Chapter 54
Chapter 54
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 54
Chapter Title: Into the Unpleasant Darkness (2)
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I looked around the inside of the shop.
If the poacher's shack had been a chaotic mess with things strewn about, the drug dealer's store had the atmosphere of a bar of sorts.
Inside the shop, there were all kinds of drugs in fancy bottles, of course, but also regular alcohol and strange liquors with bizarre creatures steeped in them.
Plus, there were various strange posters plastered on the walls, incomprehensible text flickering on electronic signs inside the shop, a sweet scent that tickled the nose, and a steady, rhythmic beat flowing softly from a machine—or was it a creature?—that looked like a jukebox.
This place was a bar with a near-futuristic feel, filled to the brim with neon signs and all sorts of flashy lighting.
Just based on the atmosphere, it looked like the safest place in the black market, while also giving off a strange sense of stability.
If this weren't a drug dealer's shop, I'd want to drink here without a worry. This must be the drug dealer's scheme.
He's trying to provide an intentional sense of stability to loosen up his customers and make them drop their guard before trying to pull some trick.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Go on and have a drink. It's good for calming your nerves."
"No, I'm fine."
I firmly refused the unidentified beverage he offered.
According to the rules of engagement, food or drinks offered by a drug dealer have a high probability of being laced with something strange, so it's best not to consume any of it.
"Oh? But it makes you feel good. What a shame. Well, since you're here, why don't you take a look at the products? I'll give you a good deal. You smell... familiar. I like it."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Is the Favor of the Myriad Demons working here?
The poacher hadn't reacted, but the drug dealer sniffed around me, let out a satisfied hum, and seemed pleased. If he's affected by the Favor of the Myriad Demons, I might be able to use him a little.
"Come, come. Have a seat here for a moment. I won't do anything bad. Besides, I have something to tell you. It's nerve-wracking to wander the black market alone on your first visit, isn't it?"
I had planned to just take a quick look at the goods and get out, but the cross-dressing drug dealer forced me to sit down on a long table and a sofa so comfortable it felt like I was sinking into it.
I was a little curious about what kind of goods he sold since I was meeting him anyway, and he said he had something to tell me, so I secretly thought there might be an escape route from this insane black market and followed his lead.
So, the cross-dressing drug dealer rummaged around the shop and brought over some items. Then he started placing one or two medicine bottles on the table.
I checked my watch. 2 hours and 5 minutes left. I'll spend exactly 10 minutes here. No more than that.
"By the way, aren't you sweating too much? Did you experience something scary?"
The cross-dresser asked warmly as he arranged the medicine bottles nicely. There were a total of four bottles on the table.
His warm voice, whether he was a she or a he, sent a slight shiver down my spine, so I rubbed my goosebump-covered arm and answered vaguely.
"The path... was very complicated."
"Oh? Is that so? Hmm. If it's your first time here, you might feel that way. Well, as long as you listen to the Vigilante friends and properly avoid the Underground Security, it's not that scary."
"Th-those people in diving masks, they're the Vigilantes, right?"
"Yeah. That's right. The black market's security. Vigilantes, in a good light. If you blatantly steal goods or skip out on paying, they'll come after you."
As he said that, the first thing he placed on the table was an orange medicine bottle filled with white pills.
He handed it to me, telling me to check it out.
⚔ STATUS ⚔ Krann's Nerve Stabilizer: Take one pill a day when you are in mental distress. It will help you live another day. Slightly increases concentration in combat. 30-day supply. Price: 2000C I glanced at the item's description and asked him what I was curious about.
"By any chance, do you know how to get out of this black market? Or rather, how to find a door with a keyhole?"
The most important question right now is this. I need to find an escape route first.
If I don't, I'll be too anxious to walk around the black market properly.
"You want to leave already? But you're not buying anything, just asking for information? I'm not an information broker, though..."
"Ah... Wait a moment. I'll buy something."
The Nerve Stabilizer wasn't as expensive as to bankrupt my wallet, unlike the items the poacher had offered.
It was a very reasonable price, to the point where I thought this level of spending was acceptable.
If the prices of the other items are all at this level, I might be able to buy everything.
Then, just like when I sold out the peddler's goods, a trigger might activate for the drug dealer too.
Most importantly, this guy seems easier to talk to than the poacher, who wasn't affected by the Favor of the Myriad Demons, so if I raise his favorability, he might be of great help to me.
