- VOL 1 – THOSE UNITED BY THE FATE -

Chapter 2: Future Plans (12/12)

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‘I guess there's only one thing left for me to do.’

A chestnut-haired boy was walking alone in the quiet streets. He was focused and carefully observing his surroundings. Even though it was nightfall, it was still bright. The moon, in particular, was shining brightly after the rain had stopped.

‘Past one point, the city becomes deserted. The other side is alive as if there is a celebration going on all the time. There are really sharp transitions on some streets though.’

After the sun had set, it was cooler, but nothing compared to the previous night. With the rain, puddles, and patches of mud had accumulated. Unlike the noise and chaos of the night before, this place seemed to be in the hands of nature.

"Come, traders, come! There's nothing like this even in the West!"

"Three pieces for thirty bronze, three pieces for thirty bronze!"

"The moon is bright tonight, luck is at our door! Come, come to Umar's gambling!"

Everyone was energized as if the day was just beginning. Merchants shouting at the top of their lungs to sell their wares, acrobats performing various stunts to make money, cunning people trying to attract the crowd with games of luck...

But Shin had no business in that area and so he continued walking, ignoring the people around him. After half an hour of walking, he came to a place where the noise had suddenly stopped and not a single soul was around. Just like last night, here, even though there were a few people on some streets, no one could see anyone's face. Everyone seemed to be hiding in the darkness. Shin felt as if someone was going to come out of the darkness and attack him at any moment.

‘How am I going to find this Black Market?’

All he heard were whispers, so he didn't think he could get any clues from his surroundings. There were no signs or anything to tell him where to go. There were only buildings and empty streets.

‘It seems like the only thing I can do now is to keep walking until I find a place that looks strange. Although everything here is already weird and unclear, I guess I haven't reached that place yet. At least I hope so...’

Focused on his surroundings, looking for a clue, Shin didn't notice the man in front of him and bumped into him, shaking slightly.

"Ahh, I apologize."

He apologized but got no response from the other person. The person he bumped into was standing still without moving. Shin didn't pay much attention to this and thought of passing by him, but just as he was about to move, the person in front of him took off his hood and blocked him.

"Shin?"

The chestnut-haired boy was quite surprised. He had never thought he would meet someone he recognized even here.

"Kulong-san? What are you doing here?"

He could actually guess the answer to his question. He even felt a slight joy because of it.

"That's a question for you. Didn't you get lost around here just yesterday? Are you looking for trouble?"

The man who took off his hood said this in an angry tone. His voice, combined with his solid size, made him look really scary, but the boy in front of him grinned instead of being scared. Seeing this, the man's demeanor also turned 180 degrees.

"Hahaha! The youth..."

He grabbed Shin's neck with one arm and squeezed him closer to himself. Although he didn't seem to have any ulterior motives, it made the boy uncomfortable. Kulong, his face filled with longing and happiness, ignored it and began to speak.

"Huhh... When I was young, I was just as excited as you. I would chase any job that would put me in danger, and go to places I shouldn't have gone."

Shin couldn't take Kulong's squeeze any longer and gently pushed his arm away from him. This move also brought Kulong's consciousness back to the present.

"Yes, yes, Kulong-san. I would like to hear about your past, but can you leave that story for another time?"

Kulong was stunned for a moment as he awoke from his reverie, but he didn't wait long to answer the question.

"Anyway, I think you are looking for Black Market. Let me warn you one more time. It's good that you are confident, but you have to be very careful there. You could be in trouble before you know it."

Shin was a little surprised that Kulong knew what he was going to ask him before he even opened his mouth. But he didn't want to prolong this conversation any longer. Right now he was excited about the Black Market and all he wanted to do was explore it.

"Where is this so-called Black Market?"

He looked at the man in front of him quite seriously.

"Huhh... There are many secret entrances, but the simplest way is to go under the mountain. There's a very obvious passage there and it leads to what we can call the center of the Black Market."

Receiving the information he wanted, Shin grinned slightly. Then he continued talking.

"Thank you, Kulong-san. And don't worry, I'll be careful."

He wanted to get back to work without saying too much, but there was one last thing he wanted to know before he left.

"So what have you been doing here? We've been running into each other around here for two days."

Kulong replied with a sly smile.

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"Hehehe. Don't get that confused. You know, the big gear in the center of the spinning wheels is attached here. I mind my own business."

