Dirty, decadent, broken, strange-smelling, dangerous…
Many words describing a terrible environment could be tied to the scene in front of Tyr, but he could neither express his feelings through language nor show discontent on his face with a frown.
Now disguised as a 16-year-old human, Maximilian Hubert Tyr had to appear as indifferent as a human who frequented such places. It would be foolish and dangerous to display the orderly habits of the elves in the ill-timed Niflheim Valley.
[This is truly awful.]
Muttering under his breath, he glanced at the young man driving the carriage and once again admired Li Lin's extraordinary adaptability and acting talent.
Anyone who could drive a carriage with his passengers in a leisurely manner, as if on a trip, in a place where fierce, suspicious-looking thieves prowled the streets, was either incredibly brave or a first-class performer.
"There's no need to be on high alert in the Black Market; sure, it's filled with murderers, robbers, thieves, and scammers that need to be guarded against, but showing excessive caution signals fear to those who'd take advantage, like the stench of rotting meat that attracts flies, only turning you into a more attractive target. So, come and go as you please in walking or riding; there's nothing to worry about."
On the way there, after giving a brief explanation of the precautions for a one-day tour of the Black Market, Li Lin distributed [Falschheit.Schmuck], a magical item given to him by the Emil Clan Leader. This item, driven by mana and made of Mithril, disguised the wearer's appearance. Once the elves lost their ability to use mana, it became a mere symbolic item during ancestor worship ceremonies. Except for the generations of chieftains who still spoke about its legendary effects, ordinary villagers were mostly unaware of it.
With Li Lin supplying these ancient ornaments with enough mana to last two days, the elves no longer had to rely on cloaks and hoods like they did in Brynhild, making it easier and more convenient for them to move about in human territories.
As for Freya - with the spare amulet in case of damage or loss, the flaxen-haired, freckled-faced country boy seemed unbothered by his surroundings. There were no signs that the transformation from a young girl to a young boy had troubled her.
"Because she's always been like a boy, in both personality and chest size."
Thor, being blunt, threw out that [unspeakable secret] thoughtlessly, only to be met with relentless kicks, knife-hand strikes, elbows, and headbutts.
The sight of a big boy being bullied by a little girl was both laughable and cringeworthy to the elves who were traveling with them. They could only try to calm the aggressive Freya down, while helplessly telling Thor that if he did not mend his unguarded ways, they might not be able to help him next time.
Grumbling to himself, Thor put the incident behind him. Given his thick skin and robust frame, Freya's attacks seemed like nothing more than tickling. In no time, he carried on with enthusiasm, joining the rest of the group in sightseeing.
What seemed like chaos and disorder to others was no problem for the elves, who felt right at home in the wild and dangerous Niflheim Valley. Compared to the dangerous species that inhabited the valley's depths, the fierce and menacing thugs of the Black Market were like cute accessories.
Ordinary humans perceive the Black Market as a place of wild bloodshed, likely due to their sense of morality and perspective. However, applying that view to the elves would be a misguided notion. For the elves who survived the brutal elimination and made it to the present day, the Black Market was almost as lively as a playground.
The elves believed that Li Lin saw it the same way they did. And in reality, there wasn't much difference between their views, except that Li Lin focused on more than just the emotions of the situation.
While the danger and cruelty of the valley overshadowed that of the Black Market, the structure of human society and the natural world varied greatly. The simplistic views of the elves couldn't be applied to human society either. The real purpose of this trip wasn't just about successful trade or improving the living conditions of the elven village; these were merely details on the way to achieving their true goal.
Cultivating a new worldview and set of values in the younger generation was the main objective of their journey. Establishing the right course for their ideological development was essential.
Li Lin could spend time, patience, and energy to act as a tireless political commissar, instilling revolutionary ideas in the ambitious young generation. However, the time frame and planning required for this method conflicted with each other. Instead, he opted for a more practical and effective approach.
By having the elves, especially the younger generation, enter the human realm without reliance on books or the explanations of others, they were able to experience and observe human society firsthand. Li Lin's role was to help these youngsters develop a correct, pure, and lofty revolutionary mindset through subtle means.
