Chapter 52 - 52 - The Black Auction Hall

"Oh, I assure you, sir, we don't need THAT. Let's find an Inn; it seems you are questioning my talents."

"I'm kidding. I don't... question you're... Talents," Xia mumbled with a red face. He bit his lips and glanced at the ground. "WE need to concentrate on the trafficking gang,"

"Yes right, I was told that they remain stationed near the west of this market, in some auction hall," Long pushed through the busy crowd.

There was no reply from Xia though. Turning back he saw his lover standing in the crowd with a pale face.

"Excuse me, coming through," Long pushed the people out of the way and hugged him. "I know the crowd is too much but try not to get separated okay," He kissed his button nose.

Xia still had a pale face.

Long started getting worried. "What happened? Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?"

"No..No, I...Someone touched me inappropriately," Xia whispered with his eyes closed.

"WHAT!! Who is that bastard? I will rip his hands off," Long ranged glancing around at the busy crowd.

"Its...It's okay. Let's just go," Xia whispered, pulling his sleeves.

"No, Xia it's not okay. When someone touches you inappropriately you have to punch their guts out," Long cupped his lover's face. "Or you can point, I will do the punching,"

"No punching necessary. I'm...totally fine now,"

"But arm ripping is a must, now tell me who?"

"I don't know. It was too fast," Xia mumbled biting his lips red.

Long touched his lips and pulled them out of his teeth. "Let's get away from this crowd,"

"Hmm. Oww," Xia screeched holding his hips. Glancing around at the busy crowd he started tearing up.

Long was fast in his steps and caught the offending hand that abused his lover. He pulled the sleazy guy's collar and lifted him off the ground. "YOU. Dare. Touch. My. Lover!!"

"No, I...I didn't do it," the guy begged. But before he could finish his sentence a resounding crack sounded from the guy's shoulders.

"AHH," he screamed holding his limp arms.

Long had snapped his hands from his should. "I have broken all the bones in your pathetic arm, see if you can fix that," He whispered with a dark look in his eyes.

He gripped the man's neck but a small hand-pulled his sleeves.

Xia stood with tears streaming down his face. "Please don't." He begged.

A small crowd had formed around them pointing at the Long Aotian and muttering under their breath.

"But he touched you." Long gave him a wide-eyed look.

"Broken arm is enough punishment. Please let's go," He whispered wiping his wet cheeks.

Letting out a deep breath, Long Aotian finally dropped the man on the floor. "You better be happy my lover is forgiving,"

"Not so fast," A bunch of thugs surrounded them. "Our boss wants to see you," he said pointing to Long.

They were led to the much remote corner of the market. A remote house came into view. A lot of thugs surrounded the house with a sword and daggers out.

"Here," he pointed at the side gate.

Long scrunched up his face and pulled Xia closer to him. His lover did not lookup. He kept fidgeting his sleeves.

"Xia," he whispered.

Xia che glanced up and gave a reassuring smile.

"It will be fine," He mouthed.

"I hope so," Long mumbled and walked through the door.

Right past the doorway they entered a communal hallway with a lot of medicinal herbs.

"This... is this a trading hall?" Xia whispered with a confused look.

"Young man, haven't you heard of Black Auction. It is run by our boss. We can find anything and everything you want here. Legal illegal we have it," One of the thugs proudly said.

He slowly walked up the displayed wall and touched the medicinal herb in the glass bottle. "This is petunia grass, it helps heal wounds instantly," he said in wonder. "And this, its Draculium, Its extremely poisonous," he said running over to another display.

"These things," he pointed at the blue flower in the display case, "they are not even available in this kingdom, where did you find them?" he questioned in an astonished voice.

"We have our sources," the man said with his nose up in the air.

Xia rushed back to Long and whispered, "They have very good sources," He nodded his approval.

"We have to keep moving," the man rushed them towards another pathway.

But this one was not filled with herbs, it was filled with cages. And each cage had a human in it.

"What is this? They are humans, why are you treating them like beasts?" Xia inquired in an enraged voice.

"I think I made my introductions very clear. We deal with anything our customers need.. Legal or illegal," he said with a conceited look.