Despite Wang Hanzhang fuming with anger, the investigation into the incident made no progress. The man and the bus had vanished without a trace, as if they had evaporated into thin air, leaving the inquiry at a deadlock.
But the matter didn’t end there. On the night of the seventh day, a security guard on duty at the bus company discovered a battered, dented bus covered in collision marks and bloodstains suddenly appearing in the parking lot of the passenger terminal. After checking its license plate, the guard was shocked to find it was the very same No. 404 bus that had been missing for a week. Yet, for some unknown reason, the once brand-new vehicle was now in this state, and there was no one inside. Who had driven it back to the terminal? And where was its driver, Wang Jianguo?
Upon learning the bus had returned to the terminal, Wang Hanzhang rushed to the bus company. But when he saw the bloodstained, battered bus in the lot, he gasped, overwhelmed by deep anxiety and fear.
This No. 404 bus looked as if it had been in a severe accident. And Wang Jianguo, who had been driving it...
Wang Hanzhang dared not think further. He quickly called the police to investigate and collect evidence, but no fingerprints or traces were found on the bus. So how had it returned to the bus company?
"Could it... really be a ghost bus?"
The more Wang Hanzhang thought about it, the more frightened he became. If it was a ghost bus, then his son...
When he shared his thoughts with the investigating officers, they tried to reassure him, promising to do everything possible to uncover the truth quickly. But Wang Hanzhang could sense from their attitude that they didn’t believe in such supernatural nonsense at all.
Of course, Wang Hanzhang himself was reluctant to believe it, but the eerie bus had undeniably appeared in the terminal, and his usually law-abiding son had indeed vanished while driving it.
"So... you want me to investigate the strange events surrounding this bus?"
A wry smile crossed Chen Mo’s face. It was exactly what he feared. For anyone else, this might just be a curious tale to discuss over tea, but for him...
For Chen Mo, supernatural events were a genuine reality unfolding around him.
Having witnessed them firsthand, he was certain that "ghosts" truly existed in this world.
Deep down, Chen Mo didn’t want to get involved. Just from Wang Hanzhang’s description, he was almost certain that supernatural forces were at play with this bus, and Wang Jianguo’s disappearance was tied to them. It wasn’t just grim—it was perilous.
But facing this elderly man, who saw him as his last hope, Chen Mo couldn’t bring himself to refuse.
He knew well that normal investigative channels would likely fail to uncover the truth behind such supernatural occurrences. The driver of this ghost bus might simply vanish without a trace—alive or dead.
Yet he was Wang Hanzhang’s only son.
A parent’s love knows no bounds. Putting himself in the old man’s shoes, how could Wang Hanzhang, who had toiled for most of his life, accept this?
But if he got involved...
Chen Mo was almost certain that ghostly forces were at work here. What he hesitated over was whether his own abilities could uncover the truth and resolve the incident.
One misstep, and he might lose his own life in the process.
He wasn’t a saint. He had parents who cared for him, even if they lived far away in another city. Their concern for him wasn’t diminished by distance.
That was why Chen Mo had never breathed a word about the Strange Tales Radio station to his family, not even about quitting his job. But now, was he supposed to risk his life for someone who was essentially a stranger?
It was a difficult choice for him as well.
"How about this, Teacher Wang..."
After a moment of hesitation, Chen Mo finally made a decision.
"This matter is indeed suspicious. Neither of us can say for sure what happened to that bus. Let me go with you to the bus company first to take a look. How does that sound?"
"But I’m just an ordinary person. If the police can’t find the truth, I might not be able to help either..."
"Ah? Yes, yes... thank you... thank you..." On the other end, the old man’s voice grew choked again, as if clinging to Chen Mo as his last lifeline.
What else could Chen Mo say? He could only offer a wry smile.
Going to the bus company first was the most he could do. Even if supernatural forces were involved, in broad daylight and at a busy terminal like that, ghosts wouldn’t dare to cause trouble, would they?
If he could help, he would—at least to find out what happened to Wang Jianguo and give the old man some closure. But if the supernatural power behind this exceeded his control, Chen Mo wouldn’t delve deeper or risk his life.
Every parent is a parent. For his own family, he couldn’t take life lightly.
"So, today..."
Chen Mo understood the old man’s urgency. Besides, the incident had already been days old. Any further delay might erase crucial clues. Since he had no mind for writing today anyway, he quickly typed up a leave notice, grabbed his phone, and headed out.
After a quick lunch at a street-side eatery, Chen Mo arrived at their meeting point—the main terminal of the Western Bus Company.
Wang Hanzhang clearly had no appetite for food or rest. When Chen Mo arrived, the old man had already been waiting for a while. Seeing his haggard face and the faint hope in his eyes, Chen Mo felt a pang of sadness.
As the saying goes, a parent’s love knows no bounds.
When Wang Hanzhang entered, a staff member who clearly knew about the incident approached him. "Sir, the police haven’t released any results yet. You’re working too hard."
"It’s fine, I just came to take a look. Oh, this is Xiao Chen, a reporter from Jiangcheng Daily."
"A reporter?" The female staff member was taken aback.
"Don’t worry, I’m not here for a news story. I’m a friend of the old man. He’s not in good health, so I’m just accompanying him."
The staff member nodded, her expression relaxing. But then Wang Hanzhang pointed at the parking lot, his face showing surprise. "Where’s that bus? Where did it go?"
Today’s second chapter is here. Thanks to Orange Cat for the generous tip, and thanks to Passing Madman, Jiang, and fellow readers for their support.