Chapter 47

Chapter 47

"We're here."

The familiar voice startled Lu Cian, almost sending him sprawling.

Steadying himself, Lu Cian gazed blankly at the seemingly empty space ahead. "Here?"

Then he watched Nair Inan step left, treading on an unremarkable stone.

With a *click*, the flat ground ahead suddenly split open, revealing a downward staircase.

It dawned on Lu Cian. He knew the black market operated in the shadows, yet he’d completely forgotten it would be underground.

Still, he found the whole setup excessive.

Vandera was an entire planet—using a whole planet to conceal a black market was already over the top. Was there truly a need to hide it underground as well?

Wouldn’t it be more discreet to first construct buildings above ground and then conceal the black market beneath?

Did they think Vandera wasn't shady enough? That the black market wasn’t obvious enough?

Lu Cian almost burst out laughing. Vandera was supposed to be a habitable planet. It was already strange enough that no insects lived there, and now they’d gone and buried the black market underground.

What a waste!

Then it occurred to Lu Cian that Vandera’s black market was officially registered with the royal family and several major noble houses.

*That explains it*, Lu Cian mused.

"Afraid of the dark?" In the dimness, female insects could heighten their senses. Nair Inan, now hyper-aware, noticed Lu Cian’s uneasy expression.

Lu Cian shook his head, whispering, "I just think the black market’s disguise is too perfunctory. It just goes to show how lenient the higher-ups are."

Nair Inan couldn’t help but chuckle, patting him on the shoulder. "Once we’re inside, speak little and observe less."

Lu Cian instantly understood—he’d put his foot in his mouth again. "Got it. Once we’re in, I’ll be deaf, blind, and mute."

Nair Inan laughed. He hadn’t meant to be so strict, but considering Lu Cian’s usual vivacity, perhaps it wasn’t such a bad idea.

"No need to be so dramatic. If you see something you like, tell me after we’ve found a place to settle."

It was rare for Nair Inan to be so good-tempered. Perhaps ever since their escape from Larenha, their luck had been good, and everything was moving in a positive direction—his mood had clearly improved.

Lu Cian nodded. "Alright."

When they finally emerged from the darkness and entered Vandera’s black market, Lu Cian decided that playing deaf and dumb for the day was fine, but he’d keep his eyes open.

This was clearly a black market run by nobles—a world away from the streets he’d seen on Larenha.

When he’d first transmigrated, Lu Cian had thought he was dreaming, seeing such a densely packed place.

The memory was still vivid, like it happened yesterday, but compared to the scene before him now, there was no comparison.

Had he not seen it with his own eyes today, Lu Cian might have forever cherished that dreamlike scene as a perfect, unforgettable memory.

Towering skyscrapers, shimmering lights, and a sun-like orb hanging impossibly close overhead.

The insects’ ability to create realistic illusions had reached its zenith—Lu Cian was filled with both admiration and awe.

Massive buildings pierced the clouds, weaving through artificial mists. Looking closer, Lu Cian noticed that many of the distant structures weren’t grounded—they floated in midair!

This was even more astonishing than the futuristic cities he’d imagined. Suspended architecture—it was like something out of a myth.

Floating skyscrapers existed on Blue Star too, but there, it was more about jury-rigged fixes than true technology.

Here was different. This wasn’t just "technology and hard work"—this was the real deal!

Among the streets, besides the hooded insects coming and going, there were also black market enforcers. But Lu Cian could tell at a glance—those weren’t real insects. They were bot-bugs.

The bot-bugs moved their mechanical limbs with uncanny precision, as if they were natural extensions of their bodies, responding to their every command.

If not for their metallic shells, they’d be indistinguishable from real insects.

The bot-bugs’ forms blended seamlessly with the real insects around them.

The scenes unfolding before him were more absurd than any dream, a bizarre fusion of fantasy and reality.

Yet the sights, sounds, smells, and even the pain from pinching his own arm all confirmed—this was real.

Capitalists were truly ruthless exploiters. Who knew how much wealth had been squeezed from the people to build this? Or was technology simply this advanced? Perhaps his homeworld was even more dazzling?

By the time Lu Cian snapped back to reality, he was almost left behind by the group.

With three pairs of eyes watching him, there was no chance of him getting lost. But Nair Inan had never seen Lu Cian so spaced out before—usually, he was full of vigor, his moments of surprise and admiration fleeting. It was rare to see him frozen in place, lost in thought.

