Goblin Dependency

But if you were to carefully observe the situation, you would find that these so-called "miscellaneous items" are all useful, and there's no garbage like food scraps or discarded packaging bags.

Although the arrangement seems random and chaotic, it follows a certain pattern, not just casually thrown around.

Combined with the faint scent of incense in the air and the crackling sound of the firewood burning in the fireplace.

It strangely gives off a warm and cozy feeling.

"I sincerely apologize, Mr. Xia Nan."

"I went to bed late last night and was a bit groggy when I got up, so I accidentally spoke some nonsense."

Sitting on a small sofa in the living room with a steaming cup of tea in hand, Xia Nan gazed around, taking in the surroundings.

In front of him, the owner of the house, a young lady named "Harriet," apologized nervously.

At this moment, she was no longer in that loose nightgown but had changed into an especially expensive and exquisite dress, with her previously messy brown curly hair now neatly managed, obediently draping over her shoulders.

This made Xia Nan wait another twenty minutes in the living room.

He understood that she wanted to show her respect and intentionality towards him, without any neglect.

But he just waved it off, not intending to waste more time on such trivial matters.

He placed the teacup back on the table and got straight to the point:

"Miss Harriet, the information provided to me by the Association is limited, and even now, I don't know the specifics of the mission."

"Can you please introduce it to me?"

"Of course, of course!" Harriet nodded quickly, leaned over to refill Xia Nan's tea, and then sat upright in her chair, remembering.

"Here's what happened."

"Hmm... how should I put it."

"My neighbor, Mr. 'Buck,' was probably an adventurer when he was young. Later he saved some money and settled down in Neum."

"He has a beautiful and gentle wife and two lovely and obedient children. I remember often bumping into their family when going out. You know, Mr. Buck might seem fierce and as strong as a bear, but towards his wife he was really..."

"Sorry, I digressed a bit."

"Anyway, it seems that in recent years, Mr. Buck's family has been having some business problems and owed quite a bit of money."

"To fill the holes at home, Mr. Buck would go back to River Valley Town from time to time to earn some bounty."

"Um... if I remember correctly, it should be called 'Hunting Day.' Sorry, I'm not very familiar with this."

Xia Nan nodded slightly, didn't speak, and gestured for her to continue.

"Anyway, in recent years, during 'Hunting Day,' Mr. Buck would take a trip far away, and with the round trip, it would take at least three months before he came back."

"His wife mentioned it to me in a casual chat before, so I remember it very clearly."

"But this year is quite different."

"After just over a month, about fifty days, Mr. Buck came back."

"And he wasn't in a good state."

Hearing this, Xia Nan unconsciously estimated in his mind.

From River Valley Town to Neum, the journey itself takes about twenty days.

One round trip means it takes at least forty-something days.

And this means Mr. Buck could stay in River Valley Town for a little over ten days at most.

Far before the end of the Hunting Day.

"Was he injured?" he asked.

"Yes, I believe so, but..." Harriet frowned, her expression showing some hesitation, "I remember seeing Mr. Buck at the time, although he was wrapped in bandages and carried a strong scent of herbs, it didn't seem to affect his daily actions. When we met outside, he even smiled and greeted me."

"I originally thought it was just some accident during the mission that made Mr. Buck end his adventure early and return to Neum."

"Until that night more than a month ago..."

...

"Boom!"

A burst of silver-white lightning suddenly flashed across the sky, momentarily revealing the street shrouded in the night.

The explosive thunder roared across the sky, as bean-sized raindrops slammed against the thick glass windows in the fierce wind, making a crackling noise.

It was already late at night, yet Harriet didn't feel the least bit sleepy.

On one hand, she had woken up in the afternoon and had just managed to buy Gales·Cui Feng's new book before the bookstore closed in the evening.

She had already planned her entire evening around it.

On the other hand, she genuinely loved the contrasting feeling of lightning and thunder, torrential rain, and strong winds outside while inside was a flickering fireplace, warm and cozy.

Nesting on the sofa, feeling the soft firelight from the nearby fireplace, sipping tea, and flipping through the pages, was truly enjoyable.

Harriet had thought the day would end as usual, drifting off to bed when the rain stopped and the faint morning light seeped through the clouds.

But just as she flipped through half of her book with the night still deep outside.

A strange cry suddenly came from next door.

Initially, she didn't care, assuming it was either a wild cat in heat or a stray dog frightened by the thunder.

Until the strange cry grew louder and even seemed to overshadow the thunder.

Only then did Harriet realize something was wrong.

That kind of piercing shriek was definitely not a sound that an ordinary human's vocal cords could produce.

The violence and malice contained in it inexplicably reminded her of the scrawny, dirty lion in the narrow iron cage she saw at the circus as a child.

As a young woman living alone, going out at night on her street was definitely not safe.

She never had the nerve to do so.

But for some reason, an extraordinary courage surged within Harriet that night.

She quickly swapped into sturdy clothes, grabbed an umbrella, and rushed out.

Following the direction of the cries, she arrived at the door of Buck's house next door.

By now, the once high-pitched wails had gradually lowered.

But like a snarling mad dog when fighting over food, the low growl gave an even more dangerous feel.

Close enough, beneath the cold rain-soaked air, Harriet faintly heard a chewing sound, making her hair stand on end with the mere suggestion of what it could be.

The moist rain entering her nostrils seemed tinged with an unpleasant bloody smell.

Her frail body under the umbrella shook, wanting to flee.

Yet her right hand, seemingly beyond her control, gently raised itself.

Her wrist twisted, fingers bent, joints facing downward.

Softly landing on the door.

"Knock knock."

The growls and chewing sounds vanished in an instant.

In its place was an almost eerie silence.

Despite the continued rain and occasional reverberation of thunder in the air.

Harriet felt as if her surroundings froze at that moment.

Her heightened focus allowed her to hear her own heartbeat.

But she dared not move.

Because Harriet could feel a pair of icy, severe eyes silently gazing at her from behind the wooden door.

Perhaps luck was on her side.

On the distant street, a team of patrolling guards was passing by, attracted by the sound and heading to her location.

The flickering lights and the clashing of metal armor startled whatever creature was inside the door.

Then there was the sound of hurried steps moving away and the sharp noise of glass shattering at the back door.

...

"You know, I wasn't mistaken."

Sitting on the sofa, Harriet's expression was a mix of lingering fear and dread, her lips slightly drained of color.

"Later, when the guards went in with me..."

"Just less than a foot away from the door, there were two blood-stained footprints."

"It was really watching me."