As they approached the Lakeside Village—
"There’s really a village here... Wow, it’s all thatch and wood. What era is this? Do they really need to keep it this primitive?"
The young man with glasses exclaid, his eyes full of shock as he saw the mirror-like lake and the scenery of the Lakeside Village. He saw the rows of houses and the many villagers bustling about, giving off a vibrant atmosphere.
"This is actually quite nice. Could it be a tourism developnt with this as the selling point... I must co here again after I graduate!"
A girl said happily.
She felt that this was truly perfect. In such a stunningly beautiful, isolated place, like a paradise away from the world, any modern elents like steel and concrete would destroy its beauty, unlike the natural perfection it had now.
"That’s true... but it’s really strange."
"Let’s go over and take a look. We can ask and find out. It can’t be sothing out of an ancient tale, can it..."
"But we just set foot on the island like that. Won’t it be inappropriate if it hasn’t been opened to the public yet..."
The group was still in high spirits, not yet sensing any issue. They were joyously shouting and laughing as they headed towards the village. But as they got closer, many suddenly felt that sothing seed... not quite right?
They had just subconsciously tried to use their logic to explain the scene of the village, as it seed reasonable, but as they got closer, they suddenly realized not only the village but even the villagers... were not at all modern.
They wore simple rough linen clothes...
And straw shoes on their feet...
It was like an ancient village, with villagers minding their own businesses.
So were repairing buildings, so casting nets or drying fish by the lake; everyone was busy with their own tasks, not like the "staff" in a developnt area as they initially imagined.
They weren’t doing construction, and this was not a developnt area?
What exactly were they doing? It couldn’t be such a big setup just to perform a play for them, could it?
"It seems... a bit weird..."
"Maybe they’re filming a show... Wait, Ah Wei, did you set this up? Could it be a reality show from the mont we boarded the boat..."
"How could that be! You’re overthinking things..."
The group began to feel slightly uneasy, but they weren’t panicking enough to turn around and flee. They just instinctively glanced at the sky, and luckily, the sun was shining brightly. So they just continued to banter, unable to resist making guesses, walking slowly with so trepidation.
Accompanied by giggling sounds, a group of barefoot children ran out from the village, shouting noisily. They quickly noticed the group of university students ahead and paused with wide eyes, looking curiously at them.
"There are outsiders on the island again..."
"I wonder if they’ll stay..."
"They’ll stay, right? Didn’t the previous big brother stay..."
The children chattered away, discussing their thoughts directly and ignoring the fact that the people they were discussing were right in front of them. The university students felt sowhat awkward but also relieved; they feared the kids would just stop and stare at them without speaking.
That would be truly eerie; the current lively chatter made them feel much more at ease instead.
"Hello, little friends..." A sweet-looking girl stepped forward. She squatted down slightly, showing a friendly smile at the children. Yet, her gaze flicked over the old-fashioned clothes they wore, masking a barely contained stiffness in her expression.
It was really too strange.
Are there still such old and isolated places in this era? If it were so primitive tribe in the Amazon or Africa, she could understand, but this is within the country.
Though everyone was still ridiculing outwardly, in reality, they all had a faint sense of the oddity, unwilling yet to admit it fully.
"Little friends, can you tell sister, what place is this?" The girl tried to make her voice more gentle, cautiously hoping to extract so useful information from these equally enigmatic children.
"Here? This is the village."
The children exchanged innocent looks with each other, and one of them, with a curious tone, answered sounding crisp.
"I—I don’t an this... I an, where is this village located."
"The village is just a village."
The child’s answer was innocent and naive, befitting their age, unable to grasp more complicated notions. The girl tried several more questions about the island, but the answers she got were quite laughable.
To the children, the village was the village, this place was here, and the outside world was the outside. Their understandings were simple and direct. As for what kind of place this truly was relative to the outside world, it appeared they had no concept at all.
"We can’t seem to get any answers..." The girl stood up, looking back at her companions, spreading her hands helplessly.
"Let’s go ahead and check it out, I guess the kids really don’t understand what we’re asking..."
The young man with glasses, Ah Wei, shook his head and then looked at a sniffly-nosed child—
"Right, little friend, is there anyone here who... um, who can say the most? You know, the biggest person here?"
Seeing the children’s innocent and naive eyes, he too got a bit tangled, having to rephrase so that the kids could understand.
"I know! It’s the Immortal!!" A little girl promptly announced excitedly, as if thrilled.
"Immortal?"
The group of university students exchanged peculiar glances; was it the Immortal they were thinking of?
"That’s right, but the Immortal and the Witch lord over the highest mountain, they usually don’t co to the village..."
An aged voice sounded, the speaker an Elder, hand on a cane, hunching as he slowly approached, scrutinizing the young n and won.
"Uh, Elder, we are..." Ah Wei stepped up, attempting to introduce themselves.
"I know, outsiders aren’t uncommon on this island, but coming here ans you are destined..." The Elder nodded, his clouded gaze still fixed on the university students. "I am the village chief, if you wish to stay in the village, I can decide that."
How could soone just co up and ask if you want to stay in the village...
The young group looked at each other, this place had an odd aura, no way they could stay.
"Ah haha, Elder you’re joking... By the way, what place is this, we didn’t know before." The young man with glasses, Ah Wei, laughed and seized the chance to ask.
"This? This is Penglai Island, has the outside world forgotten the legend of Penglai Island?"
The Elder frowned slightly, his tone sowhat wistful.
"Penglai Island..."
The young n and won exchanged glances again, their expressions growing even stranger.
The sweet-looking girl cautiously asked, "Is it the Penglai Island we understand? The legendary Overseas Immortal Island where Immortals reside?"
"That’s right..." The village chief nodded, then seed to rember sothing, hastily advising, "If you have ties to the outside world and don’t plan to stay here, you should quickly find the Immortal and leave as soon as possible, the sooner the better..."
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