In the world of anime with the power to stop time.

Chapter 64: I Won, Little One 

It's over. Truly over.

Ren Nanase felt a chill all over her body. The thought of Lin Ye being taken home by the little boy felt like her heart was being torn apart.

Though Lin Ye had stalked her and acted like a creep, he had also helped her survive on this terrifying Bus No. 18.

She couldn't forget this debt of gratitude.

But what could she do? She realized she was powerless. After Lin Ye's failure, she would be next.

Perhaps being taken home with Lin Ye wouldn't be so bad.

Ren Nanase gave in to despair.

The blue-haired delinquent and the middle-aged man felt equally hopeless. Without Lin Ye leading them, they were as good as dead.

"Ding, ding, ding..."

Lin Ye calmly narrated his actions as he revealed his right hand. It was empty—completely empty.

"Nothing here! It's in my left hand."

He opened his left hand, revealing the candy resting quietly in his palm.

The little boy blinked in surprise, his face filled with disbelief. Ren Nanase was equally stunned. Impossible! She was certain the candy had been in his right hand.

"I won, little one."

"No, no, no! I didn't guess wrong. I didn't guess wrong!" the boy protested.

"Shh!" Lin Ye gestured for silence.

"Big brother can play another game with you, but if I win again, little one, you must sit quietly in that seat." Lin Ye pointed to the single seat on the right.

The bus's increased speed was related to the boy's rejection, but Lin Ye also suspected it had to do with the boy remaining unseated.

"Two more games. No, three," the little boy said, holding up three fingers.

"Fine. But after that, you can't ask anyone else to play."

Ren Nanase immediately understood. Lin Ye was negotiating to protect her.

She felt deeply moved. For her, Lin Ye was willing to take all the risks upon himself.

How could she ever repay him?

"Big brother likes this pretty sister, doesn't he?" The little boy's gaze fell on Ren Nanase for the first time. His pale face sent a shiver down her spine, but she forced a smile to avoid upsetting him.

"Yes, I do," Lin Ye answered without hesitation.

"Oh… And how about you, pretty sister?" The boy's question turned to Ren Nanase.

"I do," she replied, knowing there was no possibility of saying otherwise.

"That's wonderful! Big brother and pretty sister like each other. That's great! But if big brother loses, I'll take both of you home to play lots of games," the boy said in his innocent yet chilling voice.

"Okay," Lin Ye agreed, and Ren Nanase naturally had no choice but to accept. Their fates were now fully intertwined.

Live together or die together.

Ren Nanase couldn't help but blush at the thought. Wasn't this the definition of shared life and death?

The second game began.

The boy guessed right hand; the candy was in the left.

The third game began.

The boy guessed right hand again but changed his mind at the last second to the left. This time, the candy was in the right.

Ren Nanase watched with bated breath as Lin Ye revealed his hands each time, her nerves stretched to their limits. The blue-haired delinquent and the middle-aged man were so tense they felt they might have heart attacks. They knew if Lin Ye lost, they'd be next.

But Lin Ye's winning streak gave them hope that he could win the final round.

"The final game will have new rules. I'll hide the candy, and big brother will guess," the boy said, smiling at Lin Ye. His pale face, coupled with the smile, looked even more eerie and unsettling.

"No problem. It's all just for fun," Lin Ye replied with a calm demeanor.

"Uh-huh, uh-huh!"

The little boy placed his hands behind his back, shuffling them around before holding them out in front.

"Where is it, big brother? You have three seconds to guess!"

Ding-dong... Ding-dong...

The bus fell silent. Everyone's gaze focused on the boy's hands.

Left or right?

Which hand was it?

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Lin Ye slowly placed his hand on the boy's left hand.

The left?

"It's not in this hand," the boy said.

Everyone's attention shifted to the right hand. So it must be in the right!

This decision held the fate of everyone on board.

"So big brother is guessing the right hand? I'll let you change your mind if you want," the boy said playfully, as though hinting that Lin Ye should pick the right hand.

"Neither hand. The candy is behind your back," Lin Ye said.

The bus fell silent, the only sound being the low rumble of the engine.

"Ding, ding. You're right."

The boy opened his hands, revealing nothing in either.

Damn!

The blue-haired delinquent and the middle-aged man cursed silently. This little boy was so devious! But thinking back to his earlier hints, they realized only someone as sharp as Lin Ye would have considered this possibility in advance.

"Big brother, you win. These two candies are for you and the pretty sister," the boy said, placing the candies in Lin Ye's hand.

"They're delicious. We all love them."

The boy happily walked to the first single seat on the right and sat down.

His pale face gradually regained some color, as though he was in a good mood after playing the game.

The speed of Bus No. 18 also began to slow down, returning to its normal pace.

It was only then that the rest of the passengers realized the danger of the bus's high-speed driving. If it had continued, they would all have been hurtling toward death on a doomed ride.

Thankfully, they had passed this challenge.

Two stops remained before Chiba Station.