I quickly paid for the item, put the bottle in my bag, and asked him again how to get out of here.
"The way out... I do know a friend who knows about that."
"Really?"
"Yeah. We call him the Guide. He calls himself a 'Broker,' though. Anyway, he's a kind friend. It's rare to see someone so kind in this place."
"By any chance... he isn't the guy with a box on his head, is he?"
"No? Hmm. Oh, you've already met him. That's fortunate. Hehe. The real Guide isn't the Box-head."
So that freak with the box head really is a dangerous one.
If Indicron hadn't warned me, if I hadn't felt something was off. And most of all, if I had followed him carelessly, I can't even imagine what would have happened.
"Th-then, could you introduce me to that Broker or Guide..."
As I said that, he handed me the second medicine bottle with a smile.
⚔ STATUS ⚔ Ignored Blue Pill: Swallow this one blue pill and go to the world of dreams. A special encounter may be waiting for you. 1 use. Price: 5000C "Five thousand... for one pill?"
"It's hard to get. It's a special item."
I bought it right away. I was a little curious about what kind of event a "special encounter" would be, and more importantly, I had no time to hesitate over something like this.
"Then now... about that Broker..."
"That's still not enough for an introduction fee."
I immediately looked at the remaining two items.
⚔ STATUS ⚔ Rejuvenating Beauty Pack: Stick it on your face, and after 10 minutes, your biological age will decrease by 5 years. Lifespan also increases by 5 years. Waste products in your body will be flushed out through urine. 2 servings. Recommended for one-time use per person. Price: 1500C ⚔ STATUS ⚔ Chipein Liquid: A hair loss treatment. Apply to the scalp and hair will grow. It also makes hair elastic and strong, preventing easy damage. 10 uses. Price: 2000C Both are beauty-related items.
I thought a drug dealer would only sell extremely dangerous items, but he showed me relatively normal ones.
"Then I'll buy the remaining two as well."
As I said that and put the items in my bag, he smiled broadly and pulled a small switch with a black button from his pocket.
"If you press this button, you can call the Guide, Cheshire. Here, take it."
"Oh..."
"It's an item given to anyone who spends over 10,000 coins."
The total price of the items he showed me was exactly 10,500 coins. It makes me wonder if he deliberately showed me items with prices that add up perfectly to help me out.
"By the way, whose shop did you visit before coming to me?"
"That... the poacher's shop."
"Hmm... If it was him, he would have shown you high-priced items from the start. Something you could grab one of and immediately meet a Guide."
"Ah..."
So that's why all the recommended items he showed me today were in the thousands. It might have been his way of being kind.
"That guy is a grump. Well, still, he's better than that bastard slave trader. If it were the slave trader, he probably wouldn't have even told you about the Guide's existence. That guy always wishes for someone's ruin."
Of the three black market merchant NPCs, the slave trader seems to be the most vicious one. Even the drug dealer shudders at the thought.
Honestly, looking at the state of the junkies strewn about outside his shop, he's not much different, but still.
"Anyway, it's a good thing you met me now. Press the button and wait, and Cheshire will be here soon."
"Yes. Thank you."
Soon, he went back to the counter to smoke and write something. He was still muttering things I couldn't understand with his one drugged-up head.
Jingle.
Exactly three minutes after pressing the button, the shop door opened and someone came in.
"Yo. Jeki. A new customer?"
"Yeah. This human friend here says it's his first time today."
"Oh, would you look at that. A cute human. Anyway, Jeki! Don't just casually hand out drinks! I never drink what you give me, you know."
A person, man or woman, wearing a black raincoat pulled down low and a neon mask with a blue light covering their face.
They walked over to me and extended a gloved hand.
"Phew. Tiring to rush over here. Nice to meet you, visitor."
Was it the neon mask's function? Their voice was a distorted mechanical sound.
"I'm Cheshire. The best carrier in the black market, and a broker."
"And a guide for the fledglings, too."
"Hey! Jeki! I'm not a Guide! It's ridiculous to call me a Guide when I can't even get out of this place."
Cheshire really hated being called a Guide.
There must be some story there, but we didn't have enough rapport for me to pry, so I just shook Cheshire's hand.
It felt a bit fluffy inside the glove.
'Did he put some padding in his gloves?'
I didn't feel any sense of foreboding or unease. Most importantly, there was no warning from the goddess watching me.
