Chapter 20: The Relationship Between Two Ghosts

"The one I saw also had a wound on its head. It seems we've encountered a ghost!" the hooded youth exclaimed, unable to contain his joy.

Did this mean he might not necessarily be the next to die? Perhaps the next victim would be Huan Xiao instead? He still had a chance to survive!

"Is that so? Then I suppose there must be one," Huan Xiao replied, not understanding why he was so happy; it was strange to be so cheerful after seeing a ghost.

The bespectacled boy nearby, having listened to their exchange and summarized the events in his mind, spoke up: "The middle-aged man only died after the stop following his sighting of the ghost in the white dress. I have a theory."

The bespectacled boy intentionally left a suspenseful pause.

The hooded youth, whose life was in danger, looked at the bespectacled boy as if he were a savior. "What theory? Please, tell me, brother!"

The hooded youth, who was older than the bespectacled boy, shamelessly cast aside his pride; he was being driven to the brink of madness by that female ghost. Why did she have to keep staring at him? Why couldn't she look at the other two instead? His mind was currently unable to think logically, and he couldn't calm down.

Seeing this, the bespectacled boy said confidently: "I have two theories."

"First, the ghost in the white dress boarded the bus at the station after seeing the middle-aged man, but we simply couldn't see it. Once on board, it targeted the person it had been tracking. That is its limitation—it can only act upon the target it has marked, which is why we are still alive."

Hearing this, the hooded youth relaxed. Great, he could live for a while longer.

"As for the second theory, based on the premise of the first, the ghost in the white dress never got off after boarding. It is currently on the bus, watching us, and could strike at any moment."

As soon as these words were spoken, the hooded youth’s face turned deathly pale. He instinctively retorted, "But... the ghost in the white dress, I just saw it outside! Right! My sister saw it too! That ghost is outside, not on the bus!"

"You are still too naive; you haven't seen enough," the bespectacled boy said with a pitying look. "Ghosts can create illusions. How can you be certain that what you saw was real?"

The hooded youth pulled his coat tighter, as if he were freezing. His eyes darted around frantically. Suddenly remembering something, he asked the bespectacled boy anxiously:

"...No... wait. Since you could think of this, you must have also figured out a way to survive, right?"

"..."

The bespectacled boy remained silent. Seeing no response, the hooded youth repeated the question frantically.

"Ding! Moon River Station has arrived. Passengers, please hurry to disembark."

The androgynous, raspy voice of an old person echoed abruptly through the bus.

The bus came to a halt. The hooded youth lurched forward due to momentum, slamming into the handrail.

The bus doors opened. Because of the bespectacled boy's words, the hooded youth became visibly tense. He stared unblinkingly at the door near the front of the bus, remaining in that rigid state...

Three minutes later, the doors closed. The hooded youth became even more terrified because he hadn't seen anyone board. Recalling the bespectacled boy’s words, his heart hammered against his ribs. He grabbed the boy's wrist in a desperate plea for help: "Brother, if you know something, please tell me. I’ll do whatever you say. I can be the one to test it out, just give me a solution!"

At this, the bespectacled boy finally reacted. A cold light reflected off his glasses as he said in a chilling tone: "Do you remember the ghost in the red dress from before?"

He was referring to the Wedding Dress Ghost.

The hooded youth was confused but nodded anyway. "I remember, I definitely remember! Please, brother, just tell me!"

"The missing persons notice said she disappeared after getting on a bus. That bus might be this very 404 we are currently riding."

"I don't know if you've noticed, but the ghost in the red dress killed the woman in the white dress who had wandered onto the bus. And perhaps there's one thing you haven't realized."

"The ghost in the red dress targets women first."

Having said this, the bespectacled boy glanced specifically at Huan Xiao and added, "As for this newcomer, she was likely mistaken for a ghost by the one in red, which is why she escaped unscathed."

Being suddenly mentioned, Huan Xiao just nodded from the side, acting as a backdrop.

The hooded youth was not as calm as Huan Xiao; he pressed urgently: "And what else?"

The bespectacled boy, disliking the interruption, frowned and continued:

"In conclusion, if the ghost in the red dress was killed by the ghost in the white dress that we are currently facing, then everything makes sense."

"Because of the resentment held at the time of death, the ghost in the red dress harbors greater hatred toward women. And the key to breaking the killing cycle of the ghost in the white dress lies with the ghost in the red dress."

The bespectacled boy spoke slowly, completely indifferent to the fate of the hooded youth beside him. The anxious youth didn't dare to rush him; his life was in the other's hands, and he couldn't afford to offend him.

"Haven't you noticed something wrong with the ghost in the red dress?" The bespectacled boy turned his gaze to Huan Xiao and the hooded youth, clearly posing a question to his two listeners.

"What? What's wrong with it? I have no idea," the hooded youth said, his mind completely blank.

He was on the verge of death, and this four-eyed freak was still playing teacher? Was he trying to speed up his demise?!

Huan Xiao, however, was the opposite of the hooded youth. She thought carefully before answering: "Is it because her dress is exceptionally red? Or is it that she has no eyes?"

To his surprise, the bespectacled boy nodded approvingly at Huan Xiao and said, "Exactly. You are right—it is because she lacks eyes. Don't you find it strange? Why would the ghost in the red dress have lost her eyes?"

"I initially thought she had her eyes gouged out by a murderer on the bus. But if she was killed by the ghost in the white dress, why would her eyes be missing?"

"After all, we all saw it—the middle-aged man being devoured piece by piece by something invisible until he vanished. The ghost in the white dress that killed him didn't eat his eyeballs first; it gnawed on him like a loaf of bread. The state of the red-dressed ghost's corpse shouldn't involve missing eyes!"

Seeing the bespectacled boy continue to ask questions, the hooded youth felt a wave of crisis and finally snapped.

"Stop with the riddles! Just tell me, brother, I'll do whatever you say!"

The moment he thought about the ghost in the white dress having already boarded the bus—perhaps watching him from somewhere with those eerie eyes—the hooded youth felt a surge of panic and dread.

The fear of the unknown made his legs go weak; he didn't dare move.

He even felt a few wisps of cold air blowing past his ear, as if the ghost in the white dress were standing right next to him, toying with him.

Where could she be? Where was the ghost in the white dress?

Had she already walked up to him? Was she currently wearing a greedy, sinister smile as she sized him up? Was she deciding which part of him would be easiest to bite into?

Just thinking of these images made the hooded youth's heart race, as if it were about to burst from his chest...