Last Bus of Route 13 - Chapter 59 - Yangcaogou

The plate moved. Of all of us, Bun Hairstyle was the most terrified-his eyes looked like they were about to pop out of his head.

Xiao Liu, ever the skeptic, refused to believe the plate could move on its own. He asked, “Bun Hairstyle, did you move it?”

Bun Hairstyle shot back, “I was about to ask you the same thing!”

I couldn’t believe the plate was moving by itself. I started analyzing the group. Xiao Liu was as straightforward as a stick-no way he’d pull a stunt like this. Bun Hairstyle was as timid as a mouse; he wouldn’t dare. Bai Fan was just here for the fun, so she wouldn’t bother with something so childish.

That left Tang Yao.

From the moment she suggested playing Plate Spirit, I’d had a bad feeling. Three people and a ghost playing this game? It felt like asking for trouble.

We all stared at the plate in fear, except for Tang Yao, who was grinning like she was having the time of her life.

“Plate Spirit, Plate Spirit, who’s the ugliest among us five?” Tang Yao asked, her tone light and teasing.

Her question made us all uncomfortable. To our surprise, the plate didn’t hesitate-it slid straight toward me.

The others looked both scared and amused, but I found it utterly pointless. Internally, I cursed, I might not be as tall as Bun Hairstyle, but I’m definitely better-looking than Xiao Liu! This Plate Spirit is clearly rigged-Tang Yao must be moving it to embarrass me.

Tang Yao laughed so hard she nearly fell over, then urged Bai Fan to ask a question. Bai Fan, too timid to even try, stayed silent. Xiao Liu, however, seemed to be getting into it. He leaned forward and asked excitedly, “Will I get a bonus this month?”

The plate slid to “No.”

At this point, I was completely bored. I was about to pull my hand away when Tang Yao beat me to it. She stood up and said, “I’m going to the restroom. Keep playing, but make sure someone keeps their hand on the plate until we’ve properly ended the game!”

With that, she left.

Now that Tang Yao was gone, the whole charade should’ve fallen apart.

Bun Hairstyle, emboldened by Xiao Liu’s question, cautiously asked, “Plate Spirit, will I ever become the boss of Fengman District?”

To my shock, the plate slid to “Yes.”

I swallowed hard. Tang Yao wasn’t even here anymore-how was the plate still moving?

I started suspecting Bun Hairstyle might be behind it. Just as I was mulling it over, we heard a loud “crash!” A passing waiter had accidentally dropped a tray of coffee cups outside our door.

The sudden noise startled Xiao Liu and Bun Hairstyle so much that they both pulled their hands away from the plate.

Only Bai Fan and I still had our fingers on it.

Tang Yao returned, saw the two of us still playing, and smirked. “Well, looks like it’s just you two now. Go ahead, ask a question!”

Bai Fan turned to me and whispered nervously, “Li Yao, I’m scared. You ask.”

I took a deep breath and said, “Fine, I’ll ask. But after this, we’re done. This game is pointless.”

Bai Fan nodded. I thought of a random question and asked, “Is there such a thing as ghosts in this world?”

For a few seconds, the plate didn’t move. I was about to laugh it off when, suddenly, it shot toward “Yes,” dragging our fingers along with it.

Everyone froze, staring at the plate in shock. Their faces turned pale.

I wasn’t scared because I didn’t believe in the so-called Plate Spirit. But now, it was just me and Bai Fan left.

Was the plate moving because of Bai Fan?!!

Bai Fan looked startled and quickly pulled her hand away, leaving only mine resting on the plate.

A chill ran through me. Without thinking much, I also withdrew my hand.

The moment I let go, Bun Hairstyle panicked and turned to Tang Yao, asking, “Didn’t you say the last person can’t let go before sending the Plate Spirit away? What now?”

Tang Yao gave a strange smile and said, “Well, it doesn’t matter for the rest of us. If anyone’s going to have bad luck, it’ll be him.”

The atmosphere grew awkward in an instant.

Seeing everyone tense, Bai Fan suggested we call it a night and head home.

Bun Hairstyle offered to walk Tang Yao home, but she firmly refused, leaving only her phone number before heading off alone.

After we dropped Bai Fan off at her place, the three of us grabbed a cab to head back.

On the way, Bun Hairstyle was grinning ear to ear, reading Tang Yao’s phone number like it was some kind of treasure.

Bun Hairstyle had helped me out plenty of times before. And while some things are hard to say, friends should be honest with each other.

“Bun Hairstyle, don’t call that number. Tang Yao isn’t human.”

As soon as I said it, Bun Hairstyle shot me a dismissive look and said, “What, still mad because the Plate Spirit said you’re the ugliest of us? Get over it.”

I raised my voice, exasperated. “Tang Yao died over a month ago, wearing a red dress, right in front of the copper bell at our company. Xiao Liu can back me up on this.”

Both Bun Hairstyle and I turned to look at Xiao Liu, who was sitting in the front passenger seat. He glanced back at me, sighed, and said, “Tang Yao was alive and well when we had dinner together. She was even playing games with us tonight. How many times do I have to tell you? The woman who died in front of the copper bell wasn’t her.”

