OLD-WORLD EXTRA

52 Black Market Inside were rows upon rows of various relics.

Some were small and unremarkable, while others were large and ornate.

There were small toys, clothing, peculiar-looking boxes, and intricate accessories displayed on large shelves.

Some caught his attention, like an ornate amulet and a set of ancient daggers with razor-sharp edges.

"I need something to carry all of this," Emir muttered, turning to Lyra for assistance.

[You can use the cart in their inventory and haul all of it to Kiera's base,] she replied promptly.

"Good, that will do."

He headed towards the inventory to retrieve the cart.

Emir began loading it up with as many relics as he could carry, and after successfully filling the cart to the brim, he tapped on his terminal and dialed Kiera's contact, providing his location and a request for assistance.

"Hey, Emir. What happened? You didn't reply the past few days." Kiera's voice crackled through the terminal.

"Nothing to worry about, Kiera. I took care of the group that was after me, Max was with them, by the way," he informed her.

"I've collected all of the relics and gear they had, but I need your help to carry them back to base."

"I'll send the gang your way with carts to help you out," Kiera responded her voice firm and reassuring.

"Thank you for that. And make sure they don't forget that I'm not sharing." Emir chuckled, glancing at the valuable items he had gathered.

Kiera laughed in response.

"Of course, Emir. You did all the work, so you get to keep the spoils."

He hung up the call and leaned back against the wall, feeling relieved that the plan had gone smoothly.

As he waited for the gang to arrive, he began to think about what he would do with the relics and gear.

Selling them on the black market seemed like the most lucrative option, but there was also a part of him that wanted to keep some for himself.

'I can keep the daggers at least; as for the weapons and augmented suit, they are too risky to use, so it's better to sell all of them.'

…

The sound of footsteps approaching caught his attention, and Emir straightened up to see Kiera and the rest of the gang approaching with carts of their own.

Kiera eyed the fully loaded cart in front of Emir and exclaimed, "Hey, Emir! You really went all out, huh?"

He replied with a smirk, "Well, I had to make sure it was worth it."

The gang got to work, entering the building to help him load up the carts with weapons, augmented suits, ammo, and medicines.

As they finished loading up, Kiera asked, "So, what's the plan now? Are you going to sell all of these?"

After a moment of consideration, he replied, "Yeah, I think that's the best option. It's too risky to use them, and I could use the credits."

Kiera nodded in agreement, "Alright then, let's head back to base and get these sold."

While walking back, a few thugs approached their group but immediately got scared when they saw Emir right behind the gang.

He just flashed his weapons, prompting them to turn around and run.

"What happened to you in there? Their bodies were piled up, and you even had one dead girl strapped to a chair?" Kiera asked, looking slightly nervous.

Emir took a deep breath before answering.

"It was part of the plan. I needed to get them all in one place and make them think I was weak and vulnerable, so I let them capture me. I had to do what was necessary to get the information and take out the group. They were after me, and they wouldn't have stopped until they got what they wanted."

"And as for the girl, she had information that I needed, but she wasn't going to give it up willingly. It was a necessary evil."

Kiera looked at him with a mix of fear and admiration.

"Since showing up, you've never ceased to amaze me, Emir. Your ability to handle these kinds of situations is truly impressive."

He smiled at her words.

"Thanks, Kiera. It's all in a day's work."

Kiera chuckled, "A day's work for you, maybe. You make it seem so easy."

He shrugged and said, "It's what I've been trained for. And I'll do whatever it takes to protect myself and my people."

They walked in silence for a while, the carts clattering over the uneven terrain.

Eventually, Kiera spoke up again.

"So, what are you going to do with the credits you get from selling the relics and gear?"

He thought for a moment before answering, "I haven't decided yet. Maybe I'll invest in a new vehicle; a bike would be nice."

Kiera agreed, saying, "That would make going to the ruins way easier. We are still stuck using transport buses from the association."

"Good thing I never used those, too risky."

