Chapter 20: The Bus Door Opens
Chapter 20: The Bus Door Opens
The bus swayed slightly.
The driver tried to appear calm, but the sweat trickling down his forehead betrayed his anxiety.
"How long until the next stop?" a voice broke the silence.
"About five minutes", someone replied.
The bus fell quiet again.
"Can you let Fangflare sniff you? Maybe Fangflare can smell where that thing is", Qiao Sang suddenly said, breaking the silence.
The female student hadn't spoken yet, but the square-faced man standing beside her sneered, "Even if there really is a wild Ghost-type Supernatural Creature on the bus, are you sure you want to find it while the bus is moving? What if it gets angry and something happens? Can you take responsibility for that?"
"Yeah, let's wait until the bus stops at the next stop."
"This is something the Patrol Department should handle. We shouldn't get involved."
"Right, what's the Patrol Department's number again? I'll call them."
"It's 669, I think."
"… That's the Control Department."
The passengers on the bus began to chime in, one after another.
"It's not a Ghost-type", Qiao Sang said.
"How do you know it's not?" someone asked.
"You were the one who said you noticed something, and now you're saying it's not. Are you playing with us?" the square-faced man shouted.
Qiao Sang glanced at him and smiled, "Uncle, I feel like you've been targeting me from the start."
The square-faced man's eyes widened, and he roared, "I'm only 24!"
"Uncle, your voice is a bit too loud", Qiao Sang said with a smirk, casually cleaning her ear.
The square-faced man glared at Qiao Sang, his face twisted with anger. If not for the Fangflare in front of Qiao Sang, he might have lunged at her.
"Why isn't it a Ghost-type?" the female student asked.
"That Aunt's familiar is a Magnetmouse. If there were a Ghost-type Supernatural Creature nearby, its tail would be lightning-shaped, but it's currently hanging straight down", Qiao Sang explained, pointing to the Magnetmouse on the shoulder of the woman sitting next to her.
The female student was taken aback, recalling that this was indeed the case...
Magnetmouse has a magnetic field response and can sense unusual magnetic fields.
A Ghost-type Supernatural Creature's unique magnetic field would unconsciously stimulate the Magnetmouse's temporal lobe, causing its tail to take on a lightning shape.
But while this was in the textbooks, she hadn't thought to connect it to reality so quickly...
"You're right, my Magnetmouse does that", the woman sitting next to her nodded in agreement.
Hearing this, the female student didn't hesitate and said, "Go ahead and sniff."
Qiao Sang nodded at Fangflare.
Fangflare obediently approached the female student and started to sniff her.
Qiao Sang noticed that the square-faced man's facial muscles immediately tensed up.
Fangflare sniffed a few times, then barked at the square-faced man.
"What are you barking for, you dead dog!" the square-faced man snarled.
"Teeth!"
Fangflare's fur bristled, and he bared his sharp fangs, clearly angered by the man.
The square-faced man was startled but held his ground, refusing to back down.
He looked at the girl holding Fangflare, hoping she would control her familiar, but found her staring at him with a cold, expressionless gaze that was even more intimidating than Fangflare's...
Qiao Sang felt incredibly calm. She slowly stroked Fangflare's back, trying to keep him from getting riled up.
Qiao Sang couldn't attack the man first. The Alliance had a clear rule: Beastmasters were prohibited from using their familiars to attack ordinary citizens. Even if he were to attack, he couldn't do it so openly, especially with a bus full of people.
This man was clearly suspicious. Earlier, she mentioned that Fangflare had reacted most strongly to him, and Fangflare also detected the same scent on him as on the female student.
But if something appeared and disappeared on someone's body, it couldn't have been this man himself who did it.
Someone causing trouble on a bus usually had ulterior motives—either for money or for pleasure.
Whatever it was made Fangflare lose track of it, and the female student didn't notice anything either. If she had been touched, she would have reacted.
So it wasn't for pleasure.
That left money.
"Have you lost anything?" Qiao Sang turned to the female student and asked.
The female student was taken aback, then quickly checked her bag and pockets. After a couple of seconds, she exclaimed, "Damn, my phone is gone!"
Sure enough, Qiao Sang thought to herself.
Seeing this, the other passengers also began checking their belongings.
"My phone is gone too!"
"My wallet is missing!"
"The necklace I bought for my girlfriend is gone!"
"Where are my shoe insoles?!"
"My familiar's Shasha Fruit!"
After this check, one-third of the people on the bus discovered that their items were missing.
Qiao Sang keenly observed that those who claimed their items were missing were all seated in the middle of the bus.
Looking at the man with the square face, Qiao Sang felt even more certain of her suspicions.
Seeing Qiao Sang's gaze, the man's expression turned extremely grim. He gritted his teeth and said, "My phone is gone too!"
Qiao Sang: "..."
"Oh no... I can't be separated from my familiar for a moment..."
At that moment, a loud ringtone sounded from the man with the square face.
The man: "..."
Everyone's eyes turned to him.
The man with the square face gave an awkward laugh and said, "It's still on me, I just didn't find it earlier."
Qiao Sang asked, "Are you a Beastmaster?"
The man's expression darkened, and he hadn't decided how to respond.
"He is, and he's wearing a Beastmaster badge!" The female student, realizing the man's abnormal behavior, said excitedly.
All registered Beastmasters with the Alliance were issued corresponding badges. For example, F-Rank Beastmasters had a white background with the Alliance's emblem and an "F" symbol.
Some people liked to wear their badges, while others didn't. Those who didn't usually had lower ranks.
The man with the square face was wearing a gray E-Rank Beastmaster badge, indicating he had at least two Intermediate Familiars.
"Would you mind showing us your familiar?" Qiao Sang asked kindly.
The man wanted to refuse, but the entire busload of people was staring at him.
"Show us your familiar!"
"Yeah, what are you afraid of?"
"You were so tough a moment ago, speak up."
"Is there something about your familiar you're ashamed of?"
The man's expression grew increasingly grim, his already twisted features contorting further. The sweat on his back made his gray tank top stick to his body.
Just as he was at a loss for what to do, the Digital Announcer's voice rang out.
"We have arrived at Yonglin Station. Please disembark from the rear door and take your belongings with you."
The bus doors opened.
(End of Chapter)
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