In Virtual Reality 2 ☆ The Eternal Bus (2/4)

[TN: slightly re-edited 12.02.2023]

The man stood on the road in a daze, and then his expression changed to one of surprise.

He had actually gotten off the bus!

Behind the man, the bus quickly closed its rear door and slowly drove away.

***

As the bus swayed to and fro, Wang Zhou Zhou couldn't help but feel a twinge of admiration. Despite the rough approache, the man ahead of him had disembarked with ease.

He hesitated to follow suit. The two girls sitting in front of him to his right had their hands clasped and looked like they wanted to try it too.

Wang Zhou Zhou made up his mind and leaned over to the person in the pink hoodie next to him and whispered, "Excuse me, move over; I've to get off."

Hoodie didn't even bother to look up as they replied, "The bus hasn't arrived yet.".

Wang Zhou Zhou: "...

Of course, he knew it hadn't arrived! But it was still Riverside Station that he'd arrive at. What if he could never pass the Riverside Station!

With a resolve forged from fear and frustration, he prepared to push his way through.

At this time, the bus stopped again.

"— Riverside Station is here! Passengers disembarking, please bring all your belongings and disembark through the back door."

Wang Zhou Zhou hesitated, his gaze alight with anticipation as he addressed the hoodie. "Now that we've arrived at the station, may I disembark?"

The hoodie finally lifted their gaze to meet his, and Wang Zhou Zhou was struck by the inky depths of their eyes. How did he look? Wang Zhou Zhou lacked the energy to describe and could only recall those eyes. They were unfathomable, cold, and held a power that sent shivers down his spine.

The hoodie said nothing, only stared at him, and Wang Zhou Zhou felt as though he had been plunged into a deep freeze. When he regained his composure, he found himself slumped back in his seat.

The bus's rear door had slammed shut once more.

The person in the pink hoodie put away their phone, brushed their hair out of their eyes, and resumed their silent contemplation, staring straight ahead.

Wang Zhou Zhou remained silent for what felt like an eternity, not daring to make eye contact with the hoodie again. However, he couldn't help but follow their gaze and noticed an old woman who had boarded the bus when he wasn't looking.

Her bent posture was draped in a faded blue floral dress, hiding most of her form, except for a pair of withered, coal-black hands that hung exposed. The old woman stood beside the two young women, her cloudy yellow eyes fixed upon them, and despite there being empty seats available behind them, she decided to take their place. The two girls huddled together, their eyes wide with fear as they nervously tugged at each other's sleeves.

"Courtesy toward the elderly is a virtue, oh little sisters."

The hoodie's voice was like a lullaby, breaking the spell that held the two young women in thrall. "Come, come, sit over here. Give up your seat for the old lady."

They sprang into action, scurrying past the old woman to make room for her on the seat they had occupied. The old woman settled into their spot, her bones creaking as she settled into the seat. One of the girls stifled a scream as she heard the bones rubbing together, shivering as her companion pulled her away.

"Take a seat here," the hoodie invited, patting the plastic bench behind them with a warm smile and said meaningfully, "There is no telling what accidents might happen while the bus is moving."

Wang Zhou Zhou sat to the side, his body trembling as he absorbed the events that had transpired.

The girls gave them a look.

There was no assurance that the individuals on this bus were alive, save for the three of them. Even the friendly looking hoodie might be a ghost.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding their fellow passengers, the girls decided to take their seats behind Wang Zhou Zhou.

The bus journey was smooth, and as expected, the next stop was Riverside Station.

Wang Zhou Zhou's legs felt unsteady after being looked at by the hoodie, causing him to turn his head awkwardly to avoid eye contact.

As for disembarking, if the hoodie didn't get off first, how could Wang Zhou Zhou cross his path and leave the bus? This was not a matter to be taken lightly.

Wang Zhou Zhou redirected his gaze to the window.

"!"

What was that...?

Like a gelatinous advertisement, a human face was adhered to the bus window, clinging tenaciously even as the vehicle hurtled forward at great velocity. The face was a mere ten centimeters away from Wang Zhou Zhou.

With wide-eyed disbelief, Wang Zhou Zhou was about to let out a sharp cry of alarm. "Ah-woo!"

But his outburst was quickly stifled by the person sitting beside him, pink Hoodie had reached over and covered his mouth, preventing him from letting loose the scream that had risen in his throat.

The hooded individual gazed nonchalantly at their phone, their nails almost sinking into Wang Zhou Zhou's face, as if nothing of consequence had transpired. But in doing so, they had momentarily forgotten about the girls seated behind them.

The girls, attracted by their movements, caught a glimpse of the human face that was pressed against the window glass, and emitted a piercing high-decibel duet of screeches that struck Wang Zhou Zhou's ear drums.

Dazed and disoriented, Wang Zhou Zhou heard Hoodie sigh softly beside him. But what came next left him speechless.

The hooded individual rose from their seat, leaned over Wang Zhou Zhou, who sat frozen, and with fluid ease, opened the window, reached out, and detached the human face from the glass before letting it go. These series of actions were performed with remarkable fluidity and ease.

Wang Zhou Zhou: "???

The girls' duet also came to an abrupt end.

After finishing this fluid action, the hoodie closed the bus window, clapped their hands and sat down.

"..."

