Chapter 2, Unable to Leave

This is an incredibly chaotic change, sufficient to leave any ordinary person in a state of panic, unsure of what to do next

Some houses have already lost their topmost roofs, making them indistinguishable from ruins. The doors and windows on the ground are firmly nailed shut with heavy pine boards

Once the decision was made, Xiao Fan immediately sprang into action. He strode across a narrow street, snatching a newspaper from the hands of a shivering homeless man, and then leaped into his chosen target amidst the man's furious curses

Not to mention pedestrians, even those vagrants are unwilling to approach this pit. Above this pit, on the third floor of the entire building, one can overlook the entire neighborhood from a commanding height

Xiao Fen slightly frowned, forcefully pushed open the spring door of the library, and walked into the library

In one corner of this kitchen, there is a narrow staircase, which is likely intended for the use of servants. Next to the staircase, there is a small white metal window on the wall.

The second floor is where the living room of the entire house is located, and it is divided into three rooms by a half-open archway, each room appearing to be of similar size

Suddenly, Xiao Fan discovered that the passage beneath his feet was rapidly becoming transparent, and a new path emerged, reminiscent of the prehistoric world he had seen that morning, as the new world and the *illustrated* realm reappeared around him

Almost instantaneously, this world completely replaced the real world before Xiao Fan could react. In other words, this world, which seems to belong to the era of the Industrial Revolution, is now the true "real world".

However, Xiao Fen was able to observe that some of the pried open rough wooden planks were quite abnormal

From the crack, it is evident that it was not pried open; rather, it was forcefully created by a powerful external force. If the homeless had such strength, they would certainly not need to wander and beg.

However, regardless of who it is, when they pass by those voids that Xiao Fan considers abnormal, they always keep a considerable distance, as if fearing that a demonic hand might suddenly emerge from that void to drag them into hell.

The houses on both sides of the street are tall and large, yet very old. Just by looking at the dilapidated appearance of these houses, one can tell that most of the people living here are not part of the bourgeoisie; it would not be an exaggeration to call it a slum.

This place is unfamiliar to Xiao Fen, as the women on the street wear bulky skirts and outdated overcoats, while the men are dressed in short-cut jackets and suspenders, which easily evoke thoughts of the Industrial Revolution era

As for the pedestrians on the road, each one is huddled with their arms crossed, their dull faces revealing no signs of joy. They walk with hunched backs, moving cautiously and evasively. Even when they speak, their words are extremely brief, often just exchanging a greeting before quickly departing

With this in mind, Xiao Fen began to select his destination for action

On the left side of the first floor is an empty porch, while on the other side are two small houses. Judging by the marks on the ground, one of them should be a kitchen

Near the second floor, Xiao Fen noticed something: on the slightly dusty stair railing, there was a handprint, suggesting that someone had entered this house not long before.

Overall, there is not much difference from what Xiao Fen had anticipated; his goal remains the third floor

As for the other vacant room, it should be considered a study, similarly devoid of anything, empty as if it were the wallet of Xiao Fan.

However, the experiences that Xiao Fan has endured since childhood have endowed him with a calmness that is distinctly superior to that of his peers and even adults. As he confirms that he cannot temporarily return to the real world, his mind swiftly formulates new judgments.

Although it appeared very dangerous, Xiao Fen always felt that something in the room on the 3rd floor was continuously calling out to him, which ultimately solidified his resolve

Theoretically speaking, the best way to understand the nature of this world is to communicate with its people and observe every detail around us. Only in this way can we return to the original goal of books, leaving this world and returning to reality

Retracting his gaze, at Xiao Fan's feet, the sewer was already blocked, emitting a foul odor, with decaying rats scattered here and there.

It was not one that the homeless had pried open, but rather one of the unusual pits that Xiao Fen had observed earlier.

The ground is unusually damp, and there are no signs of habitation. It appears that the owner of the room has left this house for a long time

This is a rather large house, with several steps at the entrance. Ascending the steps leads to the first floor

There are still some houses that, due to years of neglect, are on the verge of collapsing onto the street. However, the homeowners clearly lack the funds for repairs and can only support the walls with a few large wooden beams, one end propped against the wall and the other firmly inserted into the ground.

After a few minutes of observation, coming back to his senses, he finally realized that continuing to delay might lead to frostbite. Xiao Fan finally identified a pit.

Xiao Fen gestured slightly; the hand of the first person to arrive was exceptionally large, nearly double the size of Xiao Fen's palm. Such a gigantic hand, Xiao Fen had only seen in highlight reels of basketball players.

However, even these houses are not entirely ownerless; the homeless have chosen this place, prying open some of the rough wooden boards nailed to the doors and windows, leaving a gap large enough for people to enter and exit, serving as a nest for these individuals to shelter at night

In contrast to that vibrant yet perilous prehistoric world, the realm that Xiao Fan has now ventured into is imbued with an indescribable sense of corruption

That pit is the largest among all the abnormal pits, and it also appears to be the most terrifying one

There is a staircase leading to the second floor in the porch, and the wooden steps creak ominously under Xiaofan's feet, as if the next step could cause the entire staircase to collapse

As Xiao Fan involuntarily shivered upon touching the cold handle of the library door, an inexplicable sense of panic began to arise within his heart

When he jumped through the doorway, the sounds of the homeless man chasing and cursing behind him came to an abrupt halt. After that, there was only the murmuring of a group of passersby, nothing more than phrases like "God bless".

A sufficiently dry and habitable shelter for a homeless person is rare, as is a sufficiently safe hole that also offers a good view, allowing for constant observation of the surroundings. These are the prerequisites for Xiao Fan in choosing his destination

In fact, Xiao Fen could not imagine how much strength would be required to break through such a massive hole that could accommodate a person.

He stood behind the doorway, or more precisely, in the foyer of a room, and began to carefully explore the house with the aid of the dim light

As for those homeless individuals, they huddle in the corners of the streets, their hands and the newspapers from the illustrated books appearing to be their only possessions. Those newspapers can provide some shelter from the evening chill, ensuring they can survive one cold night after another

Most houses have commercial spaces on the ground floor, yet the main doors are tightly shut, presenting an air of decay and ruin. Only the upper floors, which are used for living, occasionally emit some dim yellow light, which adds a touch of vitality.

Xiao Fen clearly heard that these people, along with the homeless man, were speaking English, which gave him a slight sense of reassurance; conversing in English was not particularly difficult for him

However, based solely on these garments, it is still impossible to clearly determine where this place is and what era it belongs to

However, before that, it is necessary to first find a relatively safe place to avoid appearing too out of place

However, one can see how long such support can last by observing that the large wooden beams have already begun to rot

First, it is essential to understand what kind of world this truly is

Just like in those movies, this window serves as a direct passage to the master bedroom upstairs, used for delivering meals and other necessities for the owner, but now these things have lost their significance

As for those living, emaciated mice, they fearlessly scurried past Xiao Fen's feet, which can be interpreted as these mice being indifferent to death, or it can be considered that they were too starved to move.