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墨書 Inktalez
Everyone became a bit more cautious, as if time had inexplicably stretched out, slowing down significantly. Just a few meters from the shore, First reminded everyone again, "Get ready."
The four exchanged glances. Whether injured or not, they were all brimming with determination.
The tacit understanding formed in the past was evident.
As soon as they reached the shore, First let out a low growl and shouted to run. The other three wasted no time and sprinted southward. During the run, Second asked, "What exactly is behind us?"
Third replied, "I don't know, but my nose is picking up a very dangerous scent, accompanied by a strong stench of decay."
They continued to run wildly. Second felt an urge to look back but was stopped by First's hand on their head.
"Are you ignoring me? I said not to look back."
Second seemed to snap back to reality and looked at First, who was already sweating profusely, their face slightly pale.
Feeling a wave of fear, Second quickened their pace even more.
After running desperately for quite some time, the sun had risen significantly and began to beat down on the earth. The group wasn't quite accustomed to the brightness outside and shielded their eyes with their hands. As the sky brightened slightly, they could see the edge of the swamp.
First thought of something and said, "Once we reach the shore, everyone speed up and head south. Remember, don’t look back."
They ran for their lives again for a while. Only then did First say, "You can stop now."
The group was nearly exhausted from running. They collapsed onto the ground, gasping for breath.
Damn, that was exhausting. At that moment, Third couldn't help but curse. Once their breathing steadied, they began to notice the blue sky gradually fading into view—gentle winds, white clouds, blue skies, birds chirping; everything was so beautiful, like a dream from another world. The four wished they could stay like this forever.
After lying down for about an hour or two, they finally began to get up one by one.
The few survivors who had escaped death were filled with emotions as they gazed at the scenery before them. They all turned to look behind.
"At last, I’ve brought you all to safety," First said. At that moment, Second, dampening the mood, remarked, "It's a pity that Eighth died up ahead." First chose not to respond.
"It’s good enough that we’re alive," Third said calmly.
Seven merely glanced back once more.
The four of them continued forward, walking for several miles until they came across a small lake, neither too big nor too small.
The wind swept across the surface of the lake, bringing with it a faint salty scent that wafted into the noses of the four.
"There’s a saltwater lake ahead; let’s wash ourselves," Third said lightly.
Second was the first to dash forward and jumped into the water with a splash. He didn’t sink because his wounds were still unhealed and stung from the saltwater. He quickly scrambled back onto the shore and warned the others, "Don’t go in! There’s something strange about this water; you won’t sink, but it bites." With that, he wiped his face dry with his hands.
He stared wide-eyed at the others.
They all laughed heartily. Seven commented that it was a salt lake and sighed, "What a pity we’re all injured; otherwise, we could have had some fun." But Third said, "We need to tend to our wounds." Approaching the water's edge, Third dipped his hand in and tasted it slightly. "This water is just right for washing our injuries."
"Wait for me here; I’ll be right back." When Third returned, he was carrying a bundle of herbs. The others had already washed their clothes in the salt lake; Seven naturally had no clothes left, while the rest were also in disarray.
"Big Brother, Second, loosen your bandages first," Third instructed. The two complied. Using a piece of his tattered clothing as a towel, Third cleaned First and Second’s bodies. The saltwater stung painfully, yet neither of them cried out in pain. Third then applied the herbs to their wounds.
Seven assisted Third by helping to rewrap their bandages once the herbs were applied. Next, Third briefly treated Seven's injuries as well.
Finally, it was time for Third to tend to himself. His wounds were the worst; when he loosened the cloth strips, some areas had already begun to scab over while blood still oozed from others. Preparing the herbs, he asked Seven to help remove all the scabs.
Following his instructions, Seven carefully removed the scabs, causing blood to flow freely again. Third promptly applied the herbs to stop the bleeding. Seven quickly wrapped up Third's wounds afterward.
Third's face turned pale from pain as his skin trembled slightly. The agony was evident; once bandaged up, he exhaled a heavy breath and fainted—an instinctive response of the body to protect itself.
Seven quickly checked and said, "It's nothing, just fainted." First and Second finally felt relieved.
The group rested for a while, their stomachs rumbling as they had almost forgotten what food tasted like. Seven stood up and said, "I'll go get something to eat," and ran off.
Second and First chatted idly, laughing as they talked. After two or three moments, Seven returned, carrying a wild rabbit. Upon seeing the rabbit, Second's eyes lit up.
After starting a fire and washing the rabbit in water from the salty lake, the aroma wafted far away, even waking Third, who had been sleeping. They all enjoyed a meal together afterward.
The previously washed tattered clothes were drying quickly under the sun; with a shake, a layer of salt fell off. "Damn it, it's still better outside!" Second exclaimed.
The four of them put on their "clean" clothes and headed south. Traveling three hundred thousand miles southward, the scenery was delightful; mountains, water, grass, and trees all brought a sense of peace.
