bookrebus Chapter 709 Goblin
Chapter 709 Goblin
"start up!"
The moment the command was given, the rune array at the core of the portal suddenly lit up with a dazzling glow, and the hum of energy flowing between the metal structures pierced the silence of the experimental area.
Stephen rubbed his temples and let out a long yawn. For the past month, the activation of the portal had become an unwavering daily routine in the experimental zone, twice a day, morning and evening, without interruption.
The original intention was to locate stable and anomaly-free Netherworld nodes, but reality has repeatedly deviated from expectations, turning a serious scientific research project into an endless "containment operation of alien creatures".
For a full thirty days, each time the portal tore open a rift in space, what emerged was never the expected peaceful area to be explored, but rather all sorts of bizarre and fantastical situations.
Sometimes, raptors with wingspans of several meters would burst out with the wind, their talons barely able to pierce the air before being slammed to the ground by Coal Ball's giant paws, whimpering and curling up in a ball; other times, packs of fanged beasts would swarm out, roaring and trying to pounce on the surrounding researchers, only to be bounced back by the runic barrier as soon as they stepped out of the portal's range, and finally tamed by Coal Ball pressing down on their necks one by one.
Worse still were the non-biological disasters. Once, as soon as the portal opened, murky mud poured out like a waterfall, turning half of the experimental area into a mud pit. Or, scorching magma, accompanied by sparks, would erupt. If the rune array hadn't activated its defense in time, the entire experimental area would probably have been reduced to scorched earth. There were even icy seawater surging in with a salty smell, reaching above the researchers' ankles. After closing the portal, it took three hours just to clean up the accumulated water.
The experimental area is no longer as tidy as it once was. The specially designated containment area is filled with all sorts of Netherworld creatures, so many that they could almost form a small zoo.
The cries of griffins, the hissing of unidentified reptiles, and the purring of some soft creatures mingled together, creating a unique background soundscape in the experimental area.
However, Stephen did not see these accidents as mere troubles. These creatures that broke into the Netherworld were precisely the most precious test subjects of the Netherworld experiments.
In particular, the number of griffins has reached 28, which is quite considerable.
He vaguely remembered John mentioning that so many griffins might be trained into something like... "chicken riders"?
In order for these Netherworld creatures to survive, Flora proposed an improvement plan, adding a composite rune array around the outer perimeter of the experimental area.
Once activated, this magic array can simulate an energy environment similar to the Netherworld, maintaining an energy concentration suitable for the survival of Netherworld creatures and preventing them from dissipating because they are no longer in the Netherworld.
Stephen had seen the design of the magic circle and had to admit that Flora's expertise in the field of runes was indeed profound. The interwoven rune lines seemed complex, but they accurately replicated the basic energy cycle of the Netherworld. Now it seemed that the effect was indeed remarkable. Apart from the initial agitation, the creatures contained here gradually adapted to the environment.
The hum of the portal gradually subsided, and the energy fluctuations stabilized, indicating that the spatial passage was fully formed. Stephen stopped daydreaming, straightened his back, and the researchers beside him held their breath, their eyes fixed on the distorted light and shadow.
Everyone carried a hint of anticipation, mixed with a sense of resignation and acceptance. They hoped for a breakthrough this time, but were frustrated by the repeated unexpected events of the past.
After a slight spatial fluctuation, a small figure slowly emerged from the glow of the portal.
The creature was dark green all over, with limbs so thin they looked like they would break at any moment, but its head was disproportionately large, with an unusually long nose and drooping long ears, making it look somewhat comical.
It gripped a rough wooden stick in one hand, the wood still stained with dark red dirt, and in the other hand it carried a palm-sized carcass, the species of which was unclear, only the fine hairs and sharp claws were vaguely visible.
Its lower body was wrapped in a tattered animal hide, barely covering its vitals. It hummed strange, off-key syllables, closed its eyes, and staggered out of the portal, looking completely unguarded.
