A chilly wind blew through the bus, like the cling film that had been covering my face was finally torn away—I could finally breathe freely.
After breaking the illusion, everyone on the bus looked at me differently right away.
"So turns out there's a Daoist on this bus, bro. You know quite a bit, huh?" Wang Chunfu, always one to read the situation, suddenly forgot the previous friction between us and put on a fake smile as he approached.
I ignored him and patted the driver's shoulder. "Wipe your sweat and start the bus."
Sitting back down, Liu Yiyi turned around in disbelief. "How did you do that?"
She spoke what most on the bus were thinking; everyone leaned forward, eager to hear.
"My mom taught me. It's all thanks to her." I had already planned to attribute the talisman to a nonexistent person before showing it.
"Your mom? Did she tell you anything else?"
"Of course." I stroked Yiyi's head and told a well-meaning lie. "She said if you behave, you'll see her soon."
Ding dong! "Duanwang Tower stop. Please take your belongings and exit through the rear door. Watch your step when getting off."
The bus stopped. I checked the Route 14 map; the next stop after Duanwang Tower was the No. 3 Bridge Crematorium. Tonight's livestream mission was nearly complete.
"Get off the bus. Don't worry about your bro. If we can save even one life, that's good enough." Wang Chunfu comforted Jianye; the two planned to get off here. Yuan Feng also seemed eager to leave the eerie Route 14 bus.
"Hey, if you don't want to die, stay on and ride to the last stop with me." I stood and coldly looked at everyone. "I'm only reminding you once—see things through to the end."
They all remembered how I had just used the Maoshan Guide Talisman to break the illusion. When I spoke, some hesitated.
To be honest, I didn't care if these people lived or died. I just wanted to complete The Netherworld Live Show's optional task—each passenger who survived would give me an extra point.
"No one's getting off. We'll listen to you."
Three minutes passed with no one leaving. The driver closed the doors and prepared to drive to the final stop.
I breathed a sigh of relief. I had barely saved this group of bastards; if they jumped off now to court death, all my effort would be for nothing.
"Vehicle starting. Please hold tight. Welcome aboard Route 14 no-conductor bus. Please prepare one yuan coin for the fare. Enter through the rear door. Next stop: No. 3 Bridge Crematorium."
I looked out the window. It was about 3 a.m., the darkest hour of the night.
"We're almost there, but dawn is still far away. This doesn't feel like the style of The Netherworld Live Show." Uneasy, I suddenly remembered the yellow paper talisman the Daoist from Little Zhuang Temple gave me. Quietly unfolding it, even the short line written inside sent a chill down my spine.
I released Yiyi's hand and took out a cigarette, putting it in my mouth and flicking my lighter—no matter what, it wouldn't light.
"Uncle, want me to help you?"
Looking into Yiyi's pure, bright eyes, I silently shook my head. The yellow paper's message told me that all my previous deductions might be wrong.
The road grew more difficult. The battered bus bounced over the rough ground; on both sides was barren land—not a single house in sight.
In the pitch-black night, only the faint yellow headlights lit the way ahead, like a small ferry crossing the Yellow Springs.
After about ten minutes, rows of buildings appeared—classic blue tiles, faded red courtyard walls. That was the No. 3 Bridge Crematorium.
The road was littered with more and more joss paper. A night breeze blew, scattering a vast white sea of offerings. Inside looked like a garbage dump, stuffed with remnants of spirit dolls and paper horses. The gaudy faces on the offerings fluttered in the wind.
I shivered, becoming even quieter.
Ding dong! "No. 3 Bridge Crematorium. Please take your belongings and exit through the rear door. Watch your step when getting off."
The moment the announcement sounded, everyone stood up from their seats as if on cue.
"Get off the bus." What must come, will come. I patted my chest. When my hand dropped, the Maoshan Seven Gang Talisman was already hidden in my palm.
The crematorium's gate faced the bus stop directly. When I stepped off the Route 14 bus, my feet touched the ground, and a message from The Netherworld Live Show arrived as promised.
Ding!
"Livestream mission: Arrive at Miyun Residence by midnight. Complete the mission by riding Route 14 bus and surviving to the last stop."
"Scoring begins."
"Complete livestream mission: +1 point. Peak viewers exceed 1,000: +3 points. Gifts received over 1,000 spirit coins: +2 points. Failed Netherworld commission: -1 point."
"Optional task: Protect passengers on the bus, earn an additional +2 points."
"Final tally: 7 points earned this livestream."
Seeing the message, my face darkened—not because seven points was a poor score, but because of that optional task.
I clearly remembered the optional task said: Protect the passengers on board; each extra survivor rewards one point.
But now? Including the driver, only eight people arrived at the final stop—and I was only awarded two points!
That meant six of the eight weren't human!
"Successfully arrived at No. 3 Bridge Crematorium. Netherworld commission incomplete. Triggering forced task—Survive until dawn!"
Just as I feared, the worst-case scenario had occurred.
"The driver, Yuan Feng, Wang Chunfu, Jianye, Zhang Rong, Liu Yiyi, the man in the hospital gown, and that creepy little girl at the back—who among them is human? Who is a ghost?"
I took out the yellow paper the Daoist from Little Zhuang Temple gave me and read it again.
"Is it Yiyi?"
"What are you staring at?" Yuan Feng noticed me standing still for a long time. Rolling his eyes, he walked over.
"Why do I have to report to you?" I had looked up his background online while on the bus. News only said he was missing; no one knew if he was alive or dead.
"Enough bickering. We're in this together, so no need to make enemies." Wang Chunfu forced a smile; his voice trembled. The bus stopped at the crematorium gate—anyone would feel scared here.
Zhang Rong, missing one high heel, also got off, looking around like a thief. After confirming the red-robed demon hadn't followed, she ran behind several men.
"Get lost. If it weren't for you, we wouldn't be in this mess."
"Sorry, sorry! Please let me stay with you!" She wept bitterly, begging.
Yuan Feng kicked her away. "Funeral Gate star, get lost."
Everyone treated Zhang Rong harshly except me. Thinking I sympathized, she covered her bruised arm and ran to hug my legs.
"You're a cop. Please save me! I'll do anything you say!"
"Anything?" I narrowed my eyes. "Then tell me—are you human or a ghost?"
Zhang Rong was stunned by my sudden question. She pounded her head. "Headache…"
I pried her hands apart and stood among them, but felt utterly alone. "Eight passengers, only two alive? What a joke."
"Where do we go now? Are we going to wait out the night in this ghost place?" Wang Chunfu was clearly asking my opinion.
"Nowhere." I waved to Yiyi, then searched for the other little girl. I had a feeling they were the key tonight.
"Everyone, three minutes have passed. Time to get back on the bus." The driver stuck his head out, his face dripping sweat that seemed endless.
"Go? We've reached the last stop—where else is there to go?"
"We're turning back. Everyone move fast. No stop can last more than five minutes!" The driver's words made everyone nervous. "You don't seriously plan to stay overnight at the crematorium, do you? Even the staff don't dare stay after dark!"
Staying overnight at a crematorium was terrifying, but the parked Route 14 bus nearby seemed even more eerie.
"You keep saying no more than five minutes. Tonight, I want to see what happens if we stay longer." Yuan Feng smiled coldly, deciding to side with me.
"And you guys?"
"Our home's at the previous stop, Duanwang Tower, so—"
"Quiet!" Holding Yiyi's hand, I walked from the back of the bus. "We're missing one person. Didn't you notice?"
I looked around but couldn't find the little girl who'd been sitting at the back. It seemed she vanished as soon as the bus arrived at No. 3 Bridge Crematorium.