Chapter 3: Bungalow

Chapter 3: Bungalow

Alright. Finally, everyone should be here. The muscular man took the leadership role naturally, The mission is about to start. Everyone, be ready.

As if in response to the man, a ray of light came from the distance. As the light approached, it pierced through the darkness. A brand-new luxury bus slowly eased into the station.

Talk less and observe more. Make sure everything is safe before you do anything. Do not go off on your own. Before the bus door opened, the muscular man lowered his voice to whisper a few more notes.

The woman with the mole couldnt stand the mans attitude, so she chided, The rewards are proportional to the risks. If you want something, you have to pay something. At that moment, the bus door opened. A youngster jumped out.

He had a crew cut and wore a blue shirt and bleached jeans. He looked in his early twenties. His mouth moved like he was chewing on gum.

Sorry for the wait, dear travellers. I was delayed by the weather. Im so sorry. The youngster gave everyone a surprise once she spoke. She was a woman. The woman continued her self-introduction, It is my honour to be the guide of your journey this time. My surname is Zheng. You can call me Xiao Zheng or Guide Zheng.

Guide Zheng, someone responded. No one called her Xiao Zheng.

Alright. Lets get in the car. Guide Zheng said politely, The weather means that the journey will be slow, so we better keep a close eye on the time.

Everyone got on the bus in the order of left to right. First, it was the muscular. Then, the woman with the mole, the young government worker, the balding middle-aged man, Jiang Zheng, the fatty and lastly, the innocent girl.

They realised there were other travellers when they got on the bus. A couple sat near the back. The girl was reading a magazine. Her boyfriend leaned against the window to rest as he listened to the music on his headphones.

There was also a middle-aged woman and a boy sitting right behind the driver. They should be mother and son. However, the son appeared to be sick. His eyes wandered aimlessly. When Jiang Cheng walked past him, he noticed the boys fingers were bound with bandages.

Guide Zheng advised everyone to find a seat. As the bus door closed, she sat on the right of the driver.

The muscular man sat behind the mother and son. The woman with the mole sat behind Guide Zheng. Jiang Cheng chose to sit two rows behind the couple. Once he sat down, a giant shadow came over, Brother, lets sit together!

Jiang Cheng lifted his head. As he expected, it was the fatty. He answered, Sure, but I prefer the aisle seat.

She had already apologised twice in the few hours they had met, but they knew she didnt mean it. To quote the muscular man, she was only an NPC.

How about this? I know theres a bungalow inside the forest. You can go there to seek shelter from the rain while we try to source another vehicle. When we find one, well go get you. Guide Zheng pointed at a forest not far away. Even Jiang Cheng knew this was not a good choice. However, the muscular man and the others accepted it steadily. They walked towards the forest.

The real mission had started.

The atmosphere became more serious.

Wait! Guide Zheng called after them. She ran back into the bus to grab some umbrellas. Dont catch the cold.

Thank you.

The road was so muddy that if they were not careful, theyd slip. The group walked for half an hour before a 3-story bungalow appeared before them. The bungalow was sheltered by layers of foliage. It was very hard to find it in the forest.

Is this place really habitable? The innocent girl asked softly.

The bungalow was old. It hadnt been cleaned in years. Piles of fallen leaves collected around the front door.

You can stay outside if you want. The muscular man walked through the rain towards the bungalow. Jiang Cheng looked at the man. His mood seemed to be shifting. Everyone knew that the girl was only complaining for the sake of it. However, Jiang Cheng picked up the scent of fear from the twos complaints and annoyance.

After the rest followed, Fatty, who shared the umbrella with Jiang Cheng, urged, What are you waiting for, brother? Lets go.

Okay.

No one answered the door. The muscular man gave it a soft push, but the thick wooden door eased open a gap easily. The door was not locked. When the front door swung open fully, the group had a clear view of the interior.

The spacious living room looked old, but it didnt appear to be unusable. A thin layer of dust gathered on the ground and the rectangular dining table.