Goblin Heavy Dependence

Chapter 261 You... seem very afraid of me?

Vera's two conditions.

For Xia Nan, it was beyond what could be simply described as "generous".

It's practically the same as giving it away for free.

They were unaware of the concept of "world line offset rate," nor did they know that the mage girl had already exceeded the goals of the plan.

From his own perspective, Violet paid a considerable price, banishing an adult red dragon to the escort team.

It seems unbelievable now, but they really did it.

On this premise, she voluntarily gave up the distribution of the spoils and instead put forward two ambiguous conditions to herself.

To be honest, on the way here, Xia Nan had thought countless times about how and how much he would have to pay to keep the [Dream Corridor] by his side.

The current developments, however, have greatly exceeded his expectations.

Of course, even so, given his personality, he wouldn't blindly agree based on emotional fluctuations, nor would he pretend to be generous and offer extra compensation.

Instead, he began to carefully consider the feasibility of the two conditions proposed by Violet.

First, explain the general effects of the [Dream Corridor] to the other party.

Without a doubt, the special ability of the [Dream Corridor] to enhance combat skill proficiency is a precious device that can be called a "divine artifact" for any professional in this world.

Under normal circumstances, for his own safety, he would not reveal the function of the equipment to others.

But the current situation is different.

Standing in front of Xia Nan, wanting him to explain the effects of the [Dream Corridor] equipment, was a mysterious mage whose class level was clearly not yet above level five, yet who was able to permanently banish an adult red dragon with a challenge level of "17".

Its background and strength remain a mystery.

In a reasonable situation, and when the other party has not shown hostility or even clearly expressed goodwill as a teammate.

Xia Nan felt that she shouldn't hide this information.

In other words, if you deliberately conceal information or fabricate details when faced with questions from others, you may cause the situation, which should be progressing smoothly, to develop in a worse direction.

It even eventually escalated into a conflict that was difficult for both sides to resolve.

Therefore, the only concern is the information that might reveal the existence of his cheat-like "attribute panel".

However, considering that Violet specifically mentioned that parts involving her privacy could be reserved.

Then there shouldn't be much of a problem.

The first condition is acceptable.

Xia Nan weighed the pros and cons in his mind.

As for the second condition—a favor that will be used at least three years later to wipe out the dragon's lair.

It's alright, within an acceptable range.

At my current rate of growth, I should be at least level 5 in three years, and it's not impossible for me to reach even higher.

In this situation, with his few trump cards and special abilities like "gravity," facing a dragon's nest where its master is not present, he should at least be able to survive, if not guarantee success.

Furthermore, Violet's combat strength is mysterious. Based on my observations of her personality, the fact that she made this suggestion already indicates that she is quite confident. She is already able to banish the dragon now, and after three years of preparation, she should become even more reliable.

Can accept it.

Xia Nan nodded secretly, and couldn't help but recall the words that Wei Rou'er had used earlier, feeling a little uneasy.

A favor... Could one's own favors really be this valuable?
The air is silent.

After Violet made those two conditions, no one spoke again.

His amber eyes, almost forced, were fixed on the black-haired figure in front of him.

Even the chestnut-brown high ponytail that was always so lively at the back of her head stopped bouncing.

The tension on the girl's face was so intense it was almost overflowing, and you could vaguely see her tightly closed teeth between her slightly bloodless lips.

If someone possessed mind-reading abilities at that moment, they could easily perceive the chaotic and turbulent thoughts in Violet's mind:

"Why aren't you saying anything? Are my conditions a bit too harsh?"

"That shouldn't be the case! I thought about it all night yesterday!"

Why is he frowning?! Oh no, oh no, should we just give up?

"But if I suggest shelving the conditions now, wouldn't that have a negative effect?"

"Agree or disagree, hurry up, hurry up!"

"Say something, will you...?"

Finally, under Violet's focused gaze, Xia Nan finished his thoughts.

His eyes snapped back to attention, and he looked at the mage girl.

He nodded slightly.

"can."

call--

It's hard to imagine what Violet was feeling at that moment. It was as if the heavy pressure that had been building up in her heart had been released in an instant, and she felt completely relaxed.