Then he read the face of the boy in front of him and prepared to say goodbye.

"You're obviously in a hurry, enough small talk. One last piece of advice, watch out for the guards. Not that anything bad will happen if you get caught, but they'll probably send you back."

"Hmm? Why didn't I see any guards?"

"After the celebration, when it got crowded, they moved the guards from the back areas to the central points. They'll be back to the old order soon, though. There is no law or order in this city. So no one can say anything about you wandering around and doing business here. But as I said, the guards were created by the guilds and they are trying to create a somewhat safe trade environment. But even with the guards, it's still dangerous. So try to be sneaky around."

The burly man winked at the boy after his last words and gave him his advice. But the boy was already on the move. In the direction of the mountain. Kulong sighed and turned his back to the boy, not wanting to interfere with him any further. He pulled his hood over his head and headed in the opposite direction to the mountain to leave.

"See you later, Kulong-san!"

That was the last voice he heard with his back turned. He raised one hand in the air and said goodbye. He wasn't sure the boy had seen this, but he had his own work to do and didn't bother to turn around again.

"A really interesting boy..."

There was a hint of satisfaction in his mumbled voice, though his face was hidden behind his hood.

"He even managed to get out of my headlock."

-

"So I just had to go to the mountain."

Shin looked up at the huge mountain in front of him. It wasn't long before he reached it. Although there was no problem in that respect, as he continued to move forward, things started to bother him. For example, the uncomfortable looks directed at him were one of them.

‘Huhh... Now I understand better why Kulong-san wears such clothes. Walking around here without hiding your face is like walking around the battlefield unarmed...’

He slowed his pace for a moment, questioning his choice to keep moving forward. His feelings were telling him bad things. Nevertheless, before he could completely stop his steps and turn back in the direction he had come from, he succumbed to his curiosity and kept moving forward.

‘Whatever. It's a mistake to pile all the work into one day. I don't need to be in such a hurry. For now, I just need to learn about the entrance.’

It didn't take him long to reach the foot of the mountain. He had been walking in this direction without realizing it before he met Kulong.

‘There are guards around...’

As he got closer to the mountain, guards began to appear. They were patrolling the streets and they were certainly not few in number. Unlike other people, they didn't cover their bodies and faces, they wore armor with a crest on it. So they were extra conspicuous.

‘Kulong-san was right. On the way here, there were only strange-looking people on the streets. And yet the guards are only gathered at the foot of this mountain? Their sense of security is quite amazing...’

"Are there any problems?"

"No, sir! Everyone minds their own business, sir!"

"Good. Carry on with your patrol."

Shin was startled by this voice as he was watching the mountain from behind a building. He quickly pulled his head away and hid again.

‘I barely made it here undetected, but now I'm in grave danger. Especially with my appearance...’

Shin softly poked his head out of the corner as the soldier who had just reported the situation walked past him. Then he looked at the small settlement next to the mountain. It was an unenclosed and exposed gathering place with a few tables and barrels. The other person who had spoken earlier was standing there alone, tending to something on the table.

‘They have practically set up a base here.’

Shin didn't think this guard would be a problem for him, and then he focused on the other thing in front of him. The building he was hiding behind was the last structure before the gap in front of the mountain. The part at the entrance of the mountain consisted of a wide gap. Many roads, including the alleyway Shin had come from, led to it and connected to the ground beneath the mountain. The huge crevice with a sign at the entrance that read "Black Market".

‘Hmm... It's quite simple, yet majestic. It looks like it was formed naturally. I guess they built it in a natural cave or something.’

Occasionally there were some people quietly making their way into the crevice, but not as big a crowd as Shin thought. Sometimes there were more people coming out than going in. But the empty space in front of the mountain was never filled, and the people who appeared soon left again.

‘At least this place is a bit more lively than the gloomy streets before. Still, it's a bit annoying that everyone is trying to hide their identity.’

Seeing nothing else around that might be of use to him, Shin began to comment on the scene before him. As much as he would have liked to know more about the place that interested him, the Black Market, he couldn't go in as it was. Outside, he could see nothing but a few torches illuminating the entrance to the rift.

‘Huh... I guess there's nothing to do. Like this, I can't even get close to the entrance, let alone go inside.’

Sighing in disappointment, Shin decided not to waste any more time here and turned his back on the mountain. His earlier excitement and curiosity had faded a little. He made his way back to the street he had come from and started on his way back, careful not to make a noise.

