Starting Point – CH 041

Chapter 41: Ending the Cycle (End)

As soon as the police boarded the bus, they apprehended the driver, Wang Xingde, and carried Tao Yinghong, who lay unconscious on the ground.

Then, they began evacuating the passengers, thoroughly searching the vehicle for more explosives, taking photos, and preserving the crime scene.

Just as Bespectacled Boy and Li Shiqing were being pushed off the bus by the hurriedly disembarking passengers, the music of Canon in D Major suddenly began.

“Heavens!”

More?

Li Shiqing and Bespectacled Boy felt their scalps tingle, their faces turning pale with fear.

“Hurry up!”

The passengers on the bus panicked even more at the strange ringing. It turned out that the bus had run away.

Even after getting off the bus, everyone was still dazed and cautiously moved as far away from it as possible.

Li Shiqing and Bespectacled Boy wanted to flee, but the stress reaction had left their limbs cold and weak, rendering them completely defenseless.

Standing under the bus, they watched as a police officer pulled a cellphone from Tao Yinghong’s pocket as she was being escorted off. A chill ran down their spines, their expressions filled with terror, as if something was about to explode in their faces at any moment.

“Don’t be afraid; it’s just an alarm!”

A gloved officer carefully returned the phone to the evidence bag. Looking up at the two youths’ startled expressions, he smiled.

“Here, it was set for 1:45 p.m., and it just happened.”

“It’s… it’s just an alarm?”

Li Shiqing stammered, “Isn’t it a bomb timer?”

Then, couldn’t the ringing they’d heard so many times before be a timer for the pressure cooker?

“It’s just an alarm.”

The officer smiled. “Even if it was a timer, the bomb in the pressure cooker has already gone off. It can’t go off again, can it?”

As soon as the driver was arrested, the detectives thoroughly searched the bus, including the undercarriage, but found nothing suspicious, including explosives.

The passengers who had gotten off the bus, witnesses to the crime scene, weren’t allowed to leave yet. They sat or stood in groups on the empty bridge. Some called their families to report their safety, while others excitedly discussed the thrilling, movie-like scene.

The masked man hurriedly opened his bag upon exiting the bus. The poor kitten inside, frightened by the deafening roar, defecated and urinated in the bag, unprotected by his coat.

“Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid. It was just thunder. We’ll find something to eat when we get home.”

He wasn’t angry at all. He took off his mask and casually wiped the dirt off the kitten’s skin with it. Then, lovingly, he held the frightened kitten in his arms to comfort her.

“The bad guys have been caught. There won’t be any more thunder…”

The sturdy man planted his feet on solid ground, breathed a long sigh of relief, and collapsed onto the devastated street.

Of all the people on the bus, he was the one who had to work the hardest.

Controlling someone from moving was easier said than done.

Not to mention that he knew the middle-aged woman was carrying a bomb and other weapons. One could imagine the tension and pressure he felt.

Even with Bespectacled Boy’s help, given his size and age, if something really happened, would he expect a bunch of kids to risk their lives?

He definitely had to take on more responsibility.

Now that the police had arrived, the bad guys had been apprehended, and the bomb had exploded beneath the bridge, the uncle finally relaxed the tension he had been holding. Suddenly, his muscles stiffened and ached, and he slumped to the ground.

He touched the thousand yuan tucked into his inner chest pocket, feeling the weight of the bills.

With that thousand yuan, he could buy a used electric scooter or rent a small house. After all, the future was still there, the hope was still there, and as long as everyone was safe, the risk of his life had been worth it. The money was secure, and his life was saved—it should have been a joyous occasion. However, once the initial tension and urgency had passed, he finally began to feel a sense of bitterness and lingering fear, silently wiping away tears.

For some people, even their sorrow was silent.

Once the police had fully secured the scene, and the ambulance had taken the injured Officer Zhang and the unconscious Tao Yinghong away, Officer Du finally had time to search for the kind citizen who had “called the police.”

“Excuse me, who on the bus called the police?”

Officer Du asked loudly from the bridge.

“It was me.”

Bespectacled Boy glanced at Li Shiqing and raised his hand.

Officer Du, along with several other officers, approached them, shook his hand, and expressed his gratitude.

“Thank you so much for providing the clue and for working with the passengers on the bus to apprehend the criminal!”

“It wasn’t just my credit. After all, the culprit was stopped with the help of several passengers on the bus…”

Bespectacled Boy was stunned for a moment, then quickly explained.

