In a small office building somewhere in Arkham City.

Edmund, who had been asleep, opened his eyes and subconsciously muttered, "Lord Rann ......"

Then the next second, I was stimulated by the light in front of me and couldn't open my eyes.

"Oh, you're awake, I'm sorry, I'm going to turn the lights down."

A male voice sounded, and after feeling the light on his eyelids disappear obviously, Edmund tentatively opened his eyes, and there seemed to be black cavities left on the retina, and blinked in confusion before subconsciously looking at his current situation.

To Edmund's horror, his whole body was restrained on a 40-degree lifting table, similar to an operating table or test table, and in front of him was the shadowless lamp used for surgery, which was just shining. It is surrounded by a place similar to a laboratory, there is no human figure, and there are surveillance cameras and speakers in the corners of the four ceilings of the room, and the sound comes from the speakers.

The thing that bound his hands and feet was soft, but tough, and Edmund tried to break free, but to no avail.

"Don't be nervous, relax, you're in the Inspectorate now." The male voice spoke again.

However, Edmund did not let this relax, but frowned: "I don't think I did anything that deserves to be treated like this." ”

"Oh, these are some necessary measures, after all, none of us are sure if you will wake up into a madness and attack everything you see, but now it looks like you have overcome the second layer of testing, wait a minute, I'll release you."

As soon as the voice fell, Edmund heard two 'poof' sounds from the operating table beneath him, and his hands and feet loosened.

He half-sat up, rubbed his wrists and ankles, the door to the laboratory opened from the outside, and a strange man walked in, he had messy black curly hair, pale skin as if he hadn't been in the sun for a long time, glasses, baby face, and a sinister feeling when he squinted and laughed.

"I'm sorry to upset you, but let me introduce myself, I'm an investigator sent by the inspection bureau headquarters, named Kerry. Chapman, let's not be a researcher. ”

"Sent from headquarters?" Edmund looked at him strangely, "Is it for the Outlanders?" ”

"Hmm...... Sort of, but it's a pity I was late, and now it's over. Kerry rubbed his messy hair, "But that doesn't mean the mission is over, on the contrary, I'm quite interested in what the organization has left behind, and I guess I'll stay in the city for a while, oh yes." ”

He suddenly approached Edmund and grabbed his hand excitedly: "I heard from the people here that at the last moment, everyone saw a strange gate in their dreams, and after the door opened, a strange world and huge hands appeared? Is that true? ”

Kerry's gaze was too hot, and the cowardice in Edmund's personality unconsciously prevailed, and his eyes dodged: "? What, what does it mean? Did everyone see it? ”

"yes, don't you know, everyone dreamed of that scene, or did you see no one else around? How do you see it? How did it feel at the time? What has changed mentally? ”

Edmund's eyes flashed, and he covered his forehead and pretended to try to remember: "I don't remember much, I have no follow-up memories since I was attacked, and I seem to have a little impression of the door you said, but it doesn't seem to have ...... Can you tell me what you've heard? Maybe I can remember a little. ”

This is a half-truth, Edmund has experimented, so he knows that after entering the second layer of the dream gap, people will indeed lose the memory of the time when they were crazy, but he lied about the waking time, Edmund actually regained consciousness from the beginning of the appearance of the 'door', and naturally saw the development later.

And unlike the others, Edmund was very sure, and sure, but the figure who ordered the door to close was Ran.

There was information about Rann, and he naturally didn't want to reveal it to the people on the inspection bureau's side.

Kerry stared into Edmund's eyes and smiled heartily, "Of course it's no problem, everyone saw it anyway!" In a dark dream, a door suddenly appeared, and a mysterious being tried to descend on the earth, but was stopped by another being, who announced that he would 'close the door', thus re-separating the two worlds! ”

Speaking of this, Kerry couldn't help but tremble: "Ahhhhh ”

Edmund looked at Kerry's excited expression and pretended to think about it: "...... I remembered you saying that, but I was so confused that I fainted after just a few glances, and I didn't notice if there was anyone next to me. ”

"That's a pity."

