Global Exploration: Starting from Decrypting Chernobyl

76: The fat man with a bad mouth! Sudden change!Wu Tian and the other two abruptly turned their heads in the direction of the sound, looking in unison towards the small stream on their right, obscured by lush, black scales.

“Gurgle…”

The sound of a bamboo pole cutting through water echoed in the black stream.

Then… “Splash!”

A small, black-canopied boat broke through the waves, and on it stood a man wearing a bamboo hat and a straw cape!

His face was obscured, his age indiscernible.

He stood at the bow of the black-canopied boat, steadily propelling a verdant bamboo pole through the water, the boat moving swiftly… in just a few pushes.

The small, black-canopied boat stopped beside Wu Tian and the other two.

“For wealth and promotion, take another path; for fear of death, do not enter this gate!”

“I want to ask you all again…”

“Are you sure…”

“You want to enter this Peach Blossom Garden, a place of ten deaths and no life?”

“Hehe…”

The man in the bamboo hat slowly raised his head.

A face without features, like a blank canvas… appeared before the three of them!

…“Holy crap, I’m… I’m…”

“I’m really!”

“It’s late at night, I’m already hiding under my covers, and I still can’t escape this?”

“Damn it!”

“I’m going to change my underwear first!”

“Uncle, don’t come any closer!”

“Uncle, can you put on all your facial features before you speak? The way you look right now makes me feel very uneasy!”

“I’m not going in, I’m not going in! Host, don’t go in!”

“Watching a ghost movie isn’t this thrilling!”

“Miss Sadako, please take me away!”

“I can’t take it anymore!”

“I’d rather sleep with you…”

“Upstairs, what are you dreaming about?”

…“Ten deaths and no life?”

Compared to Zhang Meng and the Fatty’s sudden change of expression, Wu Tian remained relatively calm. Not only was he not afraid, but he even asked the Faceless Man on the boat with a composed expression.

“What do you mean?”

“…“

“It’s the literal meaning, of course…”

The Faceless Man’s voice was almost monotone, yet it didn’t sound awkward or eerie at all.

He patiently answered Wu Tian’s question.

“The Peach Blossom Garden is no longer the Peach Blossom Garden of old, and I am no longer the me of yesteryear!”

“Now, there is great terror within the Peach Blossom Garden!”

“Are you sure you want to go?”

“…“

Wu Tian was startled, his eyes fixed on the featureless man’s face for a long time. Then, his brows relaxed, and he chuckled.

“Hehe…”

“All the way here, we’ve overcome hardships, dangers, and life-and-death crises. Now that we’ve reached the entrance, how can we not go in?”

“Then I’ll trouble you…”

“To ferry the three of us inside, would that be alright?”

“…“

“Of course!”

The Faceless Man agreed without hesitation.

“You… get on the boat!”

…“Let’s go!”

Wu Tian twisted his head towards the Fatty and Zhang Meng behind him, stepping onto the small, black-canopied boat first.

“…“

“No…”

The Fatty’s face alternated between green and pale, and he stammered.

“This uncle, you don’t have eyes, do you know the way?”

“…“

Zhang Meng’s eyes narrowed, and she quickly glared at the Fatty.

Then, her right index finger rested on the trigger, ready to act at any moment. Even Wu Tian on the boat gripped the yue king sword in his hand.

“Hehe…”

But the ferryman wasn’t angry at all.

He just chuckled.

“Though I am blind, I have been ferrying for a thousand years, and I will never make a mistake, young brother, you can rest assured!”

“Phew…”

Zhang Meng let out a soft breath.

She slowly released her right hand.

Wu Tian rolled his eyes, wishing he could get off the boat and kick the Fatty a couple of times!

“What are you dawdling about? Get on the boat quickly. No one will think you’re mute if you don’t speak!”

“…“

“But…”

The Fatty saw no sign of anger from the ferryman.

He immediately asked another impertinent question.

“Your boat is so small, what if I get on and it collapses, what then…”

Wu Tian:… Zhang Meng:… “Will you die if you say two fewer words?”

Wu Tian covered his forehead.

“I…”

The Fatty looked wronged.

“I can’t swim, so I have to ask clearly, otherwise I’ll die too…”

“Hehe…”

The ferryman, in good humor, answered again.

“Young brother, rest assured, though this boat looks old, the material it’s made of is genuine, top-grade agarwood, indestructible for a thousand years, and incredibly resilient!”

“Hmm, that makes sense.”

The Fatty nodded.

“But it’s been over two thousand years…”

Swish!

Wu Tian, with a dark face, grabbed the Fatty and pulled him onto the boat, muttering in a low voice into the latter’s ear.

“Can you be quiet?”

“Are you the only smart one?”

“…“

The Fatty was startled, then nodded, closing his mouth in a wronged manner. He found a comfortable position on the small boat and didn’t dare to move.

“Splash…”

The verdant bamboo pole pushed off the bank.

The boat, carrying Wu Tian and the other two, felt weightless as it returned to the middle of the stream, slowly ferrying them along the pitch-black stream towards the end of the peach blossom forest!

…“What should I call you?”

As they traveled, Wu Tian smiled faintly and asked the ferryman, who was continuously propelling the bamboo pole beside him.

“Hehe…”

The ferryman chuckled.

“Names are just external things. For a thousand years, everyone who has seen me likes to call me Faceless!”

“Oh?”

“Faceless?”

Wu Tian was startled.

“You are quite free-spirited!”

“You’re not bad either…”

The Faceless Man said in a faint voice.

“Few people meet me and aren’t afraid like you. You’re an interesting person.”

“Hmm.”

Wu Tian nodded, noncommittally.

Then, his eyes glinted as he asked the Faceless Man.

“Since you, Faceless Man, have been ferrying here for over a thousand years, may I ask you a few things?”

“I’ll tell you everything I know.”

The Faceless Man nodded, his bamboo pole unceasing. The small, black-canopied boat moved steadily in the stream.

“Do you know when the peach blossoms here turned black?”

“And the water here.”

Wu Tian gestured with his chin towards their feet.

“Why did it turn black too?”

“…“

He paused.

“Alas…”

The Faceless Man sighed softly.

“This was all caused by an upheaval that occurred over a thousand years ago. As for what this upheaval was…”

“It’s better if you don’t know.”

“And the matter has passed for over a thousand years…”

“Further talk is useless!”

“Alright then!”

Wu Tian frowned.

“Since you’re unwilling to tell me that, then I’ll ask you another question.”

Without waiting for the Faceless Man’s agreement.

Wu Tian continued to ask.

“Before entering the Peach Blossom Garden, I encountered a small village. Everyone in that village was possessed by souls from within the Peach Blossom Garden, and I also discovered that the taxi driver was the instigator!”

“Now he has been following us all the way!”

“Do you…”

“Know him?”

“…“

Buzz!

The light, black-canopied boat shuddered. The Faceless Man, who had been gentle and refined moments before, instantly became agitated!

“What did you say?”

“You’ve already seen him?”

“Damn it!”

“Then I won’t let you go!”

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