The Carrowinsian civilization of the Ignorant Era was a complex and quite dynamic civilization, completely different from the rebel army that was deformed by the protracted war 200,000 years later. In this land of the Great Renaissance, wisdom broke through the old stereotypes and dogmas for the first time, and countless new things and new ideas blossomed everywhere. The clash and contradiction between the old and the new has created a multitude of churches, corporations, unions, groups, and interest groups, which may sometimes be at odds with each other because of cognitive problems, but they are strikingly consistent on one thing – to explore and discover all the unknown corners of the world.

This curiosity about the unknown is fundamental to the progress of all civilizations, although excessive exploration breeds violence and greed, and eventually enclosure colonization.

The adventure party is the product of this curiosity and greed. And after half a century of development, it has gradually become a non-negligible existence on this planet, and has built a relatively complete chain and cycle of interests - the state or some consortium openly and secretly supports some adventurers, and obtains the ultimate benefits through various grants, with the greater the income, the greater the funding, more large adventure groups appear, and finally bring the vigorous development of small adventure groups.

In order to ensure their own interests, these adventurers, either spontaneous or professional, formed trade unions and formed adventurers' associations in various places. This nascent association, which has only been around for a few years, may still be weak in strength and influence, but it is already a force on the continent that cannot be ignored - its strength comes from the more than 16,000 adventuring groups registered in the association.

“…… In fact, it's just a rabble. Catherine led the group along the wide road built on the bank of a canal that crossed the town of Wendu, and gave them some information, "But it is undeniable that even a rabble can stab people to death with a knife, and in the case of the adventurers of Wendu Town, if an army of 2,000 people is needed on the battlefield, they can be killed without any armor." ”

"But it's not a battlefield, is it?"

"Yes, adventurers are not soldiers, they treat discipline and rules as nothing, and they can't do orders and prohibit group fighting, but the perennial adventures allow them to deal with more tricky situations, and they are strong alone."

"Just like special forces?" Hao Shen glanced at his lips, "I see, this is what is terrible about them, the existence of a group of assassins will always make people jealous, because they can take off your head at any time." This is also the reason why the garrison of Wendu Town is so indulgent to adventurers. ”

"emmmmm," Catherine tapped her chin with a finger and shrugged for a moment, "not quite. ”

Hao Shen: "? ”

"Because they have money," Catherine pointed to the whole Grand Canal, "and all the docks along this canal belong to the Adventure Society." Every year, they bring a tax to Wendu Town that is said to make the lord dream and wake up with a smile. ”

Hao Shen: "......"

It turns out that it is still the ability of money!

Hao Shen built a pergola and looked at both sides of the canal, which was very wide and had a steady flow rate, which was very suitable for water transportation, so it seemed to be the most prosperous freight trade distribution center in Wendu Town, with spacious roads built on both sides, and large two- to three-story shops on the side of the road, in which countless merchants and workers shuttled back and forth. Once the merchants had made a deal, they directed the workers to move the goods to the riverside docks, where the back and forth cargo ships were waiting to be unloaded.

The canal is lined with wharves that can handle thousands of tons of cargo every day.

"Adventurers are not the owners of these goods, they are not rich, but their work brings wealth, you can think of adventurers as pioneers, they go everywhere there are business opportunities, and merchants come because of this."

Hao Shen nodded, this relationship is not difficult to understand, just like the Age of Discovery, Columbus discovered the American continent, but it was those capital merchants who really developed the American continent.

A short distance beyond these commercial docks is where the Wendu Town Adventure Association is located.

It was a small two-storey building that was not too imposing or conspicuous, with a closed door, even a little unremarkable, and the only proof of its identity was an iron sign hanging in front of it: the Blue Gold Rose Tavern in Bordeaux.

There is a cloth strip hanging under the signboard, which reads crookedly: Wendu Town Adventure Association Office.

Hao Shen was stunned for several moments, given that this was not a world of swords and magic, he had already been mentally prepared: the adventure association here would never have a large union residence like a palace like the three-body world, and it might be much more low-key and ordinary. But he didn't expect it to be so ordinary.

