Hole-in-the-Wall Eatery 8

Su Man did not abandon her plan to visit the factory because of the ogre incident. She merely gave up on taking the bus and decided to go by taxi instead.

Xiaoshan and the others had originally intended to accompany her, but Su Man refused. After all, the shop still had to remain open.

She instructed them that if anyone caused trouble in the shop, they should contact the intermediary agency. If they could not get through, they were to wait until she returned.

After giving them these instructions, she left with Sun Li beneath the worried gazes of the shop assistants.

Youyou and the others had said that taxis could be hailed anywhere along the roadside, so Su Man waited by the curb.

Once outside the shop, she still saw nothing but a gray landscape. Yet faintly, she could make out the headlights of a blue taxi emerging from the haze.

Su Man raised her hand, and the taxi pulled to a stop in front of her.

“Shop No. 88, No. 7 Horror Road.”

After giving the address, she climbed in, and the car started moving again.

Su Man glanced at the driver through the rearview mirror.

The driver’s dull, lifeless eyes stared blankly at the road ahead. Apart from his unusually pale complexion, there seemed to be nothing abnormal about him. Her preliminary judgment was that he was probably an ordinary horror being.

“*th, Northern News is now broadcasting. All drivers, please take note…”

The radio suddenly crackled to life, its old-fashioned static making the unnaturally quiet space feel even more sinister.

The driver still showed no reaction. Only the radio continued:

“There has been a traffic accident on the middle section of Dacheng Road, resulting in severe congestion. Drivers are advised to take an alternate route unless absolutely necessary…”

The sweet voice of the female announcer repeated the message over and over, but the driver remained unresponsive, like a driving machine devoid of emotion.

Su Man had no desire to speak, but the navigation system suddenly announced, “You are about to enter Dacheng Road.”

Su Man tapped her fingers lightly against her knee and said, “Driver, the broadcast says there’s a traffic jam on Dacheng Road.”

“Oh… oh… is that so? A traffic jam?” The driver finally reacted. He repeated the short phrases several times, as though slow to comprehend, then nodded. “It doesn’t matter. Listening to me is more useful than listening to that broadcast. Don’t worry. A traffic jam is nothing to fear.”

After saying that, he fell silent again, showing no intention of changing course.

Su Man did not know whether horror beings encountered situations like this whenever they took taxis. She began to wonder whether she could reach the factory safely today.

She leaned back against the seat and said nothing more, casually picking up a newspaper from the pocket behind the seat.

The sweet female voice came over the radio again.

“Repeating: A serious traffic accident has occurred on Dacheng Road, resulting in three deaths. The driver responsible…”

The broadcast suddenly broke up amid a burst of static, then resumed a moment later.

“The driver responsible remains at large…”

Su Man folded the newspaper and listened carefully.

“According to eyewitness testimony, the vehicle involved was a taxi…”

The signal crackled again.

She looked toward the driver.

The broadcast resumed once more.

“The license plate number is ******.”

“Skreeeech!”

The driver slammed on the brakes. His expression changed abruptly, and he turned around to stare at Su Man and Sun Li in terror.

“This… how could that license plate number be mine?”

Su Man did not answer. Sun Li had already smacked the driver on the head.

“Your own license plate number, and you’re asking us?”

A flash of wit crossed his face.

“Quick, think! Could someone have been using your license plate?”

“Perhaps… perhaps.” The driver’s face grew even paler, and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

The broadcast continued.

“According to the investigation, the driver’s name is Zhang Fushun. We urge all concerned citizens to…”

The signal deteriorated until the broadcast became nothing but static.

“Your name wouldn’t happen to be Zhang Fushun, would it?” Su Man gave him a pointed look and asked abruptly.

“No, no, I…”

The driver tried to deny it, but Su Man pointed to the identification plaque on the passenger-side dashboard. It displayed his employee number, name, photograph, and company. The most conspicuous detail was his name: Zhang Fushun.

“How could it be me? That’s impossible. I obey the law…”

His eyes were still unfocused, but he was frantic now.

“I’ve always been a law-abiding citizen.”

“Believe me. Please, don’t call the police. There must be some mistake.”

At that moment, the navigation system spoke again.

“You are about to enter Dacheng Road.”

“Listen, I haven’t even entered Dacheng Road yet.” Zhang Fushun wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. “There must be some misunderstanding. I’ve always worked diligently…”

Before he could finish, something slammed into the windshield with a resounding bang, and the entire car shook.

“What was that?”

Zhang Fushun reacted even more violently than Su Man and Sun Li. Panic filled his eyes as he looked wildly in every direction.

“There’s blood.” Su Man pointed at the windshield. “Something may have struck it.”

“That’s impossible. It can’t be.” Zhang Fushun looked as though he refused to accept reality. He switched on the wipers and began sweeping them frantically across the glass. “It can’t be. How could I possibly have hit someone?”

The wipers smeared the blood, which had originally pooled only along the bottom edge, across the entire windshield.

The cramped interior was suffused with a bloody red glow.

Trembling, Zhang Fushun rummaged through the compartment. A moment later, he pulled out a small knife and pointed it at Su Man and Sun Li, waving it erratically.

“I didn’t kill anyone. I couldn’t possibly have killed anyone. Believe me.”

He repeatedly tried to convince them.

At that moment, all Su Man wanted was to reach her destination as quickly as possible.

“Fine. We believe you. But I’m in a hurry. Why don’t you let us out by the roadside first?”

Zhang Fushun seemed to think it over. After a long moment, still shaken, he nodded.

“All right… all right. Get out.”

He turned around and reached for the door lock.

But in the next instant, a bloody handprint slapped against the window.

Zhang Fushun screamed again and shouted, “No! You can’t get out! It’s dangerous! Dangerous!”

Shaking, he actually tried to start the car.

“You can’t stay here. I’ll take you somewhere safe, and you can get out there.”

He muttered to himself, “It’s too dangerous. I have to take responsibility for my passengers.”

Zhang Fushun drove at tremendous speed. Along the way, loud thuds repeatedly struck the outside of the car, as though it were hitting and flinging away countless things. Yet he acted as if he could neither hear nor see them, muttering incessantly:

“Everything will be fine. I’ll deliver my passengers safely to their destination. I didn’t kill anyone. I didn’t hit anyone.”

Although their seat belts restrained them, Su Man and Sun Li were still thrown violently from side to side in the back seat.

The newspaper on Su Man’s lap was flung to the floor, its pages scattering open.

The article she had not had time to read now appeared before her eyes.

Su Man glanced over the enormous headline and understood.

At that moment, the windshield shattered for some unknown reason. With tremendous force, a blood-covered corpse came hurtling through the opening.