Underworld App (3): Ghost Delivery & Strange Beasts

“You all are frontline personnel, much closer than I am to the people posting in that thread, and your feelings are much deeper,” the former bureau chief said solemnly. “Just speak your most honest thoughts, don’t hold back.”

After a moment, someone finally spoke, their tone uncertain: “When I was investigating the case, I did feel that the way the post was written was very unique. If the author wasn’t the victim themselves, it would be impossible to describe things like that.”

“For example, the way the blood splattered on the ground as the victim fell, or the changes in terrain that could only be felt when being dragged across the ground, or how sharp the stone was that the head hit…”

Only the victim could write such details — or the killer. But the killer would never expose themselves by writing such a post and getting caught. So if we rule out the killer, then it must be the victim… Yet the victim’s body was right there in front of the officers. As they looked at the remains and read the post written from the victim’s point of view, they were hit with a wave of intense shock — their entire worldview felt shattered.

“And then there’s the 6.29 case, which was never made public. Only we knew the details, and the only one who died was Brother Wang…” Brother Wang was a senior officer who died in the line of duty a few years ago.

“The tone of that post was unmistakably his. He even mentioned a few of the criminals he was after, and the conclusions he reached in his investigation. The way he investigated, the words he used — it was exactly like Brother Wang…”

As the officer spoke, his voice began to tremble with emotion.

Back then, Brother Wang had died protecting him, a rookie at the time, taking over a dozen knife wounds. That memory stayed with him forever. Every so often, he’d pull out the unsolved case to re-examine it and had become deeply familiar with Brother Wang’s methods. He felt that no one but Brother Wang could have written that post.

“And besides, I don’t understand why the app’s developer would go to such lengths to tell such an outrageous lie just to stir up discussion… there’s really no need for it.”

Given the app’s current status in society, even without sensationalism or flashy tactics, anything it said would be taken seriously. So why bring ghosts into it and risk drawing suspicion?

On one side, there were posts that could only be explained if ghosts truly existed. On the other, there was this irrational insistence on a narrative of the dead returning.

What on earth…

Was going on?

The captain tapped the printed post with his finger and said, “According to the post, after death, people with strong obsessions become ghosts. Only when their obsessions are resolved can the ghost disappear.”

“The earlier posts were all written because the victims died with unresolved grievances and their tragic cases remained unsolved for a long time, so they lingered in the world.”

“Now that the cases are being solved one by one, they finally get what they wished for and are able to vanish… Logically speaking, it makes sense, at least in explaining why and how the posts appeared.”

A police officer nodded: “Indeed, the one who benefits most from these posts is the deceased. If you really wanted to frame it as a conspiracy, saying the poster had some hidden agenda, the only goal they seem to achieve is to bring justice to the victims — they don’t get anything else out of it.”

Another officer objected: “How can you say there’s no benefit? Didn’t you see the end of the article where it says that, because there are too many ghosts lingering in the world lately, the excessive yin energy has begun to affect human life? So now the app is selling protection talismans in its store — each one costs 99 yuan… Isn’t that a profit?”

It was precisely because of the launch of this online store that public criticism of the app exploded like never before. Some accused it of promoting harmful superstition, others said it was exploiting the dead for marketing and had finally shown its true colors by trying to make money.

The police, however, had to remain more rational. After all—

Some officers responded to the suspicion: “If the app really wanted to make money, then just from the reward money for catching fugitives these days, it could’ve earned at least a million yuan — but no one ever came forward to claim it.”

“And many people who were saved via private messages wanted to give generous rewards, but they never received a reply.”

“Given the app’s incredible abilities, it really doesn’t need to be greedy for such petty cash. If it wanted to make money, there are plenty of other ways to do it.”

This convinced many of the officers at the scene, who instinctively nodded in agreement, clearly recognizing the app’s capabilities.

Someone proposed: “In that case, why don’t we buy one of those protection talismans and test it out? Since they’re selling it, the materials should give us some clues. And someone has to deliver the item — whether it’s through a courier or something else suspicious, there should be a trail we can track.”

The officers’ eyes lit up. “Great idea!” they said.

“Alright, I’ll place an order right now!”

—

Unlike the police’s proactive attitude, netizens reacted mostly with mockery and ridicule.

