Chapter 251: The Unscientific Bus

Chapter 251: The Unscientific Bus

Are there any more clues?

There sure are—Xiao Yu is also analyzing what these clues might mean.

For instance.

Testimony from Terrorist Cells member Shu Yuzhen.

She recalled that after they were sold, they spent an entire day on a bus.

Vehicle information!

And another point.

Shu Yuzhen testified that they were trained in a mountainous area where the heat was intense—likely in the south.

A regional clue!

An important clue must also be extracted from Bian Yueze, who was responsible for the Pyramid Scheme Den at the time.

Perhaps he overlooked some details.

But there might still be useful clues hidden in his story.

Twenty thousand per person?

How many people did they sell?

What did the transaction process look like?

How were the people moved?

Does he even recall that bus from back then?

Transporting a group to another location—were just two people enough?

The clues are countless… endless pieces of the puzzle.

If you look hard enough, you’ll always find something useful.

The problem is that with two years apart, the timeline has stretched too far.

Hunting for clues from that far back is both time-consuming and laborious.

Let Wang Dong’s team handle the upcoming interrogations.

Xiao Yu needed to give his brain a rest.

The interrogations by National Security were brutal and to the point.

One hour.

Within that hour, every piece of criminal information and each clue was squeezed out of the suspect, Bian Yueze.

But one unexpected clue left both Xiao Yu and Wang Dong stunned.

What clue?

“A bus?”

Xiao Yu looked as if he’d seen a ghost. “Are you telling me that the bus that picked up Shu Yuzhen and the others was just an ordinary bus?”

“Yes.”

Two members from the second team, reviewing the transcript, confirmed with a nod, “A bus with no license plate… a bus!”

Xiao Yu: …

He exchanged a glance with Wang Dong.

They both sensed something was off.

If you were part of a terrorist cell, would you use a bus to pick up a group of people?

Everyone on Earth would know better.

Buses have large windows that let everything inside be seen clearly.

A group of hooded people sitting inside—wouldn’t that attract attention?

Wouldn’t anyone witnessing this call the police?

And there’s another issue.

Nowadays, most buses are powered by new energy.

They typically run on hybrid fuel systems—gas-electric, diesel-gas, or oil-electric.

As everyone knows.

How could a hybrid vehicle possibly run continuously for a whole day?

Even if gasoline or diesel buses ran nonstop, under normal circumstances…

Really, what kind of vehicle can withstand being driven all day?

If a bus can handle it, can a person?

Especially when it’s a bus!

Alright, suppose your bus could run 24 hours straight with drivers swapping shifts—

Here’s the absurd part.

A bus full of hooded people speeding down the road…

Do you think everyone has poor eyesight?

Haven’t they ever driven on the highway?

Wasn’t anyone watching the entire time?

And not a single person called the police?

Come on, explain how you pulled that off.

“Something’s not right.”

Wang Dong dismissed the possibility outright. “A bus’s purpose is too obvious!”

“No kidding, I know that,” Xiao Yu replied with a roll of his eyes.

These details require nothing more than a little reflection—anyone with a bit of common sense would see something was off without overanalyzing.

There’s no need for complex thought here.

“Take the suspect, Shu Yuzhen, to City Z.”

Xiao Yu stated, “Seems like we’ll have to get all our answers from her!”

……

Five hours later.

City Z, Hospital, Ward.

Xiao Yu met Shu Yuzhen once more.

Now, her eyes no longer held any bitterness or ferocity.

When she saw Xiao Yu, sheer terror was evident on her face.

After National Security’s ‘interrogation’, she had learned her lesson the hard way.

“Tell me,” he demanded.

Sitting beside her bed, Xiao Yu fixed his gaze on Shu Yuzhen. “In your testimony, you mentioned that two and a half years ago, you were sold by the Pyramid Scheme Den to a group of people. How did you know this?”

Shu Yuzhen responded honestly, “I was wearing a hood at the time, so I could overhear their conversation.”

“And how did you know you were being taken onto a bus?” Xiao Yu pressed on.

“I remember it clearly.”

After a moment’s thought, Shu Yuzhen said, “When we got on, we bumped into something—the bus steps were so high we had to take two big strides…”

Xiao Yu listened intently and nodded.

Indeed, the bus’s entry step was exceptionally high.

Most buses require two steps to get on.

Xiao Yu then asked, “Were the seats soft or hard?”

“Hard,” she confirmed.

Shu Yuzhen stated firmly, “After sitting all day, my back and waist ached terribly.”

Xiao Yu exchanged a glance with Wang Dong and nodded in understanding.

Do buses have soft seats?

Nine out of ten don’t!

It confirmed that this was indeed one of those typical city buses…

Which made Xiao Yu’s mind reel. “Were you forced to lean forward, or did you just sit normally throughout the journey?”

“No leaning—we just sat normally,” she replied.

Shu Yuzhen added, “But anyone who tried to move around—or needed to use the restroom—would be beaten up…”

Ha… that’s even more absurd. Xiao Yu shook his head.

A bus isn’t meant to force hooded people to slouch.

So wouldn’t their figures be completely exposed through the windows?

How could it possibly go unnoticed?

Unless… Xiao Yu considered a possibility. “Are you sure the bus ran all day?”

“Yes, it should have been around 23 hours.”

Shu Yuzhen explained, “We were wearing watches at that time. I kept track of the time.”

“A watch?”

Growing visibly puzzled, Xiao Yu asked, “You mentioned that when you were first kidnapped by the Pyramid Scheme Den, they took away your phone, wallet, and every personal item. So where did your watch come from?”

“It was given to us the day before we were sold.”

Shu Yuzhen’s expression mirrored her confusion. “They handed out these ordinary digital watches—one for each of us.”

Watches? That struck Xiao Yu as odd.

Perhaps it wasn’t just a watch—it might have been a tracking device.

And that wasn’t the only strange detail.

With those watches, Shu Yuzhen and the others could keep track of time, knowing exactly how long they’d been on the bus.

Could it be that those people weren’t afraid that if Shu Yuzhen and the others were caught, the time records would lead back to their hideout?

Xiao Yu furrowed his brow, unable to understand.

Wait a minute… time?

Suddenly, his eyes lit up.

Time can be manipulated!

Is it possible that someone deliberately let Shu Yuzhen and the others see the time so they’d believe they’d been on the bus all day?

If so…

“The bus you rode…”

Xiao Yu fixed his gaze on Shu Yuzhen, asking word for word, “Was the road bumpy? Any shaking or sharp turns?”

“Well…”

Shu Yuzhen thought back, then shook her head. “There was a slight sway at the beginning, but soon it became perfectly smooth—no bumps, no shakes at all!”

Xiao Yu chuckled.

I see, so that’s it!