Goblin Heavy Dependence

Chapter 357 Resumption of Stance and the Plan

The fingers holding the pink gemstone exerted a barely perceptible pressure, causing the skin on the fingertips in contact with the gemstone's surface to turn white from the pressure.

Xia Nan's dark eyes momentarily glazed over at the mechanical voice echoing in his mind, his emotions fluctuating accordingly.

His facial expression remained tense, showing no obvious change.

In addition, Margaret's somewhat excited reaction attracted the attention of the people on the field, so no one noticed that his body suddenly stiffened after his fingers touched the gem, but quickly returned to normal.

【Dream Corridor】...Charging...0.0003%! ?
Xia Nan will charge the foreign technological artifact he possesses and find its unlocking key as his mid-term goal.

In reality, neither the "key" itself nor the energy required to start the device can be found easily.

Compared to the vast territory of the Aifara continent, if Xia Nan were to wander aimlessly without any crucial information, the probability of him achieving his mid-term goals would be like finding a needle in a haystack, almost zero.

This is one of the reasons why, after learning from the Druid's experimental notes that a young master from the Morton family might be carrying clues about the key to the [Dream Corridor], he immediately planned a long journey without giving it much thought.

There are so few clues about this special item that we shouldn't let go of even the slightest possibility.

To be honest, if his own strength wasn't still lacking, he would probably already be on his way to the Morton family's ancestral home in Sticky Tree Territory.

For 99.99% of adventurers on the continent of Aifara, the allure of the special item [Dream Corridor], which can rapidly increase combat skill proficiency, is simply irresistible.

The same applies to Xia Nan.

But what he didn't expect was.

The journey is not even halfway complete, and the key exists only in the realm of expectation.

An unexpected surprise, like the truck that sent him to another world, crashed straight into him.

0.0003% of energy is just a starting point.

What truly stirred Xia Nan's emotions was what Horak had mentioned about something that might exist around Giethoorn...

Mine pit!

—A Secret Realm!
If a pure gem the size of a fingernail can provide three-millionths of the energy for the [Dream Corridor], what would it be like to exchange it for an entire mineral vein... Xia Nan dared not even imagine.

It's possible that they could max out his level 3 [Gravity Etching] skill.

My mind is racing with thoughts.

In reality, Xia Nan subconsciously looked at the "Dream Corridor" silver ring on his right ring finger.

Seeing that it was still quietly worn between the knuckles as before, without producing any strange noises due to the absorption of the 0.0003% energy;

The gemstone held between her fingers still reflected a faint light in the dim light from the window, its surface unchanged.

Xia Nan breathed a sigh of relief.

As a key item on his person, second only to his "attribute panel" in importance, he didn't want to attract other people's attention for no reason due to some special circumstances.

I don't know when it started, but the air in the room became quiet again.

Holak's unusual behavior instantly confirmed the conjecture that Xia Nan had previously made to them.

Knowing how difficult it is to deal with things that subtly influence will and cognition, Margaret practically jumped for joy the moment she received confirmation.

The powerful burst of energy of the level 4 [Swordsman] class is fully displayed in an instant.

Before the stool she was sitting on had even completely fallen to the ground and was still tilting downwards, the agile female swordsman had already dragged her by the braid at the back of her head and quickly retreated to the doorway of the room.

Meanwhile, on the other side, after Margaret's reminder, the dwarf Soldin suddenly realized how terrible the situation was. He was squatting in the corner of the room, his sturdy, short body like a tree stump, his thick, fan-like hands firmly covering his eyes, unable to look any further.

In an instant, of the three seasoned adventurers who had already obtained their professional ranks at the table, only Xia Nan remained sitting there.

"Xia Nan! Are you alright?"

Filled with anxiety, Margaret's voice rang out behind Xia Nan, worried that he had already been affected by the gem.

To reassure his teammates, Xia Nan casually tossed the gem in his palm, like a coin.

