The Twisted District

Grey and his mercenaries walked through the neon-lit streets of the Twisted District. His bodyguards kept their plasma rifles in their hands and their expressions cold. With the upgraded gear, they looked like elites and prayed it was enough.

Using a common technique, a person could see the transcendence level someone was at, or at least they were stronger than themself. If they did, they'd notice the mercenaries were only Primed Entities around Level 20 and view them as walking mannequins holding free, high-powered gear and a [slave].

Luckily most didn't use it in the Twisted District to prevent the temptation to rob others. Fear of getting robbed or killed was bad for business, so merchants banded together, employed high-level bodyguards, and banned, killed, or sold thieves and murderers.

Even in a place where crime was business, crime against customers was illegal. Some things are the same no matter where you go.

Therefore, most people didn't notice Grey's bodyguards and their high-valued merchandise were the lowest-level people in the district. The teen watched people avoid them in satisfaction, keeping a downcast expression as he actively ignored the notifications he was getting.

"Want some Snorlax?" a skinny man with a leathery face asked, rocking on his feet. "It's only 50 zects a gram. Quality, quality. One dose is like 20 whores at once."

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─┈━═[Trade Initiated]═━┈─

Snorlax Addict [Level 28] has made you an offer:

Name: Snorlax

Price: 50 Zecta/Gram

Type: Drug

Description: Benzodiazepine-barbiturate mixture. Removes the user's ability to care about anything as they enjoy a body melting high. Known to put the user into a deep sleep.

Warning: Extremely addictive. After moderate addiction, users will lose 25% of their stats daily until they retake the drug. Withdrawals remain for seven days.

Requires rare-grade detox potions or higher to remove the withdrawal effects instantly.

Do you accept? [Yes/No]

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-

Since Grey was a free man, not the property of the mercenaries, he got the offer request. The NPCs, who couldn't see [levels], [names], or trade windows, weren't the wiser about who was in control.

"This is a normal drug," he whispered, eyes wide with shock. "It provides no stat increase or benefit other than to make you feel good. That can't be a good design choice."

He imagined the number of people who would spend unruly money to buy rare-grade detox potions to enjoy drugs without consequences! What a boon! He chose no and decided to buy rare-grade detox potions as soon as possible.

Most trade opportunities were benign; exotic food shops, high-class art, electronics, and the like. The Twisted District had everything, and most things weren't bad.

Growing up in a criminal syndicate made him apathetic to most illegal services.

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─┈━═[User Invitation]═━┈─

NPC nurse [Level 43] has invited you to her shop:

Name: Sketchy Stitches

Description: Underground surgery and medical clinic.

Offers:

Emergency Care and Drugs

- Detox Services

- Surgery

- Cosmetic Surgery (Face and Body Changes)

- Organ Removal

- Organ Transplants

…

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-

However, many of the legal services bothered him. Some creeped him out.

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─┈━═[Trade Initiated]═━┈─

NPC Rudus [Level 69] has offered you the following service:

Name: Legal Lolis

Price: 200 Zecta/Hour

Description: Nothing feels better than guilt-free crime-free fetishes. Our qualities girls are sure to …

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-

Others made him shiver. It seemed the more normal an offer was, the worse it became!

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─┈━═[Trade Initiated]═━┈─

NPC Candy Man [Level 39] has offered you an item:

Name: Real Ice Cream

Price: 5 Zecta/Scoop

Description: User's choice of flavor for conventional dairy ice cream.

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-

"What do the other sweet shops offer!?" Grey muttered, remembering the other dozen shops. "They didn't offer anything 'real.' Is it customary to spike food here!?"

Grey would question if it were artificial flavoring if he weren't in a location where people could buy drugs as easily as electronics! However, he didn't have long to worry about it.

"Wheeeeeeeew! Look at that tender meat you got there!" a man catcalled with a whistle. "What do you say I save you the trouble and buy that snack off your hands here and now?"

Grey chose no before reading the disclaimer. However, he couldn't avoid the topic for long.

"Heya, fellow traders!" a man called out, wearing a black wasteland jacket and large cowboy-style hat. "You got a thing for beast women? I got a divine kitty lady. There's only a half-million divine beastkins in the Cyclo Galaxy and even fewer in Nekonian flavor."

