Last Bus of Route 13

Seeing Meng E’s tragic death left me utterly stunned. This scene was all too familiar, eerily reminiscent of Old Lady Qiu’s demise. Meng E’s eyes, bloodshot and wide open, seemed to have witnessed something terrifying in her final moments. It had to be that ghost again!

I had unwittingly brought disaster upon Meng E!

Meng E had left me with a few words, claiming she feared people more than ghosts. Ironically, she met her end at the hands of a ghost.

Tears streamed down my face. Sister’s right hand still clutched the small red Paper Man. I assumed she had returned to her room to retrieve it after the meeting when the incident occurred.

I walked over, tucked the Paper Man into my pocket, and gently closed Sister’s eyes.

Just then, a colleague on the night shift passed by and saw the scene. Terrified, he fell to the ground and hurriedly ran off to report to the police.

I remained crouched in the room, not going anywhere. Before long, two armed police officers burst in, handcuffed me, and took me to the police station. It was the first time in my life I had a gun pointed at my head, the first time I was taken to a police station for questioning.

Soon, the police notified the company, and Captain Wang came with a few people to assist in the investigation. After several days of investigation and evidence collection, I was finally proven innocent and released.

During those days, other colleagues gradually returned home, but Captain Wang stayed near the police station, refusing to leave. Once I was released, Captain Wang took me for dumplings and a shower, and we headed back to the company together.

On the way, I stared blankly out the window, lost in thought. Captain Wang, sitting beside me, wisely refrained from scolding or comforting me.

We both silently pondered our own thoughts.

Why was it that nothing happened the first time I visited Meng E, but this time, when I came alone, she lost her life just as she was about to reveal the ghost’s identity?

I guessed one explanation: the ghost would not allow itself to be identified.

Meng E’s death carved another wound in my heart. Although I wasn’t the one who killed her, they all died because of me-both Old Lady Qiu and Meng E. If they hadn’t met me, they would have continued living their normal lives.

In my attempt to save myself, I had implicated so many people, feeling deep guilt and remorse.

The news of my being detained on suspicion of murder spread throughout the company. The gossiping drivers looked at me differently, turning my story into a tale shared over meals, spreading like wildfire. The version that reached Xiao Liu’s ears was that I went to Changbai Mountain for a vacation, took a liking to Meng E’s daughter, and when she strongly opposed, I killed her!

As for why I was released despite the alleged murder, that was yet another version.

Captain Wang repeatedly emphasized during morning meetings that the incident had nothing to do with me. I figured those gossiping colleagues knew the truth but just wanted some entertainment.

Seeing my gloomy demeanor, Xiao Liu felt a bit sorry for me and stopped making me drive. He also dropped the suspicion that I had an affair with Sister-in-law.

Bun Hairstyle, having finished his business in the development district, finally moved over to protect me. Upon learning of my situation, he joined me in drinking away my sorrows night after night.

After more than a week, I gradually came to terms with everything. This murky situation was extremely dangerous, and my life was my own responsibility. I had to save myself and couldn’t drag anyone else down with me.

I asked Bun Hairstyle to have a friend at the Public Security Bureau look into the address information of Wei Youzhi, as mentioned by Old Wu. Although I wasn’t sure if the information was still valid, I had to take my chances.

Wei Youzhi worked in our city ten years ago but was dismissed and returned to his hometown in Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang.

I took leave, bought a ticket, and didn’t inform anyone, not even Old Liu.

Bun Hairstyle, who had no job and was always hanging around, wanted to accompany me, but I firmly refused. Perhaps worried about my safety, he informed Old Liu the day before I left.

Seeing Old Liu again stirred a lot of emotions in me, as I wasn’t sure if I’d return alive from this trip to Heilongjiang.

Old Liu, aware of Meng E’s death, comforted me, saying:

“Death is fate. Although this matter is somewhat related to you, it’s not your responsibility. Try to let it go.”

I nodded with a wry smile and asked:

“Old Liu, Meng E was so capable of foreseeing things. How could someone like her fall victim to a ghost? Wasn’t she accurate with her dreams?”

Old Liu shook his head and replied:

“Meng E’s ability was to see things through dreams. She only dreamt about what she wanted to know, but it was still far from Semi-Immortal Xu’s Heart Divination.”

I sighed deeply and nodded helplessly.

“Logically, Semi-Immortal Xu’s skills should have been enough to guide you on how to save yourself, but he said nothing and just directed us to Meng E. Semi-Immortal Xu is quite the sly one.”

