Mermaid Reef

"Where's that notebook?"

John asked immediately.

It’s not that he can’t trust Dr. Abel’s report, but that this doctor who insists on believing in science may regard some “useful” sentences as poems and nursery rhymes when he reads his notes, and he didn’t pay much attention when he read them. Definitely can't remember.

John dragged the doctor and led him to the edge of the woods, away from Jason.

"Think carefully, where did Reverend Conor put it?"

John realizes this is a good opportunity to dig out the truth.

The crux of the matter lies in the old pastor!

Why did the old pastor know about the ghost ship, why he was afraid of being found by Jason, and what happened to the legend of the sea god in Black Lagoon Town—these mysteries might all be solved!

"Since Pastor Conor wrote this passage, he must have also been exposed to the 'mystery', and he understands it better than you and I." John looked serious.

He can think of the rest without mentioning Dr. Abel.

—they are trapped here with an invisible person beside them.

If you ask Jensen directly, it is "exposure to mystery", and your own state will only get worse and worse, and a whole set of symptoms of mental illness will appear with auditory hallucinations and visual hallucinations.If he wanted to get rid of this damn state and successfully escape from Black Lagoon Town, he had to obtain information from other channels.

That old vicar's notebook is important!

"I...you let me think about it."

Dr. Abel was in a daze. He didn't know whether he lost his confidence in science because of the blow, or he was frightened by this weird situation.

The rain fell on John's face, icy cold, and his vision was somewhat blurred.

In the distance, Officer Arson was shouting loudly, hoping that everyone would calm down and work together to escape from the predicament.

Those who opposed looked indifferent, and those who were terrified covered their faces and cried. The "phantom" who didn't seem like a living person stood there, watching them all quietly.

Wearing a black top hat, a cloak and coat cut from expensive materials, well-made patent leather shoes without a speck of mud.

Like those so-called gentlemen who ride in a four-wheeled carriage, carry a jeweled cane, step on the carpeted steps of the Opera House, and never set foot in the dirty streets of London from birth to death.

Yep, this guy might just be enjoying a scene of drama.

One scene is called Black Lagoon Town, a repertoire about life and death and the tragedy and joy of the world.

——Fuck it, who wants to go on stage for free?Or risk your life to act?

John wiped the rain off his face vigorously, and said decisively: "Let's go back, Pastor Conor ran away, and his notes must still be left in the church, you can think about it while walking."

"what?"

Doctor Abel was shocked. They managed to escape here, and now they want to go back to church?

John asked back: "Then what are you going to do here? The deep ditch is hard to get through, and there is no road. Standing in the rain?"

"But..." The doctor hugged his suitcase with a panicked expression.

John pulled him up and gestured towards Jason: "Or do you want to stay here and be stared at by him?"

Dr. Abel struggled for a while, and before John continued to exert himself, he took the initiative to run away.

"Doctor? John?" The tavernkeeper watched them leave suspiciously.

However, according to the habits of the Nordic people, they don't ask too much about other people's affairs, so the tavern owner hesitated for a few seconds and didn't catch up.

And some townspeople quietly went back.

After all, not everyone brought food with them when they fled for their lives. Now they are cold and hungry, and there is no tent to keep out the rain.

"...Everyone, don't panic. If you want to go back to pack your things, you must do so as soon as possible. Tomorrow, we will find a way to find a narrower place and build a bridge!" Police Officer Arson shouted.

Jason looked at the backs of John and Dr. Abel, but did not follow.

***

There is a change in the town, the stagnant water is gone, but cracks can be seen everywhere in the streets.

Some of these gaps are bottomless, and some are so shallow and narrow that even a foot cannot be inserted.

Nevertheless, John still walked around these cracks, no matter how narrow the gap was, he would not step on it, preferring to walk a few more steps.

Dr. Abel was more careful than John. He stared at the cracks, as if afraid that they would suddenly open their mouths and swallow passers-by.

——After the collapse of the scientific outlook, the world in my eyes has changed. I always feel that there are monsters hidden in the shadows, and seemingly ordinary things will suddenly reveal their hideous true colors.

Seeing that the doctor was about to collapse from nervousness, John could only remind him aloud: "Doctor Abel, follow me."

"Oh well."

The doctor wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and couldn't help but say, "Aren't you afraid?"

"It's useless to be afraid." Seeing the doctor looking around, John added, "That guy didn't follow."

Dr. Abel nodded desperately, and at the same time relaxed a little, holding the suitcase and said cautiously: "...Could it be that we inhaled the poisonous gas emitted by the volcanic eruption and had hallucinations? In fact, there is no one who claims to be Jason. A man who is handsome and looks very dignified?"

John: "..."

It turns out this guy hasn't given up on science yet.

"If it makes you feel better, then I agree that it's an illusion," John said mildly.

As an Englishman, he doesn't usually put his words so bluntly.

Doctor Abel is not stupid, he can hear what John really means.

