The bus driver was a rather burly middle-aged man.
Yet at this moment, the “skin” draped over the steering wheel was so thin that light passed through it.
The visual impact of the sight sent an inexplicable chill down everyone’s spine.
“W-What’s going on…?” Qiu Shuang clung tightly to Lin Wen Jing’s arm, her lips trembling faintly.
“There are cobwebs under his armpit. I saw them—holy shit!”
Xiao Li Li was not clinging to anyone. As she spoke, she slowly backed away, her eyes wide. “Is it possible that Mr. Driver died a long time ago? That’s amazing—a ghost bus!”
“Li Li, don’t get excited when this is absolutely not the time to be excited!”
Qiu Shuang could not resist retorting as she normally would.
The tense atmosphere eased slightly. Xie Chun Ye took Ning Si Si by the hand, blocked her curious gaze, and headed straight toward the airport entrance.
“Don’t look at things you shouldn’t look at, and don’t think about things you shouldn’t think about,” Xie Chun Ye said as he walked. “The difficulty of this instance is wrong. Forget the optional mission. Just follow the main objective and clear it properly.”
His expression remained grim. From the moment he discovered the abnormality, he never looked at the driver a second time.
Song Zang blinked as he walked at the very back of the group. Taking advantage of everyone’s inattention, he secretly turned around and looked toward the driver’s seat again.
There was no helping it. Ever since throwing his phone out of the bus, Xie Chun Ye seemed to have instantly transformed into a devout practitioner of the art of survival, doing his utmost to ignore every potentially dangerous detail and focusing solely on clearing the instance as quickly as possible.
Song Zang did not quite understand what Xie Chun Ye was so afraid of.
He stared at the driver’s seat. The human skin also turned its head toward him in a stiff, puppet-like motion, their gazes meeting perfectly.
In the next instant, the human skin suddenly sprang up. It took one ferocious step forward—then dropped directly to its knees.
Song Zang: ?
Bang, bang, bang! Bang, bang, bang!
Six bizarre crashes came from inside the decrepit bus. The sheet metal beneath the vehicle was struck so violently that pieces fell all over the ground, even attracting the inquisitive gazes of passing NPCs.
Xie Chun Ye heard the noise but did not look back. With an ugly expression, he emphasized, “Don’t look. Hurry inside the airport!”
Hearing this, Song Zang obediently turned around as well. His face pale, he quickly caught up and stopped looking around.
How terrifying. Mr. Driver had already been reduced to human skin, yet he was still so frightened that he got up and kowtowed furiously to him…
No. He was kowtowing to the indecent creature hiding on Song Zang’s wrist.
The situation was strange. Retreating was the safest choice.
Summer on the plateau was not scorching. Instead, the air was pleasantly cool.
Tianhai Airport was extremely spacious. Two locally distinctive statues of a cow and a sheep stood in the arrivals plaza.
Vendors pushed carts selling overpriced beef jerky near the intersection. The aroma of beef noodles drifted faintly through the air, while a massive advertisement for lamb hotpot stood along the street.
As the sun gradually rose, more people began coming and going. Everything looked peaceful and normal.
Many young tourists wearing sunglasses and sun hats stood before the boarding-pass counters, along with several large tour groups of middle-aged and elderly travelers.
The bustling yet relaxed crowds and the airport announcements, which sounded identical to those in the real world, gave everyone the strange sensation of having returned from another lifetime.
However, they now faced a crucial problem—aside from Xiao Li Li, none of them had brought their identity cards. They could only stand beside the ticket machines and stare helplessly at one another.
Xie Chun Ye approached a staff member and asked, “Excuse me, can we still collect our boarding passes without our identity cards?”
The staff member did not appear surprised and replied with a smile, “Of course. Tianhai Airport is equipped with the most advanced testing equipment. You may verify your identity with a blood sample. Please proceed to the blood collection room to provide a sample. Results will be available within ten minutes, and Tianhai Airport will issue you a complimentary temporary identification document.”
…A blood sample?
Everyone exchanged glances, all feeling that something about it sounded wrong.
Only after the staff member walked away did Qiu Shuang lower her voice. “Brother Xie, is that process really reliable?”
“No, but if we want to take the plane, it’s our only option.” Xie Chun Ye looked down while holding Ning Si Si’s small hand.
Qiu Shuang was somewhat frightened. “They might use our blood samples for something bad.”
Xiao Li Li enthusiastically added, “Like witchcraft, bloodline curses…”
“It’s not that dramatic.” Xie Chun Ye gave her a speechless look. “If you don’t want to follow me, you can take a taxi back and find Wang Shu.”
