Chapter 64: Gearing Up for the Black Market
Nam Gyuil gathered his items. Gige's Ring. He slipped the Space Diamond into his pocket.
'Time to head to Incheon.'
He deliberately left his smartphone behind. He took nothing that could be traced back to him. He even bought new clothes and a mask.
'This should hide my identity.' Nam Gyuil smirked.
Finally, he picked up an item that could identify a specific person. It was a dagger engraved with the Presento Guild's emblem.
'I had the kobolds make it at the weapon factory. Looks pretty convincing.' Nam Gyuil grinned.
'Presento Guild always puts a black panther emblem on their weapons, so no one will know if it's real or fake.'
He hid the fake Presento Guild dagger up his sleeve. Preparations were complete.
Nam Gyuil took public transportation to the wholesale market in Incheon's Namchon-dong. He slipped into a deserted spot away from prying eyes.
Whoosh.
He activated Gige's Ring to turn himself invisible.
'Now for the real move.'
He entered the wholesale market. Merchants hawked their wares, desperate to sell one more item.
"Cheap! So cheap!"
"Fresh catch from today."
"Flounder's super fresh!"
He passed the fish section, reeking of brine, and reached the meat area.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Sounds of pig carcasses being butchered echoed. Blades scraped against bones, filling the air.
No hawking here. An eerie chill hung over the slaughterhouse-like space.
Nam Gyuil scanned his surroundings. Thanks to invisibility, no one knew he was there.
'The entrance to the black market is here.'
He spotted a meat warehouse in the corner. That was the passage—to the black market.
Two guards stood watch. Obvious thugs: massive builds, scarred faces, black clothes. Their vibe screamed, "We're dangerous—don't mess with us."
Then, a woman approached the meat warehouse, heading for the black market.
"No entry except for staff."
One guard growled in a low, icy voice. The woman smiled sweetly and handed them something—a gold badge.
She whispered softly, "Chairman Shim wants peaches for dessert."
"……."
The guards nodded. "Shim," "dessert," and "peaches" were the black market passphrase.
Creeeak.
They opened the meat warehouse door. She entered, and Nam Gyuil slipped in behind her unnoticed.
He curled his lips.
'Was planning to sneak in, but luck's on my side.'
He bypassed the inspection easily.
The warehouse was cold, with pig carcasses split vertically, hanging from hooks. At the far end, a smooth floor caught his eye.
The woman groped the surface and found a hidden door leading underground.
Clack, clack.
Nam Gyuil followed her down the stairs.
At the bottom, a man in a clown mask greeted her warmly.
"Welcome. Beyond this lies a world apart from the surface. For your safety, please wear a mask."
He handed her one. Masks were mandatory in the black market to conceal identities.
Nam Gyuil already knew why.
'It's a lawless zone. Even if busted, customer identities stay hidden.'
She donned the mask.
Clank.
The clown-masked man opened the final door. Bright light poured through, revealing the black market.
Nam Gyuil stepped inside.
Fluorescent ceiling lights illuminated everything. Crowds bustled about. People in expensive clothes wore ridiculous masks—the upper crust.
Wealthy folks came to the shadows for items unavailable in the light.
Nam Gyuil headed to a dimly lit corner beyond the lights, where gazes rarely lingered.
He dropped invisibility and put on his mask. The darkness cloaked him perfectly.
He wandered the black market, eyeing the wares.
First up: illegal weapons. AK-47 assault rifles. Korean K2 rifles. Movie-favorite Glocks. Ammo galore. Even ground-mounted machine guns.
'AK-47s not even in the military, and these alone are worth billions.'
Weapons drew crowds. The suited seller explained honestly, politely—maintaining dignity.
Customers handled pistols, showing keen interest.
Other shocking items too. Monster corpses: goblin organs and bones auctioned off.
Nam Gyuil startled at one monster body.
'Why the hell is that here?!'
Orc corpses and weapons. No idea the route, but orcs he'd slain were up for sale. Even their axes.
'Unbelievable.'
Monster bodies as industrial materials? Sure, but illegally here? Orc heads taxidermied. Blood for sale too.
