"Zhang Liqin? Hmm, her file doesn't have any problems."
In the communications room, Liu Xiaoyu studied Zhang Liqin's file attentively while taking notes on a notepad with a pencil, "Zhang Liqin, has been possessed by a Ghost Infant, later extracted by Yang Jian using some method, currently freed from the Ghost Infant's control. The extracted Ghost Infant has been detained and sealed by Yang Jian.
The matter is certain without doubt; below is the recording of the whole event."
Then she extracted that segment of the recording, placing the recording USB drive into the file bag.
"From the conversation, it seems that Zhang Liqin's possession by the Ghost Infant might not be an isolated incident. There's suspicion of a similar encounter involving a woman in her residential complex that needs to be investigated and verified. Yang Jian is already on it."
"Send this file to the captain," Liu Xiaoyu wrote on the file bag: "Dachang City Ghost Infant Incident."
"Okay." A staff member immediately took the file bag and left.
Liu Xiaoyu continued to monitor Yang Jian and Zhang Liqin.
Actually, it wasn't so much eavesdropping, but openly listening, since it was done with Yang Jian's consent, maintaining communication twenty-four hours a day.
At that moment, voices transmitted through her headset.
Liu Xiaoyu listened and took notes simultaneously.
This was her job, to have both a recording and written notes to ensure the authenticity of the events, reducing the possibility of the files being tampered with.
But as time passed, she noticed the voices coming from Zhang Liqin and Yang Jian growing stranger.
Her pen abruptly stopped writing, her face gradually tensing, then the voice through the headset made her cheeks instantly flush; she jumped up from her chair like a startled rabbit.
"Yang Jian, you bastard," Liu Xiaoyu couldn't help but curse as her face turned red.
The communications officer next to her laughed, "What's wrong, Liu Xiaoyu? What did your Yang Jian do to upset you this time? I think you should just bear with it. The Yang Jian you're in charge of is one of the better ones.
Last time, Xiao Wang, who was in charge of another spirit master, had it worse; that one would talk to themselves all day, muttering things like 'Death to all,' 'I'll kill your whole family,' 'I want to twist off your head,' scaring Xiao Wang into nightmares and leading to some mental instability."
"With such an incident occurring in Dachang City, he actually, he actually still has the mood to, to get involved with a woman," said Liu Xiaoyu.
The communications officer next to her was confused, "Is that even an issue? That's his private life; we have no right to interfere. As long as there's nothing wrong with Yang Jian's partner's identity, it's fine. But you haven't been working long, so you might not be aware of some things.
You know, some spirit masters are even on the verge of losing control and are no longer able to communicate normally."
"..." Liu Xiaoyu exclaimed in shock, "Really?"
"Ghosts erode the psyche too deeply, and it naturally affects one's thoughts and consciousness. Most spirit masters are alone and helpless, and when faced with the erosion of fierce ghosts, it's normal for them to be unable to resist since they're human after all. In such situations, they do things that are incomprehensible to find some psychological support.
From a medical standpoint, they're all potential psychiatric patients."
"Just look at those who have survived supernatural events, each one of them has psychological trauma, and it's not uncommon for them to break down and go insane."
"Of course, there are spirit masters who are more mentally stable, but given the big data, the number of such individuals is decreasing, while the number of those with mental issues is increasing. Didn't an expert talk about this during a lecture? Overcoming fear requires a strong inner self and a resilient spirit."
"And most spirit masters don't have this temperament. However, through natural selection, those who ultimately survive are unquestionably the strongest spirit masters."
"Why do you think the captain asked you to keep a close eye on Yang Jian? It's because he has this potential. Otherwise, with so many spirit masters under his responsibility, why would he frequently inquire about Yang Jian's affairs?"
The communications officer beside her clearly had ample experience and a broad knowledge.
After being counseled, Liu Xiaoyu's expression softened considerably.
"So, should I record and take notes of this incident?" she asked later with flushed cheeks.
"You decide," her colleague smiled.
Liu Xiaoyu looked at the headset, her heart torn with conflict. After gritting her teeth for a long time and wrestling with her inner turmoil, she eventually put the headset back on, her face still red.
She felt she was slowly becoming twisted.
However, time quickly passed.
Dachang City, seven in the morning.
The entire city was shrouded in darkness, with an ashy black aura pervading the city, making it feel as if it were night during the day.
The only consolation was that the horror was still brewing and had not yet occurred; otherwise, if the city plunged into chaos, it was unthinkable what might happen.
And at this very moment.
Outside a villa in Guanjiang Residential Complex.
A series of gunshots suddenly broke out, awakening the two people in the room.
"Who's so annoying shooting guns early in the morning? Don't people need to sleep?" Yang Jian abruptly opened his eyes, annoyed.
He hadn't really been asleep but was just resting with his eyes closed.
Due to suppressing the fierce ghost, he hadn't slept for a long time.
"What time is it now?" Zhang Liqin, snuggling Yang Jian's neck, asked lazily.
"Seven twenty," answered Yang Jian.
Zhang Liqin slightly opened her eyes, "But why is it still dark outside? Is your clock wrong?"
Yang Jian then noticed that it was indeed still dim outside, but the clock on his phone showed it was already past seven.
But that's morning time; by all means, it should have been daylight by now.
"There's trouble," he said, his expression becoming serious as he suddenly sat up.
He rushed to the window and looked outside quickly.
Indeed, his worst fears had come true. It was past seven in the morning, but it was still dark outside, the sun had not risen, and the sky was covered in a haze of gloom, as if the entire world had fallen into apocalypse.
"Is this supernatural event finally about to erupt?" Yang Jian's expression was grave.