Travel through time, and then establish an anomaly management bureau!

Page 59

"Good heavens!" he muttered to himself, his gaze sweeping over the quiet yet unusually "noisy" manor before him. "The 'pollution' concentration here is so high it's practically dripping water! It's no wonder the Silver Glow family has these rumors. It wouldn't be surprising if anything bizarre happened here."

Old John, the coachman, was already pale-faced, gripping the reins tightly and not even lifting his buttocks from his seat. He urged repeatedly, "Sir! We've arrived! The fare is 1 sola and 15 pfennigs!"

He clearly didn't want to stay there a moment longer.

Zhang Su smiled understandingly, said nothing more, and counted out the corresponding silver and copper coins and handed them to him as instructed.

Old John took the money, not daring to look at the manor again. He hurriedly turned his horse around, cracked his whip, and drove the carriage away at a much faster speed than when he came, as if an invisible evil spirit was chasing him.

After dismissing the coachman, Zhang Su straightened his collar, maintained a cautious and vigilant state of mind, and stepped towards the manor's tightly closed, massive iron gate, engraved with intricate emblems.

The closer you get, the clearer the unusual sense of oppression becomes, and the air itself feels heavy.

However, in stark contrast to the deathly silence inside the manor, the area outside the gate was unexpectedly... bustling.

On either side of the gate, a dozen or so people were sitting sparsely.

Most of them were dressed in decent woolen coats or neat work clothes, and looked like middle-class people—journalists, tabloid editors, or simply idle people with money and time.

Each of them brought their own folding stool and sat there. Some were talking in hushed tones, some were writing something in their notebooks, and many more were craning their necks, trying to peek inside the manor through the gaps in the fence.

Most notably, each of them wore a rather extravagantly designed metal device around their neck.

The thing was about the size of a small suitcase, made of brass and matte black cast iron, covered with various knobs, small pressure gauges, protruding lenses, and pipes of varying thicknesses.

A huge, trumpet-shaped sound collector or lens extends from the front of the main body, and is connected to a complex support frame that requires shoulder straps for support.

The instrument also has a small crank on the side that needs to be wound manually, as well as a small valve for releasing excess steam.

The entire device is full of rugged steampunk aesthetics, both bulky and sophisticated. It is more like a small field equipment that requires two people to operate than a portable device.

"This is... a camera from this world?" Zhang Su wondered. This thing looked much more complex and heavy than the old-fashioned cameras he knew.

His approach quickly attracted the attention of the group—a rare person dressed in high-class attire was bound to draw attention.

A rather clever-looking young man wearing a baseball cap was the first to stand up, a professional smile on his face, and greeted Zhang Su: "Hello, sir! Judging from your attire and demeanor, are you a guest visiting the Silver Glow family?"

He instinctively covered the expensive "iron lump" in front of his chest with his hand, as if he treasured it.

Zhang Su stopped and looked directly at the camera, replying politely, "No, I'm just like you. I'm simply curious about the 'rumors' here and came to see if I could find out anything."

As soon as he finished speaking, the eyes of the "reporters" who had initially been somewhat expectant, thinking that the visitors to the manor might be able to dig up some news, dimmed, and they sat back down on their small stools, resuming their previous state of listless waiting.

Only the young man in the baseball cap maintained his smile, but his enthusiasm had clearly diminished.

“So you’re in the same line of work too,” the young man chuckled, his tone becoming more casual. “Then you’ll have to be patient. Silvershine Manor is like an impregnable fortress now. Apart from their own carriages and authorized suppliers, no outsiders can get in. We’ve been waiting here for days, and we haven’t even managed to get a picture of that young master Elion. All we can do is take pictures of the gate, or occasionally, if we’re lucky, we might manage to get a picture of the butler or a senior servant’s carriage going out on business.”

He patted the heavy machine on his chest, making a dull metallic sound: "Sigh, this thing is exhausting to carry. If I can't get some exclusive footage, the editor-in-chief will definitely scold me to death."

Volume 2: Chapter 14: Infiltrating the Manor

Zhang Su introduced himself to the reporter in the baseball cap, saying, "Hello, my name is Li Ying. What's your name?"

This is the pseudonym he just came up with; if he keeps using his real name, it might attract attention.

Upon seeing this, the young reporter quickly put down the handkerchief he was wiping the camera lens, stood up, and shook hands with Zhang Su.

