If the staff at Weibo could speak out, Weibo would currently be filled with a uniform cry of “I want to die.”
It wasn't just a trending topic explosion anymore.
Weibo had crashed completely. Users couldn't log in even after trying for half an hour, and once they finally got in, their notifications were a sea of red “99+” alerts.
#Mass Disappearances Across An Province#
#Wishing Livestream Room: Enter with Caution#
#Special Investigation Department Official Announcement#
#Oh No, Spiritual Energy Recovery Might Actually Be Real#
#An Province Disappearances: Major Criminal Case#
#Official Announcement: Strictly Prohibited to Contact Supernatural Phenomena#
#Rat Livestream Room, Wishing Livestream Room#
A dozen or so hashtags were pinned, each followed by a bright red “EXPLOSIVE” tag.
The popularity was still skyrocketing insanely.
No matter how much netizens speculated, the authorities finally gave a response.
A joint announcement released by the An Province Emergency Management Department and the Jiangcheng Public Security Bureau.
【Safety Warning Announcement Regarding Recent Missing Persons Cases in Our Province
Dear Citizens:
Recently, consecutive cases of unexplained disappearances have occurred in several districts and counties of our city. The missing persons span various ages and occupations, with no obvious common patterns detected so far.
According to preliminary investigations by the public security organs, some of the missing individuals had clicked on or browsed an unidentified web link named the “Wishing Livestream Room” prior to their disappearance. Furthermore, abnormal traces that cannot be explained by common sense have been found at some of the scenes of disappearance.
To practically safeguard the lives and property of our citizens, effectively prevent unknown risks, and maintain social stability, we hereby issue the following safety reminders to the general public:
1. Enhance network safety awareness. Do not click on web links, pop-up advertisements, or private messages from unknown sources. Do not scan non-official QR codes, and do not download applications from non-official app stores to prevent falling into unknown traps.
2. Minimize unnecessary outdoor activities at night. Avoid traveling to sparsely populated areas such as secluded alleys, abandoned buildings, suburban wastelands, and uninhabited forests. If you must travel at night, please do so in groups, inform your family of your route in advance, and ensure your communication channels remain open.
3. If you detect any suspected supernatural anomalies, strange or eerie scenes, or unusual noises and odors of unknown origin around you, you must strictly adhere to the “Three No's Principle”: do not approach, do not touch, and do not linger. Evacuate immediately to a densely populated safe area, and dial 110 or the Special Incident Reporting Hotline at -***5432 to report it.
4. Establish a rational understanding. Do not believe in false promotions such as “wishes coming true,” “overnight wealth,” or “resurrection.” Do not attempt any unverified novelty rituals, occult games, or online summoning activities to avoid endangering your life.
5. Citizens are urged to consciously abide by laws and regulations. Do not believe, spread, or manufacture rumors. Do not fabricate or disseminate unverified false information, and work together to maintain a clean online space and normal social order.
6. If you come into contact with an “Instance,” please immediately call the Jiangcheng Special Incident Investigation Department's Special Incident Reporting Hotline: ****5432.
Please rely on authoritative official announcements for all information.
Currently, relevant investigation and disposal work is being carried out in an orderly manner according to the law, and subsequent progress will be promptly announced to the public.
Please enhance your risk prevention awareness, take proper personal safety precautions, and jointly maintain a safe and stable social environment.
An Province Emergency Management Department
Jiangcheng Public Security Bureau Special Incident Investigation Bureau
Month X, Day X, 202X】
...
...
...
Beneath the announcement, the comment section had already amassed tens of thousands of replies.
