Pushing open the rusted iron gate, I saw an old-fashioned Minsheng bus parked in the wasteland behind the Jiangcheng Bus Company building.
This bus was probably older than me. Rather than being here, it seemed more fitting for a junkyard or a museum.
"Open the door. My belongings are on that bus." Accompanied by Wang Wei, the driver of Route 14, Yu Cheng and I approached the ghostly vehicle.
"Wait a moment." Yu Cheng stopped Wang Wei. "Before going up, I need you to describe exactly what's in your suitcase. That way, I can confirm it's really the one you lost."
Looking at the silent Route 14 bus before me, the harrowing scenes of the previous night replayed in my mind. Taking a deep breath, I answered, "Inside the black suitcase are two chargers, a camcorder, a spare mobile encoding stick, and a collapsible selfie stick."
"Why were you carrying those things on a bus in the middle of the night?" Yu Cheng asked curiously.
"If I were you, I'd keep my mouth shut. There's a type of death called 'knowing too much.'"
Yu Cheng was at a loss for words, waving for Wang Wei to open the door.
Click!
As I stepped inside, the creaky sound of the rotting floorboards and the musty smell made my back damp with sweat.
"What a nightmarish experience." Reaching the second row of seats, I bent down and pulled out a black suitcase from beneath a seat. Yu Cheng and Wang Wei stared in disbelief.
"There's really a suitcase? Are you even human or...?" Yu Cheng's legs were trembling, and Wang Wei bolted from the bus.
Judging by their reactions, it was clear they were well aware of the Route 14 night bus's reputation.
Unzipping the suitcase, I showed them its contents one by one. With every item I revealed, their faces grew paler.
"See? Last night, I was one of the passengers on this ghost bus."
They remained silent for a long time. Finally, Yu Cheng regained his composure. "Tell me your name. Then I'll tell you everything about Route 14."
Lighting a cigarette, I sat in the same seat I had endured the night before. "My name is Gao Jian. I'm all ears."
Yu Cheng gestured for Wang Wei to leave and then sat in the seat once occupied by the ghost in red.
"The original Route 14 wasn't like this. To explain, we need to go back 20 years to when Jiangcheng underwent urban redevelopment, expanding its new districts."
"This move sparked fierce opposition from many elders. Jiangcheng, a thousand-year-old city, had withstood centuries of change. The elders claimed that a dragon was suppressed beneath the city. If the Feng Shui layout were broken, the dragon would ascend, and disaster would strike the entire city."
"But legends are just legends. In the face of visible profits, who cares? Led by Jiangjin Real Estate, several companies spent heavily to secure redevelopment rights. Many ancient buildings were demolished, and long-time residents were forced to leave their ancestral homes and move to suburban apartments."
"To businessmen, every inch of land represents money. They filled lakes and ravines, uprooted ancient trees, and built skyscrapers everywhere. In just a few years, Jiangcheng's ancient Feng Shui layout was completely destroyed."
"Man proposes, God disposes. I never used to believe in these things, but as you know, about a decade ago, there was a massive underground boom in Jiangcheng. Everyone in the city heard it, yet no one could explain its cause."
"For nine consecutive days, torrential rain lashed Jiangcheng. The dam was on the verge of collapse. Elders claimed the trapped dragon was breaking free, ready to ascend to the heavens."
"People were terrified. But on the tenth day, the rain suddenly stopped. The sky cleared, as pure and transparent as crystal."
"I don't know why the rain stopped, but ever since then, Jiangcheng has had strange rules."
"Old Town's dozen or so chaotic alleys cannot be redeveloped. The prison was moved from the southern suburbs to Mount Hen in the north. Even the Jiangcheng-Xinhu highway project was abruptly halted, leaving the area between the two cities a no-build zone."
"Route 14's bus line also changed during that time. Its original terminal was Miyun Village, now known as Miyun Residences."
"After the route extension, though accidents happened yearly, the company's operations improved significantly."
