Xia Nan carefully examined his attribute panel.
Compared to the surprise brought by the quantification of his own attributes, his various values were not particularly remarkable.
All six dimensional attributes were "5", seemingly just at the level of an ordinary person.
Moreover, the attribute panel itself was extremely simplistic, like it came from some unfinished third-rate game, revealing nothing significant.
The only thing worth mentioning was that solitary existence in his skill panel:
[Vortex Slash]lv4（99/100）
"Just 1 point away from leveling up?"
Xia Nan murmured to himself in his heart.
Although he knew it couldn't be rushed, after all, he was just 1 point away from leveling up to lv5.
He couldn't help but feel itchy, desperately wanting to know what benefits this level-up could bring him.
His mind recalled the moment when his skill level increased earlier.
"I wonder if using moves in combat provides more of a bonus compared to regular training."
Having just traversed to this world not long ago, he was a newbie adventurer with only one skill inherited from his original self.
The attribute panel had only a few lines, again yielding no flowers.
Xia Nan glanced over it a few more times, then gathered his thoughts and returned to his watch duty.
...
The next day.
At dawn, the Stinky Fish and Shrimp Group packed up their various supplies and left the camp.
The Mist Forest in the early morning had visibility comparable to nighttime.
The air was filled with dense mist, combined with the lush vegetation that looked the same in Xia Nan's eyes, making it impossible for anyone to discern the path.
After walking for half a day, he even had the illusion that they had been treading in place all along.
Yet the two people ahead displayed a confident demeanor, as if they had a small map in their heads.
Xia Nan said nothing, following closely like a little tail.
When the two stopped, he stood still; when they lowered their voices, he crept along quietly as well.
As to why low-level adventurers like the Stinky Fish and Shrimp Group could walk freely in the Mist Forest as if strolling through their backyard and even locate the vague direction of the goblin nest in the complex terrain.
Xia Nan had some vague guesses.
On one hand, it could be the past experiences as "seniors" allowing Magi and others to rely on some unknown details of the forest to distinguish directions;
On the other hand, from seeing this hunter away from home frequently pause his steps and sniff the ground like a hound -
He probably had mastered some exclusive precursor skills akin to [Vortex Slash] belonging to a certain class.
Yet, like Gag and Magi never mentioned the skills he performed after battles, it was as if they hadn't seen them at all.
Xia Nan didn't ask much about it.
He just kept it in mind to avoid unnecessary disputes by not chattering more than needed when encountering other adventurers in the future.
After an estimated three more hours traversing through the forest, a small hill came into view for the few of them.
At the center of the hill was a hole of dirt and stone evidently excavated by some creatures, with signs of substantial biological activity at the entrance.
A faint stench could be smelled in the air.
"We're here!"
Magi's face showed unstoppable excitement, speaking in a lowered voice.
"So, do we just go in directly?"
Gag, grasping an iron axe in both hands, had slightly reddened pupils, clearly ready for battle.
"This kind of cavern shouldn't have any back paths." Magi observed the small hill ahead carefully, hesitated for a moment, and said, "We can go in directly."
"Later, you take the front, Xia Nan will be in the middle, and I'll bring up the rear." He weighed the longbow in his hand, "Be careful, everyone, don't get complacent!"
Hearing this, Xia Nan, who was about to follow the team into the cave, couldn't help but voice his doubt:
"A cave opening of this size should be big enough for two adults to stand upright and walk side by side?"
"Is it the goblin's habit to dig such a big entrance?"
"Um..."
This question seemed to stump Magi behind him, and there was a momentary pause in his voice, staying silent for a while.
"The main force has already been dealt with, so why are you bothered with these many questions!?"
The goblin's treasure was within reach, and Gag's tone was exceptionally impatient,
"If you're scared, leave! Otherwise, you won't get a share of the loot in the cave!"
While speaking, the few had already stepped into the cave.
"Damn it!" Xia Nan cursed under his breath, glanced at the scale of the cave's surroundings, and felt uneasy,
"These two bastards have pinned me in front and back."
If he chickens out during the fight, he's likely the first to get hit hard."
At this point, there was no choice but to follow them all the way.
In truth, it was because Xia Nan hadn't been in this world for long and was not well-acquainted with the adventurer profession.
With a few more days of interaction, he would have understood by then.
The reason low-level adventurers are labeled as "low-level" is partly due to inadequate strength, but also due to their untimely courage, "just right" fear, consciences that can be blinded by a few bags of gold coins,
and brains maneuvered by greed.
Frequently changing teammates, still equipped with tattered gear after years of adventuring, a team made up of stinky fish and shrimp, and allowing a complete newbie like Xia Nan to join...
Just from these points, one could discern some clues.
However, at this moment, it was too late to consider these things.
All Xia Nan could do was grip the long sword in his hand tightly and remain vigilant of everything around.
The cave was not deep, and it soon seemed to come to its end.
"Gululu..."
Accompanied by faint firelight, some peculiar sound echoed from the corner ahead.
Having long suppressed his excitement, Gag, walking at the front, had his muscles swell up, his eyes redden.
Roar——
He let out an undisciplined roar, raising his Dual Handed Axe high and charged forward.
Then,
it was like a wild dog choked by the neck,
the roar abruptly stopped.
Though Xia Nan was startled by Gag's voice, his feet moved quickly, following closely behind.
Hence, in the next moment, he too witnessed the scene that rendered Gag speechless.
Previously mentioned, goblins reproduce by relying on females from other races due to their monogender nature.
As humans, a more broadly distributed intelligent species in the multiverse than goblins, possess an astonishing array of high-end combat power, their ordinary individuals are the most numerous among all races.
So, those females abducted by goblins for reproduction purposes were mostly humans.
Given the frail constitution of ordinary human individuals, most of these women would lose their lives before bearing a second child, owing to the goblins' brutal and inhumane reproductive method, coupled with the harsh environment.
These innately vile hybrids naturally wouldn't conduct any funerals for them.
Lurking around the subsistence line, goblins would choose to fill their stomachs first when it came to those pitiable women.
Thus arose the scene Xia Nan witnessed.
Predictably, this scene would deliver an explosive shock to someone like Xia Nan, an ordinary modern-day person.
Even upon becoming a senior adventurer later on, it would be deeply etched in his memory.
However, what made Gag, a Half orc who had been consuming raw and bloody meat since childhood, lose his speech due to fright naturally wasn't a scene they had long been accustomed to.
But rather the burly figure sitting at the deepest point of the cave, hidden in the shadow.
Behind him was Magi's tremulous scream akin to a rooster's crow:
"Bear Goblin!!!"