“Following Brother Xie is definitely safer.”
Qiu Shuang made the final decision, and the other two women raised no objections.
There was even less need to mention Song Zang. He stood obediently beside them, quiet and well-behaved, never speaking unless necessary.
Xie Chun Ye’s calm attitude reduced everyone’s unease slightly.
Besides, after seeing the “Ning Si Si” walking backward along the mountain road and the empty human skin sitting in the bus driver’s seat, none of them wanted to venture back into the unfamiliar wilderness.
The modern airport buildings, the constant flow of people, the noisy roar of aircraft engines overhead, and the aroma drifting from the café instead made them feel more relaxed and secure.
The blood collection room was clean, bright, and well lit. Two large machines of unknown purpose hummed as they operated.
Many travelers were waiting in line, all looking perfectly natural. It was as though exchanging blood for temporary identification was entirely normal in this world.
The blood collection technicians wore identification badges, white nurse uniforms, disposable caps, and medical latex gloves. They appeared highly professional and hygienic.
The group split into separate lines. Before long, it was Song Zang’s turn.
He timidly extended his hand. Alcohol and iodine were applied to the pad of his pale finger, the liquid slightly cool.
Song Zang looked uneasy and shrank back as though trying to withdraw his hand, but the seemingly gentle nurse held it firmly.
“Sir, please cooperate with our work.”
At those words, Song Zang’s eyes immediately reddened. He murmured aggrievedly, “C-Could I prick it myself? I’m sorry. I’m really a little scared…”
The nurse froze at the sight of him. After hesitating for a moment, she said gently, “You may.”
“Thank you.”
Song Zang accepted the fine needle, bit his lip, closed his eyes, and swiftly stabbed the tip into his right index finger.
Bright red drops of blood welled out one after another and fell onto the thin glass slide according to the nurse’s instructions.
Once she had obtained the sample, the nurse paid him no further attention. Another staff member smilingly led Song Zang outside.
【Special Title: Mask (14/100)】
Rubbing the broken needle tip in his hand, Song Zang discreetly hid it in his trouser pocket.
When he saw the others emerging from the blood collection room one after another, he hurried anxiously to Xie Chun Ye’s side, his face deathly pale.
Seeing Song Zang’s frightened expression, Xie Chun Ye looked even more helpless. He could not understand how Song Zang could act as though a simple finger prick had cost him half his life.
Xie Chun Ye had never encountered a player like Song Zang.
He was delicate and slender, as beautiful and fragile as easily shattered glass. He had bitten his own soft lips crimson, while the corners of his eyes were always faintly pink.
Simply put, he looked like someone who would cry for a very long time after being punched once.
What possible use was there in bringing him along? Seducing NPCs who liked pretty young men?
Countless thoughts passed through Xie Chun Ye’s mind, but at least he had no intention of abandoning Song Zang.
So far, Song Zang had not revealed any malicious intentions.
Being weak was not a crime, provided one was obedient.
Being both stupid and malicious was.
After sorting out his thoughts, Xie Chun Ye’s attitude toward Song Zang softened slightly. “Cry less in the future, in case you accidentally anger a bad-tempered NPC. We’ll take the airport subway to Terminal 4 in a moment. Sit beside me.”
Song Zang’s eyes brightened. “All right, Brother Xie.”
“Wait, I want to sit beside Little Brother too.” Qiu Shuang suddenly interrupted, looking at Song Zang with boundless maternal affection.
Abruptly caught between them, Song Zang looked completely at a loss.
“Qiu Qiu, don’t you want us anymore?”
Lin Wen Jing’s voice was gentle, but her eyes contained a faint accusation.
Qiu Shuang froze. “Oh, right.”
She immediately threw her arms around Lin Wen Jing and began acting coquettishly, just as she did in the real world. “Of course not, Sister Jing Jing! You’ll always be my best sister!”
Ning Si Si tilted her head and joined the beautiful young women in cheering. “Good sister! Good sister!”
The oppressive atmosphere that had accumulated over the long journey dispersed slightly amid their playful banter. Song Zang also curved his lips into a faint smile at the appropriate moment and quietly stood beside them, reducing his presence further and further.
Their identity verification results were indeed issued quickly. The documents were extremely light—merely thin plastic cards printed with clear images of everyone’s faces as they had appeared at the airport entrance.
They still looked unreliable, but they genuinely could replace identity cards for every required procedure.
Only Xiao Li Li had not provided blood and continued using her own identification. According to Xie Chun Ye, this allowed them to compare the two methods while also preventing the possibility of the entire group being wiped out by the same accident.
