Chapter 1 Unquestionably Abnormal

There was no doubt about it—this was not normal.

Before Wang Congshan's narration, Li Ang had almost zero memory of that day.

But after listening, clear memories of that day surfaced in Li Ang's mind.

He recalled that it must have been autumn. Wang Congshan wore a pink, butterfly-shaped hair clip, a high-necked blue undershirt, and a white jacket. When they were on duty together, she had a pleasant, milky scent from her body wash.

Li Ang was a natural genius, not a pervert; he wouldn't remember the specific outfit Wang Congshan wore on some distant day,

or the scent she carried.

Memories appearing out of nowhere?

Li Ang maintained his reassuring smile for the class monitor, but his brain was racing, considering one possibility after another.

A man-made cognitive bias curse?

Meme pollution caused by a supernatural item?

A large-scale mystics ritual?

"Didn't the Special Affairs Bureau release a notice?

Saying that if you encounter unexpected situations, you can call their hotline or leave a message on their official website to report the situation."

Wang Congshan said hesitantly, "I feel like this is a little strange. Should we report it?"

Li Ang pretended to think for a moment. "This post has been online for so long without being deleted. It should be fine, right?

But to be safe, why don't you contact your cousin?"

Wang Congshan's cousin was the artistic female painter, Wei Linglan.

After being tricked by Li Ang once, the newbie player had reluctantly joined the Special Affairs Bureau and become an agent.

Rumor had it that she had already been promoted.

"Okay."

Wang Congshan nodded, picked up her phone, and called Wei Linglan.

"Hello? Cousin, it's me."

"Shanshan? Wait a moment, it's a bit noisy here. Let me go outside."

The sound of rapid gunfire echoed on the other end of the line, as if she were at a shooting range.

Wang Congshan hummed in acknowledgment. After a moment, the noise subsided.

"Okay, what's up?"

Wei Linglan's voice sounded teasing. "Oh, right, you were supposed to go to the zoo with your boyfriend today, right?

What's wrong? Did he upset you?

Or did he confess?

Or did something heart-fluttering and pink happen, and you're seeking my advice?"

Wang Congshan rolled her eyes. "Please, you go on twenty blind dates a year and haven't even been in a relationship.

What advice could you possibly give me?

A hundred ways to cook a single dog?"

Wei Linglan was annoyed and said over the phone, "Hey, you brat, just because I haven't eaten pork doesn't mean I haven't seen a pig run!

Theory, theory is superior to practice, understand?

There's a saying that those involved are confused, while onlookers see clearly."

"Okay, okay, I have something important to tell you."

Wang Congshan quickly interrupted Wei Linglan's rambling and carefully told her about the strange tale she had seen on the forum, as well as her own strange memories.

After listening to Wang Congshan's narration, Wei Linglan's tone suddenly became serious. She said in a deep voice, "I understand. Where are you now?"

"Still at the zoo, with... Li Ang."

"Okay, stay where you are for now. I'll report the situation. I'll contact you soon."

"Okay." Wang Congshan nodded, hung up the phone, and stared at Li Ang.

Soon, the phone rang again. Wei Linglan said, sounding confused, "Uh, the Special Affairs Bureau has also noticed this matter and has already sent colleagues to investigate.

Apparently, an anomaly caused an accident, and the forum page was accidentally infected with some kind of meme that can modify cognition."

"Meme?"

Wang Congshan frowned slightly, while Li Ang remained silent.

A meme, simply put, is the basic unit of culture, transmitted through non-genetic means, especially imitation.

Any cultural concept created by humans is a meme, such as tea ceremonies, movies, music, and even more abstract concepts like freedom, justice, truth, and festivals.

Memes manifest in very common ways.

For example, people might specifically search for a song because everyone around them is discussing it.

Or, someone might copy and forward a silly picture sent by a goofy netizen in a QQ group to other groups.

Or, they might copy and paste some flirty or provocative lines when chatting with others online, becoming a repeating machine.

In short, memes in the real world are ideas that can infect others and change their behavior.

But in the supernatural realm,

memes, especially anomalous memes,

possess even more terrifying power.

A single contact, a single word, a piece of music, a poem, a film—all can serve as carriers of anomalous memes, infecting the minds of ordinary people.

For example, in the movie *The Ring*, anyone who watches the Sadako video tape is doomed to die.

The cognitive bias curse cast by the Whale Song radical faction is also a type of anomalous meme.

Long ago, the demon Zou Zhengze told Li Ang some information—whether true or false—that "as long as you know the truth about the reincarnation of souls, you will never be able to break free." This was also an extreme form of anomalous meme.

The Special Affairs Bureau's official website records a great deal of information about anomalous memes.

The official advice given to ordinary people is not to be too curious about supernatural matters.

Any behavior that actively explores or seeks knowledge of anomalous events may infect them with an anomalous meme, causing them to lose their independent minds.

The Special Affairs Bureau had previously conducted a large-scale series of campaigns, emphasizing many important matters that needed attention.

Wang Congshan was very clear about what a meme was.

Psychological changes—invisible and intangible—were always the most terrifying.

Seeming to sense Wang Congshan's unease, Wei Linglan hurriedly said, "There is an anomalous meme on that page,

but after investigation, it was found to be harmless to ordinary infected people.

It doesn't have any harmful properties at all.

It can be solved once the page is repaired.

Try refreshing the page and see if you can still find it."

Wang Congshan nodded and tapped on her phone screen while staying on the line.

In the short space of time that had passed, the post had already been removed from the anonymous forum.

She couldn't find it.

Refreshing the old page only displayed an "Error Message."

Li Ang, who was sitting across the table, also tried, and he couldn't open it either.

"Cousin, the post can't be found anymore."

"Okay, that's good."

"Uh, is that all it takes?"

Wang Congshan frowned and said, "Just deleting the web page or something... it feels strange.

The memory that appeared in my mind... is it fake?

It feels like it's getting clearer and clearer.

Could there be some connection?"

Wan Jia Xiong Meng