The follow-up fermentation of the matter was a little bigger than Zhou Xuan's original expectation.

Originally, places such as taverns and clubs (brothels) to inquire about news also had a few more incompatible faces.

For these guys, Zhou and Alan didn't care. They had long since abandoned the backward methods of manual listening, and Alan was already quite skilled in directing the ghost with the contact stone to probe the information they wanted.

"My lord, today's harvest is good! I heard a lot of interesting news. ”

Allen, who was sitting on the big bed in the hotel room, waved his legs leisurely, waved the contact stone in his hand and said.

"Is there any trace of the woman?"

Everywhere they went, they would ask and calculate the traces of the mysterious women who had counted them, which had become a habit of Zhou Xuan.

"Even if it's not, I think it won't be difficult to know the woman's whereabouts when the time comes!"

Allen's words undoubtedly aroused the interest of Zhou Xuan.

He poured himself a glass of water, then poured another empty cup and handed it to Allen.

"Tell me about it!"

Allen, who took the water cup and drank it, unceremoniously motioned to Zhou to have another drink. Then, open your mouth and share the information you've gotten.

After listening to the beginning and end of Zhou's injury, he asked rhetorically: "Are you sure that there is a shortage of food in Shack Town?" ”

The reason why Zhou Zhishu quickly paid attention to it was also because of the special geographical location of Shack Town.

Although the town of Shack is under the control of the city of Freil, neither the city nor the surrounding towns produce food. If you want to get food, you have to ask for help from the cities in the south. And the city to the south is not another town, but the main city of Pedenora. The main reason why the city of Fryer did not ask for food was that the city of Fryer was now going through a 'seditious change', and the trend of politics and public opinion was very bad.

Although the ruler of the kingdom was relatively incompetent, he also knew that this time could not stimulate the nerves of the people of that city. Otherwise, a rumor of a lack of food could trigger a riot in the whole city, a consequence that no one can afford.

As for why Shack Town is short of food, we have to talk about the gold rush. The original grain was more than enough for Sark Town. But since someone discovered gold in that place, everything has changed. The endless influx of outsiders into Shack Town made Sark Town, which was originally a good material reserve, quickly hollowed out. Strictly speaking, in addition to the lack of food, the town also lacked wood to heat the fire.

"Alan, do you think there is a group of barbarians behind this matter?"

Regarding Zhou's question, Alan thought about it and replied: "If it is listed separately, this matter is still an accident." However, when you connect all the 'accidents' of the previous city, it doesn't feel so unexpected. The probability of being artificial is very high! ”

"And, so far. A second gold mine has not yet been excavated. So, I have reason to suspect that this is a conspiracy! ”

Zhou Xuan, who has walked through several towns, certainly knows what happened to those 'accidents'. So, he trusted Allen's judgment.

After listening to Allen's judgment, Zhou felt that it was very necessary to go to Shack Town to have a look. Although he didn't know how Shack Town said that he would move Pednora to transfer food, he felt that as long as people dared to do it, they would not be unprepared in advance.

"Let's take one step at a time! Alan, be careful to gather news about Pednora and the surrounding towns. ”

The clever Allen quickly understood Zhou's intention to destroy the injury. He understood that his lord suspected the barbarians of military action against Pedenora.

Pednora, as the main city of one side, is well connected on the map. Despite its convenient accessibility, Pednora was just as vulnerable to the enemy's encirclement as a plain. As long as there is not enough food, Alan believes that the city will not survive for long.

Allen, who hurriedly drank a glass of water, quickly packed his luggage, and then followed Zhou to the hotel on the journey to Shack Town.

On the way, Zhou found that there were really a lot of people going to the direction of Shack Town.

Zhou Zhi, who stopped the horses on the spot, blocked a small group of people carrying tools, and asked, "You also went to Sack Town to pan for gold?" Aren't you afraid of getting nothing and going hungry? ”

"Hungry? Hmph~ Hungry is better than hopeless! There is still a chance to break through, and if you don't break through, you can only wait for death! ”

Zhou Xuan, who was puzzled, patiently asked the doubts in his heart.

"How can you wait for death if you don't break in? Didn't you work in your hometown in previous years? ”

Feeling that there was nothing to say, the gold digger adjusted the hoe on his shoulder to a comfortable position, and explained with some gloom: "Although we are not a production area, it does not mean that there are no farmers. As a farmer in the town, this year can be miserable by a blizzard! Although this learning comes quickly, it is also achieved quickly. But there were so many of them at one time that they crushed all the food to death. ”

Hearing the gold digger's explanation, Zhou Zhen's brows furrowed even more. He didn't believe in the unpredictable prophet of the barbarians, and knew that this year he had encountered a blizzard that had not been seen in a century. If it was said that their plan was temporarily adjusted, Zhou Xuanshu would not believe it. It was only a few days before the previous snow, and if you want to change your plan temporarily, it will not be possible to pass it in a short time. The coordination and overall planning of various localities will take at least one month or more.

The main thing is that it has been more than two months since the discovery of gold in the town of Sark. The timing is a little wrong, and all of this makes Zhou Xuan incomprehensible.

"Fate rushed? Divine intervention? ”

Zhou Xuan, who was secretly thinking in his heart, thought that neither of these possibilities was too great. He felt that the coincidence of this snow was a big factor.

"Your Excellency?"

Seeing that his adult was stunned, Alan gently stabbed him twice. Finding that the gold diggers were waiting impatiently, Zhou Zhishu threw out two gold coins and beckoned Alan to gallop in the direction of Sarktown.

Before dark, the two of them finally arrived in Shack Town.

"It's harder than you think!"

Cooking smoke is scarce throughout the town. It was said that it was time for the meal, but there were very few houses where the smoke was rising.

"Yes! There's no one on the street! Compared to the previous town, this place is almost like a ghost town! ”

Zhou didn't reply, but took Alan directly and began to look for a hotel.

As soon as they entered a certain hotel, they were startled.

Looking at the 'passengers' crowded in the hall to keep warm, Zhou gave Alan a look.

Allen, who got Zhou Zhen's hurt eyes, shouted knowingly: "Shop, shop!" What's going on here? ”

"What's the noise?"

Zhou has never seen a more arrogant shopkeeper than this shopkeeper. Looking at his impatient posture, Alan also asked unhappily, "How do you do business?" Do you still let the guests live? ”

"One silver coin for one night, love can't live! As for this hall, one copper coin a day. ”

The two who got such an answer did not ask rhetorical questions or quarrel. He knew that the owner of this shop must have his confidence to be so arrogant.

"Give five silver coins and come to two rooms. We stayed for 2 nights and the rest is your tip! ”

Sure enough, the shopkeeper who got the money immediately had a different attitude.

"Oh, we really look down on the guests, don't you two accompany you! However, our little shop doesn't kill people. All the hotels in this town are at this price! ”

After saying this, the shopkeeper glanced at the guests in the hall with disdain and said: "It's all these gold diggers who make trouble, not only the price of houses, the price of grain, and the price of wood (firewood), in short, there is nothing that does not increase the price!" ”

"The most odious thing is that there are too many dishonest outsiders among these outsiders, which has led to a lot of poor security in this town. Guest, don't look at the high price of our shop, but it is absolutely safe. Look at the staircase, there are full-time bodyguards on the stairs! ”

Glancing at the bodyguards who were not much stronger than the spearmen, Zhou quickly took the key and pulled Alan upstairs.