His palms were slightly sweaty, with fine oil stains from years of handling metal instruments: "Cotton Lyle, foreign correspondent for the Michigan Chronicle. Nice to meet you, Mr. Li Ying."

"Nice to meet you." Zhang Su withdrew his hand, casually glancing around at the closed manor gates and the listless crowd. "Cotton, how long have you been squatting here? Have you made any valuable discoveries?"

Cotton sighed, shrugged dramatically, and patted the heavy camera hanging around his neck: "It's been almost half a month, Mr. Li Ying. Valuable? Zero. Utterly zero. Just like I said before, apart from a few wagons transporting food and daily necessities, and a few servants hurrying around with their mouths shut tighter than a safe, we haven't even caught a glimpse of that young master Elion. The Silvershine family is just too mysterious!"

Zhang Su nodded, then lowered his voice and asked, "What about at night? Do you keep watch at night too? In the past two weeks, have you noticed anything... particularly strange about this place?"

"At night?" Cotton seemed to be reminded of something, and subconsciously pulled his coat tighter, even though it was daytime. "At night... if I had to say, it's cold. Super damn cold, eerily cold!"

He leaned closer, his voice filled with deep worry, and said, “As soon as the sun sets, the temperature here plummets, like falling into an ice cave! It’s not like late autumn at all. We have to wear thick coats, light a fire, and drink hot coffee constantly to get through it. Otherwise, we might really freeze to death outside. I really don’t know how the Silver Glow family has managed to live in there for two hundred years… They’re simply inhuman!”

Zhang Su chimed in, "You guys must have worked really hard. Didn't you ever think about giving up and finding a different news angle?"

Cotton shook his head helplessly: "We've been given a strict order to stay here long-term until we get a 'big story.' But thankfully, the newspaper is giving us extra travel and hazard pay, so everyone's putting up with it for the money. It's not too bad."

"Thank you for letting me know, this information is very useful," Zhang Su said politely.

Cotton then asked him, "Mr. Li Ying, what about you? Are you also planning to stay here for a while?"

“No,” Zhang Su shook his head, his tone relaxed, “I just came to take a look, intending to walk around this fence and try my luck. If I don’t find anything, I’ll go back.” After saying that, he nodded to Cotton, then turned and walked along the tall, black wrought iron fence in the direction where there were fewer people.

"Hey, wait a minute! Mr. Li Ying, I know this place quite well, how about I come with you?" Cotton's voice came from behind, with a hint of urgency that was barely perceptible.

He was eager to get new information, and Mr. Li Ying in front of him was clearly a rare entry point.

Zhang Su didn't stop walking, but simply raised his hand and waved it behind him: "No need, thank you. I prefer to observe quietly by myself."

His real purpose was to find a secluded corner to sneak in; he would never have followed anyone.

Cotton hesitated for a moment, then his tone became more tactful: "Alright, then be careful. See you later?"

"See you later," Zhang Su replied, though he thought to himself that there probably wouldn't be a later.

He maintained a leisurely pace and walked forward for about five or six minutes until he confirmed that the nearest stakeout behind him had also disappeared around the corner and that Yuan Shu had not indicated that there were any other people nearby.

He stopped and looked up at the fence, which was over two meters high and had sharp points at the top.

"Here it is," he murmured, preparing to act, when suddenly a calm prompt from Yuan Shu echoed in his mind:

[Chief, at the three o'clock position, about fifty meters away, a reporter named Cotton Lyle is approaching covertly using the shadows of trees and bushes. His tracking skills are decent, but he hasn't been able to completely avoid environmental dust and air currents. Recommendation to take action.]

Zhang Su's eyes turned cold, but a predictable smile curled at the corner of his lips. "So you did follow me after all. Curiosity, or perhaps a reporter's professional instinct?"

He immediately changed his plan, silently reciting in his mind: 'The cornerstone is inside the fence, at my current location. Deploy Substitute #1.'

The moment the command was given, the air inside the deep shadows of the fence rippled like water.

A tall and agile figure solidified silently.

The stand-in appeared with a woman's face that had a classical Eastern charm, with delicate eyebrows and eyes but no expression. Her long black hair was neatly tied back. She was still wearing a black action suit that fit her body well, outlining her almost perfect figure, while also ensuring ultimate silence and agility.

She stood there silently, as if she had merged into the shadows themselves.

Then, a portion of Zhang Su's consciousness separated and took over the vision and control of Stand No. 1.