'Got info via Shy's psychometry, but never saw orc bodies coming….'
Seemed recently acquired—hence the unread psychometry info.
'Not the real issue, though.'
He watched another auction. A live monster this time—fresh goblin, shackled thickly.
"Graaah!!"
The goblin snarled, teeth chattering, desperate to bite.
Elites eyed the chained creature with curiosity.
"Oh, looks healthy."
"Breeding with other species for hybrids could be fun."
"Too low-class for a pet monster."
Customer reviews flowed. Nam Gyuil sighed deeply.
He knew elites kept monsters as pets via psychometry. Seeing it hit like a slap.
Absurd.
'What the hell are they thinking?'
Incomprehensible. People suffered from monsters daily.
Greed and possession lust—crossing forbidden lines.
'Gotta wipe this place out.'
He glanced at the ceiling: surveillance cameras.
Then left: burly guards. Black market enforcers, by a "Staff Only" door.
Nam Gyuil grinned.
'That's where the managers are. Camera footage too.'
Time to move.
'Smash all cameras that could expose me… and take out the managers.'
He drew the dagger from his sleeve.
I Baekhwa, black market manager, lounged on a sofa playing cards with his lieutenants.
"40 points."
"Damn, boss, you're on fire today."
"Heh heh, cards are good. Lucky day."
I Baekhwa raked in the pot; lieutenants smacked lips in regret.
Juniors monitored screens idly—checking for customer trouble, no tension.
Then—
"Gah! Graaah!!"
A scream. A junior yelled.
"Boss!!"
Before explaining, the room door exploded inward, smashing the junior.
"Aaaagh."
He passed out under the door.
I Baekhwa and lieutenants frowned at the sudden chaos.
A masked man with a dagger entered. It was Nam Gyuil.
"Who the hell are you—!!"
I Baekhwa glared. Mask hid identity.
Nam Gyuil slowly turned to the surveillance gear.
'Destroy that first.'
He smashed the memory drives and controls.
Bang!
Parts shattered, scattering. He ground them underfoot.
I Baekhwa barked at lieutenants.
"Get that bastard. Beat him, torture info if alive."
"Got it, boss."
Ten lieutenants rose, drawing pistols. They fired instantly.
Nam Gyuil grabbed the door-crushed junior as a shield.
Splat. Thud thud.
Bullets riddled the unconscious man, blood pouring. Nam Gyuil's body stayed safe.
Shield in place, he charged.
Splat.
He stabbed the nearest lieutenant's throat.
"Grk…."
Blood fountained; vocal cords severed, no scream.
"Damn it!!"
Pistol-wielding lieutenants cursed. Nam Gyuil snatched a gun from the fallen one.
Bang bang bang.
Headshots punched holes. Two down.
He deflected muzzles with his blade, dodging bullets.
Bang bang.
Heart shots. Three dead.
He slashed another's wrist, disarming him, then held blade to throat—hostage.
"Ngh!"
Unlike the junior, they hesitated to shoot.
Brotherhood? Nam Gyuil fired relentlessly, dropping five.
One gunman and hostage left.
"Raaagh!!"
The gunman ignored the hostage, firing.
Bang bang bang.
Bullets tore the hostage's torso.
"Guh."
Hostage bled out, dead. Click click—empty mag.
Nam Gyuil lunged, stabbing chest.
Squelch.
Blade pierced flesh. Critical hit; he vomited blood, collapsing.
All lieutenants down.
I Baekhwa sat watching.
"Tch, embarrassing."
He scowled at the corpses.
Bam!
He smashed the long card table with a fist. A sword flew out from inside.
He gripped it.
"Fearless bastard. Know where you are, causing this chaos?"
"……."
"Cat got your tongue? Why no words?"
"……."
I Baekhwa smirked after glaring.
"Smart. Was gonna infer from voice. Recording useless now."
He pulled a smartphone from his pocket—recording active.
He stood from the sofa.
"Don't know who, but killing reveals all."
I Baekhwa charged Nam Gyuil.