Goblin Heavy Dependence

Chapter 182 Mirror and Secret Realm

The moonlight was rich and intense.

Deep in the slums, in abandoned open spaces.

It remained as deathly silent as before.

The ripples in the space subsided quietly, and the stagnant black-haired figure disappeared from the spot along with the smoothed-out wrinkles.

"Tick-tock".

Crimson blood gushed uncontrollably from the wound in his throat and neck, almost pooling into a small pool on the ground.

The disheveled blonde elf seemed to feel no pain, maintaining that strange, twisted posture, her face as cold and stiff as a corpse.

Raise your head slightly.

His unfocused, vacant eyes reflected the perfect silver moon in the center of the sky.

Gazing at the pale moonlight floating softly like a thin veil above the field.

There was no communication.

It's also possible that ordinary people wouldn't notice it.

It's like a fleeting, gentle breeze.

As the elf withdrew her gaze, the soft moonlight, like gauze or mist, gently melted into the depths of the night.

despair--

It was the soft sound of footsteps moving.

Just as unsteadily and wobbly as she had arrived, the golden-haired elf turned around, as if wanting to leave.

But as soon as she took a step, the elf's two long, slender legs turned into shattered bones and flesh, completely disintegrating.

Like a malfunctioning robot, the elf's body fell to the ground in an extremely stiff posture.

That sticky, law-like language, seemingly from another world, was not something an adventurer not known for his physical prowess could withstand.

The golden-haired elf lay paralyzed on the ground, and blood-red streaks of light, like lava, appeared on her skin at a visible speed.

It won't take long, just a few seconds, for this completely exhausted and collapsing corpse to turn into a pool of blood and mud that is unrecognizable.

He just lay there quietly.

His face was turned upwards, his eyes were dull and lifeless, and he did not move at all.

But next second.

On the other side of the field, there were the flesh and blood of Buck, a patient with a beast-like condition, dismembered by an invisible force.

Silently swept up, it converged into a blood-red stream, meandering and flowing through the air.

It surrounds and merges into the elf's body.

The cracks on the skin surface quickly subsided, the torn legs slowly healed, and the neck, which had burst open and exposed the vertebrae, also recovered...

They didn't care about the "beastification" curse, nor did they care about the faint moonlight that entered their bodies along with the blood and bits of flesh.

His expression remained stiff and devoid of any emotional fluctuation throughout.

Golden strands of hair stained with blood clung to her cheeks as the elf awkwardly rose, as if nothing had happened.

They walked into the shadows of the dilapidated bungalows next to them.

Swaying and staggering, it disappeared into the night.

A cold evening wind howled past.

On the field, only a few claw marks left from the battle and a few strands of brown mane stuck in the cracks of the rocks remained.

And a pale bear skeleton.

……

……

It's hard to describe Xia Nan's feelings at this moment.

Normally speaking, whether it's the so-called "time travel" or the "time-space travel" in various works from the past, there is always a process of change to some extent.

It could be the rapidly receding star trails, or a sudden dizziness leading to loss of consciousness.

Even I, before I transmigrated to this world, at least heard a few car horns and the sound of tires rubbing against the road.

But right now, it's happening to me.

It was like waking from a dream, a physical "blink of an eye," a sudden change in the surrounding scenery.

A strange and powerful golden-haired elf, the soft, bright moonlight, the fur and bones of a brown bear, and even the blurry outlines of dilapidated houses in the distance...

It vanished in an instant.

Instead, there was a suddenly bright and spacious environment, neat shelves against the wooden wall, and even the faint stench in the air was replaced by a familiar incense.

The sudden change in their surroundings caused Xia Nan to instinctively take a step back.

"Crench."

The thick leather boots landed on the wooden floor with a crisp sound.

He realized that he had regained control of his body.

Xia Nan suddenly bent over, supporting himself on his knees with both hands, and gasped for breath.

The veins in his neck were bulging, and his forehead was covered in sweat.

The terrifying pressure he had endured in those few short minutes suddenly erupted.

"What...what the hell is that?!"

The exaggerated and bizarre behavior displayed by the other party was completely different from what he knew an ordinary adventurer who had not yet reached the "extraordinary" level should possess.

I recall the scene where the elf seemed unaccustomed to its own body, even its walking appeared particularly awkward.

Xia Nan even wondered if the person standing in front of him just now was the same elf he had met at the association a few dozen days ago.

But regardless, one thing is certain.

Everything that happened in that short half-night was closely related to the [sheep-deer human statue].