Many people simply didn’t believe in this idea that yin energy was affecting human life. They thought the app developer was just crazy, peddling some weird supernatural nonsense to scam people.

But influencer Lily had a different take on it.

Many of her fans knew that over the past few months, she had seemed mentally worn down, often out of sorts, and kept talking about hearing strange sounds.

Things were manageable during the day, when sunlight provided some brief comfort to both her body and soul.

But at night, Lily would be scared nearly out of her mind by all kinds of strange phenomena. Her work hours were very late—she usually started livestreaming in the afternoon and continued until the early hours of the morning. Then she’d spend several more hours editing and uploading videos, only getting rest when daylight came.

During her nighttime streams, Lily would have her camera on and would frequently react with alarm, as if possessed. Every now and then, she’d look terrified, running to the window or out to the living room to check the source of some sound, leaving viewers puzzled—because through the camera, they couldn’t hear anything except Lily’s voice.

But Lily would break down and insist that there really were sounds. She said someone was singing, someone was crying, someone was laughing… The details changed every time, but she always spoke with utter sincerity, even breaking down in tears, begging the viewers not to lie to her, asking them to admit they heard it too.

The viewers didn’t believe her at all. They said Lily was either crazy or deliberately putting on a show to grab attention.

Her situation was eerily similar to the controversial app that was now being questioned online.

So when the forum post appeared, it was as if Lily had found a lifeline. She immediately ordered a protection talisman and even brought it up during her livestream.

Many fans commented:

“Lily, you’ve been scammed so many times—haven’t you learned your lesson yet?”

“You’ve spent tens of thousands recently buying random junk from so-called masters, and none of it worked!”

“You’d be better off just visiting a temple regularly—at least it would give you some peace of mind.”

“Honestly, I think you’ve done too many shady things. Why else would you be haunted like this?”

“Get lost, haters!!”

“You should really see a psychiatrist. Maybe get on some meds. Look at those dark circles—you haven’t had proper sleep in forever. I genuinely feel sorry for you.”

Lily, pale and expressionless, sat in front of the screen and forced a smile: “Actually, I did… The doctor said I might be experiencing auditory hallucinations due to extreme stress, and that I need proper rest. He told me that recently, more and more patients have been showing similar symptoms—most of them are people who’ve been stuck online too much and lack exercise, which leads to mental exhaustion and hearing strange things. He said I shouldn’t be working at night anymore… And honestly, I can’t take it anymore either. I probably won’t stream again.”

The moment she said that, the live chat exploded. Many tried to convince her to stay, while others said her health should come first, and it might be good for her to take a break.

As the conversation went on, time unknowingly passed into the early morning hours.

Suddenly, Lily tensed up, her face once again showing that familiar expression of despair. Her voice trembled like a scream, and she cried out in a panic: “It’s back! That sound is back again!!”

Her eyes were red, and tears streamed uncontrollably down her face. Her body tilted unnaturally to the left because on her right side—where she held her mouse—there was an indescribable chill creeping over her, as if it could freeze her bones solid!

She cried: “There’s really something next to me… sob sob sob… It’s right beside me, sob sob sob…”

She looked absolutely terrified, curling up on her chair, clutching her head. Even through the screen, you could feel the despair radiating from her.

With a trembling voice, she choked out: “That voice said it wanted to give me something… sob sob sob… It kept asking me, over and over… sob sob sob… It was a child!”

Just watching her made the audience feel a chill. Some said she was acting too well, some wondered if it might actually be real, and others expressed concern, hoping she wouldn’t suffer so much.

Then suddenly, Lily looked up with horror and stared at the empty space beside her. As if talking to someone, she screamed: “What? You want to give me something?! No!!!”

The moment those words left her mouth, all the viewers stared at her screen in suspense. Lily’s eyes were fixed on one specific spot—right where her mouse sat on the desk.

—A talisman suddenly appeared.

A soft, timid child’s voice echoed in Lily’s ear: “Big sister, is this the protection charm you bought? I’m here to deliver it to you…”

“Big sister, can you hear me? I left it on your desk!!”

Thud! Lily’s eyes rolled back, and she collapsed to the floor.

The live chat immediately exploded after she fell.

Only the charm remained quietly on the desk, looking completely innocent.

