Granny Shen predicted the future, and Gao Ming saw the past. As the words that represented the present disappeared, only bloodstain remained on the tattered clothes. For Granny Shen, who existed between a human and a ghost, her blood was the source of her life and her magic. After sacrificing so much blood, it would be hard for her to continue being a ghost, much less a human.
“We still haven’t figured out the appearance of the black mist. There should be some big consequences here that Granny Shen didn’t dare to touch them. She merely calculated the exit.”
Gao Ming checked the three copper coins in his palm. The first coin had an open eye. The second coin was carved with bloody limbs. The third had a beating heart. Before Granny Shen disappeared, she appeared to have sacrificed her three body parts to the copper coins. She used this method to evade the detection of the scary thing in the mist.
“One path leads to the true death and the other leads to the true world. Granny Shen’s message is very interesting.” Gao Ming turned back to look at the students. Was the real life where these students were living before? Was the real death where the black mist was born?
“Lu Zang said that Han Hai is a prison. Humans and ghosts are reversed. All the citizens are living in fate’s script.
“Is fate the strongest ghosts that exist between the true reality and true death?
“They worked together to create the city of Han Hai, but why? To create a hunting zone for the living humans from the true reality? Or to create a slaughterhouse for the ghosts in true death?”
The shadow infiltrated Han Hai, and the citizens were hunted by livestock. The dead Gods sucked on their faith. Some humans were replaced by anomalies. Their bodies, families and memories became other people’s toys and nutrients. Was that what fate wanted to see?
Gao Ming grabbed the steering wheel. Gao Ming had the urge to escape. “There are two paths before me. One leads to the despairing truth, and the other to a harrowing death. Perhaps staying in Han Hai to be a false God is the safest choice. However, if I pick that, wouldn’t it have wasted my many deaths?”
“Many deaths led to rebirth in the chaotic unknown. I’m being admired by all my past. I used their deaths to piece together hope. I believe they wouldn’t want to see me become a decaying false God.
“I need to look forward and check out the two paths! If I die again, I’ll become the stairs to carry the next me onto the altar!”
Gao Ming’s eyes carried condescension towards fate. The horror of the Unmentionables and the unknown couldn’t shake him. He was prepared.
“Teacher Lee, can you hand me the key? I’ll try to bring you to the main road and to Han Hai.” Gao Ming’s voice was calm, but it carried a firm determination.
With a hesitating gaze, Teacher Lee’s eyes darted about. The last thing Wei Tian told her was related to Gao Ming. She didn’t dare to give the key to Gao Ming. That was equivalent to putting everyone’s lives on the bus in Gao Ming’s hands.
“Or you can drive, and I’ll give you the directions.” Gao Ming moved away from the driver’s seat. “I know you’re worried about the missing students, but the issue is that no one dares to leave the bus to find them. If we continue to stay here, we’ll only attract the ghosts. The monsters in the mist will harm the other students on the bus.”
Teacher Lee wanted to discuss this with the others, but she didn’t dare to open the door. She only dared to exchange glances with the students close to her.
“I think we can trust him. He has once saved my life.” Chen Jing was very smart. He stood on Gao Ming’s side and told the rest what happened in the hotel. He hid the information that was unbeneficial to Gao Ming. Chen Jing told the other students about the voice in his heart and the commands he had been given. He even shared his hypothesis that they were in the taboo game. Due to Gao Ming’s ‘guidance’, Chen Jing and Shen Tuxiao awakened the ‘system’. This confirmed Gao Ming’s identity as an NPC guide for newbies.
“I don’t have the ability to save all of you, but I can bring you to my camp. That place is temporarily safe from the mist.” Gao Ming helped Teacher Lee into the driver’s seat.
“A camp in the black mist?” Some of the students got it. “Like a sanctuary? Is it our respawn point?”
“I can’t do this.” Teacher Lee took out the key but shook her head.
“Do you still not trust me?”
“I don’t know how to drive.”
Gao Ming got back into the driver’s seat. He started the bus that carried the students from Class 13. He didn’t tell Jing Tuoshen. Separation in the mist might mean goodbye. Gao Ming stared at the road, but he realised he couldn’t drive out of Piety Safety Town no matter what.
“Sit well and put on your seatbelt. If we’re about to run into a wall, remind me.” After saying that, Gao Ming ignored the others and closed his eyes. He used his heart to sense the summons from his heart. He placed the mud figurine for the God of Flesh and Blood outside the town. Gao Ming stepped on the oil pedal. The screams of the students echoed in his ears. He slowly approached the summons. About ten minutes later, some leaping lights appeared in the mist.
“There are people there!”
Teacher Lee sighed in relief when she saw the light. Gao Ming didn’t lie to him. There was indeed a camp outside the town. Gao Ming led them out of the town to the main road.
“Once we follow the main road, we’ll return to the city. At least we’ll get our phone signals back.” With great hope, Teacher Lee looked ahead.
The black mist slowly parted. The students got up from their seats. They saw an old bus covered in strange doodles on the road. The bus was once a school bus. It was rather similar to the bus they had.
There were masked passengers on the bus. Many almost-broken mud figurines were placed around the vehicle. Near the bus, a campfire using the altar and death portraits as fuel was burning.
“I’ve used a lot of effort to find that bus.” Gao Ming opened his eyes, exited the bus and entered his camp. “Two buses and two paths. This is not an easy choice.”