Encountering Crisis on the Road (Seeking Follow-up Reading)

"The vehicle has reached its final stop. Please take all your belongings and disembark."

Gu Xi had been sitting on the steam bus, spacing out the entire ride, and by the time he came to his senses, he was almost out of Victoria City.

Hearing the conductor's words, Gu Xi stood up, ready to get off.

At that moment, the conductor added, "Please take all your belongings with you when you disembark."

Gu Xi looked back and found that he was the only person left on the entire bus. At the very back of the carriage, there was a not-so-large linen package.

The linen package was quite conspicuous, placed directly on a seat.

Now that Gu Xi was the only passenger on the bus, the conductor naturally assumed it was his.

"That's not mine."

Gu Xi looked up at the conductor. "Find someone else to deal with it."

With that, Gu Xi prepared to get off the bus.

The conductor was unwilling. Passengers leaving luggage on the bus was not a good thing for them; it was a troublesome matter.

This was a strange tale or object only circulated among steam bus drivers and conductors.

Previously, a driver had encountered such a problem. A passenger left luggage on the bus, and the conductor and driver took the luggage away. The next day, when the bus was running its route, it simply disappeared.

When the bus was found again, people discovered that everyone on board, from the driver to the passengers, was dead.

So now, all steam buses have a clear policy: no luggage can be left on the bus, or at least, the conductor or driver cannot take the luggage away.

Seeing that Gu Xi was about to get off the bus, the conductor simply blocked the door.

"Take your luggage and leave!"

The conductor was one meter eighty in height and weighed one hundred eighty kilograms, blocking the door completely.

Gu Xi's slightly improved mood immediately soured.

"What do you mean? I said it's not mine."

Gu Xi had only spoken halfway when he sensed an unsettling aura behind him.

Gu Xi looked back and found that the entire bus had changed. The steam bus, which had looked relatively new, now had water dripping from the ceiling, and the seats looked as if they had been rotting for decades.

Even the conductor blocking the way had changed. His skin had turned green, and his body looked as if it had been stuffed with a large amount of fat, becoming much larger.

His skin was covered with various stitches, making it clear that he was no longer a living person.

If others suddenly saw the scene before them, they would definitely be frightened.

But Gu Xi was a Necromancer, so how could he not see that the changed conductor was still alive?

"Don't move, or I'll beat you to death."

Gu Xi pulled out his Bone Shatter wooden club, holding it against the conductor's head to prevent him from going berserk. Then, Gu Xi drew a Dagger and threw it towards the linen package.

The Dagger had only flown about half a meter towards the linen package when it disappeared before Gu Xi could even see what was happening.

Did I miss? Gu Xi was incredulous. His Throwing technique had been honed in prison using the lives of rats. As soon as the Dagger left his hand, he knew whether he would hit his target.

There was definitely something wrong here. Without another word, Gu Xi pointed at the linen package.

"Bone Spike!"

Three Bone Spikes shot towards the linen package from three directions.

At the same time, the scene before Gu Xi's eyes blurred, and the carriage returned to its original appearance.

At this point, Gu Xi understood that the package was a Ghastly Head, although he wasn't sure what its attributes and effects were. But it was clearly a type of existence that used fear to intimidate people.

It was just that this Ghastly Head had encountered a Necromancer this time.

The things it had set up were nothing in the eyes of a Necromancer.

Instead, it had been injured by the Bone Spike, revealing its true nature.

Understanding the situation, Gu Xi wasn't about to let such a Ghastly Head go. He rushed to the package in three steps and slammed the Bone Shatter wooden club down hard.

Bang! The Powderize Staff's special effect activated, and the contents of the package and the wooden chair beneath it were smashed into pieces.

The linen cloth wrapping the items actually turned back and rolled towards the Bone Shatter club, as if trying to swallow it.

As the linen cloth opened, Gu Xi saw what was inside the package: a shattered mirror and many complete but lifeless souls.

Seeing this, a hint of joy flashed in Gu Xi's eyes.

He flicked his left hand outward, throwing the Ghastly Head at the linen cloth, while simultaneously pulling the Bone Shatter club from the linen cloth and smashing it heavily onto the mirror.

This time, the already broken mirror shattered into powder on the spot.

The Ghastly Head also bit the linen cloth tightly, pulling it back with force.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Gu Xi reached out and grabbed a complete soul.

[You have obtained Cataclysm Soul (Green) *107.]

[Cataclysm Soul (Green): A soul extracted after being affected by some special method. This soul has lost the vitality that a normal soul should have and cannot be used to create undead. It can only serve as food for demons or material for devils.]

Holding the Cataclysm Soul in his hand, Gu Xi frowned. As a Necromancer, he could naturally sense that the soul before him was useless.

This type of soul died under the influence of some rule, meaning they themselves violated some rule that led to their death. After death, the vitality of their souls was drawn away by the rule-setter.

The remaining inactive souls could only serve as crafting materials or food.

Even Necromancers wouldn't want to use them to create undead.

Wait, food? A thought suddenly flashed through Gu Xi's mind.

Just then, the conductor ran over, asking cautiously, "What is this?"

Interrupted by the conductor, Gu Xi's train of thought was broken.

He glared at the conductor. "It's nothing, just a randomly appearing Ghastly. This is none of your business, I'll handle it."

As he spoke, Gu Xi continued to smash the powder left behind by the mirror until it had all turned to dust, then he stopped.

At this point, Gu Xi's Bone Shatter club was covered in this powder. Gu Xi picked up a Cataclysm Soul and pressed it hard onto the Bone Shatter club.

In the next instant, this thing that looked like a mace actually turned into a cane-like wooden stick over a meter long, with silver powder scattered on the black body, making it look rather attractive.

[Bone Shatter club has been strengthened and upgraded to Powderize Staff.]

[Powderize Staff (Green, Wooden Staff)]

[Attack: 4-6]

[Equipment Requirement: Strength 2]

[Special: Powderize, when attacking an enemy, there is a 75% chance to shatter the enemy's bones, armor, or other defensive body.]

[Description: Wooden staff, wooden staff, powderize is your name. Either you bring powderize to others, or you yourself are beaten into powderize.]

After completing the strengthening of the Bone Shatter club, Gu Xi discovered that his Ghastly Head had actually been wrapped into a Mummy by the linen cloth.

At this point, Gu Xi couldn't help but understand what was happening.

He immediately stuffed a Cataclysm Soul into the Ghastly Head's mouth.

As a result, the head rapidly shrunk, becoming only the size of a normal person's thumb, while the linen cloth multiplied.

Just as the Ghastly Head was about to complete its transformation, Gu Xi's expression suddenly changed. He swung the Powderize Staff, knocking the shrinking head away.

Boom! In the next instant, the steam bus carriage rapidly expanded, directly becoming half the size of a football field.

A black-robed man walked out from the other end of the carriage.

"I was wondering why the Ghastly was out of control. So someone was sabotaging my arrangement."