fantishu
Chapter 1701
Chapter 1701 The Mystery of the Farmers' Market
Wynter slipped her phone back into her pocket, her gaze shifting to Dalton. "I'm his savior. Back when he was abroad, I saved him when he nearly lost his life. Besides, he's highly capable and is the best choice for investigating this matter."
Dalton nodded thoughtfully. "His savior, huh? Mrs. Yarwood really does cover all bases. Looks like I'd better follow Grandpa's advice and marry you soon-maybe even move into your place. Otherwise, who knows how many more 'my lovely Ms. Quinnell's' will pop up in the future?"
Wynter shot him a glare but suddenly remembered something.
She immediately instructed her team pull surveillance footage from the farmers' market and look for anyone who had been visiting regularly to buy large quantities of groceries.
These tasks were originally meant for Wolf to handle. However, to expedite the search for anyone connected to the Winston family, Wynter decided to have him stick close to Logan instead. She had a lingering sense of unease that his troubles weren't over yet.
As for the farmers' market, it needed a thorough investigation. Wynter didn't believe a foreigner would casually spend their time wandering there. There had to be a reason.
She quickly issued another order. "Monitor the farmers' market closely. Report anything suspicious immediately." After giving her instructions, Wynter walked a few steps further into the market. Pretending to be a shopper, she approached a vendor and asked, "Miss, have you noticed any foreigners shopping here recently? Do you recall seeing anyone like that?"
The vendor, busy with customers, waved her off dismissively. "No, none at all."
Just then, Wynter froze-not because of the vendor she was speaking to, but because of a nearby stall. The items being sold there weren't the usual produce you'd find in other cities or on the market. These were unique to the area-all unmistakably wild animals. There were snakes, bamboo rats, otters, and civets.
The civets stood out in particular. In regions north of the Amberflow River, they were almost unheard of as food. All these animals were crammed together in cages, many of them weak and barely alive, emitting an unpleasant odor.
The snakes, at least, were spared this indignity, kept separately in buckets of water. Yet, one snake in particular caught Wynter's attention a sleek, jet-black serpent, flicking its tongue with an air of eerie resentment.
Wynter paused, her gaze lingering on the scene.
The stall owner, Oscar Noctis, noticed her interest and immediately grew wary, yanking a cloth down to cover the cages. "Don't stare if you're not buying!"
Wynter let out a light laugh. "At a farmers' market? Of course, I'm here to buy. What's the point of hiding it now? I've already seen everything."
Oscar eyed her suspiciously. She didn't seem like a government official, more like some scion. "Oh? I didn't know pretty young ladies these days are into eating this sort of thing too."
Wynter spoke only half of the truth. "It's not for me. My dad-he's the one with the taste for it."
Oscar still didn't relax entirely. "Your accent... You don't sound local," he remarked, his gaze shifting to Dalton." And him? He looks even less like one of us. Tall, in a sharp suit... He doesn't really fit in around here."
Dalton indeed didn't belong in a place like this, and for good reason-everyone knew he was a clean freak. And he couldn't stand the odor these wild animals were emanating.
Other men might keep a cat as a conversation starter. It would be the perfect excuse to say, "Why don't you come over and see my cat?"
But Dalton? Not a chance. He couldn't even stand a cat's scent.
Back in the day, even Wolf-an Ancient Beast-wasn't spared. He had grabbed him with a handkerchief and tossed him straight into the river, commanding him to properly wash his fur.
So, it wasn't hard to imagine his current mood as he stood amidst this scene. His face, while still undeniably handsome and refined, carried a trace of distaste that deepened every time he raised an eyebrow.
If not for Wynter, it was safe to say that Dalton wouldn't have set foot here in 100 lifetimes. The odors alone were unbearable to him. And there were also the caged animals...
Dalton absentmindedly twirled the bracelet with his fingers. To him, this was the result of humanity's resentful energy.
Wynter, herself a cultivator, could sense it as well. From the moment they entered the market, something had felt off to her.
Now, as her eyes swept over the wild animals' cages, she understood the source of the unease-this place reeked of resentment. It wasn't uncommon for slaughterhouses to be hotspots of such energy, but this level of intensity was unusual.
It definitely had something to do with the black serpent.
Wynter chuckled. "My boyfriend hasn't seen these before. He is just accompanying me. Again, I'm here to buy." Oscar, noticing their obvious closeness, hesitated for a moment, glancing around nervously. "Miss, I won't hide it from you, I thought your boyfriend was here for an inspection. A while ago, the authorities came by."
