"What to do, sir?"
Nell asked me and Oni also waited for my answer. Now that new information came up we couldn't just turn around now.
I looked at the Darkgen at the distance. It's looking up the sky as if it's waiting for someone.
Is he waiting for that guy we captured? Too bad, that guy died with a smile on his face. Proud that he didn't cough out any information
Well, if he's really waiting for that guy, another Darkgen isn't a danger. Could it be that the danger is the runner of this Black Market?
"Those other stealthy figures are they…"
I pointed at the group who just appeared from the entrance and asked Nell. They're talking to themselves, if she used a bit of her ability she could hear them.
Just that, there's a possibility that her use of Meta Energy will be detected. I'm already clutching the Orb of Concealment, just in case.
Nell nodded as if understanding my intention, she focused on the group and used her Enhanced Hearing which she specifically targeted towards them.
"No. They're vagrants living around here."
Vagrants eh? They're those who were picking up scraps from previous battle sites to trade for food or weapons. They're also trying to unearth buried treasures in various ruins just to survive.
"I see. So are they trading peacefully here? Are there the same instances like this before?"
I did read up about the history of this world that wasn't mentioned in Nysia's story. However, I couldn't recall an instance like this where they willingly trade to the enemies of the world. Something that shouldn't be written?
Most likely. Not everything written there was true anyway. There's a lot where they're praising the New Haven Empire or about the 20 Nations joining hands to become the Moonlight Confederacy without talking about crushing the nations in between them. History was always written by the victors, no matter the world.
"There was one instance but it was before the Free City was established. It was the Anzeans who they catered with. When the Head caught wind of that, she crushed that Black Market along with them."
Ah. Anzeans is what they called the Alien Civilization which boasted their dark green skin, sensitive feelers and hard carapaces.
Oni retold the story about Nysia cracking up a Black Market which traded goods with the enemy who seeks to occupy their world.
She's still not a Mythic-rank back then and using a standard Metagen that could only exert 50% output, she managed to destroy them, root and all. Of course, it was with the help of her League members. No matter how strong she is, it will be hard for her to destroy them alone.
I somehow want to see her in action. Fighting her in the simulation isn't enough. Even if I was always thrashed by her there, I found out that her Defense Manipulation wasn't that absolute. Every ability has their own limitations.
"Alright. Change into vagrant clothes. Let's see what's inside."
Everything was accounted for before going into missions such as this. More often than not, patrol teams who find a suspicious area will disguise themselves as a vagrant to mix in and investigate.
"Eh? Are you sure, sir?"
? Nell asked, a bit doubtful. It's like going inside a den of lions for them. However, for me, it's already a normal occurrence. How many times have I already slipped inside enemy ranks and camps? I'm already an expert in infiltration.
"We might get trapped."
Oni also has the same concern.
"We have the means to go out if something went wrong or you two can wait out here, I'll go in by myself."
Having the Orb of Concealment can always get us out of a tricky situation. Ever since I got this from Zerina, it has always been used and has already saved me a few times before.
Well, it's great that they're cautious. I wouldn't blame them if they decided to stay.
"No! Take me with you!"
"Me too!"
When they heard that I would still go in even without them, the two changed their minds about not going, quickly changing into tattered vagrant clothes.
Good choice. I also preferred that they go with me. Oni could act as the leader of our group while Nell's ability was more than just useful here, she could probably hear useful information even if it's only from the customer's mouth.
However, there's a huge possibility that the use of ability was restricted there.
We'll see.
I'll report to Nysia about this later, there's no need to be hasty.
After ordering Nell to find out the passcode to enter the Black Market without being suspected, we set out with the same setup. The tall Oni at the front while Nell and me at his sides.
We acted like starved vagrants with few scraps of regenium and Metagen parts we would trade.
When we arrived at the door, we were stopped by two door guards who were wearing an ash-black Powergen.
With Oni at our front, he was assumed as the leader and was asked about the passcode before ordering us to open the tattered bags we slung over our bodies to show the scraps we were going to trade.
After verifying it, they didn't check our identities and just asked us to wear some kind of tag which indicated that we are traders.
Passing through that door, the danger my Adaptability was picking up was heightened. This meant it's really somewhere around this ruins-turned-Black Market.
