the deceased's lingering resentment. However, the specific transformation mechanism is still under study."

"Second, the Weird phenomena encountered so far are divided into two major categories."

Wei Gong raised one finger.

"Category One: Fierce Ghost."

"They retain part of their consciousness from life, possess intelligence, and know how to evade and disguise. Their killings are mostly revenge, with clear targets. The activation of their rules is closely tied to the target's 'SAN value', i. e., mental stability. Fear is their nourishment, accelerating the target's death. Examples include 'Cavity Person', 'Ghost Wall', and the earlier 'Red‑Clothed Female Ghost'."

The crowd nodded; this matched their prior understanding.

"Category Two…" Wei Gong raised his second finger, his eyes becoming razor‑sharp, "called: Strange Tale."

"They lack independent consciousness, resembling aggregates of 'Murder Rule', an absolute‑execution 'phenomenon'. They do not think or judge, only strictly follow pre‑set rules to hunt targets. Once trigger conditions are met, death is certain, regardless of the target's mental strength."

"Based on existing case analysis, the 'Strange Tale' type Weird seems to have a strong predatory preference for humans bearing 'guilt'."

"When the rules are unknown, the danger level of Strange Tales far exceeds that of Fierce Ghosts. For example, 'Smiling Dummy' and 'Don't Blink' belong to the Strange Tale category of Weird."

Wei Gong lowered his hand, his voice deepened:

"Based on this… to counter the characteristics of Strange Tale Weird, we must maximize prevention of triggering its Murder Rule."

"From today onward, recruitment of all Investigation Bureau members must undergo the Federation's highest‑level background checks and psychological profiling. No matter how strong the abilities or how brilliant the résumé, anyone with impure motives or dirty hands will be eliminated."

"I will not allow our agents to become the Weird's 'prey'! I will not allow the previous tragedy to replay!"

These words rang out like a hammer, carrying an unquestionable resolve.

The conference room's atmosphere was oppressively extreme. Fierce Ghosts, Strange Tales, each more Weird and each more troublesome than the last. Humans before these things are like children holding torches in a dark forest, fragile beyond repair.

As a gloom settled over everyone's minds, Wei Gong slowly reached under the table and retrieved a thick, jet‑black handbook.

On the handbook's cover, hot‑stamped gold lettering displayed a striking line of large characters.

"Federal Weird Investigation Bureau Rules Handbook V1.0".

Under the pallid light, the golden letters reflected a reassuring sheen.

Wei Gong slammed the handbook onto the table, producing a muffled "Bang".

"I know what you're thinking."

"Fear, confusion, even despair."

"But I must tell you, humanity's civilization has endured not because of prayer, nor luck!"

He stood up, both hands braced on the table, leaning forward, his gaze sweeping each person like a hawk.

"What we rely on… is the rationality that, when facing the unknown, still chooses observation, analysis, induction, and synthesis!"

"This handbook details all nine known Weird characteristics, Murder Rules, behavioral patterns, as well as the preliminary response plans and avoidance guidelines devised by the assessment team based on current intelligence!"

"It will explain how, when confronting Weird, you can instantly determine the type, how to maneuver using the rules, and how to secure the most precious time for yourself and your comrades!"

"From today onward, all field operations of the Investigation Bureau must adopt this as the supreme operational guideline! Abandon the reckless individual heroism! Our new policy consists of only sixteen characters!"

"Probe the rules, report the rating, await orders, precise containment!"

Wei Gong's voice echoed through the conference room, filled with steel‑like will:

"Everyone, darkness has already descended."

"And this handbook…" he tapped the black cover heavily with his finger.

"It is the first torch humanity lights in the darkness!"