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墨書 Inktalez
My heart suddenly tightened, and I fought against the urge to run away, staying rooted in place.
He didn't speak; instead, he reached out and lifted my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze.
Beneath the terrifying mask was a pair of shining eyes, like black glass, that stirred something deep within me.
What was I thinking? How could I be captivated by his eyes? It was infuriating.
I shook off his hand and glared at him. "Island Master, please have some self-respect."
"Self-respect," he echoed.
Those two words, which should have sounded serious, came from his lips with an ambiguous tone.
The temperature of the pool continued to rise, making me feel increasingly hot, and the flush on my face was uncomfortable.
The more I looked, the more I sensed something was off, and my heart raced with unease. I pressed my hands against the rocky wall to stand up.
I intended to leave—at least to get out of this pool first.
One foot had already stepped onto the stone steps when suddenly, a powerful force from behind caused me to scream, "Ah!" and I fell back into the water.
Outside, I heard rapid footsteps as a large man rushed in, worried about my safety.
But by the time I fell, I had already landed in a firm embrace.
Unlike the feeling I had with Mu Xuanche, being held by Island Master gave me a different sense of security. It felt as if even if everything were to collapse, I wouldn’t be crushed, because Island Master was there to support me, making me feel like I didn’t need to stick my head out at all.
“Island Master,” I said.
Seeing the big man’s eyes widen in surprise as he looked at us, it was clear he had no idea how Island Master ended up on the island. It seemed that Island Master’s return was quite sudden this time.
But how did he end up in the Sulfur Pool? Was he poisoned too?
Island Master was dressed in a black robe that covered him completely, giving off no hint of humanity.
Could he also be a ghost? As I pondered this, the big man stood there in a daze before backing away.
I wanted to call out to him, but when I opened my mouth, no words came out.
What was happening?
Was it possible that the big man would take me away? I was afraid of Island Master.
If things went wrong, I might end up tossed into a pile of sharks to be fed!
Once the big man disappeared from my sight, I mustered up my courage and said, “Thank you, Island Master. You can let go of me now; I can go up by myself.”
“Oh,” he replied.
A single tone echoed in my ears, and then he truly let go.
He really let go, and I immediately sank into the water.
Damn, it was so sudden that I gulped down a few mouth fuls of Sulfur Water, salty, bitter, and astringent, with an unpleasant taste that made me feel particularly uncomfortable.
When I resurfaced, the Island Master had already left.
I held the clothes prepared for me by the big man and slowly walked out of the cave.
The thoughtful big man had even prepared shoes for me. Although they were a bit large, they were better than walking barefoot.
I thought the big man would leave without waiting for me because of the Island Master's arrival, but to my surprise, he was still waiting at the entrance of the cave.
Seeing me come out, he took off his coat and draped it over my shoulders.
"The wind is strong at night. Wear this to avoid catching a cold."
"Thank you."
As I followed the big man back, I learned that the Island Master had agreed to let me stay on the island.
"Big man, why is there nothing in the wooden house? Aren't you living there anymore?"
"That's right. I'm not living there anymore. Ever since you stayed there last time, the Island Master had me build another one to move into. Now that you're here, that one is for you."
After I finished my stay at Island Master, I wouldn't let the big man stay anymore. Was this a sign of disdain for me?
Could it be that I was truly as repulsive as a plague, making people dislike me so much?
Lost in thought, I didn't even notice how far the journey had been.
In the blink of an eye, I returned to the wooden cabin. Upon entering, I found that the furnishings had changed.
I pointed at the neatly arranged bed and asked the big man, "Did you do all this?"
"Yes, don't worry. These blankets are all clean; I've sealed them properly, so there's definitely no smell. You can rest well," he replied.
"Thank you," I said.
"Don't mention it. Get some rest early; I'll make you something delicious tomorrow," he said, scratching his head awkwardly as he walked out, kindly closing the door behind him.
Since the lights were off, the room fell into darkness. I closed my eyes and sat on the bed in deep thought.
When I opened my eyes again, I noticed a pair of shining eyes watching me from the darkness.
I was startled, my heart racing as I instinctively recoiled.
"Who are you?"
He didn't respond, just looked at me quietly, the mockery in his eyes particularly pronounced.
After a moment of scrutiny, I hesitantly called out, "Island Master."
In the darkness, his hand gripped my chin.
"Well, you came to the island for a reason."
So it really was the Island Master. The room was too dim for me to see clearly; I could only guess his identity by the outline of his shadow. I never expected I would actually guess right. When did he come in? How did he end up in front of me?
Why did I feel that the Island Master always gave me a sense of familiarity? Yet every time I tried to delve deeper, I sensed something was off.
"Island Master, could you let me stay on the island for a while? I can pay you as rent."
At the same time, my mind was already calculating how much money I had left in my account and how long it would last.
"Do you think Qilin Island is short on money?"
His sudden question caught me off guard.
It wasn't until he shot me a glare that I realized I had done something foolish again. I quickly waved my hands to explain, "No, that's not what I meant, Island Master. I just feel bad about staying in someone else's home without giving something in return."
He snorted. "Qilin Island doesn't need your compensation. Don't you have a husband? A married woman shouldn't just run off to another man's house."
Husband...
The two words instantly left me stunned. Was he still my husband?
Unconsciously, I spoke what should have remained in my heart, "A man who only thinks about taking my child's life—how can he still be considered my husband?" By the time I realized what I had said, it was too late.
The pair of originally dark and bright eyes across from me appeared somewhat strange. There was something shiny within those eyes that I couldn't grasp.
"You can stay, but you will be responsible for all the hygiene," he said, leaving me with those words before standing up and walking out of my room.
As I watched his retreating figure, I softly murmured, "Thank you."
He didn't turn back and simply disappeared from my sight.
At dawn, I woke up as the first light broke. The wounds on my body had stopped bleeding and were slowly beginning to scab over.
I hadn't expected the Sulfur Pool to be so effective. I had only soaked for a short while last night, and now the poison was basically cleared out.
Remembering the promise I made to the Island Master last night, the first thing I did upon getting up was to clean up all the mess.
By the time the big man appeared, I had already mopped the floor clean.
"Yan Xi, where are you?"
"Dragging the mop, huh?"
He looked a bit nervous as he rushed over and grabbed my arm.
"Yan Xi, what are you doing dragging the floor? Come on, let me handle it. You just sit there."
I told him about my conversation with the Island Master last night, expecting him to be a bit cautious. To my surprise, this seemingly simple guy turned out to be quite clever. He snatched the cloth from my hands and started cleaning seriously while chattering away.
"Yan Xi, just listen to what the Island Master says. When he asks you to clean, do it only when he's around. Leave the rest to me; I'll take care of it."
"It's fine. It's just some cleaning; it's not a big deal. I appreciate your good intentions, but if the Island Master finds out, it could be a real problem."
The big man, who had always obeyed the Island Master, was now daring to go against him.
"It's okay; just don't let him see. Even if he finds out, so what? You're a pregnant woman; he should understand."
I smiled at him, thinking that this big guy was quite amusing.
Suddenly, a ringing sound interrupted our conversation.
The big man threw the cloth onto the table and exclaimed loudly, "Oh no! Someone's barged in!"
He pushed the door open and rushed out.
Seeing his urgency, I followed him, worried that something might happen.
By the time I caught up with the big man at the edge of the sea near the Watchtower, I stood at the top of the Watchtower and looked down.
On the surface of the sea, several figures in black robes were floating. I recognized them; they were members of the Cult of Spirits.
Could it be that they received news so quickly and came to capture me?
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