LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter: 6: Black Market [1]
I covered street after street with my fast steps as I heaved for air from my slow jog as I looked around my surroundings and assessed the location and scenery and where I was headed to. Clearly I had a vague idea of where I was going and from the looks of it, Seoul was more bustling and bigger than I'd expected before, but I vaguely remembered the location of the place I wanted to go and it was close.
Then as I continued on with my stride the constant noise of the cars and heavy vehicles entered my ears which passed through the roads, as I passed one pedestrian after another—some were coming back from work, some kids in uniform with their backs hung on their shoulder enjoying ice cream or some beverage coming back from some local school and others such as shop owners or street vendors opened up for the day as they bustled with customers.
I took in the scenery as I gust of soft wind blew past me as the afternoon sun was close to setting as dusk approached. I looked around and then took a sharp left turn as I entered a small alley which led to an area deprived of any civilizations or presence.
The area looked deserted and unsanitary as piles of garbage was surrounding the dirty and unclean alley which led to a small street on which several rundown stores and building were situated.
After walking for another five minutes through the abandoned street or so, I found my destination.
It wasn't something too flashy or worth noticing which a person would give a second glace to after looking, just some old small run down looking shop on the right side of the alley which had been assaulted by the expanse of time and covered with dust and mould
It was almost evening by now as the sky was turning dark and the streets were getting turned on automatically. I had arrived in Seoul in the afternoon and it had taken time to find the proper path go reach the black market.
After that I searched for this place restlessly and finally had arrived after hours of venturing.
In my previous life, I'd heard from my fellow companions and people whom I quite often met on the battlefield or when the different squadrons met for tactical meeting for a joint operation, they said that there were many entrances all over the different countries for entering the black market of their respective nation but they were very well hidden and only the people who had gone to the black market before knew where it was or through some source.
But at one point when I had to run on some supplies for my personal equipment, an acquaintance told me about one place through which I could enter the black market, and he was a korean man and he only knew about his own country's shady market's location.
But even that is tricky. The black market was a place which was approved by the Union and they adhered to several of their laws to operate but as it is a shady place, illegal things happens there, even if people know or not.
I had visited Korea in my previous life under an assignment during my times at war but had never went to its black market before.
But either way, my goal in going to the black market was quite simple.
It’s to enter a dungeon which the black market had ownership over and it was the easiest way go do so without going through silky procedures of becoming a hunter and getting a damn license approved from the hunter's license bureau and then getting the final approval from the Union which was an entire hassle to go through.
This law was passed for the reason to not allow underage children or individuals whom lacked the certification of a proper hunter to enter a dungeon as it could be life threatening for them.
So it was made illegal by the World-Union that another party, officially not affiliated with a guild or recognised as one, couldn't have the authority to have ownership over dungeon gates of any sort, and if they were caught do so, the consequences were dire.
But just as the saying goes, ‘If there is a will there is a way’.
Despite the laws and regulation that the laws laid down at it foundation, the black market possess many such dungeons which are not recorded in the WU’s database and left off the grid which allows the black market to make business through them.
So to make a living out of the dungeon’s, they let a third unofficial and unauthorized party to enter the dungeon after having them pay the fee required, and clearly stating to be not held responsible if something wrong happens to the party involved.
As such, for people who are not affiliated with guilds or any other association, can enter dungeons freely which the black market has which was liked by many and many people invested in the development of the organization which had now become a very significant part of our world which also even renowned hunter go to.
There are black markets all around the world with their own different styles and working attributes. Depending of the laws and regulations every black market has it’s own rules and laws in accordance to its protection, but let’s not get into that right now. We have more pressing matter to attend to.
Extending my hand I slid the sliding door of the shop and entered.
The interior was, how do I say this, a total and complete disaster.
But I knew this was only a facade to make people believe that this was only a run down shop to avoid any passing eyes.
“Excuse me... is anyone here?” I said while looking at the interior of the shop which looked abandoned and not taking care of for decades as my eyes laid over the spiderwebs and dust in the shop.
There was garbage littered all over the floor and the shelves were broken from multiple places. Everything looked to be in terrible shape.
It seriously looked like a haunted site, like a ghost could jump out at any moment.
“Ahh, Yes!”
I heard a voice coming from the far edge of the shop which sounded quite young and vigorous.
Walking carefully through the litter, I reached the counter where I saw a man lying over a tatami mat, with his one leg resting over the other and head leaned against a pillow as he held a long pipe in his right as the air was filled with a smell of burning tobacco and mint.