He pointed at Li Shiqing in front of him, then at the young man, who had taken off his mask and was holding a cat.

“And that uncle. They helped me subdue the aunt.”

The other police officers, upon hearing his words, looked at Bespectacled Boy in surprise.

Li Shiqing and Xiao Heyun, one looking no more than his early twenties, the other a youthful student still fresh out of school, were the primary contributors to stopping this bombing?

When they first received the text message, because it was concise and well-organized, highlighting all the key points, they assumed the person in the bus who had encountered this situation was an experienced veteran or a police officer on leave. They didn’t even have time to verify the phone number’s origin. They simply notified the traffic police, blocked traffic, and rushed to the bridge.

“Young people, that’s impressive! Your courage is commendable!”

A police officer praised them, “Thank goodness you were here; otherwise, this would have been a disaster!”

“As long as we haven’t caused any trouble for the police.”

Li Shiqing and Xiao Heyun exchanged glances, still unsure if the matter was truly resolved.

They were so exhausted from this day and had tried every possible method. If they still couldn’t end the cycle, they would definitely go crazy.

“Everyone, please come with us back to the police station to give your statements. Thank you for your hard work! A bus will be taking you back later. Please cooperate with the police.”

Officer Jiang shouted from the other end, “A large bus will be here soon. Please get on board!”

Soon, a police bus slowly drove onto the blocked bridge, carrying away all the stranded passengers.

Watching the bridge recede in the distance, feeling the gentle breeze blowing through the window, Li Shiqing smiled. She leaned against Bespectacled Boy’s shoulder and fell asleep sweetly…

》》》

Two weeks later, in a private room at a teahouse.

“How have you been lately?”

Li Shiqing entered the room, removed her cap and mask, and greeted Bespectacled Boy, who had arrived earlier. “I heard you’ve been going through interviews for half a month?”

“How could you be as happy as you? Just go abroad and travel for half a month?”

Xiao Heyun was at a loss for words. “You posted a long Weibo and then disappeared. What if no one else came to interview me?”

“I didn’t mean to abandon my comrades!”

Li Shiqing shrugged, laughing without a trace of guilt.

“My parents were worried I might have some psychological trauma, so they took me to a psychologist for a week. It was the psychologist who persuaded them to take me out for some fun, to get away from it all, so I was taken on a trip. I didn’t really want to leave; I just wanted to see if there were any new developments back home!”

“It’s truly Heaven’s blessing that this matter was resolved so smoothly.”

Xiao Heyun sighed, grateful that they had so easily cleared their suspicions.

After the incident, the first question the police asked was how they knew Officer Zhang’s phone number. Fortunately, they had discussed it for a long time in the hotel that night, including how to handle the subsequent police investigation if they were to succeed.

That night at the hotel, they searched online for Officer Zhang’s phone number and discovered that it had been released on the local police platform during a previous bus arson case.

The arsonist in that case first burned himself beyond recognition when the fire started, and later his body was totally charred. The police’s night contact number at the time was the mobile phone number of the person in charge, Officer Zhang, in order to make it easier for people who knew the arsonist’s situation to provide clues to the police.

Xiao Heyun said that when he realized something was amiss, he immediately searched for “bus case police,” found the phone number, and sent a text message.

After receiving the text message, Officer Zhang texted back to inquire about the situation. However, due to the urgency of the situation, they didn’t have time to respond. However, confirming that the number was still in use by the police gave them great confidence.

The police later tested the method and confirmed that they could indeed find Zhang’s phone number.

Afterwards, the police praised Bespectacled Boy’s intelligence. Besides being thankful that the information was still traceable after so many years, they also commended his decision to contact the criminal police directly.

Otherwise, relying on 110 to call the police and then dispatching police would be a complicated and slow process, potentially allowing the suspect to detect the incident beforehand.

As for how they discovered the bomb on the bus, they used the same excuse: “We were sitting behind a woman and heard her mumbling to herself.”

They told the police they called them because Li Shiqing heard the woman muttering things like “The bomb is in the pressure cooker,” “I’m going to see my daughter at 1:45 p.m.,” “Wang Xingde, drive faster,” and “Hurry to the bridge,” and felt something was amiss.