"I am..."
"Hold on, friend. Let's agree not to know each other's real names. It's better not to mention real names here. And cover your face as much as possible."
"Uh... yes."
"Let me see."
Cheshire pulled an old gas mask from a side bag he was carrying and handed it to me.
"The only people who walk around the black market with their faces showing are those who are confident in their skills. You... from what I see, you're not quite at that level. So cover up. Don't reveal anything. It's best to hide and cover up as much as possible. That's how you survive here."
I put on the gas mask Cheshire gave me.
My field of vision narrowed significantly, and a strange, savory smell came from the gas mask. Did someone eat something while wearing this mask... Suddenly, I realized I was hungry.
"Good. Then now... oh right, 5,000 coins for two hours of accompanying you. It's prepaid, so let's settle our account first."
"Ah, yes. But how do I pay?"
Whenever I bought something until now, the coins were automatically deducted.
But how do I handle this kind of payment?
"Haha! This friend is a complete newbie. An Innie newbie... it's been a while... so cute..."
He just called me cute, didn't he? Did I hear wrong?
Before I could even question it, Cheshire continued.
"Alright! Now, just extend your wrist to my side and think about giving me 5,000 coins."
"Uh... here..."
"Got it! I've received it for sure, customer!"
Cheshire let out a pleasant laugh and then asked if there was anywhere I wanted to go.
Of course, I just wanted to go home right now, so I asked about a place with a door with a key.
"A door with a key? That would be somewhere in the Twisted Alley. But how many hours until your escape time is up?"
"Less than two hours left."
"Oh? Where all have you been so far?"
I told Cheshire about my journey: I came out of the alley full of pipes, passed through an underground shopping mall full of unpleasant restaurants, and then walked through a sewer full of junkies.
At my description of a place being "full" of things, Cheshire laughed so hard he held his stomach.
"Hmm. You came through the Twisted Alley... you went to the Street of Gourmet... and you passed through the Junkies' Den. So the remaining places are the Central Plaza and the Sad Festival."
"What is the structure of this place like?"
I needed to gather as much information as I could in case I had to visit again.
In response to my question, Cheshire told me about the general internal structure of the black market.
First, the black market is twisted and distorted in all directions, and since newbies like me can't control this distortion, if you pass through a certain entrance, you will inevitably end up in a different, random location.
And the black market is divided into five major areas. The narrow alley full of pipes that I first crossed over is the Twisted Alley, where doors with keys appear in random locations. The place you arrive at after coming out of there is the Street of Gourmet, where the poacher is located. The place I just passed through is commonly called the Junkies' Den.
The remaining two are the Central Plaza and a place called the Sad Festival.
"The Central Plaza is, as the name suggests, in the center of all locations. So from there, you can go anywhere. There are many street vendors and a few normal restaurants. And... the Sad Festival is where that bastard slave trader is. The goods are displayed in the underground prison of the Central Circus."
Cheshire then smiled and asked.
"Where do you want to go first? Since you're here, shouldn't you look around before you go?"
"Will I have the time?"
"Don't worry so much. It won't even take 30 minutes to see the remaining two places. And once you go into the Twisted Alley, it only takes about 15 to 20 minutes to find a door. What do you think? That's plenty of time, right?"
Now that I have a Guide, I have a way out of this insane space.
But if you ask me if I can fully trust this unidentified neon mask, the answer is no.
Honestly, who can I trust in this strange place? Still, I can't just blindly reject him. For now, I just hope Cheshire isn't a crazy madman.
I just silently trusted Indicron and Crixnax, who were quiet.
They are my goddesses, so who else would I trust but them?
"Let's go to where the slave trader is first."
"Alright. Don't let go of my hand while we're moving. It's a pain to find you if you get thrown out!"
I grabbed the hand Cheshire offered.
"Then...! Off to the Festival Grounds!"
The moment Cheshire opened the entrance to the drug store, Drug & Rush.
Whoosh!!!
I felt a sensation of being sucked into somewhere, and we were standing in a completely different place from just a moment ago.
"An... abandoned amusement park?"
It was a very old and dilapidated amusement park, blocked by a black ceiling, with no one around.
"Spooky, right? Let's go."
I quickly let go of Cheshire's hand and followed behind him.
Even though there was no one in the amusement park, the machines were running on their own.
