Xia De looked down at the coin:
"What about the negative properties? Causing thunderstorms in an area?"
"Of course not. Throwing this coin into the ocean will cause an ocean storm that will last for at least a week in the entire area. And the ships trapped in the area will not be able to leave the area in any way. Don't think I'm describing it lightly, it's actually a very scary thing."
Then the purple-eyed girl asked:
"How about spending a coin to divine where the last gem that symbolizes spring is?"
"Today is already Tuesday, and I still have an Emperor's Banquet Copper Coin in my hand... OK, I can't wait any longer."
"I've said it before, even if fate has given you the gravitational pull to meet that cemetery, sometimes we have to find ways to speed up the process of fate ourselves."
As she spoke, she threw one of the Thunder Fury coins high up in the air, and traces of rust appeared at the highest point. After the coin turned into ashes and dissipated, Luvia opened her eyes and looked at Shade hesitantly:
"Maybe you're right this time. Keeping the coin is the right choice."
"Hmm? You're not going to say that I've got the green gem, but I haven't discovered it yet?"
Xia De asked hesitantly:
"In the silver cube that is only one story away from being opened? Oh, I knew it. That silver cube caused a major earthquake in the Randall Valley. The things inside must be extraordinary."
Luvia shook her head slightly:
"Of course not. I mean, the gem is now in the warehouse of the local Cassandra Auction House."
To get the gem from the warehouse, Shade didn't have to go there himself. He had a high enough favorability with Granny Cassandra and Miss Swift that Miss Swift could do such a small thing, and there was a high probability that Shade wouldn't even pay for the gem.
But the most important thing tonight was not to get the gem, but to meet Stone Oxenfurt. Luvia originally planned to go with Shad, but was rejected by Shad, who was still quite resistant to Luvia having any relationship with the devil.
At about half past four, Shade left the witch's manor in a carriage. It took more than an hour to cross the city, reach the northeastern border of the city, and enter the small village outside the city.
It was dinner time. Smoke rose from the chimneys of the low adobe and straw houses. Children and their dogs ran home through the muddy path of melting snow, while the apron-wearing country women called out to their children who had not yet returned. Men came back from the tavern, the fields, or the river, carrying hoes and fishing rods. Only the blacksmith and his apprentice in the blacksmith shop were still forging something beside the hot furnace.
It seemed as if the turmoil in the Randall River Valley had no impact on this small village, or perhaps the hardships of life had left them no time to worry about other things.
Although this village, known as "Sturgeon Village", is quite backward compared to the city, it is on the only way into the city after all. Therefore, there are not only blacksmiths and merchants in the village, but also a one-story tavern.
The name of the tavern is "Sturgeon Tavern", located in the southwest of the village near the city. In front of the tavern is a signpost indicating the direction of the city, and under the signpost is a dried salted fish, probably to promote the tavern itself.
As soon as Shade walked to the signpost, he heard the noisy sounds coming from inside. And not only inside the pub, but also on the bench outside the pub, there were three country farmers smoking cigarettes and wearing hats, and next to the stable on the other side, two villagers who looked drunk were discussing in slang which mare looked better.
The tavern has a strange shape. The main body is a rectangle with two short sides sloping outwards on both sides, which together with the fence, barn and stable form a small courtyard.
Xia De stepped on the mud formed by melted snow, pushed the door open and entered. While squinting his eyes to adapt to the bright light, he was choked by the stench of alcohol and almost coughed.
The small village near the city has a gas pipeline, and not only is there a gas lamp behind the counter, but also the most old-fashioned gas lamps in other areas. But it is obvious that the owner does not want to waste gas fees, so even though the pub is bustling and full of people, the gas lamps are still not turned on to the maximum power, which makes some corners outside the bright area look very dark.
The owner of the tavern was a woman in her fifties with half-white hair and a bunch of garlic hanging around her neck for some reason. She warmly greeted Xia De, who was obviously a stranger passing by. Xia De asked curiously:
"Are you... vampire-proofing?"
There are also rumors in this world that garlic can resist vampires, but Shad's friend Mr. Bernhardt said that it was just superstition. Although he didn't like eating garlic, he was not afraid of it.
"Some time ago, there was a malaria outbreak in a nearby village, and the village doctor said garlic can prevent and treat it. Do you want to have some too?"
