Chapter 35 Chapter 9.3 - Black Market
'This place was not in the game.' That thought entered my brain immediately after seeing the store.
It was a store that I was seeing for the first time. I knew this place quite well since I visited this place quite frequently while playing the game, and my memory was good, so I was sure.
Then the memories of the game came. The way the stores were scattered around made me remember the store, which was supposed to be here normally, after comparing the neighboring stores with the original.
"Ah, right….There was another store here…Though they were scammers too." I mumbled.
Deciding to check it off, I entered the store.
As usual, it was a simple and same-store filled with swords, bows, etc. However, my eyes didn't miss the small tucks of dust and the neglected-looking weapons.
'This place is going to be closed.'
I immediately concluded. It was obvious from the information before my eyes, and the information came from the game.
After all, a store that was neglected, coupled with a bunch of signs of attacking, I knew this store was on the verge of being closed.
In any case, as I perused through the selection, my eyes landed on a sleek handgun tucked away in a glass case.
It was like any other gun I had seen in the market, but at the same time, it was not. The craftsmanship was exquisite, and the design seemed to fit my hand perfectly. I could feel a strange connection to it as if the gun was calling out to me. It was probably the design since even though it was a handgun, it also felt aesthetic.
Pitch black color all over the pistol, but small engravings were over there, even though they were also pitch black colored.
Curious, I gestured to the store owner, a middle-aged man with a weary expression, to unlock the glass case. He was reading a book with a tired expression, like he wanted to get away from here as soon as possible.
He obliged, seeming surprised that someone was showing genuine interest in the gun.
"Ah, that one's a special piece, kid. Not many people appreciate its worth," he said, his voice tinged with nostalgia.
I picked up the gun, testing its weight and grip. It felt natural in my hand as if it was meant to be an extension of my arm. "What's the story behind this gun?"
The store owner sighed. "It's a custom-made piece forged by a master blacksmith who used to run this store. He poured his heart and soul into creating it, but then... well, he disappeared."
"Disappeared?" I raised an eyebrow.
"Yes," the owner continued, "He got mixed up with the wrong crowd. The villainous types who wanted to exploit his talents. They threatened him and forced him to create weapons for their nefarious schemes. But when he refused, they threatened him more, and then he vanished without a trace, leaving me here all alone."
"And now you're closing the store?" I asked, putting the gun back in the case gently.
The store owner nodded sadly. "Yes, I can't bear the pressure anymore. They keep coming back, demanding that I know the location of him, but I actually don't. And since they never believe me, they are always threatening me with this store. I no longer care since he is not here anymore."
Looking at him and the small scars on his arms, I could see he was attacked quite a lot of times. His nerves must also be on the edge since I could see his posture was scared. I could also sense the sorrow in the store owner's words.
Though, I didn't feel anything. I didn't care about a random person in the first place. I was here to take the weapon and leave; that was it. But that didn't mean I was going to miss this opportunity.
"I'll take the gun," I said, signaling the suitcase. "I'll make sure this gun continues his legacy." And added with a sad tone.
The store owner's tired eyes brightened with gratitude. "Thank you, young one. It brings me comfort to know that this gun will be in the hands of someone who understands its true value."
After all, it was that easy to fool a person who was constantly on the edge.
As he prepared to close the deal, I noticed the stack of bullets on the counter. "How much for the gun and the bullets?" I asked.
The store owner paused for a moment, then sighed. "Given the circumstances and the fact that I'm closing the store, I'll let you have both for 10,000 Valer."
And as expected, because he liked the way I spoke, he gave me quite a discount. Comparing this gun to the guns shown in other stores, I could easily say that it is valued at least 100k.
"Deal," I said with a smile and grabbed my smartwatch, paying for it immediately. Though the way transactions worked in this place was slightly different. First, you would put your currency in the form of crypto, and then it would transfer it. A special artifact that was the reward for the tower enabled it for a wider scale.
The store owner nodded, a mix of relief and sadness in his eyes. "Take good care of that gun, young one. It may be just a weapon, but it carries the hopes and dreams of its creator."
I assured him that I would, then left the store with the pistol and the bullets in the suitcase. As I stepped back into the Crescent Alley, I could finally put an end to the act.
