Chapter 275: Chapter 272: The Plan Hasnât Started⊠Just Donât Start It Chapter 275: Chapter 272: The Plan Hasnât Started⊠Just Donât Start It He Liuyao stood up and took a few steps forward, her enchanting figure reflected in the floor-length mirror ahead, bathed in the warm, orange glow of the lights, captivating and alluring.
Her lips parted slightly, âNo, weâre just working for the Black Market, competing. The competition comes from those above us, and now it seems that the Black Market is becoming increasingly weaker in competition against Green Shadow.â
âIf I had a choice, I wouldnât want to jump ship either, but to continue staying on, the position of auctioneer at the Black Market is definitely untenable, and indeed, questioning and punishment would be unavoidable.â
Her assistant furrowed her eyebrows, thought for a moment, and then spoke with a worried tone, âBut would the Black Market managers just let us leave like that?â
They werenât affiliated with the Three Major Mercenary Corps but belonged to a high-up who secretly supported the Black Market⊠The Three Major Mercenary Corps were the direct managers of the Black Market, yet without the covert support of the Sanctuaryâs upper echelons, the Black Market could not exist so brazenly.
As the most lucrative part of the Black Market, the auction, no matter which Mercenary Corps the auctioneer came from, the other two would not rest.
He Liuyao belonged to one of the high-ups, and her neutral status was indeed a balance among the Three Major Mercenary Corps.
But her enviable position as an auctioneer was backed by more than just her beauty; it was also her cunning.
There were countless Awakeners who coveted her beauty, yet none had really succeeded.
He Liuyao made decisive actions, and she was very aware that once she lost the identity of an auctioneer and with it, her âamulet,â all the cunning in the world would be useless to her.
Perhaps there was a slim chance, perhaps the identity of auctioneer wouldnât be so easily lost, but she didnât want to gamble her fate on that unknown luck.
After all, it was the apocalypse, where strength ruled supreme.
âThe managers⊠wouldnât let us leave easily.â
Before the apocalypse, job-hopping required compensation for breach of contract, let alone now, in the business of the Black Market⊠the price was either flesh or life.
He Liuyao thought for a bit, âThe Black Market is a mixed bag, if we act fast enough and disguise ourselves as Awakeners, leaving overnight, by the time the Black Market managers realize, it would be too late.â
âIâve heard that Green Shadow has no auction. If we can make contact with the higher-ups of Green Shadow and persuade them, we may still have a chance to return to our old profession.â Her eyes sparkled, âAt worst, with what weâve accumulated over this period of time, we should be able to establish ourselves in Green Shadow, whether itâs renting a storefront or something else. If the Black Market managers still relentlessly pursue us, then we can change our identities; if it really comes down to it, we can always continue southward.â
He Liuyao had thought through all of her escape routes, which left her assistant looking somewhat pale.
She smiled, âDonât worry too much. Although Iâve never been to Green Shadow, based on all the information Iâve gathered, the person in charge of Green Shadow is a very principled man. As long as we can settle down there, even if the Black Market managers come knocking, we wonât have to be too afraid.â
The assistant nodded repeatedly, looking up to He Liuyao with admiration, almost as if she had become a little fan.
She considered for a moment and said quite seriously, âSister Liuyao, Iâve heard that the ruler of Green Shadow is young, handsome, powerful, and holds vast influence. Why donât you dedicate yourself to him, then weâd be completely safe in Green Shadow.â
He Liuyaoâs forehead vein throbbed as she gave her assistant a knock on the head, âI sell services, not my body, understand? Understand!â
In the midst of speaking,
The two moved quickly, only taking essential items with them. Other things, such as food, clothes, cosmetics, and other items that seemed precious to outsiders, were all ignored.
They put on black cloaks, wore masks, and became like any other ordinary Awakeners that came and went in the Black Market.
He Liuyao led her assistant through the night, breaking into the vast wilderness.
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In a lavishly decorated yet tasteful spacious office.
Gu Dong sat in the office chair, lost in thought.
Knock, knock, knockâ
The steady knock on the door came from outside.
âCome in.â
Without seeing Gu Dong speak, his voice clearly reached outside the door.
The office door was pushed open, and a young man, resembling a secretary, walked in.
âDirector, He Liuyao has escaped with her assistant. Should we send someone to bring them back? The Black Market has reported that theyâve been gone for nearly an hour, but they donât know how to avoid detection. Just send a squad of executors, and they can be easily captured.â
The male secretary spoke hastily.
Gu Dong, upon hearing this, showed no change in his expression. He paused before looking up to ask, âDid they take anything with them?â
âThey left in a hurry. It seems they only took the Source Crystal and a soul power container. They even left many of their everyday clothes in the bedroom.â
Gu Dong spoke, âBeing able to make a decision in a short time, to forsake their comfortable life and materials to escape, theyâve got some courage. But since they havenât taken any items from the Black Market, and they donât possess any secrets, thereâs no need to chase them. I guess theyâre headed to Lindong. The wilderness at night is very dangerous. If they can successfully get there, it will be to their credit.â
âBut,â the male secretary was somewhat anxious, âthe trade volume of the auction has been declining. If we lose He Liuyao, the auctioneer, the next auction might not be able to proceed. The other replacement auctioneers are far less popular than He Liuyao.â
Gu Dong supported his chin with his left hand and placed his right hand on the desk, lightly tapping the surface, creating a rhythm that was expressive with pauses.
âInfluenced by Green Shadow, even if the auctioneer doesnât flee, the Black Market auction wonât be able to last for many more sessions.â He looked at the secretary and asked, âHow are things going with the supermarket?â
The male secretary stammered, âThe supermarket⊠its sales have dropped by another five percent compared to yesterday. Green Shadow is really too arrogant, stealing both the equipment and the food supplies. If this continues, the supermarket might start losing money. Director, we canât just sit by and do nothing. We must fight back.â
Gu Dong didnât answer immediately, closed his eyes, leaned back in the office chair, and fell into deep thought.
As one of the few magnates in Lindong, Gu Dong controlled sixty percent of the factories in Lindong, including mechanical and food processing factories, etc. The rest were in Lu Jianjunâs hands.
The equipment sold in the Lindong supermarket, including most of the goods there, belonged to him.
The equipment produced by Lu Jianjun was mostly used to arm the Awakeners of the Military. Gu Dong didnât have that many Awakeners under him. Most of the equipment he produced was for sale, including the Standard Battle Sabers that were highly favored by the Awakeners of Lindong. He was the one who profited from these equipment sales.
Now, with the sales dropping day by day, he was the one who was most affected.
Deep down, Gu Dong had his own plans regarding Green Shadow.
He was well aware that the fact Green Shadowâs Sanctuary could provide so many rune equipment meant they must have mastered the production methods, which couldnât possibly emerge out of thin airâŠ
Before, Green Shadow was just made up of natural Awakeners, and even the Science Academy couldnât decipher the mystery of the runes in a short time, let alone a few Awakeners.
The most likely scenario was that Green Shadow had found a Secret Realm.
A complete and safe Secret Realm.
It provided them with enough knowledge.
Gu Dong had noticed Green Shadow early on, but he was a cautious person, or in other words, slow to act. Before he had figured out how to proceed, he received news that Lin Wei had secretly led a team and headed south.
Then, before he could investigate thoroughly, the next secret message that followed stunned him.
Lin Wei had failed?!
How? Where did it happen? He was somewhat bewildered.
It wasnât until a few hours later that he received reliable newsâLin Wei had fallen at the doors of Green Shadowâs Sanctuary.
That very night, Gu Dong tore up the plan he had just begun drafting.