Chapter 285 - Black Market Underground Market

Chapter 285: Chapter 284: Black Market? Underground Market! Chapter 285: Chapter 284: Black Market? Underground Market! Great Scholar Socrates, facing Richard, asked the first question, “Richard, you must get pretty bored and idle most of the time to keep adding these numbers together, right?”“Uh…”

“In fact, you could find some more interesting things to do, really, like getting to know some beautiful girls or something. Actually, my granddaughter Heidi isn’t bad, if you’re interested, I could let you two have a chat. That is, as long as you can accept the cats she raises.

After all, I quite dislike cats. Their constantly emanating aura of evil, their ugly features, aloof nature, and lazy behavior all repel me greatly. Humph, if it weren’t for being unable to withstand Heidi’s coaxing, I would have driven all the cats out long ago.”

Great Scholar Socrates then asked the second question, “By the way, Richard, about this numerical issue you mentioned, does the so-called Lickerel number actually exist? What’s the smallest one?”

“Uh…” Upon hearing Richard’s straightforward answer, the scholar was first quiet for a while, then shook his head and sighed, “It seems… you really are quite bored, sigh.” His face bore an expression that read “you’re beyond help.”

Richard: “…”

Though Great Scholar Socrates kept sighing, it didn’t stop him from picking up the quill quickly and writing the numbers on the papyrus scroll. For a moment, Socrates felt a sense of complete relief; though the battle with his old friend Adod hadn’t truly started, he could already declare victory.

Upon writing down the numbers, Socrates picked up his teacup and drank down his tea, only then noticing the tea was ice-cold. Turning his head, he called out to the study’s exterior, “Heidi, brew a cup… uh, make it two cups of fresh tea and bring them in!”

“Got it, Grandpa.” The girl Heidi responded from outside and swiftly set about the task.

Great Scholar Socrates sat back down and gestured for Richard to sit as well, finally remembering the matter at hand. He asked Richard, “Richard, you’ve come to see me, and I haven’t yet asked what brings you here exactly. Tell me, what is it that you want?”

“…” After a brief silence, Richard spoke up, politely saying, “Great Scholar Socrates, it is like this. Previously, I inquired with you about the mark at the back of the book ‘My Autobiography – Moratos.’

You told me that it was a mark from the era of the Black Spirit Empire, indicating that the book had been passed down from that time. If I wanted to find more related books or study things related to that mark, I should check out the auction.

Then, you gave me an invitation to the auction, allowing me to successfully participate. For this, I want to express my thanks.

However… although books indeed appeared at the auction, they were bid away at high prices. Now I’m wondering, is there any other place, besides the auction, where I can find books that had been passed down from the Black Spirit Empire?”

“Uh, this…” Great Scholar Socrates listened, squinted his eyes, and fell into deep thought. After quite a while, his eyelids lifted, and he murmured, “There indeed is such a place…

In White Stone City, there is such a place,” said Great Scholar Socrates softly, “where you can find anything you desire, whether illegal, filthy, sinful, precious, or otherwise.

It is filled with barbarity and crime, chaos and disorder, yet it has its own rules. If you truly want to obtain books about the Black Spirit Empire from outside an auction, you may want to take a look there.”

“Could it be… the black market?” Richard’s eyebrows twitched.

“You could say it’s the black market,” Great Scholar Socrates replied. “Of course, most people call it the Underground Market.”

“Underground Market?” Richard’s eyebrows rose.

Underground Market.

The Underground Market, as the name suggests, is a market developed inside a hidden underground building. For safety and other reasons, it doesn’t open all the time, generally only opening once every three days.

And each time it opens, it causes a frenzy among many people, both sellers and buyers.

Sellers with numerous scarce resources would set up small stalls in the Underground Market or rent shops within, trying every means to attract customers to buy.

Flocks of buyers, like butterflies drawn to the scent of nectar or sharks to the smell of blood, rushed from all directions, attempting to obtain what they desired at the lowest price possible. However, in most cases, things did not go as planned.

Regardless, the Underground Market was an extremely bustling place in White Stone City.

And with the bustle came danger.

