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墨書 Inktalez
The old man wiped his mouth with a gray handkerchief and said, "I have a small request. Many years ago, I lost something very important to me in the Stone Forest of South Town. Now that I'm nearing the end of my days, I find myself growing more nostalgic." He spoke lightly, as if chatting about mundane matters.
Second looked at the old man, who seemed on the verge of death, with impatience, while Seven maintained a calm expression. First and Third, however, wore serious looks.
After finishing his statement, the old man coughed for a moment, then laughed heartily before continuing, "I would like to entrust this matter to you four esteemed guests."
First gripped the armrest of his chair and stood up. "Old man, you flatter us. We are merely youngsters who can only joke around; we have no real abilities. You should seek someone more capable."
The old man waved his hand dismissively. "You are too modest. How many can traverse the marshes near North Gate without a scratch? Surely few would be mere fools." First felt a weight in his heart and said, "It seems you have inquired about our whereabouts."
The old man chuckled. "It's just hearsay." First was momentarily speechless.
Third stood up. "What if we refuse your request?" Second seized the opportunity to bang the table and shouted, "Are you trying to threaten us?" Seven also rose to his feet.
First quickly interjected, "No need to be rude; sit down." He then turned to the old man and said, "We hope you understand. If there's nothing else, we'll take our leave."
The old man remained unfazed, looking as if he were neither alive nor dead. He smiled slyly and said, "That’s not up to you."
"Are you really going to force us to stay?"
The old man dared not do that; he had merely added something unpleasant to your tea out of fear that you might refuse his request.
Third's face changed slightly as he regained his composure and said, "Don't try to scare us."
The old man slowly replied, "I know your capabilities; I’m confident I could deceive you. Surely you've heard of a certain Dead Leaf from the western regions?"
Third's previously confident expression vanished instantly as he incredulously asked, "You gave us Dead Leaf? How could you possibly have that?"
"What's wrong?" First asked.
Third's expression tightened, and his face didn't look good as he replied, "It's a type of slow-acting poison."
Second rushed over, intending to grab the old man, but by the time he reached him, the old man had somehow retreated to another spot.
Wiping his mouth with a handkerchief, the old man said coldly, "Young man, don't be impulsive. It's not good to hurt feelings by getting physical."
First observed the old man's speed in evading and realized he had encountered a formidable opponent today; this was a loss he couldn't avoid.
"Fine, we agree to your terms," he said.
First and Second exclaimed, their tones filled with reluctance.
Third tugged at Second and said, "We can't escape this situation."
"Is agreeing the only option?" Seven asked.
Third nodded heavily.
The old man leaned forward and said, "You all must be tired after your long journey these past few days. Let's discuss some details tonight. Come in!" The Fat Steward appeared again as the old man emotionlessly instructed, "Take these esteemed guests down to rest and bring them some clean clothes to change into."
Once they reached their room, Second cursed under his breath, saying, "First, Third, why did you agree to that old man's demands?"
Third lay back on the bed and replied, "It was unavoidable; we had to agree. He fed us 'Dead Leaf,' a type of seed that grows by absorbing all the nutrients from your body. Once it reaches a certain point, it will burst your body apart. Even before that happens, you'll be drained dry and then die."
Upon hearing this, Second gasped in shock and cursed, "I knew that old man wasn't a good person. I didn't expect him to be this sinister."
"Calmly," said First, "even if we don't agree to their demands, it's unlikely we'll survive leaving this estate."
Second replied, "When it comes to fighting, I'm not afraid of him."
"Did you not see the Fat Steward's skills earlier, or that old man's agility?" Second recalled that he indeed hadn't managed to catch that troublesome old man.
Second fell silent.
"Alright, everyone take a break. Let's see what he has planned later," First said. He added, "What happened in the marsh must never be spoken of; no one can know." The others nodded in agreement.
Although the previous incident had been resolved, it still weighed heavily on everyone's minds, even if they chose not to voice it.
Seven and Second, along with Third, left First's room and went to the rooms arranged for them by the Fat Steward. They took a shower and changed into clean clothes.
As they lay in bed, each lost in their own thoughts, exhaustion from the past few days soon overtook them, and they fell asleep.
They were awakened around two or three in the morning.
They found themselves in a basement.
The decor of the basement was just as luxurious as above, with a table laid out with food and drinks. At the table sat an old man and a young boy who looked to be only sixteen or seventeen years old.
The Fat Steward stood nearby pouring wine, not permitted to sit at the table.
"Come here, Three Purities," the boy said politely as he greeted each elder: "Uncle, good day; Uncle, good day."
Second looked at the young man and said, "Old man, is this your son?"
The boy's face turned red from the remark, and he was about to retort.
The old man replied calmly, "No, this is Son's son. He is my grandson."
Second realized his rudeness and did not pursue the matter further. Instead, Seven interjected, "What about his parents?"
At the mention of this question, the old man wiped the corner of his eye with a gray towel and answered with a hint of sadness, "The family has fallen on hard times. Old Man's son and daughter-in-law were unfortunate; they died young. All that's left is this poor child."
As he spoke, he gently patted the boy's head, his eyes filled with affection.
Old Man had gathered everyone today to discuss how to find that old item, hoping they would not delay any longer.
Damn, how can I refuse? several people thought to themselves.
First was starting to lose his temper and said, "Old man, let's not beat around the bush. Let's get straight to the point. You give us half of the Antidote first, and once we accomplish the task, you give us the other half."
Alright, young people are indeed straightforward. The old man decided not to be coy anymore and brought out the map.