As a necessary qualification for a special educational institution, the Black Market was perfectly suited to Li Lin's requirements.
The dark side of human society is always vividly displayed in this cesspool. Where ugly desires intertwine and dirty deals concentrate, inexperienced elves can't become infatuated with big cities or other countries like other young people elsewhere, unable to extricate themselves. Disgusting things and suffocating, oppressive air fill the surroundings, fostering the elves' repulsive thoughts towards humanity.
From another perspective, this also provides an excellent opportunity for elves to realize the vast gap between themselves and the human forces.
"So many..."
With an astonished gulp, even the straightforward Thor could only mutter simple words to express his indescribable feelings, greedily recording all the information he could sense through his retinas, olfactory nerves, and eardrums, to share and show off to his curious family when he returned home.
A makeshift market formed by dozens of different-sized and styled carts and pushcarts was already an incredible sight in the eyes of the elves who were accustomed to poverty and hardship.
The initial uneasiness and tension completely disappeared as they saw human beings of various appearances, hair colors, skin colors, and clothing for the first time, all of whom far outnumbered the elves in their village, hawking and selling all kinds of new and unfamiliar things. The rural visitors were deeply attracted to the bustling underground market.
"Little brother, wanna have some fun with big sister?"
"You're so strong, big sister loves strong men."
"Let me see your 'sword,' okay?"
Provocative, flirtatious words that made the young elves blush were followed by a display of ample cleavage and a hint of thigh, making the provocative women impossible to ignore.
"I'm really sorry, we're here for business, and we're short on time. If we had money and time, we'd definitely come looking for you ladies."
Prostitutes: as ancient a profession as spies and assassins, they naturally wouldn't be lacking in this place where money flows freely. In such a place, women who flirt and pose to make some cash are commonplace.
Li Lin had no intention of doing business with them. Engaging with women posturing for money and conflict was not wise, and letting his companions reveal themselves because of their pride would be even more foolish. A cold smile and a sharp, irresistible gaze combined to form a cold sense of oppression. The flirty women hesitated for a moment before finally giving up on pestering the group and leaving the two carts behind.
"You're coming back for those shameless women, huh?"
Leaning on the front of the cart, propping herself up, Freya's voice held more than a hint of mockery. Brynhild didn't interject but wore an unfriendly expression, as if suppressing the urge to scold.
"I could consider using more appropriate excuses, but time won't allow it. Continuing to be entangled would cause real problems. Wasting this trip and even future ones for a few women trying to make a deal? Comparatively, a vague verbal promise that eliminates the situation hindering us seems pretty fair, don't you think?"
"You're quite the gentleman, huh? Or, are you the type who embraces anyone as long as they're female?"
A playful tone hissed in his ear, to which Li Lin replied with a wry smile and a mix of helplessness and frustration:
"Don't lump me in with idiots who think with their lower half, okay? I just want to solve problems peacefully and effectively so that everyone can accept the outcome. Well... Just like Freya's situation."
A gentle, implicit reprimand caused the irritated little wildcat to sulk back into the cart, her lips pouting in defiance. Brynhild smiled and moved to her sister's side, her fingers gently threading through her sister's soft hair, slowly soothing her bruised ego.
After the caressing, Freya gradually calmed down. Brynhild's gaze turned to Li Lin, who was talking to a man in black. His smile that had easily defeated the most difficult Freya had returned to a plain, business-like face. Although it lacked the unique beauty of his original black hair and red eyes, its appeal didn't fade with the change. The gentle face that had captivated Freya replayed in her mind, inexplicably quickening her heartbeat.
Brynhild's heartbeat and blood pressure changes were accurately reflected in numbers in Li Lin's perception. However, the reason and mechanism for the change remained unknown. Li Lin was forced to make the annotation that "environmental changes lead to fluctuations in mental state and physiological changes" and set it aside as a minor daily incident not worth his attention as he continued his conversation with the man in black.