Chapter 2292 Queens

Qiao An scratched her head, completely dumbfounded by the sudden change of attitude of the jewelry store proprietress.

"Dr. Vader, I just heard you chatting with Xiao Miao. It seems that you are investigating the root cause of the outbreak of putrid fever in the city. I admire your courage. I can't help you with anything else. These silver refining ointments are for you to chat with." Heart, I wish you to find out the truth as soon as possible, so that the residents of the whole city can get rid of the threat of the virus." Julia put away her smile and looked sincerely, "Of course, the more important thing is to pay attention to safety!"

"Sister Julia..." Xiao Miao picked up the medicine box, surprised and moved, "I'm sorry, I thought you were a profiteer, but I didn't expect you to be a warm-hearted and kind person!"

"There is no conflict between 'profiteer' and 'good guy'. Sister Meow, like black agate, is just a mid-range gem in my eyes, but in the eyes of Dr. Vader, it is the material for undead magic."

The proprietress smiled slightly and waved goodbye to Qiao An and Xiao Miao.

...

"Queens", where the largest slum in Layton City is located, in an inconspicuous corner, a teleportation light suddenly rises, and seven figures appear from it.

Joan was the first to walk out of the teleportation array, and the soles of his boots stepped on the snow, making a creaking sound, which scared away a group of wild cats who were tumbling over the garbage pile by the roadside.

Joan looked around, and what came into his eyes was the dark alleys with twists and turns like a maze, dilapidated self-built houses full of graffiti, muddy streets with sewage and garbage dumps everywhere.

The iconic landscape of these slums, under the makeup of snow, looks like a face with scars and wrinkles covered by foundation, which is not as unsightly as he expected.

Two girls wrapped in white and green cloaks, Rebecca and Conti, walked quickly to Joann's side. It was the first time for them to set foot on this notorious neighborhood, and their eyes were full of vigilance and curiosity as they looked around.

Xiao Miao followed up with Thomas, Edward, and Allen, and whispered to his companions: "I will take you to the stronghold of the Kolobo family. Don't mind your own business on the way, and don't talk loudly."

"If someone strikes up a conversation, I'll negotiate. The street gangsters in Queens have a slang word. If you don't understand what they are saying, they will be regarded as a 'fat sheep' for blackmail, although it is not a big threat. , after all, it is a trouble."

Everyone wrote down Catwoman's instructions and followed her on their way silently.

The acrid burnt smoke rose from the iron barrel on the side of the road. Four or five men in peaked caps and ripped jackets were warming up around the iron barrel. A bottle of wine was passed between their hands, and the person whose turn it was was took a sip.

The barbed wire on the tin barrel was burning red, and the meat was roasted until it squeaked, and the scent wafted by the wind, which smelled very attractive. However, thinking that these pieces of meat might come from dead cats or mice, Joan felt that he really shouldn't eat that barbecue at noon today.

The homeless people turned their heads to look at Joan and his party. Their eyes showed that they were not locals. Fortunately, they did not show hostility. Some people smiled and took off their hats and nodded.

"Good afternoon, lucky friend."

"Good afternoon." Xiao Miao nodded in return.

"Don't worry, they are poor, but they are not bad people." Catwoman whispered to her companion.

The sky is getting dark and the sun is about to sink below the horizon.

A woman's sobbing came from a wooden house by the road, which caught Joan's attention. The windows had no glass, but were nailed with thin wooden strips, and a layer of newspaper was pasted on the inside to keep out the wind and snow, making it impossible to see clearly what was going on in the house.

"It seems that someone is crying." Allen looked towards the cabin and said in a low voice, with a hint of sympathy in his eyes.

Xiao Miao turned her head to look at the blond boy, and smiled strangely.

"Little guy, are you a virgin?"

"Ah?! This... I..."

Allen blushed, not knowing how to answer this question properly.

"Women who live in this kind of dilapidated house on the street are almost all in the flesh business. Whether they are voluntary or forced to do this business, most of them have a tragic past and owe a lot of debt."

"Each of them has good reason to cry from morning to night, but if there's business to do and wine to drink, they don't mind selling their cheap bodies and smiles for some fun."

"Boy, if you sympathize with them, have money in your pocket, and are interested, you might as well take care of their business, remember to pay attention to hygiene, contracting 'syphilis' is not fun."

Hearing Xiao Miao's words, the young warlock seemed to have received a great mental shock, and he lowered his head without saying a word.

In fact, not only Alan, but also Qiao An and others who were older than him and had seen more of the world, were also in a particularly depressed mood.

At this moment, the door of the room opened suddenly, and a little blonde girl with bare feet walked out with a wooden barrel, as if she wanted to fetch water from a nearby well. Seeing Joan and the others, they quickly shrank back, their blue eyes looking out through the crack of the door, like frightened fawns.

Xiao Miao stopped and touched her pocket.

"Let me do it!" Thomas took out his wallet.

Catwoman waved her hand and said in a low voice, "Don't give her money, you can give her some food or candy."

Qiao An always carries a bag of candy with her, and she takes it out and hands it to Xiao Miao. Children in the slums may not trust outsiders, and Xiaomiao, who was born here, is more suitable for dealing with them than him.

Xiao Miao walked to the door, knelt down and stroked the little girl's hair, said a few words in a low voice, and stuffed a bag of candy into her hand.

The little girl bowed gratefully, turned around and ran back to the house with the candy in her arms.

Xiao Miao returned to her friends and said flatly, "Her mother is sick."

"Fever?" asked Rebecca.

"It would be fine if it's just putrid fever. What's more, it's the 'poor disease'. This is the most terrifying terminal illness, and there is no cure." Xiao Miao sighed.

Joan suddenly thought that the little girl who seemed to be only seven or eight years old was forced to do housework and take care of her sick mother. There was almost no hope in her life. If she is lucky—or unlucky—to grow up, she will have a high probability of repeating the tragedy of her mother, who was forced to sell her flesh and blood to make a living, and those innocent and clear blue eyes will eventually be soaked with tears.

Thinking of this, he felt short of breath, as if his throat was being strangled by an invisible hand.

Can "magic" eliminate such human tragedies?

As far as an individual is concerned, it may be possible, but as far as the social bottom group living in the slums is concerned, magic cannot change the fate of this class as a whole.

It is difficult to change the "slums", and even more difficult is to eradicate poverty. Joan can't help but suspect that legendary magic and even the power of true gods may not be able to achieve this great cause.

"Be careful, everyone, the kobold camp is ahead."

Xiao Miao's warning came from his ear, prompting Qiao An to put aside his chaotic thoughts for the time being.

At the end of the muddy street stood a large house with a hotel sign.

Six or seven short men in short cloaks were gathering around the porch of the hotel to play cards.