Volume One: The Wild Boy Chapter 28: The Black Market

As the first light of dawn broke through, Lin Changtian, still groggy with sleep, was shaken awake by Hu Yong, who grabbed him by the collar and led him toward the administrative district. Along the way, the distant, lingering chimes of street vendors blended with the endless stream of vehicles between towering buildings, creating a unique and curious harmony.

With a pancake in hand, Lin Changtian trailed leisurely behind Hu Yong, never more than ten steps away, never missing a beat. Hu Yong, for his part, walked unhurriedly, savoring this rare moment of leisure—a day without having to set up his own stall was, by default, a good day. As their footsteps grew more frequent, the narrow alley slipped behind them and the city’s imposing skyline emerged—they had returned, at least in appearance, to so-called civilized society.

“Little Lin, remember not to forget—you’re my cousin from Stone Village, got it?” Hu Yong said, glancing with concern at Lin Changtian’s sleepy face. Lin Changtian didn’t reply, lost in a daze. He wasn’t sure why, but ever since he’d learned to project his energy, he’d been plagued by bouts of deep exhaustion, his appetite had grown, and hunger gnawed at him like a swarm of ants biting at his heart.

Hu Yong scratched his head, then seized Lin Changtian by the back of the neck and shook him vigorously. “Brother Lin, don’t take this lightly. If we’re found out, I might get off easy, but you won’t know what hit you.”

Jolted awake, Lin Changtian marveled at Hu Yong’s brute strength—his own frame, heavy since his transformation, felt weightless in Hu Yong’s grasp, as if he were nothing at all. Seeing Hu Yong’s face flush red with the effort, Lin Changtian nodded quickly. “Don’t worry, Brother Hu, I’m a master at playing dumb. Relax and let me down already.”

At this, Hu Yong finally grinned. “See, much better. By the way, you don’t look like much, but you’re surprisingly heavy. Anyway, we’re here. Be careful inside.” Lin Changtian nodded, glanced up at the dim administrative office, and followed Hu Yong inside.

To their surprise, the process was far less complicated than they’d imagined—smooth, even. As they exited, Lin Changtian looked at Hu Yong, astonishment clear in his small eyes, full of unspoken questions. Embarrassed, Hu Yong knocked himself on the head. “Don’t look at me like that, Little Lin. That’s how it always goes in those TV dramas—undercover operatives get caught in places like this.”

Lin Changtian’s face twitched. After a long pause, he finally asked, “So, Brother Hu, does this make me a citizen of Brahma City?”

“Yes and no,” Hu Yong replied, the laughter fading from his face. “At most, this gives you a residency in our slum district. Real citizens of Brahma City wouldn’t give you the time of day.”

Hu Yong let out a long sigh and patted Lin Changtian on the shoulder. “Come on, let me show you around. We’ll pick up some groceries—let’s call this morning’s adventure a wrap.” Lin Changtian didn’t mind the grease stains on Hu Yong’s sleeve and slung an arm around the burly man as they headed to the market.

The market was a cacophony of voices, digital displays casting their wares in bright light. Buyers could scan the chips at each stall to check the latest prices, then haggle with vendors—age-old bargaining made fantastical by modern technology. “Little Lin, this is the residential market. Let’s pick up some veggies here. If you’re bored, try the Treasure Market over there. You’ll find everything under the sun—it’s fantastic.”

Lin Changtian gave a quick reply and headed in the direction Hu Yong had indicated.

The Treasure Market was a jumble of goods, old and new piled together, quality impossible to discern. Lin Changtian, intrigued, was soon lost in his observations when he felt a tap on his shoulder. Turning, he found a gray-clad man in a hood, his gaze sly and secretive. The stranger smiled languidly, “Hey, brother, looking for something special? I’ve got just what you need.”

Sizing the man up, Lin Changtian nodded, relying on his status as a Realm Walker, and followed him out.

After winding through several twists and turns, they stopped before a worn-out shop. The man winked at Lin Changtian, “Here, take this chip—don’t lose it, or you’ll regret it.” With that, he pressed a chip into Lin Changtian’s hand and dragged him inside.

