“Please follow me, my lord!”
After confirming Wu Ming’s identity, the rat Quark respectfully took the lead, guiding Wu Ming to the southern district of Howling City, an area similar to a slum.
Here, a large number of impoverished and helpless citizens gathered. They had no dignity or wealth and were willing to do anything to survive.
Theft, robbery, fraud…all sorts of crimes were constantly taking place here.
Each day, several corpses would appear in the sewers, stripped of everything that could be used, leaving them as bare as slaughtered pigs.
The chaotic public order meant even the city guard dared not venture deep into the area without gathering dozens of soldiers.
This group of people with nothing to lose were capable of doing anything!
In this dark place, its own dark rules prevailed, reaching a point where even noble lords were reluctant to interfere.
“This is…”
Seeing Quark stop in front of a large building, Wu Ming slightly raised his head in mild surprise, “A slave market?”
“That’s right! This is the largest slave market in the entire Howling City! No, actually the largest in the entire Fengying Plains! Here, you can find slaves of any kind, even some indescribably high-end merchandise…”
Quark winked suggestively.
“Noble bloodlines, you mean?”
Wu Ming immediately understood. Although it sounded incredible, compared to the lawless slave traders, there was nothing they wouldn’t dare to do.
Enslaving a noble with pure blood would certainly satisfy the psychological needs of many powerful figures.
Of course, for the sake of noble appearances, such things were naturally supposed to be strictly prohibited on the surface.
“This black market, and the slave trade… there must be the shadow of Count Lanshan behind them!”
Wu Ming instantly understood everything.
He followed Quark into the market, where a strong fragrance immediately filled his nose, seemingly trying to mask the stench of sweat and filth.
The entire market looked like a special small street. On both sides, various shops were filled with all sorts of slaves—from the most basic adult men and women, to farming serfs, and finally skilled craftsmen.
There were even more special commodities, exclusive to each shop, which would only be revealed after a customer had demonstrated sufficient sincerity and financial capability.
“Quick, come and see! My slaves are the strongest! I lost no less than eight warriors to capture these wild folk!”
A fat slave owner cracked his whip, producing loud whip-cracking sounds. In front of him, a dozen wild folk slaves were half-naked, showing off their muscular bodies. Their expressions were dull and numb as they performed various demonstrations of strength.
“The best female slaves, all strong and healthy, perfect for breeding with the farm slaves!”
On the other side, a row of more than a dozen women stood bare-chested. Like the male slaves, they all bore the brand mark of slavery, clearly burned in conspicuous locations to ensure they could never escape their status as slaves, no matter how far they fled.
“This is really…”
Wu Ming looked at the scar on a female slave’s face, somewhat speechless.
“Is my lord looking to buy some female slaves but finds them unattractive?” Quark obviously misunderstood his meaning. “These are just lowly wild folk girls. The real female slaves serving great lords are at the back, carefully trained to have first-rate appearance and temperament…”
“Do they also bear the brand of slavery on their faces?”
Wu Ming was somewhat disapproving of this practice.
“Of course… this is the mark of all slaves! However, to preserve their beauty, it can be branded in less noticeable places, like the back of the neck or the shoulder…”
Quark chuckled lewdly, “There’s also a highest-grade female slave whose skin is as smooth as silk and porcelain. They receive special treatment and wear a collar marked with the symbol of slavery…”
He smacked his lips, clearly filled with regret, “Unfortunately… I’ve only seen this level of female slave once, at the highest auction in the black market…”
“Where is this black market? Did you bring me here to buy slaves?”
Wu Ming asked.
“Of course not… I brought my lord here to meet the examiner!”
Quark led Wu Ming into a seemingly ordinary slave trading shop and knocked on the counter with a rhythmic pattern, “I want to see your boss!”
The previously drowsy attendant immediately snapped awake upon hearing the sound, “I’ll take you there!”
At the back of the shop, Wu Ming met the examiner mentioned by Quark. It turned out to be an old man wearing a monocle with gold trim.
He was dressed in a dark red tailcoat, his silver hair meticulously combed, resembling an old scholar preparing for a banquet. He gave Wu Ming and Quark a deep look and spoke in a hoarse voice, “Night has given us black eyes!”
“For those seeking the light!”
