Although Cain wore a wide black cloak, the receptionist showed no unusual reaction. After all, this is Saffron City, where all kinds of people could appear, and Cain's attire was no exception.
Without saying a word, Cain pulled out a Team Rocket ID card, assigned at the Trial Island, from his pocket. Upon leaving the island, Umbra had already changed his status from "aspirant" to an "honorable" recruit of Team Rocket.
Seeing the ID card with the Team Rocket emblem, the receptionist showed a slight expression of surprise but quickly led Cain to a dark room.
Without speaking, he ran Cain's card through a computer reader. Only after verifying the information on the screen did he sigh in relief and return the card to Cain.
He then pressed a button under the table, opening a secret door in the floor.
"Go ahead, but don't cause trouble or fights inside," the receptionist said with a neutral expression.
With that, he turned and left the room.
Cain, familiar with this procedure from previous visits, did not hesitate and walked directly towards the hidden stairs, descending step by step.
Once he was fully inside, the secret door closed automatically, leaving no trace behind.
As he proceeded, small lights flickered on, barely illuminating the staircase.
Cain continued descending for almost five minutes before finally reaching the bottom, where the narrow hallway opened into a spacious lobby.
In the lobby, there were several hallways identical to the one Cain had just exited, each connecting to different areas scattered throughout Saffron City.
This is one of the ten lobbies throughout the black market. Each has ten hallways connecting to various parts of the city.
Saffron City is huge, but thanks to these hallways, almost any place in the city has direct access to the black market. The hallway Cain used was guarded by Team Rocket.
Exiting through the only door in the lobby, Cain found himself on a wide street, full of all kinds of people, all with cold, unperturbed expressions.
Some, like Cain, were completely cloaked in black robes, and this type of person was not uncommon, so Cain's arrival did not attract much attention.
This is the largest underground market in the Kanto region, a massive subterranean city—the black market of Saffron City!
Walking down the streets, Cain saw countless large and small pathways distributed everywhere. He noticed several Team Rocket members striding arrogantly down the center of the streets, with no one daring to object, and even the people passing by kept a certain distance.
Clearly, as the strongest force in this black market, those with Team Rocket identification held a respected position.
However, Cain had no intention of revealing his identity. Although being a member of Team Rocket granted certain privileges, not everyone feared them.
If he displayed value that did not match his power, poachers with instincts as sharp as a Mightyena would not hesitate to attack him. His life would likely end as soon as he left this underground city.
"Come out, Murkrow!"
Cain released Murkrow from its Poké Ball, letting it perch on his shoulder.
Although Murkrow had gained some weight, Cain's developing body had also improved significantly, so bearing Murkrow's weight was not an issue.
However, this was a necessary measure. In the black market, if you want to avoid being an easy target, some displays of power are essential.
After releasing Murkrow, the gazes that had been directed at him began to fade.
Evidently, Murkrow's intimidating presence and the slight scent of blood, a remnant of Trial Island, made even the most seasoned and dangerous criminals feel threatened.
Although it was Cain's first time visiting this black market in this life, he knew the place well and was aware of exactly where the items he needed were sold.
Without hesitation, Cain headed straight to the Pokémon item sales area.
The black market mainly consists of shops, but there are also streets designated for trainers who wish to sell their own items. These places are often the most chaotic, with a mix of extremely valuable items and fakes. It all depends on the buyer's eye.
Cain did not head to those places. His priority now was to earn some Pokédollars and purchase tools for making Pokéblocks. These items weren't found at small merchants' stands; only the largest stores sold them.
Cain entered the largest store in the Pokémon item sales area. This store was owned by Team Rocket, so it had the best resources and was located in the prime area.
Unlike the surface store, which served as a front, this store was packed with products and bustling with people, both sellers and buyers.
With the skill of someone used to the place, Cain approached a newly vacated counter. This counter had a sign that said "Appraisal."
There were about ten appraisal counters in the store, each staffed by an employee with a Team Rocket insignia on their chest. With serious expressions, they mechanically evaluated every item presented to them.
After the appraisal, they offered a purchase price, and the seller, regardless of whether they accepted or not, had to pay 500 Pokédollars for the appraisal.
Many people brought their items for appraisal, but few actually sold, as Team Rocket's purchase prices were quite low.
However, they were very professional and did not try to take advantage of valuable items, which brought many here to have unknown items appraised.
For this reason, Team Rocket's reputation in the black market was quite good.
Most people, after the appraisal, rented a stall in the vendor streets and displayed their items to sell at a higher price, although this took more time.
Cain sat in one of the chairs in front of the counter without saying a word. From his Team Rocket storage belt, he took out a glass jar containing a milky white liquid that emitted a soft glow under the light.
This was the item Cain had brought to exchange for Pokédollars, and it was also the most suitable for selling at the moment: Geocentric Cleansing Milk.
Before coming to the black market, Cain had poured enough geocentric cleansing milk into a small jar, representing about one-twentieth of what he had—half of what he originally possessed.
(End of chapter)