Chapter 302: Chapter 301: The Isolated Train Carriage
Yang Jian originally only planned to pick up a phone to satisfy the headquartersâ arrangement and then head back to Dachang City. He had never considered dealing with any paranormal incidents. Although he was slightly more skilled than other ghost controllers, he also didnât want to deal with ghosts all the time. Therefore, he was thinking about how to be lazy, skip work, and clock out as soon as possible.
But who would have thought that while catching a pickpocket on the bus, he assumed that such a trivial matter could be easily resolved? However, when he realized something was off, he discovered that there was something unusual about this bus.
At first, the bus was operating normally, making stops at several stations along the way and picking up passengers. But later, there was something wrong with the bus. Its route had been changed, and it hadnât stopped at any station for over ten minutes. Whatâs more, the direction it was taking was off. By this time, it had already left Xiaochun City proper.
âAlthough there are some eerie aspects right now, theyâre not so bad as to put me in danger. Letâs just keep it this way for now.â
Although Yang Jian was in a bad mood when he encountered this kind of situation, his experience in dealing with special events reminded him.
Never mess around when you encounter something off. Calm down, find a place to sit, and smoke a cigarette to think things through, which is better than getting emotional and yelling.
Of course, most people canât stay calm in the face of danger.
Yang Jian checked the time.
6:20 PM.
Source: novgo.co
But since the days are longer in summer, it wasnât considered nighttime yet, as there was still sunlight outside. Itâs just that the bus had already driven to the outskirts, with mountainous areas blocking the view, giving the illusion that the surrounding sky was rapidly dimming.
It was the rapid change in the light and environment outside the window that alerted him to the oddness.
âShould I check to see if itâs really a paranormal incident or just jump out the window and leave?â Yang Jian was now faced with two options.
Although he was 80% sure that this was the beginning of a paranormal event, everything inside the bus still seemed normal. Maybe the driver had simply taken the wrong route.
âJust jump out the window and leave. I donât want to get involved in this,â Yang Jian didnât think twice and immediately made a decision.
Whatever the situation, whether itâs dangerous or a misunderstanding, he would leave first and ask questions later.
Yang Jian immediately reached out to open the window next to him, preparing to jump out and leave. With his current capabilities, even if he jumped from the tenth floor, as long as he didnât hit his head, he would be fine, let alone jumping from a bus.
âThe window wonât open?â
However, the next moment, as he tried to push open a glass window on the bus, he found that it was stuck and simply wouldnât budge.
He tried again, using more force, but it still wouldnât open.
The glass window remained sealed shut, immovable, as if it were stronger than steel.
âWith my current strength, I should be able to easily shatter tempered glass. How can this window not react at all?â Yang Jianâs expression changed subtly.
Since he couldnât break the window, he had to use Ghost Domain.
He placed his palm on the glass window, and his palm split open, revealing a ghost eye that emitted red light.
However, the red light of the Ghost Domain couldnât spread outside; it was blocked by the carriage. It was as if the outside world and the inside of the bus were in two different realms. Even the Ghost Domain couldnât cross this boundary. The seemingly normal bus only began to reveal its eeriness after some probing.
âWhat in the world is this? Itâs one thing not to be able to open the door, but to have even the Ghost Domain blockedâŠâ Yang Jian furrowed his brows deeply.
He now believed that Xu Feng, the missing ghost controller from Xiaochun City, most likely met his end on this bus. His satellite-located phone wasnât picked up by someone; it probably fell somewhere on this bus.
It was just his bad luck to want to help retrieve the phone but ending up on this strange bus by mistake.
At this moment, the five young men and women sitting nearby were still unaware of what was happening around them. They were discussing ghost stories, taking turns telling them, and having a great time. But an argument broke outâthe backpack-clad young man and a girl believed in ghosts, while the other three did not, leading to a dispute.
âHey, buddy, I have a question for you. Do you think there really are ghosts in this world? Donât tell me you donât know about the incidents in Dachang City. I believe itâs haunted, but they say itâs not,â the backpack-clad young man asked Yang Jian, the stranger.
Yang Jian slightly lifted his head and glanced at him: âWhatâs your name?â
âIâm Zhang Haw,â the backpack-clad young man said with a laugh, his demeanor quite amiable.
