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墨書 Inktalez
The next morning, everyone woke up. Although the poor quality of the hotel made their sleep less than ideal, they at least managed to get some rest. They packed their luggage and gathered in the lobby, ready to start the day's activities.
The lighting in the lobby was still dim, and the air was filled with the lingering musty and sour smells from the previous night. Erin, Mark, and Lisa stood together, checking their gear and documents. According to their plan, they were going to infiltrate Esperanza, posing as a biological research team under the pretext of investigating a new species of cicada. This excuse was specifically designed by Erin to allow them to move freely within the town.
"Here are our fake identities and evidence," Erin said, pulling out some fake documents and ID cards from her bag, which she had arranged through a friend. She distributed the ID cards to Mark and Lisa, ensuring that everyone understood their roles and backstories.
Mark took his ID card and glanced at it; it bore the title "Doctor." He chuckled, "Entomologist Dr. Marvin Stewart, this sounds really interesting." He said this in a half-joking tone, trying to ease the tense atmosphere.
Lisa flipped through her ID card, which read "Biologist Dr. Lisa Green." She nodded, "I hope these documents can help us slip through unnoticed and allow us to enter the town smoothly."
Erin checked her own documents one last time; it read "Dr. Erin Harper, Entomologist." She took a deep breath and then looked up at Mark and Lisa. "We need to keep a low profile and avoid raising any suspicions. Remember, our goal is to investigate the Holy Angel Cult; these identities are just a cover."
Mark and Lisa nodded in understanding. They were aware of the dangers of this mission and knew they had to remain vigilant at all times.
"Alright, let's head out," Erin said with determination in her voice. The three of them grabbed their luggage and walked out of the hotel, preparing to head to Esperanza Town.
Mark stepped outside the hotel and tried to hail a taxi. He pulled out his phone, opened a translation app, and prepared to communicate with the driver. He raised his hand and waved, hoping to catch the driver's attention.
A taxi stopped in front of him. Mark leaned down, peering through the window while gesturing with his translation app: "We want to go to Esperanza."
The driver initially wore a professional smile, but upon hearing the destination, his expression quickly soured; he frowned and shook his head before quickly rejecting Mark in rapid Spanish and driving away. Mark could only watch helplessly as the taillights disappeared from view.
Undeterred, he hailed another taxi. This time he was more careful with his translation app: "We are scientists going to Esperanza to investigate a new species of cicada." He tried to sound more professional in hopes of alleviating any concerns from the driver.
However, when the driver heard "Esperanza," the smile on his face instantly vanished, replaced by a look of annoyance and displeasure. He shook his head and waved his hand vigorously to signal Mark to leave, then quickly drove away.
Mark turned back to look at Erin and Lisa, who were standing at the hotel entrance, appearing somewhat anxious. Mark took a deep breath and hailed another taxi, this time trying to explain in simpler terms, but the drivers' reactions were still the same. Each time they heard "Esperanza," their faces showed displeasure, and some even wore mocking smiles, as if they thought he was making some silly joke.
"What’s going on?" Mark returned to Erin and Lisa, frowning. "Every time we mention Esperanza, the drivers refuse to take us."
Erin also felt confused. "It seems like something unusual is going on in this town; perhaps there are reasons people are unwilling to go there."
"We can't give up," Lisa said, her gaze resolute.
Just then, a non-official taxi slowly approached. The window rolled down, revealing a middle-aged man with a sly smile on his face. He spoke in fluent English, "Looks like you've been turned down... Where are you fine folks headed?"
Mark looked at the unsolicited taxi driver with a sense of caution. The appearance of a non-official taxi always carried a hint of danger, but their current predicament left them with no choice. He hesitated for a moment, glanced around at Erin and Lisa, then decided to speak up: "We need to get to Esperanza."
The middle-aged man frowned at first, a flicker of unease and hesitation crossing his face. He stroked his chin and looked meaningfully at the three of them. "Esperanza, huh? I can take you there, but I can only drop you off at the entrance, and I need extra money!"
Erin and Lisa exchanged glances, both seeing unease and doubt in each other's eyes. This person had appeared too suddenly; they knew nothing about his background or motives, but it seemed they had no other choice. Erin quietly said to Mark, "What should we do? This doesn't seem safe."
Mark pondered for a moment before turning back to the middle-aged driver, trying to gauge whether he was trustworthy. The driver's gaze made him feel uneasy but also appeared determined. "We need to get to Esperanza; the entrance is fine. How much extra?"
The driver flashed a cunning smile, his eyes glinting with greed. "The original price plus half more; it's a dangerous place, not everyone is willing to go there."
Mark thought for a moment, calculating their budget and the urgency of this trip before finally nodding. "Alright, we accept."
The driver nodded to signal them to get in the car. Mark, Erin, and Lisa placed their luggage in the trunk and then sat inside. A faint smell of tobacco filled the cramped space of the vehicle. Mark sat in the front seat to facilitate communication with the driver, while Erin and Lisa remained in the back seat, still on guard.
The car began to pull away from the hotel, and the street scenery quickly whizzed by outside the window. Mark tried to maintain a conversation with the driver to gather more information. "How did you know we needed help?"
The driver smiled and replied, "This town isn't very friendly to outsiders, especially obvious foreigners like you. Seeing that you've been turned away a few times, I guessed you might need some special assistance."
The atmosphere inside the car was somewhat tense as Erin and Lisa whispered to each other, discussing the challenges they were about to face. Erin quietly asked, "Do you think this person is trustworthy?"
Lisa replied softly, "Not sure, but we have no choice. Stay alert; if anything goes wrong, we get out."
"Why are you heading to Esperanza?" the driver suddenly asked, his tone curious.
Erin quickly took over the conversation and responded according to their cover story, "We are entomologists here to investigate a new species of cicada."
The driver chuckled at this and said with a hint of mockery in his voice, "Entomologists? I hope you know what you're doing. That place is not just about new cicadas."
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