After knowing that Edmund didn't know much about the incident of the 'door', Kerry's interest in him was greatly reduced, and the spirit of the whole person just now suddenly disappeared, and he became depressed, dragged a chair and sat down, and opened the paperwork: "Then tell me why I suddenly entered the second floor, and what happened at that time, the headquarters is very concerned about this matter, and all relevant personnel must write a report and be investigated." ”

Edmund asked, "Before that, can I ask the captain how they are?" ”

"The members of your team are safe and sound, and are now being investigated separately, I hope you understand that in order to confirm the mental condition of the investigators, this process must be followed after the mission is over. But don't worry, they'll wake up earlier than you and you'll be able to see them soon. Still have questions? ”

Although he asked if there was any problem, judging from Kerry's impatient expression, it seemed to say that there would be no problems with the process.

Edmund: "No, no. ”

"Okay, tell me about the situation."

Edmund didn't hide anything, and told Kerry everything about how they went out on a mission and then were attacked, after all, these things were experienced by the captain and him, even if he didn't say it, others would say it.

In the back, the captain and the others were seriously injured and passed out, and Edmund only vaguely said that he had encountered the enemy and was in a desperate situation, and there was really no way, and somehow he suddenly became crazy.

As an investigator, Edmund must know that generally speaking, there must be no way to enter the gap in dreams during the day, why he was able to do it at that time, in fact, he is not very sure, but his intuition is inseparable from Ran, which naturally cannot be said, and he can only vaguely say that he is not very clear.

Kerry, who had a flat expression, became excited again: "You mean, you did enter the gap between dreams during the day?" ”

"Yes...... But I don't know why......"

Kerry didn't doubt Edmund's words, but began to mumble some theories that Edmund didn't understand, what subconscious, dreams, interfering with reality, and so on.

At this time, there was an impatient knock on the door outside: "Chapman, have you finished asking, why did you delay for so long." ”

Hearing the sound outside the door, Kerry's face suddenly became bored, and he stood up and went to open the door: "It's almost over." ”

"Then get out of the way, we still have something to ask this kid."

The people at the door squeezed in without waiting for Kerry to give way, and said to Edmund with a grin: "Yo, is that you, a genius who has broken through two floors in a row in less than a year, you have become a hot topic in our headquarters, everyone is talking about when you will return to the headquarters to become a formal investigator, and various teams are waiting to include you in the team." ”

The person who walked in had short blond hair and tough facial features, and several people followed him one after another, two women and one man, among which the woman behind him wore a high ponytail, wore glasses, stretched out her index finger and pushed down the frame, and said dissatisfiedly: "Captain, he hasn't passed the quarantine period yet, and he shouldn't tell him this." ”

"Ahaha, what's the matter, the Chapman researchers are all in here." The blonde man looked at Kerry, "If this person is in danger, with his timid personality, he will never come in." ”

"I'm just cautious." Kerry pushed his glasses, "After all, unlike you 'consumables', I'm a valuable member of the brain. ”

"You!" The young man behind the blonde man had blue tendons on his forehead, and he was about to step forward to theorize, but was stopped by the blonde man, "Forget it, you don't know who he is, maybe you will ask him not to die with a punch." ”

Although he was relieving Chapman, the contempt and provocation in the blonde man's tone could be seen by those around him.

"Exactly." Kerry Cha

Puman was not affected at all, his face full of disgust, "So you muscular gorillas stay away from me." ”

The blonde man took a deep breath and decided to ignore the researcher's existence, and stepped forward to wrap his arms around Edmund's neck: "Genius boy, do you want to come to my team, I happen to lack a scout position here, I heard that your inspiration is very high." ”

Edmund opened his mouth, subconsciously looked at Kerry, and after finding that he looked away, he said with some embarrassment: "This...... I already have a team. ”

"Oh, the team you said about your original team, then you don't have to worry, your original team is estimated to be disbanded, the one named Geffer should be the captain of your team, his right arm is estimated to be amputated, and he will withdraw from the front-line investigation in the future and transfer to logistics."

The blonde man said: "There is still a man in your team who has not passed the psychological analysis, and it is estimated that he will also leave the front line, and the team will be disbanded, and the members will be dispersed and waiting for redistribution." ”

Edmund was stunned for a moment, not expecting to hear such news, and lowered his head.

He didn't have any feelings for the other members of the team, but the captain did take good care of him, but he still couldn't save him.

Humanity is too small in the face of this supernatural disaster.