Quark solemnly replied. After completing this ritualistic exchange, the old man looked at Wu Ming and chuckled, “Welcome, new guest. Everyone visiting the black market for the first time must go through our examiner’s inspection… We maintain strict neutrality, asking no questions about a customer’s identity or intentions. As long as you demonstrate sufficient strength, you will be our most honored guest!”
“Enough strength?”
Wu Ming tossed over a small leather pouch, “How about this?”
Inside the pouch were all his savings so far—about one hundred Golden Drakes, enough for an ordinary farming family to live for decades.
“Hehe… barely enough!”
The old man curled his lip slightly, seemingly somewhat dissatisfied. He then turned to the respectful Quark and said, “You little rat, this time you’ve brought us a formal guest. You will receive your deserved reward. But what comes next is not something you can participate in…”
“I understand!”
Quark bowed, “Then I’ll take my leave, my lords!”
He turned and left without hesitation.
“This…”
Wu Ming was somewhat surprised.
“Please follow me, guest!”
The old man clasped his hands behind his back and chuckled, “Did my guest think that even the rats in the sewers could participate in our transactions?”
“It sounds like quite a prestigious affair… I’m looking forward to it…”
Wu Ming, confident in his skills and unafraid of any trickery from the shop owner, followed him to the backyard.
There, a windowless carriage, completely covered on all sides, was already waiting.
“It will take you to the venue. May you find what you desire, sir!”
The old man slightly bowed, watched Wu Ming enter the carriage, gently closed the door, and everything around instantly plunged into darkness.
Creak! Creak!
The horse snorted, and the sound of the wheels rolling began as the carriage set off.
Wu Ming half-reclined on the seat, comfortably resting his hands behind his head, while his extraordinary perception constantly monitored his surroundings.
Soon, he found himself somewhat exasperated to discover that after taking a big detour around Howling City, the carriage still ended up back in the southern district, even very close to the slave market.
“We’re here!”
The carriage door opened, and the driver’s voice, as expressionless as stone, came from outside.
Wu Ming stepped out of the carriage and saw a large courtyard. Surrounding it were high walls, and a group of men exuding a fierce aura were warily watching him.
“The black market is inside. Please follow me!”
A servant in a bowtie smiled and approached, leading Wu Ming into the courtyard. He then took a candlestick and activated a hidden mechanism leading downward.
“Do you treat every customer with such caution?”
Wu Ming followed the servant into the passage, descending further as if going to hell, and couldn’t help but ask.
“Once we get to know each other better… it won’t be this troublesome anymore!”
The servant smiled mysteriously and pushed open the door ahead, “Welcome to the Ant Nest!”
Whoosh!
A wave of heat and noise rushed in, carrying a strong sense of excitement.
Before Wu Ming stretched a massive underground cave, filled with numerous tents. Various people—mercenaries, adventurers, assassins, thieves, and even nobles and knights in disguise—gathered together enthusiastically. They pointed at certain items, or fiercely bid against each other, haggling with the sellers over every single Golden Drake.
From time to time, more people emerged, converging into the black market, while others left. Everything was orderly and continuous.
“A precise and complex ant nest…”
With just one glance, Wu Ming was certain that this cave had countless passageways, and more importantly, whoever controlled this place was the true king of the darkness in Howling Castle.
“As your guide, I have one last reminder for you!”
The servant smiled, “Cherish every Golden Drake in your pocket. Today happens to be the monthly auction day. Here, there’s nothing you can’t buy!”
He slightly bowed, and the rolling stone behind him automatically sealed the passage, fitting perfectly as if it had always been a wall of rock.
“The one who built this place must be a master of mechanisms, and must have used supernatural forces…”
Wu Ming was certain of this point and began to casually wander around.
“Indeed, it’s the black market!”
He stopped at a weapons stall, looking at the displayed items, his eyes slightly widening.
At the center of the stall was a complete set of knight’s armor—gauntlets, knee guards, helmet, steel boots, inner armor, and outer armor, all present. More eye-catching was the complex and refined noble family crest on the armor.
“Who would dare to buy something like this, knowing it would lead to an endless feud with the knight’s family?”
Wu Ming glanced around and saw even more deadly weapons, including military crossbows.
“Just bring enough Golden Drakes, and I can even get you a mounted ballista!”
The weapons dealer proudly guaranteed, but Wu Ming politely declined and moved on.
“Indeed… there are far more quality goods here than outside…”
After just a few casual rounds, Wu Ming inwardly sighed, realizing this trip was definitely worth it.
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