Volume 4, 39: Meeting an Old Friend
After copying all the missions on a piece of paper, I threw it into my ring, and took out the Momiji terminal plugin. The terminal returned to normal in an instant. Shutting down the electrical supply, I left through the entrance.
“Wait a minute.”
The man in black at the entrance stopped me. Then, he pressed on a button on the door. A moment later, the light next to the button lighted up.
“You can leave now.”
After saying that, he moved away from the door.
They actually have an inspection equipment? They couldn’t have recorded my operations earlier, right?
But it’s best to not ask something like that. Even if that’s the case, the moment I entered the black market, I had already disguised my face into a totally different person. In the black market, if anyone purposefully tries to expose a person’s disguise, then that person is basically courting death.
After finishing this task, I finally had the chance to buy some useful items in this mysterious black market.
Truthfully, the black market here has brought back the memories of the middle ages described in the games I played. What’s different from the torn-down houses outside, was the dark and rotten atmosphere floating here. I could feel that I was in a world governed by absolute power, and power alone, and not in front of my television watching those so-called politicians talking nonsense.
historical
As I expected, the black market sells a variety of things. For example, memory forgetting potions, and those miniature assassination devices. As long as it’s something you can think of, it’s basically possible to buy it here.
But in this black market, only a few people would directly change their faces like me. Most of the people were wearing scarves or masks to hide their faces. Really, even if you were to wear a mask, I will still know who you are, alright? Your name is floating above your head, you know?
But this only applies to me, of course.
But within a mere half an hour, I have already walked through about half of the entire black market. The things I bought were only the recipe of a potion that recovers both HP and MP at the same time, different variety of locks, and devices that detect magical lock formations.
As for the rest, even though I felt they might be of use, but to the current me, I don’t really have the money to buy all these items that ‘might be of use’.
But after walking for another short while, I was suddenly drawn in by a product being displayed at the entrance of a small shop at the end of the street. After approaching a few steps, I realized I was really not mistaken.
A railgun was actually displayed at the entrance of this shop!
I have to thank my Physics teacher for teaching me well, adding that the wires and circuit boards were basically at the exterior, I was able to easily discern the operating principle of this thing.
It’s worth to also mention that this railgun actually uses a lightning magic crystal as an energy source. And there’s even what looks like a complete control equipment at the top.
I looked inside the store, and there’s actually no one inside. Is this how you do business? There’s no one to welcome me at all.
But I don’t even need to use my brain to know the person who made this equipment. I opened my friend list, and as I thought, Dale’s name was lighted up.
I opened up the chat window, and sent a message over.
‘Come and greet your customer. How do you do business like this?’
10 seconds after I sent the message, sounds of crashing and things breaking resounded from inside the shop, and an unkempt man dressed in a white coat jumped out. He even had a couple of wires strung around him.
Dale Lester
LV 18 Lightning Magician
[Neutral] [Blinding Lightning User] [Magic Researcher] [Hell Middleman] [Devilish Inventor] [Fugitive]
“Hey, Dale, it’s been so long since I last saw you, you look more.. professional now.”
“Fir, it really is you. I didn’t expect to see you in a small border city like this.. Did you follow me here or something? Just to let you know, I only wish to devote myself to research. I have already gave up on this violent and scheming world. This place is totally different from an actual game.”
After saying that, he actually started crying.
Oh my god, your heart is a little too weak, don’t you think? “Just what happened to you? How did you end up like this?”
“That bastard king, announced that I fled the kingdom, but in actual fact, he
drugged me and caused me to lose consciousness. Then, he dragged me to a cliff and threw me over, ending the entire incident once and for all.. Oh god, you won’t understand how it feels to know death is approaching, and yet you can’t do anything about it. Hence, after that, I fled here, and started this store. Although this mainstream railgun isn’t being taken notice of, but the assassination equipment I pioneered are selling quite well. Many shops are ordering them in bulks, giving me enough money to fund my research.”
“Do you know?”
I looked at him bitterly.
“At the start, I couldn’t help but pity you. But when you spoke of what happened at the end, I really want to beat you up.”
“Why?”
“Because I personally experienced the effectiveness of your assassination equipment.”
“Is that so..”
Dale said apologetically.
“I invented that thing less than a week ago, I didn’t expect that..”
“Alright, alright, that’s not the main point. Speaking of which, you were actually killed by that despicable king? Naturally, you should have paid more attention. In
that country, you’re one of the only few that’s able to speak with people at the same level as the king. Hence, people would definitely think that you’re too dangerous, and thus kill you.”
“Well.. That’s why I say I hate things like politics.”
“This isn’t even the basics of politics we’re talking about here.. Anyway, so you’re currently planning to create this railgun of yours?”
“No, because the power within the lightning magic crystals were beyond my imagination, I completed the development of the railgun in an instant.”
“Then what is..”
“I’m trying to combine this with an automatic doll, making it a mechanical weapon.”
“Wait.. wait a minute, you’re telling me you’re currently helping the Smuu household to improve their dolls?”
“How did you know about that? And here I thought it was a secret project.” “This.. it’s indeed a secret project, but it’s not a secret to me.”
Installing a railgun onto an automatic doll? This is basically insane. A man-made
mechanical Misaka? If one does not care about the appearance, this name would completely fit.
But if news of this was to spread, the mechanized weapons that Dale pioneered will definitely attract the attentions of many countries in the continent. Although I don’t know which country the Smuu household plans to support, these weapons will definitely change the upcoming wars.
But it’s best to not care about this military stuffs. For now, I have to focus on my mission.
“Dale, currently, you have a good chance to retrieve your confidence in adventuring this world.”
“No way, I really..”
“No, listen to me. I will help you settle Mitchell Kingdom. We will avenge ourselves together, but the condition is.. you have to help us enter the Smuu household tonight. How about it?”
“.. Really?”
“If it’s possible, I want the prototype of the automatic doll with the railgun installed as well.”
“As long as you promise me.. to turn that bastard, who pushed me off the cliff, into cosmic dust.”
“No problem.”