If the other person hadn't been standing right next to her, she probably would have collapsed to the ground.

Sweat had somehow soaked the shirt under the girl's outer robe on her back, and even her breathing rate had become a little more rapid.

At the same time, the momentary relaxation following extreme pressure brings an unparalleled sense of accomplishment.

She did it!

With her own tenacious will, she briefly overcame the shadow of fear that originated from her past life and had recently intensified.

Calm, composed, and principled, she completed a fair trade between adventurers with the man before her, known as "Death Omen."

At this moment, Violet couldn't help but sigh in her heart that the experience of rebirth and the heavy burden of "saving the world" on her shoulders had indeed made her grow.

Perhaps his strength is still much weaker than before his rebirth, but his mental will has gradually improved and become more and more determined.

With a subtle look in his eyes, Xia Nan glanced at the girl standing in front of him, who seemed somewhat dazed.

Having grown accustomed to the other person's trembling yet feigned composure, he rubbed the silver ring on his right ring finger with his fingertip, carefully organizing his thoughts, omitting any information that might reveal his attribute panel, and slowly began to speak:

"The effect of this item is actually very simple: it allows the user to experience a nearly real and complete 'dream' in a very short time, and the specific content of the 'dream' may be related to the combat skills mastered by the user."

"After the 'dream' ends, the user will gain a large amount of combat skill proficiency related to the 'dream' content."

"It was thanks to this device that I was able to break through the bottleneck in a combat skill that was already close to 'mastery' and achieve a professional level upgrade."

"However, the use of the device is not without its costs. Its conditions for use are extremely demanding. I was only able to activate it by chance at the time. It cannot be replicated and I do not have the ability to use it again in the short term."

Upon hearing this, Violet, whose emotions had gradually calmed down, also subconsciously began to think.

"Can it improve combat skill proficiency?"

"No wonder Sava in his previous life seemed to have encountered a turning point in his life after this mission, and everything about him began to improve."

"In this light, the rumors about the Morton family seem a bit more credible. Their ancestors probably relied on this device to rise from commoners to founding dukes."

"And the restrictions on the use mentioned by 'Death Omen' are precisely why no one in the Morton family has been able to restore the glory of their ancestors."

"but……"

Sava is now dead, but the device has fallen into Xia Nan's hands.

This person, who also came from an ordinary background but possessed extraordinary talent and later earned a fearsome reputation, was already showing an abnormal rate of development in the present timeline.

Now, with the addition of this heirloom from the Morton family, the rate of improvement will only be faster than in the previous life.

And the achievements to be made in the future...

Violet couldn't help but shiver again.

In any case, it's better for the items to be with him than for them to fall into the hands of Sawa, that big traitor of the alliance.

The girl comforted herself in this way.

At the same time, he took out a small, dark purple, rhomboid crystal, about the size of a fingernail, from his waist bag.

He reached out and handed it to Xia Nan, placing it in her palm.

"This is a specially modified communication crystal. I will use it to contact you when I am ready."

"Don't worry, the crystal material is fragile and can only be used a limited number of times. I won't disturb it normally. I will only use it after the plan for the Red Dragon's Nest is finalized."

Xia Nan nodded, glanced at the surface of the dark amethyst twice, and then put it away, placing it in the deepest part of his pouch along with the wolf fang that the barbarian Fugang had left him.

Suddenly, as if she had thought of something, Violet's expression became hesitant.

He hesitated for a moment before cautiously speaking softly:
"Are you... planning to go back to River Valley Town afterward?"

"What's wrong?" Xia Nan frowned slightly, sensing the meaning behind the girl's words.

"From Yuansha Province to Panyun Province, the most convenient way to start from our current town is to return via the same route."

"But Morton might have already found out about Terry William's situation. The entrances and exits near the mountain canyon will probably be closed soon, and Molten Scale Town is in a complete mess. Going back like this might be a bit troublesome."

Upon hearing this, Xia Nan's brows furrowed even more deeply.

I definitely need to go back to River Valley Town; there's no need to elaborate on that.

