novelraw Chapter 188: Blackore City
Chapter 188: Blackore City
At night, two days later, inside the houseboat, bedroom.
After washing up, Chen Qi stood by the mirror and turned around with effort to check his back.
At this moment, thanks to moderate healing, even though he had been injured earlier, his body still showed a relatively healthy state.
“No major problems.”
Chen Qi gave himself a quick self-examination.
Apart from his spine, there were no internal or external injuries.
Relying on his chef skills, the transcendent vegetables from Black Soil, and the triple buff from his development period, his constitution had reached 44 points.
His endurance had also improved considerably.
With 44 constitution points, he was already able to equip simple mechanical symbiotic armor.
Once his constitution exceeded 60, he could even install flesh armor in an integrated manner.After watering the small yellow flowers on the windowsill, he sat down and took out the latest newspaper.
Traveling alone to Blackore City was boring to the extreme.
The tireless water spirits, working continuously, had also reached their limits.
At this moment, he was the only one stirring on the huge ship.
Lonely, quiet, cold... Chen Qi joked to himself.
Fortunately, during the voyage, he encountered a Seal Logistics Company ship and managed to get the latest newspaper from Blackore City.
Opening the newspaper, he could learn about recent major events in Blackore City.
In the Rift Sea, Blackore City was the site of many significant incidents and also held many opportunities.
“Blackore City’s environmental issues urgently need resolution; rifts increase, former prosperous mining area faces huge challenges.”
“Massive Blade Rift battle between Blood Blade Pirates and Blackfin Crew! Casualties exceed five hundred! Battle! Awesome!”
“Over a thousand maritime conflict incidents; when will sea robberies stop? What exactly is the navy doing?”
“Notice: Sea Beast Twelve-Tentacles and Natural Disaster Blade Storm are rampaging in the northern sea region!”
“The number of adventurers and residents in Blackore mining area, as well as market size, hit new highs.”
“The Blood Blade Pirates’ leader has gone into seclusion; the Blood Lady weeps daily; Blackfin Crew’s great pirate captain Bearded publicly states he will take good care of the Blood Lady on behalf of Blood Blade Pirates’ leader Blood Dragon.”
“The Blood Lady declares she will send someone to kill Bearded and send him to the Goldenfinch Kingdom to experience a whole new gender.”
“Mysterious deals and love-hate entanglements between Black Hunter and the Flower Witch.”
Chen Qi quickly skimmed the news before him.
“All recent updates about Blackore City… wait, what’s that last one?”
Chen Qi raised an eyebrow and looked carefully.
First, because Black Hunter and the Flower Witch once killed Mad Shark together, their relationship had always been a mystery.
Many suspected a superior-subordinate relationship between them.
But who was above whom? No consensus had ever been reached.
Many believed the Flower Witch was the superior, and Black Hunter was subordinate.
Others thought Black Hunter’s monstrous personality made him the superior, with the Flower Witch subordinate.
On this matter, a brave reporter risked an interview with an Ice Demon Pirate insider, the major merchant Jin Li.
Jin Li, well-versed in history, told everyone that history shows the Witch was never a brutal monster, but a hunter of sea beasts and savior of the Witch Sea, hoping everyone would abandon their prejudice against the Witch.
Although the Flower Witch was ruthless, it was always for the good of the Witch Sea.
At the same time, the Flower Witch could never collude with a monster of the sea like Black Hunter.
The final conclusion was that the Ice Demon Pirates believed the Flower Witch and Black Hunter could not be on the same side; their cooperation was brief and only to oppose the Blackfin Crew.
The reason for cooperation might be that the Flower Witch threatened Black Hunter, possibly implanting a parasitic seed or administering lethal poison to him.
In short, the story was completely fabricated from the start.
“…”
Damn clickbait. I thought there was big news… Chen Qi muttered.
“Hm? Pelu, you unscrupulous reporter… hmm?”
The article was not written by Pelu but by Lilith, Pelu’s top rival from Witch Times newspaper.
So it was you… Chen Qi thought quietly.
As a journalist who started in scandalous news, Lilith was a genius novelist who could turn a story like ‘Count keeps a mistress’ into a year-long romantic tragedy report full of exaggerations.
One could only say that Miss Lilith was holding back quite a bit.
Chen Qi scanned recent Rift Sea newspapers; aside from this report, there was nothing about him.
And this report was just a corner article, unable to cause any ripple.
If not for Pelu’s report from Moonstone City, he would have long disappeared from the public eye.
