Chapter 150

Xia Nan in his past life didn't have any special hobbies.

If he could still make appointments with three or five friends to exercise on the court during his student days, after working, his only way to pass the time was to sit in front of the computer and play games on his days off.

If "transmigration" hadn't happened to him, in another ten years or so, when the beginning of his age number reached "4" or "5," perhaps he would have some hobbies like "fishing" or "collecting antiques."

And he himself didn't possess relevant knowledge, ability, or artistic literacy.

Therefore, in most cases, laymen like Xia Nan, when distinguishing the quality of a carving, can often only judge by appearance, material, price... these most basic aspects.

The more exquisite the content, the better; the more conspicuous the texture, the better; the more expensive the price tag, the better.

But right now, the grey-black wood carving in front of him gave him a completely different feeling.

Dusty and quiet like a rock on the shelf, inconspicuous, but inexplicably attracting the attention of passing customers, making people can't help but cast their gaze toward it, thereby discovering its rough yet subtly delicate wood texture.

The statue itself is not complicated, and even looking closely, one cannot identify the specific content of its carving.

But those smooth lines that secretly fit the texture of the material seem to be born naturally, bending and extending, carving out what the carver thought in his heart in a way that is almost intuitive.

Although he couldn't say exactly what was good about it, he could feel the exquisite craftsmanship and ingenious conception contained within through the lines and facets on the statue.

That sheep-deer statue standing upright like a humanoid creature, clearly with severely disproportionate body proportions, with hooves and fingers almost invisible, let alone details like fur or muscle contours on the body.

Yet it gives people a strange sense of harmony that vaguely blends into the darkness.

As if it should have been like this all along.

And the two curved horns on the statue, which seem like withered branches extending upward and finally disappearing into the depths of the grey-black texture, seem more like some kind of support, holding up a large blank space above it.

Making people unconsciously fill in the blanks, fantasizing about what kind of scene should be above the horns.

Is it the lush canopy of the forest swaying in the wind, the surging waves rising and falling on the boundless sea, the brilliant stars dotted in the vast universe, the little bubbles gurgling in scarlet blood, the huge... wriggling in the dead silence of darkness.

"Damn it!"

Xia Nan suddenly cursed in his heart.

Almost forcing himself to clear the thoughts that kept churning and spreading in his mind, he moved his eyes away from the statue he was staring at tightly.

His body couldn't help but step back twice.

"What the hell is this!?"

Panting, his inner vigilance soared to the maximum in an instant.

He wished he could turn around and run.

But the next second, the air in the grocery store, filled with the lingering fragrance of aromatherapy, and the bustling noise on the street outside, rushed into his nasal cavity with his breathing.

Made Xia Nan realize that he was not on an adventure now, and there were no dangerous monsters around him.

But in Hegu Town, which is incredibly safe, with an Adventurer Association and frequent activities of high-level professionals.

He looked again.

The statue lay quietly in the corner of the shelf, the carving technique was still exquisite and natural, and the material texture was still attracting attention while being simple.

But there was no longer that terrifying feeling of devouring the mind like a vortex.

If it weren't for the fact that the clothes behind him were already soaked with sweat, and the translucent text gradually fading and disappearing in his line of sight, he might even have felt that it was just a hallucination caused by his overwork during this period.

"Something's wrong!"

"There's definitely a problem!"

Recalling the despair of his body and spirit being pulled away, his consciousness falling like into the deep sea, getting further and further away from the water surface, and the darkness gradually spreading and covering him, Xia Nan felt lingering fear in his heart.

It was precisely because of the excessive concentration of attention that the attribute panel automatically appeared, interrupting this process and helping him escape.

If he had let his mind sink continuously, or even be completely swallowed by the darkness.

He didn't even dare to think about what would happen.

"Customer, is there anything I can help you with?"

Behind the counter, Farilue looked at Xia Nan, who was pale and stiff in front, with concern.

Clearly, the other's abrupt performance had attracted the attention of this grocery store owner.

Along with the middle-aged adventurer hiding in the corner of the shop, who had just been driven out of the blacksmith shop by Ba En and only dared to aim at him with the corner of his eye, also looked over upon hearing the movement.

"The quote I gave you is actually already higher than the market price, in the last two years..."

"It's okay, that's not the reason."