Outside, the display screens were outdated, but the interior was strikingly modern. The man led Lin Changtian down a staircase and pressed the chip to a blank wall. Instantly, the wall liquefied, forming an opening that swallowed the chip and then parted to reveal a vast, open hall.

Lin Changtian’s jaw dropped at the transformation. On the other side of the glowing curtain, the scene was utterly different from outside—the hall bustled with a dense crowd, surrounded by stalls piled high with all manner of contraband: firearms, narcotics, unclassifiable tech, and even human cargo, each with its own vendor.

The gray-clad man seemed utterly unconcerned. “Nothing to be surprised about. This is the biggest black market in Brahma City. Plenty of people know about it, but its backers are powerful. Shop in peace—no one dares investigate.”

Lin Changtian blinked, innocent. “I don’t really need any of this, and besides, I’m broke.” The man yawned, casting a mocking glance at him. “Doesn’t have to be Brahma City currency. What you trade depends on your skill—hell, you could swap your wife if you wanted. No one here will care.”

Lin Changtian scratched his head sheepishly and drifted into the crowd. The gray-clad man watched him follow orders obediently, satisfied, and muttered to himself, “He seems ordinary enough. I wonder what they’re after—let’s hope they’re not wasting their time.”

“That bastard’s probably setting me up,” Lin Changtian muttered to himself as well. “Looks like it’s easy to get in, hard to get out. Better come up with a plan.” As he wandered, he found himself at a stall and stopped, not because something caught his eye, but because a long-lost thrill surged in his heart—a tingling, cat-like curiosity. Drawn in, he asked the stall owner, “What’s wrapped in that black cloth?”

The scar-faced vendor, one eye blind, glanced at him and sneered, “Never mind what I’m selling. With your threadbare look, what could you possibly afford?”

Lin Changtian grinned. “Listen to you—like some greenhorn. Ever heard of keeping your wealth hidden?”

The vendor nodded, conceding the point. “Fair enough, that was rude of me. To be honest, it’s a knife—one you’ll never see the likes of again in your life.”

Feigning arrogance, Lin Changtian clasped his hands behind his back and scoffed, “No matter how good your knife is, one shot and it’s over. If you’re going to keep playing coy, find someone else—I’m not wasting my time.”

“No, no, wait! I haven’t made a sale all morning—everyone leaves before I finish my pitch. I’m not trying to be mysterious; it’s just that this knife is too damn fierce.”

“Go on, let’s hear it.”

“You don’t look like an ordinary man. Please, take my seat—I’ll stand and tell you the story.”

For a moment, Lin Changtian lounged in the seat, while the once-menacing vendor, now as docile as a lapdog, began his tale. “This knife came from the hands of a Realm Walker.”

Lin Changtian eyed him up and down, snorting coldly, “You, with your sorry state, managed to steal from a Realm Walker? Careful with those tall tales—or your legs might pay the price.” Oddly enough, Lin Changtian’s bluster gave him a real air of authority.

The vendor waved his hands frantically, “Sir, I swear, I’m not making this up. The Realm Walker was dead when I found him—I only took it after the fact. I’d gone outside the city, north of the mountains, to hunt bears, when I saw two Realm Walkers locked in combat. Blades flashing, energy flying everywhere—I hid in a pit for ages. When things finally quieted down, I dared to poke my head out. Strangely, everything around them had been reduced to dust by the fight, except for this knife, which one of them clutched even in death. I couldn’t pry it loose, so I had to chop off the whole hand and bring it here to sell. To be honest, I haven’t sold a thing all morning—some people leave before I finish, others are put off by the bloody hands.”

“If you could cut off a Realm Walker’s hand, why not just sever the fingers and take the knife?” Lin Changtian frowned.

“You don’t understand. The wrist is the weakest part on a Realm Walker. Even then, I had to use a laser saw for ages to get through. The weird part is, even after being severed, the fingers stayed locked tight—hard as iron. I had no choice.”

Listening to the vendor’s complaints, Lin Changtian’s mind began to spin, and in a flash, an idea for a ruse took shape.