And here and there, in places I thought were empty, shadowy figures that were hard to tell if they were human or bipedal would appear in my sight for a moment and then disappear in an instant.
"Don't stare too much. They're shy creatures. If you stare too intently, they'll do something nasty. It's hard to shake them off if they stick to you."
"Ah, yes..."
I decided to just watch Cheshire's boots as I walked.
Still, having a existence who gives me tips like this puts my mind at ease a little.
Flutter...!
Soon, we arrived in front of the circus tent, and Cheshire opened the entrance and went inside.
"Hey! It's me!"
The circus audience seats were filled with mannequins.
The mannequins, which were smiling brightly with a persistence that was creepy and ominous, naturally suppressed one's spirit.
"Don't make a racket, Cheshire."
Soon, the center floor of the circus tent sank, an entrance opened, and a man in clown makeup walked out.
He was wearing a crying clown makeup. He looked at Cheshire blankly, then turned his gaze to me and spoke in a gloomy voice.
"You brought a Guide. How uninteresting. Follow me."
With that, he went down underground.
"Heh. Looks like his feelings are hurt. He must be flustered that I came along since he was trying to pull a fast one."
Cheshire chuckled as if mocking the clown and went down underground.
Following the two of them down to the basement, it was filled with iron cages containing all kinds of races.
Their screams and the smell of excrement were so foul it was hard to breathe.
"Hey. Are you not managing this properly?"
"Don't worry about it. I'm the owner here."
"Hah. A monster who's only interested in collecting people. Is it over once you capture them?"
The clown ignored Cheshire's words and asked me.
"There are four goods. Pick one. Just one."
I nodded at his words.
Then I looked at the four slaves trembling in front of me. They were all completely naked.
"Start your introductions."
The slave trader cracked his whip on the floor as if putting on a show, and the leftmost of the four trembling men opened his mouth.
"My name is Kreton... a great warrior. I'm strong and good at work. If you spare my life... I will serve you forever."
An old man with ox horns on his head and a thick beard bowed his head. He was trembling, barely enduring the humiliation.
He might be a help in increasing my combat strength... but the hairy old man gives me a bit of a rejection.
"This one's price is 34,000 coins. Next."
The clown slave trader cracked his whip with an emotionless voice.
A fish-woman who was trembling next to Kreton flinched and started her introduction.
"I, I'm! Keshia!! Uh, that's right! A great ocean warrior! I'm especially strong in the water, and I lay eggs... the eggs are nutritious..."
Her speech is broken, so she seems a bit unintelligent, but her appearance is quite eye-catching.
She's... mysterious. And her sea-blue skin feels very smooth and elastic.
"This one's price is 27,000 coins. Next."
Of course, she's still less beautiful than the next slave.
"I am Merhere. A fallen angel. I have lost all my divine authority. All I have is this wretched body. I have neither wings nor a halo. And I have no intention of living any longer. So do as you wish, outsider."
A tall woman glaring at me coldly.
I'm not short either, but she's taller than me. She must be close to 190cm.
And her voluptuous, almost suffocatingly large breasts, her explosive hips, and above all, her beautiful platinum blonde hair.
The thought of holding her in my arms came to me involuntarily. However, the moment I heard the price, I gave up on that thought.
"This one's price is 68,000 coins."
For a fallen angel, she's damn expensive. Maybe I could afford it if I scraped everything together...
"Then the last one."
The last one looked like a young boy.
"Sob... M-mom..."
"Introduce yourself properly!"
Whack!!
The clown whipped the crying boy's back.
Then, the boy's face, which had looked so innocent, twisted into a demonic grimace, and a thick killing intent and malice filled the spot.
"Uwaa!! You fucking bastard!!! Can't you see I'm acting?! Damn it! Tch."
He spat on the floor and started his introduction with a swagger.
"What are you staring at! I'm an 80-year-old half-foot, you know. Got it! Huh. Damn it... to be treated by a human... My name is Roh. I'm good at pickpocketing, lockpicking, disarming traps, and other thievery. You'll find me useful if you buy me."
After finishing his introduction, Roh slumped to the floor.
"This one is 40,000 coins."
I was introduced to all four slaves. They're all different races. Who should I choose...
At that moment, the slave trader spoke to me in his characteristic emotionless voice as I was lost in thought.
"Now, choose."
I instinctively checked my watch and looked over the four different races.