The System Arrived Four Years Early, but the Anomaly Is Still a Juvenile
Chapter 18
“……”
Deng Yuqi’s first reaction upon hearing that headache-inducing voice was to hang up. Her second thought was—What kind of cursed luck does this guy have?
Most people wouldn’t encounter a single supernatural incident in their lifetime, yet you’ve run into two in as many days?
Though she wasn’t thrilled about talking to Shen Ge again, professionalism won out. The priority now was to calm him down.
“Mr. Shen, please stay calm. We have extensive experience handling these situations and will ensure your safety.”
“First, tell me your exact location and describe what’s happening. We’ll respond immediately.”
Shen Ge’s voice remained steady. “I left the office and booked a premium ride home via the BABA app. The car was heading from Chenghong Road toward Chenghua Avenue, but I’m not sure if we’re still on that route. Right now, ours is the only vehicle on the road—I suspect it’s a ‘ghost wall’ scenario.”
He proceeded to detail the car and the driver’s behavior. As he spoke, he could hear the sound of rapid keyboard strokes on the other end.
“Understood. Please stay on the line. Our agents have been dispatched and will search from both your office and Chenghua Road.”
While reassuring Shen Ge, Deng Yuqi coordinated her team.
Soon, hurried footsteps and the sound of engines starting echoed through the phone—clearly, as head of Rong City’s Special Response Department, she was heading out too.
“Mr. Shen, what’s the current situation? Describe what you see outside.” Her voice grew slightly quieter, likely having switched to a Bluetooth earpiece.
“Judging by the storefronts, we’re still on Chenghong Road. Every time we enter Chenghua Avenue, the car loops back to my pickup point at the office. This has happened three or four times since I got in.”
The car kept racing down Chenghong Road in an endless loop. Shen Ge even wondered if he’d ever truly left the pickup spot—just like Cheng Shengnan and Xiao He’s experience yesterday.
It seemed the supernatural entity had pulled him into a bizarre “supernatural space.”
When Cheng Shengnan and Xiao He had “vanished,” it wasn’t just invisibility—people and objects could pass through them as if they’d become spectral, or… shifted into a different dimension.
Deng Yuqi was surprised by Shen Ge’s composure. Most civilians in these situations were too panicked to string together coherent sentences, let alone analyze their surroundings.
“What’s the car’s current speed?” she asked.
Shen Ge glanced at the dashboard. “120.”
Her stomach dropped. At that speed, even if they located the car, forcing it to stop would likely send both vehicles spiraling out of control.
Muting the call, she grabbed the department’s secure radio. “Dispatch two rescue units to the client’s office. Now.”
“Primary objective: Locate the epicenter of the supernatural space. Team 2, bring the anomaly detectors and sweep the area starting from the office building.”
“Team 1 splits up—Huoyu, take the sniper and secure a vantage point nearby. If Team 2 breaches the supernatural space, maintain cover until the vehicle is immobilized. The rest of you block off Chenghong Road with traffic police. Come up with a plausible excuse yourselves.”
After issuing orders, she returned to Shen Ge.
“Mr. Shen, any updates?”
“Not great. Speed’s up to 130 now.”
In racing games, 130 km/h was nothing. On city streets? A death wish.
“…Our agents are in position near your office. Once we pinpoint the anomaly’s range, we’ll extract you.”
Shen Ge, ever curious, asked, “Officer Deng, how do you guys name these incidents? A high-profile department like yours must have cool operation codenames, right? Like Cold War, Typhoon, Storm…”
“Apologies, but our priority is your safety, not branding exercises.” Deng Yuqi barely resisted the urge to sigh. Most victims would be crying or begging for help—not cracking jokes.
Have some respect for the supernatural!
“Fair enough. But what do you call this ‘ghost wall’ phenomenon? Surely that’s not classified? The more I know, the better my chances, right?”
After a pause, Deng Yuqi relented. “These incidents are rare—only six cases in my years with the department. But research suggests a common thread…”
“Affected individuals are pulled into a separate dimension we call a ‘supernatural space.’ Like yesterday, those two women were dragged into one. It exists parallel to our world, which is why you couldn’t see or touch them.”
“There are two ways to break free: First, like you did yesterday, find the entity’s weakness to dismantle the space. Second, identify the space’s ‘rules’ from within and exploit them.”
Only six cases in several years?
Shen Ge frowned. Statistically, his encounter rate was absurdly high.
Is this tied to the system’s activation?
But now wasn’t the time for theories. Deng Yuqi’s explanation had answered his lingering question about “Immobility”—entities with supernatural spaces could shift victims between dimensions.
If mere “spaces” had this effect, how dangerous were the higher-tier “domains” the system warned about?
Earlier, during the “crosswalk” incident, the system repeatedly noted how domains could warp environments.
But survival came first. This car needed to stop.
As Shen Ge scanned the interior and streets for clues, he mused, “Officer Deng, you’ve seen six cases in years. I’ve had two in two days… Am I some kind of chosen one?”
“Unlucky” would be more accurate, Deng Yuqi thought, but opted for diplomacy. “In a manner of speaking… yes.”
“Then you should recruit me. With me around, your caseload won’t just double—it’ll skyrocket.”
Deng Yuqi: “……”
“My salary expectations are modest. Just beat my current pay.”
“……”
She dearly wished she could mute him permanently.
Then Shen Ge declared, “Waiting around’s pointless. Time to cozy up to Driver Uncle and show this entity what a Los Santos legend can do.”
“Mr. Shen—!”