Chapter 29: Throwing Herself Into His Arms

Chu Ning reached up to touch his forehead; it was damp and clammy. He tilted his head back, gazing at the ominous clouds overhead, a pitch-black expanse. The whole world seemed dim and lifeless, yet the things before his eyes grew sharper and clearer. He attributed his sudden improvement in night vision to his destiny as the chosen one—surely, he possessed a few extraordinary traits.

"It's raining!"

The sudden downpour didn't derail Chu Ning's plans. He chose to hide in a corner of the bus where no one could see him, quietly counting the minutes. He purposely lingered outside for a while longer to prevent Tanya from suspecting his actions; one lie always needs another to cover it. When he judged the time just right, Chu Ning hurried back to the bus.

Standing outside the bus door, Chu Ning felt as though a party was raging within—music played, people danced! The commotion was so loud even he could hear it from outside. City folk really knew how to have fun! He didn't hesitate long before politely knocking on the bus door, lest he barge in on something awkward and disturb their enjoyment. That would be truly embarrassing.

"Didn't you hear me?"

He knocked harder on the glass, marveling at how oblivious the people inside were, caught up in their revelry. No one noticed someone was outside, getting drenched in the rain!

He didn't have to wait long. With a click, the bus door opened, and Chu Ning quickly stepped inside. "Thank you, driver!"

With his head bowed, Chu Ning walked in, tidying his hair and shaking off the rain, wiping his face dry. Once he had composed himself, he noticed something was off.

His gaze swept over the neatly seated passengers, and most absurd of all, Tanya was sitting obediently in her seat, their upright posture resembling a group of earnest students listening to a lecture.

What game were they playing? Role-play? What had happened to make everything so quiet?

Chu Ning was filled with questions. He'd only stepped away for a short while—how had the entire mood inside the bus changed so drastically?

Suddenly recalling something important, Chu Ning whipped his head around, staring intently at the driver at the front, who sat as if in a trance.

The driver, using the rearview mirror, noticed the oddity behind him. He tried to hide his trembling hands with his frail body and stammered, "Is there something you need?"

"Oh, I think we can set off now. It's not good to waste any more time," Chu Ning suggested tentatively. He realized the driver had no concept of time—didn't he know time was money? Chu Ning was really in a hurry!

"Alright, alright, we're leaving now!" The driver quickly regained his composure and agreed hurriedly. As long as Chu Ning didn't discover their little secrets, everything could be negotiated.

He trusted Tanya wouldn't volunteer the unpleasant events that had just occurred, for once Chu Ning realized the driver was a ghost, not a human, it would be the end of everyone—no one would escape alive.

A ghost believing he's human! Truly, the forest was full of strange birds, the driver thought with a sigh. There were certain things that mattered greatly to ghosts—taboos, as the horror stories called them.

Once a taboo was broken, terrifying things would happen.

But there were always exceptions. If Chu Ning broke the taboo of Bus 24, they'd just have to endure it!

After all, their strength was so far beneath his, they had no room to resist.

No sooner had Chu Ning returned to his seat than something unexpected happened: someone threw themselves into his arms.

"What's wrong?"

Tanya, silent, burrowed into his embrace, clinging tightly to his waist. What on earth had happened?

"Don't speak, don't ask why. Just let me lean on your shoulder," she murmured weakly, resting against Chu Ning and waiting for her strength to return.

Ultimately, Tanya couldn't resist voicing the question in her heart. With a shortcut available, most people find it hard to restrain their desire.

But the answer left Tanya deeply disappointed. Her suspicion was correct—the driver had no idea who killed her. Yet she received a piece of information so bizarre it left her dumbfounded: the driver's last warning was genuine.

Beware your own corpse!

Chu Ning quietly cradled Tanya, feeling he could claim to be immune to temptation, like the legendary Liu Xia Hui.

He gazed idly out at the towering buildings in the rain, delighting in the diverse architecture, admiring the unique scenery of another world.

So this really was a world different from his original time and space—his journey across realms was real.

"Wake up! We're almost there. Pay attention to the buildings nearby. When we reach your home, be ready to get off—don't miss your stop!"

Chu Ning gently shook the lightly dozing Tanya, rousing her proactively. They were nearing their destination, and it was best to stay alert in case they missed any hidden clues.

"Hmm, are we here?" Tanya opened her sleepy eyes, pouting in reluctance as she forced herself awake. She leaned on Chu Ning's thigh and slipped out of his embrace.

"Are you asking me?" Chu Ning replied helplessly, pointing at himself. She really wasn't fully awake! How was he supposed to know where Honghai Estate was?

A blush swept across Tanya's cheeks as she finally woke up completely. "Sorry, I was a bit muddled from sleep. Hope you don't mind!"

The aftereffects of using her ability, coupled with the exhaustion of the journey, left Tanya overwhelmed with fatigue, causing her to fall asleep in Chu Ning's arms.

As for her own safety, Tanya wasn't worried at all. She couldn't resist Chu Ning even if she tried, so she simply gave up. If Chu Ning had any designs on her, he would have acted back at the villa, not waited until now.

Besides, there was a debt between them—Chu Ning hadn't yet received the wealth he anticipated, so he wouldn't act against her just yet. After all, the debtor holds the advantage, so her safety was reasonably assured.

The ghosts on Bus 24 were even less of a concern. To Chu Ning, they were mere petty troublemakers. Staying by his side, Tanya had little reason to fear for her safety.

Tanya watched the familiar scenery around her, her emotions stirred. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears; at last, she had returned to this place.

"We're here—almost there!" Tanya whispered, pointing toward the cluster of buildings ahead. Seeing the familiar sights inevitably brought feelings to the surface.