Although Semi-Immortal Xu didn’t fully help, I couldn’t blame him. Everyone fears getting burned, and it’s only human nature.

I also told Old Liu about Liu Yunbo’s visit a few days ago. Thinking back, he was so confident that night, claiming he was the only one in the world who could infuse a red paper man with spirit. Could he have anticipated Meng E’s death?

Old Liu, despite knowing his old rival well, couldn’t fathom his thoughts either.

I suspected that Liu Yunbo knowing the whereabouts of the red paper man and Meng E’s murder were directly related.

Whoever leaked this information to Liu Yunbo indirectly caused Meng E’s death.

Who could it be?

Although Meng E had mentioned that Old Liu was quite peculiar, not knowing if he was human or ghost, I still didn’t fear him. Old Liu was the person I trusted most in this world, besides my parents. I had doubted him once and couldn’t do so again.

I firmly believed that no matter what Old Liu was, he wouldn’t harm me.

As for Bai Fan, whom Meng E advised me to stay away from, I naturally didn’t suspect her either. Since knowing her, our relationship had been plain and good, and she had never been involved in my affairs. Instead, she was dragged into a long coma because of me.

So, the only one left who could have leaked the information was Old Wu!

Old Wu carried too many secrets, and although he had now fled far away, who knows if he revealed anything about me to his old comrade Liu Yunbo before leaving?

Old Liu wanted to accompany me on this trip to Heilongjiang, but I refused. He’s getting on in years, and I can’t keep relying on him. I don’t want him to miss out on a peaceful retirement.

The next morning, I got everything in order and boarded the train to Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang. Every time I traveled, Old Liu was always by my side. This time, going solo felt a bit strange.

After thirteen hours on the train, I finally set foot in Mudanjiang. This small city wasn’t large, but it was incredibly clean, with crisscrossing streets everywhere. The population was sparse, and the cost of living was low. My first impression of the place was quite favorable.

According to the information Bun Hairstyle provided, Wei Youzhi’s home was located near an abandoned Business School in the city. When I told the taxi driver I wanted to go to the Business School, he was taken aback and quietly asked why I was heading there. After I explained I was looking for someone, he promptly kicked me out of the car.

This happened with three or four taxis in a row. Each driver tensed up and waved me off when they heard “Business School,” risking complaints for refusing passengers.

I walked east from the train station and finally hailed a tricycle around midnight. Initially, the driver was reluctant to go, but after I agreed to pay extra, he begrudgingly took me there.

On the way, I curiously asked the tricycle driver why everyone refused to go to the Business School. After a long silence, he slowly replied, “You’re not from around here, so you wouldn’t know. That Business School has been abandoned for over twenty years. It’s haunted.”

Haunted? I had just gotten off the train, only to find myself in another ghostly place?

Normally, with Old Liu by my side, talk of ghosts didn’t scare me much. But now, traveling alone, the driver’s mention of haunting sent chills down my spine.

I responded, “Don’t worry, Master. I’m not actually going to the Business School. I’m looking for someone who lives nearby. I don’t know the exact location, just heard they live in a nearby community.”

“Oh,” the driver replied, “There are many communities near the Business School. They used to be called school district housing and were quite expensive. But after the haunting rumors spread, no one dared to live there. They couldn’t sell the properties, and few people live there now.”

I grew concerned upon hearing this. The information Bun Hairstyle’s friend found was outdated, and Wei Youzhi had died two years ago. I didn’t know if his family had moved.

After dropping me off on a street near the Business School, the driver handed me my change and earnestly advised, “Young man, listen to me. The ghosts around the Business School are fierce. If you have business, come out during the day. After eight o’clock at night, don’t wander around here, okay?”

I nodded, taking the change. Just as the tricycle driver was about to leave, he turned back and added, “And don’t hail taxis late at night!”

With that, he smiled at me and drove off with a “pum-pum-pum-pum.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at his warning. Right, don’t hail taxis randomly. The train station wasn’t far, and a regular taxi fare would be about twenty yuan, but he charged me over a hundred.

I pocketed the change and found an inn nearby. The landlady was an impressively large woman, easily over two hundred jin.

Yawning, she welcomed me and checked me into a room. As I paid, I discovered something unexpected. Among the stack of change the tricycle driver had given me was a folded piece of white paper.

Was it something the driver left behind? I opened the paper and was so shocked that I dropped it on the floor!

It was a death certificate, bearing the name of Wei Youzhi, the person I was searching for. And the photo on it was of the very driver who had just brought me here!