What is the most common reason why artifacts are sold for less than their normal price? The answer is simple. First, the question should be why the item needs to be sold at a lower price. With a little brainpower, you can find that either the person really obtained the item through abnormal means, or the item is damaged. But both situations open the same door. This item cannot be sold through legal channels. Therefore, a place for illegal trading should be established. This place has a simple and popular name "black market." A place that specializes in selling such items. This is where I'm going now. Of course, there are several black markets that a person can enter. Even within the capital city of Arcadia, there are two different black markets, each ruled by a different group of people. There is also a special virtual black market called 'Crimson Witch'. However, being in the capital meant they were under the watchful eyes of the Federation. Therefore their security measures were very tight, which also meant it was difficult for me to get in there. My strength was also low, so choosing a place with few people was the best option.
The main thing is that things are more expensive there than here. Capitalism is everywhere. That’s why I’ve come to Areopolis, a city four hours away from the capital by train. black market. A place similar to the devil's world, with all kinds of people. This is a world independent of law and morality, where villains and heroes can coexist because they are ruled by the strong. This is where I am. Guests are required to wear masks before entering the Black Market to conceal their identities. This measure was taken as a precautionary measure to prevent federal agents from tracking down any suspicious people sneaking into the Black Market. But this method doesn't really make sense, because for those with special skills dedicated to tracking others, a random mask can't hide their identity at all. You can disguise your face or hide, but you also need to be careful about your mana signature, tiny DNA traces, and many other small details that can be tracked. After making sure the mask was securely fastened, I stood in front of a large metal door. 'Bang! Bang! Bang' I knocked on the door three times. A few minutes later, two big men in neat suits came out from behind the door. They put far less pressure on me than the principal and Professor Eleanor, but it was still very uncomfortable for my fragile body. "Kid, what are you doing here? This is not a place for a little kid like you." said one of the bodyguards, who underestimated me from my appearance. I think this is to be expected, because even I doubt myself for daring to come here with such a thin body. "I heard a passing bird say that you were looking for an artist." I answered in code. The two bodyguards exchanged glances, seeming to be very interested in my answer. I'm sure they didn't expect me to know such a thing. "Artists, huh? What kind of entertainment can you provide?" asked the other bodyguard, his hands on his hips. “I’m a skilled musician and dancer.” The bodyguards looked at each other again, their expressions becoming more curious, and one of them reached into his pocket as his hand touched the button. "Interesting, we can have some fun here." He said with a smile. "Let's see what you've got." The other guard made an attacking motion at that moment, trying to scare me.
'Whoosh' Seeing his move, I immediately grabbed the dagger from my belt and swung it to the right while maintaining eye contact with the bodyguard. 'clang' Blocked the small dart flying towards his neck. "Roar..." The bodyguard who just wanted to scare me laughed. "Okay, kid, you can go in." “Just as I expected,” I thought to myself. The code is divided into three parts, two of which are words and the last one is the body. If you don't know the dart exists, you are dead, and the poison it contains is a special poison, and only a few people have access to its antidote. As I stepped into the black market, I was immediately struck by the contrast between its modern exterior and the illegal activities taking place inside. It was like an underground mall, with a maze of narrow alleys filled with stalls and stands selling all sorts of dubious merchandise. Flickering lights adorned the walls, casting an eerie glow over the bustling crowd. The air was filled with the fragrance of exotic spices and the pungent smell of electronics. Strange music played from hidden speakers, adding to the eerie atmosphere. Stalls were decorated with holographic displays, showcasing their wares, from illegal weapons and advanced technology to rare collectibles and mysterious data chips. Each stall owner seemed to be vying for the attention of potential customers, shouting out their wares in a variety of different languages. Although the Federation uses only one language, the ancient languages of the past have not disappeared and there are still some people who can speak them. I shuttled