Chapter 50: Continuous Screams of Shock

Another incident? Damn it, why is it so difficult to enter the city? Others get in within a few hours, maybe after a nap. But for me, trouble keeps happening. What a curse!

I addressed the group, “Everyone, stay right where you are and don’t move until I return. If anything happens, it’s not my responsibility!”

I gave this warning not because I wanted more trouble, but because I had no obligation to help them. They all nodded repeatedly; honestly, they wouldn’t dare scatter now.

I turned and jumped down from the roadside. As soon as I landed, the light dimmed considerably. Taking a few steps forward, the crunch of stones beneath my feet was clear—these were construction-grade gravel.

Visibility was poor ahead due to the darkness. I called out to the spot where Er Pang had shouted earlier, “Er Pang, where are you?”

No response.

What was that guy doing? He told me to come down, then went silent. I cautiously moved forward, calling out again, “Er Pang! What are you doing? Speak up!”

Still no reply.

The surrounding darkness gave an unsettling feeling. After a few more steps, I noticed a figure squatting ahead, the build resembling Er Pang.

This guy, not saying a word.

I quickened my pace and just as I reached him, I tapped him on the back of his crouching figure.

“Ahhh!!!”

A shriek like a slaughtered pig pierced the air, nearly causing me to fall. I shouted back instinctively.

“Ahhh!!!”

Er Pang and I yelled at each other. Once I recognized him, we both stopped shouting. I punched his arm lightly.

“What’s wrong with you? Why scream like that?”

Er Pang looked terrified. “I’m scared of the Tian Gang!”

“If you’re scared, just endure it. You almost scared me too,” I muttered.

He grabbed my arm urgently. “I want to show you something. Don’t scream or shout loudly. I was holding back before, but when you tapped me, I nearly passed out from fright.”

Show me something?

I frowned slightly. “What’s going on? Hurry up and say it so we can get to the city. It’s been a long day. Aren’t you tired?”

Er Pang frowned. “Sleep? Look here!”

He pulled me back to where he had been squatting and pointed to the ground.

“Boom!”

My mind went blank.

Lying on the gravel-covered ground was a woman’s corpse—young, lying on her side, face obscured.

I blurted out, “Wh-why is there a person here?”

Er Pang’s teeth chattered. “That might not even be a person. Tian Gang, do you want to check her face?”

Face?

I looked up. The woman lay there with long hair covering her face. Indeed, it was hard to see clearly. But somehow her clothes seemed familiar.

I pushed Er Pang aside and bent down to look.

Her face was deathly pale, eyes wide open, staring blankly at the ground beside her.

This woman was the long-haired girl who had ridden with us—the one who hadn’t spoken a word since boarding.

Suddenly, my scalp tingled.

A female ghost had been sitting with us on the bus all along!

I forced down my panic and swallowed hard.

“What’s going on? Is that girl dead?”

Er Pang’s face fell. “How should I know? Tian Gang, the city is too scary. Let’s go back to the village. You and your sister-in-law can have more kids; life is still possible back home...”

He tried to pull me away.

I grabbed him firmly, ignoring his nonsense.

There had to be some connection.

I suddenly recalled the short-haired girl’s fate palace had been engulfed in black when she boarded. Trouble was coming.

Now it seemed certain: she was traveling with a ghost.

Women are naturally yin; it’s unlucky to encounter a ghost—serious illness often follows.

I had actually tried to read the long-haired girl’s fate palace but couldn’t see it, thinking my skill was lacking.

Now I realized it had nothing to do with skill—she was dead. No life, no fate palace.

If I were more proficient, I should have known the moment she got on the bus. I blamed myself for my inadequate training.

But the female corpse was self-studying material—much of it I couldn’t understand.

Before I could ponder the ghost’s connection to all this, Er Pang’s words shocked me again.

“Tian Gang, there’s another one over there...”

“Another one?!”

I stared wide-eyed at Er Pang.

He nodded, clutching me tightly. “When I was calling you earlier, I found this female student between where I was waiting and you. That’s why I didn’t answer you—I was too scared to speak...”

Could the short-haired girl be dead too?

Impossible! She had a fate palace!

Did I misread it?

I couldn’t be that clueless.

Though my skill was limited, knowing whether someone had a fate palace was basic.

I grew more puzzled.

“Where is she?” I asked Er Pang.

He pointed not far off.

“I’m not going over there. You go yourself. I’ll wait here.”

Seeing his demeanor, I didn’t push him, but to avoid another shock, I took a lighter from my pocket.

“Click!”

A faint yellow glow flickered.

I walked forward slowly, now able to see the ground clearly.

As I suspected, the gravel was construction-grade, probably mixed with cement during roadwork.

Suddenly, I saw a girl lying on the ground.

Er Pang hadn’t lied.

What had happened here? How were there two female corpses?

Lost in thought, I approached.

Prepared by what I had seen and Er Pang’s warning, I wasn’t too startled.

She lay face down, so to see her face, I had to flip her over.

But a foul stench hit me—something the first corpse didn’t have.

Maybe the times of death differed.

Regardless, first I had to see if this was the short-haired girl.

If it was, I’d be too embarrassed to claim I’d studied occult arts...

I grabbed her arm with one hand, holding the lighter in the other, and flipped her over forcefully.

“What!?”

My brow furrowed deeply.

Seeing the face caused my mind to short-circuit.

There was good news and bad news.

The good: this woman wasn’t the short-haired girl. I hadn’t misread it. The short-haired girl was just unlucky but alive.

The bad: this corpse belonged to the daughter of Second Madam!