Nomadic Market and the Hound Gang's Needs

After Winter watched Su Yi disappear from sight, she felt as though she were dreaming.

As ten of the first players in the closed beta, they had spent more than ten days slaving away for NPCs in this game.

The rewards for those toilet-unclogging quests had never exceeded five Void Abyss Coins.

They had finally unlocked a quest chain, fought tooth and nail to kill a minor boss, and received only ten Void Abyss Coins.

But now, this boss had handed over fifty Void Abyss Coins right away, along with detailed information on the major boss!

"This game really gives us freedom. Who knew we could pick up a hidden quest from an enemy boss?"

"No wonder this NPC has Constantine and Horus in his name. What a first-rate turncoat."

Just then, Winter received a private message.

A player named Agile Dog in the Mountains asked, "What's going on? I heard from 108 you ran into a major boss?"

Winter replied, "It's taken care of. Get Evil God over here. I triggered a hidden quest!"

"Come quick. It's urgent, and it's important!"

When Su Yi returned, the three were curious but asked no questions.

If their boss had gone over there himself, he must have had his reasons.

Alton asked, "Boss, what do we do next? Keep collecting debts?"

Su Yi wagged a finger. "From now on, none of you are collecting debts!"

"We didn't have a choice before. Now we can live with a little more dignity."

Rijia looked troubled. "But what about Mad Dog..."

Su Yi gave a cold laugh. "Mad Dog? He won't be alive much longer."

The three stared at Su Yi, eyes wide with disbelief.

Su Yi said no more. "Come on. We need bags, water, food, and masks. We've got something big to do tonight."

The four spent the rest of the afternoon preparing special bags to conceal the guns.

At six that evening, Su Yi and the others hid the money, then returned to the company.

They happened to run into their boss: Olon Ford, an L4 employee of the Black Sun Group. He looked about twenty-seven or twenty-eight, with ordinary features, a slightly pudgy build, and an overbearing air.

[Name: Olon Ford]

[Affiliation: Black Sun Group]

[Rank: L4 Regular Employee]

[Void Abyss Projection: Not Activated]

[Level: 5]

[Health: 600]

(He was frustrated that Mad Dog's poor people skills brought him no extra income.)

Aolong was scowling as he berated Mad Dog. "What's going on? You failed to collect the money today, and a whole team got killed!?"

"What the hell are you good for?"

He slapped Mad Dog across the face. Mad Dog could only lower his head, not daring to speak.

Su Yi wasn't surprised by Olon's impotent fury.

The man wasn't cut out to be a boss at all. He was just a disposable pawn sent out to take the fall.

The Black Sun Group was enormous. Its highest rank, L100, belonged to the great Goddess of Black Cinders.

Someone at L4 like Olon was nothing more than a low-level employee, earning around forty Void Abyss Coins a month.

Debt collection offered little opportunity for profit, and Mad Dog was a blockhead who knew only how to kill and beat people. He got nothing out of this assignment.

Worse, any problems came out of his performance pay.

Olon kept yelling, "Look at Camel under the Ryan Company, then look at yourself! You really are a mad dog. All you know how to do is bite!"

"Screw up again, and you'll regret it!"

With that, he turned and left.

Mad Dog's face twisted, the corner of his eye twitching uncontrollably.

Camel was the one person he couldn't stand!

The man was good for nothing but sucking up.

Once the boss was gone, Mad Dog rounded on his underlings and roared, "Where's today's money?"

Su Yi took fifteen Void Abyss Coins out of his own pocket and handed them over to placate him for now.

Seeing Su Yi set a good example, Mad Dog was satisfied enough that, for once, he didn't give him trouble.

After leaving the company, Su Yi immediately set his plan in motion.

First, he gave each of the three fifty Void Abyss Coins as emergency spending money.

Then he took the remaining seven hundred Void Abyss Coins back to Iron Beetle.

Iron Beetle looked surprised that Su Yi had sold the guns in a single day.

"Kid, I wouldn't have guessed you had connections."

Su Yi smiled. "What connections? I risked my life for it."

Iron Beetle chuckled. "Kid, I don't mind gamblers or lunatics."

"So, what are you after this time?"

Su Yi asked, "How much for an Assault Scorpion-211?"

"Thirty-eight each," Iron Beetle said. "Comes with one magazine of ammo. Buy ten, get one free."

Su Yi thought for a moment, then took out seven hundred Void Abyss Coins. "Give me ten Mongooses."