Surprised, Kiera asked, "You didn't go relic hunting before? How? You look like a hunter with years of experience."

"It's good that I look that way, but I only recently signed up to become a hunter. I do have some skill, but I'm still low on experience."

Kiera giggled, "Well, appearances can be deceiving, but that's not important. What is important is that I'm your senior now, right?"

With a smirk on his face, Emir retorted, "Indeed, both in age and in ruin diving."

Kiera's face turned a shade of red as she playfully hit his arm, protesting, "I'm not that old, you know!"

"No need to worry. It's not you who's old, I'm just a little on the young side."

18:39

"You look youthful and stunning, if I may add."

"No need to worry. It's not you who's old, I'm just a little on the young side."

"You look youthful and stunning, if I may add."

Blushing even more, she looked away.

"T-Thank you. A-anyways, we're almost there. Let's catch up."

Kiera's base soon came into view.

A big warehouse hidden away in a corner, with a fortified gate guarded by armed men.

They approached the gate, and one of the men recognized them and rushed in their direction, welcoming them back.

The hideout was bustling with activity, and the sound of metal clanging and people talking echoed throughout the halls.

Kiera led Emir through it all, to a back room.

"So is there a need for me to explain the black-market rules?"

He nodded, "It wouldn't hurt to refresh my memory."

Kiera began, "First, it's not wise to sell anything too advanced or classified unless it was agreed upon beforehand, and the dealer must be a registered merchant or a part of a company. Otherwise, you may find yourself with a one-way ticket to working under the UEF for life. Second, no killing is allowed on the premises. We're all here to make money and have some fun, not to start a turf war. And third, always be respectful to the buyers and sellers. You don't want to anger someone who has the power to ruin your reputation or, worse, take your life."

He listened carefully, taking mental notes of each rule.

"Got it. So, we can't sell any weapons or tech to anyone outside of the hunter community, and we can't use or sell any banned or restricted items, at least not openly."

"And we have to make sure that we don't attract too much attention or do anything that might put us on the government's radar."

Kiera nodded.

"Exactly. The black market is watched by the UEF, and while it's a common secret among all hunters, it's not publicly acknowledged. We have to be careful and keep a low profile."

"Anything else?" Emir asked.

Kiera shook her head.

"Nope, that's pretty much it. Just be careful, Emir. The UEF is always on the watch, and they're not afraid to raid the place if they catch wind of anything that might threaten their control."

"I'll keep that in mind. Thanks for the reminder, Kiera."

He looked around the room, eyeing the various weapons and technologies scattered around.

"So, how do we make sure that we're not breaking any rules when we sell all of this?"

Kiera smiled and said, "Well, that's where I come in. I have connections in the black market, and I know which dealers are trustworthy and which ones to avoid. We'll sell everything through them, and we'll get a fair price."

"Alright then, let's get started. The sooner we sell all of this, the better."

They packed up the carts and made their way out of the building, sticking to the shadows and avoiding any potential threats.

As they walked through the corridors, Emir couldn't help but notice how different this part of the slums looked.

The buildings were grander and tidier, the streets were paved, and there were no piles of garbage or stray animals.

It was a stark contrast to the rest of the slums, where people lived in squalor and poverty.

They soon reached a gated section, where more guards were stationed.

The guards checked their IDs and scanned their biometrics before allowing them to enter.

The place beyond the gates was like a different world.

It was a sprawling marketplace filled with all sorts of people selling and buying all sorts of things.

The air was thick with the smell of food, spices, and smoke from various cooking and grilling stations.

The stalls were covered with colorful awnings, and there were signs in various languages advertising everything from weapons to exotic-looking monsters.

Kiera noticed Emir's expression and chuckled.

"Welcome to the inner walls of the slums, Emir. This is where the Elite come to play, and the UEF turns a blind eye to their activities."

"Welcome to the black market."

All fantasy novels have to include a black market at some point. GoldenStache