Chapter 14

As it was already evening, the free boat rides had ended, meaning they would have to wait until tomorrow. The sun, obscured by light mist, dipped below the hill, and nightfall descended. Yi Chen walked to the window, tearing away the newspapers covering it with a rustle. Gazing down the street toward the town center, he could clearly see the glow of a giant bonfire. Both local residents and tourists wore masks and made their way to the bonfire celebration, bustling through the crowd, each holding candles or kerosene lamps. As night descended, the entire town of Green Lake was illuminated. Among them was a group that had invited Yi Chen to join their team. They wore masks of various styles and concealed weapons. "It seems most of the people here for the assessment are attending tonight's bonfire... Little Grape, let’s go take a look; maybe we’ll uncover more information." "Let’s go! Maybe there’ll be some delicious grapes there." Before setting out, Little Grape instinctively nestled inside Yi Chen, ready to emerge when needed. But as Yi Chen stepped out the door, he happened to pass the innkeeper, who looked exhausted and worn. Notably, the innkeeper held a plate with a dish of "raw fish," seemingly meant for a room at the end of the hallway. The so-called raw fish was simply a whole, untreated dead fish on a plate, decayed and reeking. Their eyes met. The innkeeper held the plate in one hand, pressing his finger to his lips with the other. In a voice only the two of them could hear, he whispered: "This town has long violated the ‘rules’; it's rotten to the core. If you want to survive, stay in your room tonight. Don’t join the bonfire cloaked in glamorous illusions. Leave quietly at dawn tomorrow..." Yi Chen frowned slightly at these words. It was clear the innkeeper knew something about the town’s secrets. Lowering his voice, Yi Chen replied quietly: "I need to stay in Green Lake for three days due to a special reason." "Three days... very few visitors can last that long and leave here normally. Even if you stay at my inn and don't step out... there’ll still be trouble. Just tonight’s bonfire alone can bind many outsiders to this town forever. Judging by your attire, you’re here to investigate, aren’t you?" "You could say that." "If you’re truly here to investigate, take a stroll by the lake tonight; you might discover something. Remember. Don't participate in any activities hosted by this town. Don’t drink any local water... Every interaction with Green Lake will only strengthen your ‘bond’ with it." Sёarᴄh the NôvelFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Thank you." The innkeeper said no more, heading silently down the hallway to leave the plate at his sister’s door. Not even a sound came from the plate as it touched the ground. Yi Chen realized that the innkeeper's silent movements weren’t strange after all. There were two reasons for it: Firstly, he had grown up in the inn, stepping on each floorboard thousands of times, knowing exactly where not to make noise. Secondly, out of care for his sister, he created a quiet environment to avoid disturbing her as much as possible. 'Since I’ll be here for three days, there’s plenty of time to talk to the innkeeper… No need to rush into questions about his sister or the town’s affairs. Following his suggestion, let's go take a look by the lake.' ... Shortly after Yi Chen left, a noise came from the locked room at the end of the second floor. Click! The bottom of the locked door opened, revealing a small compartment just big enough for a head. From inside, a foul-smelling liquid trickled out~ Then, a scaly hand suddenly reached out, grabbing the dead fish from the plate. Crunch, crunch~ Strange sounds of gnawing emerged from behind the door. ... [By the Green Lake] Due to the disease-ridden mist blanketing the sky, the light from the moon and stars is entirely blocked out. The sun’s descent feels like drawing a curtain across the world, plunging it into darkness. With the bonfire party in full swing, around 90% of the town’s residents are gathered there, leaving the lakefront eerily quiet and shrouded in darkness. Yi Chen wraps himself tightly in a black coat, pulling the hood over his face, walking on gravel and damp soil. His kerosene lamp serves as his only light source, and the small grape hidden in his sleeve peeks ahead cautiously. For over ten minutes, he encounters no one by the lake, the fog hovering over the lake's surface obscuring any attempt to peer into Green Lake. Even with enhanced vision, Yi Chen is similarly hindered. Moreover, every ten meters along the shore stands a warning sign: [No Swimming] [No Unauthorized Water Retrieval] [No Contact with Green Lake in Any Form] “The lake is quite large…” Yi Chen murmurs as he takes it all in. Suddenly, a small boat emerges from the fog, approaching his location. A man in a blue work uniform stands on the boat’s edge, waving with a smile. “Free boat rides are available right now. Would you like a tour of Green Lake?” “No, thank you.” Yi Chen waves his hand in refusal and turns away without a second glance. As he distances himself from the boat, the little grape sneaks to the back of his neck, peeking out to monitor the situation behind. The worker who had been rejected does not follow, but instead stands with an exaggerated, unnatural grin, eyes wide as if about to pop out, unblinking. The unsettling sight makes Yi Chen quicken his pace, relaxing only when he’s fully out of view. “There's even a night tour boat. This town really has its issues... better check the lake water.” Confirming no other boats are nearby, Yi Chen steps close to the shore and extends his right hand toward the lake’s tranquil waters. Just as his fingers are about to touch, they halt. Crack, crack... The skin at his fingertip splits vertically, revealing a slender root with the scent of a cemetery. This is the "pathogenic characteristic" trait Yi Chen acquired, something he experimented with during long carriage rides. Though he can't fully utilize roots as limbs or pierce like a spear, he has mastered basic growth. The root touching the lake water grows more robust, but the water it absorbs doesn’t enter his body’s circulation, merely storing within the root’s segment. After collecting the "lake water sample," Yi Chen activates his “pathogenic characteristic” further, causing the root at his fingertip to continue growing, attempting to reach deeper into the lake. Five meters, Ten meters, as he nears the growth limit, a soft sensation touches the root’s tip, as if encountering something alive. At the same moment, a burst of firelight appears behind him, accompanied by a stern inquiry. “What are you doing here?” Yi Chen retracts the root quickly, turning as if nothing happened. A middle-aged man in a sheriff-like uniform approaches. Feigning innocence, Yi Chen explains, “I just arrived at Green Lake Town today. It felt dull in the inn, so I came out for a walk. I’m not a fan of crowds, so I didn’t join the bonfire party.” The man remains silent, showing his officer badge and proceeding to search Yi Chen. After a thorough pat-down, no evidence of water collection or contact with the lake is found. Thinking the situation resolved, Yi Chen relaxes, only for the sheriff to place a hand on his shoulder and shove him abruptly. The sudden force catches most people off guard, but… Yi Chen had sensed something was wrong from the start, remaining highly alert. As he leans back, he grabs the sheriff’s collar, using the momentum to throw him into the lake. In that instant, Yi Chen feels his muscle fibers and plant vascular bundles working together, sending the man flying. At the same time, a root shoots from his hand, anchoring him to the shore for stability. Splash! A huge splash erupts four meters away, and the sheriff, as if under some unseen constraint, does not struggle, sinking rapidly. Steadying himself, Yi Chen, pretending nothing happened, quickly makes his way back to the inn.