After collecting their boarding passes with the plastic cards, everyone hurried through security and began examining the airport map.
Their boarding gate was in Terminal 4.
Terminal 4 was extraordinarily far from the main airport hall.
Tianhai Airport had an unusual design. It contained five terminals arranged in a straight line extending backward from the main hall, each farther away than the last.
Only Terminal 1 could be reached directly on foot. The others required passengers to take the airport subway, or they risked missing their flights.
Fortunately, the subway also counted as a form of transportation, and it was free, so they did not need to pay a fare.
Since they still had plenty of time, the three women went to a fast-food restaurant and bought fried chicken and hamburgers. Xie Chun Ye did not stop them and gave his own portion to Ning Si Si.
Ning Si Si happily exclaimed that “Big Brother is the best,” while Xie Chun Ye pretended to remain calm and adjusted his glasses, looking inexplicably pleased with himself. Everyone else watched him in speechless disbelief.
“Brother Xie, are you bringing Ning Si Si along because the mission requires it, or because you have a little-sister complex?”
Xiao Li Li asked particularly bluntly.
“Both.”
Xie Chun Ye answered without hesitation.
At the same time, Qiu Shuang handed Song Zang a bottle of room-temperature cola. She secretly glanced at his pale arm and said with exceptional sincerity, “Song Zang, I’m sorry I couldn’t help you on the bus.”
Because she had been unable to intervene at the time, guilt had remained lodged in Qiu Shuang’s heart. She did not want anyone to be dragged away and sacrificed for the sake of others.
“I understand. I was too weak. Sacrificing me was the best choice. It truly doesn’t matter.”
Song Zang’s voice was soft and peaceful, his gaze exceptionally clear. As he spoke, he accepted the cola and struggled for quite some time before finally twisting the cap open.
The sight instantly sent Qiu Shuang’s maternal instincts soaring. The benevolent fire burning in her eyes grew even more intense.
Seeing this, Song Zang merely smiled reservedly and lowered his long lashes, appearing slightly embarrassed.
Chatting and laughing, everyone arrived at the subway platform on Basement Level One.
Perhaps it was only an illusion, but compared with the clean, spacious, brightly lit departure hall above, Basement Level One seemed somewhat damp.
Such a heavy, stifling humidity appearing during the dry plateau summer only made it feel even more abnormal and eerie.
A dense watery stench permeated the air, mixed with the faint smell of rust.
Song Zang was extremely sensitive to odors. He rubbed the tip of his nose and silently followed at the back of the group, lowering his eyes as he continued slowly drinking his cola, using the carbonation to cover the unpleasant smells.
Clearly, everyone had sensed the abnormality to some degree. They tacitly remained quiet and vigilant.
But the six of them were the only ones staying silent.
Many passengers were also heading to Terminal 4. They were completely relaxed, chatting with their companions about ordinary and amusing matters while eagerly anticipating the journey ahead or their return home.
The bustling NPCs squeezed the six players into the middle of the crowd like ingredients jumbled together in a spicy dry pot.
Finally, a security guard in a black uniform stepped forward and shouted, “Passengers, please maintain order and line up before boarding!”
His voice, however, was swiftly drowned beneath the noisy crowd.
The guard’s face darkened like the bottom of a scorched pot as he forced his way into the crowd to maintain order. The attendant standing beside the platform also frowned discreetly.
Seeing the guard’s behavior, Xie Chun Ye felt a faint sense of unease. He immediately turned and warned everyone, “Quiet. Line up along the yellow line. Don’t let the crowd push you away.”
Qiu Shuang nodded repeatedly and pushed Song Zang behind Xie Chun Ye. She then pulled Lin Wen Jing and Xiao Li Li farther back, obediently placing their feet along the yellow line marked on the floor.
Xie Chun Ye looked slender, but he was considerably stronger than an ordinary person. Even as the surrounding passengers unconsciously crowded toward him, he remained firmly planted without moving an inch. He protected Ning Si Si in front of him, his stance extremely stable.
Song Zang therefore wanted to move even closer to him and use him as a human shield, lest he accidentally send another NPC flying.
But just as he took two steps forward and his forehead nearly touched Xie Chun Ye’s plaid shirt, a sharp pain suddenly struck his left wrist.
It felt as though something had deliberately bitten him several times, each bite particularly vicious.
Song Zang instinctively lowered his head and discovered that his pale wrist, where the blue flames had previously lingered, was once again glowing faintly with a sinister light, like a warning.
He pursed his lips aggrievedly and no longer dared move.
This indecent creature was simply impossible to understand.
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