Strange Phenomena Return, and I Become a God by Taking Control of the Forum!

Xie Tianxi, a folklore enthusiast, was the only survivor after accidentally entering a blood-sacrifice tomb with an archaeological team. He clawed his way out of the tomb, only to discover, to his horror:

His home was gone.

The world lay in ruins, and humanity had descended into chaos.

Red candles illuminated ghost weddings, yellow immortals stole people's lifespans, Nuo masks spoke for the gods, and ancient wells opened into the netherworld...

Staring at his phone, which had no signal, and the ruined city around him, Xie Tianxi finally turned his gaze to the pale blue screen floating before him:

[Paranormal Affairs Underworld Forum: Central Continent Headquarters]

He looked at the countless uncanny powers in the forum's back end, and the vast authority it held over the realms of the living and the dead. After a few seconds of silence, he finally spoke softly:

"...Then let's first make sure everyone--"

"Can get online."

-

And so, in an age when it was impossible to tell humans from ghosts and despair filled the air,

a presence called the Underworld Forum quietly connected to every device.

It had no IP address or server, and didn't even use up any battery power. Even a discarded phone could be picked up and used.

Yet, in the dead of night, it would quietly display a notice, marking a blood-red path to survival in cinnabar-colored text:

[C-rank Paranormal Incident "Yellow-Skinned Ghost Weeping at a Grave" livestream now underway. Click to see the three taboos you must avoid;]

[Real-time map of paranormal mist concentration in the Western Hunan Corpse Procession region updated;]

[Congratulations to user "solo" for completing the "Dragon King Collects His Debt" instance first! Reward: [Incomplete Water-Taming Dragon King's Horn x1]!]

People went from terror to reliance, from avoidance to resistance.

Global livestreams, combat rankings, paranormal artifact catalogs, instance guides... The forum's features unlocked one by one, as if an all-knowing eye behind the scenes could see through every supernatural phenomenon.

The helpless and bewildered exchanged intel on the forum, watched top ghost-walkers livestream their conquests, and traded for life-saving talismans in the resources section...

[Without all the forum's conquests, I don't know how many times I'd have been done for!]

[The forum even gave us freebies for the Ghost Festival. Seriously, I'm crying.]

[The latest guide says the best approach is to figure out the paranormal entities. Believe in the forum and gain eternal life!]

Behind the forum, Xie Tianxi ordered takeout as he made notes:

[New abnormal instance added today: "Ghost Opera Stage." Note: "Do not meet the dan-role actor's eyes";]

[The "Fox Bride" incident in the Southwest is spreading. Dispatch three people with the talent to see through illusions;]

"Why is that user with the ID 'Frog' redeeming so much stuff... They must be loaded! Wait, oh, they're dead. Now it's really a ghost spending their money..."

-

One day, foreign powers used satellites to get involved and finally sent out a global distress signal.

Only then did the despairing Western world discover that the only way to communicate across continents was through that mysterious Central Continent forum!

Using their last remaining resources, they sent a desperate plea:

[Please... share the forum.]

Xie Tianxi looked at the enormous pile of international access requests in the admin panel, then glanced down at the huge collection of files on ghost control, baleful-spirit cultivation, and god worship...

His lips slowly curled into a smile.

"Sure."

"But we'll do things our way."

[NOTICE TO ALL THE LIVING:]

[From today on, the living and the dead shall follow separate paths, and yin and yang shall remain in order.]

[Any ghost that takes a human life may be captured, controlled, or destroyed.]

[Know this--]

[This land was once called "Shenzhou";]

[This body shall always belong to the realm of the living.]

Theme: Stand firm