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墨書 Inktalez
"Oh," I replied, then asked, "How did you end up here?"
Fat Ma chuckled and said, "I came back with a surprise attack. Turns out I was right! I found you first, Old Sun." He laughed at his own joke.
"Is this where you all are staying?" I asked, puzzled.
"Yes, we settled here after coming ashore and then started looking for you," Fat Ma answered.
I hesitated and asked, "Are there any residents in this village...?"
Fat Ma looked at me as if I were foolish and said, "With the houses in such a state of disrepair, how could anyone still live here?"
A chill ran down my spine as I listened. I continued to ask, "Are there any other villages nearby?"
"In the Desolate Mountains and Wilderness? Who would want to live here? Those who could have definitely moved away," Fat Ma replied.
I was left in a daze.
Noticing my strange expression, Fat Ma asked, "Old Sun, are you okay? Your face looks like a pancake!"
I shook my head and pressed on, "Are you sure there are really no residents here?"
Fat Ma insisted, "No one. After finding this village, I checked every house. There were only a dozen families in total, and they all left their homes empty."
Could it be...?
I wiped the cold sweat from my forehead as a wave of fear washed over me.
I recalled the scene from that time, not letting any detail slip by. At that moment, Fat Ma waved his hand in front of my eyes. I turned around, and Fat Ma said, "Old Sun, are you hungry?"
I instinctively nodded. However, my mind was still occupied with the image of the Boatman, and despite thinking it over, I couldn't find anything amiss.
I followed Fat Ma into a room that had been cleaned thoroughly.
Fat Ma set up a fire outside and said, "I caught a few wild rabbits this morning, and we haven't finished them yet! Perfect for roasting for you."
I responded affirmatively.
Fat Ma continued, "Old Sun, why do you look so distracted? Are you alright?"
"I'm fine!" I paused for a moment before replying.
"That's good to hear," and soon I caught a whiff of Meat Aroma.
The fire was blazing brightly, with red flames leaping high. Fat Ma's shadow flickered in the glow of the fire.
Suddenly, I came to my senses and ran into the moonlight. Fat Ma saw me running quickly and called out from behind.
I dashed to a spot where the firelight couldn't reach me and, using the moonlight, I noticed—there were shadows!
But that Brother Ferryman from earlier… my heart sank as I realized he seemed to have no shadow. Could he be a ghost? The thought sent a chill down my spine.
Fat Ma stared at me wide-eyed and asked, "Old Sun, have you been spooked by something?"
I shook my head again. Fat Ma pulled me down to sit by the fire and said, "Even if you've been spooked, it's nothing to worry about. Just try my cooking; it can cure all ailments."
I took a moment to collect myself.
The aroma of meat wafted through the air, and although my thoughts were collected, my stomach was not something I could control. I decided to stop thinking about it; I would eat first and deal with everything else later.
I had nearly consumed half a rabbit by myself when I looked at Fat Ma and asked, "Aren't you going to eat?"
Fat Ma shook his head and replied, "I've already eaten."
I believed him; Fat Ma would never shortchange anyone, especially not himself.
After finishing my meal and letting out a satisfied burp, I finally felt grounded, my heart at ease.
"Are you feeling better?" Fat Ma asked.
I nodded. He immediately broke into a grin. "See! I told you my cooking is a cure-all!"
Once his laughter subsided, he turned to me and asked, "Old Sun, how did you escape?"
The mention of that incident indeed piqued my interest. I replied, "Fatty, you probably won't believe it even if I tell you!"
Fat Ma urged me on, intrigued by the mystery. "Come on, don't keep me in suspense."
I reminded him, "Do you remember the two fish you caught?"
"What two? I've caught so many fish as Fat Master that I can't keep track. A couple of small fry don't even register in my mind."
Hearing Fat Ma ramble like this eased some of my tension. I chuckled and said, "You really do forget things easily!"
Fat Ma stared at me in confusion, clearly waiting for me to continue.
So, I took the time to recount the whole story from beginning to end. Once Fat Ma understood, he immediately became furious, cursing those two ungrateful fish for not realizing how much effort it took for Fat Master to escape! I had nearly died in there.
I looked at Fat Ma's indignant expression and asked, "How did you manage to escape?"
Fat Ma recounted their escape, which had been far more difficult than mine. I sighed and said, "It's good to be alive!" Suddenly, I recalled Brother Ferryman's words: it's not easy to be alive! A chill ran through me.
Once I regained my composure, Fat Ma continued to describe the arduous process of searching for me over the past few days. They had even waded through water and walked dozens of miles along the way.
Listening to him, I felt a surge of emotion and couldn't help but say, "Thanks, Fatty!"
Upon hearing this, Fat Ma sprang up, his flesh quivering on his face as he said, "Old Sun, if you say that, I might get upset. Do we really need to say thanks for our Revolution friendship? Your thanks has left me feeling cold!"
Seeing how seriously Fat Ma took it, I was momentarily at a loss for words! But then he shifted his tone and said, "Old Sun, instead of saying thanks, how about something more practical?"
The warmth that had just welled up inside me was instantly extinguished.
I couldn't be bothered to argue; after so many years, I had grown accustomed to it.
After a while, I asked, "Why haven't they returned yet? Should we go look for them?"
Fat Ma replied casually, "Whoever is dead won't die!"
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