At first, we were greeted by a corridor which leads to a closed door.
Showing the tag that we got from those at the entrance, we were ushered in.
"This…"
Nell couldn't help but mutter upon seeing the interior of the place, it's bright as if what's outside was an illusion. Here you would see that everything was in order. It's like a huge mall if I could compare it with something.
Neat and spacious.
Well, only spacious because of the few vagrants or proper customers that could be seen.
I urged them to start walking and swerved towards the first stall near the entrance. Of course, we needed to act like real vagrants who would sell our goods.
"That's a Confederacy uniform... Also, there's a few from Eldur... And from the League."
Nell muttered under her breath which only the three of us could hear.
I understand those from Confederacy and Eldur being here since they're not our responsibility but for those from the League to openly come here without reporting the Darkgens were also trading in this place?
"Can you identify them?"
"No, sorry. It's classified for Elite Members to know, only executives and Core Pilots have that kind of authority."
I see. I have that authority but I never bothered browsing through the list of members.
Err… it will take time after all. With how large the League has become, there will be some who will be unaccountable like them.
"Let's not deal with them yet but Nell, don't activate your Enhanced Hearing here. Or any of your abilities."
I noticed the few ash-black Powergen-wearing guards all around that were watching the place. It might not have been mentioned but it's probably a rule here. Usage of abilities is not allowed.
Well. I couldn't let her take the risk but I could risk it. However, I opted not to.
It's not being stupid, there's still that dangerous feeling. Even if I could cope with it, it would defeat the purpose of us sneaking inside.
Unless someone would risk it before us or better, I could make someone risk it for us. There's that Psyche Energy that was probably higher than Dark Energy. They wouldn't detect it unless I made it look eye catching.
The League members, Confederacy or Eldur? By the process of elimination, I shouldn't harm them, right? However, I'm not that good-natured of a person. I might've cared for those close to me and those who somehow had a connection to me like these members of my patrol team but anyone else doesn't hold any value in my eyes.
Well, let's put it up to luck. Whoever would bump me first will get it.
"H-how much for this?"
When we reached the stall, the stall owner's face was smiling. The smile of someone who found a group of lambs which he could shear the wool off for a small price.
Oni presented his bag first which contained a small broken part of the Darkgen I took down earlier.
"Let me see. The regenium here is minuscule. 2 boxes of canned food."
Due to the technology and the deterioration of land, farming was already done synthetically. Even the seeds produced weren't natural anymore. The meat providers have also turned to clone livestock.
Well, there's still few who could produce natural products within the three factions but the price could only be afforded by those with money.
It's not like the denizens of this world were averse to eating those, also, people have already been too used to it. Rather than eating nothing, every food they could get is precious, especially for vagrants.
Even if that was a complete ripoff, Oni acted like he was overjoyed.
After taking the two boxes, we acted like we were about to leave his stall.
"Wait! What about the two of you? Don't you have something to sell?"
The stall owner even left his stall and chased after us. I guess he's the 'it'.
We're all Gold-rank and this guy also looked like a Gold-rank however, it's hard to gauge one's strength especially here where everyone was restricting their abilities or their usage of Meta Energy.
As soon as he entered the range where my arms could reach, I tapped him while secretly sending at least 10 units of Psyche Energy into his body.
I didn't shape it as a Psyche Boost but with my control, it seeped through the owner's body instantly. It also instantly circulated inside him which made his body to suddenly jolt as if he was electrocuted.
The Psyche Energy was messing up with the Meta Energy in his body.
It's like when I was purifying the Possessed back on Earth. The Psyche Energy was trying to expel his own Meta Energy. However, it only lasted for a second before his Meta Energy burst out of him in his panic which made his ability to be triggered.
However, as soon as he did that. The Powergen nearest to us zoomed in and shot him right on his chest. Without any protection, his chest caved in and he immediately threw up a few mouthfuls of blood as he flew backwards and crashed into his stall.
Who knows if he's dead or alive.
The three of us then acted scared and fell backwards.
"What happened?"
The Powergen-wearing guard then turned and questioned us. He's suspecting us but the look of surprise on our faces puzzled him.
Updated from fr𝒆ewebnov𝒆l.(c)om