Kino finished wrapping the painting and stood up. "Let's go. It's time to attend to serious matters."
Paladin bowed slightly. "At your command."
"Where are the salt crystals from yesterday?" Kino asked.
Paladin quickly responded, "They've been cleaned and stored. I'll fetch them right away!"
Moments later, Paladin returned with the salt crystals packed in a burlap sack. He also brought two cloaks, handing one to Kino.
Kino accepted the cloak, narrowing his eyes. "Why give this to me?"
Paladin, quick-witted, replied, "These salt crystals can't be reported—they must be disposed of. However, they're incredibly valuable, and destroying them outright would be wasteful. I assume you plan to sell them on the black market. The cloaks will help us avoid unnecessary attention."
Hearing this, Kino regarded him with an intrigued and penetrating gaze.
Paladin immediately realized his mistake upon seeing Kino's expression and hastily lowered his head. "My apologies, my lord. I will refrain from guessing your intentions in the future…"
"You're sharper than I expected," Kino remarked with a faint, enigmatic smile.
Paladin wiped the sweat from his brow, donned his cloak, and led Kino toward the black market.
Shilin Town, with a population of merely 5,000, boasted a "black market" that was hardly a true marketplace. It was little more than a shadowy alleyway lined with ivy-covered low buildings. Garbage was strewn about, buzzing with flies, and traces of scavenging were evident everywhere.
At the alley's entrance, a few gaunt, ragged vagrants dozed, occasionally twitching their inflamed noses. Here and there, furtive figures clutching contraband emerged from their homes, cautiously scanning their surroundings before vanishing down side streets.
Paladin, clearly a regular in this underworld, knew the protocol. He roused one of the vagrants and slipped a few iron coins into his hand.
The vagrant, still half-asleep, muttered dreamily, "What's the most beautiful sound in life?"
Paladin responded in a low, steady voice, "The chime of coins colliding."
At once, the vagrant's eyes sharpened. He gave Paladin a curt nod, signaling for him to follow.
Just as Paladin was about to proceed, he realized Kino was no longer behind him.
Turning back, he saw Kino standing at the alley's entrance, his expression obscured by the cloak's hood.
Paladin was about to call out when his gaze fell upon the obstacle before Kino—a pool of filthy water.
The murky puddle, reeking and filled with rotting trash, spanned the entrance to the alley. Its size made it impossible for Kino to cross in a single stride, given his height.
Recalling how Kino had cut off his bloodstained sleeve the day before, Paladin immediately understood. Without hesitation, he rushed over, knelt in the foul water, and bowed his back like a servant.
"Thank you," Kino said, stepping onto Paladin's back to cross the puddle before continuing into the alley.
Guided by the vagrant, Kino and Paladin entered a hidden passage that led underground. The labyrinthine tunnels twisted and turned, revealing one black market shop after another.
The shops were unassuming, their shelves stocked with mundane items easily found in any general store—gloves, rolling pins, scissors. It was as though the words "law-abiding citizen" were etched into their doors.
The real treasures—succubus tail essence, fire ox horns, powdered tiger bones, or addictive contraband—were kept off the shelves, hidden in secret catalogs available only to trusted clients or those with introductions.
This ensured that even if soldiers managed to penetrate the maze-like tunnels and raid the market, they would find nothing incriminating.
Shilin Town had previously organized several crackdowns on the black market, but these cunning merchants always evaded capture. In the end, the authorities turned a blind eye, just as other towns did, and even collaborated with them in secret.
Take succubus tail essence, for instance—a product in high demand for its, shall we say, invigorating effects.
The vagrant led the pair through the winding paths and into a secluded room. "Regulars," he muttered before departing on his own.
In the dimly lit room, the leader was a gaunt, hunched old man whose grin revealed a gold tooth, said to have been crafted from a single golden moon coin.
In Shilin Town, everyone called him Old Tang.
Beside him stood two others. One was his deputy, nicknamed One-Eyed Dragon, and the other was a towering, muscle-bound enforcer whose menacing gaze betrayed a history of bloodshed.
"Well, look who it is—Paladin!" Old Tang greeted with a broad smile as Paladin and Kino entered.
Paladin knew better than to return the smile. Smiling at a shrewd merchant like Old Tang would only invite exploitation.
Without a word, Paladin tossed the sack of salt crystals forward, his expression cold. "I've got something that needs handling."
Old Tang lazily opened the sack to inspect its contents. His grin froze mid-motion, and a sinister shadow darkened his features.
The enforcer, noticing the shift in mood, quietly moved to block the door, sealing their exit.
"Where did this come from?" Old Tang's voice turned icy.
Paladin met his gaze unflinchingly. "Not something you need to know."
"Smuggling salt crystals is a capital crime. Are you trying to get yourself killed? I—wait." Old Tang pointed at Kino, cloaked and silent. "Who's this little one?"
"Shut your mouth!" Paladin shoved Old Tang. "Are you blind? This is the Civil Officer!"
Kino played along, pulling back his hood to reveal a polite smile. "Good morning, Old Tang."
Old Tang showed no trace of the respect due to a Civil Officer, a testament to how little authority the previous Kino had commanded.
Stroking his chin thoughtfully, Old Tang nodded. "Ah… I see. You confiscated these salt crystals and want to turn them into cash. So, you've brought them to me to fence."
Kino spread his hands with an amiable smile. "We could negotiate a fair price."
Old Tang circled Kino, openly sizing him up. His gaze lingered on the slight upward curve of Kino's lips, and he finally smirked suggestively. "Well now, it seems our fates are intertwined. Perhaps we should discuss our 'partnership' somewhere more private? My bedroom has plenty of space."
Paladin's eyes burned with fury, but he dared not act without Kino's lead.
Kino responded calmly, his voice detached. "I respect everyone's preferences and have no prejudice against your kind. But I must decline. That's not my style."
Old Tang sneered, turning abruptly to kick the sack of salt crystals aside. "Take it back. This stuff is too risky—I'm not touching it."
Paladin glanced at Kino, who nodded without a word.
With quiet efficiency, Paladin hoisted the sack and followed Kino out, ready to seek another buyer.
Behind them, Old Tang, clearly irked by the rejection, spat on the ground and muttered, "Filthy goods for a filthy man."
Kino paused mid-step, his back to Old Tang, his expression unreadable.
After a few seconds of silence, Kino walked to a nearby shelf, perused its contents, and selected a pair of small waterproof leather gloves. "How much for these gloves?"
"Three copper moons. Why? You came to the black market just to buy gloves?" Old Tang asked, puzzled.
Kino placed three copper moons on the counter, slipped the gloves over his pristine white ones, and turned back. His amber eyes gleamed with a disarming smile.