The double then moved swiftly and silently along the inside of the fence, towards the direction where Cotton was lurking.

Through the double's eyes, Zhang Su clearly saw Cotton crouching behind a thicket of azaleas, cautiously peeking out to search for "Li Ying's" figure, his face showing a mixture of smugness and excitement.

He thought to himself, "This rare person is definitely not just looking; he seems to be trying to climb over. If I can get a picture of him climbing over, I can go back and report!"

Thinking this, he already raised the heavy steam camera, ready to take a picture...

At this moment, Stand 1 nimbly vaulted over the fence like a cat, landing silently, and quietly crept to within two meters of Cotton.

Cotton was completely unaware of this; all his attention was focused on what was in front of him.

Zhang Su controlled the stand-in, pulled the old, rusty 'Bloodthirsty Dagger' from the leg straps, stepped forward, and moved with lightning speed. He covered Cotton's mouth and nose with his left hand to prevent him from making a sound, and with his right hand, he made an extremely slight cut on the exposed side of Cotton's neck—not even much blood flowed, just a thin red line.

"Uh!" Cotton's eyes widened instantly, his pupils dilating.

A strong, anemic feeling of weakness suddenly struck, making me dizzy and draining all the strength from my limbs. A cold, numb sensation spread from the wound throughout my body.

He didn't even get a clear look at the attacker before his consciousness sank into darkness, and his body slumped forward. Stand 1 gently laid him down on the ground to avoid making a loud noise.

The stand-in glanced indifferently at the unconscious reporter and flicked the blood off the dagger.

Zhang Su himself also felt a slight, fleeting thirst, which he easily suppressed.

'Done.' Zhang Su thought to himself, withdrawing the substitute.

He looked up at the fence again.

Now that the obstacles are cleared, it's time to go in and take a look.

Without further hesitation, Zhang Su took a half step back, his gaze fixed on the top of the fence.

If it were the version of myself before the time travel, whose poor health was due to long hours working, I would probably only be able to sigh in despair at this obstacle that is over two meters high and has a sharp tip.

But at this moment, this body, strengthened by the 'abnormal energy within the void space,' possesses power far exceeding that of ordinary people.

He bent his knees slightly, then suddenly exerted his strength, leaping up like an arrow released from a bow, easily surpassing the height that ordinary people would have to climb with difficulty.

His movements were fluid and precise. His right hand lightly touched the top of the railing, not for leverage, but more like an elegant positioning. His whole body then used the momentum to flip over in mid-air. The movements were clean and crisp, with an almost instinctive coordination.

Upon landing, my feet tread lightly on the soft, damp grass inside the manor, almost without making a sound, and my knees naturally cushioned the impact of the fall.

He straightened up, casually brushing off the rust and dust from his hands, as if he had just done a trivial task.

He looked at the vast, quiet manor that was filled with an eeriness, and silently said in his mind, "Yuan Shu, search for the core source of the most intense abnormal aura in the manor, plan a route, and take me there."

[Command confirmed. Scanning... Analyzing spectral characteristics... Locating the energy focal point...] Source Hub's voice was as efficient and calm as ever, but a few seconds later, its feedback carried a rare hint of a [warning]: [Search complete. Target locked. However, we must remind the Director that the danger level of this anomaly far exceeds your current capabilities. Forcibly contacting it carries an extremely high risk. We recommend immediately moving away and attempting again after your capabilities have improved.]

Upon hearing this, Zhang Su immediately stopped in his tracks, frowning as he said, "Is it really that dangerous...? Well, I'll heed your advice and not be so reckless as to take on this challenge."

But his curiosity remained undiminished. "However, where exactly does it come from? I need to have some basic information about it, right?"

Yuan Shu responded, his tone calm yet revealing a puzzling message: "The source of the anomaly is not a specific object or creature within the manor. To be precise, the anomaly is 'the manor itself.' To elaborate further: the anomaly isn't entirely manifested in your current dimension of reality, but rather primarily exists on its 'other side.' Its anomalous nature is so powerful that its aura has penetrated the dimensional barrier, permeating and spreading throughout your current 'normal' dimension."

This explanation carried a complexity that transcended the laws of conventional physics, causing Zhang Su to pause slightly, feeling a bit confused.

“Wait… Yuan Shu, what do you mean? ‘The other side’? ‘Dimensional barrier’? Could you explain it again in terms that a novice enthusiast of mysticism like me can understand?” he asked.

