Die, Replay, Repeat

Chapter 318 - The Ferryman

As the Ferryman approached, a biting chill seemed to pierce straight through the group's defenses, settling deep within their bones and hearts.

All eyes were locked on the Ferryman's grotesque figure, every member of the group on high alert, their weapons ready. Yet, the Ferryman made no threatening moves. It merely stopped the boat at the shore, standing perfectly still as though waiting.

"Get on the boat," Fang Xiu ordered calmly.

Without hesitation, the group stepped aboard, though their movements were deliberate, their wariness palpable.

Taking advantage of the moment, Yang Ming bent down and scooped up the Spirit Money that Wei Xin had dropped earlier.

Once on the boat, the group instinctively kept their distance from the Ferryman, whose shriveled, skeletal form seemed too weird to be human. None dared to relax, not in this ghostly place with such a terrifying entity mere feet away.

Yang Ming examined the Spirit Money in his hands. "Ten bills, all in thousand-unit denominations. That makes ten thousand," he declared proudly.

The others leaned closer to inspect the bills, and it didn't take long for someone to notice something strange.

"This isn't the same Spirit Money used in the real world," Li Xiaoru pointed out. "From the design, it looks like something from an ancient era. I've seen a similar style in some old texts."

"What book was it?" Xiong Tianguang asked, curious.

Li Xiaoru froze momentarily before giving an awkward laugh. "I can't remember exactly. I've read so many over the years, the titles all blur together."

Luo Qingxin took one of the Spirit Money bills and held it up, carefully rubbing it between her fingers as she examined it.

After a moment, she returned it to Yang Ming and said, "There's a faint trace of Specter energy in this. It feels a little like a Specter Gadget."@@@@

"A Specter Gadget?!" Yang Ming's eyes lit up with excitement. "Does that mean this stuff is really valuable?"

Luo Qingxin shook her head. "It contains Specter energy, yes, but it doesn't seem to have any unique functionality. In fact, prolonged exposure might destabilize your Spiritual Energy. It might be valuable here in the Land Between, but it likely has no worth in the outside world."

Yang Ming's enthusiasm vanished almost instantly.

His attention shifted to the Ferryman. "Why isn't the boat moving yet? Don't tell me that zombie was actually right—it needs payment?"

"Let me try paying," Yang Ming offered. He cautiously separated six bills from the stack and held them out to the Ferryman.

Wei Xin had mentioned the fare was one thousand Spirit Money per person, so Yang Ming calculated the amount for all six of them.

For the first time, the Ferryman moved. A low creaking echoed as its skeletal frame stirred, its bony hand reaching out to accept the Spirit Money.

The moment the bills touched the Ferryman's hand, something strange occurred.

The Spirit Money burst into flames without warning. Bright, greenish fire danced along the bills, burning them into fine black ash.

"What do you mean?" Xiao Chuxia asked nervously.

Fang Xiu pointed to the floor of the boat. "The boat is leaking."

Their eyes snapped downward, and terror washed over them. Sure enough, water was seeping through cracks in the boat's wooden planks.

"Damn it!" Yang Ming yelled, panic rising. "Ferryman, your boat's leaking! Do something!"

The Ferryman, unmoving except for the slow, rhythmic rowing of his oar, ignored Yang Ming's outburst.

The water level began to rise, creeping steadily higher. When the icy water touched their feet, an unnatural chill spread through their bodies—a cold so deep it felt like it reached their souls.

Li Xiaoru gasped. "This water... it's suppressing our Spiritual Energy!"

Without hesitation, Luo Qingxin stepped forward and activated her ability. "Ice Seal!"

A rush of frigid air spread from her hands, aiming to freeze the leaking water and seal the cracks.

But the moment her ability touched the lake water, it vanished, swallowed whole by the sinister energy emanating from the lake.

"It's useless," she said through gritted teeth, her voice dark with frustration. "I can't freeze it."

Xiong Tianguang and Li Xiaoru also tried using their abilities, but the lake seemed to devour every ounce of power they poured into it. Their skills fizzled out, leaving no trace of effect.

"This place is insane," Xiong Tianguang muttered, his brows furrowed. "It's nothing like the real world. Everything here is designed to kill us."

The group felt a crushing sense of helplessness. In the real world, they were elites—powerful psychics who stood at the pinnacle of their field.

But here in the Land Between, even something as mundane as a leaking boat was beyond their ability to handle.

Fang Xiu, however, remained impassive. He seemed unsurprised by their inability to counter the lake's sinister properties.

The Land Between was a realm intimately tied to the Other Side. Its horrors weren't meant to be easily overcome. In a place where even the strongest psychics could fall victim to small mistakes, nothing could be taken lightly.

Yang Ming, now frantic, turned to the Ferryman and shouted, "You took our money, and how your boat is sinking! Fix it, damn you!"

The Ferryman gave no response. His hollow sockets glowed faintly with green light, his skeletal hands gripping the oar as he continued rowing.

The water inside the boat rose steadily, reaching their ankles. The bone-chilling cold began to sap their strength.

The oppressive silence of the lake was broken only by the creaking of the boat and the grinding of the Ferryman's movements.

The group's unease deepened. They were trapped on this sinking vessel, surrounded by a lake filled with corpses and an otherworldly cold that seemed to eat away at their very existence.