“My spotlight in the Rift Sea has temporarily dimmed…”
Chen Qi thought to himself.
Calm seas at last!
Finally…
I can start stirring things up again!
Since no one is paying attention, maybe I can pull off something big!
After all, Black Hunter’s identity was extremely useful, especially for robbery.
Next, Chen Qi focused his gaze on Blackore City’s black market.
He remembered that in Blackore City’s black market, there were many treasures, including very rare forbidden skill cards for sale.
Time to make a trip to the black market…
He still had plenty of weapons from the Beiguo Meteorological Bureau on him.
Besides forbidden cards and weapon trades, Blackore City had many low-difficulty, high-reward rare events where special forbidden creations could be obtained.
Chen Qi glanced at his not-so-rich wallet.
Make money! Making money is the way!
If things went on like this, even the fuel money for going out to sea would be a problem.
Unconsciously, dazzling light pierced the night and shone through the window onto his face.
“The lighthouse, finally here…”
Chen Qi glanced at Water Spirit No.1, still evolving, and walked out of the bedroom.
In the distance, on top of the huge lighthouse, a brown-bearded, hooked-nosed lighthouse keeper aimed a spotlight at him.
Chen Qi took out his chef’s profession certificate for the dining ship and the pass he obtained from Damarro Town from his backpack card, pointing them toward the lighthouse.
The lighthouse keeper’s lips curled into a slight smile as he shook the lantern in his hand:
“Welcome to Blackore City, welcome to the city of night~”
Blackore City always welcomed young people, especially those venturing out to sea—cheap, practical, and valuable.
Chen Qi moored the houseboat at the harbor and stepped off the ship.
Unlike Moonstone City, Blackore City had no walls; just walk inward, and you enter the residential area.
The first impression of this island city was dirty, messy, and poor.
There was sewage everywhere on the ground, along with dead fish scattered about. Because of the mining industry, the air carried a coal slag scent.
Despite the terrible environment, Blackore City was undeniably the largest city in the Rift Sea, the dream starting point for countless people, and also the ruin for many.
Even though it was already midnight, the entire city was still brightly lit.
Workers, adventurers, hunters, women, traveling merchants, navy…
In fact, many people enjoyed the atmosphere of the night. Compared to daytime, Blackore City was noticeably livelier at night.
After registering his medium-sized ship, Chen Qi headed into the city.
As he walked down the street, a man and a woman, both tattooed with Ghostfire Fish, fixed their eyes on him.
“This city is really troublesome…”
Chen Qi pulled out his Collector rifle and hung it at his waist to show his danger.
Unlike Moonstone City, the forces ruling this city had shifted from gangs to pirate crews and big companies.
Although the navy maintained basic order in Blackore City, they could only maintain superficial peace.
In Moonstone City, as long as you didn’t enter dangerous areas at night, you wouldn’t be targeted by some burly black man.
But in Blackore City, if you were a newcomer, you might bend over and get slapped hard on the butt by some nutcase.
This was Blackore City, a city with simple folk customs.
Newcomers without strength were just fat lambs waiting to be slaughtered here.
“I remember there should be a black market managed by the Blood Blade Pirates here…”
Chen Qi wandered through the streets and finally arrived at the ‘Shell Grand Market’ managed by the Blood Blade Pirates.
Under the dim streetlights, his shadow stretched long.
According to forum data, the black market managed by the Blood Blade Pirates had the fewest violent incidents and was the most privacy-conscious black market.
It was also the largest black market for weapon business.
If a newcomer wanted to buy or sell weapons, this was the best black market in Blackore City.
And he happened to have a lot of weapons of unknown origin.
Moreover, Chen Qi remembered there was a special customer infected with Sea Beast Disease here, from whom special forbidden creations could be obtained.
“Business, making money!”
Chen Qi put on his hunter’s clothes to cover his face, preventing others from recognizing him.
Then, excitedly, he pushed open an iron door. With a slight creak, the vast world beyond the door gradually revealed itself.
Smoke swirled, and various stalls intertwined, forming a busy and chaotic market.
Under dim lights, a dazzling array of goods filled the market, from antiques, jewelry, to rare medicinal herbs and high-powered weapons—everything imaginable.
Stall owners busily tended to their business; some whispered quietly, others haggled with customers. Their faces bore an indescribable expression—business shrewdness mixed with underworld cunning.
As he entered the market, a shiny-faced, chubby merchant approached, forcing a smile:
“Customer? Want to buy Ghostfire Oil? This is top-tier weapon coating, imported from the Black Blood Empire. You might not know, this stuff can harm the Coastal Apex Predators. Five grams, original price fifty thousand Shell Coins, now only twenty thousand for you.”
