Because it's evening,

The free boat ride has ended, and it will take until tomorrow.

The misty sun sets down the hillside and night falls.

Yi Chen came to the window,

Hmm~ Tear off the newspaper plastered all over the window.

As you follow the street in the direction of the center of the town, you can clearly see the light of the giant bonfire.

Whether it is the townspeople or the outsiders, they have put on masks and gone to participate in the bonfire.

The bustling crowd, each holding a candle or carrying a kerosene lamp,

The town of Green Lake is completely illuminated at night.

Among them is also the group that sent Yi Chen an invitation to the team,

They wear masks of different styles, while also hiding weapons.

"It seems that most of the people who came to participate in the assessment chose to participate in the bonfire tonight...... Little grapes, let's go and see it too~ Maybe we can find more information. ”

"Let's go, maybe there will be delicious grapes."

Before the action, the little grape consciously burrowed into the body and reappeared when needed.

Behold

Just as Yi Chen pushed the door out,

The haggard-faced innkeeper also happened to pass by the door,

Notably,

The boss was holding a plate of 'raw fish dishes' in his hand, which seemed to be going to be delivered to the room at the end of the corridor.

The so-called raw fish is a whole dead fish that has not been treated in any way, and it is rotten and smelly.

The two looked at each other,

The boss holds the plate in one hand and holds his index finger between his lips with the other.

In a voice that only two people can hear, whispering a warning:

"This town has long since broken [the rules], it is rotten from the roots, and if you want to survive, stay in your room honestly, and don't go to the bonfires wrapped in gorgeous skin.

Let's get out of here early tomorrow morning......"

Hearing this, Yi Chen frowned slightly,

Apparently, the innkeeper knows some secrets about the town.

Yi Chen also lowered his voice and replied in a low voice:

"I need to stay in Green Lake for three days for some special reasons."

"Three days...... There are basically no travelers who can stay so long and leave normally.

Even if you stay in my hotel, you won't be able to move an inch...... It's going to go wrong.

Just tonight's bonfire party can tie many foreign tourists to the town forever.

Judging by your outfit, you should be here to investigate, right? ”

"So to speak."

"If you really want to investigate something, you can take a walk around the lake tonight and maybe you will find something.

Remember.

Don't attend any of the events held in this town and don't drink any water sources...... All interactions with Green Lake will bolden your 'tie' with the town. ”

"Thank you."

The boss didn't say anything more,

Walking almost silently to the end of the corridor, he put down the plate in front of the door of his 'sister',

Even the plate didn't make any noise when it touched the ground.

Yi Chen finally discovered the boss's 'silent character', which is not weird.

but two reasons,

First, he has lived in a hotel since he was a child, and he has stepped on every inch of the floor at least 10,000 times, and he knows very well where he is stepping on it and not making a sound.

Second, out of concern for my sister, I tried my best to create a silent environment and not disturb the other party.

"Since I'm going to be here for three more days, I have the opportunity to have a deep conversation with my boss...... There's no need to rush to ask about 'sister' or town-to-town things right now.

Let's follow the boss's suggestion to go to the lake and take a walk."

……

Not long after Yi Chen left,

There was a noise from the locked room at the end of the second floor,

Click~

At the bottom of the locked door there was a hidden opening that was not larger than a head.

It is currently opened internally.

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

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

Squeak squeak~

A strange gnawing sound came from inside the door.

……

【Green Lakeside】

Because of the pathogenic haze that permeates the sky.

The light of the moon or the stars is blocked.

The process of the sun setting is like pulling the curtain on the world, and it instantly falls into darkness.

At the same time, due to the bonfire party, more than 90% of the people in the town were concentrated.

The lakefront became unusually deserted, completely enveloped in darkness.

Yi Chen completely wrapped his body in a black coat, and the hood covered his face,

Walk through the damp soil with fine gravel.

The kerosene lamp became the only source of light again,

The small grapes hidden in the cuffs are also peeking ahead,

Walking along the lakeside for more than ten minutes, there was not a single living person at all.

The fog that settles on the surface of the lake also prevents any creature from prying eyes on the green lake, and even Yi Chen, who has received visual enhancements, is also limited.

Other than that

Warning signs stand every 10 meters on the shore.

【No swimming】

【Prohibition of taking water without permission】

【Prohibition of any contact with Green Lake】

"The size of this lake is really ......."

When I sigh a little,

A small pleasure boat slowly sailed out of the mist on the lake, heading towards Yi Chen's location.

A man in blue overalls was standing on the edge of the boat, smiling and waving.

"Free boat rides are currently being offered, would you like to visit Green Lake?"

"No thanks."

After Yi Chen waved his hand and refused, he turned around and left without looking back.

In the process of moving away from the ship,

The little grape quietly moved to the back of his neck, poking out half of his eyes to observe the situation behind him.

The rejected staff did not chase after them.

Instead, he maintained an extremely exaggerated and unobtrusive smile,

The widening eyes felt like they were about to fall out of their sockets,

Without blinking at all,

This strange feeling made Yi Chen speed up his pace, and he didn't relax a little until he was completely out of sight.

"There are really night cruises, and the problems in this town are really not ordinary...... Check out the lake. ”

Make sure that there are no more boats coming from the lake,

Yi Chen stepped on the gravel and stuck to the shore...... Stretch out your right hand towards the tranquil waters of the lake.

When I was about to touch it, my finger stopped.

Quack~

The skin at the tip of the finger splits longitudinally, and a slender root grows mixed with the smell of a cemetery.

This is exactly the "pathochemical characteristic" that Yi Chen obtained,

In the boring time of riding in the carriage, he groped it out.

Although it is not possible to use the roots as 'appendages' like a living corpse, or even pierce them like spears...... But there is no problem with the most basic growth.

The roots that touch the lake become fuller.

The water absorbed by the roots does not enter the body, but is only stored between the roots.

Complete the collection of "lake water samples",

Yi Chen tried to fully drive the "pathological characteristics", so that the roots of his fingertips continued to grow, and tried to go to the depths of the lake.

5 meters,

10 meters,

When he was about to reach the limit of growth, there was a soft touch at the end of the roots, as if he had touched some living thing.

At the same time,

A burst of fire came from behind him, accompanied by a stern question.

"What are you doing here?"

Yi Chen hurriedly withdrew his roots and turned around pretending to be nothing.

The person who came was a middle-aged man in uniform, resembling a sheriff.

Yi Chen pretended to be innocent and explained:

"I just arrived in Green Lake Town today, and when I feel bored in the hotel, I come out for a walk. I don't really like crowded places, so I didn't go to the campfire. ”

The man did not reply,

Instead, he showed his sheriff's badge, and then stepped forward to search Yi Chen.

After a full-body search,

No evidence of water collection or contact with the lake was found.

I thought that was the end of the matter.

Who knows,

At the end of the search,

The sheriff's palm also fell on Yi Chen's shoulder,

Push hard!

Most people can't react to such a sudden push.

But......

Yi Chen sensed that something was wrong at the beginning,

The mind has always been in a state of high concentration,

As he leaned back, he grabbed the sheriff by the collar.

Leverage force,

At this moment, you can even feel the synergy between the muscle fibers of the arm and the vascular bundles of the plants, and throw each other directly into the lake.

While completing the throw,

A tendrils shoot out from the palms of the hands, take root on the shore, and stabilize the body.

Poof!

Four meters away from the surface of the lake splashed a huge splash,

The sheriff who sank into the lake seemed to be somewhat restrained, did not struggle, and sank quickly.

Yi Chen stabilized his mind, pretended that nothing had happened, and hurried back to the hotel.