Chapter 39: Shadow on the Roof

Back in his room, Ye Feifan set up several formations to prevent any sudden intrusions. He then closed his eyes, entered a dream state, and began to watch the live feed from the disposable item, the "Immersive Live Streaming Watch."

The mysterious card was designed for use in dangerous zones, generally for tracking enemies or exploring forbidden areas. The disguised watch functioned as a disposable positioning and recording system to be worn by the enemy, who would remain completely unaware of its internal secrets.

The image appeared, showing the interior of a pitch-black bus.

Old Hei looked extremely tense. Having witnessed the interaction between Ye Feifan and the Red-Clad Driver, he harbored significant suspicions. Now, as the driver’s gaze flickered intermittently through the rearview mirror, Old Hei felt a sense of crisis as if he were facing a formidable foe.

"That kid isn't playing me for a fool, is he?"

Risking his life for "Energy Fluid" didn't seem worth it, no matter how he looked at it. Should he just escape halfway?

The bus was deathly silent, the windows marked with blood-stained handprints. Old Hei sat in the same seat Ye Feifan had occupied previously. During his last trip, Ye Feifan had been too nervous to properly observe the vehicle, but now, watching via the live stream, he could examine the interior with peace of mind.

Taking out the walkie-talkie provided as a system reward, Ye Feifan said softly, "Old Hei, can you hear me?"

"Kid, where are you?"

Old Hei was startled, his expression agitated. To be honest, he wasn't confident in his ability to pull off the feat of destroying the Buddha statue, but being able to communicate with Ye Feifan greatly increased his chances of fulfilling the deal.

Hearing Old Hei’s mutterings, the Red-Clad Driver turned his head to glance at him before turning back, terrifying Old Hei so much he dared not even breathe.

"This is a remote communication. They can't hear us, so don't worry."

"Can you see me?"

"I can. It’s inconvenient for me to show my face... Does your sense of smell fail you when it rains?"

"A little."

"Follow my instructions. Just do your best to complete the mission, and you'll get your Energy Fluid as promised."

"We'll see. I'm not going to throw my life away."

"Fine. Just stay put; the driver will call you when you arrive."

"Understood."

Old Hei stopped speaking, and Ye Feifan, through the immersive perspective, noticed many details he had missed before. The green seats were covered in black spots, seemingly dried bloodstains, and there was a pool of stagnant blood beneath the window seat in the last row on the driver's side—a sight that was both eerie and horrific.

Whose blood was it?

The tense atmosphere kept Ye Feifan’s mind on high alert. He stared at the bloody prints on the glass for a long time until he began to notice cracks forming on the surface.

The dense cracks on the glass formed a spiderweb pattern. Old Hei, whose attention was fixed on the driver, hadn't noticed, and Ye Feifan grew anxious.

"Old Hei, look at the glass next to you. Is it broken?"

"The glass?"

"Yes, that shiny, transparent thing."

"Let me look..."

Old Hei leaned over and stared intently at the bloodstains on the glass.

"Oh, my god! You scared the hell out of me!" Old Hei recoiled, falling backward off his seat into a defensive stance, his fur standing on end in the darkness.

It wasn't just Old Hei who was startled; even Ye Feifan’s heart skipped a beat.

"What’s going on? What are you doing?" The Red-Clad Driver turned his head, his tone unfriendly and his gaze exceptionally dangerous.

"Nothing... just felt a chill," Old Hei laughed awkwardly.

"Sit back down, quickly," Ye Feifan urged.

Trembling, Old Hei scrambled back into his seat. The driver coldly withdrew his gaze.

Once settled, Old Hei looked suspiciously at the driver and the window, complaining, "Are you trying to scare me to death, kid?"

"Don't worry, let me catch my breath."

Based on what had just terrified Old Hei, Ye Feifan was certain there was another powerful, ominous presence on the bus. That bloody gaze had reflected a desperate horror; meeting it had induced panic and terror. A gaze like that, feeling like drowning, was something no one with a weak heart could withstand.

It was a gaze that pierced the soul!

After being startled by that look, Ye Feifan didn't see the eyes outside the window again; they seemed to have noticed his prying.

The seat Old Hei was in had no bloodstains, while the others had varying amounts—it was highly abnormal. Some sort of horrific drama must have played out on this bus. The seat Old Hei occupied was likely where the mastermind, the criminal, or perhaps a victim had sat...

Regardless of the theory, this was no simple matter. Old Hei’s cooperation was still lacking, and Ye Feifan couldn't easily go back on his contract with the Red-Clad Driver; provoking the other party would yield no good results.

During their idle chatter, Ye Feifan noticed the driver never stopped, and the announcement system remained silent. The rain outside was heavy, yet the bloodstains on the windows refused to fade, as stubborn as paint.

There was no jolting inside the bus. The windows on both sides were cracked, yet through the non-cracked sections, one could see the scenery outside—mostly trees, and there was no sound of friction between the bus and the grass.

It was terrifyingly silent!

The oppression and silence did not break Old Hei, which raised Ye Feifan’s estimation of him; his origins were definitely not ordinary.

Unfortunately, Old Hei was unwilling to be his pet; otherwise, he could have used the system to check the man's abilities.

As Ye Feifan observed the situation from his dream, the cat, Dahuang, curled up on his chest in reality, its golden pupils reflecting the various movements in the dark night.

Since he was observing the bus for a long time, Ye Feifan didn't enter meditation but instead pulled out a notebook to record keywords.

The more keywords he gathered, the easier it would be to deduce the truth. He had already recorded "blood handprint," "blood man," "self," "car accident," "truck," "Nini," and "Red-Clad Driver," yet the conclusion remained a blur. The case involved was clearly more than just a single incident.

As he pondered, the Red-Clad Driver finally stopped after some time, and the announcement system eerily crackled to life.

"Route 88 bus has arrived at the station. Passengers for Beichen Tea Pavilion, please disembark in an orderly fashion. Passengers boarding, please deposit one yuan. Please offer your seats to those in need. Thank you for your cooperation..."

The Red-Clad Driver turned his head stiffly, staring fixedly at Old Hei for a long moment before saying, "We've arrived. You can go now."

Arrived?

Old Hei shuddered, nodding quickly. "I understand."

The rear door opened, and Old Hei dashed out of the bus without a word.

The rain was still falling outside, and in the pitch-black darkness, nothing could be seen clearly. The live stream feed adjusted to mimic human night vision, which Ye Feifan managed to adapt to.

Standing by the Beichen Tea Pavilion, Old Hei straightened his posture and watched silently as the bus drove away.

"Route 88 bus is about to depart. The final destination for this trip is Zhang's Warehouse. Please hold the handrails, do not extend your head or arms out the window. The next stop is Little Zhang’s Teahouse; passengers getting off, please prepare in advance."

Just as Ye Feifan intended to give Old Hei some advice, he heard the mention of "Zhang's Warehouse" and immediately shouted, "Old Hei, look at the bus!"

Startled by Ye Feifan’s sudden outburst, Old Hei instinctively looked at the bus.

As the bus happened to be turning a corner, a dark, human-shaped shadow stood up on the roof.