Without any hesitation, he gently placed the gem back on the table with a "tap," even pushing it towards Horak across the table to indicate that he had finished checking and could take it back.

However, unexpectedly...

The wealthy businessman Horako had been extremely anxious the moment he sold the gem, staring intently at it as if it would vanish into thin air if he let it out of his sight for even a moment.

At this moment, he showed no reaction whatsoever to Xia Nan's action of returning the pink gemstone.

Instead, he stood there with an indescribable expression of bewilderment mixed with deep doubt, staring blankly at the gem that had been pushed back onto the table in front of him.

She didn't even notice when the small jewelry box, which she had been clutching tightly in her palm because of her love for the house, fell to the ground.

"Hmm...did I see it wrong just now?"

"Looking at it now, it seems to be just an ordinary gemstone of decent quality."

"That's strange, is it just my imagination?"

Beside him, a dwarf squatted in the corner of the room, his face hidden, his thick, radish-like fingers spread apart to reveal his puzzled eyes, muttering to himself.

Holak's behavior and the dwarf's grumbling made Xia Nan seem to realize something.

When I looked at the pink gemstone again, its dazzling appearance, which I remembered as radiant and shimmering, had vanished without a trace.

Only a small, ordinary pink gemstone, about the size of a fingernail, remained.

"Could it be that……"

Xia Nan already had a guess in his mind.

He reached out and grabbed the gem in his hand, palm up, and handed it back to Horako on the other side of the table.

"What are you still standing there for? Why don't you take it back?"

"No more?"

With a hint of barely perceptible probing, Xia Nan spoke to the wealthy businessman.

"No... I don't know..." Horak looked dazed. He took the gem from Xia Nan's hand, but instead of putting it back in the jewelry box, he held it between his fingers and examined it carefully through the afterglow of the setting sun outside the window.

The expression on his face gave people a sense of bewilderment, as if he were thinking, "I traveled all this way just for this?" or "What was I thinking back then?!"

Based on the reactions of the people present, Xia Nan was now 80% certain. As the [Dream Corridor] absorbed that three-millionths of energy from the pink gem, the mental control effect inherent in the gem also disappeared.

This turned that gem, which seemed to embody all the beauty and brilliance of the world, into an ordinary crystal that could be bought in a jewelry store for a few gold coins.

Since it involves the [Dream Corridor], he certainly couldn't explain the specific reasons for the changes to others.

There's no need to say more.

Having lost the lasting influence of the pastel gemstones and with his cognition no longer obscured, Horak, who had regained his ability to think about related matters, was practically slumped backwards in the wooden chair.

It presents a state of emptiness, like the relief and exhaustion after strenuous exercise.

Seeing that Xia Nan was alright, Margaret and Soldin also came over, picked up the gem that the wealthy merchant had casually tossed on the table, and examined it carefully.

"If you want it... just take it."

Taking the water glass handed to him by his assistant Afu, Horak tilted his head back and took a big gulp, saying weakly.

"I don't know what possessed me, but I actually traveled all the way from Newme to Gieshorn just for this little piece of broken stone."

"Get ready, everyone. The investigation mission is canceled."

"After a few more days, once all the goods have been handed over and supplies have been replenished, we will begin our return journey."

The warning from Xia Nan, which had come just minutes before, was still echoing in his mind.

Horako, who had already realized that something was wrong with this thing, just wanted to leave this strange town as soon as possible.

As for the gemstone veins and potential profits...

When his mind returned to its proper level.

Given that everyone only has one life, as a wise businessman, Horac knew exactly what choice to make.

There was no possibility of staying in the town for any longer, or getting caught up in its complex undercurrents.

As for the two members of the Kuroki squad, there was naturally no objection.

The two men witnessed the stark contrast in Horako's behavior before and after the event.

This subtle yet seemingly ubiquitous mind control effect sends shivers down one's spine.

The cancellation of the investigation mission may result in them receiving far less reward for this mission.

However, for safety reasons, leaving Gieshorn as quickly as possible is the best option for Margaret and Salding at the moment.

