Chapter 30: The Visitor of the Underground Black Market

“Alright, hurry up and contact that informant. Here, take this. If the other party arrives, find an opportunity to crush it, and we’ll receive the message.”

Since Aileen suggested they shouldn’t linger near the contact point, Vilyric didn’t insist on keeping them around. It was a perfect chance to head over to that underground black market, which was said to “not sell anything legitimate,” and see if she could find something interesting.

What she gave to Aileen wasn’t a treasure; it was a small magical tool she had bought in Sky City — two crisp stones about the size of peanuts. Even an ordinary person could break them with a little force, and if either one was destroyed, the other would shatter simultaneously. They were little trinkets used for passing simple messages and probably not difficult to make.

“Then I…”

“Bangs, you can stick with Aileen and keep her safe. After being apart for so long, you must have a lot to talk about. With two of you, it should be safer as long as you stay alert.”

Seeing the indecision in the man’s demeanor, Vilyric decisively sent him off. They didn’t need Bangs hovering around. It was better to leave him with Aileen, an ordinary person, as protection since it was always unsafe for girls to go alone in such lawless places.

Of course, the main reason was that Miss Priestess didn’t want a man with a perpetual dead-fish face tagging along while she was trying to enjoy herself.

With grateful looks from Bangs and Aileen, the four temporarily parted ways; one group disappeared into the black market, while Vilyric and her little dragon daughter casually picked a direction to wander about, killing time.

This underground black market had no name, no guards at the entrance, and it wasn’t exactly clean either. As they walked along, they often spotted various mystery liquids staining the roadside, corners, and alleys.

Vilyric and the Little Dragon Daughter had keener noses than ordinary people. Even just passing by, they could easily catch the strange scents emitted by long-standing substances.

Everything was present: irritating gases from mixed herbs, the scent of blood, the smells of various unspeakable bodily fluids, even feces, and many bizarre odors that they had never encountered and couldn’t identify, causing both girls to frown in distaste.

Once they left Bangs and Aileen behind, the Little Dragon Daughter no longer maintained her previous silence. Perhaps to distract herself from the weird smells, she began to ask questions as they walked.

“Master, it’s been several months since that Moonshadow Clan cub was captured. Do you really think it’s still alive? If humans wanted to eliminate that potential threat early, wouldn’t it be simplest to just kill it right after capturing it?”

Glancing at her pet, who was covering her nose and walking, Vilyric smiled casually.

“That makes sense, but Xiao Guang, as long as the magical beasts are still active in the city, it means they must have some backing. Plus, I doubt humans would carelessly kill that cub.”

“Humans… Most creatures’ greed has no limits. When possibilities present themselves, they always want more. Preventing the enemy from gaining the power of the mythological species is just a thought away from wanting to take it for themselves.”

Miss Giant Dragon appeared thoughtful.

“Are you saying humans want to experiment on that cub or even decipher how it transforms into a mythological species?”

“Well… something like that. After all, in this world where power reigns supreme, who doesn’t want to become stronger? The might of mythological species is practically unbeatable for humans, and there might even be secrets involving gods tied to it.”

As the two chatted while walking, the passersby were numerous, but most chose to cover their faces with hoods or in various ways. They intentionally avoided getting too close when brushing by, likely wary of pickpockets. It was clear that they were all cautious and didn’t want to expose their true identities.

In such a black market, thieves definitely existed, and there were surely many of them, since even the official guards tasked with maintaining order were nowhere to be found. You can imagine how rampant criminal activity must be.

In fact, during their stroll, Vilyric and her companion indeed encountered a few dimwitted individuals attempting to target them, both men and women. However, such petty tricks surely couldn’t escape Miss Priestess’s notice, especially since she wasn’t carrying any money on her.

Vilyric didn’t make a fuss about it; she merely hinted to the Little Dragon Daughter to unleash her dragon’s presence, scaring the wannabe thieves into collapsing on the ground, foaming at the mouth, after which she simply ignored them.

Even after this incident, the passersby only cast vaguely indifferent or amused glances, feeling no inclination to intervene. It seemed they were already used to similar situations.

Truly a lawless land.

Most vendors in this underground black market operated stalls without proper setups. Even if there were buildings, they resembled shabby little shops. Large-scale stores of any kind were a rare sight.

One could understand why; in such a place, who would dare to leave behind substantial fixed assets without some confidence or background?

After walking for a while longer, Vilyric casually chose a roadside stall to stop and watch. Passing several stands, she found that most items were sealed jars, and simply looking wouldn’t reveal much.

The stall owner was a plain-looking middle-aged bald man in slightly worn armor, with several dark, dried patches of blood on it. He was lazily sitting on a wooden chair, kicking his legs and yawning.

A blood-stained machete leaned against his leg—clearly not for sale.

In front of him, just like at other stalls, there was a piece of cloth spread on the ground displaying various porcelain jars, unusual metals, and even some unwashed materials—most likely harvested from magical beasts or beasts of burdens—emitting a strong stench.

Noticing someone at his stall, he initially only glanced up with his peripheral vision but was immediately startled upon seeing the two girls’ unobstructed faces. He hurriedly patted his rear, stood up, left the machete on the chair, and began rubbing his hands in a manner that perfectly matched the scheming vendor role Vilyric had in mind.

His sudden reaction surely wasn’t because he recognized the girls; after all, they were both wearing “Cognitive Obstruction Masks.” Rather, it was likely that the beauty of Miss Priestess and the Little Dragon Daughter, far surpassing that of ordinary human women, had simply left him in awe.

After all, this world was different from Blue Star; ancestry wasn’t some meaningless mystical concept but genuinely represented a form of power that could be inherited.

Not to mention the various exotic races and magical beasts; even among humans, most nobles naturally possessed greater magical affinity and physical qualities than ordinary commoners.

This was a gift passed down through bloodlines from their ancestors who once wielded great capabilities, or perhaps it was a selection process—only exceptional individuals could have the chance to become what is called “nobility.”

So, even if one couldn’t say with total certainty, if a woman with astonishing beauty and noble demeanor suddenly appeared in such a place, it was highly unlikely her background was ordinary.

Except for the streetwise old-timers, reckless youths, or extremely powerful big shots, ordinary people wouldn’t dare to casually expose themselves in the black market.

“Welcome, welcome! Uh… may I ask what you ladies need?”

“Um, what do you sell here?”

As he spoke, the bald man, whose rough face bore small eyes, surveyed the two girls, seemingly trying to determine who the spokesperson was. Seeing the blonde girl’s cold indifference and slightly reserved position, this seasoned vendor quickly made his judgment.

Upon hearing Vilyric speak, he immediately clapped his hands and, with a tone completely inconsistent with his fierce exterior, spoke with a flattering and sneaky voice.

“Hehe, I’ve got plenty of treasures! A lady as distinguished and beautiful as yourself must be interested in beautifying and skincare products. Look at this bottle! Ground from the high mountain ice lotus of the Northern Snow Country, blended with over a dozen precious materials; apply it morning and night, and in less than a month, it’ll ensure your skin becomes even whiter and smoother! And over here…”

   

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