"And with what's left, can you throw in thirteen Assault Scorpions?"

"If things go smoothly, I'll be back for more stock tomorrow."

Iron Beetle did the math. They were six coins short, but after a moment's thought, he smiled. "Deal."

At eight that night, Su Yi emerged from the building carrying two bags. Alton and the other two quickly came to help.

"Boss, what's next?"

Mota held up a bag of supplies. "Boss, I've got everything ready."

Rijia said excitedly, "Put us to work like star slaves!"

Su Yi rapped Rijia on the head. "Let's go! This time, our destination is the Nomadic Market."

After a three-hour trek, Alton stared blankly at the lively stalls ahead, spread across the Borderlands between the city and the desert.

"Where are we?"

Mota and Rijia looked just as lost. Neither had ever left the Rootvine District.

Su Yi said, "Check your masks. Make sure they're secure."

"Don't say anything once we're inside. Just follow my lead."

The three snapped out of it, checked their masks, and said, "Got it!"

The Nomadic Market was just as its name suggested: a market that shifted like sand.

All sorts gathered here, from vicious gang members to people from other cities dressed in unfamiliar styles.

The goods for sale were just as varied: Cybernetic implants, organs, firearms, slaves, bionic companions...

Everyone here wore a mask. No one could see anyone else's face.

People said little to one another, and the sprawling market was remarkably quiet.

The arrival of Su Yi and his three companions drew no attention.

Su Yi walked straight toward a burly young man in a yellow mask.

The man's stall held a jumble of goods: electronic components, battered spaceship parts, and even broken robots.

When Su Yi spotted an iron sphere among them, shock flashed in his eyes. He quickly composed himself and turned to the vendor.

[Name: Cole Paris]

[Affiliation: Hound Gang]

[Rank: Branch Leader]

[Void Abyss Projection: Not Activated]

[Level: 7]

[Health: 900]

(He was looking for long-term suppliers of weapons and medicine.)

"From Lase City?" Su Yi asked bluntly.

Cole froze. He looked up at Su Yi and reached toward his lower back.

Su Yi crouched down. "Relax. I'm here to do business."

Cole kept his guard up. "What business?"

Su Yi snapped his fingers. Behind him, Alton pulled aside a corner of his coat, revealing two brand-new Assault Scorpion-211s.

Cole's eyes lit up slightly. "How did you know I came from Lase City?"

"You smell like Lahr Flowers," Su Yi said. "Haven't you noticed?"

Lahr Flowers were native to Lase City and had plagued its residents for over a thousand years.

Then, when Lase City opened up in version 0.3, players had effortlessly wiped out the stubborn Lahr Flowers.

Lase City had risen rapidly afterward.

Before that, several local gangs had been fighting there for years.

The Hound Gang was the strongest and most forward-thinking among them.

They had come here early to find partners and build ties with the company. That was how they survived the onslaught of the Fourth Calamity intact.

Cole's eyes widened. "You're no ordinary person, are you?" he said quietly.

"Ordinary or not, it doesn't matter," Su Yi said casually. "All you need to know is that I have what you need."

Cole narrowed his eyes. "How much do you have?"

"Thirteen Assault Scorpions and eleven Mongooses," Su Yi said.

"All company-made and fresh from the factory."

"Price?" Cole asked.

"Sixty for an Assault Scorpion, forty-five for a Mongoose."

"Take the lot, and I'll make it 1,270. Each gun comes with one magazine of ammo."

The Hound Gang already had a way to get guns, though the quality was poor, so Su Yi had lowered his price accordingly.

Cole considered it. The price was within a range he could accept.

"What else can you get?" he asked.

"That depends on your appetite. I can get anything common on the market."

"If you're buying in bulk, I can even get you Dark Star Suppressors."

Once again, Su Yi dangled a highly sought-after restricted item before him.

Cole's heart skipped a beat. Watching Su Yi's familiar air of confidence, he said, "Give me a moment. I need to make a call."

Five minutes later, Cole returned. "Deal. We need a lot. In three days, I'll need twenty Assault Rifles and at least nine thousand Rifle Rounds. Can you get them?"

"Of course," Su Yi said confidently.

"As long as you can pay."

"Money isn't the problem," Cole said. "Good guns are!"

The Hound Gang controlled a large network of illicit businesses and had made plenty of money.

But the money was dirty, and they urgently needed to turn it into firepower.

Paying more was fine. Quality was what mattered!