Yu Cheng seemed to unburden years of secrets as he spoke non-stop.
"The previous manager, before stepping down, repeatedly emphasized that the Route 14 night bus must never stop. Even during major festivals like the Ghost Festival, at least one empty bus must run."
"I don't know the exact reason. If you want answers, you should visit the family of the former manager."
"What about him?"
"Three days after stepping down, he died in a car accident—on the Route 14 line."
Yu Cheng's words sounded superstitious, but I listened patiently. My instincts told me he was speaking the truth.
"That's all I know."
Finishing my cigarette, I stood up. "If you recall anything else, feel free to contact me. My name is Gao Jian. I live on Ting Tang Road, Jiangcheng."
Carrying the suitcase, I left. The mystery of Route 14 was far from resolved. This bus surely had more connections to the No. 3 Bridge crematorium.
"Eight Characters of Fortune, Feng Shui layouts, a trapped dragon ascending, the Twin-Faced Buddha…" All these seemingly unrelated events were interconnected, as if an invisible thread tied them together.
"If they think they can use me as a pawn, that's their biggest mistake!"
Returning to Joyful Peak, I was greeted by Bai Qi lunging at me.
"Ow, ow! Let go!" I carried the little guy inside. He must've been starving, nudging against me non-stop.
"Don't rush. Let's call Old Liu and have a feast together. Good things should be shared."
I called Liu Xiazi, ordered a table full of dishes, and waited for him at the restaurant.
"Old Liu! Hey!"
The hotel staff almost threw out Liu Xiazi, who came wielding a shoulder pole. I quickly intervened.
"Gao Jian, how are you still alive? This defies reason!" His first words nearly made my wound reopen from anger.
"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?"
Liu Xiazi circled me twice. "I see. The signs are clear. You're barely alive, with one foot already in the underworld."
As he spoke, he plucked a hair from my head and examined it closely. "Look at this. Your hair root is already white. Last night, you drained all your vital energy and shortened your lifespan."
I looked down. He was right.
"Didn't I warn you about three things before you left? Did you disobey any of them?"
"Disobey any?" He was being too vague. I hadn't followed any of them.
After recounting my ordeal of invoking a spirit, I turned to the only professional I could rely on.
"Old Liu, is there any way to save me?"
"You dared to use an unknown cursed talisman? I'm genuinely impressed by your survival instinct."
"Flattery, flattery." I grinned awkwardly. "So, how can I replenish my lost vital energy? Should I buy some supplements?"
"External remedies are superficial. Even if your vital energy recovers, the lost lifespan won't return."
"Then what should I do?"
Liu Xiazi stared at me for a long time before making up his mind. He downed his cup of wine in one gulp. "Why don't you follow me and cultivate the Dao?"
I had already considered this and was just waiting for him to suggest it. "Master, please accept…"
"Don't call me Master." He quickly stopped me. "You've already learned the secrets of the Miaozhen Temple. From now on, you must refer to yourself as a Miaozhen Disciple to repay your karmic debt to the temple."
"Then what do you mean by asking me to cultivate under you?"
"The Dao is vast and profound. All I can do is guide you through the door. If you encounter difficulties, feel free to seek my advice." Liu Xiazi poured himself another drink, clearly hesitant before deciding to help.
"If you lack an entry-level technique, you can learn my family's Post-Heaven Art. But to truly progress, you'll need to visit Miaozhen Temple yourself."
"Is that really necessary?" I pulled out my phone and showed Liu Xiazi a list of secret techniques and treasures I could exchange for using my Hell Show points. "Forget about techniques. Help me choose which one suits me best."
Liu Xiazi took the list and stared at it for 30 seconds before his hand began to tremble.
"Plum Blossom Divination Manuscript, Miaozhen Daoist Techniques Compendium, Mao Mountain Arts, Talisman Encyclopedia, Five Ghost Wealth-Gathering Method…"
Halfway through, he slammed the paper on the table. "This can't be real. I must be drunk!"