A Walk by the Lake

As it was already evening, the free boat ride event had ended, and they would have to wait until tomorrow.

The sun set behind the hills through the thin mist, and night fell.

Yi Chen walked over to the window, then tore away the newspapers plastered across it with a rip.

His gaze followed the street toward the town center, where he could clearly see the glow cast by a gigantic bonfire.

Both townsfolk and visiting travelers donned masks and headed for the bonfire party, while the bustling crowds carried candles or held up kerosene lamps, completely illuminating Green Lake Town just after nightfall.

This included the group that had invited Yi Chen to join their party, who wore masks of varying styles and concealed weapons as well.

"Looks like most of the people who came for the assessment chose to attend tonight's bonfire party... Little Grape, let's go take a look too. We might find more information."

"Let's go. Maybe there'll be tasty grapes."

Before setting out, Little Grape obediently burrowed back inside him, ready to reappear when needed.

Who would have thought, that just as Yi Chen opened the door and stepped out, the haggard innkeeper happened to be passing by his door.

What was worth noting was

that Boss was carrying a plate of 'raw fish cuisine,' seemingly intending to deliver it to the room at the end of the hallway.

The so-called raw fish was simply an entire untreated dead fish laid on a plate, rotten and reeking of fish.

Their eyes met.

Boss held the plate in one hand and raised her index finger to her Lips with the other.

In a voice low enough for only the two of them to hear, she warned him:

"This town broke the rules long ago. It's rotten to the core. If you want to survive, stay obediently in your room and don't attend that bonfire party wrapped in a glamorous outer shell.

Leave quietly tomorrow morning..."

Yi Chen frowned slightly at her words.

Clearly, the innkeeper knew some secrets about the town.

Yi Chen lowered his voice as well and replied quietly:

"For certain special reasons, I need to stay in Green Lake Town for three days."

"Three days... Basically no traveler can stay that long and leave normally.

Even if you remain inside my inn and never take a single step outside... problems will still arise.

Tonight's bonfire party alone will bind quite a few outsiders to this town forever.

Judging by how you're dressed, you came here to investigate, didn't you?"

"You could say that."

"If you truly want to investigate something, take a walk by the lakeshore tonight. You may find something.

Remember.

Do not participate in any event held by this town, and do not drink from any water source... Any interaction with Green Lake Town will thicken the 'tie' between you and the town."

"Thank you."

Boss said nothing more.

She headed toward the end of the corridor with nearly silent footsteps and set the plate down before Sister's door, without making the slightest sound even when the plate touched the floor.

Yi Chen finally realized that Boss's 'silent trait' was not something unnatural.

There were two reasons for it.

First, she had lived in the inn since childhood and had stepped on every inch of flooring at least tens of thousands of times. She knew exactly where to step to avoid making noise.

Second, it was out of concern for Sister. She did everything possible to create a silent environment and avoid disturbing her.

Since I'll be here for three more days, there'll be plenty of opportunities to speak with Boss in depth... There's no need to rush into asking about Sister or the town right now.

I'll follow Boss's suggestion and take a walk by the lake.

Not long after Yi Chen left, a sound came from the locked room at the end of the second floor, Click~

A dark compartment, less than the size of a head, had been left at the bottom of the locked door.

It was now opened from within.

First, a pool of foul-smelling liquid flowed out~

Then, an arm covered in fish scales suddenly reached out and took the dead fish from the tray.

Crunch, crunch~

Strange chewing sounds came from behind the door.

On the shore of Green Lake

Because of the diseased mist that filled the sky, the light of the moon and stars was completely blocked out.

As the sun set, it was as though a curtain had been drawn over the world, plunging everything into darkness in an instant.

At the same time, with the bonfire party underway, roughly ninety percent of the town's residents had gathered there, leaving the lakeside unusually deserted, completely swallowed by darkness.

Yi Chen wrapped himself tightly in his black coat, his hood concealing his face, and walked slowly over loose gravel and damp soil.

The kerosene lamp once again became the only source of light, while Little Grape, hidden in his sleeve, peered ahead as well.