Fat Steward took out the map he had prepared earlier and hung it on the wall of the basement. With the light shining on it, everyone gathered around as Fat Steward explained the map. Seven leaned closer to examine it without listening to Fat Steward's explanation. After a few minutes, he had a rough idea of its contents.
The markings on the map were clear, indicating various geographical locations with distinct symbols.
However, geography is not static; adaptability is crucial. First asked, "Is there anything wrong with this map, Seven?"
Seven replied, "If we only look at this map, there shouldn't be any danger. However, I suspect there are issues with it. Look at the symbol marked in the upper right corner; it clearly conflicts with what’s in the lower left corner. Also, that valley area you see is unlikely to support vegetation. According to geographical markers, that area should be a vast Stone Forest, indicating that the soil there has a very low alkalinity level and cannot support plant growth."
After hearing Seven's analysis, First turned to the old man and said, "It seems like you still don't fully trust us."
The old man coughed a few times, as if using his last breath to say, "Where, where," and then scolded the Fat Steward, "Did I not tell you to bring the map? How could you bring the wrong one for our esteemed guests? Thankfully, that young brother has sharp eyes and wasn't fooled by your mistake."
The Fat Steward replied meekly, "I'm sorry, sir. It was my oversight."
"Forget it, I'll let you off this time. Just be more careful next time," the old man reprimanded the Fat Steward sternly.
Afterward, a real map was presented, much larger than the previous one. Seven leaned in closer to take a look and noticed clear markings on the map, specifically indicating that this Stone Forest was formed by karst topography.
The old man added, "This Stone Forest is vast, truly vast." He emphasized the word "vast."
First exchanged a questioning glance with Seven, who nodded in response, indicating there was no problem.
"I've put away the map," Seven said as the old man gestured for him to do so. Seven rolled up the hanging map and tucked it under his arm before stepping aside and falling silent.
First asked, "I wonder what you want us to help you find, old man."
"Come now, that's not urgent. Let's sit down and have a drink. Come on, esteemed guests, if the food isn't to your liking, please don't hold it against us."
The group looked as if they wanted to rush forward and give the old man a good beating. However, thinking back on it, if even the emperor wasn't in a hurry, why should a eunuch be so anxious?
As soon as Second sat down, he began drinking heavily to suppress his discontent.
"Come on, everyone eat up," the old man said calmly. "Three Purities, go pour drinks for your uncles."
Three Purities was reluctant but stood up when the old man spoke more forcefully. The young boy begrudgingly poured drinks after some hesitation.
The old man then coughed again and smiled as he said, "I hope in the future you esteemed guests will take care of this kid."
Second, having likely had too much to drink, exclaimed, "I don't have time to deal with you, you little brat." The old man's expression immediately changed.
Seven laughed heartlessly.
First awkwardly joined in the laughter, saying, "He’s drunk and spoke out of turn; please don’t take offense."
The old man’s expression returned to normal as he replied, "Young people can be a bit arrogant; that’s quite normal."
First expressed gratitude to the old man.
Once they had eaten their fill and enjoyed their drinks, everyone let out satisfied burps. It had been a long time since they had tasted properly cooked meals, so they naturally indulged. After finishing, Second kept saying, "Not bad at all! Your chef is quite skilled, old man." The old man could only respond with an awkward smile.
In the basement, the flickering candlelight cast dancing shadows on the walls, creating an eerie atmosphere.
"Can we talk now?" Third asked calmly.
Oh, oh, oh! The old man exclaimed three "ohs," as if suddenly remembering something important he hadn’t mentioned.
Damn it! How could he forget his own matters?
After a moment, the old man said, "Old Man, this old item isn’t something to be taken lightly. I can’t discuss it openly; I hope you all understand." He spoke with a smile that was distasteful to the others.
Seven grew anxious and said, "If you don’t tell us, how am I supposed to find it? Give us the Antidote, and we’ll leave immediately."
The old man coughed and replied, "Old Man will send my useless steward along with you." The steward standing nearby changed his expression slightly at this remark, but no one else noticed.
First glanced at the Fat Steward and said, "Alright then, old man. We’ll follow your arrangements." Seven still seemed a bit disgruntled, Third remained silent, while Second straightforwardly remarked, "Old man, today you’ve got us in your hands."
The old man said, "Several esteemed guests are currently injured. There's no rush; it's better to take care of your health first. I'll have the steward bring the best doctor in town tomorrow."
Seven replied, "I, Third, am the best doctor." First shot a glance at Seven. The old man chuckled lightly and then composed himself, saying, "Old Zhang, take these esteemed guests back to rest."
As they were leaving, the old man added, "I apologize for the inadequate hospitality; I hope you can forgive us."
The four followed Fat Steward out of the basement. Once they left, the old man's expression changed slightly but quickly returned to normal.
The boy named Three Purities supported the old man's hand and asked, "Grandfather, those rascals don't seem like good people at all." The old man coughed and scolded him, "Don't speak carelessly." The boy immediately lowered his head in silence, a flash of malice crossing his eyes.
The four gathered in a room to discuss matters before returning to their own rooms to sleep. By the next day, the doctor arrived and examined their injuries. He was somewhat surprised as he said, "The treatment for these wounds is quite proper! There’s nothing serious; I’ll prescribe some herbal medicine, and with a few courses of treatment, you’ll be healed."
Seven remarked, "I told you Third's medical skills are the best."
Second also laughed and said, "Third's medical skills are beyond question." These comments made the doctor feel a bit awkward.
Once everything was settled, the doctor eagerly took his leave from the old man. The old man calmly said, "Old Zhang, take Zhou the Doctor to collect his payment." Fat Steward complied with his instructions.
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