through the crowded alleys and saw all kinds of people and creatures, some wearing fashionable technological clothes, and some wearing weird clothes, such as magician's robes or knight's armor. There were even enhanced people with mechanical limbs and implanted chips. Next to them, there were also some people with glowing tattoos, whose appearance suggested some form of genetic modification. Despite the bizarre exterior of the Black Market, its dangerous undercurrent is clearly visible. Enforcers in cyberpunk-style armor patrol the area, alert for potential trouble. This is a place far from the laws of society. Despite being such a place, it also has the support of the Federation. After all, even if there is no such place full of evil destruction here, it means that another such place will appear. Therefore, instead of destroying this place, it is better to let the Federation go deep into this place and prepare for the future. They know this better. Virtual reality booths and holographic projections are hidden within the market, providing shady transactions in the digital realm. The use of encrypted data transmission and blockchain technology enhances the secrecy of transactions, making them almost impossible to track. As I venture deeper into the heart of the market, I discover hidden entrances to secret rooms. It's like a high-stakes casino, where every move has consequences. I adjusted the mask while controlling my mana to prevent it from leaking out. I also put on gloves. Anyway, I decided to put aside my observations and go to the place in my heart. If one of the reasons I came here was that it was cheap, another reason was that the people here were special. It didn't take long for me to arrive at the place I wanted. Lights of various colors illuminated the place, attracting me closer like a moth to a flame. This street was where weapons were sold, and veteran players always liked to look for weapons here. I saw a lot of weapons there, including swords, bows, staffs, axes, spears, whips, samurai swords, daggers, knives and guns. “Crescent Lane,” I thought to myself. It was a street that kept bending, so you couldn’t see the end from the beginning. This was where unknown blacksmiths and thieves sold their products. I saw a nicely displayed samurai sword made from the horn of a black rhino, a special material that is hard to come by. But when I saw the price tag, I knew this was a black-hearted vendor. "One hundred thousand Vale for a knife like this... what a shady trader." I thought to myself. But that doesn't mean everything here is like that. This is actually a good place for those who can distinguish good from bad. So I started looking for weapons and searching for someone. I continued walking down Crescent Lane, my eyes scanning the various weapons displayed by the vendors. I was particularly interested in finding a high-end firearm weapon, something that would complement my skills. The problem was how to find a reliable seller among the vast sea of swindlers.
One stall caught my eye. It had a variety of guns on display. The vendor, a tall man with a slick smile, immediately approached me. "What do you want to buy, young man? I have the best guns on the market!" I looked at the guns. They looked like they were of good quality, but experience taught me to proceed with caution. "How much is this one?" I asked, pointing to a sleek black pistol. The vendor stroked his chin. "Eighty thousand vales for you, young man." I raised an eyebrow. "A pistol is so expensive? How about this one?" I pointed to another gun, which looked a little worn. "Ah, it's a classic, my friend. Only fifty thousand valers!" I pretended to be interested, but in my heart I was laughing at his blatant deception. "Hmm, interesting. Let me think about it." Walking down the alley, I found another stall with a nice selection of guns. The stall owner was a sly-looking woman who greeted me with a sly smile. "Welcome, handsome boy~ What do you want?" She displayed a series of guns, each one seemingly more powerful than the last. "This rifle can penetrate any armor, and this pistol has magic that increases accuracy." I listened carefully, looking at the guns with a critical eye. I knew everything she said was false. Most of the time, it wasn't the gun that mattered, it was the bullet. "How much are they?" Her smile widened. "For a talented handsome boy like you, I'll give you 90,000 Vale for the rifle and 60,000 Vale for the pistol." The prices were too high and I knew better than to fall for it. “I see, I’ll continue looking around.” "Tsk!" Although the woman could tell from my tone that I had seen through her trick, she still turned away immediately. I continued my search, wandering the winding alleys and dodging shady sellers who tried to catch my attention with flashy wares and false promises. Just as I was about to move on, a strange-looking store caught my attention and I had a strange feeling. "There is no such thing in the game..."