RE: Player again

287

[Chapter 094] [What Could Not Be Found]

The black market was an illegal market where anything that could be bought with money could be obtained.

A lawless zone showing the dark side of a ruined world, where human's ugly nature ran rampant.

Black markets existed everywhere. They were just hidden in areas beyond the reach of ordinary people.

Among them, the largest black market in South Korea was located in Anyang, Gyeonggi Province.

And the black market that everyone openly knew about was located near Dongmyo Station, where Eun-ha was currently heading.

Later, the area near Cheonggyecheon frequently experienced mana distortions, causing monsters to appear.

Or dungeons would occur.

As a result, people who lived with risks gathered in this place full of dangers, and built their own city.

The first lawless zone was created.

Eun-ha looked towards Dongmyo Station across Cheonggyecheon through the car window.

The city shrouded in darkness didn't look like people could live there on the surface.

But there are people beyond there.

"I've only heard about black markets, but this is my first time actually going to one."

"Only talk here. Don't do anything unnecessary in the black market."

"I know."

Just then, Yoo Do-joon leaned his upper body.

Eun-ha who pulled his head back allowed Yoo Do-joon to comfortably see across Cheonggyecheon.

I originally didn't want to bring him...

Inside the vehicle with tinted windows so the outside couldn't see in.

Eun-ha inwardly clicked his tongue seeing Yoo Do-joon looking curiously at the sight of entering the slums.

Originally, he had planned to visit the slums with just himself and Bruno.

But Yoo Do-joon insisted on letting him see the black market too in exchange for giving money.

Eun-ha who knew very well that things would get annoying if Yoo Do-joon insisted eventually allowed him to come along.

"I couldn't tell from outside, but there's an overflow of red light after coming in?"

"It's because of the red-light district."

Bruno drove the vehicle into the slums.

Soon a scene far from quiet unfolded in front of the vehicle.

Eun-ha looked indifferently at the road dyed in red light.

Women wearing clothes that were practically naked smoked cigarettes and waved their hands.

Some women approached with flirtatious gaits, but Bruno drove on without paying them any attention.

On one side, many women could be seen lined up sitting in reddish shops like butcher shops.

The reason this could be seen was because the front of the shops was made of glass.

People passing by on the street stopped and stared intently at the glass walls as if appraising goods.

"Humans are really base..."

Yoo Do-joon who had been quietly observing the surroundings muttered while resting his chin on his hand.

Eun-ha thought it was unexpected that he was taking it so calmly.

Yoo Do-joon who was only 14 years old shouldn't be used to sights like this.

But the question could soon be answered by Yoo Do-joon's words.

"I've seen my second uncle and eldest aunt calling people to the house before. It was worse than this then."

"...Ah, I see."

"I'll only tell you Eun-ha... my second uncle's taste is yu..."

"Okay, I get it."

Yoo Do-joon's family tree was very complicated.

Eun-ha mumbled dazedly. Soon he waved his hands not wanting to hear the obscene story.

While the two were talking, the vehicle had already left the red-light district.

The color of light illuminating the road changed, and the flashy atmosphere that seemed cheap also cooled down coldly.

They had entered the black market area.

"Eun-ha. What should we do with the car?"

"The license plate is fake so just go in. Even if the plate was real, there's almost no risk of being tracked at the entrance anyway." "Understood."

The reason the black market was blatantly located in Seoul was because the entire underworld existed under the ownership of Twelve Seats Baek Seo-jin.

Where there is light, there is darkness.

Therefore, completely eliminating darkness is truly impossible.

So Baek Seo-jin ruled over the black market and took on the role of controlling the darkness.

It was an illegal black market, but not a completely illegal black market.

The Fairy Government tacitly allowed it.

Originally, the reason the Mana Management Bureau, the predecessor of the Mana Management Organization, was able to function and the Fairy Government could be created was also due to the capital from the black market.

Because darkness can be used depending on how it's used.