He sighed before continuing, "What can we do? We're from the south. We live off the mountains and rivers, and we've had this food culture for generations. It's hard to change."
Oscar's words were not entirely wrong.
Colifernia's people were accustomed to wild animals due to both history and the region's geography. The subtropical climate, abundant trees, and waterways made it a perfect habitat for numerous animals.
But this way of eating, while deeply ingrained, also carried risks of complicated diseases.
Wynter didn't mention the resentment that seemed to hang in the air. She understood the natural world had its rules. However, humans had to survive, and nature had its own logic. One couldn't ask a tiger not to eat the rabbit as it would starve to death.
But wild animals, particularly from an ecological and medical standpoint, could be very dangerous.
Many pathogens came from wild animals, including parasites. This was why doctors advised against eating raw dishes like raw crab-if not prepared correctly, parasites could easily be transmitted to humans.
Similarly, shellfish and freshwater creatures, if not cooked properly, could carry risks. It was the same logic as not drinking water from a river.
Despite these warnings, human curiosity and appetite had never been easily stopped. In fact, Wynter had long heard stories about people in Colifernia consuming monkey brains.
Wynter lifted her gaze, her eyes falling once again on the black cloth that covered the serpent.
A sudden realization struck her. It couldn't be a coincidence that Lupius had disappeared here.
In his line of work, if anything related to viruses came up, he would definitely investigate these farmers' markets. After all, it was common knowledge that many major pandemics in history had originated from animals-whether caused by natural disasters or human actions.
Take AIDS, for example it originally spread from human contact with monkeys. Syphilis also traced its roots to foreign populations...
"Sir, I'll take that black serpent. How much is it?" Wynter spoke again.
She had already made up her mind. The wild animals here needed to be thoroughly checked.
Wynter was concerned that if there were any viruses, they might be lurking within these animals. She knew that
such a large market likely wasn't the only one selling wild animals.
Even if the authorities were regulating it, the vendors would continue selling them, especially since eating snakes was a local habit.
Oscar was surprised when he heard that Wynter wanted the black serpent. "Why this one? It's quite fierce. It almost bit me last time, but luckily, it wasn't venomous."
"It looks special," Wynter replied cryptically. "Maybe it's fate."
If Wynter wasn't mistaken, this was likely a serpent that had failed in its attempt to transform into a dragon. The intense resentment it harbored toward humans clearly indicated that something had happened.
That said, Wynter had faced threats from a similar dragon-aspiring snake before and wasn't particularly impressed by such creatures. The previous one, after causing some trouble, had eventually settled down and was now dutifully guarding its river up in Sunveil.
According to Fabian, the area had seen prosperous and stable weather ever since. Likely, it feared Wolf might swallow it whole again, so it had become more diligent than anyone else, even putting in overtime occasionally. Oscar found it odd to hear Wynter mentioning fate. "Most people buy snakes for their nutritional value. You're the first to talk about buying one because of fate.
"You're not planning to eat it, are you?" he asked while working with his stuff. "But it is pretty fierce. If you don't have much experience in handling snakes, maybe you'd like to pick another one."
Wynter smiled. "No need. I'll take this one."
Oscar nodded. "Alright, then I'll lift the lid now. Be careful."
As soon as the cover was lifted, the so-called overly aggressive serpent immediately raised its head, stretching out
its body. Its forked tongue flicked menacingly, and its fangs could faintly be seen.
Yet, by sheer coincidence, the serpent locked eyes with Dalton. In an instant, it collapsed onto the ground. If
snakes could kneel, its current posture would undoubtedly count as kneeling.
Oscar was dumbfounded, rubbing his eyes in disbelief. "Am I imagining things? Is it... trembling?"
Wynter wanted to reassure him that the serpent was indeed trembling. Even she was puzzled. She thought her cultivation had skyrocketed recently and was now so powerful that this would-be dragon could sense her extraordinary presence without her doing anything.
Pondering this, she glanced over at Dalton and quietly asked, "Is it scared of me? Am I really that impressive now?
Dalton's thin lips curved into a smile. It was obvious he was happy about something.
With a hint of mischief, he replied, "Who else could it be afraid of? Don't doubt yourself. After all, you've already subdued several malevolent spirits, and you've got an Ancient Beast by your side."
Wynter interrupted him, "I also have a Savior."
Dalton hummed in agreement. "That's why I said Dr. Genius is amazing."
Wynter was pleased. "Call me Master from now on."
Dalton was also in high spirits. "Yes, Master Quinnell."
