Chapter 135
Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW
Chapter 135: Memetic Infection
Before leaving Tianfeng Mansion, Chu Jiang obtained the Curse Tape from Li Xiaolang, who had been self-isolating. This kid remained calm and never left his room after the incident.
The videotape was not of much importance to Chu Jiang. As soon as he got his hands on it, he rushed to the western district of Luohe City.
At the same time, a huge storm was brewing outside, causing a sensation among various parties.
A new Black Sun appeared out of nowhere above Luohe City!!
It was difficult to keep this a secret, even though Research Institute No. 21 currently possessed the ability to mask special sounds and lights through a combination of advanced technology and the power of the Ghost Master, creating a “Fake Ghost Domain” effect.
However, the Fake Ghost Domain was just a poor imitation and couldn’t cover an entire city, so people who were supposed to see it still saw it.
In this age of booming technology, news of a dramatic change in Luohe City quickly spread. In less than half an hour, it became the focus of national attention, and even drew interest from abroad.
Ever since supernatural occurrences began to resurface, there have been many strange rumors all across the country. For example, in Luoxi City, there was a tale of the entire school population mysteriously disappearing.
But no matter how peculiar the rumors were, since everyone hadn’t seen them with their own eyes, they only listened to half, believed half, or even didn’t believe at all. This time, however, they had witnessed it firsthand and were truly shocked.
As the situation started to escalate, on one hand, ordinary people from nearby cities flocked to this direction to gaze, take pictures, discuss, and spread the news online.
Some even started live streaming directly, and there were daring hosts driving towards Luohe City.
However, all these people were intercepted halfway.
Thanks to Chu Jiang’s previous report, the research institute had already mobilized local military forces to seal off the roads, so no ordinary person could get close to Luohe City.
Amid the various speculations, an official statement was quickly released through official channels: this was a natural disaster. Similar situations had occurred in Europe before and were suspected to be related to solar flares. The relevant authorities believed that they would be able to solve it soon and advised everyone not to approach.
In any case, regardless of whether or not everyone believed it, at least this event had a seemingly “scientific” explanation.
Even the experts came out to explain that even the sun is just an illusion to the naked eye, related to atmospheric refraction, just like the rainbow we often see after rain, and the mirage we occasionally see at the seaside…
On the other hand, in the supernatural circle where people know there are ghosts in this world, the reactions from all parties are even stronger.
This is clearly a supernatural event! It is even possible that it happened abroad before, directly wiping out a small country’s S-class paranormal event[Black Sun].
The only platform in the country where supernatural events can be discussed online, which is the supernatural forum, is now exploding.
Every time you refresh here, you can see piles of new posts and new replies:
“Finally something happened in our country, I told you the revival of the supernatural is getting more and more serious.” 17 (number of replies)
“This is disastrous, Luohe City doesn’t know how many people will die. It’s not something that can be solved by just one person from Luohe City.” 189
“Why would the S-class ghost from abroad come to us?? There must be a conspiracy!” 1078
“I’m Ye Wen and I volunteer! Send me to the front line, I want to fight ten S-class ghosts.” 250
Let’s work together, I found some information about Black Sun, let’s all analyze it.
I really want to say something sarcastic, is the research institute just for eating? What about that mysterious and powerful person you all praised so much?
Who is in charge of Luohe City? Does anyone know?
……
In short, the forum is just a place for ordinary Ghost Masters to chat, even if there are a few informative posts, they quickly get buried.
But there’s a widespread pessimistic atmosphere on the forum, thinking that the best outcome this time is sacrificing only one Luohe City, since an S-class event has already occurred.
You should know that currently, there’s no precedent of a perfectly solved S-class event worldwide.
As for various civilian Ghost Master organizations, they lean towards observing, while also praying that the negative impacts brought by the S-class event don’t escalate further.
Otherwise, the research institute might have to assign people as cannon fodder.
So, what is Research Institute No.21 doing right now?
At headquarters, in a large meeting room, a remote captain-level meeting is taking place…
The attendees include captains from different regions, experts from the research institute, ministers and deputy ministers from various departments, and even the director who is remotely attending.
The lowest-ranking position among them is Chen Yuting, Chu Jiang’s exclusive operator, who looks a little nervous at the moment.
As for the person who is leading the meeting, it is Deputy Minister Liu Xuewen from the Supernatural Department.
Liu Xuewen is already overwhelmed. Even though he is just a deputy minister, he is the one actually doing the work and taking the blame. The minister only has a higher position.
The meeting is already halfway through. Facing colleagues in the room and multiple screens showing captains, Liu Xuewen asks, “So, who is confident to go to Luohe City and solve this matter?”
Silence. The entire meeting room falls into a dead silence…
After a while, an old captain with a cane clears his throat and says, “I don’t think anyone is confident. Haven’t we already sent two captains there?”
“Is it Yuwen Ting and Yu Jiang, right?”
Yuwen Ting, with long hair that reached her ankles, nodded her head. She knew Chu Jiang, but had only seen him twice.
Yu Jiang, on the other hand, was a man wearing a jacket and had a somewhat nonchalant expression. He and Yuwen Ting seemed to be on a helicopter.
“Even if they send more captains, a S-class event cannot be solved just by piling up people. We still need to find the pattern of the ghost.”
“By the way,” the old man continued to ask, “What do the organizations in Europe say? It’s already been so long, why are they still keeping secrets?”
At this moment, Chen Yehua, the expert wearing glasses and a white coat, spoke up. “They have sent over the information they know, but they are also not sure about the full extent of Black Sun.”
“What is currently known is that this S-class ghost has the ability similar to ‘meme infection’.”
“To put it in simpler terms, a meme is a piece of information that can be spread. If, during the process of spreading, it rapidly multiplies like a virus and has a certain influence on a person’s mental state, then it can be called meme infection.”
“Let me give you the simplest example. Have you ever heard of a certain song?”
“Because everyone is playing a certain song everywhere, you remember it; and when there’s no one around, the song keeps playing in your mind over and over again, this is called being infected.”
“Specifically in this S-class event, Black Sun will spontaneously spread a special message. It can be determined that this message should contain the word “paradise”.”
“This message can be spread through language, writing, art, and various other ways; anyone who hears or sees the message could be contaminated by supernatural powers and become a subordinate of an S-class ghost.”
“Infected people don’t pay attention to it at first, but gradually, the phrase keeps coming back and chewing in their head; they might even unconsciously say the phrase in daily life; eventually, they will worship paradise madly, seek paradise, and walk into death.”
“The cognition of infected individuals will be completely distorted by this meme, and we strongly suspect that this “paradise” is related to Black Sun.”
“Wait,” Liu Xuewen couldn’t help but speak up, interrupting Expert Chen’s words, because he suddenly thought of something.
“We will live forever in paradise…” Chen Yuting murmured to herself.
But she seemed completely unaware of this until everyone in the conference room turned their heads to look at her, and she showed a panic-stricken expression, “Wha-what’s wrong?”
Translator: Volume 8 (Chapters 371 – 415) has been published on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D46K48ZK).