“You’re sure it’s not imported from me? Also, that price is way too high. You at least multiplied the price by five…” Chen Qi glanced at the Ghostfire Oil in the chubby merchant’s hand and cut to the chase:
“Not interested. I’m here to sell weapons.”
“Sell weapons?”
The chubby merchant glanced at the Collector rifle at Chen Qi’s waist and chuckled:
“If it’s that gun at your waist, we might be interested, but you probably don’t want to sell it. For regular goods, you can try selling at the internal stalls.”
Those vendors wouldn’t accept weapons from the Beiguo Meteorological Bureau… Chen Qi immediately said:
“No, I have lots of weapons and items to buy. I want to go underground to complete this deal. If possible, could you inform your boss Chameleon?”
Chameleon, the black market boss, was a mercurial third-tier transcendent and a weapons dealer specializing in Shell Blade Affinity.
Upon hearing Chameleon’s name, the chubby merchant instantly broke out in sweat:
“Chameleon, Chameleon… Sir, please don’t mention our boss’s name. He just had a breakup. Two days ago, he got conned out of twenty million by Jin Li, the major merchant of the Ice Demon Pirates…”
Slap!
The moment the word ‘conned’ left his mouth, a fierce punch landed hard on the chubby merchant’s face!
A man with an oily face, an afro, and a flat nose suddenly appeared, delivering a brutal knee strike to the merchant’s crotch:
“Damn it, who told you I got conned? I got robbed!!”
Service was pretty fast… Chen Qi was startled.
At this moment, Chameleon turned his head and growled fiercely:
“Who’s this punk? Don’t you know someone like me only entertains high-class clients, not trash like you…”
“Tarot Series tattoo surgery Moon, grants ability to hide in the environment, but it can’t escape spiritual energy detection.”
Chen Qi said quietly.
Most people in the black market had no manners. If you didn’t show knowledge and strength immediately, they wouldn’t even glance at you and might even gut you.
Chameleon, under the Blood Blade Pirates, was already considered a relatively high-quality person here.
Knowing the origin of my tattoo surgery and that my inspiration is high… Chameleon’s scowl instantly transformed into a professional business face, then he slapped the chubby merchant twice:
“Not like trash who can’t even entertain guests properly. Sir, I was just drunk and disciplining staff. Please forgive me. Are you here to sell weapons or buy weapons?”
Chen Qi glared at Chameleon:
“Both.”
A second-tier transcendent dares to glare at me? Looks like you have some background… Chameleon swallowed and put his hands in his pockets, walking deeper into the market:
“Sir, follow me. Conflicts in the Rift Sea are getting fiercer, and weapons business is booming. Though I’m in charge, let me say—unless it’s a big deal, there’s no need to call me directly!”
Recently, someone must have leaked he was the boss, causing everyone to come looking for him right at the door.
He’s the boss, not some all-around entertainer.
Chameleon pushed open an iron door and entered an underground market to find a woman to handle the young client’s business.
Below the Shell Market was the place for forbidden creations trading—the black market.
Chen Qi glanced roughly; many people here had reputations, and some even wore navy weapons.
In the right place… Chen Qi took out the backpack card containing Beiguo Meteorological Bureau weapons:
“Chameleon, this business isn’t huge. I hope you can offer a reasonable price.”
Chameleon scanned nearby but couldn’t find any idle subordinates:
“Fine.”
Chameleon and Chen Qi walked to a less conspicuous corner:
“What are you selling?”
Without hesitation, Chen Qi emptied the Beiguo Meteorological Bureau weapons from the backpack card.
Clang! Clang!
In an instant, the weapons and transcendent items piled into a small mountain.
“Heh, sir, you’ve got quite a few weapons…”
Chameleon lowered his head, preparing to check their condition.
Then, the next second, he saw the Beiguo Meteorological Bureau’s insignia.
He smiled:
“Sir, you can get Meteorological Bureau weapons? What kind of middleman are you?”
He flipped through the pile.
Why is the Meteorological Bureau insignia still here?
Wait! Something’s not right.
“??”
Chameleon flipped again.
All these weapons and items seem to be from the Beiguo Meteorological Bureau!
What kind of dealer are you?
Cold sweat dripped down Chameleon’s face as he forced a smile and said shakily:
“Honored guest, are you a weapon wholesaler or are you from the Beiguo Meteorological Bureau?”