Translator: Cinder Translations
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The size of this city exceeded the Fatty's imagination. Even as he stepped on the uneven cobblestone streets, he still wore an expression as though he had seen a ghost. The buildings were mostly made of stone, and it was clear they had endured a long passage of time.
Some of the corners and edges had even become smooth.
Two deep wheel tracks were left in the center of the street, formed over the years by the transportation of large quantities of goods. It was like a boundary line, dividing the entire city in two.
Jiang Cheng walked along, observing his surroundings.
Time seemed to have left its marks on this strange city by the sea, much like a carving knife etching its unique traces.
Aside from the weight of time, another thing that made a few of them uncomfortable was the city's excessively dazzling lights.
When they first entered, they could barely open their eyes.
The Fatty could only squint as he walked, almost slipping at a corner because he didn't see the path clearly.
Luckily, Jiang Cheng was quick and pulled him up.
At the moment the Fatty was lifted, Jiang Cheng noticed a layer of dark green something under his feet, very small and fine, like moss.
"You must be tired too," said the blonde man, turning around and speaking in a not-so-warm tone. "The people in our town know you're coming, so we've prepared some food. If you don't mind..."
"Then thank the town chief," Chen Ran said, hands in his pockets, his tone not exactly filled with surprise.
The blonde man looked at him a bit more intently, then nodded. "Please follow me."
The three of them, surrounded by a crowd of burly men, arrived at a large plaza. It was quite spacious, and the Fatty roughly estimated that it was more than half the size of a standard playground.
The plaza was filled with people—men, women, the elderly, and children—some women were holding babies, watching the scene like it was a rare spectacle.
Curious eyes were all over them.
"Doctor," the Fatty whispered, "Do they look like they're watching us like animals at a zoo?"
He paused and continued, "If I'm not mistaken, they're probably going to throw food at us soon and watch us fight over it for fun."
Ever since meeting the doctor, the Fatty had developed a new habit. In tense situations, his mouth often became uncontrollable, spitting out nonsense, something he suspected he had caught from the doctor.
But the good side was that it greatly alleviated his tension.
"Fatty," Jiang Cheng replied in the same low voice, "What if I told you that they might tie you up, roast you on a fire, and cook you until you're sizzling with oil, then slice you with a knife? Would that affect your mood?"
The Fatty immediately shut up, and the color drained from his face.
At the blonde man's signal, the crowd dispersed, and everyone found a place to sit. It was then that the Fatty saw that behind the crowd were many stone tables made from circular stones.
They were not high, just enough for people to sit cross-legged, with various bowls and dishes on them, filled with fish, shrimp, and sea crabs and shells.
"Please," the blonde man said as he walked to the center of one of the stone tables and sat down.
The three of them sat down opposite him without hesitation.
Each of them had a grass mat beneath them, and Chen Ran maintained his usual relaxed demeanor. The Fatty glanced at him, feeling even more wary of him.
It wasn't until a woman arrived holding a jar and began filling their bowls that the welcoming ceremony officially began.
The Fatty stared at the largest crab in the middle of the table, swallowing saliva. But no one ate first, and he dared not eat unless the blonde man did.
Because if the food were poisoned, the blonde man would surely have the antidote.
Chen Ran casually cracked open a crab and ate slowly.
Then, in the Fatty's line of sight, a hand appeared. It grabbed the right claw of the largest crab, shook it, and tossed it in front of the Fatty.
"Eat," Jiang Cheng said calmly.
The Fatty immediately ate without hesitation.
Behind them, two women were always serving them—whenever the wine in their bowls ran out, they filled it again. Fish and shrimp were plentiful, but the only downside was the lack of vegetables or fruits.
After gulping down a large mouthful of wine, the Fatty frowned. He couldn't tell what the wine was made from, but it had a strange, fishy taste that was hard to describe.
After eating two crabs, Chen Ran discarded the crab legs and squinted at the silent blonde man. He said, "The town chief didn't bring us here just to eat and drink, did he?"
At these words, the blonde man put down his wine bowl. He hadn't eaten much, mostly just silently drinking, appearing troubled.
"You are the ones chosen by it. Only you can help us break the curse," he said, raising his head with a solemn expression.
"Of course," he continued, "this is also for your own good. If the curse isn't lifted, you won't be able to leave here."
Chen Ran leaned back casually and continued, "Then please tell us about the curse."
The mention of the curse made the Fatty stop eating his crab.
"This story begins decades ago," the blonde man exhaled deeply. "Our ancestors lived by the sea, near that forest, mostly relying on fishing to survive."
"Of course," the blonde man added, "the forest's game and berries were good as well."
"But one day, a family in the village gave birth to a boy," the blonde man's expression began to change as his voice trembled. "No, that wasn't a human child. It was a monster! A monster!"
At the mention of the word "monster," Jiang Cheng narrowed his eyes slightly, while Chen Ran's fingers lightly tapped the table and paused for a moment.
"Monster" didn't seem like a word someone who lived by the sea would use; it sounded more like something from the church.
Jiang Cheng's mind slowly conjured up the image of that strange spire-like building.
"Ever since its birth, everything changed. Our ships started having frequent accidents. Sometimes, even on calm days, storms would suddenly rise and capsize our ships, even tearing them apart!"
"People who entered the forest to hunt or pick berries started disappearing as well. Those who entered the forest never came back!"
"Later, we gathered the most experienced hunters and sent them into the forest to find out what was going on, but... they too disappeared, just like the others. Never to return."
"Until... until a few days later!"
The blonde man seemed to recall an extremely terrifying scene. His whole body started shaking uncontrollably, and he didn't even notice when the wine spilled over him.
(End of the Chapter)
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