This is no longer ordinary, but bleak, right? It looks like it's just rubbing someone's storefront, right?

"The former boss of the Blue Gold Rose was a first-generation adventurer." Catherine whispered, "He was also the first person in Wendu Town to provide a venue for adventurers. At that time, there was no Adventure Guild, and his spontaneous behavior gained great prestige among the adventurers, who wanted to establish another station when it was founded, but it was rejected by the adventurers here, and they unanimously voted to make the station in the Blue Gold Rose Tavern......"

Hao Shen suddenly realized at this time, and said with a smile: "So this group of adventurers is still quite happy, and they still know how to miss the old feelings." ”

"The former boss of the Blue Gold Rose didn't think so." Catherine sneered, "He was the first to object to the Blue Gold Rose because the Adventure Society wouldn't pay more rent to rent the hotel. The Adventure Society also responded with no concessions: no price increases. Therefore, the boss plans to expel the adventurers who will not leave - and then a group of adventurers stab the greedy boss to death, and then hang his head in the door for a whole year, forcibly taking over the place......"

Hao Shen: "...... Scold. ”

Catherine continued, "The current boss of the Blue Gold Rose is the daughter of the boss back then, and the Adventure Society has ordered her to sell a large amount of alcohol and food to the adventurers at half the market price. But don't feel sorry for her - the drinks are mixed with water, and the food is fake. Of course the adventurers knew about it, but it was better to offer something better than the more delicious food in the city: see the women, these women of unknown origin were abducted, and they were responsible for putting out the fire for the adventurers, and it was the boss's daughter, and even herself...... All, and now you still think they are happy? It's just a place where a bunch of scum and lawless moths come together, and the only reason they can continue to exist here is their amazing ability to absorb gold, whether it's gambling or plundering. ”

Hao Shen frowned and looked at the dilapidated tavern, and sure enough, he saw a dry and completely blackened skull on the door sign of the tavern, and the dust had buried it almost indistinguishable against the black background.

Hao Shen stared at the skull for a while, and suddenly asked, "Then how does this kind of association exist?" Those in power should not allow such a group of people to exist. ”

"Or because of the money. Wendu Town is an important military town, and the annual military expenditure is astronomical, especially in the past ten years, under the pressure of the border, it has been unable to make ends meet. And the existence of these people can greatly alleviate the pressure on military spending, which is a compromise. And, to be precise, the Adventurers' Guild isn't all scum either. Many regular adventure groups are still very well-behaved. Here are just ...... A gathering place for trash fish. Catherine said as she knocked on the door a few times, then glanced back at everyone, and then explained the purpose of the operation, "Regular adventure groups are very difficult to contact, they are very vigilant, and it is difficult to get something out of their mouths unless they send troops directly......"

Hao Shen coughed dryly, "In fact, it's okay to send troops, my soldiers can't wait......"

"No way!" Catherine glared, "Anyway, this is also my civilized country, even if he is very primitive, I refuse to interfere with its normal development in any way!" Besides, even if you make a big move, you may not get useful information, and our squad is more efficient at infiltrating in comparison. You have to trust my professionalism! ”

"Yes, yes, if I didn't believe you, I'd have blown this place up." Hao Shen pouted, but he was not idle, after getting the news about the ancient ruins, the system had already led the soldiers to search on this planet, which was called a two-pronged approach.

"How do I feel like you're getting more and more violent." Catherine sighed and continued: "Anyway, according to the grapevine, there is a guy who has the information about the location of that ancient ruin that has been haunted here recently, and it is very credible, our purpose is to get the news from this person's mouth, just follow me later, don't talk nonsense." ”

Hao Shen and the others all nodded, after Catherine laid out so much background, no one wanted to talk to anyone here, everyone secretly decided: listen to Catherine.

After Catherine knocked on the door, the door of the blue-gold rose creaked open a crack, revealing only a gloomy and wary eye, which swept up and down the group.

"Someone I haven't seen before...... Who to look for? ”

"Old Hepakin."

"What's the matter?"

