As long as you have the courage, fierce ghosts go on maternity leave.

Alexander found his harvest less bountiful than anticipated. The ticket seller who survived was one of the three prince ghosts, individuals endowed with taboo powers immune to his ghostly energy. Therefore, Alexander dared not convert her into a ghost Food.

Still, the loop did provide ample harvest: two princes, seven generals, and fourteen soldiers were converted into ghost food.

Alexander’s mastery over time was precise. Just as the last soldier-class corpse was converted, a blinding light enveloped both him and Edward, transporting them back to the bus, where a middle-aged man stood.

A new cycle had begun, and the duo re-boarded the bus.

The cycles repeated. Each time, three thugs would board the bus just before reaching the bridge. They would harass the beautiful ticket seller, who would then descend into madness and disrupt the driver, causing the bus to plummet into the depths below the bridge.

Each cycle yielded at least two princes and seven generals in ghost food. Alexander found the entire affair, costing only three ghost coins, to be utterly delightful.

Cycle after cycle unfolded. If it weren’t for the diminishing favorability ratings above the passengers’ heads, Alexander would have lost count.

"How many times has it been?" Edward groaned as another cycle began, "I’m getting nauseous just being on this bus."

"The 76th," Alexander whispered, lowering his voice. Before the passengers lost their sanity, they were just like any other human, so there was no concern their subdued conversation would be overheard.

"Do you have any leads?" Edward and Alexander squeezed into a corner of the bus, and Edward broke the silence.

"Based on the loop we’ve previously solved, the key to breaking this cycle should be fulfilling some sort of obsession or fixation.

In this case, it might be either preventing the thugs from harassing the ticket seller or stopping her from interfering with the driver. But, I have a hunch that it’s not that simple."

"You’re right, it’s not that simple," Alexander nodded, his face etched with contemplation. "Have you noticed any differences in the recent loops?"

"Differences? Are there any?" Edward appeared puzzled.

"Surely you’re not suggesting that the middle-aged man greeting you differently every time we hop on the bus is a meaningful variation? It’s entirely natural.

Even within the same day and cycle, tiny differences can lead to a variance in dialogue—a ’hello’ now might be a ’hi’ or ’hey’ later.A mere leg lift or lingering gaze from you could trigger different words from him. It’s another form of the butterfly effect."

Edward liked to display his intellectual reach, seemingly proficient in a bit of everything. Alexander had no interest in discussing the butterfly effect and cut straight to the point.

"Names, greetings, words, and actions may change, but what about the color of their clothes? A red shirt can’t turn white just because you lifted your right foot first when getting on."

Hearing this, Edward’s eyes darted around. Perhaps due to their work at the funeral parlor, everyone on the bus wore black suits—the uniform for the parlor, presumably.

"The guy in the third row at the back—his socks were black the last time, now they’re white. Then there’s the old man in the second row by the door. During the 70th cycle, his sleeve had an oil stain. And the driver..."

As Alexander continued, Edward’s attention sharpened. Apart from the ticket seller and the three thugs, everyone else seemed to undergo minute changes with each cycle.

"So, what gives?" Edward was puzzled. "I thought this was a cycle; why are there these inconsistencies?"

"Because this isn’t a simple, repetitive cycle! The timing of the loop is changing. I’m beginning to get a grasp on it, but there’s still a missing piece to confirm my suspicions," Alexander declared.

Edward looked puzzled but didn’t press for further explanation.

As before, during their over-seventieth loop, the bus plummeted into the water, and Alexander began to perform the ritual to transform the ghost food. Then, a white fog materialized, signaling the start of the 77th loop.

As the loops continued, fluctuating over and over, the changes in the funeral parlor staff aboard grew increasingly significant. By the 90th loop, a young man who initially wore a black uniform was now adorned in a plaid shirt and leather jacket, holding a folder in his hands.

By the 93rd, the same young man had vanished, as if he’d never been part of this loop at all.

