The Journey of the Demon Hunter

Ezio was not found, but Zelin saw the soldiers of the Pokia family. As everyone admits, it seems that the city of Rome is indeed the city of the Pochia family. Soldiers embroidered with the Pochia family emblem are everywhere in the suburbs, but they are not here to guard the market and drive out thieves. When they were gathered outside a leather shop, a few sheets of inferior leather were thrown on the ground. The demon hunter watched the soldiers throw the shopkeeper on the ground, laughed and took away what they wanted, and then walked away. The shopkeeper got up by himself without saying anything. A woman went to comfort him, but he waved his hand to tell her to leave her alone, but the woman was still by his side, her eyes full of anxiety and concern.

Zelin shook his head and led the horse to continue following the trail. Of course he can deal with the robbers wearing soldier clothes, but this is the place of the Pokiah family. He taught those soldiers and then left. Then more Pokiah family soldiers came here, and they couldn't find Zelin. , Then who they will go to, the result is self-evident.

Ezio didn't stop at this bazaar. It seemed that he really didn't want to stop for a moment, and Zelin had to follow in his footsteps. Passing through this roadside market, the horseshoe print finally stopped at a pile of straw.

"Hmm... did you stop here."

The demon hunter carefully inspected the haystack. There was no blood on the hay, proving that Ezio was not under attack when he stopped here. One part of the haystack was crushed, and someone lay down here. There were dense horseshoe prints nearby. Zelin closed his eyes and could imagine the scene at that time. Ezio arrived here, probably because of lack of energy---he lost too much blood after all, and bumped on horseback for several hours---falling on the haystack, while his mount stayed near the owner.

Smelling the mix of haystacks and cow dung, he noticed another footprint around the haystack. It was not Ezio, but another person. The shoe prints were light and small, obviously left by a woman. Then the footprints and horseshoe prints walked towards the city of Rome. Some hay fell scattered on the ground. It was obvious that someone picked Ezio, put him on the horse's back, and left with the horse.

Who found him? Then where did you take him?

The footprints lead to the city of Rome. He doesn't know whether the city has a curfew, but if there is a curfew, the demon hunter can ask him to find an inn without money. Staying on the street at night will inevitably attract the attention of Pokia soldiers, although Zelin is sure that no one will know him here, of course, no one will be able to provide him with help and accommodation. Unless the problem is solved with a gold ring.

Rome, Rome.

Zelin chewed the name of the city. When he heard the name for the first time in Monteriggioni, he felt as if he had known it somewhere. The name was too familiar. Someone must have told him about it, but who it was and when, he Can't remember. He also didn't know anything about the city.

Where have you heard of it?

But time will not give Zelin a chance to think about it. The crowds in the city are mixed. It won't take long for these remaining clues to be wiped out. At that time, finding someone in a huge city is tantamount to finding a needle in a haystack.

"Let's go, before the clues and traces are exhausted."

He touched the gold ring in his pocket through his clothes. This was his only money. With a sigh, Zelin led the horse towards the towering gates of Rome.

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Chapter 162 The City on the Ruins

The iron gate was hoisted high. Although it was late, it seemed that it was not yet time to block the gate. Two soldiers were wearing leather jackets decorated with buttons, with small branches in their left mouths, not knowing if they were hungry or wanting to kill time, the other pulled his hat down to block his vision, and leaned against the wall and sat on the ground, taking a nap .

Rome, this absurd city.

Yes, absurd. Zellin once envisioned Rome as a city almost the same as Novigrad, maybe even bigger. After all, Zelin has never been to the city of Nilfgaard. It is unclear whether the free city in the north and the capital of the southern empire are better or worse, but Rome, known as a big city in Italy, is no worse than Novigrad. Where to go, but the demon hunter can never imagine that Novigrad is full of broken walls.

If the ruins in this city are all real buildings, then with the area of ​​Rome, it must be a prosperous city. But now, farmland has almost replaced those near the broken walls that were supposed to be residential houses. On the hill square paved with marble floors, sheep and goats can be seen everywhere, and the marble buildings are full of traces of knives and axes. People seem to have stolen the materials from these buildings one after another. The managers did nothing. The whole city seems to be built on a ruin.