All kinds of voices filled the thread, creating a chaotic, jumbled mess:
【@LoveEvenIfTheWorldEnds: Huh? What does “do not contact the supernatural” mean?? Mom, talk to me, mom, say something! Don't do this, I'm scared!】
【@ThreeBowlsOfRiceTodayToo: What's going on? I woke up and the worldline changed? What on earth is the Special Investigation Department? A real-life Dragon Group?】
【@HalfSugarLessIceMilkTea: A few days ago, my bestie told me she stumbled upon some Wishing Livestream Room. She said she could make a wish to get her ex back. I thought it was some new type of scam. She almost made a wish... Thank goodness I stopped her.】
【@OldWang'sRetirementLife: Can we stop with the alarmism? I bet it's just a new type of telecom fraud. The authorities are making a mountain out of a molehill. Supernatural? Hilarious.】
【@AnUStudent: It's real! A bunch of people went missing at our university earlier, and the campus was locked down.】
【@SaltedFishKai: Lol, supernatural phenomena? Don't they know spirits aren't allowed to cultivate after the founding of the nation? It's just clickbait made up by marketing accounts, and the authorities are just joining in on the hype.】
【@TheMoonDoesn'tSleep: But we've never seen the authorities issue an announcement like this before... Could it be real? I'm getting goosebumps.】
【@ProgrammerXiaoZhang: No, wait, mom, tell me, what is an “Instance”?! What does that mean?!】
【@WorkingIsImpossible: Reduce nighttime activities? Then what about those of us on night shifts? Is the company going to give us a raise? Easy for them to say.】
【@PeachSparklingWater: Can the person above stop arguing? The authorities are giving a well-intentioned warning. It's up to you whether to listen or not, but it'll be too late to regret if something actually happens.】
【@WishGrantedYangChaoyue: Wait... Wishing Livestream Room? Can you really make wishes? I want to wish for my parents' good health. Can I try it?】
【@TodayAlsoSlackingOff: Try my foot! Didn't you see that all the missing people clicked the link? You click it, and you're gone! Wishing? You'll lose your life first.】
【@BystanderNo1: Is there an insider who can explain what this actually is? Is it really a supernatural event? Or some new type of crime?】
【@AllyOfJustice: Don't spread rumors, don't believe rumors. Wait for further official reports.】
【@MemoriesOfSouthCity: My house is in the suburbs. For the past two days, I've been hearing someone walking in the living room every day. When I turn on the light, there's nothing there—but the floor is so clean it looks like it was licked.】
【@AreYouKiddingMe: What kind of ghost helps you clean your house? Is it the Snail Maiden?】
【@SeniorDiscipleOfCultivation: Spiritual energy recovery confirmed! Is it finally my turn? Do any big shots know how to cultivate?】
【@OrdinaryCitizen: Whether it's true or false, it's always better to be safe than sorry. Try not to go out at night. I hope everyone stays safe.】
【@FlameMeAndLoseAtHonorOfKings: No, how are you guys missing the point? The word “Instance” actually appeared in an official announcement. Isn't that absolutely insane?】
【@StopScoldingStillHaveToWork: It's insane, but I still don't get tomorrow off. If there are aliens, they better hurry up and invade. I don't want to work this crappy job for even one more day.】
...
...
...
Jiangcheng Special Investigation Department, Special Incident Underground Laboratory.
The cold light of the sterile laminar flow room was a pale, stark white, casting a deathly gray glow over the tissue inside the glass case.
The third basement level, the experimental area with the highest security clearance.
The entire room was constructed with explosion-proof glass and alloy walls.
Twenty-four-hour air filtration ensured that not even a single fly could enter.
In the center of one laboratory sat a man-sized reinforced glass case. It was sealed and filled with inert gas.
The bottom of the glass case was lined with sterile medical cotton pads, upon which lay a piece of human tissue.
Calling it “a piece” was actually being generous.
It was only about the size of two adult palms, consisting of a portion of a male's chest to his neck.
The skin was a deathly gray, with jagged edges that looked as if they had been brutally torn away by sharp claws.
The flesh at the wound was mangled and rolled outward, stained with dried, dark-brown blood.
A few thick, stiff black cat hairs were embedded within it.
If that were all, it would simply be an ordinary corpse fragment belonging to the Player Lin Hao.
Or rather, “once belonged to.”
But what had truly kept the laboratory's scientific researchers awake for three days and three nights was the thing connected to the severed end of the neck.
An umbilical cord.
It was deep purple, about the thickness of a thumb, with a smooth surface that gleamed with a slimy, mucous-like sheen.
Every three to four seconds, it would twitch gently, like a dormant worm, or perhaps like it was breathing.
