Chapter 47: Lurking, The Most Dangerous Place
"Ouch, my lord, it’s been a while, and I’ve missed you dearly! Just in ti, I’ve got so new goods here. Would you gentlen like to take a look?"
Looking at the fawning boss, Loka surprisingly felt a sense of warmth.
In a black market where every corner could harbor assassins sent by the Duke, there was still such a purely profit-driven rchant.
If Lycan were here, he would have recognized this rchant as the one Loka paid a fortune in gold coins to buy the birthday gift for the Princess.
But at a ti like this, Loka was extrely grateful that he only wanted money.
After all, others might be after her life.
This was a large black market beneath the city.
Perhaps because he was busy with other matters, the Duke hadn’t sent anyone to ambush her in the black market again.
Based on the last ssage left by Lubi, Loka planned to brave the Duke’s spies and venture deep into the black market to find the item he left behind, despite the countless red-eyed crows circling overhead, which were truly annoying.
"Boss, I’d like to ask you sothing—do you know anything about the one who does not converse with people?"
Loka pulled out a small, heavy bag of coins.
Hearing the crisp sound of coins clinking inside, the boss looked at Loka greedily and fawningly, his mind racing.
Suddenly, sothing occurred to him, and his eyes lit up.
"My lord, have you ever heard of a legend in our black market..."
"How’s it going? Did you get any information?"
Yiwen removed the mask from her face.
She and Kafu had also been inquiring around the black market in disguise, but the mont the other party heard that title, they urged them to leave as if they’d seen the plague.
"According to my investigation, Duke Victor likely took control of the black market about ten years ago, but it’s just hearsay. After all, with his status, the black market’s identity can’t be casually exposed."
In her previous life, the Duke’s influence hadn’t reached the black market.
Even when he sent assassins into the black market to kill her, the black market’s behind-the-scenes master was always soone called the “Big Sir.”
In this life, that person had mysteriously vanished.
The one who does not converse with people... Did it refer to an untouchable figure?
Or those big shots who disdained talking with the black market’s underlings?
Or perhaps... Where did that sound co from?
"Loka, are there beggars in the black market too?"
"Good-hearted person, spare a little sothing."
Looking at the ragged beggar tapping the ground with a cane, Yiwen was sowhat curious.
Though she had sent Kafu to investigate the black market under the empire, this was her first ti venturing deep into it.
With the intention of brushing him off, Yiwen casually tossed a silver coin.
But the next second, the beggar grabbed her clothing, his eyes greedily fixed on Yiwen—or rather, the money pouch at her waist.
"Your Highness, whether in the black market or elsewhere, don’t underestimate the greed and ugly faces of these people. For such guys, the best approach is to speak with a blade."
Loka placed her sword at the beggar’s throat.
Sure enough, he frantically grabbed the silver coin on the ground and ran off.
Loka sheathed her sword and leisurely nodded at Yiwen.
The three navigated through the black market’s alleys.
If her guess was correct, her portrait had likely been distributed to every corner of the black market.
Besides the crows circling overhead, the vendors around would probably recognize her the mont they saw her.
It was best not to approach the shops.
Soon, the three reached the outermost area of the black market.
This seed to be a nearly abandoned mine, with the overhead lamps flickering.
The entire environnt was dim and silent, with only a small tavern incongruously displaying its sign.
"Black Skull Tavern, we don’t serve strangers here. Guests, please leave. We’re about to close."
The entire tavern was empty, with only a slovenly middle-aged man at the counter, his beer bottle filled with frothy residue.
The expressionless tavern boss didn’t even spare them a glance, focusing solely on lifting his beer bottle while lazily cleaning a counter that seed to have accumulated spider webs.
Loka casually took a relatively clean seat and sat down, carefully observing that the place hadn’t been patronized in a long ti.
More likely, it had always just been the boss alone.
"We’re here to find soone, a person who does not converse with people."
In the rchant’s tale of the legend, there was indeed a “Big Sir” in the black market, but ten years ago, the Big Sir was killed by the new black market master, and the entire black market was unified.
Yet there were always rumors that the Big Sir’s ghost lingered in every corner of the underground black market, waiting for the day to crawl back from hell for revenge.
"As for this ghost, because no one knows if it’s real or fake, or rather, no one who has seen it has co back alive, it beca known as the one who does not converse with people."
Loka recited this tale as if telling a story.
The boss, still wiping his beer bottle, had eyes that grew increasingly sharp, silently staring at her, his movents gradually stopping.
"I got it right, didn’t I, Big Sir? Or perhaps, Big Sir’s subordinate?"
As soon as the sharp knife was drawn, a silver sword and a gray sword were simultaneously pressed against the boss’s front.
Loka smiled, jumping down from her seat, looking with interest at the deeply concealed boss.
"Shall we talk?"
The sharp knife was dropped.
Facing the nurical and combat advantage, the boss could only sit down with hands raised in surrender, but he kept eyeing the sudden intruders with suspicion and wariness.
"Though I don’t know how you found out, I didn’t expect this stronghold to be discovered either. Did Victor send you to deal with ?"
"No, we’re here to discuss cooperation. I have a subordinate who should have co to you. He left this thing."
Loka took out the wooden plaque that was the last thing Lubi left behind.
It was sothing she had originally given to Lubi, and now it had returned to its owner.
In the black market, there were no formal ans of comrcial record-keeping; mory was the best master.
To avoid entanglents, people in the black market often used fake nas.
When doing business, they preferred to use tokens.
The mont he saw the wooden plaque, the boss’s expression grew solemn.
He turned and pushed open the wooden door of the tavern’s small room, gesturing for them to follow.
Passing through a narrow, dark passage, he led them into a sealed room.
This seed to have once been a luxurious wine storage area, where the faint fragrance of fine wine still lingered.
The boss rummaged through the empty shelves, pulled out a bottle of decent-looking wine, and poured a glass for each of them.
"Since you’re his people, I’ll be straightforward with you. Back then, I made a deal with him. I was responsible for transferring the goods, and he promised one condition."
"What do you want?"
Loka’s guess was correct.
After Lubi discovered his confidant’s betrayal, he must have made counterasures.
Those goods should be in the other’s hands.
"I want you to help overturn this underground black market."
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