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墨書 Inktalez
"Hi, didn't you say it would definitely be buried in this direction?" Emma squatted nearby, teasing Bai Yujing, who was sweating under the dusk.
Bai Yujing felt a bit embarrassed; having spoken so confidently earlier, it now felt like a slap in the face. "You know, plans always have a few hiccups, but that doesn't affect the final outcome. Maybe we should shift a bit in this direction."
As the sky darkened, Bai Yujing dug a large circle in the ground, creating several deep pits. Finally, as night fell, the shovel struck a hard object with a sound of metal clashing.
"It better not be another rock!" Emma looked over with her head down.
Bai Yujing immediately replied, "No way, this time it's definitely something."
"You just said that earlier."
With a few swift motions, Bai Yujing cleared the dirt and eagerly brushed away the layers of mud with his hands, revealing an old metal box. The box was quite corroded on the surface, but overall it was sealed with wax and appeared to be well-preserved.
Bai Yujing tossed the box to the top of the pit and then climbed up with Emma's help. At that moment, Bai Yujing looked somewhat disheveled; his tank top was dirty, his jeans were rolled up high, and his shoes were caked with mud.
Noticing that the sun had already set, Bai Yujing suddenly exclaimed, "Oh no, the landlady said to wait for us for dinner tonight; we need to hurry back!"
The two hurriedly lifted the box into the trunk of the car and drove back. Sure enough, at the entrance of the B&B, the landlady was looking out under the lights. Seeing Emma and Bai Yujing return, she immediately walked over.
"Oh, why did you take so long? Dinner has already started." Before she could finish her sentence, she noticed Bai Yujing covered in dirt. "My goodness, what happened to you? Hurry inside and clean up, quick quick quick!"
As Bai Yujing walked in, he apologized, "I'm really sorry; I accidentally slipped down a slope earlier, which is why we're back so late!"
The landlady covered her mouth in shock. "Oh my God, you didn't get hurt, did you?"
Bai Yujing quickly reassured her, "No, no! I'm just dirty; I just need to clean up."
"God bless, hurry up and come in to take a shower, we are all waiting for you!"
The boss and his wife were both very nice, which deeply touched Bai Yujing, who was away from home. Both of them were devout Catholics, and before dinner, they had to pray. Bai Yujing changed into a fresh set of clothes and sat at the rectangular dining table, joining the three of them in prayer, as if caught in a mysterious tranquility.
"Alright, you can start eating now!"
Dinner was very lavish, with pasta as the main dish. However, the rich and fragrant Seafood Chowder placed in the center was Bai Yujing's favorite. This dish had become one of Bai Yujing's favorites since coming here; he had eaten it several times, and each time it had a different flavor.
It was evident that the boss put a lot of effort into making it. The portions were generous, and the ingredients were abundant. Several large shrimp floated on top of the soup, while chunks of pan-seared Silver Cod rolled in the broth, accompanied by clams and green mussels, paired with onions, garlic, and cilantro. The aroma was enticing, feeling even more authentic than what Bai Yujing had eaten in restaurants before.
"Try this; I made it myself!" the boss's wife said to Bai Yujing.
Bai Yujing nodded and eagerly served himself a bowl. The Silver Cod was rich in fish oil; unlike ordinary fish that had a bland taste, it had a high fat content that provided a meaty flavor without losing the freshness of the fish. The two flavors blended together to offer a unique experience.
After a busy afternoon, Bai Yujing took a hearty sip of the Seafood Chowder. The steaming hot soup was slightly spicy and warmed him from within. The flavors—sour, spicy, fresh, and fragrant—mingled beautifully in the rich broth.
This complex seafood soup was difficult to make because if not handled properly, the flavors could easily clash. However, this Seafood Chowder was perfectly balanced; what should have been conflicting flavors merged into one harmonious taste—seafood soup. After finishing a large bowl, he broke into a light sweat all over his body, feeling incredibly comfortable.
"Wow, this is really delicious," Bai Yujing gave a thumbs up to the boss's wife. This was truly an expert's skill! This level of craftsmanship could definitely be called that of a master chef.
Bai Yujing showered the boss's wife with compliments, making her smile broadly. It was clear that she took great pride in her cooking.
The pasta was mixed with cheese and bacon, complemented by special sauce and just the right amount of saltiness. Bai Yujing felt that every bite was particularly flavorful and appetizing. Originally someone with an average appetite, Bai Yujing transformed into an insatiable eater at the table, consuming elegantly but quickly; he nearly finished an entire pot of Seafood Chowder.