…

Footage from the livestream quickly shot to the top of trending searches.

Many who arrived late missed the part where someone broke into Lily’s home and, with a worried look, carried her limp and unconscious body to the hospital. They were confused: “What is everyone watching? Why are so many people staring at an empty room?”

“A charm? What charm?”

“Huh? Suddenly appeared? How dumb do you think we are? Even fake promotions these days aren’t trying anymore.”

“Isn’t this just another marketing stunt by that underworld app?”

That is, until they saw the videos posted by other users—videos showing Lily’s terrified screams, her talking about something being “given” to her, and the way she looked toward empty air beside her.

Then she suddenly cried out in despair, “Don’t give it to me!” — and right at that moment, a protection talisman appeared on the desk. Just watching that scene was enough to send a chill down many viewers’ spines. Lily was so terrified she fainted on the spot, collapsing to the floor, leaving everyone watching deeply unsettled.

There were no signs of acting or video editing in the entire footage.

Many netizens were left trembling, calling it bizarre and chilling.

And then came the second, the third — more and more people who had ordered the protection talisman began shouting online in utter shock: “I received mine too! Oh my god, the talisman appeared right inside my house — it almost scared me to death!!”

“And right after it appeared, the app store immediately updated the status to ‘delivered.’ I’m telling you, I got full-body goosebumps!!!”

“I got mine too… It was just sitting on my desk. At first, I thought my mom opened the package without telling me and placed it there. I even argued with her about invading my space. But she said she never received any package, and she didn’t even have a key to my room… I’m freaking out a little now.”

“You guys are all this scared? Am I the only one who thinks this is super interesting?? I got my talisman, opened it, and it has a really strange design inside. It actually looks pretty cool, but I can’t tell what it’s supposed to be. [image][image]”

“I flipped the talisman over and over — honestly, I can’t find anything weird about it. Hmm… I’ll just keep it with me for safety. I do trust the Underworld App; after all, it’s done so much good and has saved so many people. :)”

“My daughter was saved by the Underworld App! As soon as these went on sale, I bought one for every family member and friend! Thank you to whoever made this app — I’ll never forget your kindness for the rest of my life!!”

“I wasn’t interested before, but hearing all of this makes me really curious! I’m buying one too, then I’ll shut all the windows and doors in my house and see how the app delivers it.”

“……”

“AAAAHHH!! The talisman really works!! I’m crying!!!”

“These past few weeks I kept hearing weird noises every night, like shadows moving outside my window. Everyone around me thought I was going crazy!! But ever since I got the talisman yesterday, I haven’t heard a single sound!! I’m so emotional right now — I finally got a good night’s sleep after half a month!!”

“I don’t know if it’s just my imagination, but I’ve been feeling unusually cold these past few days. No matter how many layers I wore, I couldn’t get warm. But once I got the talisman, that deep-to-the-bone chill disappeared completely. It’s amazing.”

“You’re not alone!! I felt the same way!! I thought it was just me — turns out it wasn’t!!”

“Dear god, what kind of mass-superstition moment is this? You guys are talking like it’s all real…”

“Well, I’ll join the fun too. I’ll buy one — it’s only a hundred bucks anyway. Consider it supporting the Underworld App, like buying a piece of merch.”

Before long, the topic of the protection talisman sparked widespread discussion across the internet. It wasn’t just social media — people’s friend circles and group chats were also flooded with talk about the talisman.

Chu Feng was following the situation too, though what interested him more was how the app’s developer managed to forcibly install the software onto every user’s phone and computer — and the fact that the app still seemed to be in development.

From the way the interface had evolved, it was clear the developer was gradually expanding its functions: starting as a forum, then adding private messaging, and now a user marketplace.

Chu Feng felt the app was definitely preparing for a bigger move. When that time came, it would likely spark yet another wave of public attention.

The young man beside him, however, seemed more interested in the supernatural aspects of the app. He didn’t have his own phone, so he often borrowed Chu Feng’s to browse the forum and would even ask him what he thought about the existence of ghosts.

To be honest, Chu Feng didn’t really believe in that kind of supernatural stuff.

But after spending so much time reading the posts with the young man, he had, little by little, started to feel there might be some truth to it. He told the young man, “If ghosts really do exist, I think that might actually be a good thing.”

