Chapter 5: Black Gold, Section 6

The sound came so suddenly that, in the desolate wilderness at night, it would likely make anyone scream in shock.
Yet Hei Fa seemed to have known about it all along, not even frowning slightly. He turned around calmly and immediately saw a person.
No—actually, there were more than a dozen others beside that person, all clearly merchants. But for some reason, when standing with them, the only thing Hei Fa could focus on seemed to be that person alone.
A middle-aged man dressed in simple, clean clothes, handsome in appearance, with a kind smile on his face.
“Kare!” Blood-Pupil beside him growled softly and suddenly raised his head. The cold glint in his eyes, hidden beneath his long hair, was like lightning in the night, filled with a murderous intent that could shatter one’s spirit. Even the usually composed Hei Fa was startled.
“Good evening, dear gentlemen. It’s a pleasure to see you here. I’m Kare, the president of the Black Gold Merchant Guild,” the middle-aged man replied with a smile to Blood-Pupil’s address, showing no sign of surprise. Every gesture of his exuded the charm of a mature man, like a hospitable host.
“I heard that a new convoy has arrived in the city, carrying a large shipment to sell, so I came to take a look. Dear gentlemen, I believe any merchant would be extremely eager for new goods. Especially when those goods are important military supplies. So please forgive my bold intrusion. Might we, Black Gold, be the first buyers to see these goods?”
“Buyers?” Hei Fa smiled lightly, raised his head, and studied the middle-aged man again carefully.
“Do you know what these goods are?”
Hei Fa asked this question with a purpose. From the start, he had realized that this man named Kare was by no means easy to deal with. His steady and mature demeanor completely suppressed Blood-Pupil’s icy murderous intent the moment they met, preventing him from reacting violently. Moreover, his casual mention of the goods being military supplies demonstrated Black Gold’s formidable ability to gather information. If he could truly answer what those goods were, then undoubtedly, Hei Fa would have to prepare for battle immediately.
Fortunately, though Black Gold had great influence in Berin, it was far from having omnipotent reach.

“Of course not, dear sir. I just learned of your arrival from the city guard. I’m not yet fully aware of the details of the goods, but I’m sure you’ll explain everything to me carefully, won’t you?” Kare replied with a smile. After thinking for a moment, he emphasized his words. “Because you’ll find that in the city of Belin, there’s truly no one better than our Black Gold for trading with.” He nodded slightly, satisfied with the answer he’d received. However, it was clear to him that this wasn’t the right place for a conversation, so he merely smiled faintly. Kare also realized this. “We still need some time to organize the goods. Mr. Kare, if you don’t mind, I think we could arrange a time to talk properly. Besides these goods, one of my partners also has some troubles with your guild. I sincerely hope we can resolve this issue.” After some thought, Black Hair finally replied. “Are you referring to Sulei by your side?” Kare frowned, as if he were only now noticing the girl. “It is indeed a bit troublesome. It seems we really need to sit down and talk properly. Then, at noon tomorrow, I’ll be waiting for you at Black Gold’s headquarters.” “Thank you for the invitation. I will definitely go.” As he watched Kare and the others leave, the smile on Black Hair’s face gradually faded. A faint chill emanated from him without warning, sending a shiver through Blood Pupil beside him. “What’s wrong, Head?” “This Kare is not ordinary,” Black Hair replied. He turned and began walking slowly toward the center of Black City. Behind him, Blood Pupil and Sulei quickly followed. “He’s the president of Black Gold, in control of 70% of the guild’s shares. He’s also one of the behind-the-scenes figures in Belin’s black market. In Belin, he holds great power—he can even meet directly with the mayor and influence politics. Additionally, there are rumors that before he became wealthy, he was an excellent mecha technician.” The girl handed over information about Kare as they walked. “He’s not just an ordinary mecha technician,” Black Hair suddenly interrupted her. “I sense an unusually familiar scent about him. That scent can only be encountered in one place, no matter what time or place.” He reached out and selected a few goods from the vision crystal beside him. A hint of nostalgia flashed in Black Hair’s eyes. “A scent? One place? Where is that?” Sulei asked curiously, blinking her eyes.

But she didn’t get the answer she wanted. Hei Fa merely glanced at her briefly before walking straight ahead, never looking back.
“He meant the smell of death. I think I know where that place is,” Blood Pup, who had remained silent until then, suddenly answered the girl’s question. However, his expression seemed rather poor.
“That’s… a battlefield…”
The rest of the process was somewhat routine. It also revealed Sulei’s connections in the black market.
Almost all the managers in the black market were extremely familiar with this little girl, and they fulfilled her requests without any hesitation. In just thirty minutes, the necessary counters and electronic guidance systems were fully set up. The efficiency was so high that Hei Fa almost doubted whether they were actually government officials.
You see, a single counter in this black market is practically no different from a regular shop. The procedures involved—from application to opening—would drive a normal person crazy. For example, even a simple product inspection requires nearly ten checks on the actual item to ensure its value and existence. Not to mention the complicated processes like goods registration, price assessment, counter reservation, and equipment calibration. The fact that all of this was completed in half an hour made Hei Fa think she might not be alone, that some tradition or spirit possession was at work…
“Hehe, these officials are scared of Sulei’s harassment. I guess they just want to finish quickly so they can get away from that little girl…” Blood Pup laughed mischievously, clearly taking pleasure in their distress.