Chapter Sixteen: The Mysterious Savage Roar

All around were water plants, temporarily held back by some force that blocked the two men’s path.

Many shadows drifted behind them, fearless of wind or rain, relentlessly pursuing them without any sign of giving up. Naturally, Ye Feifan could not afford to stop.

Since boarding Bus No. 88, both Ye Feifan and Zhang Da had their powers sealed—likely a mandatory restriction imposed by the side mission—only to be restored at dawn. If they fell during the mission, it would be their true end.

Of course, this restriction also served as motivation. Ye Feifan could use it to trap enemies or exploit ominous forces to eliminate them.

“Damn this ghostly maze!”

Years ago, he had heard that ominous spirits feared the heavy yang energy in boy’s urine and rooster’s blood, but Zhang Da was no longer a boy—relying on that was suicide. And with countless ghosts around, how could Ye Feifan possibly urinate?

The only option was blood.

Biting his palm, the blood flowed down the sword hilt onto the blade, which then shimmered with a red glow. Ye Feifan swung wildly, cracks appearing everywhere as the surroundings shattered like a fractured mirror.

The ghostly maze was broken!

The mist before him dissipated, but the water plants continued to wildly extend, scattering droplets and emitting faint wails and cries—anguished souls lingering within the plants.

Unexpectedly, though he had broken the maze, Ye Feifan found himself standing in an unfamiliar place—a flat clearing with a few trees planted, and in the distance, what looked like a guard post.

Glancing at the water plants and humanoid shadows that dared not approach, Ye Feifan’s soaked back prickled with cold sweat. This was a place of great misfortune; even the water plants and shadows avoided it.

“Let’s go check it out!”

More tense than when on the bridge, Ye Feifan trudged forward with heavy steps. His shoes sank deep into the mud, picking up plenty of dirt.

As he moved, he observed that this clearing extended from the center of the stone bridge and lay over the Drowning River. The muddy ground’s color was indistinct but felt unusual; in the darkness, it seemed a pair of eyes watched him.

Ye Feifan sensed their presence but couldn’t pinpoint their hiding spot—a pure instinct he trusted.

Poor Zhang Da had long since fainted, his once-clean clothes soaked and smeared with mud, his face streaked with dirt, and a deep track resembling tire marks trailing behind him.

Approaching the guard post, Ye Feifan felt a growing unease; something dreadful was surely lurking inside.

That ominous feeling stopped him in his tracks.

“What could be inside?”

The clearing gave Ye Feifan a terrible impression—there had to be a great secret. Otherwise, why would the water ghosts hesitate to cross?

Taking a step further only intensified the danger. Ye Feifan had to retreat, stopping in a very awkward spot—behind him was the highway, ahead the guard post, sparse trees around, and the Drowning River encircling the clearing.

Fortunately, a delicate balance kept these forces apart. If they attacked en masse, Ye Feifan already imagined his grim fate.

---

“There must be a cultivator inside…” Ye Feifan drew a strange conclusion, sensing the occupant was also waiting for dawn.

When daylight came, escape would be nearly impossible. The presence inside remained hidden, likely wary of the water plants and shadows.

After this ordeal, Ye Feifan realized exploring alone was too dangerous; he needed assistance.

Unconsciously, he looked at the unconscious Zhang Da as many thoughts surfaced.

Had Zhang Da not tested the waters tonight, Ye Feifan wouldn’t have recklessly boarded Bus No. 88, nor discovered this clearing was no safe haven. Nor would the places the bus stopped have been so treacherous.

Waiting passively wasn’t an option; dawn would bring danger.

Checking the time—5:30 a.m., only half an hour to dawn—he had to find a way to escape this eerie place.

Water surrounded him on all sides; aside from the bridge, only water lay around. Could he outrun the ambush of the water plants in such a short time?

Before he could think further, two wet, black shadows crawled from the water, slowly approaching.

The two servants!

Under the flash of lightning, their faces were pale, eyes glowing with an eerie green light, movements stiff. Their soaked clothes weighed them down, clanking with each step.

Two strange servants unafraid of the cultivator inside the guard post?

Ye Feifan nearly cursed. These two servants had committed numerous atrocities; while fishing through their dreams, he had witnessed many brutal scenes. Both liked to inflict unforgettable horrors on little girls—truly beasts!