Since settling on the new planet, Nair Inan hadn’t given Lu Cian any lessons. Now, it seemed he should resume them and broaden Lu Cian’s horizons.

Lu Cian rubbed his itchy nose. He *had* been a bit carried away, but what guy wouldn’t be, seeing a city like this? He’d already shown great restraint!

But it didn’t matter. He was confident—one day, he’d build their world into something just as grand.

No, even *better* than this black market!

…

The black market streets were bustling with insects, and some shops even had vendors calling out.

If one ignored the fact that this was a gray area, it truly resembled a thriving commercial district.

Lu Cian had intended to ask Nair Inan where they should go, but as he was about to speak, he realized he couldn’t talk freely. Revealing their identities would be too costly.

Moreover, Lu Cian had a record in the Larenha Prison, and his voice print might be in the archives.

Their group of four, all in black hoods and cloaks, didn’t stand out much—except for Lu Cian’s short stature. Among the towering, broad-shouldered insects, he looked like a little insect who’d wandered into a group of adults, comically out of place.

But this was the black market—what kind of situation hadn’t they seen?

Other insects merely glanced their way, finding the group interesting for bringing an underage female insect. They wondered if they’d even get him home safely.

They speculated that if this group wasn’t a bunch of black market novices, they were probably nobles escorting a junior.

If it was the latter, they should be envious—after all, that family might even own a share of the black market.

…

The black market also had inns, but since the place was already designed to fleece customers, the accommodation fees were exorbitant.

A basic room that would cost a few hundred star coins elsewhere went for a whole gemstone here.

When traveling, the saying goes, "travel light but spend right," but they were genuinely poor, unable to afford a lavish trip.

Among them, only Nair Inan and Wawen could be considered nobles, while the other two were flat broke—Lu Cian especially, who had nothing to his name. Everything he owned was given by Nair Inan.

Seeing Nair Inan pull out a gemstone from his pocket to pay for the room, Lu Cian was both shocked and a little embarrassed.

After being rescued by Nair Inan, he had been eating his food, wearing his clothes, sleeping under his roof... It almost felt like mooching off him. Lu Cian couldn't shake the guilt.

Before, he had thought himself useful—he could cook and farm.

But these skills weren’t that hard to learn; anyone could learn them with a bit of effort. Once the others mastered them, what else could he offer to repay Brother Nan?

Following the group inside, Lu Cian was stunned when he saw their lodging—one large bed and one small bed, all four of them squeezed into one room.

Turning back, he noticed the clerk checking the gemstone without any change in expression, as if such gems were commonplace.

A rip-off! What a scam!

After closing the door and inspecting the room for surveillance devices (finding none), Lu Cian voiced his dismay with a burning question: "Are the four of us really supposed to fit in here?"

The others hadn’t realized the situation either. Damon frowned. "Last time, it wasn’t like this."

Though Nair Inan’s expression was also dark, his reaction was calmer than the others. "Things must've changed in the Empire."

Lu Cian didn’t know what had happened in the Empire, but he understood the implication. "So it wasn’t this bad before? Did the prices go up this time?"

Wawen’s face darkened. "Worse. The gem we gave was of better quality than last time, yet four rooms turned into one—and the lousiest one too."

Lu Cian was shocked, then grew suspicious. "Do you think that guy skimmed some off and deliberately gave us the worst room?"

Nair Inan shook his head. "Unlikely. If it were just one of us, they might try something shady. But with three of us—plus you as an unknown factor—they wouldn’t dare."

Though the black market operated on the fringes of the law, it wasn’t the space pirates' stronghold. With noble families and the royal court involved behind the scenes, they wouldn’t blatantly swindle customers.

If they drove clients away before even extracting profit, how could they keep scamming them later?

They had to maintain some standards. If they became nothing more than a cash cow for the royals and nobles, with no credibility left, even the most desperate outlaws would prefer dealing with space pirates.

If the outcome was losing everything anyway, they might as well take a risk and find a more trustworthy pirate crew.

With that mindset, the operators running the black market wouldn’t let business slip away.

Damon spoke up. "Boss, I’ll go check things out."

Nair Inan nodded. "Be careful."

Though no surveillance devices were found in the room, they couldn’t be sure there weren't more advanced equipment. To be safe, they kept things vague—not even removing their hoods.

Sensing the heavy atmosphere, Lu Cian didn't feel like asking more questions.

After traveling for so long, Lu Cian lacked the stamina of the other three. Now, he was starving, thirsty, and dead tired.