The blonde man patted it

Edmund's shoulder: "Don't be sad, it's already lucky that people don't die, you're lucky, none of the team died, don't blame yourself, everyone who does a line has the consciousness of dying at any time, you should have written a suicide note before accepting this mission, and you will be asked to write it every time, just because the loss of life is too simple." ”

"If you hate the Outlanders behind this conspiracy, I won't say anything to make you give up your hatred, on the contrary, I will advise you to join my team, and my team will officially take over the mission of Gerffer's team and continue the investigation in Arkham."

Edmund looked up a little stunned: "No...... Is it already over? ”

After that, he thought he had slipped his mouth, and hurriedly added: "Everyone saw the scene that rushed through the door and was crushed, and I thought it was the leader of the strangers." ”

"Oh, I know, the rest of your original squad said it too, but who told you the end? On the contrary," the blonde shrugged, "It seems that the door to the dream world, and the last existence, I believe that Arkham will soon be lively, not only our inspection bureau, but also those other forces, will not let go of this feast." ”

"I bet they'll soon be flooding the city like hyenas to investigate the true face of that 'gatekeeper,'" the blonde said, "and of course we'll too, and the headquarters will move up the task of investigating the 'gatekeeper' to 'unknown', you know what I mean?" ”

Edmund's eyes froze slightly.

Unknown tasks.

In the task assessment of the inspection bureau, it is divided into five levels, from D to S, according to the degree of danger, simply put, D level may only appear at most D-level weirdness, or it may only appear some ordinary people with weapons, gangs and the like, C-level corresponds to the risk of C-level weirdness, and so on.

But 'unknown' is special, it hasn't been seen for several years, and it is said that only the mysterious head of the inspectorate is qualified to give such a rating.

This kind of task can only be taken by a team of senior or even ace investigators, and once accepted, be prepared to never return.

So, this group of people is the elite of the elite in the headquarters of the Inspection Bureau?

Edmund quietly raised his eyes to look at the two men and two women in front of him, and under his timid eyes, there seemed to be a cold and crazy personality hidden in his eyes, like a hunter in the dark looking at his prey.

The only common trait of these people is that they are all young, the blonde man has a natural leadership temperament, and he is very strong, and he has been particularly well trained at first glance.

Secondly, the glasses woman standing behind the blonde man, Edmund's just looked over, the glasses woman keenly cast her gaze, Edmund pretended to be flustered and looked away again, looking behind them, a neurotic young man with his sister's head combed, walked in the few seconds he took his mobile phone to look at the screen from time to time, it seemed that he had serious electronic dependence, and another young girl with a cute appearance was quietly stuffing snacks into his mouth while the blonde man was not paying attention.

Well

I can't see the aura of the elite at all.

Seeing Edmund's somewhat suspicious look, the blonde man scratched his head; "Don't look at us like this, we've completed a lot of A-level tasks in the past few years."

Edmund was taken aback: "A-grade...... So you've all been able to enter the fourth layer of the Dream Gap and above? ”

"Ahem! Of course not! The blonde man was taken aback and smiled bitterly, "Edmund...... The Dream Gap is not as simple as you think, not everyone can break through in a short period of time like you, alas, let me give you the bottom, in our team, only one person broke through to the third layer. ”

"Captain." The glasses woman frowned.

"It's okay, Dinah, it's all my own people," the blonde man waved his hand and turned his head to look at Edmund, "You don't seem to know so much about the affairs of the Inspection Bureau, well, no wonder, after all, you were still an intern before, it is estimated that after you return to the inspection bureau headquarters for training, you will know more, first of all, let me give you a science popularization, not that only investigators who have broken through to the high level of the Dream Gap can accept high-level tasks." ”

"Is it understandable that high-level missions, such as A-level and B-level, will not necessarily appear in the course of the mission corresponding to their respective levels, and at best will only appear in the 'worst' situation? That means that as long as we can prevent the worst before it happens, we don't have to confront these dangerous weirdness. ”

"And the investigator rating looks at the task received and the completion of the task, that is to say, even if it is an ordinary person, if he receives 10 A-level investigation tasks and completes them successfully, he will become the trump card of the inspection bureau."

"After all, we are investigators, not fighters or anything, and we have a responsibility to prevent the worst from happening when the conspiracy happens, rather than sit back and watch it happen and then save it."

At this time, the nervous man on the side suddenly said: "Just like your team's mission this time, if you can discover the conspiracy of the strangers in the early stage, it will not evolve into this result." ”

The glasses woman frowned: "Okay, it's happened, there's no need to say it anymore." ”

The neurotic man didn't say anything more, looking down at his phone.