Lingering after death because of unfinished business, and only being able to leave peacefully once it’s fulfilled — it sounded… kind of romantic. If someone could fulfill their dreams after death and leave this world without regrets, wouldn’t that be the happiest possible ending for a human being?

Si Qi smiled and asked, “If it were you, what would your final wish be?”

It was a question that, if considered deeply, was profoundly philosophical — it cut straight to the core.

Chu Feng couldn’t help but reflect on his own life, thinking: if I were to die tomorrow, what would still matter to me?

Money? Career? Honor? Or…

As someone with a high-paying job, who had been able to buy his own home in his early twenties and had no material restraints in life, he suddenly realized that he’d just been coasting along, living for the sake of living — without ever truly chasing a dream, or anything that might be called noble.

If there was one thing right now that he would regret not accomplishing if he died…

It might just be the young man in front of him.

He might even hate himself for why, during his life, he had deliberately restrained contact with the young man because of various self-imposed constraints. If he left this world without ever being with the young man, he would never be at peace.

It was only at this moment that Chu Feng’s mind became crystal clear, and he suddenly understood many things.

—If you like someone, why not go for it?

Something so simple—why overthink it?

With that thought, Chu Feng suddenly had an urge, an urge to reach out and touch the young man.

He stared intensely at him. The young man, under his gaze, didn’t show a hint of shyness or retreat. Instead, he smiled calmly and beautifully at him.

Unable to hold back, Chu Feng extended his hand, trying to grasp the young man’s hand. He believed the young man would not refuse.

But…

Si Qi’s expression shifted slightly, and he pulled back the hand he had placed on the sofa without hesitation, looking at Chu Feng with an inexplicable gaze.

Chu Feng was stunned.

Feeling both hurt and confused, he could only apologize, “I’m sorry. That was presumptuous of me.”

Si Qi pressed his lips together, then said after a moment, “No, I just wasn’t mentally prepared yet.” He smiled, though there was a trace of regret in that smile.

That reaction made Chu Feng feel even more puzzled.

His instincts told him that if he took one step forward, Si Qi would respond positively. From the look in Si Qi’s eyes, it was clear he wanted closeness too. So why…?

Chu Feng furrowed his brows in thought. Something felt off—and deep down, he’d sensed it long ago, but had subconsciously chosen to ignore it.

What exactly was it?

As always, Si Qi left the Chu home at night.

Standing in the dark, Chu Feng silently watched the young man’s figure fade into the distance, his heart sinking deeper and deeper.

Meanwhile, on Si Qi’s side, ever since the launch of the APP, the spirits were living in visible joy. The overall atmosphere had become notably more positive and uplifting—though they were all ghosts dwelling in the night, rarely touched by sunlight.

The crowd of ghosts that had gathered outside the police station had mostly dispersed over the past few days. That middle-aged ghost officer had even relocated to the neighborhood permanently because he knew Si Qi appeared there every night.

In the center of the neighborhood garden stood a large screen visible only to the dead. Mysterious glowing patterns were engraved on it, and it was precisely because of these symbols that the ghosts could use the screen to upload their stories online.

Everyone was immensely grateful to Si Qi for bringing them this tool. To use a living person’s term—it was no less than being given a second life.

The middle-aged ghost officer, who had long taken on a mediator role, spent his days enthusiastically checking in on the neighborhood ghosts—asking how they were doing, whether they had worries, or if they were living happily.

Now, he directly approached Si Qi for a discussion.

“What do you think—besides helping wronged spirits find justice, could we do something for the others too?” the ghost officer asked worriedly. “After all, ghosts who died unjustly are the minority. Most of those still lingering in the world have unfulfilled wishes.”

Some, for example, had lived lives full of hardship and never knew peace. After death, they wanted to travel the world, and now spent their days flitting through scenic spots.

Others came from poor families, couldn’t afford to study, and now stayed in libraries or snuck into universities to attend classes.

These were manageable wishes. The troubling ones were those wanting to say one last thing to a loved one, or to have their art recognized worldwide…

These wishes required help from the living world, and the ghost officer had no idea how to help them achieve that.

Thinking about this, the officer suddenly laughed and said, “Thankfully that girl’s livestream a while ago made a lot of people realize ghosts really exist. Maybe one day, the living will acknowledge us and accept us.”