Li Shiqing said that after noticing something was amiss with the woman, she consulted with Bespectacled Boy sitting next to her and decided to call the police. Since time was short, she tried to find help on the bus to apprehend the suspect. She frequently took this route and was familiar with the driver, knowing his surname was Wang. This led her to infer that the “Wang Xingde” the woman was referring to was likely the driver and thus a suspected accomplice.

In reality, this explanation would likely crumble if confronted with Tao Yinghong. However, during their search for the truth, Officer Zhang had clearly revealed that Tao Yinghong’s mental health had been poor and she might have a mental illness. They were betting that Tao Yinghong might have a problem in this area and that even a confrontation wouldn’t be enough to justify their suspicions, so they continued to use this narrative.

In the end, perhaps Heaven had opened their eyes to feel sorry for them or something else, but after regaining consciousness, Tao Yinghong’s mental health did indeed deteriorate.

At the time, she was pinned down by the panicked passengers. Whether it was brain damage from her coma or the inability to face reality after her plan was shattered, she suffered a mental breakdown. Although she was later revived in the hospital, she now showed no reaction to any external stimuli, like a living corpse.

Even if she didn’t spend the rest of her life in prison, she would likely be confined to a hospital.

Uncle Wang Xingde, likewise, never revealed to the police that Li Shiqing knew about his daughter. He simply said that Li Shiqing resembled his daughter and that when the attack occurred, she had begged him to stop, which reminded him of his daughter, and he softened his heart. Furthermore, the bomb had already been unloaded from the vehicle, and the situation was already hopeless, so he chose to give up.

Because Tao Yinghong was mentally ill and Wang Xingde concealed the truth for unknown reasons, this already suspicious incident was left without evidence. Thus, the two youths, with their good behavior, clean pasts, and reasonable explanations, were quickly released after a brief questioning. Not only did they avoid punishment, but they were even rewarded by society.

After leaving the police station, the two did not return home but instead stayed in a nearby hotel.

This time, they learned their lesson and stayed up all night, drinking coffee and watching movies, until dawn. Seeing the dawn light outside the window and the sun slowly rising, they double-checked that it was truly the next day before relaxing and drifting off to sleep.

When they woke up, the internet was abuzz.

The “explosion” in W City, once exposed by the media, quickly became the most talked-about news story online.

According to the two suspects’ planned scheme, the bombing would have caused far greater casualties. However, thanks to the alertness of these two youths, they were able to detect the incident early. Not only did they call the police, but they also worked with the passengers in the bus to subdue the suspect and successfully assisted the police in detonating the bomb in advance…

The bombing itself was sensational enough, but coupled with the bizarre twists and “legendary” resolution, the case quickly became a trending topic on all major media platforms.

Li Shiqing, one of the witnesses, wrote a long post on her Weibo account, detailing everything that happened to her and her companions in the bus.

With the police’s permission, she included some information she had learned from their cooperation in the investigation in her Weibo post. At the end of the post, she solicited information from anyone who knew about Wang Mengmeng’s bus trip.

Li Shiqing’s long post, providing firsthand information, garnered over a million shares and comments within two weeks. Even renowned directors and screenwriters approached them, hoping to turn the story into a film.

Because of this, Li Shiqing, Xiao Heyun, the muscular uncle Wang Yong, and the masked man Fang Xiao all entered the public eye, becoming hailed as “heroes.”

Officer Zhang, injured in the explosion, was awarded a first-class merit for bravely throwing the bomb at a critical moment, thereby preventing the disaster. He not only received commendations from the police force but also received praise and gratitude from various groups and local residents while in his hospital bed. Flowers and fruits were poured daily, and visitors streamed in constantly.

Unfortunately, the violent explosion caused him to suffer sudden deafness. Diagnoses indicated it would take two weeks to a month for hearing to fully recover, forcing him to communicate in writing. Consequently, despite the many visitors, he could only manage a smile, unable to engage in the cheerful banter he once enjoyed.

He also jokingly admitted that if it weren’t for the constant stream of visitors in his ward, he’d surely find the noise overwhelming. Now, he could simply close his eyes and rest in peace.

After the life story of the strong uncle and the “one thousand yuan” tale were dug up by the media, he immediately received olive branches from many local companies, hiring him to take up positions offered by their companies, most of which were security-related.

In the end, Uncle Jianzhuang chose to become a food delivery driver. The company that hired him awarded him a five-figure “bravery” bonus and a brand-new electric scooter as a new job gift.

The uncle used the money to rent a slightly larger house near his company. His next step was to urge his daughter to get into a university in the city so he could be close by to take care of her.