Xiao Liu’s words left me utterly disappointed.

I was such an idiot. How could I expect a staunch skeptic like Xiao Liu to back me up?

Between one guy with a rusty brain and another blinded by lust, what good would anything I say do?

When we got back to the dormitory, I ignored the two of them, climbed into bed, and went straight to sleep.

Yesterday, I had accidentally come across some records in the second file folder, and the details had been weighing on my mind ever since.

Why did Old Wu keep insisting I stop investigating?

Three bizarre traffic accidents-clearly, all the victims were villagers from Huyaoshan. So why lie and claim they were from Tangwazi Village?

I couldn’t just let this go. After a quick breakfast in the cafeteria, I headed out to find Old Liu with these questions in mind.

I’d been to Community 2386 countless times over the past few months.

On the third floor lived Liu Yunbo, and on the eighth floor, Liu Qingzhu-two old men with the same surname who had taken turns haunting my nightmares.

Old Wu was back, so Liu Yunbo was probably home too. As I hurried past the third floor, I accidentally locked eyes with Liu Yunbo, who was sitting in his open doorway.

A shiver ran down my spine, and I bolted up the stairs.

That man had cursed me with The Gate Where a Hundred Ghosts Cry. Was he trying to kill me?

Thankfully, Old Liu was home. I quickly shared with him the secrets I’d uncovered in the second file folder.

Old Liu, as always, remained calm and unbothered. But he said something that echoed Old Wu’s words exactly.

“Stop investigating. The car accidents from ten years ago have nothing to do with you. Just focus on finding a way to leave now.”

These words left me utterly perplexed. It felt like I’d been ambushed, beaten up, and then told by those around me to run without questioning why I’d been attacked in the first place.

No way! That’s not how this is going to go.

If I’ve been wronged, if I’ve suffered, I deserve to know why!

Old Liu noticed the frustration bubbling inside me and lowered his voice.

“I’ve heard about another master. If you’re free, come with me to Yangcaogou and ask him about your situation.”

Yangcaogou is a small town near our city. One of my college roommates lives there. I remember missing his wedding because I was away for training at the time.

I asked skeptically, “Yangcaogou’s a pretty poor place. Are you sure there’s someone extraordinary there?”

Old Liu nodded and replied in a cold tone, “There’s a particularly skilled Semi-Immortal Xu there. He’s not as capable as Mr. He, but this guy has opened his Heavenly Eye. His divination skills are unmatched! We’ll ask him for guidance and see if there’s any way to resolve your situation.”

Hearing Old Liu’s description, a glimmer of hope reignited in me.

I agreed without hesitation, called Old Wu to request leave, and decided not to bother packing. I headed straight to Yangcaogou in Yingkou County with Old Liu.

On the way, I remembered the Plate Spirit ritual from last night. I quickly recounted everything to Old Liu-the whole process, including how I let go of the plate before sending the spirit away.

Old Liu shook his head and said, “There’s no such thing as a Plate Spirit. It’s just summoning Little Ghosts. Besides, the methods you used last night were all wrong. You couldn’t have summoned anything. Don’t worry about it.”

His casual “don’t worry about it” didn’t ease my concerns; it only made me more uneasy.

If there really wasn’t a Plate Spirit last night, then the moving plate-wasn’t it Bai Fan pushing it?

Sixth Uncle had asked me to find the file folder, and Bai Fan was connected to him.

I had a nagging feeling that the three reservoir accidents from ten years ago weren’t as straightforward as they seemed. The people and events involved were far more complex than I’d imagined.

Once I return from Yangcaogou, I need to dig deeper into the connection between Sixth Uncle and Bai Fan.

…

By the time we arrived in Yingkou County, it was already four in the afternoon. After switching to a small bus with ticket sales, we finally reached the remote Yangcaogou at seven in the evening.

This place was even poorer than I’d imagined. The few brick houses were only coated with a thin layer of whitewash, and there were still many rare mud-and-straw houses scattered around.

I asked Old Liu for the name of the person we were looking for. He shook his head and said he only knew the man lived in this village and went by the name Semi-Immortal Xu.

We were fretting over where to stay when I suddenly heard someone behind me tentatively call my name:

“Li Yao? Is that you?”

I turned around and saw my college roommate, Zhou Zhuang, whom I hadn’t seen in over a decade.

Zhou Zhuang was wearing an oversized shirt and pants with holes in them. It was clear his living conditions weren’t great.

Seeing him, I quickly walked over, gave him a pat, and said, “Brother, it’s been years! How’ve you been? I remembered you lived in Yangcaogou, and here we are!”

Zhou Zhuang enthusiastically asked me questions, but I barely heard him.

My attention was completely drawn to the figure standing not far behind him-a woman in black clothing with long hair draped over her shoulders.

Her face was covered in scars, drained of all color. Her wide, unblinking eyes were fixed on me, staring with an intensity that sent chills down my spine.