Chapter 42 The Alley (2) Inside the Armed Detective Agency, the atmosphere was more...
Inside the Armed Detective Agency, the atmosphere was more serious than before.
After providing all the information she knew, Ishishita Karin was persuaded by Kunikida Doppo to go home and wait for news of the child's disappearance.
Now, only the core investigators remain within the Armed Detective Agency.
Zhu Yi arrived even faster than they had anticipated.
When Takeichi pushed open the door of the detective agency, his face was still slightly pale, with a smile on his lips. He looked at the members of the Armed Detective Agency with his eyes crinkling, and finally his gaze fell on Kunikida Doppo.
"Mr. Kunikida, Mr. Dazai, Mr. Ranpo, and Dr. Yosano." He nodded slightly and greeted them one by one.
“Takeichi-kun, please have a seat.” Kunikida Doppo gestured to the empty sofa.
Dazai Osamu leaned against the window, his iris-colored eyes subtly observing Takeichi.
The other person's aura seemed more restrained than when he was discharged from the hospital. That sense of incongruity still existed, but it was cleverly concealed beneath a gentle appearance, which made it impossible for Dazai Osamu to find anything wrong.
Edogawa Ranpo continued eating his snacks, but his emerald green eyes would occasionally glance at Takeichi.
Just as Dazai had said, Edogawa Ranpo stopped eating his snacks. Logically, there was nothing unusual about the other party, but intuitively—that feeling that something was wrong—could not be ignored no matter what.
Zhu Yi is still Zhu Yi.
There haven't been many changes.
This is the point of confusion for Edogawa Ranpo.
"What are your thoughts on that alley, Takeichi-kun?" Kunikida Doppo asked directly.
Zhu Yi walked to the sofa and sat down. He organized his thoughts, blinked his wine-red eyes, and after a moment of contemplation, slowly said, "Based on my perception and past experience..."
He chose a vague statement.
"These strange tales, which are based on specific locations and require the triggering of rules to manifest, are usually related to a strong collective unconscious or a core obsession."
"The name of the alley is quite interesting, isn't it? Based on the characteristics of the missing children, it makes me think of a possibility."
"Perhaps it's related to a lost childhood or an irretrievable past."
Take paused, observing everyone's reactions, before continuing, "The triggering condition is just as Mr. Ranpo predicted; it is very likely related to a strong desire to search for or return, or a specific, um... keepsake related to childhood."
"The missing children are all around the same age, which may be a key factor in this age group."
"So, we might need a decoy?" Yosano Akiko asked, arms crossed.
“Theoretically yes, but the risks are huge.” Zhu Yi agreed, while also pointing out the risks: “We don’t know what we will face after entering that space, nor do we know how to get out. Blindly sending out decoys could very likely cause more disappearances.”
"And we can't use innocent children as bait," Kunikida Doppo said.
Zhu nodded.
"Do you have any suggestions, Takeichi?" Dazai Osamu asked with interest.
“I can try to delve into a deeper level of perception.”
Zhu Yi said, "My abilities are quite sensitive to these energy fluctuations, which is why I can often find strange tales. Perhaps I can peek into some internal situations without triggering the rules, or find a safer way to intervene."
Kunikida Doppo looked at Edogawa Ranpo and Dazai Osamu, seeking their opinions.
“That sounds like a safe approach.” Edogawa Ranpo nodded. “The famous detective also wants to go into that alley and is very curious about what it will be like inside. But it would be too difficult to go in directly. Takeichi, it’s up to you.”
Dazai Osamu shrugged: "I have no objection."
"However, Zhu Yi, you've just recovered, are you sure you're alright?"
"Thank you for your concern. It's just about sensing things, so the energy expenditure isn't too great," Zhu Yi said with a smile.
"I'll go with you. After all, you're injured, and I might be able to help." Yosano Akiko wiped her machete.
So the group returned to the alley entrance. It was nearly dusk, and the afterglow of the setting sun stretched the shadows at the alley entrance longer, making the depths of the alley appear even darker.
“I need to concentrate at the alley entrance,” Zhu Yi said, then sat cross-legged a few steps away from the alley entrance and closed his eyes.
Kunikida Doppo and Yosano Akiko stood guard nearby, while Dazai Osamu and Edogawa Ranpo carefully observed Takeichi and the changes in the alley.
Zhu Yi wasn't entirely acting.
He did need to concentrate, but not for any kind of perception; rather, he needed to connect with the system and invoke the essential power within him that belonged to the original world, to resonate with and analyze the strange tale before him.
[Target locked: Anomalous spatial node ahead.]
[Deep analysis is being enabled.]
[Analysis in progress...]
[Rule established: Dream core/Distorted childhood memories]
[Main Rules of Ghost Stories:]
Triggering conditions: Individuals with a strong desire to find lost items or return to the past (priority: children over adults) and who possess a keepsake closely related to their own childhood.
Anomaly Space Characteristics: A two-layered structure. The outer layer is a real alleyway, while the inner layer is a distorted space constructed based on the intruder's memories.