He was wearing a green jinbei, and his face was covered by his strawhat with a red strip.
“Unfortunately dear customer, as you can see we don’t do business anymore since we went broke and left this place to be a garbage dump, so you might be in the wrong place if you are searching for something, dear customer.” He said, his demeanour was aloof and he looked like someone who didn't give a damn about anything.
A smrik caught up to my face, but I perfectly hid it as I looked down at the man and replied with a confused look on my face as I played along in his game. I mean, playing a little bit wouldn't hurt anyone.
“Oh is that so, I thought I was in the right place? I hoping I could find what I was looking for here" I said as I brought my head an inch closer, as a playful smile played on my lips as I gave the man a calculative look.
“What can you hope to find in a place like this?” He jabbed back, his voice sounding amused as he took a puff of the tobacco and released the smoke into the air.
“I don’t know, maybe the door to the underworld!” I exclaimed with a seriousness lacing my tone with a tinge of playful banter in a teasing manner as the smell of tobacco and mint dispersed from the air.
“Oh I see.” He leaned his head further into the pillow as he moved his foot in a rhythmical order.
After a minute passed, he stood up from the tatami mat and looked me straight in the eyes for a good second.
Finally I could see his face properly which was hidden under his strawhat.
His black hair which were shoulder length framing his hardened face and his deep red eyes which shined even in the darkness of the shop exuding a subtle charisma and power.
“Then shall we go to the underworld?" He asked in return.
“If you are willing to take me, but make it a one way trip." I returned with a friendly smirk.
Standing up from his spot he walked towards the door behind him.
The old door creaked open as he gestured from his hand for me to come along as he stepped inside.
Walking up to him I walked through the door and entered a dark room. Deprived of any light and presence as I walked.
“Excuse me, but where is this?" I asked, slightly wary of the man as I stood on the toes to take action any minute.
“This is one of the ways to get to the black market, and of you are coming here for the first time, then allow me to inform you that these places are well hidden from the publics eyes. So please follow down the staircase." He explained without any rudeness laced in his tone.
“Staircase?” I confusingly said as I frowned slightly.
Just as I asked, from the tip of the shop keeper's index finger lit up with a bright flame which casted a gentle illumination around us as I felt the mana in the air working and being drawn toward his finger as the flames flickered and provided enough light for me to assess my surroundings,
Walking in front of me, we both strode down the flight of staircase.
“Please follow me." He said and I only nodded back in response as I fell into line.
About the underworld thing we spoke about earlier. That is one of the passcodes for entering the black market. Like I mentioned, every black market had it own rules and how it operated, some used passcodes and others some riddles to allow entry. There were all kinds of ways.
Either way, now I can finally enter the black market.
I need to make some preparations, like finding some equipment and bying a weapon first before entering a dungeon. I need the essential things for survival inside that place.
After walking for ten minutes we finally made it to the end the staircase which had led us to a corridor which then led to a door at the end.
Walking up to the door, the shop keeper knocked on it three times in an unusual manner, probably to pass some code to the person on the other side.
Then the metal doors hatch opened and a heavy voice reverberated around us.
“Who?”
“It’s me!”
Just as the shop keeper spoke, the hatch closed with a clank and the metal door opened without making any noise.
“Well then, this is as far as I can go. Dear customer be careful on your trip and not get caught up in some shady business."
Like the place I am going to isn’t shady at all. I thought with a scoff.
With that final warning he stepped up the staircase and left without looking back once.
Walking through the door I entered a small room, which didn't have anything worth noticing on first glance.
My eyes drifted to the man in question whose voice I'd heard from the other side. His physique was like the builder type, wearing a black suit with a pair of sunglasses.
I took a final fleeting gaze at the man and then walked up to the door of the room and extended my arm and grabbed the door knob which was cold to the touch.
Opening the door. I exited the small room and soon a bright light blinded my vision.
I covered my eyes with hand and took a couple of seconds to adjust to the light as I walked forward.
After a few seconds I opened my eyes and what met I saw left me quite speechless. It was a sight like walking through a portal and appearing in an entirely different location.
What comes to mind when a person hears the word black market?
That it must be a nasty and dirty place, where people are killed without batting an eye and all kinds of illegal things happening, right?"
But the sight that was in front of me left me a little speechless. Well it might be an understatement.
I had been to black markets in my past life but, I was always astound by the atmosphere and environment they provided.
The street of the black market were filled with a bustling numher of civilians, coupled with the thousands of stalls and shops which stretched to as far as my eyes could focus to. It was like a big bazar, with several high end buildings and some imitating skyscrapers which only added to the beauty of the location.
