Chapter 517 Vehicle at Full Capacity

Chapter 517: Full Capacity

"Is that a new puppet? It doesn't look as tough as the last one."

Su Bai's eyes landed on Wu Hang. He looked curious, carefully observing the connection point between Wu Hang's neck and head.

The material of Wu Hang's new puppet body felt thin and delicate, with the curve of the neck and the lines of his features appearing more elegant. Yet, Su Bai's attention could still notice that faint, barely visible seam on the neck. Though extremely fine, it still betrayed the trace of a puppet.

The process of installing the head was surprisingly simple. Even Su Bai, completely unfamiliar with puppets and puppetry, had figured out the whole thing on his own just now. After all, he had merely picked up Wu Hang's head, fitted it into the slot at the connection point, pressed it in firmly, then turned the head to the correct orientation. With a soft "click," Wu Hang's head was securely locked into place on the neck. The whole thing was quick and easy, requiring almost no extra skill.

After the installation was complete, that fine seam was almost entirely hidden beneath the collar. Even from a close distance, it was difficult to detect any abnormality.

"Tried a new technique." A hint of helplessness showed on Wu Hang's face. He lowered his eyes slightly, his slender fingers tracing over his neck in an elegant yet casual gesture. "Wanted to use lighter materials to create a better, more sealed container, but..."

Wu Hang's gaze shifted to his own shoulder.

"The joints and where the head connects aren't as solid as before, especially after an impact."

"I hope you only drop parts where I am. Otherwise, if you lose both arms, it won't be so easy to put them back on." Su Bai's words were half-joking.

Hearing this, Wu Hang smiled faintly. The features of his puppet face were as exquisite as a finely carved work of art.

"I only appear where you are anyway." Wu Hang "said" this with utter conviction, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

It was by chance that Su Bai discovered something. When Wu Hang appeared in other forms, Su Bai could still talk to him through the connection he shared with Yao within the Evil Ghost Puzzle. This kept them from accidentally saying weird stuff or attracting unwanted attention from certain entities when strangers were present.

However, since Su Bai discovered this, Wu Hang had become increasingly bold in his speech.

"But this new shell isn't bad." Su Bai's "tone" carried a hint of teasing. "Fairly good-looking."

Wu Hang didn't argue. Instead, the corners of his lips curved into a very faint smile as he said with calm certainty, "Of course."

"Regardless... if Mr. Su's friend counts as a passenger, doesn't that mean... this bus is full?" It took Feng Yan a while to regain his composure.

The moment the "new passenger" stepped onto the bus, the passengers waiting for a full bus were stunned. They should've been excited and hopeful, just like when they first saw Su Bai. After all, with only one person missing, the bus would be full, perhaps bringing a chance to escape this nightmare. But that sentiment was instantly shattered by the strange impact sound and the sight of the "new passenger's" head falling off.

Feng Yan's voice broke the silence of the bus.

He looked up toward the broadcast speaker at the front, as if waiting for some announcement.

"If it's full, shouldn't the rear door be able to open now?" Feng Yan looked up toward the front. His voice was soft, like he was talking to himself, but in the current silence, even this whisper was exceptionally clear.

The others finally remembered this most crucial matter and snapped back to reality. They couldn't help but take a light breath, looking around with anticipation.

They all still remembered the two previous announcements that had played in the bus—

"Please note, passengers, the rear door only opens upon reaching the terminal station or when the bus is full and has arrived at a stop. At all other times, please do not approach the rear door. Thank you for your cooperation."

"Passengers on board are prohibited from disembarking through the front door. Thank you for your cooperation."

Feng Yan turned to look at the rear door not far away. The vehicle hadn't started moving, and the rear door remained tightly shut, unmoving. He swallowed hard, understanding that he should probably go and try it, but the fear of the unknown made his steps hesitant.

At that moment, Wu Hang rolled his newly attached neck and walked directly towards the rear door. To the others, if one ignored the fact that this new passenger had just lost his head, Wu Hang's handsome and aloof appearance made him look like a perfect "passenger"—handsome and aloof. After all, since boarding, this new passenger hadn't uttered a word, and the others on the bus couldn't hear the "internal dialogue" between Su Bai and Wu Hang.

Wu Hang walked up to the rear door and reached out to touch it. But before he could make contact, the broadcast suddenly sounded again.

"Please note, passengers, the rear door only opens upon reaching the terminal station or when the bus is full and has arrived at a stop. At all other times, please do not approach the rear door. Thank you for your cooperation."

"Why?" someone questioned in a low voice, tension barely concealed.

"Why!" another immediately echoed, their voice sharper.

"This bus is full! We have the last passenger!"

"The final passenger has boarded!"

"..."

One questioning voice after another rose and fell within the bus, the atmosphere gradually becoming chaotic and oppressive.

Fortunately, the other passengers were unaware of the "human passenger" and "supernatural passenger" experiments Su Bai had conducted. Otherwise, they would surely have attributed the unchanged broadcast to Wu Hang, believing he wasn't a genuine "human passenger."

The broadcast sounded once more—

"Please note, passengers, the rear door only opens upon reaching the terminal station or when the bus is full and has arrived at a stop. At all other times, please do not approach the rear door. Thank you for your cooperation."

The same announcement played again.

"Full and arrived at a stop?" Su Bai gazed at the rear door, his expression calm yet carrying a hint of contemplation. "Perhaps it's because this bus hasn't arrived at a stop yet?"

Su Bai hadn't forgotten the impact sound when Wu Hang boarded.

"Perhaps my method of boarding was somewhat against the rules." Wu Hang also nodded in acknowledgment. "But I couldn't wait any longer, so I simply took a shortcut."

When Wu Hang spoke, he always instinctively looked in Su Bai's direction. His voice was calm and clear, laced with a ghostly chill, like whispers from the netherworld—enticing yet distant.

As if responding to Su Bai's speculation, Bus No. 666, which had stopped due to the "mysterious impact," started up again and resumed moving forward.

For the third time, a broadcast sounded inside the bus—

"The vehicle is now in motion. Please hold onto the handrails if you are standing. Next stop—%#￥..."

Although the name of the next stop was nothing but garbled noise, at least the passengers on board knew the bus was heading towards the next station.

"This bus is quite interesting." Wu Hang remarked casually as he walked over to Su Bai's side, casually gripping a nearby vertical handrail with one hand, his movements relaxed and natural.

However, judging by Wu Hang's standing position, if the bus were to brake sharply again, Su Bai might very well end up falling into his arms.

Of course, this assumption presupposed that Su Bai would actually lose his balance and fall from such a thing.

That was actually quite difficult.

After receiving Wu Hang's message, Su Bai couldn't help but turn to look. The moment his gaze shifted, it collided with that face now so close at hand. The features of Wu Hang's face were sharply defined, the lines flowing with near-perfect grace. Coupled with those eyes that held only Su Bai's reflection, it was as if he were drowning in them.

"Interesting?" Su Bai was somewhat puzzled.