Chapter 1: The Bureau's Central Archives

Shi Rang searched the internet for paranormal events, just as he did every day.

Today was a special day. Sandwiched between "How to Use Qigong and Quantum Mechanics to Reach the Zenith of Your Magnetic Field" and "Forward this message to 5 people or you will die alone," a link he had never seen before appeared:

*The Administration Database Hub*.

He originally thought it was a phishing link, but after clicking it, a remarkably professional loading animation popped up.

*Anomaly Control Administration (C-V-A)*

*WARNING: The Administration Database is highly classified. Unauthorized access is strictly prohibited. Violators will be monitored, geolocated, and dealt with.*

There was no account registration, no login prompt; he was directed straight to the website's homepage. The stark contrast of black, white, and red, combined with the compact page design, made him sit up straight, even though he had entered with the cynical thought of *let's see how you try to hack my computer*.

He didn't really understand what the site was for, so he randomly clicked the top link in the "Recently Added Annotations" column.

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*CVA-B-9913 - "Wasting Time" (Rejected)*

B-9913 is a memetic hazard spread via the internet, typically appearing on ████ and ██ platforms. It attracts visitors through clickbait titles, videos featuring exaggerated behavior, and text media, spreading further through comments, replies, and derivative creations.

Known hazards of B-9913 infection include: inability to stop browsing, a significant drop in focus, reduced cognitive activity and IQ, neglect of primary tasks, and general procrastination.

Identified forms of B-9913 are as follows:

"Today, let's mix █epsi with Co█a-Cola"

"███ milk tea mixed with rice noodle rolls is to die for"

"The grand documentary 《█████》"

"A ten-thousand-word analysis of the movie 《██》"

Application submitted for analysis and to classify B-9913 as a hazardous item under memetic control.

*Application for analysis rejected by the Director of the Intelligence Department.*

*Note: If anyone else uploads a compilation of internet trends just to pad their submission numbers, you will all be sent to the customer service department to answer phone calls. Also, who taught you to use redaction blocks like that?*

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Shi Rang muttered, "Well, they certainly made it look authentic."

It seemed to be a collaborative writing site set against the backdrop of the "Administration"—a secret organization dedicated to containing anomalies and protecting humanity. He knew of a similar "Urban Legend Investigation Forum" and had even written a few stories on it, but this was the first time he had seen a site crafted with such polish.

Was the "Director of the Intelligence Department" who commented at the bottom just an administrator's alt account?

This B-9913 entry was indeed written rather sloppily. When he refreshed the page, it had, unsurprisingly, already been deleted.

Shi Rang clicked on "All Files" in the sidebar and was instantly awed by the sheer volume of entries. Without a doubt, this website possessed a massive community of creators who had accomplished this incredible feat with deep dedication and genuine passion.

As a veteran internet browser—and one who paid close attention to urban legends and the paranormal—Shi Rang's hands began to itch.

This was undoubtedly a treasure trove.

He clicked on an "S-class" entry at the very top and dove right in, browsing through the files by serial number. By the time he snapped out of it, it was nearly midnight.

This method of describing anomalous events using rigorous archival formats and scientific language fascinated him. He already had numerous concepts floating in his head, and now that his creative urge had been sparked, it was unstoppable. He wanted nothing more than to create a new page and start writing immediately. However, since he was on someone else's site, writing haphazardly as a new visitor without understanding the posting rules would likely get him flamed. Yet, there didn't seem to be any guidelines for newcomers...

After lurking for a while to observe the general patterns of the entries, he decided to start with a collaborative contribution.

After refreshing the page a few times, Shi Rang found a suitable target.

*Distortion Phenomenon - "The Visitor" (Under Investigation)*

*According to intelligence gathered, residents of ██ Block in Green Island City, Tenth District, reported to the police that they witnessed a stranger in their home late at night. Multiple similar reports have been filed recently in this community. An on-site investigation is currently underway.*

The user who posted this project was "Field Agent Kyle." From Shi Rang's observations, this was a relatively low user rank.