The street lights that illuminated the black market. The humid and clean air and the clean streets without an ounce of garbage littered anywhere. The location looked tranquil with a subtle charm of its own.
If a person didn’t pay attention to the fact that this place was the black market, and illegal organization, they could have easily mistaken it for a normal shopping district bustling with stalls and people—but in fact roaming with wanted criminals, hunters and people doing all sorts of illegal businesses.
Then walking through the busy streets of the black market I made way deeper into the location. I pulled my mask a little bit more up to perfectly hide my face as I moved with complete caution lacing my actions.
Before coming to the black market, I had brought a face mask to wear. Because the theft of identity was common here and it could also place a factor of becoming a threat for brokers whom looked for even a speck of information over a person to sell for a good price. So privacy was a must in here.
But I took my time examining the items and several stalls which were selling weapons to all kinds of qquipment and all kind of thing that could be useful to hunters.
“You won’t get this price at any other place. Its a price only exclusive to our store."
“Sale Sale Sale.”
“This sword can cut through even the most hardest of monsters. A reaper made of renowned material from a behemoth."
"You there, Sir with the black mask, come and get whatever you want for a good amd reasonable price." A shop owner called out to me as I passed him with a shale of my hand.
He didn't even look a little disappointed from my rejection, before he moved to another customer revising a well thought script to grab the customers interest.
As I walked I heard many people shout and advertise their products.
Well to be a good businessman meant to have a silver tongue to make a person interested in your product by expressing the item's use, worth and its workability with a person's needs.
Some items even caught my eye but due to my broke ass I couldn’t even think of buying anything. They were good items, but after a good inspection I could tell they were just cheap rip offs.
Even if I had the system, I still didn’t have enough points to buy a proper weapon from the storage.
With a sigh I continued my stride through the busy streets.
After a few minutes of walking and looking here and there, I reached the base of the black market.
“The Transaction House.”
The transaction house is where you can change your funds for the black market's official currency which is usable throughout all the black markets in the whole worlds.
With the WU always being on the black market's tail, there was always a transaction problem for sending and receiving funds or they would track their money down and try to take their organization down.
So the black market made its own official currency for bypassing the World Union.
Well, the black markets currency works digitally and it was more secure if I had to be honest
It was something similar to crypto. And with the digital transition they wouldn't be able to track them down their software firewalls being as impressive and well built as the Union's.
So here I will get my transaction card through which I can buy or sell in the black market.
Entering the Transaction House I saw a beautifully decorated reception greet me.
The marble floor on which a red rug laid over, gave it an exquisite and lavish appearance which adorned the interior further.
There was a beautiful chandelier with evening flower patterns hanged in the middle of the reception hall, which illuminated the hall.
Several sets of sofas and chairs and tables on which people sat and talked business or others matters.
Walking up to an open booth, I greeted the women receptionist which was holding a tablet and working through it.
Her plum lips pursed as she shifted her weight and caressed her black locks and put on a gentle smile.
“Good evening, Sir. How can I help you today?" She said, her smile adorning her gentle and plum face which radiated with youthfulness.
“I would like to exchange some funds.” I swiftly responded to her as she respectfully nodded and asked for my card.
Having already withdrawn my card, I handed it to her and she put quicly went yo worl, running the card through a small machine beside her.
“How many funds would you all to have transferred, Sir?” The receptionist asked with a gentle tone as her eyes peered over me.
“Everything in my account.”
“Understood.” She said with a nod and went to work, tapping more the machine's screen.
After a few minutes of waiting, she handed me my card, as she withdrew another card from the inside of a black box and also handed it to me.
The card was magenta black in black with a clear surface.
“Your transaction has been completed and the funds have been successfully transferred. Thank you for your patience.”
Taking the card and placing it into the system inventory. Not having any further business here, I decided to make my way out of the Transaction House.
“Let’s see.” I flexed the system and the black card which the receptionist had handed me manifested on top of my palm.
I tapped over the card and like a phone's display, several numbers appeared over its black surface. It displayed that I currently had 10,000 B’s in my account.
B, short for Bills, which was the main currency of the black market.
All the money I had in my account only amounted to 10,000 B’s, which in itself wasn't too big of an amount in this place.
Walking through the stalls once again, I came to a halt in front of a weapon store.
“Its time I get a weapon for myself.” I felt a wave of excitement overcome me all of a sudden as the thought of buying my first weapon came to mind.
I had brought several weapons in my past life. But the feeling was always a good one to choose a weapon for the first time.
