“Help you? Who exactly are you?” Lin Xiaoqiang eyed the man in black warily. He could sense an aura about him—calm, restrained, and entirely out of place in the overly pink world of Barbie City.
The man gave a faint, elusive smile. “My name isn’t important, Mr. Lin. What matters is—we are connected to the recent ‘pink anomalies’ occurring in Barbie City.”
Wang Meili and Ah Zhai stepped closer, curiosity piqued. They, too, had sensed that this mysterious man wasn’t ordinary.
“You’re connected to those weird events? Do you know what’s going on with the pink glows and the statues changing color?” Ah Zhai asked eagerly, already pointing his camera at the man in black, ready to capture everything.
The man nodded slightly, a flicker of concern in his eyes. “Yes, I know a bit. In fact, those incidents are not random. They’re the result of... unusual energy fluctuations.”
“Energy fluctuations? What kind of fluctuations?” Lin Xiaoqiang pressed, sensing that the man knew more than he was letting on.
“A specific... resonance frequency,” the man explained slowly, “one that is gradually affecting this city. And this frequency appears to have a unique effect on certain lifeforms.”
His eyes drifted, almost intentionally, toward Lin Xiaoqiang.
Lin Xiaoqiang’s heart skipped. He recalled the anxious murmurs and strange behaviors of the animals lately. Could this be what the man was referring to—this “special resonance frequency”?
“These ‘certain lifeforms’... you mean animals?” Lin Xiaoqiang asked cautiously.
A glimmer of approval passed through the man’s eyes. “As expected, you can hear them. Yes, this frequency subtly influences animals’ perceptions and emotions, making them uneasy and agitated. But more importantly...” He paused, then lowered his voice. “The source of this frequency may not be natural.”
“You mean... someone is deliberately creating these pink anomalies?” Wang Meili asked in surprise.
The man nodded slowly. “It’s highly likely. And we suspect their ultimate goal may go far beyond just causing a few strange phenomena.”
“Then why come to us?” Lin Xiaoqiang frowned. “We’re just a college paranormal club. What could we possibly do to help?”
“Because you can hear the voices of animals, Mr. Lin.” The man’s gaze sharpened. “Animals are often sensitive to things humans can’t detect—danger, change, hidden threats. You might be able to uncover clues in what they say… clues no one else can access.”
“And…” He reached into his coat and pulled out an old, slightly worn photograph, handing it to Lin Xiaoqiang. “We’re currently tracking individuals involved in ‘special energy research.’ The man in this photo may be connected to what’s happening in Barbie City. If you come across any references to him—perhaps in animals’ memories or perceptions—please inform us immediately.”
The photo showed a middle-aged man wearing glasses, his face etched with a gloomy smile. Lin Xiaoqiang stared at it for a moment, but the face didn’t ring a bell.
“We’ll do our best to help,” he said, accepting the photo. A strange certainty stirred inside him—as if he and his friends were about to be drawn into something far more complex and dangerous than anything they had faced before.
“Thank you,” the man in black said, seeming genuinely relieved. “If you uncover anything, contact us through this.”
He handed Lin Xiaoqiang a matte black card, devoid of any text or logos—only an odd, spiral-like symbol engraved at its center.
With that, the man turned and walked away, his figure soon swallowed by the vivid pink horizon of Barbie City, leaving Lin Xiaoqiang and his friends behind—alone with the growing mystery of the “pink anomalies” and the ominous conspiracy lurking in the shadows.
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