âZhang Haw, we just voted three against two, and you lost. There are no ghosts in this world, so how could you still be trying to get votes?â a girl next to him said.
Zhang Haw chuckled: âYou didnât say we couldnât count the other people on the bus. Buddy, back me up, will you? Otherwise, we lost, and weâll have to treat everyone to dinner later.â
Yang Jian didnât answer but looked at them and said, âBefore discussing whether ghosts exist or not, I have a question for you. Are you afraid of ghosts?â
âOf course⊠Not afraid. Ghosts? What are they? If I really come across one, Iâll take them down with a punch. I donât believe my twenty-two years of Virgin Boy Power will be afraid of those things,â Zhang Haw said with great confidence.
I really donât know where that confidence of his comes from.
Yang Jian gave him a thumbs-up and sighed with admiration, âBig brother, youâre truly a brave man. Just for that statement alone, I have immense respect for you. I canât do it. Iâm terribly afraid of ghosts. Like right now, I may seem composed, but my heart is actually in turmoil. If it werenât for you guys breathing around me, Iâd even doubt whether the people sitting next to me are really humans.â
Right now, he couldnât even be sure if there was something wrong with the more than twenty people on the bus.
However, Yang Jian had seen these five people get on the bus and talk non-stop. They should be fine among this group of people on the bus.
âWhy would you say that?â Zhang Haw was puzzled.
Yang Jian said, âHavenât you guys noticed anything unusual after riding for half an hour? Iâm a foreigner and donât know the roads here, but could it be that the buses in Xiaochun City all head to the suburbs?â
He pointed outside the window.
âThe route was changed recently, the road ahead is under construction, and the route has been altered to this direction. Itâs correct,â Zhang Haw looked out and didnât seem particularly surprised.
â?â Upon hearing this, it was Yang Jianâs turn to feel puzzled.
Thereâs no problem with the route?
How is that possible? If the route is fine, then why canât the windows of this bus be opened? Could it be that I am physically weak?
âDammit, the driver has taken the wrong route. I just remembered, the city roads were repaired a while ago, and the route had changed back five days ago. No wonder something has felt off. Zhang Haw, you really are blind. How could you not realize weâve been on the wrong route for so long?â Another boy reacted.
âWhat do we do now?â A girl was taken aback.
âIâll ask the driver to see if we can get back on the right route,â Zhang Haw quickly stood up, his interest in ghost stories gone completely.
If we keep going like this, who knows when weâll get off the bus.
âYou better be careful,â Yang Jian warned.
Be careful?
Zhang Haw glanced at Yang Jian, âWhat do you mean by âbe carefulâ?â
âNothing much, just taking the words at face value. It might be dangerous to go ask the driver directly, though Iâm not sure. Iâd suggest you call out a few times and try that,â Yang Jian said.
âCould it be that the driver is a criminal and heâs hijacked us?â a girl next to him asked, somewhat frightened.
âWhat are you thinking? With so many people, he wouldnât dare to hijack us alone. Donât worry, Iâll go and inquire about the situation,â Zhang Haw said.
Seeing him like this, Yang Jian didnât urge any further. It would be good for him to check out the situation, to test the waters.
Thereâs always one who sticks his neck out first, right?
Yang Jian didnât think much of it at first, but after hearing what he said, Zhang Haw felt strangely scared.
Could it be that someone really has hijacked the bus?
Yet, Zhang Haw still walked over, but as he reached the middle of the bus, an elderly grandmother sitting beside him suddenly stretched out her wrinkled hand and grabbed him.
He turned to look.
But he saw the old lady smile, âYoung man, just sit down and relax for now. You can get off at the next stop. Thereâs no need to ask the driver to change routes.â
âWhy?â Zhang Haw asked, puzzled.
Yang Jianâs eyebrows twitched as he fixed his gaze on the old woman.
âIâm old and itâs not easy for me to get around. This bus happens to pass right by my village, and I want to get home earlier,â the old lady said.
âThen⊠okay,â Zhang Haw thought for a moment and decided not to press the issue of changing the route.
The old lady seemed to notice Yang Jian was looking at her. She turned her head and gave him an embarrassed smile before turning away.
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