The sudden arrival of the elf, his frozen body, the system note he was forced to recite, and the so-called "His true name"...

"Since when?"

"Was it what happened at Jeff's house the day I arrived in Newme, or..."

My thoughts suddenly came to a halt.

Xia Nan was taken aback.

His eyes were fixed straight ahead, on that row of familiar, empty shelves.

He turned around instinctively, his gaze sweeping over his surroundings.

This is a small room that is not very spacious, but its simple interior and thoughtful design make it exceptionally bright and clean.

The wooden cabinet placed against the wall, and the small reception desk close to the inner room on the other side, also indicate the function of this room to some extent:
—A small shop selling goods.

If that were all, it wouldn't have surprised Xia Nan so much.

However, the memories surging in his mind were clearly telling him the truth.

This was the place he had visited many times, where he had earned a three-figure sum of gold coins by selling various small stones—

A general store called "Fairy Wind"!
At the same time, it was also the place where I first came into contact with the [Sheep and Deer Statue]!

"I'm back in River Valley Town!?"

Xia Nan felt overwhelmed by a tremendous sense of absurdity.

If it weren't for the two pieces of armor that had been melted into molten iron and the wooden carving that had disappeared from the shelf.

He even felt that his experience from Riverdale to Newme during this time was just a hallucination caused by the statue.

He only breathed a slight sigh of relief after staring at his reflection in the window, summoning his attribute panel, carefully checking the proficiency of each combat skill, and confirming that they were no longer in their pre-departure state.

At the same time, after experiencing high pressure, his rationality returned to his mind, and his heart gradually calmed down after temporarily escaping the predicament, which also made him aware of the abnormality of his surroundings.

First, what can be confirmed is this.

He was currently in the "Fairy Wind" general store in River Valley Town.

The store's layout, decoration style, and even a few details that most people rarely notice are exactly the same as what I have seen before.

but……

The shop owner, "Farillo," who wore gold-rimmed glasses and was supposed to be sitting behind the counter, had disappeared.

There was no sound at all from inside the room.

Even the streets outside the door, which used to be bustling with adventurers day and night, were now completely silent and deathly still.

They sensed something was amiss.

Xia Nan gripped the decapitation sword tightly in his hand, his body tense, alert to any potential danger.

I tiptoed and carefully pushed open the door of the grocery store.

"Dingling bell~"

The bells hanging above the wooden door jingled softly.

What came into view was a street he knew all too well. A straight, wide stone-paved avenue, brightly colored signs attracting passersby, and rows upon rows of shops of all kinds…

Xia Nan could even see from afar the highly recognizable Adventurers' Guild, with its misty forest style and resembling a giant oak tree.

However, on the streets that are always bustling and lively.

At this moment, however, there was no one there.

Forget about adventurers and merchants, we didn't even see a single sparrow.

A hint of caution flashed deep within his dark eyes, and inexplicable thoughts flowed through his mind.

With the iron-gray sword tip pointing upwards, he slowly took a step.

Instead of shouting out, he simply walked along the road toward the Adventurers' Guild.

He originally thought that after reciting his so-called "true name," he was teleported to River Valley Town.

But the current situation seems to be different from what was imagined.

Like a "mirror world" from a past urban legend, the environment is exactly the same as reality, yet there is not a single person in it.

Not knowing how to get out, he planned to go to the Adventurers' Guild first.

After all, in his mind, the association was the safest place in the whole town.

If everything except life itself were copied in, then in that place where high-level professionals gather in the real world, he might find something useful to help him out of his predicament.

Lost in thought, Xia Nan suddenly stopped taking her first steps.

But what appeared before him was a tightly closed door.

A faint orange glow could be seen through the crack in the door.

This is... the White Sparrow Tavern.

A thought flashed through my mind, as if to confirm something.

He stepped forward slowly and carefully pushed open the door.

"Crench."

Accompanied by the creaking sound of the hinges rubbing together.

What comes into view is the flickering firelight in the fireplace, the glass goblets reflecting a clear luster, and the gently swaying, colorful tapestry...

And the empty tables, devoid of any people.

Since transmigrating to this world, Xia Nan had never seen the White Sparrow Tavern in such a state.

Even on the busiest hunting days, the tavern hall is filled with the noise of adventurers and the aroma of wine and food.

But right now it's so empty and quiet.

The stark contrast sent a chill down his spine.

Taking a deep breath, Xia Nan walked straight in and, following the directions in her memory, arrived at her long-term rented room on the second floor.

Observe carefully.

