The dwarf looked at Chen Han, then suddenly laughed.
"You brat, you're kind of interesting."
Time passed slowly. Over the next half-hour, several more people arrived one after another, all with their faces covered so no one could make out their features.
They didn't say a word when they arrived, and kept several meters between themselves and everyone else.
Judging by their builds, they all seemed to be martial artists.
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That made sense. Who would dare come here without some real skill?
Knock, knock, knock...
Perhaps the time had come. The dwarf in the little boat rapped his paddle against the hull. At the sound, the others climbed aboard one after another, and Chen Han followed their example, bringing up the rear.
Only after the dwarf had collected everyone's silver did he dip his paddle into the water and slowly row toward the mist-shrouded depths of Black Lake.
The water was black as an abyss, and the surrounding fog sent chills down Chen Han's spine. He didn't dare move carelessly, silently keeping an eye on the others.
With one hand gone, he had no fighting ability to speak of. If anything seemed wrong, he'd run.
Fortunately, everyone aboard followed the rules.
After roughly half an hour, the little boat reached the shore, and they all climbed out.
As his feet sank into the sand, Chen Han looked around and thought, This seems to be an island in the middle of the lake.
A small sign stood ahead, bearing the words "Black Market."
White bones were just visible in the muddy ground beside the path.
The others scattered in different directions, while the ugly dwarf stood in front of him and crooked a finger over his shoulder.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Wang Yue. Come on, I'll show you around first."
He set off into the depths of the island without waiting for a reply. Chen Han followed close behind, unobtrusively tugging his bamboo hat lower until its shadow covered his entire face.
"Wang Yue? Nice name."
Chen Han mused to himself, glancing at Wang Yue's short, childlike figure ahead.
Deep in the island was a little street, with one main road and several side streets. Small stalls lined the muddy paths.
When Chen Han saw what they were selling, his pupils shrank. His heart pounded.
"Take a look, sir?"
The stall owner noticed Chen Han and called out, "It's all top-notch goods. Virgins, untouched.
"Hey, don't rush off! If you're not interested, we've also got noblewomen from the Imperial City, little princesses..."
Chen Han's face darkened. Most of these girls don't look much older than Shen Yue, yet they're chained up and sold like merchandise.
Remembering the recent disappearances of young girls in the city, a wave of revulsion swept over him.
"What a world!"
Chen Han didn't slow down. He had neither the will nor the power to interfere.
"Heh heh, kid, if you think that's too expensive, you can have some fun in the shantytown. It's cheap—three taels of silver, and you can ask for whatever you want."
"Good. Tell me about the other interesting things here, too."
Chen Han knew that the meek got bullied. He wasn't about to act like a lamb to the slaughter.
"Of course. You paid me, so I'll make sure I do the job properly..."
Wang Yue then gave Chen Han a detailed rundown of what the various shops in the Black Market sold, as well as the personalities of their owners.
He also told him whom he could befriend and whom he should stay away from.
Chen Han didn't remember much of it. The one who stuck in his mind was the plump woman selling meat.
By the time Wang Yue finished, Chen Han had followed him around the Black Market once.
"Good. If I need anything next time, I'll come find you."
Chen Han turned and walked away, tossing ten taels of silver behind him without looking back.
After catching it, the short Wang Yue wore a somewhat complicated expression. He muttered under his breath, "Looks like this is the guy who killed Xiong Li. He really does seem extraordinary. Most people aren't this calm on their first visit to the Black Market..."
Wang Yue could easily find the Black Mountain Gang's informant in the Black Market, report what he'd learned, and pocket a fat stack of silver.
But was it worth it?
"It's only silver. I hand over seventy percent in taxes to the higher-ups every day and still earn more than ten taels. That's enough for me to find women every night, buy wine, and live the good life.
"Better to mind my own business and enjoy my days. Why invite trouble?
"In a place full of crouching dragons and hidden tigers like this, loose lips... have long since turned into a mound of dirt."
Chen Han had a clear target: the voluptuous young madam Wang Yue had mentioned.
It was a small room reeking of blood. The stench drilled straight into his nose and nearly made him gag.
Suppressing his nausea, he stepped over the threshold and entered. A beautiful woman, eight feet tall, came toward him!
Her skin was fair, her cheeks flushed, and her alluring eyes were full of charm.
She wore a white dress spattered with blood. Her bare feet and long legs made Chen Han draw in a sharp breath, and her bust bulged like she had two soccer balls stuffed under her dress.
What a... big woman.
"Young master, I haven't seen you around before. Do you have a referral? Auntie can give you a discount."
The beautiful woman's eyes lit up when she saw Chen Han, as if she'd found a rare treasure. With a few graceful steps, she came over, took his hand, and led him to a seat.
Her bearing was that of a noble young lady, yet for some reason, Chen Han couldn't shake the feeling that she was a bit of a flirt.
Chen Han swallowed. "No, this is my first time here. How much does the meat at your shop cost?"
The meat he meant was, of course, Exotic Beast meat!
"Meat? That's cheap. Only fifty taels a pound."
The muscles in Chen Han's face twitched violently.
And you called that cheap?
You might as well just rob me.
"Then I'll... take half a pound."
After thinking it over, Chen Han decided to test the waters first.
At that, the beautiful woman covered her cherry-red lips with her slender hand and giggled.
"Young master, we don't sell half-pound portions here."
She rested her delicate hand on Chen Han's thigh, looking at him like he was a little lamb. Her voice was so bewitchingly sweet that Chen Han's bones went soft.
"Is that so? Then I'll look around somewhere else."
Chen Han made as if to leave, but the beautiful woman pressed him back down. He instantly grew wary.
According to Wang Yue, the Black Market's rules were as solid as iron. Anyone who broke them would face dire consequences, no matter what faction stood behind them.
And all I have on me is two hundred taels of silver. Compared to the people here, calling me a pauper would be a compliment. If she tried to make a move against me, she'd have far more to lose than to gain.
"Shopkeeper, is there something you need?"
Chen Han calmly removed the jade-like hand from his thigh, his tone stern.
He wore black from head to toe, with his hands and feet completely covered. Unless the woman could see through clothes, she'd never figure out who he was.
"Don't be in such a hurry to leave. We can negotiate the price... Since it's your first time here, Auntie will give you a discount. But you have to agree to two conditions."
"What conditions?"
The beautiful woman poured Chen Han a cup of tea, crossed her legs, and dangled her bare foot. "First, from now on, you can only buy meat from me. I promise my meat will be cheaper than that at most of the shops in the Black Market, and the quality is guaranteed."
"If I go back on my word, then forget I ever said it. You can buy wherever you like."
Chen Han's eyes shifted. He saw nothing wrong with that. "I can agree to that. What's the second condition?"
"Call me Auntie."
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The beautiful woman rolled her eyes at this blunt man and folded her arms across her chest. "I'm only twenty-six, in the prime of my life. You keep calling me 'shopkeeper' as if I'm some old man. It sounds awful."
"Come on, call me Aunt Xue'er, and I'll sell it to you for twenty-five taels a pound."
Chen Han's heart pounded. Half price!
He'd just asked Wang Yue about it. Exotic Beast meat had gotten a little cheaper lately, but it still cost around fifty taels a pound—an outrageous price.
And now, all he had to do was call her Auntie to buy it for half price.
Worth it!
Forget calling her Auntie. He'd even call her Mom if she asked!
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