Chapter 693

[Translator - Night]

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Chapter 693: Kidnapping (5)

The first Grade-3 Pass customer.

From the context, it seemed he had worked as a guide before, but never for someone holding a Grade-3 pass.

Even just from the appearance of the orc who had shown up claiming to be a guide, it was obvious he was fairly experienced.

However.

“Uh… could you turn that thing off?”

「Pardon? I’m not sure what you mean.」

“Turn off that loudspeaker.”

When Yeongwoo pointed at the device attached to the orc’s chest, the voice that had been booming throughout the hangar finally disappeared.

—Aah, so you have exceptional hearing.

“No… anyone would think that’s loud. Was there really a need to advertise to everyone around here that we arrived?”

As Yeongwoo said this and glanced around, only then did the orc’s gaze shift toward Dots Salzeo, who was wrapped in the transparent cloak.

—…Huh?

It didn’t seem like he had discovered Dots yet, but at least he appeared to realize something was strange.

Because his eyes alternated between Yeongwoo and the spot where Dots stood.

—There’s… only one customer, correct?

“I’m the only customer. This is my merchandise.”

When Yeongwoo poked Dots in the side, the guy flinched, and sensing the presence, the orc took a step back.

—R-Right. So you plan to trade a living creature……

“Yeah. That’s right. Though before that, there are a few things I need to take care of here.”

When Yeongwoo pulled several Palsis and a ship requisition certificate from his coat and showed them over, the orc swallowed heavily.

—Sounds complicated.

Then he looked back at Yeongwoo and spoke again.

—Before that, please speak casually with me. Being addressed formally actually makes me uncomfortable.

Since the orc bowed his head, Yeongwoo readily agreed.

“That’s easy enough. Honestly, from the moment you came shouting and running over, I wanted to draw my sword.”

—……

“Of course, I’m not the one paying your guide fee, so I’ve got no reason to complain to you. By the way, who guarantees your wages? This can’t be volunteer work.”

At that, the orc looked toward the pitch-black city beyond the hangar.

—The Black Zone provides the base payment. Also, guide work extends our citizenship permit.

“So there is some kind of structure in place.”

As Yeongwoo nodded, the orc asked very cautiously.

—Um… if it’s alright with you, may I ask your name? You’re my first Grade-3 customer, so I’d like to remember you for a long time.

Yeongwoo hesitated for a moment.

Depending on how things unfolded from here, he would probably remain in the other party’s memory for a very long time one way or another—but likely not in a very positive way.

“Jeong Yeongwoo. Jeong Yeongwoo of Renaissance.”

—Ah, Mr. Jeong Yeongwoo……!

“And you? What’s your name?”

At Yeongwoo’s question, the orc smiled brightly behind his goggles.

—I am Yenta Varangkula. Son of Yegot of the Black Horn.

“Black Horn……?”

When Yeongwoo tilted his head, Yenta slightly lowered his forehead toward him.

“Huh.”

Only then did he notice small horns protruding from either side of the guy’s forehead like little bumps.

“You look like some kind of goblin. Orcs grow horns too?”

—It’s not common, but our clan grows horns like this.

“Interesting. But your horns are gray.”

When Yeongwoo pointed at them, Yenta laughed awkwardly.

—I suppose it’s because I’m still lacking. But my mother is a splendid villain, so she possesses black horns.

A splendid villain.

It was a somewhat awkward combination of words, but Yeongwoo simply let it slide.

“Black Horn Yegot is your mother’s name? Then what about your father?”

—My father passed away eleven years ago, so I can no longer use his name.

“What? Then if your mother dies too, you can’t even use the whole ‘Black Horn something’ introduction anymore?”

—Yes. At that point, I simply become Yenta Varangkula.

“What a strange culture.”

As Yeongwoo nodded, Dots Salzeo, hidden beneath the transparent cloak, hurried him along.

—How long are we going to stand around here peacefully? Let’s hurry and get to a hideout or somewhere already.

He was afraid someone from the Black Zone might recognize his identity and attack him.

Yeongwoo turned toward Dots.

“You really know nothing about this place. Unless we move directly to a hideout like you said, this is actually one of the safer places here. At least villains aren’t roaming around in packs.”

Even the free trade district he had seen before had all kinds of villains packed shoulder to shoulder along the massive streets.

To the point where bumping shoulders with passersby was practically normal.

“Speaking of which, is there a safe place to store my merchandise? If you register a transaction, the Black Zone stores the payment items for you, right?”

At that question, Yenta made a troubled expression.

—In the case of living creatures, the Black Zone does not guarantee their safety. There’s no separate storage system either.

“Even Grade-3 pass holders can’t receive that kind of service?”

—Correct. But there are quite a few private services.

“Private services?”

—Yes. In a way, guides like myself are also close to being private services.

“Ah.”

Hearing that, Yeongwoo immediately understood.

There were item management services separately operated by the Black Zone’s villains.

“Then the people running those services are villains too, in the end.”

—Well… yes.

Yenta looked at him as though that fact was completely obvious.

Yeongwoo glanced back at Dots.

No matter how much they operated businesses, villains were still villains.

If they discovered that the item entrusted to them was a direct Salzeo bloodline member, there was an extremely high chance trouble would arise one way or another.

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

“Seems using a private company would be difficult after all.”

—It must not be an ordinary creature.

