Terra Calendar 1591.1.24.

9:20 A

Island City·Residential Area.

The residential areas of Island City are located around the urban area, and are mainly composed of single-family houses and some apartments.

The early morning sunshine shines on the neat streets, and residents have begun their day's activities.

Each street is lined with green trees, their shadows are dancing, and occasionally a few squirrels jump among them, adding a bit of vitality.

White wooden fences surround each single-family house, and colorful flowers are planted in the yards.

In the small garden in front of the apartment building, residents greeted each other and children ran around laughing.

The pace of life here is slow and peaceful, and residents have close relationships with each other, like a big family.

The residential area looks particularly lively today.

The residents gathered together, confusion and uneasiness written on their faces.

They formed a small circle and chatted in low voices, focusing on the unusual phenomena near Mille Lacs last night and a highly discussed suicide.

"Did you hear the explosion last night?" A gray-haired old man broke the silence, his voice filled with uneasiness.

"Martha and I were so scared that we couldn't sleep all night long. What happened over there in Mille Lacs?"

"I know! I know!" A young fisherman interjected eagerly, "I was at the lake when I suddenly heard a series of explosions, followed by violent vibrations. Those fishing guys were frightened, how dare they

Keep fishing!”

Everyone nodded in agreement. Someone said: "The windows of my house were shattered. This kind of thing is so strange. It has never happened before."

"Yeah, we have to figure out what's going on." A middle-aged woman frowned and said, "We can't let this kind of thing scare us away from Lake Millennium."

On the other side, several residents were discussing an even more bizarre incident - a suicide incident that happened this week in reverse.

"The story of Liszt's suicide has been reversed again?" a middle-aged man asked in a low voice, with deep shock and confusion in his tone.

"Well, I don't understand what there is to hide." A young man who had worked with Liszt replied, with a little sadness in his eyes, "Everyone is also aware of his situation."

"It's natural for people to have a mental breakdown." A wise and compassionate old man said slowly.

"It is the weak who break!"

A young but loving child said firmly, with a kind of innocent perseverance in his voice.

The old man looked at the child, smiled slightly, patted the child's shoulder gently, and said sincerely:

"One day you will understand that no matter how strong a person is, he will be defeated by life. Life is like the sea, sometimes as calm as a mirror, sometimes as turbulent. Even the strongest ship will capsize in the storm.

"

While everyone was discussing Liszt, a golden figure came to the discussion crowd at some point.

The sun shone on his brilliant blond hair, as if giving him a golden halo.

He was wearing a blue winter coat, and the thick coat wrapped his body tightly, making him look particularly stable.

He was carrying a fishing bag and holding a bucket in his right hand, which contained several newly caught northern pike. The pike were jumping in the bucket.

The old man Joseph who spoke just now seemed to have finally noticed the movement behind him. He was a wise and compassionate old man, over seventy years old, with silver hair and a face covered with traces of time.

The old man subconsciously turned sideways and looked back.

The sun was shining brightly, and a handsome young man with blond hair and golden eyes showed a warm and bright smile. He held up the bucket in his hand and said to Joseph:

"This is the trophy I just caught today, old man. Now I am preparing to sell it at a low price or give it out for free."

Joseph was slightly startled, "Are you a tourist visiting the State of Thousand Lakes?"

Xia Xiu smiled and replied: "That's right. Well, I am a marine biologist, and I mainly study whale and shark marine life. No, these fish are one of my research topics."

The old man was once again stunned by the blond young man's answer. He couldn't help but think in his heart:

"I'm afraid you, a marine expert, don't study how to fish and eat fish."

The strange blond young man in front of him did make Joseph a little stunned, but he glanced at the pike in the bucket in Xia Xiu's hand.

Several huge northern pike were jumping in the bucket. Each fish had shiny scales and sharp teeth. The strong fish body was constantly flapping in the water, making small splashes.

Their gills opened and closed slightly as they breathed, appearing full of life, as if they couldn't wait to return to the lake.

These fish made the old man feel particularly excited.

He recalled what the blond young man had said before, "It may be sold cheaply or distributed for free." The old man quickly understood what he said. He asked Xia Xiu:

“What do I do to get them for free?”

