Chapter 71: Initial Foray into the Black Market

That's why it's called the black market.

There are three reasons: first, there are many stolen goods sold here; second, many undocumented residents come and go; third, there are no records of any transactions.

Why does such a disruptive black market exist in Rivorsith City?

Perhaps only those who have taken the largest share of the profits created by the black market truly understand the reason.

Lin Ke didn't dare to ponder deeply.

Choosing to come to the black market in broad daylight to scout it out is out of safety considerations.

Even if the West District is chaotic and the black market has many ruthless people, they still wouldn't dare to commit murder in broad daylight.

As long as Lin Ke doesn't cause trouble, it's basically impossible for something to happen to him.

The Main Tower and City Hall merely tolerate the West District developing in a chaotic direction and tolerate the black market's existence, but they won't indulge the West District and black market's ferocity becoming too arrogant.

Since Rivorsith City was founded, the Main Tower and City Hall have launched so many crackdowns on the black market and clean‑ups of the West District that they can't be counted.

Whenever the chaos in the West District shows a faint tendency to break free of its reins, and the black market's scale must be curbed, the merciless iron fist will always come down.

A catfish is just a catfish—how could it possibly become a spirit?

With so many lessons from turbulent history, how could the West District and the black market not progress?

Although chaos remains the background and killing remains the norm,

but a brainless brute who robs and kills on sight doesn't live long—he isn't even worthy of taking a single blow from the iron fist.

For example, a few months ago, that fool who dared to sell a magic device capable of blocking the signal of the intelligent law‑enforcement puppet for a period of time into the Academy.

Isn't that just asking for trouble?

Those who mix in the West District and the black market—who has no connection with the Academy, and who doesn't know the Academy's red line?

They actually dared to commit the crime against the wind, destroying the Academy's security system—utterly outrageous!

Totally beyond the pale!

Even if you could argue, saying that the magic device was already on the verge of damage, usable only once, and not long ago.

So what?

Later, it inevitably provoked the Academy's Enforcement Bureau.

It got him killed, and moreover, it caused all magic devices in the West District related to the intelligent law‑enforcement puppet to be confiscated and destroyed.

What pained the black market's many owners and stallholders even more was that the Academy's Enforcement Bureau later joined forces with the City Hall and the Security Bureau to launch a month‑long crackdown on the black market.

How many Magic Stones were spent to fill their appetites before the black market could reopen?

Many owners and stallholders anxiously awaited to recoup their losses.

Over these months, every few days they sent word to all the organizations in the West District: under no circumstances should they lightly provoke customers coming to the black market.

Under these circumstances, if those few street thugs tailing Lin Ke dare to act improperly toward him near the black market,

without Lin Ke lifting a finger, the black market's guards will have to scatter the ashes of those street thugs.

Lin Ke strode into the black market.

With this step, Lin Ke had effectively stepped out of the ivory tower voluntarily, left the safe zone, and entered the arena of life and death.

Only then did Lin Ke willingly admit that his sudden change in demeanor, becoming much bolder and more aggressive, was greatly influenced by that saying of the Paro Wizard.

How could Sophie Lucia, relying on a surname she herself never actively flaunts, suppress Lin Ke to the point that he dare not even take retaliatory action on equal terms?

It is precisely the power, influence, and strength that uphold the great deterrent force of the Lucia surname!

Usually, Lin Ke doesn't say it out loud or show it on his face, but has he truly never felt smug in his heart?

In his first semester at the Rivorsith Biological and Medical Academy, he had already launched an assault on the third‑tier wizard apprentices.

This speed—without claiming it's unprecedented in history or unmatched in the future—at least can be put forth to stand shoulder‑to‑shoulder with those legendary figures recorded in the annals.

In his conduct, Lin Ke showed no slack; his studies remained diligent and arduous, but his heart, indeed, had drifted a little.

The Paro Wizard's words were like a blow to the head, jolting Lin Ke awake.

Since the starting point of this life's race is already behind, he can only hope to catch up by putting in more sweat than others.

So, Lin Ke stepped out of his comfort zone and went to the West District.

At the black market entrance, he took a mask that could sense when others directed magical probing at him, put it on, and Lin Ke walked toward the underground black market.

At first it was a pitch‑black tunnel, about a minute and a half long.

Then it suddenly opened up into brightness.

A super‑large market roughly the size of five or six football fields appeared before his eyes.

In the black market there are no shops, only individual stalls.

However, some stall owners have a higher rank and can set off partitioned booths.

Those whose rank is insufficient can only set up stalls 'outdoors'.

Stalls are also divided into zones, such as books and documents, magic devices, rune items, vehicles, mechs, plants, land animals, water animals……

All in all, the variety of goods is extensive.

The black market allows buyers and sellers to haggle, even encourages it, but once a deal is made, it's final.

Once a transaction is completed, even if a defect is discovered just one step away from the stall, the buyer cannot hold the seller liable.

Likewise, the stall owner cannot raise the price on a buyer who snagged a bargain.

This too counts as achieving a kind of fairness.

Lin Ke kept in mind his persona—a newcomer who had visited the black market a few times but lacked much experience.

He didn't glance around east and west; after a slight delay, he headed straight for the Wizardry Model Scroll area.

At that time, the black market didn't have especially many customers.

Lin Ke's actions were rather conspicuous; as soon as he went from the books and documents section to the Wizardry Model Scroll area, he attracted the attention of several stall owners.

"What would you like?"

The stall nearest Lin Ke was run by a young man with an immature, youthful face.

He had probably just taken over the stall and lacked experience; as soon as he saw Lin Ke approach, he sprang up to greet him.

Even his greeting sounded unprofessional.

Lin Ke brushed it off, stopped, and asked, "Do you have any water- or wood-based attack wizardry?"

"Yes, yes, yes, just wait a moment."

Seeing a chance at a sale, the young man eagerly replied and began rummaging through the stall.

"On your left are the first-circle wizardries—only five of them. On your right are the zeroth-circle wizardries—thirteen."

Before long, the young vendor laid out over a dozen scrolls in two piles and asked, "Would you like me to go over them in detail?"

"I'll have a look first."

Lin Ke waved off the young vendor's offer and went straight to examining the zeroth-circle wizardry descriptions.

He didn't even bother looking at the first-circle wizardry.

You can tell at a glance whether someone is a wizard apprentice or a formal wizard—their bearing is worlds apart.

A peak third‑class wizard apprentice who relies on first‑circle wizardry as their life‑bound wizardry would hardly find any model scrolls on the black market.

Once they reach that level, the academy will surely give them support.

Lin Ke had no need to put on airs.

After reviewing the descriptions, only two of the thirteenth zeroth‑circle wizardries suited Lin Ke.

One was Water Blade Technique, the other Thorn Whip Lash.

Water Blade Technique is a variant of Water Ball Technique, and Thorn Whip Lash a variant of Thorn Entanglement.

Or, more accurately, they are wizardries developed along similar lines.

He wanted to shop around, so Lin Ke wasn't ready to decide yet.

He also wanted to check out other stalls and pick something.

The young man's eager expression vanished in an instant.

(End of chapter)