They discovered that the furnishings inside the house were exactly the same as when they left.

Inside the drawer were a few silver coins that he had temporarily stored there and forgotten to take with him.

There were even a few blood-stained shoe prints left on the doorway next to the outside corridor.

Xia Nan remembers clearly that day when she packed her luggage and planned to go to the post station to catch a ride to Newme.

I happened to run into a few adventurers who had just finished their quests and were returning to rest, covered in blood.

I remember being complained about by the pub owner, Chapton, who said that the bloodstains on the floor were a hassle to clean up.

But now...

Xia Nan frowned, sensing something amiss.

Based on his impression of the pub's cleaners, such stains located in a prominent place in the corridor would almost certainly not last until the next day.

However, even if the few bloody shoe prints were difficult to clean, it had been almost a month since I left the house, and I could easily clean them up by just sprinkling some water and wiping them off every day.

It's impossible for it to still look like what he sees now, as if it were newly left behind.

"Could it be that... the timeline of this mirror world is not synchronized with the outside world?"

"Or is it stuck on the day you left River Valley Town?"

With no further clues, Xia Nan frowned and pondered for a moment before giving up.

After leaving the second floor of the tavern, we returned to the main street outside.

Thinking that no matter what, I should go to the Adventurers' Guild first and see what the situation is.

……

The association is located right next to the White Sparrow Tavern.

He hadn't gone out more than a few steps when the unique building, resembling an oak tree, came into view.

It was equally deserted and empty.

The bounty wall, which used to be surrounded by adventurers, and the front desk office with its long queues, are now only filled with the sound of a gentle breeze.

His gaze swept across the spacious hall, and as if he had thought of something, Xia Nan's eyes suddenly lit up.

Their attention remained highly focused, and they were always ready for battle.

However, he walked towards the corner of the hall, towards the alchemist's shop.

Regardless of whether or not they can get out in the end.

If this world really only contained one person, and all kinds of items were completely copied into it.

Wouldn't all those expensive potions on the shelves of alchemy shops, priced at tens or hundreds of gold, become ownerless?

His emotions fluctuated wildly, reaching their peak when he actually took a bottle of "healing potion" from the shelf that cost as much as fifty gold coins.

At this moment, Xia Nan wished he could sweep the entire shop clean and pack up all the potions to take away.

And just as his heart was in turmoil.

In the corner of the shelf, a blurry, dark shadow was caught by the corner of his eye.

"What kind of medicine was originally placed there?"

That was his first thought.

Suddenly, I was taken aback and realized something was amiss.

He clutched the healing potion in his palm, strode out of the shop, and headed towards the stairs leading to the second floor of the association.

The journey was smooth and without any obstacles.

But just as he went up the stairs to the corner and looked at the upper area he had never seen before,

All that came into view was a blurry black shadow.

Difficult to touch, impossible to approach.

He casually pulled off the bottle stopper and poured the entire bottle of medicine into his mouth.

The taste was still sweet and refreshing, but the warm current that restored strength and healed injuries did not appear.

It's as if it's just a bottle of sweet water, having lost its therapeutic effect.

Xia Nan walked out of the association, his gaze sweeping over the empty streets.

I randomly chose a small alley I'd never been to before—and was shrouded in darkness;

He entered a clothing store he had never been to before—the room was filled with shadows;
A shadowy figure forcibly broke open a storage box whose contents were unknown...

It was only then that he finally realized it.

He was not in the mirror world of reality that he had once thought he was in.

Instead, it is based on his own memories and cognition, and is a first-person perspective of the river valley town he has seen.

Countless chaotic thoughts intertwined in my mind.

Xia Nan stood on the street, lost in thought, his gaze sweeping over the familiar scenery around him.

I don't know why, even though the triggering methods are completely different, the scenes that occur are also fundamentally different.

But at this moment, he couldn't help but recall the memory from more than half a year ago, when he followed the half-elf team deep into the Misty Forest and ended up accidentally entering the Snake Cave Secret Realm.

In some ways, the two... seem to have similarities.

Both are creations that appeared out of thin air, carrying a strong otherworldly style—oriental classical buildings scattered throughout the forest, and strange statues of unknown origin that are inexplicably hot.
The environment also changed suddenly—from the real world to some other dimension...

And if it really is as I think...

It's like the dew dripping from the gourd vines deepest in the snake pit.

There must be some kind of core entity within this area that can help him escape.

"Crack... Crack..."

He pondered.

In my ears, there was a strange sound, subtle yet clear, coming from the end of the street.

(End of this chapter)