INHA Chapter 42

Tian Ze, who originally thought he had a rugged, manly look, was instantly displeased and looked even more intimidating.

Lin Jingyun saw that the number of viewers had exceeded two thousand, with the comments either laughing or advising against pretending to be official for the sake of gaining popularity. She pretended not to notice because she was still unsure if this so-called Bureau was real. Half a month ago, she had seen a trending topic about this live stream but hadn’t expected it to be related to these two people.

Xu Dongyou noticed some particularly unpleasant comments in the stream. Though he felt a bit displeased, he believed that viewers would eventually realize that the content of the live stream was genuine. He chose to ignore those comments and gently tugged on Tian Ze’s sleeve, quietly reminding him, “Captain, we should get to work.”

Tian Ze snapped back to reality, cleared his throat, and said, “Ah, okay, let’s first deal with Ms. Lin’s situation.”

Upon hearing this, Lin Jingyun stopped worrying about the live stream and the mysteriously disappearing camera. She decided to believe it was all real, as long as they could help her solve these strange occurrences.

When Tian Ze got serious, he was quite intimidating. He tapped the table, resisting the urge to smoke, and asked Lin Jingyun, “I’ll ask, you answer. First, before you heard the laughter, did anything else happen? Any unusual events?”

Lin Jingyun thought seriously and shook her head, “No, everything was normal.”

Meanwhile, the live stream viewers were growing more numerous and confused by the conversation between Tian Ze and Lin Jingyun.

【Aren’t the hosts going to give a bit of background? Even if it’s scripted, they should tell us what’s been happening.】

【Don’t be too harsh on new streamers. Everyone starts small and grows.】

【Assuming this stream survives tomorrow. I’m saying it now: this channel will be shut down within three months.】

Noticing these comments out of the corner of his eye, Xu Dongyou felt frustrated at having overlooked this detail and quietly told the camera, “Okay, after the captain finishes asking questions, I’ll explain the background story.”

【Lol, the guy seriously answered. Did he forget the script?】

【I’m captivated by his looks even though I forget what he looks like the next second. He seems really good-looking!】

【Doesn’t anyone find it strange that a live stream can make you forget what the host looks like?】

【I think it might actually be real. That trending topic was huge, and a lot of people believed the video was genuine. No official statement debunked it either.】

The comments continued to scroll as Tian Ze, with a stern demeanor, insisted that Lin Jingyun think carefully and not overlook any seemingly trivial details.

Seeing Tian Ze’s serious attitude, Lin Jingyun racked her brain and, after a few minutes, shook her head again, “No, nothing.”

Tian Ze exchanged a look with Xu Dongyou, both sensing something unusual about this case.

Logically, there should have been some unusual events before the main incident occurred. However, it’s also possible that the unusual event was so mundane that Lin Jingyun didn’t even notice it. For instance, Hou Mingjun experienced an unusual event before hearing footsteps on the stairs, but the “chewing gum” incident was too insignificant to stand out.

Tian Ze turned to Xu Dongyou and said, “Try using your ability to see what kind of incident this is.”

Xu Dongyou shook his head, “I can’t. Maybe it’s because we’re looking at it through a phone, but I can’t tell.”

Tian Ze decisively said, “Then let’s go to Ms. Lin’s shop and see for ourselves. I bought some Concealment Talismans before coming here, which we can use.”

Concealment Talismans can temporarily conceal the presence of a person or building. This doesn’t make them invisible but reduces their presence, making it harder to notice them unless someone is actively looking.

Xu Dongyou felt a bit guilty about Tian Ze spending money and was frustrated with himself for not considering this earlier. He decided to make a few high-quality Strength Talismans as a thank-you after the live stream. Although he hadn’t known Tian Ze for long, Xu Dongyou could tell that Tian Ze was kind-hearted, had a strong sense of justice, and was straightforward. Being overly polite might make Tian Ze uncomfortable.

Lin Jingyun instinctively resisted, saying, “I-I don’t want to go.”

The thought of the creepy teddy bear in her shop terrified her. Who knows if the bear is lurking in some dark corner, waiting with a sinister grin?

“How else are we going to lure that thing out? Do you want to stay in this room forever? Let me tell you, that thing won’t stay in the shop forever,” Tian Ze said coldly, voicing Lin Jingyun’s worst fear.

Lin Jingyun shivered, then slowly looked up, “Can you really guarantee that you can solve this?”

Xu Dongyou whispered to Tian Ze, “Captain, what should we do now?”

Tian Ze responded without hesitation, “Usually, I have Kuang Zhannu demonstrate her strength, and people believe us since my ability isn’t easy to showcase.”

Xu Dongyou nodded quickly, understanding what to do. He activated his demon power and focused on the kettle on the coffee table, which still contained about half a kettle of water. He used his mind to manipulate the water, unscrewing the lid and causing the water to flow out smoothly, like silk, and form into a small humanoid figure.

