Goblin Dependency

It's not the sound of footsteps,

nor is it likely a language he hasn't heard before.

The noise coming from the end of the street sounds more like the friction and collision between hard objects, the sound produced when carving or knocking.

Xia Nan stood in place, carefully sensing the details within.

It must be said, in such a cold, dead silence, where not even a bird chirp or dog bark can be heard.

This sudden sound indeed sends a chill down one's spine.

On the other hand, as an adventurer who has experienced several tasks, Xia Nan knows very well.

In an unfamiliar setting, it's best not to be too curious about strange noises from unknown places.

Leaving the team alone to find the source of the sound is absolutely forbidden.

But given the current situation, despite everything, apart from this sound, Xia Nan hasn't found any useful clues that might help him escape.

Even the planned adventurer association... he had already searched through it earlier, and saw the result.

His physical mobility has recovered, the various battle skills, including Gravity Control, can still be used normally, and he can freely call out the attribute panel.

This gives him a bit more confidence.

If it were an ordinary person, not to mention the previously terrifying, strangely powerful golden haired Elf, suddenly being teleported to such a place, one might not collapse immediately but would certainly be confused and panicked.

How could anyone remain as calm as he is now, analyzing his situation and searching for a way to escape?

Light of contemplation flickered in his eyes.

Xia Nan tightened his grip on the sword hilt, looked towards the end of the street where the sound was coming from, his mind already made up.

Maintaining vigilance and readiness, his body tense, he moved forward.

...

River Valley Town is not considered a large town, its area even smaller than a district in Neum.

The area where the adventurer association is situated is closer to the core of the small town.

Yet even so, it took Xia Nan, who was highly focused and alert at all times, several minutes to walk from the association's entrance to the town center square.

"Crack... thud..."

The strange noise in the air became clearer.

His dark eyes followed the direction of the sound.

What met his eyes was a dark brown wooden ladder.

Its appearance had no special characteristics, even seemed a bit crude.

No carvings or decorations, simply made of sturdy frames, if looked closely, one could even see the wood grain and small unpolished splinters on its surface.

You could find similar versions casually in any ordinary household, perhaps even more refined.

But the strange part is.

At that moment, the ladder stood as if suspended in the air, with no support forward, backward, left or right.

Even the base meant to rest on the ground was a few centimeters above the square's stone bricks.

Xia Nan could clearly hear the sound of hard objects colliding coming from the air above the ladder.

His brows furrowed slightly, feeling increasingly peculiar.

This ladder standing in the middle of the square, both abrupt and highly attention-catching,

was like a huge, purpose-unclear red button on a table, even marked with an arrow "Do Not Touch."

Even if you knew it was weird, you couldn't help but glance at it, a strange impulse rising within.

Moving forward, lightly stepping forward.

Then suddenly stopping, abruptly stepping back three steps.

Xia Nan exhaled deeply, almost forcefully, turning his gaze to the buildings on the sides of the square.

To be safe,

Let's not rush, consider it a backup option, after searching the entire town, if no useful discoveries are found, there's no harm in returning here.

Thinking thus, his body had already bypassed the ladder and began moving toward the other side of the square.

An hour, perhaps two hours.

Not knowing how much time had passed.

When Xia Nan returned to the town center square, the dark brown ladder was still quietly standing there.

Casually flipping through a thin book taken from the bookstore shelf.

The yellow-brown cover was clear and realistic, its rough texture felt under his fingertips.

But the book title on the cover seemed blurred, like ink smeared in water.

The pages inside turned into abstract shadows, not a single word discernible.

Casting it aside casually, Xia Nan's expression was knowing.

This confirming loop further verified his previous judgment.

The place he is in now is not the real River Valley Town, nor a complete replica of the real world.

Rather, it's a special Secret Realm built based on his subjective memory.

In the town, any place he has visited, even if somewhat blurry upon recalling, could clearly show the texture on every stone brick's surface.

Other unknown locations were enveloped in darkness.

Theoretically, Xia Nan could follow his past routes all the way to Kalanfor, even Neum.

But it was likely that the situation there would be no different from River Valley Town.

Currently, if he wants to escape this illusory world.

He seems to have only one choice left.

His deep dark eyes fixated on the solitary ladder standing in mid-air before him.

If every object in this world comes from his memory... Xia Nan certainly doesn't recall ever having such a ladder in the middle of the square.