After all, the Serpent Scale Arm Shield that he had upgraded at great expense was still at the "Rockhammer" blacksmith shop, and he couldn't just give it up like that.

However, at the same time, if what Verorel said is true, even if the Morton family does not have evidence that they killed Terry William, it would indeed be somewhat dangerous to simply return the way they came and plunge into an area meticulously controlled by the opposing forces.

I am far from being reduced to the point where I need to force my way into Molten Scale Town based on the idea that "the most dangerous place is the safest place".

"so……"

Xia Nan raised his eyebrows slightly, looked at the mage girl in front of him, and gestured for her to continue.

"There are two options."

Feeling the gaze of the young man in front of her, Violet felt a dryness in her mouth and subconsciously pursed her lips.

"The first option is to stay in the town to rest and recuperate, and then return the way you came after a few months when things have calmed down."

"The second option is to take a long detour, bypassing the Molten Scale Mountains from the other side of Yuansha Province, and return to River Valley Town."

"The time required for the two options varies, depending on how much the Morton family values ​​the deceased knight commander and how fast you travel."

Xia Nan didn't reply, but just looked at the other person quietly.

In his view, given the girl's personality, she wouldn't bring these things up for no reason.

There's more to come.

Clearly, his guess was very accurate.

Faced with the invisible pressure, Violet could no longer hold back and decisively surrendered, revealing her true purpose:

"here."

She took out a blank piece of paper from her pouch, gathered magic at her fingertips, and drew a few lines on the paper. Two lines of clear text then appeared.

"Right here, there might be something that can help you."

His amber eyes shifted slightly, his gaze sweeping over the silver ring on Xia Nan's right ring finger.

The location on the note was "Plan-B" for the Dragonborn Sava, a backup plan in case he failed to join the guard squad in Riverdale or failed to find an opportunity to kill Sava.

From an ordinary, low-level adventurer to a powerful figure who could cause an entire front to fall when betrayed in the future, the Dragonborn's growth has several key milestones.

The escort mission from River Valley Town to Sticky Tree Territory was the first and most important one.

The note she gave to Xia Nan contained the second location of Sava's transformation, which was clearly remembered from her memory.

Previously, Violet knew nothing about what the Dragonborn had obtained there; the information was even more vague than during the previous escort mission.

But after learning from Xia Nan about the device that could improve proficiency in a short time, yet had strict conditions for use.

But a vague suspicion arose in my mind.

Xia Nan glanced at the note and promptly put it into his pocket.

His face remained expressionless; he simply said in a deep voice:

"Thank you."

"Tell me, what do you need me to do?"

It couldn't possibly be a gift for nothing. After so much groundwork laid, he had already sensed the other party's intentions.

Sure enough, as soon as she finished speaking, a somewhat embarrassed smile appeared on Violet's face.

"It's actually nothing."

"There's only one thing..."

"..."

Xia Nan's face showed a thoughtful expression.

He pondered the other party's request.

After a moment's thought, he nodded slightly.

"Then I'll leave it to you!" Seeing this, Violet breathed a sigh of relief.

At this point, the two had finished discussing the distribution of the spoils and the subsequent arrangements.

Seeing the other person's forced composure and increasingly pale face, I knew there was no need for further pleasantries.

Xia Nan was thinking of saying goodbye and leaving.

But after turning halfway around, he suddenly seemed to remember something and abruptly turned back.

Violet's body, which had been somewhat relaxed, instantly straightened up.

"I didn't mean anything by it, I was just curious."

"Actually, I've had this question ever since we first met at the Adventurers' Guild."

"The timing wasn't quite right before, but now it's just right."

"You... seem very afraid of me?"

hum-

A chilling aura burst forth from his heart, instantly spreading throughout his body, causing his slender, rock-like frame to tremble violently twice.

Her lips moved, her pupils contracted, and her amber eyes reflected the darkness before her. Panic and fear spread invisibly, as if to devour the girl's consciousness.

"I……"

She opened her mouth, but the countless words she had prepared beforehand seemed to be stuck in her throat, and she couldn't utter a single word.

At that moment, Violet forgot to breathe.

(End of this chapter)