Chapter 37: Courtyard

“This is the place!”

Larry’s once-heavy breathing had steadied, and he spoke with excitement.

At this moment, our group had ventured a bit deeper into the forest.

As the buildings among the roadside bushes grew denser, we finally reached our destination.

“That adventurer found the wooden token here?”

Holding his longbow, the half-elf Hai’an carefully surveyed the surroundings with his silver-gray eyes, his face brimming with curiosity.

This was a vast courtyard.

Unlike the broken ruins we encountered along the way, the courtyard itself was remarkably intact, with most of its structures well-preserved.

This allowed me to closely observe every detail of the place while drawing on the knowledge from my previous life.

The layout was symmetrical along the central axis of the courtyard’s main gate, with houses neatly arranged on both sides, orderly and aesthetically pleasing;

Classic black tiles and white walls, with roof eaves as light and graceful as a bird’s wings, beams and columns coated in black lacquer and adorned with intricate cloud-pattern carvings; the doors and windows featured elaborate latticework, though the paper originally covering them was now tattered, with only scraps remaining at the edges.

“It’s practically identical.”

I muttered to myself inwardly.

At the same time, as my gaze swept over the courtyard, I noticed something odd and paused.

In my memory, the mansions of ancient nobles often had lotus ponds or water pools, large or small.

Whenever someone passed by, the koi fish in the pond would swim over, clustering for food.

This courtyard was no exception.

There was a high-arched double-sided bridge, a winding, delicate corridor, and even a classical stone pavilion extending straight into the center of a lake.

Everything seemed normal.

Except you had to ignore the lush bushes and tall grass beneath the pavilions and corridors.

Let alone a lake or pond, there wasn’t even a small puddle in the entire courtyard!

Despite being built only a few months ago, there wasn’t a trace of water beneath the arched bridge or lake pavilion.

It was as if they were constructed on a meadow from the start.

Seeing this bizarre scene, I became even more convinced of my earlier thought—

These buildings absolutely did not belong to this world!

“Huh?”

Larry’s surprised voice came from nearby.

Following his gaze, I saw him standing in front of a rockery, his slightly chubby face filled with astonishment.

Looking where he was staring, my expression also turned odd.

“Clipping through?”

On the upper left side of the rockery, the rugged, pale stones were strangely fused with the branches of a nearby oak tree.

Gray, rough stone intertwined with vibrant green branches, blending seamlessly in a striking yet perfect harmony, as if they were meant to be that way.

It was like a glitch in the poorly made games from my previous life, where models collided and overlapped.

But here in the real world, it appeared even more natural.

It was as if objects from another world had been forcibly transplanted into this space, creating this strange sight.

Meanwhile, Hai’an and Wood weren’t paying attention to this.

They were focused on confirming the objective of this mission.

“Young master…”

Wood, after repeatedly examining the architectural decorations, shook his head slowly at the half-elf beside him.

“It’s confirmed. This isn’t the style of the matriarch’s clan.”

Though elves, influenced by their habitats, subspecies, and lifestyles, had distinct styles across their clans, there was one universal trait—

Integration with nature.

Be it green leaves and thorns or glowing algae and mushrooms, elven architecture always blended closely with the surrounding environment.

The buildings here, though masterfully crafted with wood and bricks, were fundamentally different from the elven aesthetic.

Hearing this, a trace of disappointment flickered across Hai’an’s face.

But that was all.

Already mentally prepared, the half-elf, after Wood’s confirmation, seemed to let go of a burden, exhaling in relief.

He called over me, Larry, and the others nearby, speaking earnestly:

“The mission is over.”

“I’ve got my answer.”

“After so many days in the forest, if there are no objections, we can head back now.”

Larry and Doris, who grew up in towns, weren’t exactly pampered but hadn’t faced much hardship either.

After days in the Mist Forest, having seen adventurers and encountered magical beasts, they were already content.

They naturally had no reason to oppose Hai’an’s proposal to return.

I, however, didn’t respond immediately, a hint of hesitation on my face.

The main reason I joined Hai’an’s team wasn’t the reward but to uncover the origin of the wooden token in the half-elf’s possession.

Now, as we ventured deeper and more familiar buildings appeared, the truth seemed within reach.

To turn back now…

Noticing the hesitation on my face, mistaking it for concern over payment, Hai’an quickly added:

“Don’t worry. Though the mission’s outcome isn’t what I expected when we set out, your 100 gold is guaranteed.”

Before he finished, Larry slapped his chest, brimming with bravado:

“I’ll cover the reward!”

“If it weren’t for you, I’d probably have died in the jaws of those rust monsters last night.”

“100 gold? I’d pay 500 gold!”

Since this touched on my biggest secret—my transmigration—I couldn’t explain much.

My eyes flicked toward the forest depths beyond the courtyard.

I pondered:

Though we were still on the outskirts of the Mist Forest, we were nearing its boundary.

Going further, even with a professional in our group, safety would be hard to guarantee.

And judging by the pattern of buildings we’d seen, if I wanted to uncover the token’s origin, I’d have to venture deeper into the Mist Forest.

With my current strength, that was too dangerous.

“Maybe I’ll come back later?”

The thought passed in an instant.

Faced with their enthusiasm, I no longer hesitated, nodding to Hai’an, Larry, and the others, agreeing to return.

Like tourists in my previous life visiting scenic spots, even if uninterested in the sights, they’d often buy local souvenirs to mark their visit.

At the very least, they’d take a few photos.

Having experienced this potentially once-in-a-lifetime “Mist Forest journey,” Larry and Doris naturally weren’t going back empty-handed.

With the return decided, their gazes instinctively scanned the surroundings, searching for portable souvenirs.

“Whoa! This stone statue is so well-crafted, way better than the artisans in town!”

Larry’s face lit up with delight as he pulled a stone statue of a venomous snake from some corner.

It was as thick as an arm, each scale meticulously carved, the snake’s body coiled, fangs slightly bared, poised to strike.

Lifelike.

But I couldn’t help frowning.

This stone statue didn’t resemble the Eastern style from my memory.

“Hey! Come over, everyone!”

“There’s a statue of a rust monster here too! It’s exactly like the ones we fought yesterday!”

At those words, something clicked.

Wood, who had been standing behind Hai’an, suddenly darkened, his expression grim.

His figure blurred, and in the next moment, he was shielding the half-elf.

He growled:

“On guard!!!”

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.