Lin Jingyun was stunned, unable to believe what she was seeing.

Meanwhile, nearly two thousand viewers were watching this miraculous scene in the live stream. The comments were scrolling even faster than before.

【It’s happening! The special effects that don’t even look like special effects are back, just as I suspected.】

【As I thought, it’s all scripted.】

【Every special effects team should learn from this live stream. I’ve had enough of low-budget effects.】

【How is this done? Can someone explain?】

【I have a bold theory: Could this host be the same person who saved the day in that video of the monster fish attacking the boat? Both can control water.】

【I think it’s the same person; their jawline looks similar.】

New viewers continued to join, amazed by what they saw.

【Wow, these effects are so realistic.】

【This is amazing! I nominate this live stream platform as the best special effects team, even better than professional movie studios. They should consider making a movie; I’d definitely buy a ticket.】

【Even if the plot is bad, I’d buy a ticket just for these effects. It’s a shame this live stream isn’t in 3D.】

The staff monitoring the live stream were helpless. The higher-ups had ordered them not to reveal any official involvement for now, to gauge the public’s reaction to these events.

In the end…

The Anomaly Handling Bureau had considered various possibilities and outcomes, but they never anticipated this one. Even though the live stream couldn’t possibly produce such realistic special effects, the general public stubbornly believed it was all effects. Faced with inexplicable phenomena, they simply attributed it to special effects and even seriously suggested that the non-existent effects team should make movies.

This turn of events was beyond comprehension.

The monitoring staff were troubled, unsure how to report this to their superiors. They could only continue keeping an eye on the live stream, ready to handle any situation or issue that might arise.

Xu Dongyou was still manipulating the little figure made of water, which was standing lively on the coffee table. Lin Jingyun finally snapped out of her shock and carefully reached out to poke the little figure. The figure instantly turned into a puddle of water, then reformed into droplets, floating back into Xu Dongyou’s hand.

Lin Jingyun could still feel the sensation of water on her fingertips, but there was no moisture, leaving her questioning whether she had actually touched the little figure. It was incredibly miraculous.

After the demonstration, Xu Dongyou tossed the water ball into the trash can, where it turned back into a puddle of water. This scene was clearly visible not only to Lin Jingyun but also to the live stream viewers.

The comments, which had been confidently declaring everything to be special effects, suddenly went silent.

Then, a hesitant comment appeared.

【Is… this also special effects…?】

【Same question. Can special effects really create real water droplets?】

【What if… this is also special effects?】

【…】

The viewers began questioning whether the events were real or fake, but Lin Jingyun had an inkling that these two might actually be from the Anomaly Handling Bureau. Maybe the previous video was real too.

“Can we go to the shop now?” Tian Ze tapped the table, drawing Lin Jingyun’s attention back.

Lin Jingyun responded with an “Ah!” and quickly nodded. Though she was still afraid, she knew she couldn’t stay at home forever. Besides, there was no guarantee that the creepy teddy bear wouldn’t follow her home, so it was better to take a chance.

She quickly stood up, saying, “I’ll go change clothes and get the keys.”

While waiting, Xu Dongyou took the opportunity to explain the general situation to the viewers.

After he finished, the comments started flooding in again.

【Can we see that video? I want to see the moving teddy bear, whether it’s special effects or not!】

【+1】

【The host already said that only he can see and hear the teddy bear and the laughter, not even the captain can. You should understand the reason.】

【Those who know, know.】

Xu Dongyou was momentarily stunned, looking confused, “Huh?”

He didn’t quite understand the meaning behind a few of the comments, but he truly couldn’t show the video to the live audience. First, the viewers wouldn’t be able to see it, and second, Lin Jingyun had already taken the phone inside with her.

Xu Dongyou thought for a moment and then addressed the camera, “While we have this time, I can answer some questions for everyone. The purpose of this live stream is to educate the public about strange phenomena.”

Although Tian Ze couldn’t see the camera, he could see the live feed on the phone, so he added, “It’s good for you to listen.”

His words were like pearls of wisdom.

【Hahaha. He’s really getting into character.】

【To match your mood, let me ask a question: Does your bureau pay a salary? How much?】

【Host, is this a script or real? Is there really a bureau like yours? Where is it located? The world is big; I’d like to see it [sincere eyes].】

Xu Dongyou carefully chose questions he could answer and earnestly replied, “This isn’t a script; everything happening is real. But we can’t disclose the address.”

【Hahaha. He’s serious.】

【I’m dying laughing.】

Tian Ze couldn’t help but facepalm; he felt like a naive little long-tailed tit was being tricked by cunning humans.

No wonder Elder Chen and the others were so worried. Even Tian Ze felt concerned that Xu Dongyou might be deceived by these online viewers.