There were no soldiers to interrogate him along the way. The soldiers of the Pokia family seemed very comfortable. This is their base camp. How could it be dangerous. People in weird clothes can be seen everywhere, leprosy beggars on the roadside, children running around, prostitutes who do not rest during the day, and wild dogs with carrion in their mouths. Compared with these people, a somewhat old, seemingly penniless What kind of threats will the man of

Compared with himself, the horse Zelin is holding has received a lot of coveted eyes. If the value of a gold ring is indeed as Claudia said, then a horse must be more valuable than a shriveled wallet, but The two swords behind the demon hunter made many eyes have to assess their own abilities when considering how much money the horses could sell. The teeth of rabbits can bite people, and Zelin is not a rabbit.

Following the clues he could find, Zelin came to the ruins of a palace. This ruin seems to have been built many years ago. Wind and rain left it with only some pillars and foundations. The limestone reliefs on the pillars were severely eroded, and it was completely unclear what was carved on it. The only thing that can be used is a few stone houses that have been rebuilt. The owner of the city would actually allow such a building wreck in the town, and did not even send someone to clean it up, letting weeds occupy the land. Wild dogs and coyotes swagger through the secluded alleys, and ruined ancient temples can be seen everywhere

When the demon hunter walked into the ruins, he knew he had found the right place. Ezio’s good chestnut horse is now tied to a stone pillar that has collapsed in half, bowing his head and eating nearby weeds. Ezio must be nearby, or the woman who found Ezio is here. Several houses. He was very happy and kicked away the mouse who was biting his leather boot.

The footprint finally entered one of the houses. Zelin tied the horse to the stone pillar like the good horse, hoping that the stone pillar would not turn into a pile of powder in the next moment. He came to the door and knocked gently on the wooden door three times. On the left hand side, the window of the house is tightly blocked by white cotton cloth.

It’s the first time to go to a stranger’s house and knock three times to ensure that the people inside hear the knock on the door. It also prevents the owner from mistakenly thinking that the visitor is hostile. Only those with strong emotions will not. Stop knocking on the door---if it really counts as a knock on the door---and when there is no communication between the two sides across the door, the sound of knocking on the door is the best way for the owner of the house to judge the visitor's purpose.

After knocking on the door, he stood to the left of the door and waited. The door shaft is on the right, and the owner of the house must start to open the door from the left. Zelin can see the situation in the house and the appearance of the door opener as quickly as possible. Although doing so will also put yourself in danger, the demon hunter is confident in his ability to react, regardless of whether he opens the door with a friendly smile or a shimmering dagger.

The door opened, and standing in front of the demon hunter was a woman under thirty, or a well-maintained woman. First, she cautiously pushed open a gap. When she saw the people outside, she was slightly relieved, and the other hand hiding behind her shrank downward. Reminiscent of the other party's method of sealing the windows, instantly, the demon hunter came to a conclusion-what is she afraid of, the people who often appear in this city, the robbers? Or a soldier of the Pokia family? Or something that Zelin didn't know, a monster in the dark?

"I'm sorry, but I have to disturb." Zelin's eyes moved from the graceful curve outlined by the lady's bright red shirt to the house behind her. A white candle, a small iron stove with a fire in the corner, dark brown. On the wooden table, and the bandages on it, there are many **** bandages. "I came to find a friend and saw his horse outside the door. So, have you seen a man named Ezio?"

"I'm sorry, I'm Marguerite de Campe, this is my home, there can be no man called Ezio." Marguerite showed a polite but indifferent smile. "Please You leave as soon as it gets dark, and my husband will be back soon."