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─┈━═[Trade Initiated]═━┈─

Pussy Poacher [Level 139] has made you an offer:

Name: Divine Nekonian (Beastkin [Female]) [Lower Spirit]

Price: 150,000,000 Zecta

Type: Slave

Description: A divine beastkin female from Nekon, a planet in the Lizmonian Rift.

Beyond having soft cat ears and tails, Nekonians can have beast qualities, allowing them to go through five evolutions in addition to transcending.

…

The main attraction of divine beast women is that they can create Soul Pacts with their owner, bypassing restrictions and consequences of devotion contracts.

Do you accept? [Yes/No]

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-

Grey saw a cute teenage woman in a cage next to another five beast women, each in vibrant-colored clothing to make them more appealing.

The cute woman had light red hair, reddish-orange cat ears with white patches, and fluffy white fur inside. Her light green eyes looked at him with pity, thinking he was in her position.

While they shared servitude in common, he knew by the description that their lives were very different. It made his blood boil, and he had a primal desire to kill the trader. However, the man was a Higher Divinity, a level it'd take dedicated players years to reach without cheat weaponry.

Grey's bodyguards wouldn't even see his movements before they died. Hell, weapons at their level would only scratch the man without critical hits. Killing him was a pipe dream.

Even if it weren't a dream, slavery was legal in various forms throughout the Cyclo Universe—he had to accept that. So he sighed, avoiding eye contact with the young beastkin as he chose No.

"Shame, you looked like you had interest in'er," the man said. "Come back later if you're interested. You seem ambitious, and I doubt this one's leaving anytime soon. The bitch's expensive and a little feisty, so she'll be around. Just don't wait too long before ya return."

Grey ignored the man's gaze, but it was impossible, as he was addressing him exclusively.

"Avoid traders like the plague," the teen whispered after they were out of sight. "That man could tell you weren't traders, and was powerful enough to wipe us all out in a second."

"You got it, boss," Mark whispered back, pushing the teen faster.

Despite the hardcore number of notifications, mundane and disturbing, they had only walked for less than ten minutes until they reached a jewelry stand, and Grey nudged Mark to make him stop.

After looking at the wares, his eyes stopped on an item before averting them.

Mark looked at it inquisitively. It wasn't a piece of jewelry at all. Instead, it was a flat gold disc the size of a pill bottle cap with no value whatsoever.

The woman saw him eyeing the piece with narrowed eyes. "That one's pricey; I don't recommend it."

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─┈━═[Trade Initiated]═━┈─

NPC Malla the Peddler [Level 123] has made you an offer:

Name: Golden Disc

Price: 1,000,000 Zecta

Do you accept the offer? [Yes/No]

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-

Grey chose yes without hesitation, and she pulled out her chip. When he didn't grab it to transfer, her eyes went blank alongside the others.

"Thank you for your service," she said, abruptly satisfied the transfer went through.

"It was a pleasure," Mark replied with equal naturalness. "Hold this, boy. And don't fucking drop it, or I'll kill you before we reach your new master."

"Y-Yes sir," Grey replied, swallowing nervously for the show.

While it looked natural to everyone on the street, the woman watched the teen with narrowed eyes. It only took her a glance to know he was in charge, and she was curious. However, she acted disinterested and looked away as they passed.

The group sauntered through the marketplace again, moving down a web of roads, stopping at shops to look natural. Ten minutes later, the teen walked up to a beggar playing an instrument similar to a ukulele in the middle of a bustling intersection.

"Evenin' brother," the beggar said with a crooked, toothy smile, various shades of gold. "You like what you hear?"

Grey nodded solemnly, looking at the man with long brown hair streaked with silver and a ragged white shirt under a brown vest. He subtly reached into his pocket and pulled out the disc, dropping it into the man's hat.

The beggar's expression flashed with insanity, looking at the teen who acted without the consent of the five guards, who pretended to read a map. At a glance, the man knew who was in charge.

"Thank ya, traveler. The name's Skyhawk," Skyhawk announced, shifting his expression into a smile. "Y'all look lost. Howa'bout I guide you where you want to go."

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─┈━═[Quest Offer Initiated]═━┈─

NPC Skyhawk [Level 159] has offered to take you to an unmarked location:

Quest: Find Lockjaw

Quest Type: Hidden Chain Quest

Difficulty: A

Price: N/A

Description: Meet Mavis Vine at her shop [Lockjaw] for opportunities.

Warning: The user has not fulfilled the prerequisites.

Warning: The user is 175 levels below the recommended level.

Do you accept? [Yes/No]

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