However, Xu Dongyou was a very principled demon, always remembering the broadcasting rules he learned at the bureau and never revealing any information he shouldn’t.

Lin Jingyun quickly finished changing clothes and put on a hat before hurrying out. “Um, I’m ready.”

Tian Ze had arrived in a van. Lin Jingyun hesitated momentarily at the sight of the somewhat shabby vehicle before getting in.

Xu Dongyou sat in the front passenger seat and held the camera in his hand. He spoke to the viewers, “We’re heading to Miss Lin’s shop to investigate the source of the creepy teddy bear.”

Tian Ze was a bit short-tempered while driving but kept his cool due to the live broadcast. By the time they arrived at their destination, his expression was so dark that viewers might have thought he could explode with anger at any moment.

Lin Jingyun didn’t dare speak and quietly led the way, unlocking the shop door. Xu Dongyou noticed the curious glances from the neighboring shop employees.

After Lin Jingyun opened the door, Tian Ze went in first, followed by Xu Dongyou, with Lin Jingyun bringing up the rear.

The owner of the shop across the street couldn’t help but come over, standing at the entrance, and ask Lin Jingyun, “Miss Lin, are you reopening the shop or planning to sell it?”

Lin Jingyun was about to reply, but the next moment, the owner seemed confused and then just walked back to his shop.

Even the passersby didn’t enter the shop.

This scene left Lin Jingyun both bewildered and frightened. Tian Ze walked over and stuck a talisman on the wall, saying, “As I mentioned before, the Concealment Talisman lowers the presence of the shop, so no one will come in and disturb us.”

Lin Jingyun opened her mouth but still didn’t say anything.

So the Concealment Talisman is real?

She had many questions but couldn’t focus on anything else due to her fear of the teddy bear in the shop. She hid behind Xu Dongyou, watching nervously as Tian Ze searched the store.

As Xu Dongyou entered the shop, he released the camera, allowing it to float in mid-air. The viewers saw this as well, and their reactions were exactly as the monitoring officials had predicted.

They all thought it was staged.

【That passerby shopkeeper acted so well, especially with that dazed expression! This live stream is a real gem—not only the special effects but even the background actors are so good it feels real.】

【Loving this.】

【The Concealment Talisman? Just say you want money. Hahaha, so funny.】

【It’s getting more and more ridiculous. However, for the sake of the potential big special effects scenes coming up, I’ll keep watching.】

【Let’s get to the action! Fight, fight!】

Xu Dongyou glanced at the live chat on his phone, hesitated for a moment, then continued to maintain a professional demeanor. He quietly explained, “Next, I’ll use my abilities to sense the store and determine whether it’s an evil spirit or a supernatural event.”

At this point, not only ordinary viewers but also some media outlets and social media influencers were watching the live stream. They shook their heads, becoming increasingly convinced that the earlier video of the monstrous fish attacking the ship and the current live stream were all orchestrated by the live stream platform.

Fake!

The content was not only absurd but also exaggerated. After watching the entire stream, they had a few thoughts.

First, the live stream platform was extremely wealthy—so wealthy that it could afford to hire top-tier special effects teams to enhance the stream’s quality and realism. No other platform could do that.

Second, the streamers were highly unprofessional, often forgetting their lines and the script, further proving it was all scripted!

Third, terms like “Anomaly Handling Bureau” and “Concealment Talisman” mentioned in the stream sounded fake, as if they were lifted from some third-rate novel, lacking originality and innovation.

Some viewers even suggested that if the platform was so well-off, why not make a movie instead of live streaming? With such top-notch special effects, buying a good script and shooting a film would surely be a hit.

What baffled people the most was why such a top-tier special effects team would work for a live streaming platform. How much did the company pay to convince them to abandon their prestige and work on a small live stream?

Soon, several media outlets and influencers quickly published articles.

【The Truth Behind the Monstrous Fish Attack Revealed: Just a Stunt by a Streaming Platform!】

【Why Top-Tier Special Effects Teams Work for a Streaming Platform: Simply Because They Pay Too Much!】

【Bizarre Decisions by a Streaming Platform: Foregoing Obvious Success for a Risky Path—Is the Company Doomed?】

These articles quickly garnered readership, leading to widespread laughter and disbelief. A movie director who was preparing to shoot a new movie even tagged the streaming company’s official account.

【How much did you pay them? I want to hire such an amazing team for my movie’s special effects too!】

The comments were full of laughter, with many urging the movie director to make a hefty offer to the special effects team, promising to buy movie tickets if they did.

However, the official account of the live streaming company remained silent, as the chairman had strictly ordered no tweets!

The director of the branch Bureau, busy with work, took a moment to call the staff monitoring the live stream. He asked, “How are the viewers reacting?”

The staff member was silent for a few seconds before replying with a pained expression, “They’re laughing and saying our agents’ acting is too fake.”

Director: “???”

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