All Roads Lead to the Ruined City

If that was a person, Lu Ban felt that something was seriously wrong with this world.

It definitely did not look like a normal modern human. It was somewhat different from an ape, more like some kind of four-legged reptile forcing itself to stand and run. Its posture was bizarre, giving off an indescribably nauseating feeling.

However, it had only flashed past his eyes, and it soon disappeared into the distance as the bus continued on. Lu Ban paid it no further attention and turned back.

"What was that outside the window just now?"

He asked the young man.

"Wh-what?"

The young man froze and quickly shifted his butt away from the window.

"That thing that looked like a person. Didn't you see it?"

Lu Ban even pointed at it.

"N-no!!!"

The young man seemed about to cry as he forcefully hunched his neck down.

"Oh. Then I must have seen wrong."

Lu Ban answered.

".That was probably a ratman."

The burly man sitting at the very front casually spoke up.

"A ratman?"

Lu Ban looked over. The man had well-developed arm muscles and a holster at his waist.

"Ratmen. Don't know where they came from. They've been on this road for many years. This is your first time going to the Ruined City, right?"

The burly man did not refuse to converse. Instead, he seemed quite practiced at it.

"Yes."

Lu Ban answered.

"Those ratmen have dug countless hollows underground. Sometimes the hollows get close to the surface, and people walking over them fall straight in. Once they're in, they can never climb back out. Eventually, they suffocate to death and become food for the ratmen."

The burly man spoke with great seriousness, as though he had experienced it himself.

"Ratmen are weak, though. An ordinary person can knock one out with a single punch. They're just like that—not much different from wild dogs."

"Oh!"

Lu Ban answered again.

They exchanged a few simple words.

Lu Ban discovered that being handsome was still somewhat useful.

At the very least, the bus, which had originally been as silent as stagnant water, now had a little human chatter thanks to his words.

He did not know the burly man's real name. His nickname was "Hound." The young man was called "Stone." As for the woman, she had not responded. From Hound, he learned that her name was "Mary."

The three of them looked like mixed-race people. Their skin was somewhat yellowish, but their hair was lighter in color, making it impossible to tell their exact ethnicities.

".Hey, the Ruined City has gotten more and more chaotic since Prohibition. But that's pretty good too. People like us bounty hunters can earn more money that way. The more chaotic the city, the more expensive everything becomes!"

Hound was not as distant and unapproachable as his appearance suggested. Instead, after hearing Lu Ban speak, he began enthusiastically discussing the Ruined City.

"Bounty hunter? Impressive."

Lu Ban played the part of an agreeable listener and echoed his words.

"Yeah. I've been in the Ruined City for several years. If there's anything you don't understand, you can ask me."

Hound laughed heartily.

".Ruined City. Are there really lots of cars in the Ruined City?"

The young man, Stone, suddenly asked.

"There are. They're everywhere. There are also trams—trains with antennas on top."

"Are there dances too? Theater performances? Singing halls?"

"There are. All of them. Whatever you can imagine, the Ruined City has."

Hound wore a meaningful smile.

"The girls in the singing halls are all top-class beauties. As long as you can win their favor and have enough money in your arms, tsk tsk, you can enjoy a wonderful night. Of course, guys like us can only make do with the lowest-class roadside stalls."

"I-I'm not interested in that!"

Stone straightened up when he denied it, revealing the object in his arms.

It was a book. Lu Ban saw that its title was Old News of the Ruined Capital, and the author's name was Gudu.

"Ho, a book by Gudu. Another one who got tricked into coming here."

Hound quickly snatched the book away. He flipped through two pages amid Stone's protests, then returned it to him.

"That writer is fairly famous in the Ruined City. He's one of the upper class. He often fools around with married women, loves writing frightening stories, and also likes writing about women. Only young fools fall for his tricks. Tsk, the Ruined City isn't nearly that comfortable."

Hound sighed and looked at Stone again.

"You can understand this book? You can read?"

"A little."

Stone nodded blankly.

"That's pretty good. Being able to read means you can at least find some easier work in the Ruined City. Heh, you have no idea—most young people who grit their teeth and come to the Ruined City end up as laborers. With a physique like yours, three months would be enough to work a person to death. Those who can't move halfway through are simply thrown to the dogs. Human life isn't worth much."

Hound sighed as he spoke and patted Stone's frail shoulder.

"When the time comes, I can introduce you to some work. Don't worry. I've got a little reputation in the Ruined City. No one will dare cheat you."

"Impressive!"

Lu Ban chimed in, then asked another question.

"Speaking of which, it's so dark outside. How does the driver know where he's going?"

The fat, greasy driver had not spoken a word since earlier, keeping himself apart from everything. Lu Ban was asking Hound.

"You don't know? All roads lead to the Ruined City. As long as a road was made by humans, it leads to the Ruined City."

"I see. Then as long as nothing happens along the way, we can just drive safely and reach the Ruined City tomorrow morning, right?"

The moment Lu Ban finished speaking, the middle-aged woman Mary, who had kept her mouth tightly shut, stood up.

"Don't say things carelessly."

Her voice was slightly hoarse. The wrinkles on her face were far deeper than her age warranted, and her eyes were deep and dark, like the night outside.

"Oh."

Did she also know not to set flags carelessly?

Lu Ban took another look at her. At that moment, a tremendous boom suddenly came from the front of the bus.

Bang—

The entire vehicle slammed on the brakes, sending everyone pitching forward.

Lu Ban caught hold of a seat. Hound was heavy enough that he stayed put, and Mary was as steady as a mountain. Only Stone was thrown about, nearly tumbling from his seat.

"Wh-what happened?"

The thin, frail Stone asked in terror.

"There's a problem."

The driver finally spoke, his voice deep and muffled.

"Can you fix it?"

Hound walked over.

Even without an explanation, everyone knew that a vehicle stopping in the wilderness in the dead of night was not a good thing.

"I'll try."

The driver attempted to start the vehicle, but only a hoarse sound came out. The engine seemed completely unable to move.

"Is it a mechanical problem, or...?"

Hound glanced out the window, the shadows in his eyes growing denser.

"I don't know. I'll have to get out and take a look."

The driver stood up, bent down with difficulty, and pulled out a toolbox from his bulky body before opening the door.

It was very dark outside. Only the vehicle's lights illuminated the surroundings.

The driver and Hound got out, while the others remained inside.

"Is everything all right?"

Stone was curious, but he did not dare look outside.

Mary said nothing. She only pulled her clothes tighter around herself and moved farther away from the windows and door.

Lu Ban remained silent.

Since this was a high-difficulty mission, it definitely would not be that simple. It was perfectly normal for the bus to break down.

He looked out the window. The dense darkness concealed everything, even blurring the figures of the driver and Hound.

The repairs continued. During the long wait, Lu Ban stared at the area outside illuminated by the dim lights, at the place where light and shadow intertwined.

At the edge of the light, something seemed to be lurking there. They writhed, twisted, and spied on the bus.

The moment humans let down their guard, these vicious creatures would immediately crawl out of the shadows and tear apart everyone they saw.

At that moment, a sharp, ear-piercing, heart-rending howl came from the distance.

Amid the howling, Lu Ban vaguely saw something sweep past beneath the lights, passing by the driver and Hound.

Bang—

Hound immediately drew his gun. After a deafening crack, the world fell silent.

"What was that?"

Lu Ban casually asked.

The next moment, something slammed into the window right beside his face!

* * *

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