I entered the alley, seemingly deserted, but after only a dozen meters, it was as if I had broken through an invisible ripple barrier. The scenery instantly transformed; the dark alley was no longer a bustling, dilapidated residential complex, its style reminiscent of the 1980s. It was hard to imagine where such a place still existed in Shanghai today.
Around the ground, inside and out, were simple, gleaming signs: pawnshops, bounty hunters, assassin's dens, even openly run brothels. Street vendors displayed contraband that would be impossible to find elsewhere—crossbows, even guns and ammunition, and counterfeit tiger penis wine, among other things.
—This was a true underground black market. The entrance could be anywhere, but it always led here…
And this must be the "mental barrier" of some psychic-type superhuman, like Yoshiwara Tsubaki's "Cherry Blossom World."
This was the familiar black market, but precisely because of this familiarity, I sensed many differences from what I had seen before.
The crowds here seemed to have increased several times over, almost to the point of being overwhelming…
Furthermore, in just a short time standing on the street, I heard accents from at least three or four different countries and regions, including English, Shikoku, Korean, and Annamese, a chaotic mix. These people came from different countries, often with long-standing grudges.
Although they still managed to maintain the rule of not resorting to violence on the underworld, eye-rolling and shoving were inevitable, making the atmosphere extremely tense…
The significantly reduced number of stalls, though still bustling, was a clear indication of this.
The atmosphere was off.
I frowned. I had actually sensed this after leaving that manor earlier today. The security was terrible; graffiti covered the walls, few streetlights were working in the alleys, and in some corners, there were even bonfires made from burnt-out cars…
And the people's clothing and appearance had become strangely unusual.
Not only is there a strong preference for retro, brightly colored clothing, leather jackets, and studded shoes, but there are also large tattoos and self-harm, signs of fighting and brawling everywhere. Surveillance cameras, except on main streets, are almost completely destroyed in side streets and alleys, rendering them ineffective.
It's likely that no girl would dare walk safely on these streets anymore.
The atmosphere has become extremely strange; citizens seem to have suddenly become very fond of entertainment and openness…
The number of bars, stages, and other nightlife venues has increased astonishingly. Every night, dazzling 3D neon lights replace streetlights, illuminating the city's streets and alleys in a bizarre and dreamlike atmosphere.
However, in any slightly darker areas, there are homeless people, drunkards, scattered bottles, and thick layers of condoms everywhere.
Open-air sexual acts were commonplace in greenbelts, on benches, and in park corners; many scantily clad, scantily clad girls slept on the streets, in urine, and on condoms…
This scene clashed sharply with my memories and gave me a profound understanding of the city's current state of chaos.
"Young man, are you a newbie here?"
Just as I was lost in thought, a man who looked like a scalper approached me.
Scalpers and brokers are ubiquitous, and I initially didn't intend to pay him any attention, but I was curious about the situation… because this was something I hadn't seen before.
"Why has this place become like this?"
The middleman, a slick-faced man with dyed yellow-green hair, around thirty years old, didn't immediately answer my question. Instead, he said to himself, "Young man, are you a superhuman, or...?"
"A martial artist."
I lightly patted his shoulder. An invisible shockwave traveled from head to toe, making every hair on his body stand on end as if electrocuted.
This was the mark of the Dark Force Domain, and a high-level one at that.
Although his hair stood on end, the middleman's eyes lit up. Having spent so much time in the underworld, he naturally had a good eye. In fact, with the increased number of people coming and going, and so many unreliable individuals, it was difficult to spot valuable targets. If he didn't have some ability to judge people, he wouldn't be able to survive.
"Since you have such skills, young man, you're quite at home in the Black Market..." The broker pondered for a moment, then held up two fingers. "Then the referral fee will be just two percent, a small favor."
Black Market brokers usually take a three- to four-percent commission, but I didn't intend to do business with him. I just wanted to ask why this city and this place had become like this, and just as I was about to speak...
Suddenly, I saw a 3D billboard on the street. A flash of light appeared, revealing a human-shaped projection. It was a girl, with a seductive figure and extremely beautiful features, a pure yet subtly alluring beauty.
Below, a line of text flashed: Name: Shen Weiwei; Level: Five-Star Bounty.
Seeing her face, I felt a slight, inexplicable pain in my mind. Although it was very mild, I knew... I only had this reaction when familiar things appeared.
Do I know this girl?
"Hey buddy, are you thinking of taking this bounty?"
The broker interrupted my thoughts, a glint of greed in his eyes, followed by a sigh. "A five-star bounty, at least five million US dollars... but you have to be alive to take it."
"What happened?" I asked directly.
The broker shrugged. "Three superhumans took this job, including one at the Danger level, but none of them came back. Later, their bodies were found in the sewers, their bodies drained of blood, and their skin had strangely turned purple."
His connections were excellent. He told me that the bounty was initially secret and not even five stars, but yesterday someone suddenly increased it dramatically, from five hundred thousand US dollars (four stars) to five million (five stars), which is why it was made public to see if anyone dared to take the job.
But clearly, most well-informed people weren't fools. Level 3 Dangerous was practically the pinnacle in the underworld, yet he'd died under mysterious circumstances. Anyone with eyes could understand the danger involved; that five million dollars wouldn't be easy to claim.
Shortly afterward, a man stepped forward. He was a dark-skinned Annamese, clearly skilled in martial arts, and quite proficient at that—at least at the level of internal strength. Yet, no one around him thought he had a chance of succeeding…
Perhaps soon, the bounty would be posted again, and the life or death of an Annamese would naturally be ignored.
"Why are there so many foreigners?" I was more concerned about this question, so I turned to ask the broker.
He seemed somewhat surprised that I didn't know this, but still replied, "You're really strange, not even knowing this."
Suddenly, he slapped his forehead and said, "Oh, right... you martial arts practitioners sometimes quite like to go into the mountains to cultivate."
"Sigh, it's because the Martial God disappeared, so now this place has become a place where foreign superhumans can come and go as they please."
"According to the official explanation, the superhuman border has retreated."
As he spoke, he took out a portable tablet from his pocket, then swiped to bring up a red and green map of China, pointing to the red areas.
"These places are places where superhumans from any country can enter."