Pale white smoke drifted from the skull's eye sockets, and its teeth were also made of pure gold.
Erica couldn't imagine how such a frail body could support such heavy gold coin decorations.
At this moment, she didn't want to think about these strange things anymore, because the scene before her was already suffocating enough.
Immediately afterwards, the skeleton boatman approached the shore and extended his withered, dark three-fingered hand to her.
Erica paused for a moment, then suddenly remembered Professor Victor's advice.
She hurriedly pulled two gold coins from Victor's trench coat pocket.
Erica looked at the two gold coins, feeling a little guilty, and gave an embarrassed twitch of her lips.
Professor Hua's money should be fine, right?
When the gold coin landed in the boatman's hand, he withdrew his arm.
He examined it, tapped the gold coin, listened to the sound it made, and even bit it with his gold tooth.
After confirming that the gold coin was genuine, he put it into a cloth bag on his shoulder, making a crisp jingling sound.
Ding-dong—
A crisp sound reached Erica's ears; it was the sound of gold coins clinking together.
The boatman moved slightly towards the stern, making room for Erica to stand.
She gazed at the small, transparent boat, her heart churning with emotion.
Will this work...?
But now that we've come this far, there's no turning back.
So Erica mustered her courage and stepped onto the ship.
The moment her feet touched the boat, she could clearly feel the stability of the transparent hull.
She herself was gradually obscured by the wispy smoke.
Erica stood on the boat, and through the transparent hull, she could even see the deep River Styx below her feet.
At this moment, the scene beneath the river seemed to change.
Countless pale, wailing ghosts waved their dark, ethereal hands underwater, seemingly trying to drag any living person who passed by into the water.
However, this mysterious ship seemed to be under some kind of magic, as the deformed arms would rapidly retract the moment they touched the hull.
Erica felt a chill creep over her as she looked, and she quickly looked up, no longer daring to look.
The small boat started slowly, and the boatman gently rowed on the water with his pole.
At this moment, Erica remembered Victor's instructions and dared not make a sound.
As the small boat glided across the river, Erica felt as if the boat beneath her was floating, with a very slight sway.
Erica even had the illusion that she could float on the River Styx.
However, she knew the depth and lightness of the River Styx.
Even a feather can sink into it.
Only these ships, which belong exclusively to the underworld, can cross the River Styx.
Professor Victor told her all of this.
She didn't know how much time had passed, but the surrounding smoke had become so thick that Erica could hardly see anything.
She started to feel sleepy and wanted to yawn.
But yawning makes a sound, so Erica held it in.
As the ship moved, the smoke gradually thinned out.
Erica felt as if she could see the other side, covered in pristine white snow.
Suddenly, Victor's voice echoed in her mind:
"Now you can speak."
Erica was immediately overjoyed, and the oppression in her heart vanished.
She was about to speak when suddenly, she was drenched in cold sweat, as if a premonition of death was spreading over her head.
This immediately put Erica on alert.
The professor had made it clear beforehand that no one should speak while crossing the river.
Why would the professor suddenly break his instructions?
As she pondered, her fear intensified.
So she bravely endured it, ignoring the voice in her head.
Erica disembarked when the ship reached the shore.
Even when she heard the sound of the boat leaving the water, she did not turn around.
She walked resolutely along the snow-covered road, keeping Viktor's words in mind.
After you disembark, do not look back.
After a while, the cold voice in my mind finally rang out again:
"You can speak now."
This time, Erica finally let out a long, relaxed breath:
"Did I do it right, Professor?"
Viktor's somewhat satisfied voice echoed in his mind.
"As a boatman, Charon would give hints during the crossing."
“If you make a sound while crossing the river, Charon will know that you are alive and will eventually throw you into the River Styx.”
The dead cannot speak, so to get this somewhat eccentric boatman to take you across the river, you must make him believe that the person he is carrying is dead.
"You did a great job."
Erica pouted and smiled smugly.
Professor Victor's praise could make her happy for a long time.
With this lighthearted feeling, she continued along the snow-covered path.
The snow beneath her feet made a soft, compacting sound as she walked.
As she walked, a ray of sunlight seemed to pierce through the clouds in the distance.
The golden light shone brightly on the snow-covered earth, dazzlingly beautiful.
Erica's eyes widened in surprise.
For a fleeting moment, she felt as if she had left hell and returned to the human world.
But as she looked towards the sunlight, a vibrant garden bursting with flowers appeared before her.
Although the surrounding area is covered in snow, this lush and vibrant land exists like a miracle.
Seeing the scene before her, Erica couldn't help but take a step forward and walk into it.
However, the moment her foot touched the grass, Erica felt as if her entire body had been frozen.
An invisible force seemed to imprison her entire body.
A profound sense of astonishment welled up within her, and at the same time, a chaotic yet ethereal voice echoed from the sky:
"A living person? How could a living person get into this place?"
Why have you come?
Although the voice was light, it was anything but gentle when it reached Erica's ears.
Like Hades, he seems quite terrifying.
At this moment, Erica's forehead was covered in cold sweat, and even breathing became difficult.
But soon, Viktor's cold words echoed in her mind:
Give me your body.
Upon hearing this, Erica seemed to give up her struggle to break free of her restraints and closed her eyes.
Just one second later, she opened her eyes again.
His gaze was sharp and calm.
She calmly put her hands in her pockets and said with utmost composure:
"It was you who invited me here, Queen of the Underworld."
Erica's lips curled up slightly, a playful glint in her eyes:
"Madam, I have come as promised to share the spring with you."
"You won't refuse me, will you?"
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