Si Qi, seeing his hopeful expression, asked, puzzled, “Why phrase that as a question?”

Wasn’t this something you could just do, if you really wanted to?

The officer: “Hmm?”

The next morning, the thick-browed police officer had just arrived at work when he received a dispatch notice.

“Someone from Nanyuan has called the police three days in a row, saying a large beast broke into his chicken coop and ate more than a dozen chickens.”

The officer raised an eyebrow. “A large beast? Nanyuan isn’t even near the mountains. If there really was a big animal roaming around, it would’ve been spotted by now.”

But his female colleague shook her head seriously. “There’s something strange about this.” She turned and pulled a stack of faxed photos from a drawer, handing them over. “These wounds aren’t from any ordinary animal. Local officers suspect something like a tiger or a lion.”

The photos were gruesome—walls and ground splattered with blood, feathers stuck everywhere, mangled chicken remains gnawed and scattered in a mess. It was clear the damage had been done by a creature acting with wild, irrational violence.

The officer’s face turned serious at once. “Were any people hurt?”

“Not yet,” she replied carefully. “But the coop isn’t far from the main house. If that animal could break through the wooden door of the coop, it could do the same to the house. The farmer’s been on edge ever since and keeps calling us. Local police felt they couldn’t handle it and escalated the case.”

The officer nodded. “I’ll go check it out. Draft a permit for me—I might need to use a tranquilizer gun or even live rounds.”

“Got it.” The woman responded cheerfully and turned to grab the necessary forms.

After completing the paperwork, she handed it to the officer, along with a small folded, irregularly shaped pale yellow paper talisman.

The officer looked puzzled. “What’s this?”

She grinned. “Protection talisman. Don’t you love that Underworld App? I bought one for you.”

The officer frowned. “When did I ever say I loved it?”

She gave him a look like, “No need to explain, denial is just guilt,” and said bluntly, “So you don’t want it?”

The officer: “……”

The officer: “I’ll take it.”

She quickly stuffed the talisman into his pocket.

Half an hour later, a group of armed officers, accompanied by police dogs, arrived at Nanyuan. A visibly exhausted farm owner greeted them and led them to inspect the coop, his voice still trembling: “These past few nights I keep hearing strange noises… like growls, I can’t tell what kind of beast it is, and the chickens screeching. I was too scared to go out and check. The next morning, I’d find a few chickens gone.”

“I thought it would’ve had its fill after so many, but it kept coming back—and each time it ate more. First five, then seven, last night it took twelve! I don’t know what kind of animal has an appetite like that… I’m terrified it’ll come again. The chickens don’t matter, but if anything happens to my family, I’ll regret it for the rest of my life! Officers, please—I’m begging you…”

The man had heavy dark circles under his eyes—clearly traumatized by the unknown predator and living in fear of when it might return.

The officers nodded solemnly and assured him they’d handle it. They instructed the man and his family to stay in a safe location while they carefully moved into the danger zone to investigate for signs of the beast.

Being professionals, the police quickly noticed more than the average farmer could.

One officer frowned. “Come take a look at this.”

His colleagues gathered around. He pointed at some markings on the ground. “I didn’t see any animal tracks near the remains—but I did find several of these…”

A senior officer narrowed his eyes. “Wait… that looks like a human footprint?”

Someone countered, “No way. Human steps wouldn’t be that far apart. Look here—this distance is at least a meter and a half. That one’s over two meters.”

Everyone was baffled. “So what kind of beast is this?”

Someone took photos of the prints and sent them to their expert group chat, tagging a specialist for help identifying the tracks.

A reply came quickly: “Those are human footprints. They’re just shallow. The ground is dirt, right? A normal adult weighs at least 30–40 kg. This print barely looks like 10 lbs.”

“No way it’s a human,” one officer replied. “Those bite marks on the chickens couldn’t have come from human teeth. Plus, the weight doesn’t add up. Whatever left this print ate over twenty chickens in three days—that’s a huge appetite. We’re looking at a large animal.”

The expert responded, confused, “That’s weird. What, did the thing tie helium balloons to itself?”

The officer: “…………”

He involuntarily imagined a monster floating half-suspended in the air by balloons, savagely devouring live chickens—and shuddered.

It was just too bizarre.