The umbilical cord was joined to the human tissue, yet it exhibited a bizarre state:
Even though only a single piece of flesh remained, its cellular activity was astonishingly high.
“Academician Li, the latest monitoring data is out.”
A researcher walked over holding a tablet.
“The cell apoptosis rate of the human tissue hasn't decreased, as if ‘it’ is still alive. But this umbilical cord...”
She paused, her tone carrying an unconcealable sense of disbelief.
“The rate of cell division in the umbilical cord is accelerating, seventeen percent faster than yesterday.
And it is actively absorbing the surrounding free energy—what we call ‘spiritual energy’—though the efficiency isn't very high.”
Academician Li squinted and leaned closer to the glass case, carefully observing the umbilical cord inside.
When he first saw this thing, the old academician, who had believed in materialism his entire life, had stood before the glass case in silence for a full half hour.
His worldview had shattered into complete pieces.
Yet the facts lay right before his eyes, leaving him no choice but to believe.
“What about the cellular testing? Is it still human genes?” Academician Li spoke, his voice very deep.
“We ran the gene sequencing three times. They are all human genes, and they share a blood relation with the DNA of this piece of human tissue.”
Researcher Zhang frowned.
“But its cellular structure is too strange. It has highly aggressive engulfing and regenerative capabilities. It doesn't look like normal human cells; it behaves more like... some sort of parasitic organism.”
A living umbilical cord, parasitizing a dead body.
And it even shared a blood relation with Lin Hao.
Just this concept alone was enough to overturn all cognitive reality.
The seven or eight researchers gathered around the glass case remained silent.
They were all elites in their respective fields.
Yet, when faced with this supernatural organism, everyone was like a primary school student on their first day of class—completely clueless.
Everything had to start from scratch.
...
“Has this person's identity been confirmed?” Academician Li asked again.
“Confirmed.”
A young researcher nearby flipped through the files in his hand. “He is a registered ‘Player,’ Lin Hao, male, twenty-five years old.
According to the statements of other survivors, this umbilical cord is a curse he brought back from 《Taiping Cemetery》.”
“Player...”
Academician Li repeated, his brow furrowing even deeper. “In other words, this umbilical cord is likely a product of the Instance?”
“It should be.”
Researcher Zhang nodded and sighed.
“The scale of the Instance was too large this time. Over thirty people went missing all at once. It seems we can no longer keep it a secret.”
Not only could they not hide it, but the authorities also had to make the existence of “Instances” public.
Otherwise, the death toll would only continue to rise.
With over thirty people vanishing simultaneously this time, no clues could be found no matter how they investigated.
It wasn't until the survivors were teleported out, dropping in various locations, and passersby called the police that the authorities managed to piece together the Instance of 《Old Lady Huang's Birthday Celebration》.
Even more bizarrely, there really was a Wenshan Village in reality, and there really was an elderly woman who had been abused to death by her sons.
Although it happened over a decade ago, the sons of the Huang family had also died one after another after the Instance appeared.
Everything was too coincidental.
The authorities suspected that the emergence of the Instance was inextricably linked to the deaths of the four Huang sons.
...
...
“How are things with the other survivors?” Academician Li straightened up, stretching his stiff back.
“They are all in the observation rooms upstairs. Deep psychological interventions have been arranged for them.”
Researcher Zhang reported one by one, “A total of nine fully intact surviving Players:
Su Ya, Yang Asha, Lin Jianguo, Yang Hexuan, Zhou Hui, Ouyang Qiu, Wang Lei, Jiang Chen, and Kang Xiaojia—
Oh, actually, nine living people, plus this tissue sample of Lin Hao, making ten survivors in total.”
She to this day still didn't understand the mechanism by which the Instance determined a Player's survival.
Lin Hao was reduced to nothing but this piece of rotten flesh, yet he was still classified as “surviving.”
Surely this thing couldn't turn back into a human, right?
If it could, then biological scientists all over the world might as well stop studying the mysteries of life and just focus entirely on researching this piece of meat.
“Among the nine Players, three claim to have awakened a ‘Class’.
