Chapter 518 Human Vitality

Chapter 518: Human Vitality

"Is this bus interesting?"

Wu Hang nodded and continued, telepathically, to Su Bai: "Recently, due to my mother's health issues, I've researched some materials related to life force. Such information is extremely rare in the Nightmare World. It seems the denizens under the Crimson Moon aren't particularly interested in human life force. Most of it consists of research by former humans of the Crimson Moon on themselves. Much of that data was even destroyed during the collapse of civilization... However, among the surviving materials, I still found some useful information. I also conducted some experiments by interacting with humans."

"Mother's body has developed a certain breach. How this breach was formed and how to fill it remains unknown, but I've figured out some ways in which life force flows within the human body. Simply put, it's a flow of power different from that brought by the Crimson Moon, traveling its own path. Humans seem to prefer calling it 'vitality' or 'qi and blood.' Mother's vitality has been robust lately, so even though the breach remains unfilled, she can often regain consciousness."

"However, because that breach still exists, Mother's condition cannot make a full recovery."

"So the reason this bus is interesting is..." Su Bai listened, dumbfounded, as Lord Ghost Witch repeatedly mentioned "Mother," truly unable to imagine someone so calmly and naturally becoming part of a family.

Perhaps it was because the other party wasn't human, and that exquisite puppet head could conceal many subtle expressions.

However, upon hearing Wu Hang say he had conducted experiments by interacting with humans, Su Bai recalled his own repeated appearances in the Nightmare Game as a player and remembered how his former shop assistant, Xiao Wu, had repeatedly promised to find a way to cure Su Bai's mother.

He had never forgotten the promises he made.

Always.

Just like when he met Yao, he had said he would stay by his side forever and always.

"This bus is devouring the passengers' vitality." Wu Hang stopped beating around the bush. "Although this bus travels through the cracks, imbued with the power of the Crimson Moon, it is ultimately a product of the real world. The power it seeks also seems different from that of the Eerie Entities under the Crimson Moon. What it desires is human vitality, a power that Eerie Entities cannot possess."

"The vitality within the bodies of the surrounding passengers has clearly been severely depleted."

As Wu Hang spoke, Su Bai once again looked around. Those passengers who were still alive but whose bodies had withered and decayed indeed appeared to have exhausted their vitality.

"Even if they reach the terminal stop, passengers who have exhausted their vitality cannot get off." After hearing Wu Hang's explanation, the puzzle pieces in Su Bai's mind immediately fell into place.

Initially, when Su Bai boarded the bus and heard Feng Yan and the others explain that the bus had to be fully seated for there to be a chance to disembark, his first thought was that it couldn't be that simple. He even thought that even if the bus were truly full, it wouldn't so easily open the rear door. Su Bai had even suspected the broadcasts hid undiscovered lies.

But Su Bai might have overthought it.

Since this bus had been continuously draining the vitality of the human passengers, it might genuinely not care about opening the door when full and upon reaching the terminal stop. After all, from the first passenger boarding to the last, over several months or even longer, this bus had been relentlessly siphoning the passengers' vitality.

Some of the long-term passengers sitting on the bus now were, to this No. 666 bus, like sugarcane that had been chewed dry, with no remaining value.

So, the next time the bus stops, the rear door will definitely open. Passengers like Feng Yan and his group might be able to leave the No. 666 bus alive. Some older passengers whose vitality has declined but who can still hold onto handrails and walk off might save half their lives, even if they spend the rest of their days in a hospital. As for those passengers whose vitality has been completely exhausted and who have assimilated with the bus, they have long lost the strength to disembark and will completely become part of the No. 666 bus, just like the driver in the driver's seat—dried up, weathered, until they completely disappear.

The goal of the No. 666 bus is to obtain human vitality. It couldn't possibly be satisfied with just one busload of passengers, nor would it regret passengers leaving alive. Therefore, it naturally wouldn't hide any deceptions or traps in the disembarkation rules.

Su Bai shared his deductions with Wu Hang, then pondered and continued "speaking" telepathically: "Even so, there are still many passengers on this bus with abundant vitality."

His gaze turned toward the muscular fitness enthusiast and those fresh, seemingly "delicious" university students in the back.

"The next stop... might not arrive for a very, very long time." Although Su Bai suspected there were no traps in the disembarkation rules, the timing of arrival was entirely controlled by this bus. It could be the next second, or it could be next month—plenty of time for the bus to similarly drain Feng Yan and the others' vitality clean.

"We can do something." Wu Hang seemed to know what Su Bai wanted to do, a smile appearing on his face. "This bus has limited infusion of the Crimson Moon's power, but it has stored a vast amount of vitality. That might be something we can use."

Is this... a case of thieves falling out?

With Wu Hang by his side, Su Bai felt completely at ease.

"Mr. Su, we don't know when the next stop will be. How about... introducing your friend here?"

Since they knew the bus hadn't truly arrived at a stop, Feng Yan, even if anxious, could do nothing about it. So, his attention turned back to Wu Hang, who had lost his head earlier. This "new passenger" seemed as mysterious as the No. 666 bus itself.

"This is Wu Hang, Mr. Wu." Su Bai took the opportunity to introduce him. "He... is also a Special Ability User, but his ability is somewhat special. Everyone should have witnessed it just now."

Su Bai's smile was gentle and sincere, the very picture of trustworthiness. It made one almost believe that there really were people in this world with the special ability to "lose their head," especially since Feng Yan had previously mentioned that Special Ability Users' abilities could be incredibly strange.

"That ability... is quite unique." Even Feng Yan was mostly convinced.

After all, Su Bai knew Qin Ge, and Wu Hang was Su Bai's "friend." Besides being a Special Ability User, there really was no other explanation for the shocking scene when Wu Hang boarded the bus.

"I see, so it's a special ability!" Feng Yan nodded, now completely convinced.

"If you want to get off, there are two methods now." Facing strangers, Wu Hang stated expressionlessly, "One is to wait for this bus to reach a stop."

The passengers on the bus held their breath, waiting for Wu Hang to continue.

"As for the other method..." Wu Hang turned to look at Su Bai, meeting his gaze.

Su Bai had already deduced it long ago. He nodded and said to Feng Yan and the others, "The other method is, you must first leave your seats."