Chapter 35: Searching for Goblin Drops
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To the south: [2,500 meters ahead, there is an undertow. A crocodile has suddenly appeared and bitten a wild boar. If you wish to take advantage of the situation like a fisherman, you may try your luck there!]
To the north: [300 meters ahead lies a marsh. The freshwater crocodile has temporarily left, so you can consider setting a trap there! The water source and lush grass will attract many herbivorous animals—you may reap a considerable harvest!]
To the east: [100 meters ahead, in a small grove, a group of cannibals is holding a special ritual. Perhaps you could sneak into their cave and steal some ore.]
To the west: [1,000 meters ahead, there is a bamboo forest. If luck is on your side, you may dig up some bamboo shoots there.]
There were reasons for Ye Da to go east, south, or north. Yet, in the end, he chose to head west, for he wanted to retrieve the mysterious item dropped by the goblin yesterday—his curiosity simply could not be contained.
Besides, picking up something wouldn’t take long; Ye Da decided that after retrieving it, he would choose which direction to go next!
Now that he had the mobile treehouse, he was no longer bound to one corner. He could begin exploring the map of this world.
No matter how many adventures this world held, Ye Da wanted to go home. He still had family, friends, and brothers.
He had disappeared for a day—he wondered if his father had gone mad with worry, called the police, or searched for him everywhere.
His father had married late, and Ye Da had been born late as well. His father, born in the year of the horse, was already seventy this year and his heart was not in the best condition.
This made Ye Da even more concerned for his father. To his mother, his father might not have been the best husband, but to Ye Da, he was the man who raised him, sent him to school, cooked for him, and taught him—an absolutely good father.
Thus, Ye Da longed to return, and was anxious to do so.
Upon arriving in the Mist World, he had immediately seen the announcement:
[Don’t wonder how you came here—you simply did, and you can never go back. Please live well here!]
But...
Ye Da refused to believe he had crossed into another world.
He still suspected he was in a game or an experiment—even if it were the Matrix, there would be a chance to leave.
Even if he could not return for now, he needed to find a way to contact his father.
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He had to come up with an excuse to keep his father from worrying too much.
“Woof woof!”
“Woof woof woof!”
Just as Ye Da was pondering his return home…
The two wolf pups seemed to sense his mood. They came to his feet, one on each side, responding to him.
Ye Da squatted down and gently rubbed their heads, saying, “Alright, I understand.”
“Even if I go home, I’ll take you with me, okay?”
“I promise I won’t leave you here alone!”
“Woof!”
Little Grey, as if it understood human speech, gazed at Ye Da with eyes full of trust and replied with a bark.
Little White continued wagging its fluffy tail, nuzzling in hopes of another pat.
Because Ye Da had put away the treehouse, the two wolf pups could no longer stay inside on their own—living creatures couldn’t be stored, so Ye Da had no choice but to let them follow him.
Fortunately, the little ones were clever, and seemed to understand the dangers lurking throughout the forest. They stuck close to Ye Da’s feet.
One man and two wolves thus arrived safely at the edge of the bamboo forest.
Having learned from last night’s experience, Ye Da did not rush into the forest, but stood outside to observe.
But the bamboo was so dense that it was difficult for Ye Da to tell whether any goblins were inside.
After all, the analytical glasses had their limitations.
“Woof!”
“Woof woof woof!”
As Ye Da adjusted his position, using his invisible lenses to analyze the bamboo forest for risks and locating two bamboo shoots buried under fallen leaves…
The wolf’s barking interrupted his analysis!
“Where’s Little Grey?”
Ye Da looked down. Only the silly Little White remained, sniffing around the bamboo, marking territory.
Little Grey had vanished!
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Upon hearing Little White’s bark, Ye Da realized Little Grey had already entered the bamboo forest to scout ahead for him.
Its bark meant there was no danger.
Otherwise, Little Grey’s bark would not be a simple “woof woof,” but a scream, a roar, or a frightened yelp fleeing the bamboo forest.
But Ye Da was always cautious, so he called into the bamboo forest, “Little Grey, are you telling me there’s no danger inside? If so, bark again.”
“Woof!”
Little Grey responded. Little White, hearing the call, happily bounded into the bamboo.
Ye Da, hearing this reply, was fairly certain there was no danger.
So he quickly entered the bamboo forest!
Yet, as he searched for the treasure the goblin had dropped yesterday, he ran into trouble.
A night’s wind and the changes caused by the goblin party passing through had made it hard for Ye Da to recognize the spot where the item had fallen.
“Woof woof!”
“Woof woof woof!”
Little Grey and Little White, seeing Ye Da circling in the bamboo forest, hurriedly asked their master—what was he looking for?
Ye Da replied with some frustration, “I’m searching for the tree I climbed when I was escaping last night.”
Unable to find any marked points, Ye Da resorted to a simpler method.
He would find the tree he had climbed yesterday, and from a specific vantage point, search from above. He believed he would eventually find clues to the location where the goblin dropped the treasure.
Little Grey, hearing this, immediately began sniffing the ground.
After a while, it returned and barked at Ye Da!
“Woof!”
“You found it?!”
Ye Da’s eyes brightened, and he followed Little Grey in surprise.