"He introduced me to a business."

"You're in the wrong place, old Hepakin is dead."

"Yes, he's looking at me."

The man inside the door looked at Catherine again, then closed the door.

Hao Shen quietly stabbed Catherine, "The code is wrong? Who is this old Hepakin? ”

Catherine shook her head and pointed to the old skeleton on the sign, "That's what they call it...... Tradition. ”

Hao Shen was dumbfounded.

A moment later, the door opened again, and a young man with a pale face stood in the doorway, and it was clear from his eyes that it was the one who had just been hiding in the crack of the door, and he opened the door, and muttered in a complaining tone as he motioned for everyone to hurry in, "...... A swarm of flies, I can't wait when I smell a little fishy, and I really think it's a money-making business? …… Go inside, and remember to follow the rules! ”

Several people rushed in through the open door, and when Dale, who was at the end of the line, had fully entered, the door was slammed shut by the young man, who returned to the dark corner of the portal: there was a small stool with a plate of granular peanut-like beans and a large wine glass. After the young man muttered a few words, he squatted down on the stool, pinched a bean and put it in his mouth, then took a sip of wine, tasting it while waiting for the next wave of guests.

The world inside the door was dark, and the air was filled with the smell of spices, mixed with alcohol, and all sorts of strange things, not pungent, but a little disgusting. The only source of light came from a small window in the attic at the top of the building, from which a ray of light fell straight down on a long table in the hall with only a few wine glasses. Beyond the light, there were many small tables in the hall, and many figures could be faintly seen in the dimness. The whispers went back and forth, and it was impossible to tell where it came from.

The counter of the bar was set up not far from the gate, and an old man with a large beard was dozing off with his head in one hand. When everyone walked over, Catherine knocked on the counter, and the old man shuddered, and then he muttered without raising his head with the smell of wine: "The price of ale, beer, and fire wine is the same, take it yourself, take it yourself, just put the money here!" ”

Catherine was not polite, dragging a barrel of unknown wine from the wine cabinet and throwing a handful of silver coins on the counter.

"Where did you get the money?" Hao Shen asked in a curious whisper.

"Do you think it's hard to get some money with my skills?" Catherine smugly lifted her chin.

"Well, I can probably imagine that." Anyway, it's either stealing or robbing.

The old man didn't count the silver coins, swept them straight to the counter, and then lay down there and went back to sleep.

Catherine picked up the barrel in one hand, looked around, and then walked towards a table.

There was no one at the table, but there was a dagger stuck in it.

There was a loud bang, and Catherine smashed the barrel directly on the table!

Then, everyone saw the table shake, and a smaller figure crawled out from under the table crying, shouting as it crawled, "The house is going to collapse in the earthquake, and I'm going to die, I'm going to die, I'm going to hide, Jace, where is the key to your wine store......

Everyone in the tavern was startled, but when they found out that it was this side that made the noise, they all went their separate ways, and the chaos didn't seem to cause more chaos here.

But the first to be startled was Hao Shen, because he really didn't expect a little girl to come out from under the table: yes, this smaller figure is a little girl who is no more than thirteen or fourteen years old, her hair is fluffy, messy like a bird's nest, she can only barely see that there is a braid, wearing corseted leather clothes, if she is a little older, she may be very figureful, but now she looks like a telephone pole in a leather coat, her appearance is also exquisite, although her body is thin, but her face is still a little baby fat.

As soon as the fat baby girl came out, it was like running to the back of the tavern, and although she looked panicked, her eyes were staring at a trapdoor and shining light, as if her purpose was there. But before he could take two steps, he was grabbed by Catherine.

"Little girl, don't be greedy, be careful of being beaten half to death by the boss again!"

The girl's reaction speed was quite fast, and the moment she was held down by Catherine, the whole person was like a monkey, she retreated in a flash, went around behind Catherine, pulled out the dagger from the table with a bang, and then stabbed it at Hao Shen's waist!

To be honest, at that moment, Hao Shen was a little confused.

Why am I looking for someone to provoke and give me a backstab in the kidney?

。