Last Bus of Route 13

At the critical moment, it was Xiao Chu who saved me.

After smashing the rooster to death, Xiao Chu took a few deep breaths, her hands trembling as she tossed the shovel aside. She still looked terrified.

I gritted my teeth through the pain and stood up, asking, “Sister-in-law, I owe you my life. What are you doing here?”

Xiao Chu glanced at me, then came over to support me. She said, “I ran into the blind old man on my way home. He told me the rooster would show up here and that you’d be in danger. He specifically asked me to come and save you. I didn’t believe him at first, but it turns out he was right.”

I immediately realized the “blind old man” she mentioned was none other than Semi-Immortal Xu. I quickly asked her where he lived. Xiao Chu pointed down the village road and said, “Follow this path to the end. There’s a tattered tent at the foot of the mountain. That blind old man lives there.”

After saying this, Xiao Chu glanced at my dislocated arm. Having grown up in the countryside, she was skilled in many practical techniques. She placed one hand on my shoulder and the other under my arm, giving it a firm yank upward.

I let out a loud “Ow!” but, miraculously, my arm was back in place and moving again.

I thanked her repeatedly, but then a thought struck me. Over the past few nights, I had often heard arguments coming from her and Zhou Zhuang’s room. I hesitated for a moment before asking, “Sister-in-law, I hope you don’t mind me asking, but why have you and Zhou Zhuang been arguing so much at night? Is it because Old Liu and I are staying here and causing trouble for you two?”

Xiao Chu quickly shook her head. “It has nothing to do with you two. If anything, it’s my husband Zhou Zhuang who made a mistake and almost dragged you into it.”

Zhou Zhuang? Dragged me into it?

Confused, I asked, “What do you mean by that, sister-in-law? Oh, and I remember the night Da Lao Wang performed the soul transfer ritual for the rooster, you specifically warned me not to believe a word he said.”

Xiao Chu nodded and lowered her voice. “The truth is, Zhou Zhuang was involved in the rooster soul transfer. He and Da Lao Wang had planned it all out long before Zhang’s son had his accident.”

What?!

Her words sent a chill down my spine.

“Sister-in-law, are you saying that the whole rooster soul transfer thing was a setup by Da Lao Wang and Zhou Zhuang?”

Xiao Chu sighed deeply. “Zhou Zhuang and I have always had a good relationship. A few years ago, I disfigured my face in a fall while gathering firewood in the mountains. Many people in the village mocked me for it. Zhou Zhuang couldn’t stand it, so he went to Da Lao Wang, who’s known for his divination skills, to seek a solution.

“Da Lao Wang told him that the only way to heal my scars was to use the chicken blood from a soul-transferred rooster. He even predicted the exact day Zhang’s son would die and instructed Zhou Zhuang to work on the Zhang Family beforehand. I never agreed to any of this, which is why we’ve been arguing so much these past few days.”

Hearing Xiao Chu’s explanation, everything suddenly clicked into place.

No wonder Zhou Zhuang had taken so long to return after buying wine that night. No wonder some of the Zhang Family members had been willing to go along with the soul transfer when they confronted Da Lao Wang. It was Zhou Zhuang who had been secretly fanning the flames and persuading them!

As Xiao Chu spoke, tears began streaming down her face. Before long, she was sobbing uncontrollably.

“Zhou Zhuang wouldn’t listen to me. He insisted on going along with Da Lao Wang to make the rooster soul transfer happen. I never imagined that this cursed thing would not only kill chickens and cows but would eventually take the life of Han Dong’s father as well.”

I sighed deeply at her words and tried to comfort Xiao Chu. “Sister-in-law, I believe in Zhou Zhuang’s character. He probably never imagined things would escalate to this extent. Try not to dwell on it too much.”

Xiao Chu said nothing more, only kept her head down, sobbing quietly.

After offering her a few more words of consolation and urging her to head back home, I made my way to the tent at the foot of the hill on the east of the village, where Semi-Immortal Xu was said to be.

The walk there left me with a tangle of emotions. On one hand, I had just mocked Semi-Immortal Xu not long ago, and now here I was, shamelessly seeking his help. On the other hand, what Xiao Chu had revealed earlier weighed heavily on my mind.

Zhou Zhuang had acted recklessly for Xiao Chu’s sake, leading to a tragedy. But who should bear the responsibility for such a grave mistake?

When I reached the foot of the hill, what greeted me was a shabby tent propped up by a few wooden poles and covered with scraps of canvas. The sight of it stirred a sudden sense of awe for Semi-Immortal Xu within me.

With his abilities, he could easily make a fortune-buying a lottery ticket in the city or gambling on a piece of jade would be child’s play for him. Yet, he chose not to. This old man had secluded himself in a remote mountain village, living a life of anonymity and austerity, like a hermit.

The meaning of life, perhaps, varies for everyone. For Zhou Zhuang and Xiao Chu, it might mean standing together through thick and thin, even if it meant making mistakes for love. For Semi-Immortal Xu, it might mean stealing a moment of peace in a chaotic world. And yet, their happiness-or lack thereof-seemed to have little to do with money.

