"Damn...cough...temperature." Oliver, who was soaked all over, huddled in the corner, hugging himself tightly in his single clothes, shivering uncontrollably because of the cold.
It was as if he was locked in an ice cellar. The iron blocks and metal around him radiated an unbearable cold, and his buttocks were almost numb from the ice.
The oil lamp in front of him exuded a negligible warmth, and the warmth that Oliver felt on his palm close to the lampshade was as weak as an illusion.
Oliver shivered, more from cold than fear.
It's safe here. Those terrifying banyan trees surround the river. Oliver has seen how they treat the existence that disturbs them, like hundreds of snakes, entangled, tightened, and then inserted into the flesh to suck... No monster dares to enter.
Here, except for the monsters themselves.
"But but here... it's just... like a frozen hell."
Oliver muttered with chattering teeth, raised his head and looked around the cabin.
This place was originally a crew cabin or something, but there are no traces of use. There are only iron frames for bunk beds, without beds and quilts. Otherwise, Oliver, who was unbearable from the cold, could at least dry himself off and wrap himself up.
The rusty and peeling paint walls were like rugged rocks on the seaside, and the only round window was covered by Oliver's coat to avoid being discovered by the outside world.
Oliver sniffed. His nose was almost numb. Even if he didn't look in the mirror, he knew that his nose must look like a clown.
He barely managed to survive in the ice cellar-like environment for more than ten minutes, and then his nose gradually became clogged and his coughing became more severe.
Oliver knew the situation very well - he was going to be sick.
It's not a good idea to get sick deep in the swamp. You might lose strength, fall into a coma, and die in ignorance.
and……
Oliver turned his head to look over his shoulder, his nose blocking part of his sight. It was difficult to see the specific condition of the wound clearly in the dimness, but Oliver only had to reach out and touch it, and he could feel the viscous liquid like snot covering the wound.
The wound is bleeding.
Maybe that bone knife also comes with a curse or something...
Oliver was thinking wildly and it became increasingly difficult to sit still. Thinking that doing nothing might lead to a tragic ending, he gritted his teeth and got up.
This boat is most likely safe, and you can definitely find warm clothes and food, and maybe anti-inflammatory drugs...
The hope of survival drove Oliver to push open the cabin door that made a grinding sound, holding an oil lamp, and walking in the dark corridor that echoed with the sound of streams and footsteps.
Oliver worked as a sailor for a few weeks, but regretfully left the deck due to seasickness.
He knew where items were of most value—the first-class cabin above deck and the captain's mate's quarters.
But now he wants to survive rather than hunt for treasure, so he doesn't plan to get involved on the deck - at least not for the time being.
This should be an ocean liner, which explains the purpose of the rows of hatches on both sides of the corridor. Although Oliver didn't understand why this big ship was deep in the swamp, there must have been no passengers on it "on the way" here.
Otherwise, Oliver should have found the bones on this rusty ship that had been stranded for more than ten years.
In order to save energy, Oliver skipped the less valuable cabin and went directly to the kitchen or dining room below the deck.
The latter is easier to find, because the restaurant usually has to accommodate more than a hundred people for dinner, is large and conspicuous.
Exaggerated rust stains corroded layer after layer, and the reddish-brown walls made the corridor look like the inside of some huge creature.
Walking silently through the corridor below the deck, it didn't take Oliver long to find the restaurant huddle through a vague street sign.
The restaurant here is arranged like a pub, with tables and chairs stacked on the left side, mixed with broken dishes and wine bottles, as if the ship had suffered a serious rollover.
Oliver didn't expect to find rare and delicious ingredients. This ship had been abandoned for at least ten years! Anything left for so long should rot... and...
Well, Oliver has seen a lot of rotten food, but he has never seen food that has been rotten for more than ten years - he usually picks up the "fresher" rotten food and takes it home to share with Jojo.
Entering the restaurant, Oliver approached the approximate location of the kitchen, but as he got closer, he began to feel a little uneasy.
He found many clothes and shoes on the soaked floor around him, as well as discarded suitcases... This was not something that should be on an empty ship...
Perhaps the crew's luggage?
Oliver didn't want to scare himself, so he warned himself not to think blindly and opened the door leading to the kitchen.
The sound of the stream became clearer, flowing into the kitchen through the broken porthole window.
The uneasy silence was dispersed, and Oliver breathed a sigh of relief and entered the kitchen.
He didn't want to think blindly, but just like the tables and chairs in the restaurant, the debris scattered around the edges contained bones, from cattle, livestock, pigs, and others that couldn't be distinguished.
Oliver groaned in pain.
When the accident happened, there were passengers on board...
Thinking back to the cabins he passed by while walking, his torso gradually became stiff.
And there are many.
Oliver didn't dare to turn around because he felt that many figures were standing quietly at the kitchen door behind him.
Should he turn around or not? The frightened Oliver was troubled. He thought he was scaring himself, but he vaguely heard breathing sounds other than his own.
After standing stiffly for a few minutes, Oliver slowly turned around - everything remained as it was originally.
Oliver gasped for breath several times, not daring to stay any longer. He rummaged through the cabinet and found a few boxes of unopened cans. Without having time to carefully identify them, he grabbed the oil lamp and ran away with them all the way back to the cabin at the end.
Bang.
The hatch closed, and the can dropped to the ground with a clatter and rolled away from his feet.
Oliver panted heavily, wiped the cold sweat or water stains from his forehead, walked a few steps and suddenly turned around, staring closely at the hatch.
One minute, two minutes...it wasn't until the heat and tension subsided and the chill reappeared that Oliver confirmed that there was no one tracking him.
After this experience, Oliver was no longer so frightened the second time he explored the cabin.
He controlled himself not to think about where the passengers here were going. He returned to the restaurant, silently recited prayers for the deceased to rest in peace, picked up wet clothes that could still be used from the suitcase, and found some kerosene and charcoal in the kitchen.
, took away the remaining cans and returned to the hiding place.
He did not disturb the cabins on both sides of the corridor. The rows of cabins standing like coffins gave him the feeling of a banyan tree forest outside the ship.
After closing the hatch, leaving only a small ventilation gap, Oliver returned to the pile of charcoal, poured it on, and struck the last match tremblingly.
The burning fire brought warmth and vitality, and Oliver relaxed and sat down in front of the fire.