Time does not have to wait for long; soon, Xiao Qu brought back the items on the list. However, due to the numerous miscellaneous items, she had to make several trips.
As for the intelligence on Lao Jiang's meat shop, it was quite straightforward. Lao Jiang indeed had a smoked meat workshop, but due to the significant smoke generated during the smoking process, the location was far from the village, seldom visited by people. This coincided with Night San Geng's judgment.
If he were really breeding demon rats in the village, even if Lao Jiang was careful, he couldn't avoid exposing his activities.
It was said that the workers were supposedly relatives from Lao Jiang's side, around two or three in number. They rarely visited the village and would purchase whatever was needed, even Lao Jiang's wife seldom showed her face, fueling the village gossip.
Having gathered specific information and with the sky darkening, Weng Ling and Night San Geng pushed the fully loaded small cart and quietly left Baiyan Village.
The suburban paths were dark, the clouds thick enough to obscure the moon. However, for them, it was inconsequential. Weng Ling flicked her finger, and a soft white light illuminated her shoulder.
"Your use of the Holy Light Illumination spell is quite impressive," Night San Geng commented, watching Weng Ling brighten the path, unable to resist teasing. "With your talent in the Holy Light spell, I genuinely believe you could pursue further studies."
Weng Ling gave him a glance. "I find your verbal skills impressive. Why not become a wandering minstrel?"
"Well, a wandering minstrel's life is too impoverished; it doesn't suit me," Night San Geng replied.
Glancing at the roadside wheat, he thought about how, in just over a month, these golden crops would be ready for harvest, providing the villages with a bountiful yield to endure another harsh winter.
"By the way, when we were exploring Baiyan Village today, I noticed that apart from wheat and some wild meat, there was hardly any other food. Isn't that strange?" Night San Geng suddenly inquired.
Considering Baiyan Village's scale as an industrial village, its goods circulation should be developed, but the lack of variety in food surprised him.
"No vegetables, no fruits, not even domesticated meat; it's all hunted wild beasts. It's quite peculiar," he remarked.
"Let me explain..."
"Keep it short," Night San Geng said as he noticed a small mound ahead, giving the cart a push.
Weng Ling rolled her eyes. "Well, there are other types of food, but they are generally too expensive for the average villager."
"Too expensive?" Night San Geng perked up his ears.
"Yes," Weng Ling sighed. "This issue is related to the Undead Catastrophe that happened in the past."
"At the beginning of the war, the undead secretly spread the researched plague seeds everywhere. Eating food contaminated with these plague seeds would turn anyone into a walking corpse within a week. This is why all races despise the undead."
"Unfortunately, the plague seeds are both easy to make and extremely difficult to detect. Even within the Holy Silver Church, only a few people can identify them. To prevent widespread casualties, those capable of recognizing the plague seeds were dispatched to establish Holy Silver Churches worldwide. This way, they could teach Holy Light spells and prevent the undead's plague plan—a perfect two birds with one stone."
"However, since such individuals are limited, it's impossible to cover all areas. So, people came up with another solution: placing Holy Silver Churches in the best-defended places and concentrating all food production there."
"Then the transportation cost must be enormous," Night San Geng wondered.
"It is. If the production cost of a pound of wheat is 5 copper coins, the cost of transportation, including the beasts of burden, manpower, and soldiers for protection, would add about 30 copper coins. In more remote areas, it could even reach 5 silver coins per pound!"
"I see," Night San Geng nodded. Wheat at 5 silver coins per pound was indeed beyond the means of ordinary villagers.
"But after the war? It's been so many years since the Undead Catastrophe. Why continue with this system? Did people agree to it?" he inquired.
"Of course not. However, relocating industries is not an easy task, and what was achievable during the war may not be as feasible afterward," Weng Ling sighed.
"Moreover, the undead have not been eradicated. Incidents of undead resurgence still occur from time to time. Although the Holy Silver Church suppresses them, better safe than sorry. Hence, people have reluctantly accepted the previous practices."
"But the Holy Silver Church has also found a solution. After years of research, they have finally improved basic crops like wheat. Now, one can visually determine if they are contaminated, ensuring that the only crops grown are these," Weng Ling pointed to the swaying wheat by the roadside.
Night San Geng furrowed his brow. "What about animals? Domesticated animals shouldn't fear those plague seeds, right?"
He had encountered cows in Loran City and had even eaten chicken eggs. However, in Baiyan Village, there were no corresponding animal products for sale, and even if there were, they were all labeled as wild game.
Weng Ling suddenly stopped pushing the cart, looking at Night San Geng with suspicion. "You don't know about this?"
"Huh?" Night San Geng felt a twinge of anxiety. How could this be a common knowledge question? His chaotic mind was completely clueless.
"Well, it's probably because I don't interact much with the outside world. Can you enlighten me?" he requested.
"That's true. I suppose you should get out more, interact with people; otherwise, you won't know anything," Weng Ling nodded and continued pushing the cart.
"Do you know about the Beastman race?"
"Yes, I do," Night San Geng nodded.
"After the establishment of the Beastman Empire and the alliance with our Celestial Might Empire, there is a clause in the treaty that prohibits us from industrially breeding non-sentient animals and birds. In other words..."
"We can hunt and consume wild beasts, but it is illegal to extensively domesticate and raise animals listed in the Beastman Empire's racial catalog as food."
Night San Geng widened his eyes. "Isn't that too harsh? Can people accept that?"
"Those who don't accept it can settle it on the battlefield! This is the Beastman Emperor's statement. Do you think it's worth going to war for this?" Weng Ling shrugged.
"But that doesn't mean we can't have meat. After all, solutions are human inventions..."