She asked in slang rather enthusiastically, and Shade shook his head hastily:
"I made an appointment with a friend, and he's probably here by now. He's a big, muscular guy who looks like a bandit... He likes to roll up his sleeves even in winter."
"there."
So the female owner pointed out the direction for Shad, who ordered a glass of rye beer and walked over. The tavern was also a mud-brick building, with wooden beams and straw and tiles forming the roof. As for the walls, which were not evenly plastered, they were decorated with sundries such as garlic, bones, herbs, and peppers.
Stone Oxenfurt was sitting at a corner table at the far end of the tavern, on the short east side of the building.
He was slightly bent over, sitting on the east side of a table that was obviously a bit low. From this angle, he could see half of the pub. He held a beer in his right hand and pressed the newspaper on the table with his left hand. The oil lamp for supplementary lighting was placed on the wooden table that seemed to be soaked with wine stains. Next to the oil lamp were peanuts and a stack of side dishes that Xia De couldn't see:
"I would never eat here if I were you."
Shade said as he sat down opposite him, and he also felt that the bench and the table were a bit low. He looked at Osenfurt's raised head. Under the light of the oil lamp, his face still had a bit of a fierce look:
"The shop owner said that the nearby village is suffering from malaria. This is not good news."
The young bartender, probably the landlady's nephew or something, brought Shad his rye beer, but Shad didn't touch it.
“For me, this disease is nothing.”
Ossenfurt took a big gulp of wine and wiped his mouth with his sleeve rolled up to his elbow. It was rare for a big businessman to do this. Although he had made money, his lifestyle remained the same.
"Malaria is nothing to you, isn't it?"
Osenfurt asked Shade again, and Shade shook his head slightly:
"I had a high fever all night last week. Even I can't be immune to all diseases... Let's not talk about this."
Shad took out two small paper packages from his pocket, one containing the "Carsenrick Third Class Combat Hero Medal" and the sapphire earring with a drop of Ossenfurt's blood.
"Take a look, see if this is what you are looking for."
Shade asked, and Oxenfurt put down his glass and examined it in the light of the kerosene lamp on the table:
"No problem, it's exactly what I'm looking for."
He nodded and asked Xiang Xiade:
"I thought you would send it back in a box. It is indeed unusual to send it back in a paper package."
"Don't jewelry boxes cost money?"
Ossenfurt smiled.
"Although when I commissioned you, I thought you could succeed, I didn't expect you to actually do it."
As he said this, he wanted to put the two items into his pocket, but Xia De reached out and held his hand down:
"Wait, I have fulfilled my promise, now it's your turn. You said that you have clues about the Genesis Earth, and you know who holds the card."
Behind Xiade is a bustling tavern. Villagers who have been busy all day sit together and brag about their latest experiences. The village sheriff and the village chief sit together and complain that someone at the entrance of the village has lost firewood again. No one knows what the two people in the corner are talking about.
"Don't tell me."
Xia De spoke slowly, looking at the man opposite him:
"That card is in the hands of the guy behind you."
"Of course not. What a shame. That thing doesn't have the mind to appreciate the Rhodes card."
Ossenfurt said, pulling his hand out of Shade's.
"I really know the whereabouts of that card. I'm not lying to you. I rarely lie. The Earth of Creation is in my hands."
"Are you kidding me?"
Shade frowned slightly.
"Playing tricks on you? You helped me get what I wanted, and I told you the whereabouts of the Earth of Founding. Isn't that what we agreed to at the beginning?"
"But when we met in front of the burning warehouse, you said that the Creation Earth was not in your hands (Chapter 1253)."
"Yes, it was not in my hand then, but in my drawer. And now, it is in my pocket."
Ossenfurt smiled, raised his glass again, and toasted to Shade:
"I said at the time that I had the confidence to convince the owner of the Founding Earth to give the card to you. I was not lying. I am very good at convincing myself. You really want that card? Yes, everyone wants it. For all Rhodes card players, it is a treasure worth giving up everything they have. And now you have the chance. Promise me one thing, and the card will be yours."
"Again?"
Xia De crossed the oil lamp in the middle of the table, holding the handle of his wine glass with one hand, and squinted at him:
"I won't help you find anything. I don't know if you are good at judging people's moods by their expressions. But I can tell you that I am quite annoyed now."