In the maze forest, the three of them walked along the rugged mountain path, taking deep and shallow steps.

Perhaps it was because they had left the oppressive atmosphere of Moonlight Town, or perhaps it was the lubrication of the gold coins, but the middle-aged man began to talk more.

His name was Hom, a miner for generations. Once he opened his mouth, he just kept talking non-stop.

"Actually, all this talk about the Maze Mountain is just to scare you outsiders. My family has lived on this land for generations. How could we possibly leave such a large area of mountain forest unexplored?"

"In the depths of winter, we go into the woods to gather fallen branches for firewood. When a household's children grow up, we go into the woods to cut down trees to build new houses."

"Or hunters go up the mountain to hunt, for rabbits, mountain rats, young chickens, even camels, wild boars, moon bears, everything."

"Although the good meat has to be handed over to the lord, stewing various tendons, big bones, odds and ends into a mixed hot pot, that's also fragrant and delicious."

"Oh yes, in the rainy spring and summer seasons when there is abundant rainfall, the woods also grow a lot of mushrooms."

"Most mushrooms are non-toxic. After washing them clean and putting them in jars, adding a few meat bones, some potatoes, then adding water, a little salt, and stewing them over low heat, taking a sip of that thick soup, hmm mmm mmm, simply more satisfying than intimacy with your wife!"

Up to this point, Xialuo agreed, but with the last sentence, he had a different opinion.

"You fart, what in the world is more satisfying than intimacy with your wife?"

Upon hearing this, and seeing the miner Hom's indifferent expression, Luosen knew a mountain debate was about to begin.

Sure enough, Hom chuckled: "Sir, there are many more satisfying things in this world than intimacy with your wife."

Xialuo grinned: "Go on, name some."

"After being constipated for three days, eating a bowl of black beans and having a satisfying bowel movement. Or drinking a bowl of hearty meat soup in the cold snowy weather."

"Or after working hard for a week in the dark and damp mine tunnels, when your body is stiff and sore, then along comes the Moon Worship Festival, and you get to lie in a nice dry bed and have a good long sleep."

"All those are more satisfying than intimacy with your wife."

Xialuo clearly hadn't experienced such hard labor, but he had wandered outside and knew the hardships of outdoor living, and also knew the feeling of satisfaction when suddenly obtaining comfort after hardship.

But he still believed this satisfaction couldn't compare to intimacy with his wife.

He heh heh laughed: "Hom, what you mentioned are indeed very satisfying, but still far from enough."

"Your Moonlight Town is too poor, the women are underfed, all skinny and bony, of course not satisfying to be intimate with, but with a beautiful girl, that would be very different!"

This talk, although praising women, was also showing off superiority, and class conflicts became very prominent all at once.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

Hom coldly humphed: "Humph! Those beautiful city women, all they do is seduce men, how are they different from prostitutes?"

"Marrying such a woman into your family, she wouldn't help with any household chores, only make more of a mess, might as well raise a sheep instead!"

Xialuo was unhappy: "Hey! We're talking about the benefits of intimacy with a wife, why are you bringing up other things?"

Hom was at a loss for words again. He hemmed and hawed for a while before saying: "I know of one thing even more satisfying than intimacy with your wife! No, a hundred times more! A thousand times!"

"Don't just make empty boasts, go ahead and tell us what it is."

But at the crucial moment, Hom shrank back, shaking his head again and again.

"I can't tell you outsiders about this."

Luosen's mind stirred: 'So there are hidden things after all?'

He immediately took out 1 gold krona from his money pouch and handed it over.

"Uncle Hom, there's no one else in these deep mountains, just tell us secretly, who else will know?"

Xialuo also wasn't stupid, and realized the implications. He exchanged a look with Luosen, and they reached a tacit understanding.

"We swear to the Gold God we absolutely won't spread this around."

After swearing, Hom was much more at ease. In a low voice he told the town's secret.

"Let me tell you, a few months ago, a wizard came to town, he sells a kind of potion, quite expensive, one bottle costs 1 silver Kray, or you can also trade for moonlight stones."

"That potion is magical. After drinking it, all pains and illnesses disappear, and you can also see many celestial fairies dancing around you."

"Those fairies are all wearing very beautiful clothes, and when they dance, they can hook your soul away."

Xialuo frowned: "A hallucinogenic potion? That's a drug strictly prohibited for sale by the Temple!"

Hom panicked: "A drug? Can't be!"

"The Baron also knew about it. At first he even held a banquet to entertain the wizard, and sent people into the mountains to build a wooden tower for the wizard."

"Also, many people have drunk the potion, and no one seems to have been poisoned to death."

Xialuo was even more shocked: "There's even this matter? How come the Baron never mentioned it? This won't do, I must meet this wizard."

He looked to Hom: "Do you know where the wizard lives?"

Hom shook his head again and again: "Don't know, don't know! How would a miner like me possibly know something like this?"

Luosen immediately said: "If you don't know where he lives, how do you buy the potions?"

"He comes out of the mountain stealthily every few days. Whenever he comes out, the Baron sends people to buy potions from him. The Baron buys the most. Us little people can only wait to buy the Baron's leftovers..."

As he spoke, fear crept into his expression again.

"Let me tell you, the Baron strictly forbids the wizard's existence being spread around! He's already hanged several people for it, you mustn't spread this out!"

"Don't worry, don't worry Uncle Hom, we definitely won't."

Luosen repeatedly reassured him. Seeing how anxious he was, he said: "Let's not talk about this anymore. Just keep leading the way."

Hom immediately relaxed: "Alright~~"

He walked ahead again. As a Moonlight Town local, he was very familiar with the woods.

He walked east a few hundred meters, north a few hundred meters, about over an hour, and arrived at a depression.

Upon reaching it, his eyes widened in surprise.

"Strange, the camp was clearly here, how come there's nothing now?"

Afraid Xialuo wouldn't believe him: "My lords, I really didn't lie to you. Just a while ago, there really was a hidden camp here."

He jogged around the depression, rummaging everywhere, trying to find evidence of the camp's existence.

"How can there be nothing? Even the footprints are gone!"

"How can this be? I've lived half my life here, how could I remember wrong?"

He looked confused, even a bit worried, probably afraid Xialuo would ask for the money back.

Xialuo did feel somewhat cheated, and was about to flare up, but was stopped by Luosen.

"Uncle, I took a careful look around just now, there are indeed traces of people living, but most of the traces have been deliberately erased."

Xialuo was shocked: "The previous envoy discovered the camp, and died that very night drunk. Now even the camp traces have been erased... there must be big things involved here!"

Luosen nodded in agreement, then raised his voice to call Hom who was not far away:

"Uncle Hom, we believe you. You've led us to the place, we can find our way from here. You should head back now."

Upon hearing this, Hom immediately relaxed greatly.

"My lords, I'll head back now. Because of my son's matters, my wife has gone crazy, someone needs to look after home."

"Go on, go on."

Hom darted away swiftly.

Only Xialuo and Luosen were left in the mountain woods.

Luosen already had a plan in mind.

He casually gathered some firewood, lit a bonfire, roasted some mountain rat meat, and called to Xialuo who was still observing all around.

"Old pal, no more looking, I've already discovered the traces. Let's fill our stomachs first, then follow the trail."