The Transdimensional Inn

Rebirth

Irene found it utterly absurd that Noah could have lived in a foreign realm for so long without realizing it. Yet, Noah thought the entire world was absurd.

"So, according to you, the world is filled with 'foreign realms,' right?" Noah mused, casually chatting with Irene in his mind while hiding in a ruined temple. "It's just that most people can't interact with them because they can't perceive them?"

"That's roughly the case," Irene replied, "but as for whether the whole 'world' is like this... I'm not entirely sure. The world is vast, after all. But at least within the boundaries of 'Jiecheng,' the chances of encountering these realms are quite high. That's why this place is often referred to as 'the borderland'... or something along those lines. Honestly, I'm not too sure either. I've spent too much time inside the painting, and my mind's a bit muddled."

"The borderland?" Noah raised an eyebrow, feeling a strange sense of familiarity with the term. But soon, another piece of information Irene had let slip caught his attention.

She had deliberately emphasized "within Jiecheng," which meant this seemingly boundless city had an "outside"!

After a brief moment of hesitation, Noah couldn't help but ask, "What's outside Jiecheng?"

"Outside Jiecheng? More cities, perhaps? Or maybe... the sea?" Irene's answer was vague and uncertain. "I don’t really remember. I’ve been trapped in this painting for too long. I can only recall bits and pieces about this city..."

She paused and then asked curiously, "Don't you know? Haven't you ever left Jiecheng?"

Noah’s mouth twitched slightly, and he fell into silence.

How would he know? He had only been here for two months! Let alone the outskirts of Jiecheng, he hadn't even figured out the bus routes beyond four blocks from his home!

But after a long silence, he decided not to bring up the matter. This secret of his wasn’t something he wanted to reveal to a "cursed painting" he had only recently met.

"I've never been out. I'm kind of a homebody... Anyway, let’s not talk about that," he said casually, changing the topic. "We should focus on figuring out how I can get out of this so-called 'foreign realm.' It's possible to leave these places, right?"

Irene seemed to ponder for a while, as if trying to sort through her long-forgotten memories due to the prolonged seal. After a long pause, she finally responded, "There are many kinds of foreign realms. Sometimes, they’re just a house that doesn’t exist on any map. Other times, it’s an extra stop on a bus route, or it could even be an entire forest—a realm where you could walk in through a wardrobe. The smaller foreign realms usually have relatively fixed and obvious exits, or you can return to reality by following certain rules. But the larger the realm, the more complicated it becomes."

She hesitated before continuing, "I don’t remember the specifics. There should be a complete classification system for foreign realms, and they are ranked by 'depth' and 'danger level.' But, like I said, I’ve been sealed away too long..."

Her voice trailed off, tinged with a sense of sadness.

Noah had initially wanted to make a snide remark, wondering how Irene could have rambled so much without providing any useful information. However, hearing the dejection in her tone, he held his tongue.

She had tried her best to help—she was just trapped for too long.

"We’ll find a way out. There’s always a way," Noah muttered, shaking his head as he gazed at the valley outside the ruined temple. "This place seems vast—there are mountains on either side and a forest in the distance. From what you’ve said, getting out of here won’t be easy."

"Right," Irene agreed softly. "You should start by exploring the area where you first entered the foreign realm. Look for anything that feels out of place—something that strikes you as wrong, like it doesn’t belong. The exits to these realms are often near such things. If you don't find anything, try getting to higher ground and see if you can spot any mirror-like reflections or hear a continuous wind sound."

"But even if you do find something like that, don't rush in blindly. It could be a trap leading to deeper layers of the realm. You’ll have to trust your instincts."

"My instincts?" Noah asked skeptically.

"Yes," she replied. "Strictly speaking, it’s more of an intuitive sense—an inner perception that trained investigators develop. I know you haven't been trained, but there's no other choice now; you’ll have to rely on raw intuition."

