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墨書 Inktalez
The next morning, Gu Yan woke up early. He packed his belongings and, before leaving, returned to the two graves on the back mountain, bowing deeply three times in respect.
His feelings of reverence and gratitude for the two elders were lodged silently in his throat. He returned to the old house's courtyard, glanced back at the old building bathed in morning light, and then turned to get into the vehicle that had been waiting at the entrance for a while.
With matters here settled, he was now headed to that mysterious little fishing village. He had booked the earliest flight without hesitation, eager to explore that place.
The distance between the two locations was not far. A few hours later, Gu Yan disembarked from the plane, had a light lunch, and arranged for transportation to the village.
As he sat in the car, watching the scenery pass by, he suddenly felt a sense of familiarity. Ever since Dr. Li sent him the address, Gu Yan had wondered why the name of this village sounded so familiar. Now that he was getting closer, that feeling deepened; he was almost certain he had been here before.
In his youth, he had traveled extensively and visited countless places, so some memories were hazy. However, he still had some impressions of being here. This only intensified his curiosity about why both he and his father had visited this place previously and what mysteries it held.
As the car gradually entered the village, it slowed down due to the narrow dirt road ahead filled with sharp stones, making it difficult for vehicles to pass. To avoid a flat tire, Gu Yan decided to get out of the car himself. He instructed the driver to wait there and walked towards the houses ahead.
The strong sea breeze meant that these houses were built low to the ground, with flat roofs resembling small old men huddling against the wind. He approached one courtyard and asked a middle-aged man living there about an elderly gentleman who lived by the sea. He learned that over a month ago, a group of people had visited this old man.
Gu Yan guessed this must have been his father's party. After learning the old man's exact location, he nodded in thanks and took his leave from the small courtyard.
Following the directions given by that man, he walked forward past several scattered houses. In just over ten minutes, he arrived at the seaside.
Here there were no more houses—only a weedy path where traces of footsteps could be seen. Looking up, he spotted the old house mentioned by others not far away. It was built right by the coast and stood only one story high; although it appeared dilapidated and ancient, it was remarkably tidy. Seeing this confirmed for Gu Yan that he had indeed been here before; it was in this very house that he once had an intimate conversation with an old sage.
He pushed through the overgrown path and approached the wooden door. Just as he raised his hand to knock, a deep voice resonated from inside like a temple bell, exuding an ethereal quality: "Please come in."
He looked and saw that indeed the door was not locked.
Gu Yan pushed open the door and found an energetic elderly man reclining in a hand-woven rattan rocking chair. His hair was gray, wrinkles covered his forehead, and traces of weathering were evident around his eyes; he appeared very kind.
This familiar face instantly awakened Gu Yan's memories. He slightly nodded and respectfully said, "Elder, it's been a long time."
"It has been a long time," replied the sage with a warm smile without getting up. He pointed to a slightly taller wooden chair beside him, indicating for Gu Yan to sit down. Gu Yan accepted without hesitation, adjusting his clothes before taking a seat.
After sitting down, the sage remained silent while Gu Yan did not speak either; instead, he followed the sage's gaze out towards the blue sea.
White clouds rolled across the sky against the azure ocean; apart from this serene scene, there were no signs of human presence—it looked like a peaceful painting—and Gu Yan gradually became entranced by it.
After an unknown amount of time passed, the sage's voice leisurely broke through: "I have been waiting for you by this sea for quite some time."
Gu Yan withdrew his gaze and respectfully looked at the sage, asking, "Why do you say that, sir?"
The sage smiled slightly and replied, "Since our first meeting until now, it has probably been seven or eight years."
Gu Yan nodded slightly, thinking, "Indeed, it has been quite a while."
"Do you remember what I said to you the first time we met?"
Gu Yan looked at the sage, his thoughts drifting back to that noon many years ago when he had traveled through mountains and rivers to reach this fishing village. The sun was just right, and he met the wise old man by the sea. The sage invited Gu Yan into his home, and Gu Yan sought his guidance. However, he could not recall the most important details of their conversation.
Seeing Gu Yan's furrowed brow, the sage nodded and reassured him, "It's alright to forget, my young friend. Why don't we talk about something else for now?"
"Please tell me, elder."
"I wonder if you have heard of a mysterious creature that resides deep in the Ocean." The sage looked into Gu Yan's eyes and slowly uttered two words: "Siren."
Gu Yan's pupils constricted, and he instinctively tightened his grip on the armrest of the wooden chair, even his heartbeat skipped a beat.
Just those two words filled him with extreme excitement.
The sage revealed an understanding expression and continued, "You may not remember, but in my family, there is an ancient book passed down through generations that records these local legends."
"In my ancestry, there was a remarkable individual who aspired to travel the world and document all strange tales. He left home specifically to explore those peculiar places. He combed through local folklore and county records and learned about Merfolk—a creature described as 'fish-like with a human face,' which is what we now call Siren."
Gu Yan nodded and commented, "That person sounds quite interesting. What happened next?"
The sage continued, "The county records described: 'In the vast East Sea, Merfolk appear.' So he journeyed eastward along the coast and indeed found more detailed information there. The coastal elders shared stories passed down orally; many claimed to have seen Merfolk from afar while at sea, and there were also tales of being enchanted by them. Naturally, there were various accounts of Siren's habits and preferences that he recorded diligently. As he traveled from place to place, he heard many stories; the deeper he delved into this world, the more he became engrossed in it. He forgot his original aspirations and wandered by the sea all day long, hoping to catch a glimpse of this mysterious species."
"But how could one easily encounter them? Later on, a fisherman returned from the sea with snippets of news. Unable to bear the torment of his thoughts any longer, he decided to venture out to sea himself. At that time, danger lurked everywhere on the ocean; with rudimentary boats, one misstep could lead to death. Before departing, he knew this journey might be perilous; thus, he compiled all the information he had gathered and entrusted it to someone to bring back. After that, he vanished without a trace. His family sent people to search for him but found nothing; eventually, they gave up hope and wished only for him to fulfill his desires. Dynasties changed over time, yet this notebook remained preserved, passed down through generations until today."
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