Then entering the shop, I saw many kinds of weapons ranging from swords to daggers to shields. A variety of weapons which were hanged on tables or over the wall which were distinguishable by a category for convinces sake.
I quickly made my way to the swords section. I'd been a swordsman in my past and I had indulged myself completely in training in the way of the sword under my Master. I was deemed a swordsman because that's where my best criteria lied according to the status window.
The status was similar to the system, but it worked differently, having a ranking workability and also showing a person what their best interest and talent lied in.
Categorizing people into their own specific field. Like swordsman, mage or assassin.
I grabbed hold of a sword hung over a stand on the wall as my eyes inspected itz long blade which had a clear surface and looked quite sharp.
I placed the one in my hand back and took a hold of another one but just as my arm reached for its handle, I stopped mid-way as my eyes bulged open and I frowned.
Because of the fucking price.
’20,000 B.’ I grunted inwardly.
That was the price tag on the sword.
‘I only have 10,000 B in my account. And one penny spent above my budget would make me go bankrupt. And I wasn’t eager enough to take out a loan.' I inwardly thought as my frown deepened.
Then looking around I saw a cheaper section for swords which was just a few sets of ta lea away.
After contemplating and looking through each and every sword I came to the choice of two swords in the end.
There was a small flat shaped sqaure device lying on the table. I tapped over it and soon a small hologram appeared in front of me which labelled the entire description of the weapon in question.
----
----
【Name】: 『Bleak Star』
【Rank】: 『E』
【Skill】: 『None』
【Price】: 『7000 B』
*
【Name】: 『Blood Grasp』
【Rank】: 『F』
【Skill】: 『None』
【Price】: 『6500 B』
----
----
“Bleak star or Blood grasp."
These two were the last option among all of the swords which caught my eye. And currently the options which barely hid the threshold of my budget.
But both of them don’t have a skill or manufactured ability. But bleak star is a rank higher than Blood Grasp, which was good start.
And the level of sharpness on Bleak Star is better than Blood Grasp.
But there isn’t much of a difference except their ranks.
“Excuse me, I’ll like to make a purchase .” I called out to the clerk as he rushed over to my side in an instant.
Giving him the black card, he inserted the card in his device and ran it through the database as he clicked the screen over the device on his hand.
After the transaction was complete he gave me my card back and with a smile spoke.
“Thank you for shopping here. I hope you come again, dear sir."
Then walking out of the store I put Bleak Star in my inventory and sat down on a nearby bench with a not so satisfied expression. I mean I wa down 7000 B from the 10,000 I had. I was close to being broke.
“3000 B left. I should get some extra supplies just in case.”
***
After buying some extra food and a water bottle which could store up to 40 litres of water—which had a similar mechanism like a dimensional artifact—,with this I was more or less done with the preparations.
Placing the bottle inside my inventory I made my way toward the dungeon area.
After walking for a few minutes I reached my destination, having passed through several buildings and shops.
The most famous spot inside the black market, the Base.
This is where people can enter dungeons after paying the appropriate price.
The building that stood in front of me was magnificent.
The colours gave the building an intimidating vibe to it but it still looked quite lavish and expensive from the outside. Like a stronghold.
Entering the building, I was met with a wide hall where many people were present. But many of them were wearing masks to hid their identity, which was pretty common here.
Hiding one’s identity is the most crucial thing here in the black market.
Despite black market having its own laws and rules. This place was still a lawless place, where anyone could get away with doing whatever they wanted if it was done secretly or out of the observing eyes.
Walking up to a reception booth, I took out my card and gave it to the receptionist.
After checking it, he gave it back to me and spoke.
“Which rank of dungeon will you like to enter?”
“
“Please wait in the lounging area for a few minutes. One of the attendants will bring you the dungeon log for available dungeons which are of the
I saw the hall splitting up and going into a different section which was labeled as the lounge as I found a sofa nearby and sat down and waited for the attendant to arrive.
Soon an attendant approached me. His stride was fast but attentive.
He looked handsome. He looked be in his early twenties without even a single imperfection over his face. No really! In fornt of him I only looked average looking.
Even that Thomas kid was quite the looker. But I guess this body only lacked a good nutrient diet and some exercise, but over all my own looks weren't all that bad.
His long hair tied in a braid swayed slightly with his quick steps, falling over his left shoulder. He wore a black suit and monocle on his left eye as he came to a halt in front of me.
“Here Sir. His log has the information over the
“Thanks!”
He handed me a tablet on which numerous
“Now let’s have a look.”