I'm Actually Panicking Because My Heart Doesn't Beat (GL) - Chapter 50

Looking at the large checks in that photo album, Guan Xiaoxuan felt a little tempted. But she wasn’t a fool—she knew this line of work was dangerous.

After all, working illegally was nothing compared to working under an official “godfather.” At least the latter was much safer.

Seeing Guan Xiaoxuan indifferent to those things, Chen Man put away her phone and said, “I know, you probably think the official department’s benefits are good. But no matter how hard you work getting rid of the eerie beings, how many points and bonuses can they really give you?”

Chen Man added, “Honestly, I think you’re really impressive and have a lot of potential. The fact that you saved me in the girls’ dorm shows you’re capable.”

Guan Xiaoxuan wasn’t moved. She looked at Chen Man and said, “If you’re only here because of that, then I’ll go now. Zhang Wen is still waiting for me to eat.”

“Hey, wait.”

Chen Man saw she was about to leave and quickly reached out to stop her. “Do you know about the number bus 444 that roams the city streets of Xinglin at midnight?”

Guan Xiaoxuan turned around, looking at her. “What?”

Chen Man smiled, seeing her interest grow. “Boss Jin is very interested in it. He’s spent a lot of money trying to get it. I’ve even got some clues about the bus 444. The main reason I came to find you is to invite you to join us in looking for that bus.”

“You guys are crazy,” Guan Xiaoxuan said helplessly. “Do you know how many people have died because of that bus 444?”

“Fortune favors the bold,” Chen Man said. “Boss Jin’s people believe that the special item on the bus 444 is extraordinary. It’s one of the rare eerie beings that can roam both the real world and the ‘inside world.’ The item it drops must be related to this. That’s why Boss Jin is offering a high price.”

“If you’re willing, I can introduce you to Boss Jin this afternoon after school. He’d definitely welcome someone as capable as you.”

Guan Xiaoxuan didn’t care about this so-called Boss Jin. She said, “I’m just an ordinary person. I’m not as capable as you say. I won’t get involved in this, and don’t come looking for me again.”

Leaving the classroom, Guan Xiaoxuan frowned, walking toward the cafeteria.

Where did Chen Man even get so many connections? And she’s targeting the bus 444?

Guan Xiaoxuan remembered her earlier encounter with that bus, which was full of passengers. Now she figured those were probably eerie beings.

A ghost bus filled with eerie passengers—that alone was terrifying.

Back then in the girls’ dorm, Cheng Yi almost got Guan Xiaoxuan killed. That bus’s eerie beings could easily kill people.

Chen Man must be desperate for money to risk her life chasing the eerie items on that bus.

Such nerve.

At lunch, Guan Xiaoxuan ate while searching an eerie forum for info about the bus 444. She found two recent posts by people claiming to have seen the bus.

The posts were vivid, describing the experience as if they’d boarded the bus. But both posts ended abruptly; no one knew if the posters died or just stopped writing.

After school, Guan Xiaoxuan headed toward the school gate with her backpack.

By chance—or not—while waiting at the bus stop, she saw a black Maybach parked at the school gate.

The Maybach was low-key but eye-catching. Many people took out their phones to take photos, curious about who such a luxury car was here to pick up.

Guan Xiaoxuan wasn’t initially curious, but waiting for the bus was boring, so she glanced at the Maybach.

Soon, she saw Chen Man, now dressed in a white mini skirt, showing off her long legs despite the slightly chilly weather. The skirt swayed as she walked, like a blooming flower.

Chen Man had been wearing pants and a long top at noon. Why switch to a mini skirt in cooler weather?

Guan Xiaoxuan didn’t judge—she liked seeing young, beautiful girls showing off their legs—but she found the change odd, wondering if it was really Chen Man.

Then, Chen Man opened the Maybach’s door and got in under everyone’s watchful eyes.

When the car started and passed in front of Guan Xiaoxuan, she tried to see inside but the windows were tinted and she couldn’t tell who was inside.

Guan Xiaoxuan just had a feeling that the person inside was the “Boss Jin” Chen Man had mentioned.

Putting together the recent gossip, Guan Xiaoxuan reasonably suspected Chen Man had gotten involved with Boss Jin somehow. But she didn’t care how.

The bus ride home was a packed sardine-can experience.

At the noodle shop near her home, Guan Xiaoxuan ordered takeout, then went back to hang the sheets and bedding she’d washed earlier.

After dinner and a little rest, she took a shower and lay on her bed.

The bedding, having been dried in the sun all day, was soft and fragrant. Guan Xiaoxuan soon fell asleep.

In her dream, she wasn’t sure what she saw. She felt like she was in the fog, cold and damp air hitting her skin, making it hard to breathe.

