The Secret Code of Monsters.

Chapter 423 Ch.422 In the Tunnel

The corridor gradually goes downwards.

There are wooden boards on the left and right. When the oil lamp passes by, you can see messages written on them with fingers dipped in coal dust, some of which are witty or regretful.

'Sam boy wants to be the richest man in Innstown!'

'I'm going to go out and take a look one day.'

'Who wants a woman, threepence at a time, my wife.'

Some smearing underneath.

Someone added later:
'My wife and I, two big asses.'

And indicate your surname and place of residence.

Later, someone left insulting messages to him.

Every ten or so steps, there is a hanging oil lamp. The road down is very steep, and the bumpy gravel road will make you fall if you are not careful.

The darkness quietly watched the guests who came to visit day after day. Occasionally, a mouse's cry or the sound of falling gravel could be heard in the darkness - someone was traveling with them, but instead of the canary, he was carrying a round straw basket with three struggling gray mice in it.

This man was the loudest in the tavern, and Roland was impressed by him.

"Hey! Mr. Charmer!"

The hardships in the mine were as easy as walking on flat ground for the old miner. He could even lean sideways and talk to Roland and Peggy while shaking the basket to tease the dizzy mice inside.

"Damn it! They did it again!"

The three people didn't understand, but Peggy immediately noticed something strange.

She angrily took the canary off her shoulder and tried to hand it to the old miner: "How dare they do this! I have already warned -"

The old miner waved his hand and said, "I'm experienced. Forget it, Peggy. Besides, one less cage a day means two more meals."

Without waiting for the girl to get angry, he increased the speed of his steps, alternating between deep and shallow, and soon disappeared into the darkness.

The mine fell silent again.

"The ritualists of the Path of the Beast can communicate with wild beasts. So, I often provide them with these..." Peggy returned the canary to her shoulder with a look of disappointment: "But these guards are all my brother's men. A bunch of greedy pigs."

"They are trading in birds!"

The effects of canaries and mice are similar, but the former is more effective, while the latter... it's hard to say who can really save lives -

These small animals can sense danger earlier than humans.

In some deep corridors, humans often do not immediately notice when "suffocation" is approaching - and when the inexplicable poison penetrates deep into the lungs, the powerless flesh and blood no longer have the power to bring them back to the mine and bask in the sunlight again.

Death is silent.

Mice and canaries are different.

They are smaller than humans and are even less able to withstand the toxin.

Often when danger strikes, they immediately notice something is wrong: the animals' abnormal behavior gives the miners a relatively safe period of time to react.

This also allowed many people who went deep underground to avoid death.

But mice are no match for canaries.

These black, grey, dirty and smelly animals are going crazy all day long, and it is difficult for humans to tell whether they are unwell or simply mad - what's more, they are more patient than birds, and often by the time they start twitching, it is too late.

"So, you got lots of birds to help them?" Kingsley asked.

He knew the ritualists, but he himself was not a ritualist.

Some 'common' powers sounded a little weird to him: "They listen to you?"

"Not at my behest, sir. Birds have more active minds. I just provided them with some food and water - you could also consider it a 'guidance'."

Peggy sounded a little sad when she said this.

"I am a believer of the lady. I shouldn't harm natural creatures like this. They are just like us..."

But she did it anyway.

"For these poor people. I hope our friends in nature can give them more chances to survive."

This was also what annoyed her before.

The guards who stayed in the mines all day knew that canaries were more effective in giving warnings than mice.

The miners also know this.

Where there is demand, there is business.

If you choose Canary, you have to prepare your own lunch and dinner, as they only provide 'water' and 'broth'.

If you give up the bird and choose the mouse, you can have two good meals of dry food.

Many men are willing to take risks in order to have more food to eat or to bring some food back to someone at home - since someone died yesterday, probably no one will die today, right?

Peggy's words soon came true.

Gradually, Roland began to discover bodies.

There were some corpses lying in the mine with calm expressions.

Just like falling asleep.

"They were dragged out, and at the end of the day, someone would bring the bodies up..." Peggy lowered her head but did not stop: "...If I am in pain, I will be immersed in pain every day, and the pain will never end."

"I have to do something, being a Streeter boy."

"I can't be like a young lady at a banquet discussing literature and music, crying for the people in the story with my hands covering my mouth, and then turning around to kiss someone's neck and laughing my ass off - that's useless."

down.

Continue down.

In the silence of the corpse, Rose suddenly spoke:

"I kind of like you now, Paige Streeter."

Rose discovered that she was a bit like her.

In other words, they are the same people.

"Since the canary can save lives, why did your brother——"

"Because he knows that I will help even if he doesn't pay a penny." Peggy said coldly: "Whoever cares more should pay - and for the great, king-like Street, what are miners? "

The ritualists of the Road of the Beasts have such power, but they cannot summon flocks of birds just by opening their mouths.

There aren't many birds around Innstown anymore.

Soon, after large tracts of forests are cut down, all creatures in the sky will gradually become extinct.

"I don't understand why he doesn't spend some money to take care of these..." Now, Rose also had doubts, "Just a little money..."

Peggy was silent.

In addition to the reasons above, there is actually one most important one.

"He wants them dead."

"what?"

"Here we are."

Paige held up the lamp.

In the narrow corridor of the mine, the dim light revealed another smaller entrance.

"Wrap your face, nose, and mouth, miss, sir. If you don't want to get sick, wrap it up tightly. When you go in, do as I say."

She took out the silk cloth that had been prepared earlier and wrapped her face with layer after layer.

Then he asked Roland if he needed any help.

"I take back what I said before." Rose twisted her waist, pushed her away with her hips, and took the cloth from Roland's hand. "If I were you, I wouldn't have time to think about love."

Paige smiled. "The Streeter family always has to continue the family line."

Rose: "Shameless."

The four mummies had their faces wrapped and their sleeves and trouser legs tied tightly.

"What is this place? It's the white mine—"

"It's Hell, Miss Shelley."

Paige bent down and entered the hole.

(End of this chapter)