At most, once we return to Newme or Riverdale, we can report the situation to the Adventurers' Guild and the Church.

As for the civilians in the town whose consciousness has been deeply affected... saving and helping them is not the adventurer's responsibility.

Interestingly, within half a day of the group arriving in Giethoorn with the caravan, their plans and stances had completely reversed.

The Kuroki team, which originally planned to accept Horak's commission and stay in Gynthorn to investigate information related to the gems, now only wanted to leave as soon as possible.

Xia Nan, who had previously only intended to use this place as a temporary rest stop and planned to continue her journey after resupplying, decided to stay and investigate further because of the connection between the pastel gemstone and the Dream Corridor.

However, after listening to their conversation, Xia Nan learned that the group would be waiting in town for a few more days to deliver goods and replenish supplies. To avoid unnecessary trouble—such as being mistaken for being affected by the gemstone—Xia Nan did not reveal his thoughts to the others.

He simply sat quietly in the chair, thoughtfully turning the silver ring on the ring finger of his right hand.

He had been hoping to find another opportunity to ask Horak, whose mind had somewhat recovered, for information about the pastel gems, Goat Horn Town, and the possible mineral vein.

Seeing that the other person looked exhausted and could barely keep their eyes open while talking, he patiently withdrew the words he had prepared.

I thought I'd let him get some rest for the night and ask him about it the next day.

Outside the window, the last rays of the setting sun melted away under the cover of night.

They agreed to discuss the next plan in detail the next day, and then left Horak's house and returned to their respective rooms.

Although the "Cashmere Rusty Nails" is the most upscale hotel in Giethoorn, it is significantly inferior to the "White Tit" in Riverdale in terms of both furniture and decoration, as well as various details.

The only advantage it has over the latter is its quiet environment.

The White Sparrow Tavern, a place where many adventurers gather year-round, is just the beginning of the nightlife for many of its patrons as night falls, with the noise continuing until the early hours of the morning.

The Cashmere Stud Hotel perfectly embodies its location in a remote border town. As the sun sets and the moon falls, both the hotel and the surrounding town become virtually silent.

Outside the window, only the chirping of insects and the barking of dogs from afar remained.

Xia Nan stood alone by the window, his dark eyes almost melting into the night, a thoughtful expression on his face.

The situation is now becoming clearer.

Having learned that the gems circulating here have an energy-charging effect on the [Dream Corridor], he could no longer leave so easily.

At the very least, we should investigate what exactly happened in the town and whether the rumored mine actually exists.

If all else fails, we could try to touch all the gems in the townspeople's hands, collecting their energy while also doing a good deed by helping them break free from the mind control of the pink gems.

Of course, he wasn't stupid. If he really sensed a danger beyond his control, he could put it aside for the time being, remember the location, and come back later.

However, considering that he had just easily eliminated the charm effect of a gem with the [Dream Corridor] ring, he was surprised.

This incident was certainly not as bizarre as the one when facing the statue of the evil god in Neum; it was far less significant.

In practice, one can be a little bolder while remaining cautious.

Xia Nan's plan is to go out and inquire about the specific information about the gem mine from the townspeople tomorrow. Hmm... considering the intense reactions of the tavern owner and the blacksmith this afternoon, he needs to think carefully about his approach tonight, lest he "fail to persuade" them again and end up exploding with their anger.

As for using forceful methods based on his own strength, it's not his style, and besides, before thoroughly investigating the town, it might alert the enemy and cause unnecessary trouble.

While I was pondering, I suddenly heard a few birds chirping outside the window.

He snapped out of his reverie and looked in the direction from which the sound came.

The sky was filled with brilliant stars, and several small dark figures flapped their wings, their wings contrasting against the silvery moon behind them as they flew through the air.

Further down, there was a building that was noticeably taller and more exquisite than the other houses in the town.

Xia Nan's gaze swept over its highly recognizable spires and clock tower, lost in thought:
"church?"

(End of this chapter)