And the title "Distortion Phenomenon" indicated that this was a very simple story—one only needed to find the pattern and then propose a method to "neutralize" it.

There wasn't much content uploaded yet, and the description was brief, but Shi Rang felt a spark of inspiration.

This was a good opportunity.

He clicked "Edit" in the bottom right corner and, following the template that popped up, began to write extensively.

"Agent Kyle" was also online, updating the "Distortion Phenomenon" with more details in real-time, such as the investigation of the scene and various details provided by the reporting victims. Shi Rang stopped frequently to adjust his writing based on the veteran's new details, occasionally referencing other completed files to ensure there were no lore contradictions.

The website also had an auto-formatting tool that suggested more precise terminology and highlighted grammatical errors in red...

Before long, he was finished.

But he couldn't save it officially just yet, as doing so would overwrite Kyle's work.

Shi Rang continued to wait.

A few seconds later, Kyle finally uploaded the information he wanted.

*All investigation clues submitted.*

Finally, no more new details.

"Here it comes, Kyle," Shi Rang said to himself. After checking for typos, he clicked "Save."

*Please set a username.*

Ah, he had forgotten about that...

Shi Rang usually used the same online handle everywhere, but his common username didn't fit this sci-fi styled forum. He pondered for a long moment, and his eyes happened to drift to the phone on his desk. During a call with his best friend this afternoon, the guy had laughed and teased him, "You're so stubborn, you won't stop until you run head-first into a brick wall."

He had an idea.

*Username "Dump Truck" confirmed.*

*Sent successfully.*

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*All investigation clues submitted.*

*Starting analysis, please wait...*

Just as Kyle was about to press the confirmation button, two figures suddenly dashed past him.

Children ran clumsily and without caution. As they passed, they not only stepped on his foot but also knocked his communicator out of his hand.

Damn it!

Annoyed, he went to pick up the device. After ensuring it wasn't broken, he chased after them, the tactical harness hidden beneath his coat clinking softly. He intercepted the two unruly kids who were running circles around the dining table, grabbed them both by their collars, and dragged them to their parents.

"Are you packed yet? It's almost midnight. Take your kids and get out of here. Find a motel to stay for the night, and don't come back until sunrise!"

Squatting by the luggage, the husband and wife quickly pulled their hyperactive children close. Apologizing repeatedly, they gathered their few belongings and left. They still looked suspicious of this "officer" who had shown up with a police badge and an investigation warrant, but the stack of cash Kyle had handed them kept their complaints at bay.

Kyle suppressed his irritation, gave them a few more warnings, and flipped the main breaker as soon as they stepped out, letting his eyes adjust to the darkness early.

He didn't have a bad temper, but in situations like this, he couldn't help but get angry.

Dealing with civilians was always the most frustrating part.

When danger struck, they either froze like statues or ran around like headless chickens, always making things worse.

The house was enveloped in darkness, with only a sliver of moonlight from the window outlining the furniture, allowing him to navigate to the bedroom without fumbling. Peering out the window to confirm the family of four had actually left the building instead of sleeping on the ground nearby to save money, Kyle finally unbuttoned his coat and readied his firearm.

Amid the metallic clicks of his gun components, the entire block went dark at an astonishing speed. One by one, the houses turned off their lights and went to sleep. Soon, moonlight ruled the area, and the night sky was clear enough to spot shooting stars.

Something felt wrong. It was too quiet...

It usually took hours or even days to get a file back after submitting clues. A distortion phenomenon wouldn't take that long, but even with the best luck, he would have to wait at least thirty minutes. He couldn't just sit here doing nothing.

Kyle racked the slide of his pistol, flipped off the safety, and prepared to fire.

He hated this rundown block, the terrible decor of this house, their noisy kids, and the smell of pureed baby vegetables lingering in the air. Every single thing here was obnoxious, but something strange was happening, and he had to be here in person.

As a field agent of the Administration, tonight, he would resolve this phenomenon alone.