The operating logic is as follows: Capture those who meet certain criteria and pull them into the underworld, forming a labyrinth. The labyrinth continuously replays and distorts the intruder's most profound or regrettable childhood memories, feeding on their emotions. When their emotional energy is exhausted or the intruder suffers a mental breakdown, the individual will be forever lost in the depths of the labyrinth, becoming part of the ghost story's structure.
[Current Ghost Story Energy Level: Low (Growing)]
[2 trapped individuals detected]
Should we attempt intervention and connection?
As expected, it's a ghost story related to memories, and similar to the previous one, it's the type that lives by consuming emotional energy.
After he selected "Yes", an energy that no one noticed silently approached the inner space of the alley like transparent tentacles.
After connecting to the ghost story through the system, Zhu Yi discovered that although the two children were still alive, they were in terrible condition. At the same time, this ghost story had the potential to grow into a higher-level ghost story, just like the low-level ghost story in the crack in the wall.
To Kunikida Doppo and the others, Takeichi was simply sitting quietly, his brows furrowed in discomfort, as if he had sensed something.
In Takeichi's vision, he pierced through the barrier of reality and saw the labyrinth hidden beneath the ordinary alleyways.
The walls of the maze looked like they were pieced together from old building blocks and yellowed photos. Colorful bubbles floated in the air. Zhu Yi also heard music from a music box, but the sound was distorted and grating. He also vaguely heard children crying and laughing, the two sounds intertwined.
Zhu Yi avoided the core energy body of the ghost story, otherwise his spying would easily be discovered by the other party.
He focused his perception on the periphery, trying to find structural weaknesses or nodes that could guide and manipulate its development.
Just then, something unexpected happened.
Perhaps it was the essential energy of the original world within Zhu Yi that stimulated it, or perhaps it was Zhu Yi's actions that triggered its defense mechanism. The inner space suddenly began to fluctuate violently, and a powerful suction force came from the depths of the alley, its target being Zhu Yi, who was sensing it.
Dazai Osamu was the first to notice something was wrong: "Watch out!"
Zhu Yi opened his eyes, a hint of surprise in his wine-red pupils. He hadn't expected the ghost story to react so violently. He tried to sever the connection, but the suction force held Zhu Yi firmly in place, beginning to pull at his body.
"Takeichi!" Kunikida Doppo exclaimed, rushing forward to try and grab him.
"Don't come any closer," Zhu Yi said, frowning. "It has locked onto my senses, and forcibly interrupting it might harm my mind."
Zhu quickly began to think of a solution.
Forcefully resist? His condition has not fully recovered, and he may not be able to withstand this strange phenomenon of being in a fully recovered state.
To be pulled along by the tide? This would be an opportunity to investigate deeply and even influence it from within, but the risk is extremely high. He cannot predict what will happen in the maze, and some things will be completely exposed to the detective agency.
In a flash, he made his decision.
While pretending to struggle against the suction, Zhu Yi leaned forward slightly, his face becoming even paler, and secretly used the system to inject some of the ghost stories he had just acquired into the restless inner space.
His goal is to use the energy earned from the Ghost Stories Points to soothe and guide the situation, trying to calm it down, or at least change the target of the attack.
[Consumes 500 Ghost Stories Points]
[Strange Tales Command: Energy Injection. Objective—Stabilize the spatial structure and reduce aggression.]
Through the system, energy gradually flows into the maze, spreading throughout the space like a tranquilizer.
The restless inner space seemed to pause slightly, and the suction weakened for a moment. But in that instant, Zhu Yi saw the blurry figures of two children huddled in a corner deep in the maze, shrouded in colorful shadows.
It was Ishishita Taro and another missing child.
At the same time, a memory surged into Takeichi's mind through the energy connection.
"Ugh..." Zhu Yi let out a muffled groan of discomfort, his body swaying as he forcibly severed the energy connection and mental perception.
The suction force disappeared as Zhu Yi cut it.
He stood up and staggered, but was supported by Kunikida Doppo who came forward in time.
"Are you alright?" Kunikida Doppo asked with concern.
Takeichi caught his breath, his wine-red eyes looking at Kunikida Doppo who was concerned about him, his face showing just the right amount of exhaustion and lingering fear: "I'm fine, just a bit mentally drained. This thing is more dangerous than I thought."
He looked up at everyone, his tone grave: “I saw that there was indeed a distorted space inside, like a maze. The two children are still inside, but they are in very poor mental condition, trapped by some kind of supernatural force.”
He omitted specific details about the energy injection and the reception of memory fragments, sharing only the key intelligence.
“Furthermore,” Zhu Yi added, “the formation of this ghost story is probably not just due to geographical legends. I sensed a very strong sense of regret and obsession belonging to adults. It may not only originate in children, but perhaps… it is a ghost story that grew out of a certain tragedy.”
This information made everyone fall into deep thought.
If a ghost story is related to a specific tragic event, then solving it is not as simple as breaking the rules.
-----------------------
Author's Note: There will be extra chapters; the author is working hard to write...
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