"Don’t worry too much, though. Spiritual intuition exists in all sentient beings. Even untrained people have it, though it’s dormant. If you pay close attention, you’ll sense warnings and premonitions from your true essence. And if you really can’t figure something out, tell me—I’ll help however I can."

Noah nodded, cautiously emerging from his hiding spot and moving toward the ruined temple’s entrance. The unsettling sensation of being watched and the palpable hunger in the air still clung to him, as if the entire valley was imbued with those feelings. Yet, he steeled himself and pressed forward.

From what Irene had said, he had to find an exit quickly—waiting around wouldn’t make a door magically appear in front of him.

As he cautiously advanced, he couldn’t help but make idle conversation to ease his tension.

"You said my house is a foreign realm. How did you figure that out? I’ve never noticed anything strange about it."

"I can feel it," Irene answered. "It’s that same intuitive sense. There's something off about the building—even though, on the surface, everything seems perfectly normal. I don’t know why that is."

"Instinct again, huh..." Noah muttered. "So, every time I go home, I'm entering a foreign realm, and every time I leave, I exit it? Well, I guess my house is a 'safe and friendly' foreign realm then."

After a brief pause, Irene’s voice sounded quietly, "But when you leave, how do you know you’re reaching the place you intended to go?"

Noah froze, his expression stiffening as he recalled how he had ended up in his current predicament.

Suddenly, it dawned on him what was truly wrong with his "home."

The fact that he had lived in that mansion peacefully for two months now felt like a miracle.

As he continued walking, he found himself back in the open space in front of the temple, the very spot where he had first entered this foreign realm.

"I didn’t find anything here," Noah said, after inspecting the area thoroughly. There was no sign of the "out-of-place key item" Irene had described. "Looks like it won’t be that easy."

"That’s not surprising," Irene sighed. "Still, try venturing farther. Just remember—don’t touch anything that glows or suddenly starts moving. And avoid eating or drinking anything in this realm unless absolutely necessary..."

"I know. And maybe it’d be easier to search in daylight," Noah suggested, glancing up at the perpetually murky sky. "It feels too eerie to be out here at night."

"Foreign realms often defy common sense. Daylight might not be any safer... and it might not even exist here," Irene quickly warned. "You should try to find the exit as soon as possible. The longer you stay, the more likely something will change."

Noah pursed his lips and resignedly ventured farther out.

As he stepped beyond the temple’s threshold, a sound reached his ears.

At first, it was a faint, barely discernible breathing.

Instinctively, Noah turned toward the source of the sound and spotted a slow-dissipating white mist, as though some unseen beast had just exhaled heavily.

He had heard the sound—so now, the beast's breath became real.

He saw the mist—so now, the beast's existence was confirmed.

A shadow began to take shape in the air, towering over Noah at three times his height. It solidified gradually, accompanied by the weighty sound of breathing.

He could now see the beast’s outline—its presence undeniable.

Noah’s heart tightened as an overwhelming sense of danger crushed him, far worse than the oppressive feeling the rain-soaked frog had given him.

In that moment of sheer terror, the shadow solidified.

It was unlike anything Noah had ever seen—a grotesque amalgamation of creatures, part bear, part lion, part eagle, and part snake. Its monstrous limbs, piled together in a grotesque heap, resembled a fusion of numerous predators melted together and then reformed into a single abominable entity. With its hideous, bloated limbs, it loomed over Noah, its many jumbled eyes filled with hunger.

Noah slowly looked up, locking eyes with the beast.

Without hesitation, the creature lunged at him, and in the nick of time, Noah ducked, narrowly avoiding one of its massive, gaping jaws—only to fall directly into another.

Razor-sharp teeth closed in, tearing through half of Noah’s body. Yet at that moment, the pain felt strangely distant, almost like a numb hallucination. Everything seemed to slow down. He could see more snake-like limbs slithering out from behind the beast, another mouth biting into what remained of his torso.

He saw his own heart—still faintly pulsing—before it vanished into the serpent’s maw.

"F*** you!" Noah spat