One is Yang Asha, a fifteen-year-old Miao girl. Her Class is ‘Swordsman.’ She possesses immense strength, and her reaction speed far exceeds that of ordinary people.
During testing yesterday, she broke a twenty-centimeter-thick solid wood table with a single strike from a wooden stick, completely unharmed.”
“The second is Lin Jianguo, who awakened the ‘Cowherd’ Class. He can temporarily gain the vision of cattle.”
“The last one is Kang Xiaojia. She stated that she made a wish to enter the Instance because she was being bullied, and she awakened the ‘Physician’ Class.
Her palms possess self-healing energy. Minor wounds treated by her can scab over and heal within minutes, dozens of times faster than normal healing rates.
We have already arranged for the medical team to conduct detailed testing.”
...
Class.
Skills.
Point Shop.
These concepts, which originally existed only in games, were now vividly appearing in reality.
The laboratory fell silent for a few seconds.
Someone lamented in a low voice, “It's really just like a game... Does that mean we can level up, fight monsters, and get gear drops in the future?”
What on earth would the world and the future become?
“Whether it's true or false, we still have to study it slowly,” Academician Li said in a deep voice. “Don't just stand there being surprised. Let's figure out the matter at hand first.”
He pointed to the umbilical cord inside the glass case.
“This person, Lin Hao—what is his state right now? Is he considered alive, or is he dead?”
No one answered.
From a biological perspective, he should be dead.
But the cellular activity data contradicted all of that.
And that umbilical cord which shared a blood relation with him—no one could say for sure what it actually was.
“I don't think he can be considered a living human anymore,” an older researcher spoke up, his tone solemn.
“With only this much left, even if the cells are alive, it's impossible for the person to come back to life. He can't possibly think or speak using just cells, can he?”
“That's not necessarily true,” another young researcher countered. “We're dealing with supernatural powers now, so what is impossible? Maybe the umbilical cord is his true body?”
“His true body is an umbilical cord? What would that make him? An umbilical cord spirit?”
The arguments were quiet, filled with confusion and helplessness.
A group of people who had spent their entire lives in scientific research had never felt so powerless.
There were no theories, no formulas, no reference materials.
Everything had to be figured out on their own.
It was like walking in the dark, not even knowing if there was a path beneath their feet.
“Look!”
Suddenly, a young researcher keeping watch in front of the glass case cried out, her voice slightly cracking:
“Look at the umbilical cord, quickly! It... it's changing!”
Everyone's heart tightened, and they immediately crowded around.
Under the cold light, the deep purple umbilical cord inside the glass case indeed looked different.
The umbilical cord, which originally had a uniform thickness, had somehow bulged in the middle.
It looked as though it had swallowed a marble, or as if it were pregnant, swelling slightly and becoming a circle thicker than the ends.
The mucous membrane on its surface was stretched extremely tight, gleaming with an oily light, and something seemed to be slowly squirming inside.
Moreover, its twitching frequency had clearly accelerated, contracting and expanding like it was breathing, or perhaps digesting.
The bulging section was still growing at an extremely slow pace, while the surrounding flesh was gradually losing its vitality.
The entire laboratory instantly fell dead silent.
Everyone stared at the umbilical cord, the expressions on their faces shifting from shock to solemnity, and even a hint of fear.
Under the light, they could see an embryo gradually forming within the stretched umbilical cord.
An embryo being “gestated” by a ghostly thing brought out from an Instance, parasitizing a piece of a corpse.
Was it a new life, or was it destruction?
The cold light remained pale, and the monotonous beeping of the instruments echoed through the laboratory.
Everything was only just beginning.
Meanwhile, on the surface, the city was still bustling with heavy traffic and clamoring crowds.
The vast majority of people were still immersed in their ordinary daily lives, completely unaware of the mind-bending changes taking place deep underground.
Nor did they know that their peaceful days had officially entered a final countdown.
...
...
In the rented apartment, Song Mo, who was eating hotpot and singing, sneezed. The words beneath her hand flowed onto the floor like water.
【Limited Script: 《Irish Banshee》】
【Limited Instance: 《Neon Jorogumo》】
【Limited Instance: 《London Ghost Subway》】
Rate on N.U.