Hearing the old man's question, Xia Xiu smiled like a fisherman who had caught the bait.

The corners of his mouth were slightly raised, revealing his neat white teeth. His golden pupils shone in the sun, and there was a hint of cunning in his eyes.

He said to the old man:

"There is a famous saying: 'You have an apple and I have an apple. If you have an apple and I have an apple, and we exchange these apples with each other, then you and I still each have an apple. But,

If you have one thought and I have one thought, and we exchange these thoughts, each of us will have two thoughts."

The old man looked at the blond young man with a vague understanding, frowned and said:

"Intelligence? Information? Or regional scandal?"

He looked a little wary.

Xia Xiu shook his head, his golden hair swaying gently in the sunlight, and his expression looked softer and more frank.

"I'm not a federal agent," he said, "I'm just curious."

Xia Xiu shook the bucket in his hand and continued with a smile:

"Old man, you just need to tell me some stories about this place, or take me to visit the attractions here, and I will be willing to give these fish to you for free."

Joseph was stunned for a moment, then laughed loudly and happily.

"So that's it, young man, you are such an interesting person. Okay, I promise you. But you have to keep your word!"

Xia Xiu nodded and smiled brighter, "Of course, I keep my word. Let's go, old man, let's talk while we walk. I really want to know more about the stories here."

Joseph smiled with satisfaction, picked up a fish, and looked at its appearance carefully, as if he was admiring a precious work of art.

Other residents who were watching also came forward and cast curious and friendly glances at Xia Xiu.

Xia Xiu asked the old man to wait for a moment, and then he began to discuss the price with the residents gathered around him.

Everyone was very interested in the fresh northern pike, and soon he sold out all the fish in the bucket.

With the completion of the transaction, Xia Xiu had a stack of banknotes in his hand.

He did not put away the banknotes. Instead, he patted the banknotes in his hands and slowly walked towards the old man with a faint smile on his face.

The golden sunshine shone on his brilliant blond hair, shining with dazzling light, and the golden eyes in his eyes had a playful look.

The old man Joseph looked at the banknotes in the hands of the blond young man and the vague smile on his face, and he naturally understood something. A helpless smile appeared on his face, and he sighed softly.

"It seems you are still a businessman, young man."

Xia Xiu smiled and shrugged,

"No matter what, we all have to make a living, right? But my curiosity is not just for these fish."

Joseph nodded and understood what Xia Xiu meant,

"Okay, what you want to know is about the suicide, right?"

Xia Xiu's smile did not change, "Yes, I am very interested in this matter. I hope you can tell me some details."

Joseph looked at Xia Xiu again, looked at the banknotes in his hand, and then said slowly,

"Okay, now that you've earned my trust, I'll tell you what we know."

The old man took Xia Xiu out of the residential area and walked towards the street where his home was located.

They were walking on a street called Liuyin Road, where tall willow trees were planted on both sides. The branches swayed in the wind, giving people a sense of peace and tranquility.

Joseph's home is located in an area on the south bank of the island city. This area is just outside the suburbs surrounded by dense forests and lakes to the south.

The path meanders through patches of grass and woods, and the air is filled with the fresh aroma of plants.

Not far away, a blue lake shimmered in the sun, and the willow trees beside the lake hung down their long branches, as if caressing the lake.

The signs next to the road signs read "Isati", "Holy Lake Orphanage", "House of Hope", "Jinghu Cemetery" and "Overseas", which are particularly eye-catching.

Xia Xiu glanced at the signboards and was full of curiosity about these places, but he knew that now was not the time to explore these places.

After passing the sign, they arrived at Joseph's house. It was a typical single-family house with red brick walls and white window frames that looked particularly cozy.

The house is surrounded by a small garden, which is filled with various flowers, plants and vegetables. A small gravel path winds through the garden and leads directly to the front door of the house.

There is also a small wooden table and several chairs in the garden, which is obviously where Joseph rested and entertained guests on weekdays.

"Come in, let's go in and talk."

Joseph opened the door and invited Xia Xiu into his home.
To be continued...