After observing three iterations, Alexander finally felt certain. The bus seemed to advance one day in time for every three cycles.

On the 96th cycle, something new happened. The bus didn’t move forward immediately; instead, the doors opened with the advent of this new cycle.

A stunning woman, dressed in all-white, stepped onto the bus.

"The person I’ve been waiting for is here. This time, let’s see if we can break the deadlock," Alexander whispered, leaning in close to Edward’s ear.

Edward nodded; he too sensed that this newly arrived woman could be the fulcrum upon which the cycle pivoted.

The bus resumed its journey after the woman boarded. Her exquisite beauty was a magnetic force, and the atmosphere on the bus shifted instantaneously. Even the middle-aged man, who had been mostly silent, found himself actively engaging in conversation with her.

Through the sporadic dialogue that ensued, Alexander quickly pieced together the woman’s identity. Her name was Lexi, and she was on this journey for a grim reason. Her brother was a radio broadcaster and, tragically, She was headed to the funeral parlor to discuss arrangements for her late brother.

Several stops later, the bus ground to a halt once more. This was the point where the three ruffians always boarded. Some elements in this cycle remained stubbornly constant: the ticket seller and these miscreants.

Every time, they would board at the same location, harass the ticket seller, and in a fit of rage, choke the driver, thereby setting the stage for the loop to repeat itself.

But this time, something was different about the trio; they reeked of alcohol. Alexander had an inkling of what would unfold next, and sure enough, his suspicions proved correct.

This time, the drunken thugs didn’t hassle the ticket seller. Instead, their leering eyes settled on the beautiful Lexi.

More timid than the ticket seller, Lexi could hardly muster a whimper in the face of their harassment. She clenched the hand one of them was slipping into her collar, pushing it away with all her might.

But how could she, a lone woman, fend off three inebriated men? Soon, she was left with no option but to cast a helpless gaze around the bus compartment.

Immediately, the passengers averted their eyes, even the middle-aged man who had been flirtatiously chatting with Lexi moments before. The hesitancy that flashed across his face was quickly masked, and he looked away.

"Heh... Driver, pull over for a moment; we need to use the restroom," shouted the blonde ruffian.

Seemingly dissatisfied with their present shenanigans but unwilling to escalate things in front of an audience, he was ready to take it to the next level. The timid driver hesitated at first but pulled over the moment a gun was brandished.

Now, Lexi’s anxiety reached a fever pitch. She struggled violently, only to be met with increased force from the thugs and the cold indifference of the surrounding passengers.

"Help me..." In desperation, Lexi looked to the only other woman on the bus—the ticket seller.

"Stop it!" The ticket seller finally stepped up, shouting, "Let’s band together and throw these hoodlums out!"

Her plea met with nothing but numb faces; the onlookers were unwilling to intervene. Some hesitated, but the sight of the gun kept them still.

"What’s wrong with you all? Don’t you have wives and daughters? What if they found themselves in a situation like this? Would you want people to turn a blind eye then?" The ticket seller cried out in exasperation.

Instead of galvanizing the passengers, her outcry only drew the attention of the thugs. "Damn you, wench! I was planning on letting you go today, but since you don’t appreciate the favor, fine! You want us to get off? I’ll take you with us and show you a good time!"

With a sinister smirk, the green-haired thug lunged at the ticket seller.

Smack!

The next moment, a hand firmly grasped the thug’s wrist, halting him in his tracks. The one who intervened was none other than Alexander.

"What are you, daring to mess with me? Have you grown tired of living?" The green-haired thug roared, raising his gun and aiming it at Alexander’s abdomen.

Before he could pull the trigger, Alexander, with astonishing speed, disarmed him and violently threw him into the compartment, landing him at the feet of Edward and the middle-aged man.

"Bastard! You’re asking for it!" The other two thugs, incensed, released Lexi and charged at Alexander.

