Chapter 282

Chapter 282

I do another quick scan to find that including the floor we stand on, there are only 3 more to the surface.

Just as Chester said, there's only one hunter of any power level even close to ours in the immediate vicinity.

Considering this... another issue comes to mind.

The numbered badges on the agents that I've been killing have only been rising. The last one on the floor below was number 3. If this were to follow any ordinary pattern, there should be at least 2 more left. Number 2 and number 1... plus, I can't sense any other presence near the high-level hunter on my radar.

Maybe they're more skilled at hiding than I thought. I speak up in a hushed tone to Chester as we begin to walk.

"So, do you know anything about this guy? What's the point of having a black market in a city like this anyway? Isn't the entire desert its own off-the-grid market isn't it?"

He chuckles.

"Right, right, you all aren't from around here."

I never mentioned that to him, but maybe given our circumstances, it's fairly easy to tell. So, I don't mind his whispered statement. The old man continues as we pass the first concentrated region of merchants that chirp at us with prices, but stop as soon as we show our disinterest. Chester ignores them entirely.

"You're intuition is correct. There's no real reason to have a black market district in a settlement like this. The tax on dungeon loot is so low, and rarely enforced that there isn't much of a market difference between selling on the street or here underground."

I nod slowly as we pass silver doors similar to the one we walked out from and step over old wooden crates that must have come from makeshift stands or raw materials being sold here in the past.

The old man keeps talking, I listen with interest.

"Still, this isn't a lawless city. There are government officials in charge, and basic human law must be followed or it'd be utter chaos. Even if we are disconnected from the outside world, that doesn't mean the hierarchy of power structures change overnight. There are always people that want things done without those above knowing about it."

I smirk.

"Yep. Understood. Paranoia runs deep everywhere, even if the Association isn't in control. Some citizen don't want anyone messing around in their daily lives, especially their money. No questions asked. It makes sense."

Chester shrugs.

"Sure, that may play a role. More importantly, special artifact crafting orders are placed here. It's known that for the right price, anything can be bought. Nothing is off limits, not even items or information from the outside world. When a problem can't be solved by regular means, most come here to get it solved."

He pauses.

"I'll have an easy enough time finding a way in with this disguise. Don't worry."

We make our way down the brightly lit hall until the buzzing sound of mana is audible. The vendors thin out around this section of the market and most hunters that are shopping walk around the loop in the opposite direction so as not to come in contact with this deadzone.

The black lines that separate the hall into sections stop and the area is empty. The lights shine white instead of their usual dull yellow. The concrete walls and floor are clean, like they were scrubbed clean with water magic recently.

It's the polar opposite of the sight we just left.

I speak.

"It may be best if I go in here alone. I'm sure it would only lead to an instantaneous fight if you all showed your faces. If only I show up, there's a possibility for me to scrap some more information."

After a few murmurs and back and forth, they agree.

All 5 of them step back as I walk forward into the buzzing and empty section of the market.

The curved nature of the walls makes every step forward feel like I'm walking much further and faster than I actually am. My teammates disappear behind me, and a square-shaped silver door almost twice as tall as me appears in my field of view. It looks like a bank vault, and hums loudly even shaking the floor with its power.

The metal wall is thick and reinforced with mana shielding on both sides. There is a thin 1-meter wide gap between two more vault-like doors of the same caliber stacked behind it.

I'm curious to know If a fully powered fire-magic imbued slash could make its way through. They may pose a challenge if I have to break in with force.

A voice rings out from a small black box above the door before I have the chance to test out my curiosity.

It's a woman's voice.

This surprises me, it's not the black market warlord of a man I was expecting.

Her soothing tone echoes through my ears.

"Number 5. Back so soon? This must mean good news. Please, come in."

The circular handle on the front of the vault turns on its own, swings open toward me reveals the picture-perfect copy of a door behind it.

A moment of silence passes, then the second metal door's handle spins, clicks, and swings open just like the one before.

The last door opens in the same manner and I begin to walk forward accepting my invitation into the Boss' lair.