The masked man and his kitten also became famous. Now, the kitten, named “An An,” has become an internet celebrity. Every day, many people flock to the masked man’s Weibo, just to admire the cat and see this little angel who survived the ordeal.

Half a month passed, and the passengers on the bus seemed to have gradually moved on from the tragedy. Only Li Shiqing wanted to know, “What happened to Wang Mengmeng?” She hadn’t received much information.

“No clues at all?”

Xiao Heyun asked, frowning after listening to Li Shiqing’s account of the past two weeks.

“After all, so much time has passed, and there haven’t been any witnesses who could provide conclusive information. But there are still clues…”

Li Shiqing took out her phone and gestured to Bespectacled Boy to read a few private messages. These private messages were all from strangers. They all began by saying they weren’t on Wang Mengmeng’s bus and therefore couldn’t provide details about the situation. However, like Wang Mengmeng, they often traveled that route back then.

They all had one thing in common: they had experienced sexual harassment on this route.

The women who took this route were mostly college students who boarded the bus at the last stop. They were young, beautiful, and full of energy. Furthermore, having not yet entered society, they lacked some experience and were somewhat immature, making them easy targets for these perverts.

At the time, they were young and timid. When they encountered such behavior in a crowded area, they didn’t know who was responsible. They either quickly got off the bus or found a male companion for the next trip. All these years later, the disgusting feeling still lingered in their memories. Especially as they graduated and started working, gaining more courage and experience, they increasingly regretted not speaking out when they encountered such behavior.

“But a private message like this isn’t enough evidence.”

Bespectacled Boy poured cold water on her. “Since it’s groping, the person who did it must be very secretive. As long as they can’t be caught, this can only be considered speculation, not the reason why Wang Mengmeng got off the bus.”

“I know.”

Li Shiqing nodded, not looking discouraged.

“But at least, this can serve as a warning to many girls.”

Bespectacled Boy was stunned.

“I’ve got the girls’ consent. I’m going to make this public…”

Li Shiqing said seriously, “As an ordinary girl, encountering something like this on a bus, their first reaction is fear. Shyness and fear often prevent them from seeking help. They either endure it silently or flee in panic, only to embolden these scumbags, who will continue to extend their claws to the next victim.”

“Perhaps this wasn’t the reason Wang Mengmeng got off the bus back then, but as long as people like this exist, tragedies will always happen. Who knows if the next girl will be another Wang Mengmeng?”

Li Shiqing still couldn’t hide her pity when she mentioned that girl.

After the incident, the media dug up the story behind Wang Xingde and his wife. Wang Mengmeng was a very pretty, seemingly petite, and delicate girl. She had always been both good at studying and helpful at school. She had never been unreasonable or even argued with anyone.

But because of this, when scumbags were looking for targets, such delicate and gentle girls were often their first choice.

Many parents raised their daughters to be obedient and gentle, to be quiet and well-mannered, but they forgot to teach them how to protect themselves.

“Some may believe it, some may not, but that’s not the point.”

Li Shiqing had further thoughts on this. “I hope that the girls who saw this incident will bravely stand up to such perverts and scumbags the next time they encounter them on the bus. They will never compromise and fight to the end against such disgusting behavior.”

“They will also have the courage and confidence to break through difficult situations.”

Upon hearing Li Shiqing’s boast, Xiao Heyun didn’t laugh at her childishness. Instead, he offered encouragement: “You have a good idea.”

“Speaking of ‘perverts,’ I’ve always wanted to tell you something, but I was embarrassed before.”

Li Shiqing flipped through her private messages and casually said, “Every time we did “catch the pervert,” you didn’t actually have to reach out your hands. All you had to do was make me scream. Seriously!”

“Cough!”

Bespectacled Boy, sipping tea, coughed awkwardly upon hearing this, a crimson flush spreading from his face to his ears.

Li Shiqing was about to put her phone away when she accidentally clicked on something, and a video popped up.

“What’s this?”

Bespectacled Boy quickly shifted his focus.

“It’s a newly released interview with the driver who’s about to be taken to prison.”

Li Shiqing glanced at the video with a complicated expression, hesitated, and then clicked on it.

After the incident, the aunt suffered mental damage and became a living corpse. The uncle took the initiative to reveal the entire story and offered to take full responsibility.

Although there were no casualties beyond the police officer, he was ultimately convicted of “endangering public safety by dangerous means” and faced a long prison sentence.

