The chilling inscription bears traces of the times, making one wonder what kind of horrifying story has happened in this village.
With a slight movement of the nose, one can feel the stench floating in the breeze, lingering around them all the time, stimulating the senses of the four people at any time.
The old man who led the way earlier and avoided this place indirectly reflected the problems in this village.
In the small grocery store in front of me, a woman with albinism and some deformities was lying on a hammock tied to stone pillars at both ends, taking a short rest with her eyes half closed.
There were some old and smelly books scattered on the ground. Perhaps because they were too old, they were full of insects.
There is a small wooden table in front of the shop, on which are placed some daily necessities and fruits and vegetables that do not look very fresh.
“Strangers, I don’t care what you want to buy or what questions you have, as long as you have enough money, I will answer all your questions.
If you don't want to pay, then don't disturb my rest."
The woman stretched out her skinny fingers, all with long, gray nails like the claws of a banshee, and pointed at the small jar on the wooden table, speaking hoarsely.
There was some change in the small jar, which was obviously where the fees were collected.
After hearing this, Jobtran gestured to Columbia to take out some change from the package and put it into the small jar.
He didn't have much cash on him, and the remaining money had to be used to pay for accommodation. He couldn't spend too much money here.
Columbia threw all his change into the jar, and the woman moved her ears and said hoarsely,
"Five gold and eighty cents, and give me twenty cents, and you can ask two questions, or you can go home with a box of matches."
Because the woman's back was to the door, no one could see her face, but Choate Brown was amazed at her ability to tell how much money had been invested just by listening.
"Sif, do you have any change?"
Jobtran turned to Sif and asked.
“Well, let me see, here.
Two gold and twenty cents, that's enough to ask three questions, right?"
Sif took out the money and asked the woman in the hammock.
"Two, because the one you just asked was also a question, and I have already answered it for you."
Sif was so angry when she heard this, but she could only blame herself for not understanding the rules.
After Columbia dropped the coin into the jar, he looked at Joet Brown, who lowered his head in deep thought.
After a while, Joet Brown asked,
“First question:
We need a completely safe accommodation area within the village.
Whether it is a hostel, guesthouse, B&B, or hotel, no matter what the environment is, safety is the first consideration.”
The woman did not answer immediately after hearing this. She turned around and revealed her terrifying face.
Her eyes were covered with a white film, hollow and lifeless, and her sickly pale skin and gray hair looked so strange.
This woman clearly has delicate facial features, each of which is almost perfect individually, but when put together there is an obvious sense of incongruity and disharmony.
There was a burn mark on her right cheek, and after the burned skin healed, it formed an evocative shape: a dead baby.
The visual impact of her turning her head shocked everyone, but she was looking straight at Joet Brown.
"Very good, you understand the rules here. Although this question is worth far more than three gold coins, I will answer you."
She opened her mouth and answered.
She had a mouth full of yellow teeth that were almost rotten, which made people feel disgusted when looking at them.
"There is no absolute safety, only relative safety. This is the rule you must master to survive in Arkham.
Behind the church ruins to the right of the stele, there is a place called Traveler's House.
It is the safest place for you outsiders.”
After saying that, the woman showed a strange smile, like the grin of a devil.
“It’s just that the price is not cheap.
Okay, second question, have you thought about it?"
Joet Brown was about to speak, but Professor Robert stretched out his hand and blocked Joet Brown.
"Wait a minute, let me ask you one."
Jobtran stopped asking questions and looked at Professor Robert.
"Hello, ma'am,
According to your previous statement, three gold coins can only ask one question, but you did not specify whether your answer was true.
Based on this, lying can also be a way of answering.
I'm sorry to raise such a question, but you mentioned rules many times, which reminded me of the rules and regulations in demonology.
When the devil signs a contract with humans, they need to fulfill the wishes of the contract in order to obtain corresponding rewards. The devil will find loopholes in the contract to maximize its own interests.
So my question is whether the answer you gave is true or not
Or, are you sincere in the principle of the contract?"
Professor Robert asked slowly.
The more the woman listened, the brighter her smile became. After Professor Robert finished speaking, the woman laughed sinisterly.
"Haha, good, good, I like to do business with smart people.
I will answer this question for free.
My answers must be correct, honest, and relevant.”
"Okay, thank you."
Professor Robert bowed to the woman to express his gratitude.
Joet Brown gave Professor Robert a grateful look of admiration. He had indeed not considered this at the time. Professor Robert waved his hand and said to Joet Brown,
"It's your turn."
The question that Jobtran originally intended to ask was about the direction and way forward of Miskatonic University, but after Professor Robert interrupted him, Jobtran suddenly wanted to ask a question of a special nature.
"What knowledge does the Silver Spoon represent?"
Joe Butran definitely didn't ask the question for no reason, but he felt that the woman in front of him was not simple and was definitely not an ordinary grocery store owner.
A person who is familiar with demonology and can open a shop in such a strange village does not seem to be a person without any abilities.
And the question asked at this time will solve a doubt that has troubled him for a long time.
But the three people around him looked at Joet Brown in confusion. They didn't know what the Silver Key had to do with going to Miskatonic University.
The grocery store owner was stunned and fell silent after hearing this.
After a while, the proprietress said quietly,
"Let me ask you another question. I can't answer this question for you.
I can’t even say how much.”
Jobtran was not disappointed after hearing this, because he understood the importance of the silver key, and the idea that he could get the answer with just three pieces of gold was indeed a luxury and a false expectation.
The woman's expression seemed a little lost, but her answer was full of mystery.
Not being able to answer does not mean that she doesn't know. Not being able to even tell her how much money it is symbolizes that she has broken the rules she set for herself and violated the contract. Therefore, the importance of this question and the dangers behind it are far greater than her spirit of contract.
