The rain continued to fall as the muscular man naturally assumed leadership of the group. "Now that everyone's here, the task will begin soon. Be ready."
As if responding to his words, lights appeared in the distance. Two beams cut through the darkness as a luxurious coach bus slowly pulled up to the platform.
"Keep quiet, stay observant, and ensure your safety before taking action. Try not to move alone," the muscular man whispered hurriedly before the bus doors opened.
The doors swung open, and a young person jumped down. Crew cut, blue hoodie, faded jeans, delicate features, early twenties. Chewing what appeared to be gum.
"
Sorry for the wait, everyone. The weather caused some delays," the person spoke, surprising everyone with a feminine voice.
She introduced herself: "I'm honored to be your guide for this journey. My surname is Zheng - you can call me Guide Zheng."
"Guide Zheng," someone responded. By unspoken agreement, no one used the more familiar form of address.
"Please board quickly," Guide Zheng gestured politely. "With this weather and road conditions, we need to hurry."
They boarded from left to right: the muscular man first, then the woman with the mole, the office worker, the balding man, Jiang, the agile fat man, and finally the innocent-looking girl.
Inside, they found other passengers already seated. A couple sat toward the back left - the girl reading a magazine, her boyfriend sleeping against the window with an eye mask and headphones. A middle-aged woman and a teenage boy occupied the seats directly behind the driver. They seemed to be mother and son, though the boy appeared unwell - distant gaze, low spirits. As Jiang passed, he noticed bandages wrapped around each of the boy's fingers.
Guide Zheng took her seat next to the driver after directing everyone to their places and closing the door.
The muscular man positioned himself behind the mother and son, while the woman with the mole sat behind Guide Zheng.
Jiang chose a seat two rows behind the couple. He had barely settled when a massive figure loomed over him. "Bro, let's sit together!"
Looking up, he found the agile fat man as expected. "Fine, but I prefer the aisle seat."
"No problem, I can squeeze in!"
Half a minute later, the fat man got his wish but still spilled over into Jiang's space, forcing him to lean toward the aisle.
The office worker tried several times to share seats with others but was met with cold shoulders until the innocent girl finally let him sit beside her.
The middle-aged man sat alone in the last row. Jiang glanced back, noting his face was dark enough to drip water.
"Bro, what's really going on here?" the fat man leaned in, and whispering:"I just fell asleep and suddenly appeared here."
Jiang relayed the information from the muscular man, leaving the fat man nearly in tears. "You mean if we die here, we'll be completely erased from existence?"
"That's right."
"Then why aren't you scared?"
Jiang turned to him with a formal expression: "Because I'm an orphan."
The journey remained peaceful - so peaceful that the office worker began to hope it might stay that way. Until the sudden screech of brakes shattered that illusion.
*CRASH!*
The impact sent shards of glass flying through the cabin like a storm.
The bus had hit something.
The office worker cowered in the aisle between seats, blocking everyone's exit. Finally, the muscular man dragged him out and struck him twice across the face.
"Keep your mouth shut if you want to live!" he growled.
The office worker crumpled to the ground, eventually crawling to the back of the group.
Indeed, they'd hit a tree. The driver's inspection revealed a road collapse from the heavy rain had thrown them off course, leading to the collision. Fortunately, no one was seriously hurt - just minor cuts from the flying glass.
But the bus was immobile, and this place... Jiang scanned their surroundings. No villages ahead, no towns behind. Just a single straight road leading into uncertainty. The rain had lessened but continued its steady fall.
"I sincerely apologize, passengers," Guide Zheng approached, rubbing her hands, small bloodstains dotting her arm. "It seems today's journey ends here."
In the few hours since meeting her, she'd apologized twice - yet everyone knew neither was sincere. As the muscular man had explained, she was merely an NPC advancing the plot.
"How about this - I know of a villa in those woods," she gestured toward a nearby forest. "You can take shelter there while we arrange new transportation."
Even Jiang, a newcomer, sensed this was a dangerous choice. Yet the veterans agreed, turning toward the woods.
The previously relaxed atmosphere instantly shifted.
"Wait!" Guide Zheng called, running back to retrieve several umbrellas from the bus. "Don't get soaked."
"Thanks."
They trudged through the mud for about thirty minutes before a three-story villa emerged from the gloom.
The villa lay shrouded in dense forest, nearly invisible until you were right upon it.
"Can people really live here?" the innocent girl whispered.
The building's decay was evident - clearly abandoned for at least five years, layers of dead leaves carpeting the entrance.
"Stay outside if you don't like it," the muscular man growled without looking back, advancing toward the villa with his umbrella.
Jiang look at the man's retreating figure. His mood seemed to be deteriorating. While everyone understood the girl was just complaining, Jiang detected something else beneath their grumbling and discontent - the acrid scent of fear.
After the others moved forward, the fat man who sharing Jiang's umbrella urged, "What are you staring at, bro? Let's go!Oh, I haven't asked you your name yet."
"Mm."
No one answered their knocks. The muscular man tried the door - surprisingly, the heavy wooden barrier creaked open. It's unlocked.
As the door fully open, the interior came into view. The spacious living room, while dated, showed less decay than expected. A thin layer of dust coated the floor and rectangular dining table.