Black Market (1)

"Hmm...I never expected to be in such a place barely a month after reincarnating into this world."

The black market.

It's an area in the human domain that mimics the demon world. The location where the majority of the sought criminals will be found. It's a world without rules or morality, and it's the only place where villains and heroes cohabit.

That was where I was currently at.

It was in the city of Zion, which was on the outskirts of the human dominion. There will be a portal leading to the main location from there. The true place isn't where you think it is. This is to keep a watchful eye on the Union. Even though they signed a peace treaty, that does not guarantee that things will remain the same in the future. Every single person is an opportunist. If any group on either side displays signs of weakness, that side will be doomed.

Only the strong have the potential to establish peace in a world motivated by strength. If the opposing side is weaker, why waste time conversing with them when they may be easily crushed? This is the harsh reality.

I found myself in front of a massive metal door, making sure the mask I was wearing was securely fastened.

When visiting the black market, each visitor was required to wear a mask in order to conceal their identity.

Even if government agents were able to infiltrate the illicit market, they would be unable to locate you.

-Bam! -Bam! -Bam!

Knocking on the door three times, I patiently waited.

-Klang!

Two hefty men in tidy suits came from behind the door shortly after and inspected my body a couple of times. My back began to drench in a cold sweat as I felt their stare on me.

'Their individual rank is definitely C or higher'

I could tell as I felt the huge pressure flowing out of their body.

The big man on the right nodded and spoke in a deep voice as he turned his head to the individual on the left.

"What might you be here for?"

"What's the best way to the train station?"

"You may walk, but it'll take you approximately ten blocks."

"Can you lend me a match?"

"I use a lighter."

The other guard then inquired,

"Are you on the lookout for anything better?"

"Yes, soft shell crabs."

"I think I've got some in the back."

By turning their faces to face each other, the two hefty persons signaled for me to enter by nodding to each other.

I followed the two of them down a dark and small path, letting out a breath of relief.

A person could enter the black market in one of two ways.

One was through a letter of recommendation from a higher-up in the illicit market, and the other was through knowing the secret code.

Inspectors' prospects of infiltrating the black market were greatly reduced as a result of this.

Actually, this wasn't necessary because inspectors were not opposed to the concept of a black market.

Just as things have their disadvantages they also had their advantages.

As the major hub for both Heroes and Villains, crucial information from information brokers may be obtained, allowing government agents to delve into some of the villain's schemes.

Information brokers were essentially individuals or an organization that specialized in sharing information for a price.

Depending on the type of information, the higher the price for the information.

Fortunately, because I had already read the novel, I was already familiar with most of the information brokers' knowledge at this point.

I could reveal some crucial information and make a lot of money if I wanted to, but that would probably be a bad idea because it would draw attention to myself and possibly change the narrative of the story.

But I do have to say that this was an exceedingly nerve-wracking experience.

I would not have come here if this wasn't my sole option for finding a broker to trade stocks with.

If I don't cover my identity when buying Alpha Medications and A&B pharmaceuticals stocks, I'll be digging my own grave.

When Allen Jones dies in the coming months, the main suspect will be the person who bet on the collapse of Alpha Medications and the rise of A&B Pharmaceuticals.

Investing rashly in Alpha Medications and A&B Pharmaceuticals could spell my doom. As a result, I'll need a broker to handle this shady business.

A broker is a middleman who would deal with my investments in an anonymous manner, asking no questions about who I was or why I was doing so. And where better to look for someone like that than on the black market?

The broker would be familiar with cases like mine because the black market is full of both villains and heroes.

They're not only good at concealing their tracks during transactions, but they also have a lot of relationships with suppliers who have rare ingredients on hand which would be supplemental for my growth.

It is critical for me to maintain as many contacts as possible in order to ensure a secure future for my family and myself. As a result, finding a broker who will be incredibly helpful in the future is critical. There are so many underdogs begging for a chance to prove themselves all over the place. I'm on the lookout for those individuals.

That's exactly what I wanted because I didn't want to draw too much attention to myself.

"We've arrived."

The gruff voice of the guard who took me to the portal jolted me out of my reverie.

"In order to enter, you must pay a toll fee of 100,000 U." The guard remarked.

It is quite expensive to travel through the portal. It cuts the time down from hours to seconds. It's no surprise that using a portal is expensive. Because no small party would venture into the black market, the toll should be kept to a bare minimum. The maintenance of these portals costs a lot of money. As a result, they raise their prices.

"Here." I walked into the portal after handing the guard 100,000 U.

****