The world doesn't move by laws alone.

Sometimes illegal things are necessary too.

Baek Seo-jin was like a coordinator between the light and dark sides.

That's why Eun-ha disliked Han Chang-jin, Baek Seo-jin's son who became one of the 3rd Generation Twelve Seats.

Because he didn't play the role of coordinator, but became darkness baring its teeth at Ha Baek-ryeon.

No matter how much I think about it, I don't understand.

Why on earth did Teacher Baek Seo-jin make that guy his ?

And why did Han Chang-jin gain manners he didn't have in this life?

He had questions.

But the questions weren't answered.

Meanwhile, Bruno moved the vehicle to the ten-pro Eun-ha mentioned beforehand.

Soon he parked in the underground parking lot.

"We're here."

"Please cover your faces from now on. Yoo Do-joon, quickly get your mask."

"Okay."

Even though Baek Seo-jin was managing it, they couldn't go around with their faces exposed in a place where illegality ran rampant.

The three put on the masks they prepared.

Bruno put on a mask that left his mouth exposed, while Eun-ha and Do-joon took out masks that covered their entire face except for their eyes and mouth.

Expulsion was waiting for the two academy students if their identities were discovered here.

"Oh, this is interesting."

"Yoo Do-joon, keep your words to a minimum."

"Ah, sorry."

When Bruno imbued mana into the area where he parked the vehicle, the entire compartment was surrounded by a black curtain.

It was an artifact of the ten-pro that operated targeting high-ranking figures among the exposed black markets.

The black curtain wouldn't disappear unless the person who put up the curtain leaked their mana.

First meet the manager on the 1st floor and...

Before the regression.

Eun-ha used this place when using the Cheonggyecheon black market.

It was because of Yoo Do-joon's influence walking beside him.

If not for that, as who was just a Player people avoided, he would have had to use the black market going through all sorts of procedures.

Then could he use this ten-pro in this life too?

Despite Yoo Do-joon not having established his position yet.

There's no reason I can't.

The true face of the black market comes out not from the surface that people openly know about, but from below this ground.

A complete lawless zone, and sometimes a black market operated while avoiding Baek Seo-jin's gaze, could only be entered by permitted people.

The procedure was very complicated.

The password to enter the black market often changed frequently.

But not for the ten-pro.

Places used only by high-ranking figures rarely changed their passwords. The password for this place was known only by people who shared the same world.

That's why Eun-ha chose this place. He remembered the password, and even if he was restricted from entering, he could prove his qualifications.

Though there probably wouldn't be a need to prove his qualifications.

The people who used this place were all powerful figures who could remove a person with just one word.

Or their blood relatives.

If he carelessly provoked their tempers, he could die without anyone knowing.

"Welcome."

Sure enough.

The manager who came out to greet them bowed his head politely.

He who bowed his head showing his crown didn't break his posture until Bruno told him to raise his head.

"Where shall I guide you?"

The manager didn't say unnecessary words.

Because those who used this place extremely disliked exposing their identities with needless words.

"I want to see flowers."

Bruno answered in a low voice.

"Flowers" was a euphemistic expression for "women" used by people who used this place.

Additionally, "trees" meant men.

"I will guide you this way."

This place had two characteristics.

Generally selling laughter.

And guiding the way down to the core of the black market.

Usually the euphemism "flowers" was used in either case.

But if used in the former meaning, one just had to choose photos in the reception room the manager guided to.

The latter was different.

The manager handed out photos and explained the women's profiles in detail.

Bruno maintained silence.

"This girl is attending a mid-upper tier university in Seoul..."

Meanwhile, the manager didn't stop talking.

Because Bruno didn't tell the man to shut his mouth.

The manager guarding one workplace was the faithful dog of the users.

"Is there perhaps a specific flower you like? If you just say the word..."

"Corpse flower."

"..."

"I want to see a corpse flower."

"Yes, understood. I will guide you to your seat."

The manager's eyes changed.