Stephen's gaze lingered on the creature for a moment before turning to look at Flora beside him.
"Ms. Flora, what kind of creature is this?"
Flora glanced at it and replied:
"These are goblins, social creatures of the Netherworld. Individually they are weak and mostly rely on rudimentary weapons, but unlike the Netherworld creatures we've encountered before, they have a clear organizational structure and basic social structure."
She paused, then added:
"The presence of a single goblin here suggests that there is likely a goblin tribe in the vicinity of the Netherworld region connected by the portal."
Just then, the goblin suddenly stopped whimpering, frowned, and subconsciously looked down at its feet.
The icy touch seeped in through the seams of the animal hide, making it shiver.
It suddenly opened its eyes, its previously drowsy gaze instantly clearing, and began to look around.
Upon seeing this, the goblin's mouth gaped open to its maximum, its eyes widened, and its face was filled with disbelief.
It wasn't the familiar dark forest or the swamp next to the tribe, but a strange place filled with oddly shaped metal tools, and the air was filled with smells it had never smelled before.
Those tall, upright creatures were staring at it with strange eyes, and in the distance, the ferocious beasts locked behind the transparent barrier all exuded an aura that made its heart tremble.
Where am I?!
The goblin's mind went blank, and he instinctively took a step back, only to bump into something behind him.
It stiffly turned its head, followed the gaze upwards, and was instantly terrified by the sight before it. Coal Ball was squatting not far away, its massive body appearing like a towering mountain in its eyes. Its black fur gleamed with an oily sheen, and its thick limbs were firmly rooted to the ground. The sheer sense of oppression alone made the goblin almost unable to breathe.
The coal ball also noticed the little thing, its round eyes full of curiosity.
The creatures of the Netherworld it had encountered before were either fierce and warlike or wild beasts with little intelligence. This was the first time it had ever seen one so small and exquisite, with such a bewildered expression.
It tentatively raised its front paw, wanting to gently paw at the novel little creature. The wind generated by the movement of its paw made the goblin's fur stand on end involuntarily.
"Wow--!"
A sharp scream shattered the tranquility of the experimental area. The goblin could no longer hold back and turned to run wildly toward the teleportation portal.
Its speed was astonishing; its limbs moved so fast that they were almost invisible, as if it feared that if it slowed down even a step, it would be swallowed up by that "mountain-sized behemoth".
In the blink of an eye, its figure disappeared behind the distorted light and shadow of the portal.
Stephen looked at the empty portal entrance and waved his hand helplessly.
"Alright, alright, shut it down."
After the command was given, the light of the portal gradually dimmed, the energy hum slowly weakened, and it finally closed completely, leaving only faint rune marks on the ground.
Stephen rubbed his temples and sighed softly. It was another fruitless attempt. It seemed that he would have to keep trying to find a stable Netherworld node.
However, he wasn't too discouraged, since the discovery of races with social structures in the Netherworld was a small gain.
Compared to figuring out portals and Netherworld creatures, Stephen felt that developing steam armor was more practical.
That technology has already made initial progress. Once a few more core challenges are overcome, it will soon be put into practical application. Whether for defense or exploration, it is much more reliable than these highly uncertain portal experiments.
Thinking of this, Stephen stopped and turned to walk towards the steam power laboratory on the other side of the experimental area. Behind him, the researchers were cleaning up the site, while Coal Ball was still spinning around in place, occasionally scratching the ground with its paws, as if it was still missing the little guy who had suddenly run away.
Meanwhile, the creatures of the Netherworld in the containment zone continued to roam in their respective territories. The cries of griffins rang out once more, mingling with the calls of other creatures to create a unique melody for the experimental zone.
Stephen wasn't too upset; after all, he'd seen far too many similar accidents in the past month.
He only hoped that the next time the portal was activated, it would bring some truly valuable discoveries, rather than just another "zoo expansion."
Before that, he needs to sort out the steam armor issue; at least that's something he can control right now.