I created the myth of the Great Old Ones.

"Tell me, what was that outside the window just now?"

He asked the young man a question.

"Wh-what what?"

The young man was taken aback and quickly moved his buttocks away from the window.

"That one that looks a lot like a human, didn't you see it?"

Lu Ban also pointed.

"N-No!!!"

He looked like he was about to cry, and he shrank his neck forcefully.

"Oh, maybe I misread it."

Lu Ban responded.

"...That must be a ratman."

The burly man sitting at the very front casually said something.

"Rat-man?"

Lu Ban looked over and saw that the big man had well-developed arm muscles and a gun holster at his waist.

"Ratman, I don't know where you're from. You've been on this road for many years. Is this your first time going to the ruined capital?"

The big man didn't refuse to communicate; on the contrary, he seemed quite adept at it.

"Correct."

Lu Ban responded.

“Those rat-men dug many holes underground. Sometimes the holes were close to the ground. If a person walked on them, they would sink in and never be able to climb out. They would eventually suffocate and become food for the rat-men.”

The burly man spoke with an air of seriousness, as if he had experienced it firsthand.

"However, the ratmen are all very weak. An ordinary person could easily take them down with one punch. They are just like that, not much different from wild dogs."

"Oh!"

Lu Ban responded again.

He exchanged a few words with him.

Lu Ban discovered that being handsome does have some advantages.

At least the car, which had been stagnant, began to have some human voices thanks to Lu Ban's words.

The burly man's name was unclear; his nickname was "Hound." The young man's name was Stone. As for the woman, she didn't reply. From "Hound's" words, we learned that her name was "Mary."

The three people looked like they were of mixed race, with yellowish skin but light hair, making it difficult to determine their specific ethnicity.

"...Hey, since Prohibition, the ruins have become more and more chaotic, but that's good, because it allows bounty hunters like us to earn more money. The more chaotic the city, the more expensive things become!"

Contrary to his aloof appearance, "Hound" actually launched into a long-winded discussion about the ruined capital after hearing Lu Ban speak.

"Bounty hunter, impressive."

Lu Ban acted as a proper straight man, echoing his words.

"Yes, I've been in the ruined capital for several years now. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me."

The "hunting dog" laughed heartily.

"...The Abandoned Capital, does the Abandoned Capital really have a lot of cars?"

"That young man," Stone suddenly asked.

"Yes, they're everywhere, and there are trams too, you know, trains with antennas on top."

"There were dances? Theatrical performances?...and singing venues?"

"Yes, everything you can think of is in the ruins."

The "hunting dog" revealed a meaningful smile.

"The girls in the karaoke bars are all top-notch beauties. As long as you can win their favor and have enough money, you can have a wonderful night... Of course, guys like us just have to make do with the lowest-class roadside stalls."

"I...I have no interest in those things!"

When Shi Tou denied it, he straightened up, revealing what was in his arms.

It was a book, Lu Ban saw, the book was called "Old Tales of the Ruined Capital", and the author's name was Gu Du.

"Wow, books from the ancient capital, yet another one that's been tricked into coming here."

The "hound" quickly snatched the book, flipped through two pages despite Stone's protests, and then handed it back to him.

"This writer is quite famous in the ruined capital. He's an upper-class man who often mingles with married women. He loves writing scary stories and also likes writing about women. Only young people fall for his tricks. Sigh, the ruined capital isn't that comfortable."

The "hound" sighed and looked at the stone again.

"Can you understand this book? Can you read?"

"I know a little."

Stone nodded, bewildered.

"That's good. Being able to read will at least allow you to do some easier work in the ruined city. Oh, you don't know, most young people who grit their teeth and go to the ruined city end up as laborers. Someone with your physique would be worn out in three months. Those who can't move halfway through are just thrown to the dogs. Human life is worthless."

"Hound" sighed, then patted Stone's frail shoulder.

"I can introduce you to some jobs later. Don't worry, I have a good reputation in the ruins, no one will dare to cheat you."

"Amazing!"

Lu Ban echoed, then asked another question.

"Speaking of which, it's so dark outside, how did the driver know the way?"

The fat driver hadn't said a word since the beginning, remaining aloof. Lu Ban asked about the "hunting dog."

"Don't you know? All roads lead to the ruined capital. As long as it's a man-made road, it leads to the ruined capital."

"I see. So as long as we don't run into any trouble along the way, and just drive safely, we should be able to reach the ruined capital by tomorrow morning, right?"

Just as Lu Ban finished speaking, he saw Mary, the middle-aged woman who had kept her mouth tightly shut, stand up.

"Don't talk nonsense."

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

"Oh……"

Does this person also know that you can't just make promises you can't keep?

Lu Ban glanced at her again, and just then, a loud bang suddenly came from the front of the bus.

bang——

The car braked suddenly, and everyone was thrown forward.

Lu Ban steadied himself on the seat. The "Hound" itself was heavy enough that Mary was as steady as a mountain, while only the stone swayed and almost fell off the chair.

"W-What's wrong?"

The thin young man, Stone, asked with a look of fear on his face.

"There's been a problem."

The driver finally spoke, his voice muffled and strained.

"Can you handle it?"

The "hunting dog" walked over.

Even if he didn't explain, everyone knew that having a car parked there in the middle of the night in the wilderness was not a good thing.

"I'll give it a try."

The driver tried to start it, but only heard a hoarse sound; the engine seemed completely unusable.

Is it a mechanical problem or something else?

The hound glanced out the window, its eyes growing increasingly shadowy.

"I don't know, we need to go down and check."

The driver stood up, his bulky body bending over with difficulty to take out the toolbox and open the car door.

It was dark outside, illuminated only by the headlights of cars.

The driver and "hound" got out of the car, while the rest of the people stayed inside.

"Is everything alright...?"

Stone was curious, but dared not look.

Mary didn't say a word, but pulled her clothes tighter and moved away from the windows and doors.

Lu Ban remained silent.

Since it's a challenging task, it's bound to be difficult, and it's quite normal for the bus to break down.

He looked out the window; the thick darkness of night obscured everything, even the figures of the driver and the "hunting dog" became blurred.

The repairs continued, and during the long wait, Lu Ban stared intently at the dimly lit area outside the window, where light and shadow intertwined.

At the edge of the light, something seemed to lurk there, wriggling, twisting, peering at the car.

If humans are not careful, these vicious creatures will immediately emerge from the shadows and tear apart everyone they see.

Just then, a sharp, piercing, heart-wrenching scream came from afar.

Amidst the howling, Lu Ban vaguely saw something swoop past under the lights, past the driver and the "hunting dog".

bang——

The "hound" immediately drew his gun, and after a loud bang, the world fell silent.

"what is that?"

Lu Ban asked casually.

The next moment, something hit the glass right next to his face!