"If it was in the past, I would leave, but now, I still have a commission." Zelin held the wooden door, and the other hand was shaking on the door. She was very nervous, which further proved that Ezio is likely to be inside." If I leave like this, Ezio’s sister, Miss Claudia’s entrustment to me can’t be fulfilled.” Then, the demon hunter took out Claudia’s gold ring. “This is what she gave me. And my entrustment is to find Ezio to ensure his safety, because he is injured, injured on his left shoulder, and he is likely to lose too much blood." He has to say more, the more detailed, the more accurate the words are. The higher the reliability

"Miss Claudia..." Mrs. Campbell was startled slightly. There was an emblem on the ring. Zelin had seen it on a soldier of the Auditore family in Monteriggioni, so he didn't rush to get it. The ring is replaced by gold coins, otherwise no one can prove his words are true except for Claudia and Ezio, who don’t know where they are. Secret agent."

"In Rome, does Pogia need to knock on the door to get in?"

"Well, you're right." Mrs. Campbell smiled. "Mr. Ezio is indeed here. Come in, there are people from Pokia everywhere."

Chapter 163 Another Big Plan

Zelin's estimation of Ezio was obviously wrong.

There is no doubt that Monteriggioni has been razed to rubble. Even if Zelin goes back to see if he can carry out some scavenging activities, he must also consider how to deal with the pile of rubble. All in all, the Auditore family's town was completely destroyed, and his army was also defeated. The demon hunter thought it was like Sintra, and Ezio might have difficulty fighting against the Pogia family. It just seems that he was wrong now.

This Mrs. Campbell who was treating Ezio's wounds, and the man called Machiavelli who came here soon. He looks young, but his forehead is covered with wrinkles, and the tall black clothes make him look meticulous. Compared with Mrs. Campbell, Machiavelli's gaze was like a sharp sword, suspected to be the blade, and the hilt was sharp words.

"Ezio is in Rome now. He is safe. You can go back and tell Miss Claudia, don't worry, you don't need you here." Machiavelli made no secret of his doubts about Zelin's identity. "If nothing else, You can leave as soon as possible."

It is difficult for a demon hunter to gain Machiavelli's trust, but he doesn't need to do so. It doesn't matter whether Machiavelli trusts him or not. Claudia was worried about her brother’s safety, so she entrusted Zelin to come to Rome, but now it seems that there is an organization in Rome that he doesn’t know about, perhaps the Brotherhood that Ezio mentioned. There are some that can help him. Human beings, Ezio will not encounter troubles that need Zelin's help to solve. This means that his commission has been completed, and there is no need to stay here.

Sometimes money is still easy to make.

"Then when Ezio wakes up, please remember to tell him, don't forget the reward." All the contents of Zelin's bag were killed in a single shot in Monteriggioni. Although most of them are spirits, beer, food herbs, armor and weapon repair tools, they are still worth a fortune. If he hadn't used the potions, sword oil and bombs as combat weapons, he would wear them on his body, otherwise the trip would not be worth the loss. "I will stay in Rome for a few days and then leave."

"Please."

In this way, Zelin came to Rome under the night sky from a house rebuilt near an abandoned palace. Machiavelli is very likely to be a member of the Brotherhood that Ezio said, and it is inevitable that the Brotherhood does not trust a stranger. He cannot hope that people all over the world can be like Ezio and willing to provide help to strangers.

This is good, he doesn't need to be involved in any troublesome struggle. It is the duty of the demon hunter to make money, complete the commission, and remove the monsters. There are no monsters in this world, but there must be a casino. After two days, he can use Ezio’s commission to go to the casino and try his luck. Maybe he can convince them to play a more interesting way of gambling, such as Quint. Cards, Gwent cards and Gwent cards. If he can persuade one or two casinos to try new ways, then the next two months will be very interesting for him.

Since there is enough time, he should consider a big plan.

Fortunately, there is no curfew in this city, and the demon hunters don't have to worry about the city guards coming to him. In fact, Rome looks the same as Novigrad, both in the daytime and in the evening, and they are completely two different worlds.

He didn’t plan to find a hotel tonight. First of all, Zelin didn’t know what the hotel was like, and a demon hunter who was a foreigner in terms of speaking and appearance, went to a place that looked like a hotel. , And then took out a gold ring and said to use this thing to offset the room fee, no matter what point of view, this is a salted fish waiting to be slaughtered, and a lot of oil can be squeezed out before being slaughtered.