The large stone road paved with blue stone slabs surprisingly released a coolness as night fell. When they stepped into South Town, a bustling atmosphere blended with an indescribable tranquility surrounded them. The calm faces of the people exuded an air of serenity, as if nothing could disturb their peace.
The four felt the quiet aura of South Town, but at the same time, their mismatched appearance became increasingly obvious. Not only were their clothes ragged, but Seven wasn't even wearing any clothes. Coupled with the various wounds on their bodies, they certainly did not fit in.
Suddenly, a somewhat plump man appeared before them. With drooping eyelids, he said, "Our master invites you four to his home."
The group eyed the slightly overweight man warily. First whispered, "We don't know anyone here; we can't accept your invitation."
The man immediately displayed a worldly smile and said, "From the moment you entered South Town, our master already knew that esteemed guests had arrived. Please do not refuse; grant our master this favor."
The three turned to look at First, waiting for him to make a decision. If First refused, they would not hesitate to kick this man and run away again.
First regarded the plump man thoughtfully. The man did not shy away from First's gaze either. After pondering for a moment, First said, "Then please lead the way."
The man bowed slightly with both hands and said, "Thank you for your kindness."
His loose robe looked quite tight on him as they walked along in silence. The plump man moved lightly on his feet without any sense of burden. The four exchanged glances that conveyed: "This is someone remarkable."
The four of them felt a tightening in their hearts.
After walking for about half an hour, they came upon a large entrance. The door stood about ten feet high and five feet wide, flanked by two "huge" stone lions.
As they stepped inside, they were greeted by a spacious front yard, followed by a sequence of rooms including a hall, courtyard, sedan room, shrine, inner chambers, and living room, along with Azure Cloud Alley, hanging corridors, flower arrangements, and gardens. It took them roughly twenty minutes to reach the front hall, highlighting just how vast this place was.
Upon reaching the front hall and passing through a long corridor, they arrived at the Reception Room.
Inside, there were two sets of tables and chairs neatly arranged on one side—eight chairs and four tables in total. They also noticed several antique vases and a painting hanging on the wall that looked quite valuable.
The stout man had been addressed as the steward by several maids along the way, giving him an air of importance.
The Fat Steward said, “Please wait a moment, esteemed guests. I will fetch our master.”
The First one replied politely, “Thank you for your trouble.”
After the Fat Steward left, the four began to wander around the Reception Room. The Second one spat and cursed, “Damn it! These rich folks really live in luxury; even their steward looks like a model.”
The First one shot a warning glance at the Second one, signaling him to keep quiet. The Second one was defiant by nature and feared nothing but had an unusual respect for the First.
The Third and Seventh also strolled around the Reception Room. The Third ran his hand over a chair and suddenly felt an uncanny familiarity. After closely examining the wood material of the chair, he confirmed his suspicions.
At that moment, an old cough echoed from outside the door, prompting all four to freeze in their tracks.
They saw the Fat Steward supporting an old man who was "Skinny as a Rake" but dressed in lavish clothing. The old man covered his mouth with a gray handkerchief as he coughed repeatedly until he reached his seat. Once settled, he addressed the four of them: “Please don’t be formal; have a seat.”
He showed no sign of discomfort regarding their current attire.
Naturally or perhaps inexplicably, the four seated themselves as if compelled by an irresistible command in the old man's voice.
The old man glanced over the four visitors and suddenly laughed, saying, "You esteemed guests have traveled from afar; I imagine you must be quite tired." His laughter was grating to the ears. At that moment, Third managed to take a good look at the old man but found nothing noteworthy.
The attendants served tea to the guests.
The four of them felt somewhat bewildered by their presence here. First stood up and asked, "May I ask what brings us to your esteemed residence, sir?"
The old man chuckled again, then broke into a fit of coughing. After about a minute, he said, "Old Man has merely heard that you four hail from the north and was curious, which is why I took the liberty of inviting you all to gather here. I hope you can forgive my lack of prior notice."
First replied, "Not at all; we are truly honored."
The tea arrived, and Second gulped it down in one go. The old man observed everything closely and remarked, "This is fine Longjing tea; the second brew is where the flavor truly shines."
Fat Steward immediately chimed in, "Bring more water for this esteemed guest!"
Soon, someone refilled the cup. After finishing another gulp, Second stood up and said, "I'm a straightforward person; I don't understand beating around the bush. Just tell us directly why you called us here."
First quickly interjected, " Second, be polite and sit down." Second reluctantly complied. Third and Seven remained silent.
The old man suddenly gathered his breath and said, "Good! You're quite straightforward; then I won't beat around the bush either."
The four of them focused their attention on the old man. He coughed a few more times and exchanged a glance with Fat Steward. Fat Steward bowed slightly and stepped back.
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