"What if I really want an answer to this question?"
Joe Butran suddenly looked the proprietress in front of him straight in the eyes and asked aggressively.
"Then I'll die before I even say it."
The lady boss answered honestly,
"In order to survive, I am willing to abandon the principles I set."
After saying that, the woman pointed at the stone tablet outside the door and shook her head gently.
"Okay, then I need to get information on how to get to Miskatonic University."
At this point, Joet Brown could only return to the original option and ask about the problem that needed to be solved.
Before setting off, no one knew the exact location and direction of Miskatonic University. They only knew that it was located in the town of Arkham, so they had to rely on themselves to come to Arkham to find Miskatonic University.
“No one knows, because the location of Miskatonic University is moving all the time, and you need to find the token to get to Miskatonic University.
And at Traveler's Home, you will find the answer.
Well, I'm closing now. If I continue chatting, I'll lose money."
After saying that, the woman reached out and pulled the rope hanging beside her, and the end of the rope was connected to the curtain in front of the door.
The curtain slowly descended, with the words "Do Not Disturb" written on it in red paint.
——
We walked around the dilapidated walls of the church. It was already late at night.
There were no pedestrians on the road, only the lights in the houses not far away.
It didn't take the four of them much effort to find the Traveler's Home that the grocery store owner mentioned on the street.
Compared with other ordinary tiled houses, this winding traveler's home is like a landmark.
It is three stories high, with a strange pointed roof. On top of the roof there is a rusty iron chimney, from which gray smoke is emitting.
There were unkempt weeds growing in front of the hastily fenced courtyard, and in front of the courtyard hung an iron plate with the words "Traveler's Home" written on it in crooked handwriting.
When the door of the courtyard was pushed open, the sound of bells was heard.
The door of the Traveler's Home was then opened. There was no bright light inside, only a dim kerosene lamp.
Standing at the reception desk was an old woman dressed simply with her hair neatly combed into a bun.
"Hello, little guests."
The old woman smiled friendly and showed no reservations when facing strangers like Joet Brown, appearing quite enthusiastic.
"We only have two rooms left now. Do you want to stay?"
The old woman took out two keys and waved them in front of everyone.
There was a little rust on the brass key, but it was still smooth and bright, obviously having been maintained for a long time.
“Well, we want both rooms.
I am only staying for one night, how much is it? ”
Joet Brown then asked.
"One hundred per room, is that okay?"
The old woman replied with a smile.
This price was beyond Jobtran's imagination. Two rooms for one night cost two hundred gold marks. If converted into gold marks, it would be more than three hundred gold marks, which was enough for a middle-class family to live on three dishes and one soup a day for a year.
Joet Brown was speechless for a moment, but he was also helpless.
At this time, they seemed to have no other choice except staying in a hotel.
But Professor Robert calmly took out two hundred gold coins from his pocket and placed them on the reception desk in front of the old woman.
"Then give me two."
Sif and Columbia looked at Professor Robert in surprise, while Professor Robert stroked his beard.
“Studying is very profitable.
As long as a project finds an investor, there will be no shortage of money. The college also provides good subsidies, food and accommodation, and there is still some savings. "
"Oh, I'm so envious!"
Columbia showed envy on his face and looked at Professor Robert with shining eyes.
"Haha, it seems like you guys have a very good relationship.
I'll give you the key. There's a room on the first floor. Since you have difficulty walking, this room is perfect for you and the girl.
The other room is on the top floor, you two men can squeeze in there."
The old woman looked at everyone with a warm smile and handed over the key.
"Thank you, grandma,"
Sif took the key obediently and asked,
“I heard Arkham isn’t very safe at night.
Is there anything we should be aware of when we stay at the hotel at night? "
The old woman still smiled after hearing this, but a gleam of light flashed in her eyes.
"Hehe, just remember to lock the door and close the windows.
There will be no problem if a good and obedient child does what he wants.
Before you enter the room, remember to knock on the door three times, no more than once.
Our hot water supply is only available until 10:30 p.m., so if you want to take a shower, please hurry up.
If you want to eat something, there is an iron water pipe next to the bed. You can throw a ball of paper into it and someone will bring it up, but there is an extra charge for food. "
"Okay, Grandma, I understand."
Sif pretended to be well-behaved and answered politely.
"Well, good girl, take your little lover with you.
Have a nice evening.”
The old woman smiled at everyone and waved kindly.
Then Joet Brown was pushed into the room by Sif. Before entering the room, he followed the old woman's instructions and knocked on the door three times before unlocking it with the key.
Before unlocking the door, Joet Brown seemed to hear a faint sound of footsteps fading away in the room, as if someone was walking on tiptoe on the floor, but the walking speed was extremely fast, because the footsteps were closer together than those of a normal person.
After entering the room, I found that the windows in the room were locked from the inside, so the source of the footsteps became a bit mysterious.
Columbia and Professor Robert did not go to their rooms immediately, but followed Joet Brown and Sif in, closed the door and locked it.
They need to remain vigilant from now on and deploy every step carefully.
There were two beds in the room, and Joet Brown motioned for the three to sit on the beds first.
"Are you guys feeling weird?"
Joet Brown frowned and asked the three people.
"Too much enthusiasm."
Professor Robert said softly.
"No, it's not just this question, but the implication in her words."
Jobtran carefully recalled every word the old woman said and discovered that there was a very important factor contained therein.
"You mean a good and obedient child?"
Sif reacted immediately and asked.
"Yes, remember the information provided by the grocery store owner?"
Joet Brown looked at the three of them and frowned.
“There is no absolute security, only relative security.
This sentence really concerned me, and even the conversation pattern at that time seems to have some connection with the present. "