‘I think I've got the plan for tomorrow. I'll go downtown in the morning and visit some shops. The best time to walk around here seems to be at night.’

He continued walking, lost in thought. Although the guards patrolled many streets, the alleyways were empty. Even emptier than usual...

"Wow. Nice coat, little man."

He was walking along these quiet streets, enjoying the air, but he had to stop when a handful of thug-looking men roused him from his thoughts. They had suddenly appeared from another street and blocked his way.

"I'm sure your daddy would buy you some new goodies, won't you want to help your brothers who are cold in this weather?"

Shin was a little surprised by this sudden turn of events. He could only stare at the men in front of him and could not answer the so-called question.

"Get undressed. Let's see what you're wearing."

The men who intercepted him were a group of four. Three of them looked weak and feeble, while the last one to speak and the biggest of the four stood out as their leader. Despite their weak appearance, they all wore armor, albeit worn, and had a short sword at their waists.

"Hahaha! I think the boy is in shock, boss!"

One of the thin men laughed and looked at the one at the front. Then the other two in the back joined him. Only their leader at the front looked serious. He slowly approached Shin and spoke a little louder. He even spoke in a shouting tone, as if he didn't care about the patrolling guards.

"Are you deaf, boy!"

Shin turned his face to the man approaching him and looked him in the eyes. The man had stopped approaching at the boy's gesture. He hoped he would finally hear an answer. And it was as he had hoped. The boy spoke calmly and gently.

"I think there is no need for violence. Aren't there guards around here? You might get into trouble."

He had a small smile on his face after his words. The only serious person in the place burst into laughter when he heard what Shin said and saw him putting on a smile. Then he continued to talk loudly, spitting and shouting.

"HAHAHA! FUNNY GUY. I GUESS YOU DON'T WATCH WHERE YOU WALK! THEY WOULDN'T FIND YOUR CARCASS HERE!"

After this yelling, he drew the sword from his waist and pointed it at the boy. Even if the sword did not touch the boy, there were only a few steps between them. This reaction of the man was met with a loud laugh from the other three in the back.

"Boss, calm down. He's obviously lost, he must not know his way around here. Let's give him his youth, the young man will learn gradually."

Hearing this, the man in front relaxed his tense body a little. Then, in contrast to his angry laughter, he let out a joyful one.

"Hahaha! You're right, I'm just pissed at those bastard guards. They didn't let us off the hook tonight, but luckily there are some people wandering around in the alleys."

"Yes, boss. We understand you. Anyway, we don't need to fool around any longer. We'd strip you down to your underwear, kid, but be thankful for your age. It's enough for you to just take off your fancy coat."

With that, the man in front laughed slightly and said something contrary to the words of the man behind him.

"I don't think so, I think if he doesn't realize his mistake he won't learn. Take your clothes off. Completely."

Then he licked his tongue and made a lustful face. Shin was surprised by what he heard. Most of all about the guards. He expressed his thoughts aloud. Then he started laughing too, joining the laughter of the men.

"Hahaha! The guards don't come to this area? Is the security of this city a joke? HAHAHAHA!"

The bandits were stunned by his laughter. They stared at him for a while, but when all he did was continue laughing, their faces turned serious and displeased. Their leader, in particular, was clearly a man of short temper. This time he responded to the boy with even greater irritation than his first reaction, making a fist with the hand that was not holding his sword and swinging it at the boy.

"Hahaha! Huhh... That's really funny. And also, I have to get undressed?"

But the punch did not hit. The man swung his fist again, Shin avoided him again. Meanwhile, the trio in the back were wide-eyed, trying to figure out what was going on.

"KID, DON'T TEST MY PATIENCE! I'LL HAVE YOU EATEN ALIVE BY STREET DOGS!"

The boy's laughter stopped as he avoided the punches as if the man's words had gotten to him. But the smile did not disappear. Instead, it slowly diminished in intensity and eventually took on a strange, uncomfortable look. Seeing this, the slight man was a little startled. At the same time, he was tired of swinging his fist, so he thought he would quickly finish off the boy in front of him with his sword. He swung his sword a few times, but Shin dodged them as easily as he dodged the punches. Finally, the man swallowed his pride, turned his head back, and called the group he was leading to his side.

"GET HIM! I GUESS HE WON'T UNDERSTAND THE SWEET TAL-"

- End of Chapter 2: Future Plans -