When the manager stood up, an employee entered the reception room as if he had been waiting.

The employee greeted politely and said he would guide them to a room.

And the manager excused himself after getting Bruno's permission and exited.

"Please wait a moment."

The employee guided them to a room with a large bed.

Then he stood straight by the door until the manager came in.

It's almost over now.

A corpse flower referred to the ugliest woman who couldn't even make it onto the menu.

Generally, no one who came to a place like this would choose a corpse flower.

That's why the manager changed his expression earlier when Bruno first visited and said corpse flower.

Even then, the experienced man quickly put on a smile so as not to offend Bruno's mood.

"─She says she's a corpse flower."

Soon after, the woman the manager brought was a woman with burns covering half her face.

The woman wearing an elegant yet decadent dress knelt before Bruno with her hands neatly folded as soon as she entered.

"Thank you for gifting this lowly one with a noble's night. I will serve you wholeheartedly."

"Raise your head."

"Yes."

The corpse flower slowly raised her head.

The woman who had cold eyes before entering the room now had eyes sparkling like a dog submitting to its master.

This was that kind of place.

A place where human beings fell to mere commodities.

And where he was going next would have even worse things waiting.

Eun-ha watched the woman who seemed to have changed masks and waited for Bruno to speak.

"Where is the land you grew up in?" "The land I grew up in is a very barren land where only flowers like me can grow, with death as nourishment."

The woman answered with a smile at the corners of her mouth.

As if provoking, as if seducing.

But the woman wasn't smiling.

She was just wearing a mask.

A mask that no one could take off.

Eun-ha, Bruno, and Yoo Do-joon all knew that.

"Guide me there."

"That is a land where noble feet should not step."

Now it was Eun-ha's turn.

Eun-ha threw a jewel taken from his pocket to the corpse flower kneeling on the floor.

The jewel crafted to emit brilliant light rolled on the floor.

Only then did the corpse flower's face smile sincerely.

Her appearance with the corners of her mouth pulled up to her ears looked like seeing an ugly witch.

That was the corpse flower's true face.

"I will guide you to the land of death."

"Guide us."

The corpse flower realized in just an instant how much the jewel Eun-ha threw was worth.

She answered that she would guide them to the black market because he met her standards.

If he hadn't met her standards, the corpse flower would have expressed refusal until reaching the standard she hoped for.

How expensive a jewel did Yoo Do-joon give me?

Eun-ha looked at Do-joon walking with his arms swinging widely while being guided by the corpse flower.

Actually, he had been thinking of throwing a few more jewels.

But he didn't know the corpse flower would be satisfied with just one.

If the corpse flower with an eye for appraising jewels was satisfied enough to throw off her mask, it must have been a jewel of considerable value.

He couldn't help but regret it.

Regretting that he should have given a smaller one.

Even though the jewel wasn't his.

"Is there anything in particular you'd like to see?"

The place the corpse flower guided to was located in a secluded area on that floor.

The elevator had buttons with no numbers arranged randomly.

Only the corpse flower knew which floor each button went to.

So the woman asked Bruno where he wanted to go.

"Slaves."

"Yes, understood."

There was no need to use euphemistic expressions anymore.

Eun-ha spoke bluntly to the corpse flower.

The corpse flower's eyes widened for a moment. She had thought the two people following Bruno were servants.

But Eun-ha opened his mouth.

And Bruno didn't stop him.

The corpse flower who instantly grasped the relationship bowed her head to Eun-ha.

It's been a while since I've been to the black market.

The elevator activated.

The destination was the slave market.

Eun-ha thought about who would be somewhere here while waiting for the doors to open.

Soon the doors opened and a musty smell wafted in from outside.

Yoo Do-joon reflexively covered his nose.

But the two stepped out as if it was natural.

"Then I hope you have a good time."

The doors closed.

The corpse flower's role ended here.

The three moved into the maze-like city without looking back.

Tonight, to buy slaves.