Noticing that Farilue seemed to have misunderstood something, Xia Nan panted, waved his hand, and told the other not to worry.

A hint of hesitation suddenly appeared on his face again.

He paused, and asked tentatively:

"Did you hear any sound just now, or have any other unusual feelings?"

"Unusual..." Farilue's expression became more and more confused, "Doesn't seem like it?"

Feeling even more strange in his heart, Xia Nan couldn't help but step back two more steps.

Only then did he point far away at the wood carving on the shelf and ask:

"This statue, the one that looks like a dusty stone, what's the deal with it?"

Hearing him ask this, the eyes under Farilue's lenses suddenly lit up, and even his tone was raised unconsciously, introducing enthusiastically:

"Customer, you have a great eye!"

"The style of this statue is very popular in Niumu City recently."

"It is said to come from a master carver with excellent skills, and many nobles in high society like it very much."

"I also pulled a lot of strings to finally get it in."

"Seeing that you have such a good eye, I'll just earn a little hard-earned money and give you a 20% discount."

"Twenty-nine gold, do you think..."

"Don't! Don't! Don't!" Seeing that he only mentioned it, the other started introducing it enthusiastically.

Xia Nan waved his hands repeatedly and refused immediately.

Fearing to have anything to do with this damn thing.

Just kidding!

Just one look, and it almost took him away.

If he really bought it and carried it with him, he'd be afraid he was tired of living.

He didn't listen to Farilue's retention, turned around, and walked directly out of the grocery store.

"Bang."

The hinges rubbed, and the doorbell rang "ding-a-ling."

Withdrawing his gaze from the back that disappeared behind the door.

Farilue sat back behind the counter, feeling it was a pity.

Although the black-haired adventurer just now looked young, the equipment on him was not cheap, clearly with a rich family background.

What he introduced to the other was actually correct; wood carvings of this style were indeed very popular in Niumu recently, and they did have master-level craftsmanship.

It was just that in terms of price, he added two extra "0"s.

He had originally wanted to make a big profit, but didn't expect the other to be scared away by his quote, not even bargaining, and turning around to run.

He couldn't help but shake his head in annoyance:

"If I had known, I would have quoted nineteen gold, there would still be profit."

In front of him, however, footsteps suddenly came.

It was that middle-aged adventurer who had been dawdling in the shop just now, buying nothing.

At this moment, after the black-haired youth left, he actually walked straight to the counter.

And what he was holding in his arms was exactly the wood carving that he was annoyed about pricing too high.

"Boss, this... can it be cheaper?"

"Easy to talk about, easy to talk about!"

Farilue hurriedly got up and greeted him enthusiastically.

Intense curiosity.

At times, for adventurers, it is not a good thing.

Unlike the legends and epics fabricated by bards.

The cries for help that inexplicably come from outside the camp at night are unlikely to come from some lost princess in distress; and the simple treasure chest that suddenly appears on the side of the road is very likely a "mimic" that intends to treat you as lunch.

As he worked longer and longer in this line, Xia Nan's understanding of this deepened.

Having clearly perceived the danger and suspicion of the wood carving, and even the meaning-unknown introduction on the attribute panel was reminding him in some subtle way.

He naturally couldn't stay in the grocery store any longer, let alone spend money to buy this unlucky thing.

Just pretending not to see it and seizing the time to slip away was the best choice.

Successfully leaving "Fairy Wind" and walking on the bustling street.

Xia Nan couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

Recalling in his heart the attribute panel that had performed a great service by waking him from the hallucination.

"【Sheep-Deer Statue】, no item level."

"【Introduction】 is also too obscure, I can't quite understand it."

"But this 【Remark】..."

Remark:

Ef'tisuuHai'lot'vhuVurahkia

Unlike the comments with different styles like famous quotes on the previous specialty and equipment panels.

The remark of the 【Sheep-Deer Statue】 is a string of chaotic characters whose meaning cannot be identified.

But the strange thing is, it is not the kind of musical note bytes that roll over the keyboard without any meaning.

Looking closely, there is indeed some kind of pattern.

Xia Nan kept his mouth shut, recalling the bytes of the panel remark, but under the drive of some residual influence, he instinctively compared and recited them silently.

"E-Fu'ti Su Hai Luo..."