Apparently perceptive enough, Yenta cast a sidelong glance toward Dots.

—Still, since you possess a Grade-3 pass, there shouldn’t be any major issues even if you personally bring the creature along. Especially when it’s packaged so well like this.

Yenta indicated the transparent cloak with his eyes.

—Besides, since I’ll be serving as your guide, there are very few people who would dare attempt anything unpleasant.

“Oh really? Are you fairly famous around here? Honestly, you don’t look all that strong.”

When Yeongwoo swept his gaze up and down over Yenta, who looked more like a sightseeing guide, the orc immediately lowered his expression modestly.

—Your eyes are sharp. I’m neither particularly strong nor famous like my mother. But because of that, I know the respectable routes well. I had to survive myself, after all.

“Respectable routes?”

—The Black Zone is an enormous city, and even if the destination is the same, there are many different paths leading there.

In other words, he meant he knew the routes frequented by those who were relatively less savage and less vile.

—Not all villains are the same! I’ll make sure you can finish your business comfortably and leave the Black Zone safely.

Yenta bowed politely as he said this, and Yeongwoo barely managed to suppress the laugh threatening to escape him.

“Fine. Before the creature trade, let’s settle a few things first.”

When Yeongwoo pulled out the Palsis and the two requisition certificates he had briefly shown earlier, fear flickered across Yenta’s face for a moment.

—W-Wait a moment, customer.

“What?”

—These are… Salzeo requisition certificates.

Apparently he hadn’t realized it earlier when he only caught a brief glimpse.

“Yeah. Salzeo certificates. Is that a problem?”

Only then did Yenta’s gaze turn toward the ship Yeongwoo had arrived in.

Anyone could tell at a glance it was a high-end vessel with a high Katangdal composition.

—D-Don’t tell me you came from Salzeo? But earlier you clearly said……

As he had heard moments ago with his own ears, Yeongwoo’s family was Renaissance.

“Right. I’m Jeong Yeongwoo of Renaissance. I’m even the head of the household. So then who do you think Salzeo is?”

At Yeongwoo’s words, Yenta pondered silently for a moment before suddenly collapsing onto the ground.

Thud!

—Impossible!

“Why? What’s impossible?”

—Y-You’re lying, right?

To the very end, Yenta couldn’t bring himself to utter that sentence aloud.

From his perspective, he neither could believe that the Grade-3 customer before him was the kidnapper of a Salzeo, nor accept it even if it were reality.

—This… this is my first premium guide assignment. Why are you doing this to me?

Since Yenta looked practically on the verge of tears, Yeongwoo pulled him back to his feet.

“Isn’t that exactly why it’s a premium guide assignment? If you can’t handle even this kind of hardship, how are you going to deal with future customers?”

—But this is……

Salzeo.

A great cosmic noble house famous for always taking revenge.

But the reason dragging around a Salzeo in the Black Zone was problematic wasn’t simply because of that principle.

Salzeo was just as famous for its immense wealth as it was for its terrifying vengeance policy.

—If word spreads today that there’s a transaction involving a Salzeo here, chaos will erupt. Everyone with power will target you and that merchandise.

The heavy fear still hadn’t faded from Yenta’s voice, so Yeongwoo gently placed a hand on one of his shoulders.

“Maybe that’s why you were assigned to me. You said it yourself—you’re weak, so you know the routes where weaker people gather.”

—…That is true, but.

“Then guide me. As long as we don’t get caught, it’s fine.”

Even if they were discovered, he was confident he could suppress most opponents.

After all, the fact that Yenta had never guided a Grade-3 pass holder before meant there probably weren’t many Grade-3 holders to begin with.

—T-Then the first thing we need to do is……

“First, we dispose of the Palsis.”

The number of Palsis Yeongwoo brought out alongside those words totaled thirteen.

At regular price, 3.9 billion.

At Black Zone market rates, probably around 5.85 billion.

—Thirteen of them. That won’t be difficult. Palsis can be disposed of even through exchange houses.

Yenta switched on the pad he was holding and began entering some sort of route into the air.

“After that, we buy a ship. Since we’re here, it’d be nice if I could also buy a few ship cannons. But will they accept Salzeo requisition rights here?”

At that, Yenta lifted his head from the pad.

—Since it’s ultimately a form of bond certificate, the transaction itself shouldn’t be a problem. But someone will inevitably raise questions.

“What questions?”

—Questions about why someone who is not a Salzeo possesses their requisition rights.

“Receiving stolen goods can’t exactly be a rare occurrence for them.”

—Yes… even so, it would be wise not to spend too much time there.

“That’s enough. The real business is something else anyway.”

As Yeongwoo finally hinted at the “creature trade,” Yenta pursed his lips.

—Then… should I only guide you as far as the ship dealer? You don’t have any other business?

At Yenta’s question, Yeongwoo blinked as though something had just occurred to him.

“This is the Black Zone, so all kinds of things circulate here, right?”

—Most likely.

“Then would it be possible to put out a search for something like a Liberation District?”

Liberation District.

The legendary tool Planetary Ship Lord Phaemong once said might be able to free his “friends.”

If anywhere had one, wouldn’t it be the Black Zone?

Yenta tilted his head, then answered uncertainly.

—If that item currently exists somewhere here, we should at least be able to locate the seller.

“Then find it. If the deal goes through, I’ll give you a bonus too.”

[Translator - Night]

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