บท 167: IMUC-CHAPTER 166 BLACK MARKET
As the night passed, the skies over Planet Sakaar, dotted with small wormhole portals, were now illuminated by the morning light.
In the marketplace and streets of the main city, diverse alien inhabitants gradually became active. However, it seemed as though due to some events from the previous night, none of them had slept well. The lively discussions continued on various topics.
Inside a room on the fifth floor of the Starflight Hotel in the main city area:
"Mr. Kyle! Mr. Kyle, it's time to wake up!"
As dawn broke, Calvin knocked on the master bedroom door of Kyle's room, his claws grating sharply against the metal door panel.
The intelligent door mechanism slowly opened, revealing Kyle in simple sleepwear, his eyes still drowsy. His tall frame blocked the entrance, and with a yawn, he asked, "Why so early? What's all the noise about?"
"Mr. Kyle, did you really sleep through last night? Didn't you notice anything unusual outside?" Calvin looked at Kyle in disbelief. He had faint dark circles under his eyes, looking tired and worn out, even his white fur seemed less lustrous.
"Last night?" Kyle's eyes flickered with a hint of something as he listened. He replied, feigning innocence, "After I returned to my room and took a shower, I fell asleep quickly. It's probably due to the time difference between crossing the portal and arriving here— I slept soundly. What happened?"
"Well, I guess you were the only one who managed to sleep in the entire city," Calvin said helplessly, spreading his paws before he continued to speak seriously, "Late last night, someone caused a commotion in Sakaar City. The city's surveillance guards went crazy, flying Spaceships all over the streets, claiming to be capturing criminals."
"Capturing criminals is one thing, but they chased them from the outer city to the inner city, from the southern gate of the main city to the northern gate, causing a ruckus all night long," Calvin sighed, looking pitifully at his own back and swaying his tail from side to side. "They practically didn't let anyone sleep from all the noise they were making. My fur has lost its luster."
"Did they catch the criminals?" Kyle asked with a hint of interest.
"No. If they had caught them, would the surveillance guards still be posting criminal warrants all over the city early in the morning?" Calvin said, extending his paw into a small backpack slung behind him and taking out a wanted poster with a photo.
Kyle took the poster and examined it. The photo showed him in the background of a narrow alley, stained with blood and the corpse of a large-eyed creature from last night.
He was wearing the Black Panther helmet and combat uniform, along with the figure of the elusive night elf, partially obscured by veils and a cloak, revealing only a slender silhouette.
"The top criminal is the one with the beast-shaped mask, and the reward for his capture is as high as One Million Units. The woman beside him has a bounty of only One Hundred Thousand, so it's more like an extra reward."
Calvin's expression was complex as he stared at Kyle, seemingly trying to glean something from his face. He appeared both relieved and doubtful as he said, "Last night, that big-eyed creature that clashed with us was killed, and two of his companions were seriously injured. I heard they were treated and sent to the arena for dueling."
"And is that a bad thing?" Kyle smiled slightly, handing the wanted poster back to Calvin before he said insistently, "I'll change my clothes, and then you can take me for a stroll around Sakaar City."
"I'm at your service," Calvin obeyed, bowing his head and raising his hand, performing a gentlemanly gesture of respect.
"I don't know where that space tough guy came from, but he's really strong." Calvin thought to himself, exhaling a long breath while patting his chest. Anyone with a bit of intelligence could understand that such a fortunate turn of events was quite unlikely to happen.
After the room was closed, Kyle turned around and his gaze fell on the Combat Uniform and Black Panther helmet hanging on the coat rack.
Those guards in Spaceships were quite troublesome last night as they were equipped with infrared and soundwave tracking capabilities. He had circled the city with the guards chasing after him for a while before finally using his stealth skill to make a quick escape, teleporting away over half a mile.
It was the only way to truly evade them.
With Venom gone, many of his actions were no longer as convenient as before. Otherwise, with simple disguises and stealth, he could easily have shaken off the Spaceship pursuit.
"Venom…" Kyle murmured softly as he thought of his companion. After coexisting with Venom for so long, he had grown accustomed to its presence. Now that they were separated, he felt a slight sense of unease in his heart.
Kyle changed into a hooded leather jacket and jeans, then headed out with Calvin.
Calvin acted as a guide, revealing everything to Kyle after witnessing his strength and wealth. It was as if he held a thought of clinging onto a powerful ally, answering all of Kyle's questions.
After enjoying some uniquely flavored meals in the inner city area, Calvin led Kyle to the market where the inner city and outer city converged.
"Pass by and don't miss out! Everything from advanced civilization technology products to ancient godly blood, we have it all!"
"Only 998 credits and you can take home a Star Nucleus Energy Crystal!"
"Amazing and Advanced tools appraised by the elite scavenger king, selling at a huge discount! As long as you get your hands on one, you're making a profit!"
Amidst the towering piles of garbage, the main thoroughfare market was bustling with activity. Dozens of small and large private stalls stretched as far as the eye could see. Extravagantly dressed alien residents mingled with ragged scavengers, all engrossed in leisurely browsing and examining the goods.
Calvin introduced to Kyle, "Planet Sakaar, as the universe's central junkyard, revolves around resources. This place can be considered the largest miscellaneous goods black market in the universe. People come here every day for their treasure hunting."
"Isn't this like the Exchange House?" Kyle asked in surprise.
"Of course not. The Exchange House is run by the Grandmaster, and it's reliable to some extent. However, they do charge fees, and for items that are not identified in the known database— meaning items that can't be appraised— they generally offer lower prices," Calvin said with a smile. "That's the charm of the black market. Here, you might find priceless treasures at a low price, but you're just as likely to end up with a pile of useless alien junk."
Kyle suddenly realized that this was somewhat similar to Earth where people gamble on stones and antique markets.
Although the two were similar in nature, the items sold by the Sakaar black market stalls came from all corners of the universe and were largely unidentified.
"Despite the saying that treasure hunting in the black market requires discernment and knowledge, who can truly possess all the knowledge of the entire universe? Even those Celestials wouldn't dare to claim to be able to appraise most of the items in the black market. So, the people who come here are those hoping for luck."
Calvin paused here and kindly warned Kyle, "Most of the stall owners are scavengers who are out to make a quick buck. They usually self-praise their items and boast shamelessly. You can take a look, but it's best not to buy anything."
Kyle nodded as he observed the strange items from across the universe to broaden his horizons.
Following the crowded stream of people, Kyle and Calvin approached the first stall.
The stall was simply set up with a thick black cloth spread on the ground, displaying a dozen or so goods of various sizes and oddities. The stall owner was a short, bare-armed old-looking man.
"Well, well, if it isn't Calvin," The old man greeted enthusiastically, lifting up a shiny black fragment, "Bringing a guest, I see? Let me introduce you to a new item—an ancient race's crystallized memories from within the skull. As a longtime acquaintance, I'll give it to you for just a thousand…"
"Get lost! Don't try to scam me with alien junk," Calvin scolded irritably.
The expression on Kyle's face remained calm as he stepped within three meters, his gaze fixed on the various items in the stall. His thoughts instinctively concentrated.
And in the next moment, something unexpected happened!
(End of this chapter)
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