'This is quite a good haul.' I thought, looking at the gun in my hand. I even got at least one thousand bullets in the suitcase, and it was damn heavy to carry, to be honest, but at the same time, it was fine. I also asked him if he had other weapons, but he said he couldn't sell me other weapons at lower prices because the person who would be buying the store would highly likely want to see the weapons inside. A gun might be overlooked, but other weapons wouldn't.
Just like that, I was left alone with 30k on my account.
'Now, let's grab the spatial artifact first.' I thought. I have been looking around not only for weapons but also some artifacts that would make my life in the dungeon easier.
I already had a tent which was enough for now, but carrying everything in my backpack was not a good idea for starters. And I knew a place to find a spatial bracelet and such artifacts.
Just like that, I made my way toward a less crowded and more discreet area. It was a place that had once been bustling with artifact shops and traders, but now, it was filled with discarded junk and forgotten treasures. This was the place where items that had lost their value or were considered defective were dumped.
With my knowledge from the game, I knew that hidden amongst the junk; there was a spatial bracelet that had been overlooked or deemed useless. Normally most of the time, the artifacts would always get defective by the sweepers that designed the find specific types.
But that spatial artifact was actually missed. It was because it had a special property of never being detected. I didn't know its origins, nor did the game reveal it before, but it was an artifact that was one of the most broken one's out there.
Because it was simply perfect for stealing unless someone didn't record you or they didn't have a special barrier that blocked the spatial transfer, and perfect for bringing special weapons into the academy. And finding it was also hard; you can even say it was an easter egg….
Just like that, I entered the junkyard and started tossing the metals around, looking for the bracelet.
CLANK CLANK CLANK
As I sifted through the piles of discarded items, my eyes scanned each piece carefully, looking for any hints of hidden treasures. Most of what I found was indeed junk – broken artifacts, scratched gadgets, and old trinkets that held no value.
TOK CLANK
But then, my eyes caught a glint of light buried beneath a pile of rusty metal. I carefully reached in and pulled out a small, tarnished bracelet. It looked like nothing more than a worthless piece of scrap, but I knew better.
Holding the bracelet in my hands, I activated my mana to inspect it further. As suspected, it was indeed a spatial bracelet hidden amongst the junk.
Looks like I found what I was looking for," I said to myself.
It was a good utilization of my knowledge from the game. Not only I acquired the artifact I had been looking for, but I also managed to buy a weapon at a low price.
With the spatial bracelet in hand, I quickly activated it, and immediately the bag on my back disappeared, entering the bracelet.
'That's good.'
Its design was also something that I liked, a pitch-black color with silver ornaments over it.
Feeling satisfied with my newfound spatial bracelet, I decided to leave the junkyard. I no longer needed to stay in this place after all.
Though before I left, I saw a couple of throwing knives buried under some swords. Even though they were not of high quality, I decided to bring them.
Who knows, maybe I would need them after all.
Just like that, I left the junkyard and continued venturing around the black market. After that, I bought a rope for emergencies, a belt that I would use, a bunch of special waterproof clothes, and another bunch of materials.
I also looked for the person I wanted but learned he had yet to make his appearance. I didn't know when he would come, so I decided to leave my ID to the personnel to make him notify me when that man came.
Of course, I didn't forget to give him some money.
In any case, that was how my black market exploration reached its end, though that didn't mean my job was done.
Since we were just starting.
After all, tomorrow was the day I would be stepping into my first dungeon. Though before that, I also needed a broker to help me sell the monster cores and bodies I would be getting. But that was not much of a problem since quite a lot of mercenaries who disliked getting traced constantly or those with criminal records would need such a thing as well.
And for such cases, the black market offered a service.
Dungeon exploration and special informant and broker service. Or others called it Hunter Agent, Hunter Manager or etc.
[Wildcatter] was the name of the organization. Essentially it was a word used for those who were searching for petroleum, but in the game, they used it for the organization that searched dungeons.
In any case, it was going to be my destination tomorrow, but I was actually quite tired. I had been wandering around non-stop for almost four hours, adding the train ride and all the walks I had done, so I needed a place to rest, which I did by leaving the black market and finding an inn to sleep. Grabbing the book I borrowed from the library, I started reading it until I fell asleep…..
Just like that, my day reached its end, and I drifted into depths of dreams….
-----------------------A/N-----------------------------
Hope you liked the chapter. Action is on the way.
You can check my discord if you want. You will be able to see the illustrations here and engage in a conversation with me if I am available.
The link to the discord server is in the description of the book.
Updated from fr𝒆ewebnov𝒆l.(c)om