I let out another sigh, straightened my clothes, and strode into the tent.

The outside of the tent was already in tatters, but the inside was even worse. Aside from a makeshift wooden plank that served as a bed, there was nothing else.

Semi-Immortal Xu was sitting on the plank with a cheerful smile, and beside him lay a chick with red feathers under its comb.

Hearing me step into the tent, Semi-Immortal Xu greeted me with a warm, “You’re here,” and gestured to the spot next to him, inviting me to sit.

Feeling a pang of guilt, I quickly sat down and apologized. “Master, I said a lot of disrespectful things earlier today. It was immature of me, and I was blind to your wisdom. Please don’t hold it against me.”

Semi-Immortal Xu chuckled at my words, waving his hand dismissively. “No harm done. When we first met, I asked you to help me find a chick, and you did. You’ve got a good heart.”

Hearing that he bore no grudge and even complimented me, I finally felt a sense of relief.

Without wasting any time, Semi-Immortal Xu got straight to the point. “I already have an idea why you’re here. The Route 13 bus you’re driving has a complicated relationship between humans and ghosts. That’s the real issue-everything else is minor.”

His words left me stunned. “A complicated relationship between humans and ghosts?”

“Exactly. The reason you can’t simply abandon the bus and walk away is because of the entanglements tied to it. There are both humans and ghosts involved. You’re caught in the web of Yin-Yang, straddling two worlds, which makes it hard for you to break free.”

I immediately felt a wave of tension. From the very first day I started driving the bus, when I learned that Old Tang was already dead, to meeting Sixth Uncle, picking up the old lady who left her vegetable basket behind, and later encountering Tang Yao-there had already been four ghosts connected to Route 13.

Thinking of them, I said, “Master, you’re absolutely right. Since I started driving, I can clearly identify four ghosts I’ve encountered.”

Semi-Immortal Xu shook his head with a faint smile. “Four ghosts? Haha, no, no. You’ve only ever encountered one ghost. The rest are all human.”

One ghost?!

The words of Semi-Immortal Xu shocked me as much as when I first heard the news of Old Tang’s death.

“Are you saying I’ve misunderstood three people, and only one is a ghost? How is that possible? Who is the ghost?”

Semi-Immortal Xu raised his right hand and gently stroked the chick beside him.

“I know you’ve met Mr. He, and even someone like him wouldn’t dare reveal the secrets of the heavens to you. As a blind old man, I certainly wouldn’t dare either.”

Hearing Semi-Immortal Xu teasing me with riddles, I was so anxious that my palms started to sweat.

“Mr. He wasn’t unwilling to help me; he intended to assist but ended up tragically killed by villains.”

Semi-Immortal Xu nodded and said, “Mr. He’s abilities far surpass mine. I can only partially predict the events that have unfolded, but I’m still somewhat in the dark. Tell me, what did Mr. He say to you before he died?”

Mr. He was stabbed in the back by Scorpion. Before he died, he told me two things: one good news and one bad news.

When Semi-Immortal Xu asked me, I replied, “Mr. He told me that among the people I trust most in my life, one has been deceiving me all along.”

Although Semi-Immortal Xu had no pupils, I noticed his expression was moved upon hearing this.

“Indeed, Mr. He was a true master, able to see through your life’s relationships. What was the other thing he said?”

I sighed and slowly said, “I’m sorry, master. Mr. He instructed me that the other thing he said must remain a secret.”

Semi-Immortal Xu was taken aback and laughed, saying, “No worries, I’m not an outsider. Go ahead and tell me.”

I shook my head with difficulty. “Master, please don’t make it hard for me. These two sentences are Mr. He’s last wishes. I can only tell you this one. You’re so skilled, you can even predict when Zhang Mazi’s moles will appear. Can’t you figure out what Mr. He said?”

Semi-Immortal Xu hugged the chick and slowly stood up, saying, “Mr. He’s abilities are far beyond mine. If he doesn’t want something known, I can’t predict it even if I exhaust myself.”

After a moment of contemplation, Semi-Immortal Xu continued, “Alright, since you don’t want to say, I won’t press you. Although I can’t resolve the troubles surrounding your Route 13 bus, I can point you in the right direction.”

Hearing that Semi-Immortal Xu was willing to guide me, I eagerly listened.

Semi-Immortal Xu smiled at my tense demeanor and said, “On the top of Xiaobai Mountain in the development district, there’s a Fox Immortal Temple. A person named Meng E resides there. Go find her and tell her I sent you.”

Knowing that Semi-Immortal Xu was introducing me to a master, I felt hope was within reach. I stood up and bowed deeply to him.

Leaving the tent, I hurried to Zhou Zhuang’s house, eager to share the good news with Old Liu.

On the way, I received a call from Xiao Liu. His voice was anxious, and after stammering for a while, he finally blurted out, “Li Yao, it’s terrible, Bai Fan has been in a car accident!”