"Hey, how could this be?"

The doctor looked downcast and chanted this sentence nervously.

After reading it several times, seeing that John didn't respond, Dr. Abel couldn't help muttering again: "I should have thought of it earlier, when that guy answered that he came by boat..."

"What do you mean?"

John carefully navigated around the crack as he orientated himself.

It was too dark and the rain was gradually increasing.

"...I told you that Black Lagoon Town was once submerged by sea water, and the water has only receded by half. The water area near the sea was once the town's port area, and many houses were submerged underneath."

Dr. Abel explained earnestly, "The depth of the water is only four or five meters, and even larger boats cannot get in. Moreover, there are many reefs on the seashore. If you are not careful, fishing boats will sink. It is difficult to pass safely if the fishermen carry them."

It turned out to be the case, John understood, no wonder he promised to pay more when he boarded the ship, but the captain of the West Wind still refused to take him to Black Lagoon by sea.

Doctor Abel complained: "People here don't like to talk unless they've been drinking, so even if such an unusual-looking gentleman comes to Black Lagoon on a fishing boat, the news will spread very slowly. I thought it was because I was too busy recently, immersed in taking care of patients in the clinic, that I didn't hear about it."

John had previously felt that this doctor was very talkative and talkative, and he didn't look like a local at all.

Dr. Abel probably also noticed John's doubts, and explained embarrassingly: "I am a doctor, and the patients don't want to talk, so I can only ask more. If I meet on the road, I will not take the initiative to say hello, and I will not observe them or ask them. How can I keep track of the patient's condition after my relatives take the medicine?"

John: "..."

John suddenly found a suspicious point: "You have a good relationship with Pastor Conor? Can you read his private notes?"

"Well, he is a very knowledgeable and respectable person. I often ask him to borrow books. He has many scientific journals, which I have not read. Our post office here can only subscribe to newspapers and return them. Not timely……"

Without waiting for the doctor to finish, John interrupted him: "Did you peek into the pastor's notes?"

"No, it's not!" Dr. Abel denied instinctively, and then asked dejectedly, "How do you know?"

John calmly analyzed: "Unless Pastor Conor wants to harm you, he won't show you such a dangerous thing."

If you touch the mystery, you will see weird things.

I don’t want to mention Pastor Conor’s character, but the old pastor would definitely not let a curious person who is very interested in the outside world come into contact with these things. come at risk.

Of course, it’s better not to say such blunt words.

Doctor Abel said guiltily: "It's indeed the note I peeked at. Pastor Conor should have hidden it well, but it was placed on the desk once and he didn't put it away in time... the paragraph about the 'mystery' The words were written on the first page, so I was very impressed, but I didn’t read a few pages, and Pastor Conor came back, and I quickly put the note back, and I never saw the note again.”

"You don't have the slightest guess as to where the note was placed?"

"Yes, I probably know where it is." The doctor hesitated for a few seconds, then said, "There is a safe behind the bookshelf, but we don't know the password."

While speaking, they had already run down the hillside.

Along the gravel path to the church, it was dark inside with no light at all.

This is not normal, altars and holy water pools will be lit with candles all year round.

"not good!"

Dr. Abel called the nun's name, but there was no response from the church.

The doctor was still hesitating, but John had rushed in.

"There's a flashlight here." Dr. Abel opened the suitcase and took out a lighting tool.

With this faint light, John saw the nun lying beside the altar, struggling with her hands and feet, shaking her head from side to side, as if she was having a nightmare.

No matter how much Dr. Abel shouted and shook her, the nun couldn't wake up.

"What happened?" the doctor asked in horror.

"She was also exposed to mystery, just like us." John reminded.

In theory, the three of them are the most accident-prone group in Black Lagoon.

John shone a flashlight on the church walls and ceiling for suspicious signs, but this time he found nothing.

"...It's the Sea God."

"what?"

John turned his head and saw Dr. Abel's pale face under the light of the flashlight.

The doctor said tremblingly: "Since the ghost ship is real, then... the sea god is also real. It is said that when the sea god is about to wake up, the sea will boil like a boil, and then a huge reef will rise from the bottom of the sea, and the town will be flooded by heavy rain. Falling into a nightmare, and then being lured away by the siren's song in sleep, never to be seen again."

"Why do you have sea gods and sea monsters here?"

"The sea monster is the incarnation of the sea god. No one knows what it looks like. Anyone who saw it died." Dr. Abel desperately grabbed his hair.

John frowned and said, "Find the notes first, and then we'll get to know the so-called Poseidon. It's best for Poseidon to confront Jason!"

How to escape from the mouth of the two beasts?

Of course, let these two guys fight!

--------------------

The author has something to say:

John: Hold on, don't look at him, don't talk to him

Doctor: ok, ok

John: Damn, this guy is watching a show

Jason standing on the side of the road:?

John: Let them fight!

Jason:?

Author: He wants to introduce someone to you