So he decided to find a more remote ruin within the city wall, provided that no beggars or members of the underground gang occupy it. There are large vacancies within the city walls. It is quite a huge city that should have lived with hundreds of thousands of people. As a result, there are only more than 100,000 people inside. If it weren’t for the distant city walls and churches to remind them, Zelin sometimes really didn’t know how to divide. Check whether you are in the city or beside the village in the wild.

In the end he found a ruined building about two hundred steps long and one hundred steps wide. The remaining shape reminded him of Novigrad’s baths. Perhaps this was a bathing place once, but it was obvious that people abandoned it for a long time for some reason. For some reason, the style of the city manager is really incomprehensible. He would rather let the surrounding residents pry away the stones of the bathing beach little by little, and wait for the weeds and vines to cover them, rather than send someone to use them for a day. Time to clean up this pile of debris, build new buildings, and let it become a den for wild dogs.

The sky was black, and there was a large wasteland around the bathing area. The field of vision was widened. If anyone approached here, Zelin could easily notice them. There is no one here, only broken walls and dense weeds. The stone pillars that have not collapsed seem to prop up the sky, and the night sky is used as the roof. The wind is blowing from the north. He can find a corner of shelter from the wind, so that he will not be too cold. The next day he woke up and found himself. His eyes were about to be frozen together, and it was not surprising to encounter this kind of thing in Covind back then.

The cold wind was still there, and the white slate on the ground was cold and hard, as if it were a piece of ice. Zelin held his two swords, leaned in the corner, closed his eyes and rested. It's very quiet here, no one patronizes, the only thing that comes into the ears is the barking of wild dogs, the rustling of rats crawling, and there will be waves of wolves from time to time. It’s a peculiar place. If Dole Gare came here, he would like it very much. Humans and beasts live together in the city.

Of course, compared with wolves, crazy wild dogs are the most dangerous. Wolves will only go out for food when they are hungry, and they will not actively attack the humans around the village when they are fed and full, unless someone breaks into their territory. But wild dogs, Zelin has been wondering whether he can classify crazy wild dogs as ghouls, and sometimes they behave like ghouls. Demon hunters have discovered many new monsters for hundreds of years. Some are classified as harmful and need to be hunted, while some are not.

He closed his eyes and couldn't fall asleep. In an unfamiliar city, in an unfamiliar place, how can a demon hunter relax his guard and go to sleep like this? But this kind of warning is not unreasonable, especially when he is startled by a wolf howling at close range.

The demon hunter opened his eyes. Wild wolves, there may be one or two wild wolves in the city, but there will be no packs of wolves, and one or two wild wolves are a good source of meat. Although salt-free wolf meat is tasteless, it is always better than mouse meat.

He stood up, drew out the steel sword, and waited for the wolf to be delivered to the door. Maybe the person who was alone made the wolf mistakenly think that he had found a perfect prey, but Zelin would definitely let the wolf understand who was a qualified hunter.

However, the black shadow that flashed by the corner of his eye was not a wild wolf, but another strange appearance.

Chapter 164 The Cult of Rome

More and more creepy wolf howls, one after another around Zelin. These sounds sounded like wolves howling at first, but after carefully distinguishing them, human voices can be heard. On the contrary, it seems that some are deliberately imitating the sounds of wolf howling.

Zelin was a little disappointed. He thought he would meet one or two wild wolves that could provide him with meat for a few days, but now it seemed that they were nothing more than a group of bandits with strange costumes and customs. Just like those robbers wearing animal skins and tattoos that are often seen in the northern countries. As for the possibility of whether it was a werewolf, Zelin threw it away when he heard their footsteps. How could there be a werewolf wearing leather boots.

The demon hunter stood in place, mobilizing his keen sense of hearing to listen to the surrounding sounds carefully. The footsteps are dense, at least ten people, but never more than twenty people. There is no place to hide twenty people in this ruin. It's just some robbers, and they won't let him drink decoctions and potions. These medicines are used to deal with real monsters, not humans.