I don't know which place's language it is; while being full of a strong exotic feel, the pronunciation is sticky and sluggish, using more guttural sounds and repeated syllables, and also carrying irregular pauses.

And as his thoughts flowed in his heart.

Xia Nan suddenly felt his perspective detach from his body, upward, seeing himself in the crowd with double swords on his back, walking stiffly.

It was like looking out through the peephole on an anti-theft door, the scenery on both sides was black and distorted and stretched, only his own body in the middle was magnified and expanded.

As if some invisible existence in the dark was casting His gaze from somewhere far away, searching...

Hum—

Xia Nan suddenly came to his senses.

Having only recited two bytes, he realized this was not his intention.

His forehead was already covered in cold sweat.

Even though he had left the grocery store, the wood carving seemed to still have a slight influence, making him recite the remark message.

Fortunately, at that time, under the action of the attribute panel, he reacted in time and did not let his consciousness sink deep into it.

Just like the mist in the Mist Forest, after moving away, this slight influence became water without a source and soon dissipated completely.

And because he only recited silently, did not really make a sound, and soon realized the wrongness of his behavior, he forcibly stopped the act of reciting.

Making that strange feeling of being watched by an invisible existence fleeting, disappearing in a flash like an illusion, without further influence.

Not daring to think anymore, he buried all memories, including the appearance of the statue and the content of the remark, deep in his mind.

Until his soul completely returned to calm, his originally tense body finally relaxed.

In this fantasy world where supernatural powers exist and gods are really watching you in the sky.

Some things are really not dared to be said, and cannot be said too much.

Otherwise, who knows if the next second after saying it, a divine punishment thunderbolt will strike you.

Xia Nan even suspected that the remark was some kind of blasphemous language he didn't know.

Fortunately, he reacted quickly.

Otherwise, something big would have happened.

His feet paused, and the bustling noise came from ahead.

What met his eyes were fully armed adventurers coming and going, and the huge treehouse-like building peculiar to the Hegu Town Adventurer Association, in the style of the Mist Forest.

He couldn't help but feel at ease.

Xia Nan walked toward the association gate.

Adventurer Association, lobby front desk.

Moli was still sitting behind the counter, listless as usual.

"Thud!"

A trophy bag with blood seeping from the bottom was thrown onto the table, but no one could be seen in front of the counter.

Only at the edge of the table could a hint of reddish-brown scalp be vaguely seen.

"I've been writing letters to complain for almost five years, is your branch really not considering making the front desk window lower?"

A dull voice like a bell chime came from below.

"I worked in Dumb Iron Fort for a few years before, the Adventurer Association there wasn't like yours, even the stoutest dwarf..."

"Fifteen goblins, a total of five gold, five silver, and five copper coins." Moli put the money bag on the table, interrupting the dwarf's complaint in front of her.

"I believe the association in Dumb Iron Fort has also received many complaint letters from orc adventurers, if they knew how to write..."

"Ding!"

"Next."

Her brain habitually blocked out the muttering that was drifting away, her fingertips still smelling of the stinking blood of the goblins, Moli pressed the bell tiredly.

Just glancing at the sky outside the gate, estimating in her heart that she would have to sit for a few more hours before getting off work, she lowered her head again.

One second, two seconds, three seconds...

She could hear the footsteps approaching in front of her.

But the bag full of "trophies," dripping with blood, emitting a rotten stench, and occasionally seeing maggots wriggling, which she imagined, did not land on the table.

"Newcomer?"

Her brows furrowed slightly, and Moli subconsciously raised her head to look forward.

Appearing in her line of sight was a young adventurer with black hair and black eyes, and sharp features.

Against the dazzling sunlight of the gate behind him, was the cold metallic gleam refracted by the chain mail rings.

And that aura peculiar to professionals, which was different from ordinary adventurers and difficult to describe in words.

"Hello, may I ask if I want to go to the second floor of the association, do I need to register here?"

The voice entered her ears, was received by her brain, and was converted into a clearly understandable meaning in one-thousandth of a second.

Whoosh—

Moli's body, which had been slumped listlessly on the table, suddenly straightened.

The golden short hair on both sides of her cheeks swayed violently, and an invisible brilliance flashed in her eyes.

"Business is here!"

(End of chapter)