After dinner, Bai Yujing and Emma eagerly returned to their room. The boss and his wife exchanged knowing smiles. However, contrary to what they imagined, Bai Yujing and Emma wanted to see the results of their haul from today.
The lock on the box had already rusted away; with just a few scrapes from a shovel, Bai Yujing opened it. They placed the box in the car and carried its contents back inside together. Although the box was large, there wasn't much inside. Bai Yujing didn't have time to examine it closely; they brought everything into their room and placed it on the table. Only after finishing dinner did they finally have time to sort through their spoils.
A book, a cylinder, a piece of dry wood, and a disk engraved with mysterious runes.
"Oh, I thought there would be some gold and silver treasures inside," Bai Yujing said, feeling disappointed. The only thing that looked valuable was the disk with the mysterious runes.
Bai Yujing picked it up; the disk was palm-sized and entirely golden. Emma also took a look at it and held it in her hand. "This isn't gold, but it looks like it's been around for a while. It might be related to Sky Island."
Bai Yujing sighed, "Well, that means this isn't worth much either. By the way, why is there a piece of rotten wood?"
Bai Yujing picked up the dry branch. It was somewhat thick and straight, feeling heavy in his hand—much heavier than ordinary wood but still far lighter than iron. The wood was covered in a thick layer of varnish, smooth to the touch, as if it had often been held and used by someone.
"Fireball Technique!" Bai Yujing waved the piece of wood around a couple of times but found nothing happened. He thought the shape resembled a staff and immediately tried again, but there was no response. Perhaps he was using it incorrectly; it seemed like wizards needed to chant spells.
Emma immediately covered her mouth and laughed. "This should be a walking stick, not a magic staff! And you're not a wizard!"
Emma examined it as well. "This is a walking stick; I can't tell what kind of wood it is—it's too old."
The two turned their attention to the book. Could it be another notebook? Bai Yujing and Emma opened it together and discovered it was a handwritten manuscript novel—Gulliver's Travels!
"This fits the characteristics of relics quite well—a novel story with oneself as the protagonist, passed down in this box," Emma said as she flipped through it. The writing was beautiful, but it didn't contain what Bai Yujing was looking for.
However, Emma noticed something different. She pointed to a passage written on the first page behind the cover: "This is important!"
"To my most important friend
————Jonathan Swift 1725.11.26"
Bai Yujing immediately understood: "This is the handwritten manuscript of Gulliver's Travels by its author Jonathan Swift? There's no doubt about it; his signature is on it—this can't be fake!"
Emma also became excited: "This is very commemorative. Gulliver's Travels was first published in England in 1726, with the first edition consisting of thirty thousand copies. The current stock is extremely rare, and on the market, such first edition printed novels are quite valuable, not to mention this is Jonathan Swift's manuscript."
Jonathan Swift is a renowned British writer, political commentator, and master of satirical literature, with significant influence worldwide. Bai Yujing suddenly realized that this item is truly a treasure!
Emma carefully flipped through the manuscript: "This should be worth a lot. I know people at auction houses; I can ask them to arrange an auction. I think it should sell for at least a million dollars. What do you think? We can split it, half for each of us. It's a pity, though; this is such a precious souvenir, and I would love to keep it."
Bai Yujing certainly had no objections; it was an unexpected delight. He initially thought that getting two souvenirs to show off when he returned would be good enough. "I’ll go with your suggestion. If you want to keep it, I have no objections!"
Emma stuck out her tongue: "Forget it. With something so valuable, I’m afraid I won’t be able to sleep at night if I keep it at home. It’s more practical to turn it into cash. Then I’ll have enough money to travel the world and fulfill my dreams."
Bai Yujing immediately asked curiously, "What is your dream?"
Emma replied right away: "I wasn't sure at first, but after spending time with you, Ian, I've figured it out. My dream is to be an adventurer and a writer, traveling the world and sharing my experiences with others. I used to tell my friends about this, but everyone thought I was just daydreaming. Now it feels like those dreams are within reach."
Bai Yujing nodded in agreement: "Your dream is really cool! Congratulations on making it come true!"
Having not found anything else in the notes that Lemuel Gulliver mentioned, only one last item remained. Opening the tube, Bai Yujing discovered a rolled-up paper and a manual inside.
"Wow!"
Unrolling it revealed that the paper was a Nautical Chart. The large Nautical Chart was made very finely, showing every detail of the routes and paths along with numerous notes and annotations.
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