His philosophy pill was meant to torment them, but lacking enough points, he couldn’t purchase the “Bloody Tears” nightmare bait to deepen their nightmarish memories.

He hadn’t saved them before boarding, fearing the ominous possession would only compound their curses, which might explain their current retribution.

Ye Feifan drew his long sword. After a brief pause, the two servants resumed their advance.

At this rate, it was only a matter of time before disaster struck. Ye Feifan produced a black card.

A Broken Invisibility Card!

With a deadweight in tow, the situation was grim. Zhang Da would have to lead the charge; he couldn’t afford any mishaps. At least, he had to personally explore the Zhang family’s secrets first...

Ye Feifan hesitated as the jade pendant at Zhang Da’s waist emitted a faint green glow.

A Life-Saving Talisman!

Fortunately, Ye Feifan recognized it as a symbol of status, gifted by Xun Tianxing to Xun Yicao. As head of the Xun family, he naturally had the right to give one to his daughter, and elders gave similar gifts to juniors—allowing the family to provide aid if crushed in danger.

Without hesitation, Ye Feifan crushed the talisman and activated the card.

Invisible, Ye Feifan dragged Zhang Da forward a few steps, then rolled off the main path.

---

The card’s effect was absolute; Ye Feifan and Zhang Da vanished as if erased.

The two servants stiffened, green eyes scanning around before finally fixing on the guard post.

If all went well, it was the only place to hide people. Moreover, the rain had washed away any footprints.

The servants approached the post. The water plants by the stone bridge remained still, but the humanoid shadows followed.

The water plants’ strength lay in their aquatic environment. On this drizzly day, with water everywhere, their power was stronger than on dry land, which made them willing to come ashore to fight. Otherwise, they would be severely weakened outside the water.

Judging from the water plants, their reluctance to come ashore suggested the lingering grudges had not fully transformed into ominous spirits. The humanoid shadows were likely incomplete ominous entities. The old man Chen Yi on the bus was probably a stronger ominous spirit, driven by some fixation.

Ye Feifan was unsure about the servants’ nature—they might be possessed by grudges or replaced by ominous spirits.

The former could be dealt with by exorcising the grudges, allowing the dead to rest. The latter could cause serious trouble.

Ye Feifan was relieved the humanoid shadows wore ancient-style clothing, not modern, suggesting limited intelligence. They were likely innocent passersby who drowned in the river; their grudges stronger than those clinging to the water plants, thus becoming shadows.

No one knew what had happened, and no reports of drownings in the Drowning River existed. The bodies were either fished out by someone or vanished without trace, resembling the two servants.

Before activating the system, such phenomena never occurred. After starting the main mission “Love of Blue Star,” these strange events began. There had to be a connection. What was the truth?

The stone bridge here was called Small Stone Bridge, the previous stop shared the same name. Was there a link?

The most dangerous part of the “Deadly Bus” side mission was over; surviving until dawn would complete it. Yet, “Midnight Knocking” continued. The Zhang family might face great turmoil tonight, with innocent lives lost one after another.

Having saved Zhang Da’s life, Ye Feifan might need to watch over the Zhang family to uncover the truth. Once Zhang Da awoke, he might invite Ye Feifan to stay for a few days and join in nocturnal explorations—an exciting prospect sure to pique Zhang Da’s interest.

If he could spark Zhang Da’s love for the macabre, he would keep seeking out eerie places, becoming Ye Feifan’s vanguard and greatly increasing his own chances of success.

Though unable to improve his cultivation now, his foundation would not falter. The system seemed to have calculated his mindset; those ten years of nightmares were likely ongoing tests.

As Ye Feifan pondered, the two servants entered the guard post, while the humanoid shadows hesitated outside.

What the red-clothed driver’s final glance meant, or how the ghosts knew to board the bus, Ye Feifan couldn’t tell.

If someone investigated, the situation inside would be complicated. He might need to seal these loopholes.

Blueprints for building designs, cement manufacturing, clockmaking, and bus production might need to be released early to cover up the side mission’s anomalies, preventing a future stormy night where cultivators would be trapped in a relentless chase.

Ye Feifan’s thoughts raced as a beast’s roar echoed from inside the guard post. The surrounding water plants trembled and retreated into the river, the humanoid shadows jumped back into the water, but the two servants did not emerge.

[PS: Prosperity, democracy, civility, harmony; freedom, equality, justice, rule of law; patriotism, dedication, integrity, friendship.]