But how could these two, not yet in a berserk state, contend with Alexander? In a swift move, he gripped both of their necks and slammed them onto the green-haired thug.

Moans of agony erupted from the trio, but their eyes soon fixed on Alexander, filled with suspicion.

Clearly, Alexander’s display of combat prowess, or perhaps his fearless determination, had raised doubts among them. According to the established pattern, the next step would be to interrogate Alexander.

If he failed to deceive them, it would trigger a full-blown rampage, affecting all passengers on the bus. In such confined quarters, neither Alexander nor Edward could escape the chaos that would ensue.

Though unfazed by the mysterious mist that usually accompanied these events, Alexander wasn’t sure if he could withstand the forbidden power lurking within these thugs. And it wasn’t an experiment he was willing to conduct on himself.

Moreover, even if Alexander could resist that power, Edward certainly could not. Glancing at Edward, Alexander quickly signaled him with his eyes.

Having worked together for a considerable time, they may not have achieved a perfect harmony of minds, but a mere look between them was enough to convey a multitude of messages.

Catching Alexander’s signal, Edward didn’t hesitate. He lunged forward, his foot connecting solidly with the green-haired thug.

As he kicked, he bellowed, "Beasts! How long have you been up to these atrocious acts? My sister often takes this bus, who knows if she’s been bullied by scum like you?

I’ll kill you! No one will ever know, especially since you’re all drunk. We can just toss your bodies into the river!"

Edward’s words seemed to jolt the rest of the passengers awake. Indeed, didn’t everyone have female relatives and friends to worry about?

Until now, fear of the thugs’ weapons and their menacing presence had kept them in check. But now, with the trio subdued, what was there to wait for?

The middle-aged man hesitated briefly before following Edward’s lead with his own kick. His action ignited a spark, as almost every passenger in the compartment surged forward to join in, fists and feet raining down on the trio. Even the driver squeezed his way in, eager to land a few kicks.

Alexander and Edward exchanged glances, then looked at the ticket seller and Lexi. Both were watching the scene unfold with a detached air, an enigmatic light twinkling in their eyes.

"It doesn’t look like it’s enough," Edward leaned closer to Alexander, lowering his voice. "We’re not really planning to kill these guys, are we?"

"If our understanding of the situation was wrong, they’d already be in a berserk state by now. It seems that they have to be killed to end this," Alexander replied calmly.

"What do we do then? These passengers aren’t capable of killing the three thugs," Edward began to grow anxious.

Unperturbed, Alexander assured, "Don’t worry, I specialize in matters like this."

Saying that, he walked directly into the crowd. As the passengers continued their onslaught, the trio shielded their heads with their arms.

Through a gap in the crowd, the green-haired thug caught sight of the approaching Alexander. His eyes were ablaze with venom and hatred.

A barely perceptible smile crossed Alexander’s lips as he approached the middle-aged man, patting him on the shoulder.

"Brother, these thugs have been repeatedly harassing women. They’re morally bankrupt! I heard you have a daughter? Then there’s all the more reason to not let these guys go." With that, he handed over a fire axe.

"What the...?" The green-haired thug was dumbstruck.

While they were no saints, everyone had ridden together on this bus enough times to know a bit about each other.

The middle-aged man’s daughter was only three and a half years old, for heaven’s sake! This had escalated from a fistfight to handing over a fire axe; was this even human behavior?

"You bastard, you scum! How could you be so shameless?" The blond-haired thug couldn’t contain himself when he saw Alexander hand an electric saw to a burly man who looked quite strong.

"What’s too shameful to be done?" Alexander retorted, as he reached out and patted two men who were kicking the thugs. He handed them a bloodstained hammer and a giant spiked mace.

"Thanks!" Both men took the weapons from Alexander and, without a second thought, swung them down upon their targets.

The blond-haired thug watched in disbelief as the electric saw neared his head.

Echoing in his ears were Alexander’s final, chilling words: "Don’t worry, I specialize in matters like this."