"Okay, so would you like to join our team?" The blonde man pulled the topic back with difficulty, yes, he came to see Edmund specifically, in fact, he took a fancy to this good seedling.

Edmund pretended to be thoughtful and asked a question: "Why on earth is the headquarters of the Inspection Bureau investigating the 'gatekeepers'?" ”

"From the information from the mouths of eyewitnesses, didn't the 'gatekeepers' close the door and prevent unknown monsters from descending on the earth? He should not be hostile to humans, so why should He be found? ”

The neurotic man, that is, Edie, sneered: "Rookie." ”

"Shut up Edie, aren't you also from the rookie period, not to mention that no one has been formally trained as an investigator." The glasses woman rebuked Edie, and then turned to Edmund and said:

"I can understand the doubts in your heart, according to our previous investigation, the residents who woke up from the dream have more or less residual good feelings for the 'gatekeeper' in their hearts, and some even directly become the believers of the other party, this is all a manifestation of dependence on pinning hope on an object in a desperate situation, since it is an investigator, it is better to get rid of this psychological state as soon as possible."

"As for why we are investigating the 'gatekeepers', it is also very simple, no one can guarantee what the other party's motive for closing the door is, in short, in the eyes of most ordinary people, it may be that the gatekeeper's move to close the door saved them, but according to our investigation of this kind of non-human existence, most of them do not care about human beings, and their best attitude is to ignore the existence of human beings, but they will not meddle in human affairs."

The blonde man nodded: "To put it simply, the other party's behavior of closing the door is not equated with the other party's friendly attitude towards humans, it may just be simply unhappy that other beings have entered their territory, or some other reason." We can't preconceive about those existences. ”

Edmund blushed and lowered his head: "I'm sorry, I'll correct my perception." ”

"It's okay, everyone is a novice," the blonde man patted Edmund on the shoulder, "The reason why Dinah said before is only one of them, there is a more important factor, before I want to ask, how much do you know about the dream world?" ”

"Uh, yes

The former captain and I have learned some science, the dream world is the 'land where the gods exist', and the weird is the inhabitant of the dream world, and there are monsters of all kinds of races in the dream world. ”

"Well, it's pretty much, then you should also know that because of the barrier of the dream world, evil gods and powerful weirdness can't easily appear in reality." Job said, "Have you ever thought that if the gatekeeper could close the door, he would be able to open it?" ”

Edmund looked up in shock, his eyes full of shock.

"That's why the Inspectorate has designated the mission level as 'unknown' this time," the blonde man said with a wry smile, "not just us, but all other forces, including those secret societies and religious organizations, will definitely flock to Arkham in search of him." ”

"Because the 'gatekeeper' is the only one known to be able to open or close that door."

Arkham's pool of water is far deeper than anyone thinks.

The stranger's plan for a hundred years began when the door opened, and I am afraid that all existence knew that Arkham was going to be finished, but who would have thought that he would be able to bite the gold halfway.

The most important thing is the power shown by the other party...... If he can open the door to the dream world, the evil gods who covet the world of the watch world and their forces will definitely not let him go.

They will do whatever it takes to find Him, control Him, and sacrifice Him until they open the door to the dream world for the coming of their God.

Edmund lowered his head and was silent, and the neurotic man couldn't help but say something when he saw this: "It's not like I'm already scared." ”

"Edie." Job frowned, "Edmund, ignore his stinky temper. ”

"It's okay, I don't care," Edmund said softly, looking up, "I was just thinking that I had to get rid of the forces that had entered Arkham City quickly." ”

When he said that it would be solved, Edmund did not have any cowardice in his eyes, as if he was talking about what he had for lunch today, and the blonde man was stunned.

The energetic girl Eunice whistled: "Yo, little brother, I'm starting to like you, you're crazy too, I'm worried that you may not be able to adapt to our rhythm." ”

"I'd love to praise you for being well-spoken, but you can't just go up recklessly during the investigation, after all, we are investigators, not warriors, and we can avoid battles, but your consciousness is very good," the blonde man patted Edmund on the shoulder with relief, "The headquarters is also paying attention to this mission, and I believe we will be able to find out the true face of that 'gatekeeper'." ”

Edmund smiled shyly, "Hope I can help." ”：，，.