【Understood. Please understand that I've simplified the explanation for you.】 Yuan Shu readily agreed. 【You can think of it as the 'shadow of the manor.' But this 'shadow' isn't an optical phenomenon; it's a real, overlapping, yet independent 'sub-dimensional projection' of the current manor. Like a person and…his shadow, reality is the subject, and the anomaly occurs in its 'shadow'—that is, in the sub-dimensional projection. The manor you see and touch now is a relatively 'normal' entity in the current dimension, but its 'shadow' has undergone an extremely dangerous distortion. It is the aura emanating from that distorted 'shadow' that pollutes the reality here.】

Zhang Su finally understood and exclaimed in realization, "Oh! If you had said so earlier, I would have understood! It's like a mirror space, an inner world, or a small secret space attached to the main world, right?"

"Your analogy is somewhat similar in common understanding," Yuan Shu affirmed, but then added rigorously, "However, 'mirror space,' 'inner world,' and 'secret realm' differ in their strict mystical definitions and are independent concepts. To avoid confusion for the Director at this stage, I will not elaborate further. I will provide a detailed analysis when we encounter relevant specific examples in the future."

"Alright, you're the expert, I'll listen to you." Zhang Su decisively abandoned the idea of ​​delving deeper, looked around, and realized that his original plan to strike at the heart of the matter had obviously failed.

"So, we've come all this way for nothing? The target is right in front of us, yet we can't reach it. How boring." He shrugged, but there wasn't much disappointment on his face. Instead, a playful smile appeared on his face. "However, there's an old saying in my hometown: 'Since we're already here,' we can't just slink back like this without doing anything, can we? That would be too embarrassing."

He stroked his chin, his gaze shifting to the magnificent building on the distant hill, a blend of Gothic and steampunk styles. An idea popped into his head: "Yuan Shu, since we're already here... how about we 'visit' that young master Elion von Silvershine? We can use the discovery of this 'Shadow Manor' to scare him and urge him to come to our Administration Bureau for an interview and report for duty."

“After all,” he smiled like a blue cat about to play a prank, “an invitation isn’t valid forever; it won’t last forever.”

……

Inside the study of the owner's villa at Silver Glow Manor.

Elion von Silver closed the heavy book in his hands and rubbed his slightly tired brow.

He stood up and slowly walked towards the huge stained-glass window on the left.

Outside the window, the gloomy sky characteristic of the outskirts of the city remained unchanged.

The leaden-gray clouds hung low, like thick ink that could never be dissolved, showing no sign of clearing skies.

The faint, cold light struggled to penetrate the clouds, shrouding the manor in a somber gray hue.

He instinctively placed his palm on the cold glass, feeling the chill that penetrated the material.

"Why is the sky over Silvershine Manor always like this?" he muttered to himself, an unshakeable unease clinging to his heart like vines. "Could those rumors be true? Is our family truly cursed by some indescribable being?"

This thought, like a venomous snake, kept coiling around his mind.

Just as his mind was wavering—

A sudden, chilling shiver ran down his spine, making every hair on his body stand on end!

Something is wrong!

There's someone else in the study!

He turned around abruptly, his heart pounding in his chest, his eyes scanning the room with terror.

really!

In the shadows near the door, on the high-backed armchair he usually used to place his books, sat a figure who should never have been there!

The man wore a perfectly tailored, stark black suit with sharp lines, and a low-brimmed bowler hat that completely obscured the upper half of his face, revealing only his taut jawline and a cold, expressionless mouth.

He sat comfortably back in his chair, one leg elegantly crossed over the other, his hands clasped on his knees.

Although he couldn't see the eyes, Elion could clearly feel that the scrutinizing gaze was firmly locked onto him.

It was the same mysterious man in a suit that we encountered a few days ago on the "Hailongji"!

"It's you?!" Elion exclaimed in shock, instinctively taking a half-step back, his back pressed against the cold windowpane.

The man in the suit—Mr. K—raised his head slightly, the shadow under his hat seeming to ripple, and a calm, magnetic, and cold voice rang out in the silent study:

“It’s me. We meet again, Mr. Elion von Silvershine.”

“The incident happened so suddenly last time that I didn’t have time to introduce myself in detail. I am a senior investigator from the ‘Curtain Cornerstone Administration’. You can call me Mr. K.”