Wang Zhou Zhou felt increasingly convinced that the pink hoodie was not of this world. What sort of human could so casually tear a person's face off with their bare hands!

However, as he pondered this strange occurrence, he realized that the face in the window was all too familiar, as if he had seen it before somewhere.

"..."

It was the man who got out of the bus.

It was his face!

That human face just now looked very soft and flexible, as if it had only melted away the inside of the person, leaving only a little fat to hold the human skin together. The skin was still somewhat thick, and the open mouth was opening and closing on the glass window as if to say...

【Get out of the bus.】

【Why don't you get out of the bus?】

【Get out of the bus.】

【I'll wait for you on the side.】

Wang Zhou Zhou's hair stood on end and goosebumps rose on his skin as he was overcome with fear. From the back seat, he could hear the soft sobs of two frightened girls.

It was clear to him that it was not safe for them to exit the bus, for they too may end up like the grotesque human skin that had just been detached from the window.

The memory of the macabre visage caused Wang Zhou Zhou's complexion to pale and he felt as if he might be sick to the point of gagging.

"Keep the bus tidy," the hooded figure spoke softly, their tone calm but firm. "Whatever you vomit, you lick it back up."

Wang Zhou Zhou: "...

Wang Zhou Zhou struggled to suppress a dry heave, his overactive imagination barely in check. But through this moment of turmoil, he began to understand the gravity of the situation.

According to the brief video he had seen owned by Old Li, it seemed that someone must have attempted to disembark the bus during the original seven-person incident.

Perhaps the difference was that some disembarked at a station, while others did so en route. If those who exited the bus mid-journey were transformed into grotesque human skin husks, then what fate befell those who disembarked at a station?

Wang Zhou Zhou turned his head to gaze at the hooded figure sitting calmly beside him, as if the disturbing episode of them tearing off a human face had never occurred.

But apart from the three clueless passengers in this bus, this pink hooded figure was the only one with whom Wang Zhou Zhou could converse. And based on their apparent calm, it seemed likely that they had some insight into the situation.

After much contemplation, Wang Zhou Zhou finally mustered the courage to ask in a low, unsteady voice, "Excuse me, do you know what will happen if one disembarks at the station?"

"If you get off at the station, you get off at the station."

Wang Zhou Zhou was left speechless. He took a deep breath and rephrased his question, "What happens if I board the bus at Riverside Station and disembark at Riverside Station?" As he spoke, he felt an inexplicable chill enveloping him.

The hooded figure cast a glance at Wang Zhou Zhou, who then became aware that their eyes were no longer filled with the darkness of ink and instead appeared more natural. The stranger held up their index finger to their lips in a silent shush gesture. They remained silent.

Wang Zhou Zhou was unsure of what they meant and attempted to speak, but before he could utter a word, a pair of hands reached out from the back seat and swiftly covered his mouth.

Wang Zhou Zhou let out a muffled exclamation, his eyes wide in surprise.

'Again?' he thought to himself.

The girl sitting behind him appeared pale, but she persisted in keeping Wang Zhou Zhou's mouth covered, not allowing him to voice his query.

She covered it tightly for a few minutes, and finally -

"— Riverside Station is here; please bring all your belongings and get off through the back door."

The rear door was opened with a bang.

The hooded figure tilted their head to the side and spoke in a normal tone, "If you get off early, you'll have to wait for another bus. After all, you must get off the stop you were originally getting off at."

The girl released Wang Zhou Zhou's mouth, and he stared blankly at the hooded figure, still at a loss for words.

His mind raced with thoughts. 'You can't get off in the middle, you can't leave the bus before reaching your intended stop.'

The girls gazed out of the window, but all they saw was a dense fog, concealing everything beyond the bus stop marked "Riverside Station."

What lay within the fog was unknown.

If Wang Zhou Zhou were to leave the bus before reaching his intended stop, he would have nowhere to go and would have to wait for an indefinite amount of time for the next bus. He could be trapped there forever.

Wang Zhou Zhou slouched in his seat, overcome with despair.

The bus soon picked up three to five more passengers, and as no one disembarked, the empty seats on the bus filled up rapidly.

If there had been a few more trips, the bus seats would have been filled.

Those few additional passengers, like the other passengers on the bus, had empty expressions and moved in a mechanical manner.

"Driver!" Hoodie suddenly called out in a loud voice. "How many more stops until Rising Signs (志兴Zhi Xing) Mansion Station?"

The ghostly passengers all jolted at the sound of the hoodie's voice.

After a brief pause, Wang Zhou Zhou heard the driver's low, gruff reply, "Seven more stops."

"Okay, thank you, driver," the hoodie responded.

The back door of the bus was then closed, and it continued on its journey.

Rising Signs Mansion was Wang Zhou Zhou's intended stop. Was it just a coincidence? His heart began to race with excitement.

There were still seven stops left until...

The hooded figure resumed their gaze at their phone, and after asking the question, they remained silent.

Wang Zhou Zhou made the decision to trust the pink hoodie.

He yearned to return home.

——— Translators Notes ———

Rising Signs Mansion

志兴: Zhi-Xing: Zhi = aspiration / ambition / the will/ sign / mark / to record / to write a footnote; Xing = to rise / to flourish / to become popular / to start / to encourage / to get up

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