Taking out her wallet, Wynter was ready to pay. "Sir, I'll take this serpent."
The black serpent cried out, "No! Don't sell me to these two! I'd rather stay in this shabby bucket forever!"
Unfortunately for the serpent, Oscar couldn't understand Slithernis a language spoken by snakes.
"Since you seem like a nice lady, I'll give it to you for two thousand." Then, he continued, "Make sure to disinfect
it when you get home." Wynter instinctively reached out to touch the black serpent, but Dalton stopped her hand mid-air.
"Snakes aren't clean. Let's have professionals handle it later." Lowering his voice, he added, "Besides, haven't you
already decided to have this whole place thoroughly inspected and disinfected?"
Wynter nodded. "Yes, it needs a comprehensive inspection. I'm worried this could be a starting point for the
pandemic."
Oscar didn't catch their conversation, and neither of them would be foolish enough to discuss such matters openly
in public.
Dalton's gaze lingered on the black serpent. "We'll come back for it after everything is properly sanitized."
Wynter nodded. "And we'll need to disinfect ourselves, too, especially since we're meeting with Mr. Yarwood
Senior later."
The thought of a potential pandemic made Wynter more cautious than ever. If this farmers' market really was a virus' origin, there was a chance the pathogen was already present.
While she thought it might sound exaggerated, it was better to practice caution-especially as a trained medical
student.
Wynter wasn't afraid for herself. She was more concerned about protecting those around her. For instance, Theo. In fact, he even had a restaurant less than a mile from this market.
Farmers' markets like this one saw the highest daily foot traffic and were closely tied to the food supply chain. If there was a problem here, it would ripple directly into people's meals.
She sincerely hoped that this market didn't have any issues. Yet, rationally, she couldn't shake the suspicion that
this location had been deliberately chosen by their enemies. Plus, that single strand of golden hair nagged at her
relentlessly.
They didn't linger for long.
Wynter completed the transaction but left the black serpent behind, crouching briefly to address it. "Stay put and behave. No more delusions of grandeur, understood?"
The black serpent nodded obediently. It would do anything as long as it didn't have to leave with Dalton! wynter then turned to Dalton. "Let's go. This place is far too down-to-earth for someone like you, Mr. Yarwood." With that, she tugged him by the arm, sneaking back into the restaurant through the rear entrance.
Theo watched as Wynter tugged Dalton's hand, his eyes lighting up with excitement, though his words were a
different story.
"Can't you be a little more proactive? Why does Wynter have to be the one holding your hand? Can't you show a
bit of the charm I had in my day?"
Dalton sat down, raising his hands in mock surrender. "How can I compare to you, Grandpa? They say the older generations are always more experienced. These days, it's all about the slow and steady approach." Theo looked like he wanted to pry open Dalton's head to check what was inside. "Stop giving me excuses. From
now on, you'd better start being more proactive, or else, who knows when you'll finally get to marry Wynter?" Wynter, caught in the middle, didn't know whether to speak up or stay silent. Finally, she said, "Grandpa, don't be upset. He's just a little slow when it comes to warming up to people, so it's okay." Then, she quickly served him a portion of vegetables. "Here, eat some more before it gets cold, Grandpa."
Theo immediately switched to a cheerful demeanor. "Wynter, you're so considerate. This boy is lucky beyond
belief to have you."
As they ate, Wynter suddenly recalled the old cultivator Theo encountered. Curious, she asked for more details, specifically regarding his looks.
Theo thought for a moment. "He was dressed in shabby clothes, his face was smeared with dirt, and his beard was scruffy. Other than that, I can't remember much."
Wynter felt the description sounded a bit like Atwater. Yet, the story didn't quite match. After all, Theo had met
him once in Southdale.
It was also then that he told her that she should marry a man surrounded by purple energy. Maybe it was just a
coincidence.
After the sect incident, she had lost track of his whereabouts. If she could encounter him at the upcoming Arcane
Way Forum, it might make solving her current problems much easier.
By the time they finished eating, the sun was already setting. Theo placed his hand gently over Wynter's. "I'm entrusting this boy to you. Whatever you do to him, I won't
intervene, but please take good care of him. I've been worried ever since that old cultivator spoke to me."
Dalton wasn't aware of this conversation.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g
Wynter held Theo's hand firmly. "Don't worry, Grandpa. Wherever Dalton is, I will be there, too."
Hearing this, Theo looked deeply comforted. "Good. In that case, I'll leave now. You two carry on." With that, he left with his entourage, leaving Wynter and Dalton alone in the restaurant.