After following the shore for more than ten minutes, he had not seen a single living person.

The mist settled over the lake's surface layer also prevented any creature from peering into Green Lake. Even Yi Chen, whose vision had been enhanced, was similarly restricted.

Besides, a warning sign stood every ten meters along the shore.

No Swimming

No Unauthorized Water Collection

No Contact with Green Lake

"This lake really is huge..."

Just as he sighed to himself, a small pleasure boat slowly emerged from the mist over the lake and headed toward Yi Chen.

A man in blue work clothes stood along the edge of the boat, smiling and waving.

"We're currently offering free boat rides. Would you like to tour Green Lake?"

"No, thank you."

After waving him off, Yi Chen turned and left without looking back.

As he moved away from the boat, Little Grape quietly shifted to the back of his neck, poking out half an eye to observe what was behind him.

The rejected staff member did not pursue him.

Instead, he maintained an absurdly exaggerated, utterly incongruous smile.

His bulging eyes looked as though they might fall out of their sockets at any moment, and he did not blink at all.

The eerie sight made Yi Chen quicken his pace. Only after the man was completely out of sight did he relax slightly.

"So there really are night cruises... This town's problems are far from ordinary. Let's inspect the lake water."

After confirming that no more boats were approaching the lake, Yi Chen stepped over the gravel and moved close to the shore... extending his right hand toward the still water.

Just as he was about to touch it, his fingers stopped.

Creak, creak~

The skin at his fingertips split open vertically, and a slender root imbued with Graveyard Scent grew out.

This was the "Diseased Trait" Yi Chen had acquired, which he had figured out during the boring time spent riding in the carriage.

He could not use the roots as "extra limbs" like a Living Corpse, much less pierce things with them like spears... but basic growth was not a problem.

The root that touched the lake water gradually became fuller.

The water absorbed by the root did not enter his internal circulation. It was merely stored between the segments of the root.

Having finished collecting the "lake water sample,"

Yi Chen tried to fully activate his "Diseased Trait," allowing the rootlets at his fingertips to keep growing as he attempted to reach the depths of the Lake.

Five meters, Ten meters, Just as they were about to reach their growth limit, the tips of the rootlets suddenly transmitted a soft sensation, as though they had touched some living creature.

At that very moment, A burst of firelight came from behind him, accompanied by a stern interrogation.

"What are you doing here?"

Yi Chen quickly withdrew the rootlets and turned around as though nothing had happened.

The newcomer was a middle-aged man in uniform, resembling a Magistrate.

Putting on an innocent expression, Yi Chen explained, "I only arrived in Green Lake Town today. I got bored staying at the inn, so I came out for a stroll. I don't really like crowded places, so I didn't attend the bonfire gathering."

The man did not reply.

Instead, he showed his Magistrate identification badge, then stepped forward to search Yi Chen.

After conducting a thorough search, He found no evidence that Yi Chen had collected water or come into contact with the lake water.

Yi Chen had thought the matter would end there.

Who would have thought—

Just as the search ended, The Magistrate's palm landed on Yi Chen's shoulder as well, And shoved him hard!

Most people would have been unable to react to such an unexpected push.

But...

Yi Chen had sensed that something was wrong from the very beginning.

His mind had remained in a state of intense focus.

As his body tilted backward, he grabbed the Magistrate by the collar.

Borrowing his force, In that instant, he could even feel the coordination between the muscle fibers in his arm and the plant's Vascular Bundles as he flung the man directly into the lake.

At the same time as he completed the throw, A rootlet shot from his palm and embedded itself in the shore, stabilizing his body.

Splash!

A huge splash erupted from the lake's surface four meters away.

The Magistrate, who had fallen into the lake, seemed to be restrained by something. He did not struggle and quickly sank beneath the water.

Yi Chen steadied himself, then hurried back to the inn as though nothing had happened.

Many, many thanks to reader Jie Sheng Ruo Meng for offering up the Alliance Leader Sacrifice. His body has already been stuffed full of tentacles.