Li Shiqing had mixed feelings about the uncle. After the cycle ended, she had been avoiding news and information about the driver. This was the first time she had paid attention to the follow-up to his situation.

The reporter conducted the interview directly with the uncle.

“When you knew the bomb could harm the passengers in the bus and the innocent people on the bridge, didn’t you have any hesitation or regret?” the reporter asked.

“My wife and I, at that time, felt nothing but hatred.”

The driver, Wang Xingde, was indifferent. “If I had any hesitation, it was probably because there was a girl on the bus who often rides my bus. I’ve always thought she looked a lot like my daughter. When I saw her get on, I hesitated.”

Li Shiqing and Bespectacled Boy were stunned.

“So you’d just watch her die, right?”

The reporter, knowing that the girl was one of the young ones who later stopped the driver and his wife, asked, “If you had known she would call the police and stop you, would you still have regrets and hesitations?”

“This reporter… is trying to stir up trouble!”

Bespectacled Boy said angrily.

The uncle was only imprisoned, not sentenced to death. He’d be released someday. If he was provoked now, what else could it be but stirring up trouble and creating chaos?

“She’s a good kid.”

The driver seemed deeply disgusted with the reporter, his words laced with sarcasm. “She’s much better than some people who only care about gossiping behind her back!”

Although there was no footage of the reporter, the reporter was clearly embarrassed and quickly changed the subject.

“If it happened over again, would you do it again?”

“I don’t know.”

The driver’s tone was downcast. “When I first became a bus driver, I hated these people. They just drove mechanically, not caring about the passengers or what might happen if they suddenly got off. After driving for a few years, I realized that some things are beyond the driver’s control, and some people are simply unreasonable. It’s not easy for anyone…”

“But even though you knew how difficult it was to be a bus driver, you still did it. Why?”

The reporter asked angrily.

“Because my daughter died.”

Wang Xingde said numbly.

“This route is over an hour long. Didn’t you and your wife ever consider the possibility of being discovered along the way? How did you manage to drive so calmly?”

“…I did. And I wasn’t calm.”

The driver spoke wearily. “During this journey, my mind wandered a lot, and I had wild thoughts, especially about that girl. I kept hoping she’d get off the bus early…”

“When we passed the intersection, I saw a motorcycle running a red light, and I wondered if I should just scrape past it, create a little friction, pull over, and let the people off…”

“I also thought, if something happened to someone on the bus, like someone suddenly fell ill or started an argument, I could pull over and let them off. But most of the passengers were asleep, so there wasn’t much chance of an argument…”

As the driver recounted his thoughts, Li Shiqing’s and Bespectacled Boy’s expressions grew increasingly serious, and they even shuddered.

“Tell me, could what we experienced just be the driver’s imagination?”

Li Shiqing had barely begun to speak when Bespectacled Boy quickly clicked away.

“Stop watching, stop imagining things. We’ve already escaped the loop!”

Bespectacled Boy snarled.

“It’s all in the past. No matter what happened, it can no longer affect us!”

[But his imagination matches the loop we’ve been through…]

Li Shiqing felt a chill run down her spine as she considered a certain possibility.

“Don’t think about that. Think about something better. Think about your reunion with your parents, and mine. Think about the uncle with the bag finally having enough money to buy an electric scooter, and the guy in the mask having a cat. We’ve already gotten out!”

Xiao Heyun, noticing Li Shiqing’s faltering mental state, grabbed her hand.

Although they seemed to have escaped the shadow of the loop, they both knew deep down that the loop had already taken a toll on them, a toll that wouldn’t heal overnight.

Now, what they should learn was to return to normal life.

“No matter what the reality is, as long as we’re still alive, still living, and everything around us remains unchanged, that’s enough!”

Li Shiqing was stunned by Bespectacled Boy’s scolding, but she gradually came to her senses.

“Yes, you’re right…”

She pulled herself together and took a deep breath.

“Life must go on.”

(The Bus That Never Arrives at the Stop, End.)

The author has something to say:

The next chapter is a short story based on this worldview, a kind of self-entertainment experiment. The protagonists are not Bespectacled Boy and Li Shiqing. At the end of each chapter, readers will be able to choose the possible developments themselves, similar to how we interact in an RPG, saving you the pain of following the update every time. This time, the protagonist’s fate is in your hands; I’m just the writer.

I hope I had fun writing this, hahaha.