"H-he suddenly became like that!"
With how realistic my act is, the Powergen-wearing guard shook his head and didn't bother us anymore. But without seeing his eyes, I guess we were marked by him. If something else happened, we're the ones he would find the most suspicious.
After going over to the stall owner who already breathed his last, the Powergen-wearing guard contacted someone using his Powergen suit, reporting the details of the incident.
I guess we dodged the bullet, for now. If I let Nell use her Enhanced Hearing, these guards would react to it immediately and we would've no choice but to retreat.
I could only say sorry and thank you to that guy who died. He managed to serve his purpose, risking it for us. It's most likely a death sentence if someone used his ability here.
After determining that we wouldn't be held accountable to what happened, I urged the two to stand up and slowly moved away from the scene before mixing in with the other vagrants.
The stall owners and the other customers such as those from the 2 factions and the League went over to see the commotion and at some point, someone who looked like the one we captured appeared from further inside.
A Dark World denizen. It's true and the others didn't even see that as strange.
Great. Even without being Corrupted they're letting themselves be used by them.
"He used his ability."
"Was he an idiot? Why would he do that?"
"He's already dead, idiot or not, you better not do the same thing. Those guards are always alert."
"I only wanted to trade for food but good thing we didn't trade with him, he's ripping off the new ones"
"Right. He's unscrupulous."
The vagrants' discussion about what happened could be heard around us. Though there's not much info to be gained from them, I at least got the gist of how they live their life outside the three factions' influence.
Afterwards, the crowd was dispersed when another group of Powergen-wearing guards appeared and closed off that part of the black market, investigating what happened.
For now, we should explore for a while to try and gather more information about this place before naturally going out after selling what we brought. Leaving now will just bring us suspicion that the incident has something to do with us.
"What should we do next?"
Nell asked me who was still observing the group of guards enclosing that area.
Whoever's running this Black Market is someone huge to produce that many Powergen and for sure, they also have a number of Metagen. But what's the purpose of trading with the enemy?
In the first place, how could the Invading Forces have the resources to manufacture their Darkgens?
Looking at those Powergens they're wearing were all well-made, it's polished, even. Sure there were smugglers and bandits who sometimes got lucky to ambush a fleet full of regenium ores, fresh from the mines but would that be enough for them to create an army of Darkgens?
Of course, they have their own source of regenium!
Haa. Why am I thinking about this anyway? The answer is already quite clear. Black Markets as well as the three factions' own people. Hell, there's probably even League members in it. Just looking at those uniformed League members in here, that's pretty much confirmed it.
However, there's no evidence to point them out. I needed to see more. To know more.
"Let's explore the place first then leave."
Since that place was already closed off, we continued to browse different stalls and sell off what we have on us. Most of them were trying to rip off the vagrants for the regenium shards they managed to pick up. However, there were still those who were honest at their business but they only have a limited amount they wanted to buy at any given time.
Unless a regenium lost its property of regeneration and turned into a normal ore, it could be melted and purified again. That's why wandering battlefields to find shards of regenium became the livelihood of these vagrants. And only through the Black Market could they sell them.
Though there were some who were honest at their buying price which could earn someone enough food, clothing or even weapons and Powergen, a lot of stall owners still tried to buy regenium at half the price of how it should've been.
The example was that guy who bought that piece of Darkgen part from Oni. He even blatantly lied that the amount of regenium was minuscule.
Apart from those who buy regenium shards in exchange for supplies, there were also stalls that sell weapons which could be used by the vagrants.
Further inside was some kind of gambling den and entertainment area which those with our tags which were here for selling the shards we picked up were barred to enter.
It's exclusive for the members of the three factions, the League and probably the Dark World denizens. That's probably the main purpose of these Black Markets, servicing vagrants was only a small part of their business.
Just by that, it's pretty clear that these Black Markets and those involved in it were already colluding with the enemy of the world, however, none of them was Corrupted. It's like they're just in a business relationship.
In any case, by doing this, these ignorant fools were empowering them who were only biding their time until the Transcendents from their world descended here. According to the Principal's Clairvoyance, they needed two to three months to widen the Portal to allow Rank 5 Mortals and if they're lucky, a Transcendent will also be able to pass through.
We already spent one month with our vacation, which means there's only less than a month before that happens. Also, because of my existence, the Principal's prediction could sometimes be off. That less than one month has a possibility to be reduced further.
We're running out of time and these guys have the leisure to work with them.
What are the Dark World denizens using to trade for those regeniums they're acquiring from these markets?
Dark Energy? Not possible, only a Transcendent will have any use for it. A Level 2 Energy can be used for their cultivation after all.
Huh? Wait…
Is it possible that a Mythic-rank was behind these? If that's the case, which one? Or is it all of them?
To secure a Dark Energy resource…
If that's the case. The portal to their world was kept open here, if not, their stored Dark Energy wouldn't be able to satisfy a Mythic-rank.
I have to inform Nysia about this.
The introverted World's Will was probably aware but not doing anything?
Ah. Well, this is still just a guess but there are times when my guess will be correct, right?
They have sufficient reason to rely on a higher Source Energy. To wash away their defeat from Nysia.
When I arrived at that thought through my overthinking, I noticed the Powergen-wearing guards started to spread out and tighten their lookout, because of the incident with that stall owner, they added more guards.
"Let's go and leave."
After selling off the last bag full of regenium shards, we all picked up boxes of food and other necessities as we turned towards the exit.
When we passed by, the area where that stall owner died was still enclosed.
No matter what they do, they wouldn't be able to find the trace of the Psyche Energy there. It was dissolved inside him and they're not familiar with it. At best they'll put it in the category of Dark Energy if they ever found a trace but I doubt that will happen.
? Passing through the door and into the corridor, the guards at the door didn't bother a group of vagrants who were happy at their harvest. I had the two act as if they're full of joy from what we acquired after all.
On our way out, the two froze when three Dark World denizens could be seen walking towards our direction, thinking the three were here for us.
However, that's a misconception, the three Dark World denizens walked past us without bothering to give us so much as a glance as if we're ants that they didn't need to be bothered about.
I pulled Nell and Oni to the side to avoid bumping them. We're not their objective by coming here.
After observing them, they seem to be in a hurry to enter the Black Market.
As much as I want to know their purpose, we didn't have the time to stay here. It could be that they already noticed the disappearance of the Darkgen scout.
If that's the case, that explains why they're going in. To ask the owner or whoever's in charge for information.
After giving back the tags to the door guards, we immediately left the ruin premises and walked out of their sight.
"Catch all the vagrants! Those who left and those who are still inside!"
Not long after that, a loud voice rang out along with the commotion of a number of Powergen-wearing guards bursting out of the place who immediately spread out to catch the vagrants who had just left from inside and those who had just arrived at the place without any explanation.
Also, there's a group who's also coming from the entrance towards our direction. Seeing that, the two readied themselves to put on their Powergen and retaliate but before they could do that, I stopped them.
"Now's not the time, put that down and stay close to me."
After saying that, I pulled out the Orb of Concealment from my neck, pulled the two of them out of their sight before covering us with the Aura of Concealment.
When those Powergens arrive at where we should be, I heard one of them cursed before saying,
"They're gone! Those three are the most suspicious, spread out and find them. It's possible that they're from one of the factions unaware of what's happening here. Silence them before they could report!"
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