When she painfully opened her eyes, she found her cat Guazi was sleeping on her chest, and the damp feeling was because her bedroom window was open and it had started raining outside.

She got up, moved the chubby cat, closed the window, and wiped away the rain that had come inside.

Checking the time, it was just after 6 a.m.

Rain tapped against the window. Guan Xiaoxuan sat bored by the window, watching the rainy, misty city outside.

She worried about how she would get to school these next few days.

She’d have to take the crowded bus again. Every time she got off the bus, she angrily vowed to buy a car—even a used one would be better than squeezing into a bus day and night.

But when she counted her money, she felt powerless again.

A used car was probably out of reach. Maybe she should check out used electric bikes on the weekend instead.

On Saturday during shooting practice, Guan Xiaoxuan finally hit a 3-ring target and jumped up in excitement.

Zhang Tong looked at her score and didn’t hesitate to praise, “Not bad, Xiaoxuan. You’ve improved a lot today. Last week you kept missing the target, but this week you’re hitting most shots. Very good!”

Guan Xiaoxuan smiled, putting down the gun. “Thanks, Teacher Zhang. Maybe I just had a good day today.”

“The most important thing in shooting is the feel of it,” Zhang Tong said. She told Guan Xiaoxuan to rest, sitting beside her. “Did you go to the shooting range I recommended?”

“Not yet,” Guan Xiaoxuan said. “School has been busy with classes. I have theory lessons with Teacher Fang at night. And I was sore all over for the past two weeks, so I couldn’t go.”

“No worries,” Zhang Tong said. “You don’t use guns much on cases anyway. It’s mostly for point redemption items. Guns are just for self-defense. When you really face eerie beings, guns won’t do much.”

“Don’t say that. I think shooting is great,” Guan Xiaoxuan smiled. “Plus, I see many guns in the point redemption store. It’s good to learn.”

Zhang Tong laughed happily. “I’m glad you think that. Makes my effort teaching you worthwhile.”

They chatted a little more. Since Zhang Tong learned Guan Xiaoxuan wasn’t a trained shooter but a regular college student, her demands were lower, and she always let Guan Xiaoxuan rest after shooting to avoid muscle strain.

The morning class passed quickly. After eating at the eerie bureau cafeteria, Guan Xiaoxuan went to the point redemption center to wait for her afternoon class with Lin Weiwei.

“You’re early today,” Lin Weiwei said when she came back from lunch and saw Guan Xiaoxuan flipping through notes in her office. “Did you write all this? So serious!”

Guan Xiaoxuan looked up and smiled. “Good memories are no match for a bad pen. I like writing things down better.”

Lin Weiwei smiled. “Actually, you don’t have to write it down. Our system has a search function—you can find needed items directly.”

Guan Xiaoxuan said, “The search system is just a system. I still prefer to memorize things.”

“Okay then, study hard. Class starts in over an hour. I’m going to rest now,” Lin Weiwei said, picking up her coat. “I might work overtime this afternoon. A new batch of redemption items is arriving. Will you wait for me or take the bus home yourself?”

Curious, Guan Xiaoxuan asked, “New redemption items? What are they? Any weapons?”

Lin Weiwei chuckled, “It’s a secret for now.”

“But,” she looked at Guan Xiaoxuan, “there are weapons. Maybe you’ll like some.”

Guan Xiaoxuan’s eyes lit up. She leaned forward and said, “Director Lin, I’ll stay and work overtime with you tonight. I have nothing to do this weekend at home. Add me in, and we can finish early and go home sooner. What do you say?”

Lin Weiwei laughed and nodded, ruffling Guan Xiaoxuan’s hair. “Since you said that, I’ll let you stay for some voluntary overtime.”

Guan Xiaoxuan happily agreed.

She attended the afternoon class seriously, not letting tonight’s plans slow her down. At 5 p.m., Lin Weiwei packed up the “teaching tools” and checked her phone.

“The shipment should be here soon. Come with me upstairs. The vehicle will drive right in.”

Guan Xiaoxuan hurriedly stuffed her things into her backpack and followed Lin Weiwei downstairs.

In the first-floor lobby, several point redemption staff were already waiting. Including Lin Weiwei and Guan Xiaoxuan, there were seven people in total.

This was the entire redemption center staff.

Minutes passed from 5 to 6 p.m. No one rushed. Faces were calm, voices low. Guan Xiaoxuan felt a little uneasy.

Just as she wanted to ask if the cafeteria was still open, she saw an armored transport vehicle with its lights on coming down the road.

Lin Weiwei saw it too and was the first to stand, telling her coworkers, “Get ready, the shipment is here.”