It was not governed by the White Stone Tower Wizard Association, or rather, the Wizard Association refrained from intervening in this place mixed with various interests, allowing it to evolve on its own.

Thus, within it, everyone could be a hunter, or the hunted.

Carrying a large sum of money, if one lacked the strength to protect oneself, it was very easy to be robbed clean in a matter of minutes, and even lose one’s life.

If one had great strength, one could engage in risky trades and reap huge profits. But one had to always be vigilant, lest they encounter a formidable enemy disguised as a harmless lamb. In that case, not only would they fail to secure their meal, but they might also break their own teeth and bleed heavily.

In short, the Underground Market was a place where opportunity and danger coexisted.

“Clip-clop, clip-clop…”

As Richard walked through the Underground Market, he observed the dense rows of stalls, the neighboring shops, the bustling crowd, and the vicious bullies lurking in the corners. He felt somewhat uneasy amid the excessive commotion, but still kept his calm and continued walking forward, scanning his surroundings in search of something.

After walking several dozen meters, Richard suddenly heard a familiar voice.

He stopped and turned his head towards a small, pitiful stall where he saw a short, stout man waving his thick, short arms, talking to someone in front of his stall—wasn’t that Alex?

Richard was quite surprised; he really hadn’t expected Alex to be here.

At the moment, Alex, engrossed in bargaining with a customer and seemingly unaware of his presence, was tightly holding onto a pale gold potion and shouting, “Three Lower-grade Crystal Coins? Hell, mate, are you buying sugar water? I’m telling you, this is a genuine potion crafted by a Potion Master from White Stone Tower Academy. If it wasn’t for his direct disciple risking his life to sneak it out, you couldn’t buy it anywhere.

The effects of this potion far exceed your imagination. One sip and you’re incredibly strong, two sips even more so, and three sips… well, still incredibly strong! In short… ‘incredibly strong’ it is! Just drink it, and whatever enemy you face, one punch will settle the matter.

And you think this miraculous potion could be yours for just three Lower-grade Crystal Coins? Impossible!

What, your friend bought it from me for three coins before? Ha, mate, that’s a fake! Yes, it must be a fake! I’ll tell you, this potion sells so well that people often impersonate me in the market to sell inferior versions. Your friend was surely duped.

Let me tell you, this genuine potion is far more potent than those inferior ones. I’ll sell you one for five Lower-grade Crystal Coins, and you really won’t lose out!

What? Why am I speaking so loudly? What’s wrong with speaking loudly? It shows that everything I’m saying is true! Why am I not afraid of you? Why should I be afraid, have you not grasped the effects of this mysterious potion?

If you dare to lay a hand on me, one dose and a punch from me will make your mother not recognize you. Two doses, and one punch will almost kill you! Three doses, one punch will blow your head off! And if I drink all the doses, a single punch will obliterate you, leaving not even a scrap of flesh behind, believe it or not!

Look, I’ll tell you one last time, five Lower-grade Crystal Coins per bottle, take it or leave it. If you’re not buying, then bugger off! Don’t block the next buyer; don’t you see a lot of people lining up behind you? Oh, they’re just passing by, my bad, my bad, go on then. So, are you buying or not?!”

Richard saw that, after Alex’s “fierce bombardment,” the price haggler clearly couldn’t cope and obediently pulled out five Lower-grade Crystal Coins to toss to Alex, grabbing a bottle of “Spartan Warrior Potion” and leaving.

After the potion buyer had left, Richard approached Alex’s stall and heard Alex muttering softly, “Dammit, that scared me to death; I really thought I was about to be robbed. I’d have had to beg for mercy. Thankfully, he was a spineless coward.

Come to think of it, the coward wasn’t so bad after all. If a few more like him come by, then I’ll make a killing. Tonight, I need to make Lady Amanda pamper me well… tsk tsk…”

Richard shook his head, pretending not to have seen Alex at all, lest he hinder Alex’s lucrative business, and continued walking forward.

He walked until he reached a corner of the market, stopping in front of a shop that looked incredibly shabby. Richard eyed the shop’s door, squinting slightly, and muttered to himself, “According to Socrates, this should be the place. Yes, this is it.”