Dungeon King: A Lady Knight Offered by My Goblins

Chapter 411 409-The Ruin

In this very moment, as Ethan beheld so many stone circles, a question began to form in his mind. 

Two such enigmatic circles could not have appeared here without reason. 

Since they were here, there must be a purpose behind their presence. 

Ethan possessed an insatiable curiosity, and at this moment, he decided to inspect them closely, hoping to uncover any discoveries within these peculiar rings.

Upon closer examination, Ethan did indeed make more discoveries. 

In the vicinity of these two circles, he found a dozen or more circles of varying sizes, indicating that this region was teeming with these stone enigmas.

However, this only deepened Ethan's sense of intrigue. 

He knew that these stone circles couldn't have been erected here without cause. 

After all, no one in their right mind would go to the trouble of transporting massive stones from afar just to construct these rings. 

If that were the case, such individuals could only be described as beyond idle; their actions bordered on the absurd.

Ethan was a person of profound curiosity, and at this moment, he was consumed by the desire to unravel the secrets of these stone circles. 

Otherwise, he would find no peace day or night.

As the saying goes, "There is nothing difficult in this world for those who set their minds to it." 

Any task can be mastered with diligence and dedication. 

Ethan was the kind of person who delved deeply into matters, and when faced with a mystery like this, he would not rest until he had uncovered the truth. 

It didn't take long for Ethan to discern the purpose of these stone circles.

These stone rings served a purpose that Ethan soon unraveled.

Upon closer inspection, Ethan discerned that there were more than a dozen stone circles, varying in size. 

While their shapes were similar, their dimensions differed. 

A more careful examination revealed numerous scattered stones around these circles, as if they had fallen from somewhere.

This attention to detail led Ethan to a realization: these stone circles were remnants of ancient dwellings. 

This meant that long ago, people had lived in the Venomous Serpent Swamp, but over time, the houses had collapsed, leaving behind the current ruins.

Ethan surmised that these stone dwellings were likely hundreds, if not thousands, of years old. 

As for who built them and why they were now deserted, that remained unknown to Ethan. 

However, this discovery was a significant revelation for him, sparking a surge of excitement in his heart.

After all, the existence of ancient ruins in this place suggested that people once lived here, only to vanish over time. 

This raised the likelihood that treasures might be hidden in the vicinity. 

Treasures, by their very nature, are hidden by someone; they do not simply materialize out of thin air. 

Hence, areas once inhabited, like this one, often hold greater prospects for uncovering hidden riches.

With the discovery of these ruins, Ethan felt more confident about finding the treasure. 

He resolved to meticulously search the surrounding area of these ruins. 

He believed that the day he would unearth the treasure was not far off.

However, one question lingered in Ethan's mind: what became of the people who once lived amidst these ruins? 

Had they relocated, or had some sudden, unforeseen event led to their disappearance?

Curiosity filled Ethan's heart, yet he knew that these events transpired thousands, perhaps even tens of thousands of years ago. 

Investigating such ancient matters was nearly impossible. 

Moreover, the reason behind this historical enigma was irrelevant to his current quest. 

Ethan's primary focus was finding the treasure; ancillary details, no matter how intriguing, were secondary.

Ethan then commenced a thorough search around the ancient site. 

After several days of diligent exploration, his efforts seemed fruitless at first glance. 

But it wasn't entirely without merit, as he discovered many fascinating aspects of the ruins during his investigation.

Ethan realized that these houses dated back even further than he initially surmised, not just thousands, but possibly from an even more distant past. 

The site was, in fact, a ruin from the ancient times. 

This realization sparked an exhilarating thought: if there was indeed a treasure, it could be a ruin from that ancient era, stirring even greater excitement in Ethan.

As the saying goes, persistence pays off. 

After an extended period of searching, Ethan's efforts finally led to an exhilarating discovery: a mysterious stone door. 

The excitement in his heart upon finding this door was palpable. 

After all, behind a stone door could very well lie the treasure he sought. 

It seemed that his prolonged search was about to bear fruit at last.                                        

After such a lengthy search, Ethan had been eagerly anticipating this moment. 

He had finally found the location, but now faced a formidable challenge: figuring out how to open the massive stone door before him.

Ethan observed that the door was not only thick and heavy but also contained a hidden mechanism. 

It was clear that brute force alone would not suffice to open it. 

Concerned about the potential consequences of damaging the door, Ethan knew that the key to unlocking it lay in discovering the mechanism.

Thus, Ethan began his meticulous search. 

He scrutinized every inch of the stone door, but no matter how long he searched, no trace of a mechanism could be found. 

This puzzled Ethan greatly. Could it be a door that was never meant to be opened? 

He had never encountered such a situation before. 

After all, the very purpose of a door is to be opened and closed

Ethan refused to believe in the existence of an unopenable door. 

He was convinced that the door could be opened; the mechanism was just exceedingly well-hidden.

With renewed determination, Ethan carefully examined the door once again, paying close attention to even the smallest details, as minute as a strand of hair. 

His goal was clear: to find a way to open the door. 

Despite his thoroughness, he still couldn't find any hint of a mechanism.

Even Ethan, a person of great patience, couldn't help feeling a surge of anxiety. 

Was there a problem somewhere? 

What was amiss? 

Why couldn't he find the mechanism to open the door?

These thoughts swirled chaotically in Ethan's mind, muddling his thoughts. 

At this moment, he forced himself to muster up his spirit, knowing all too well that it was crucial to stay calm and focused in such situations. 

Panic would only clutter his thoughts, making it even harder to concentrate on finding the mechanism.

So, Ethan endeavored to calm himself down. 

He conducted another search, yet again, it yielded no results. 

This time, Ethan was certain: he had examined every corner of the stone door, not overlooking even the most insignificant detail. 

If there had been any mechanism on the door, he was sure he would have found it by now.

Ethan had been thorough in his previous searches too, but having found nothing then did not deter him. 

His patience only grew, driving him to search even more meticulously. 

But now, after this third thorough examination, he still hadn't found any clue, not even the slightest trace.

Given this situation, Ethan could only conclude one thing: there simply was no mechanism to open the door on its surface. 

This left him at a dead end in his quest to open the door.

"There must be something wrong," Ethan thought to himself. "It can't just be like this."

At that moment, Ethan simply sat down on the ground, deeply immersed in thought about the possible location of the mechanism. 

Although he was a person who relished delving into puzzles and exercising his mind, this particular challenge proved exceedingly difficult. 

Despite prolonged contemplation, the answer eluded him.

Just then, a sudden spark of inspiration flashed through Ethan's mind, leading him to a potential breakthrough. 

He realized that the mechanism for the door might not be on the door itself; it could be located elsewhere. 

Until now, his thinking had been trapped in a narrow mindset.

This new perspective brought a wave of clarity to Ethan. 

He chided himself for not considering this possibility earlier. 

The means to open the door might well be hidden in a completely different location.

With this thought, Ethan wasted no more time sitting idly. 

He rose to his feet and set off to explore other areas, hoping to chance upon the elusive mechanism or clues related to it that would unlock the stone door.