Street Corner.
Three women selling vegetables at their small stalls were huddled together, chatting about all sorts of strange gossip.
If no customers arrived, these talkative ladies could easily spend an entire day there.
“Oh, look at that.”
A sudden exclamation of doubt and shock from one of the women immediately piqued the interest of the other two.
“Hey, Sister Yu, what are you looking at?”
Sister Yu stood with her mouth agape, seemingly speechless as she pointed toward the corner.
The other two women turned their heads and let out soft huffs of confusion.
“Sister Yu, isn’t that just the restroom? What is the big deal?”
“I… I think I just saw a very pretty girl walk into the men’s room…”
Would a beautiful girl actually go into the men’s room?
Were people that bold nowadays?
Or maybe… ‘Is this one of those cross-dressing legends from the internet?’
At that thought, Sister Yu’s eyes grew brighter.
A beautiful, mysterious girl going into a men’s restroom—was she actually going to use it?
In an era where information traveled lightning-fast, what better gossip could there be than this?!
Sister Yu pulled out her phone and was about to open Douyin when she noticed the other two had also taken out theirs.
For a moment, the three of them exchanged glances before sharing a synchronized, knowing smile.
One look was all it took to confirm they were the same kind of people.
Inside the men’s restroom, Gu Lian walked quickly to the last stall and tapped lightly on the doorframe.
Knock — knock — knock-knock —
After the rhythmic tapping, Gu Lian took a step back.
Her cloth shoes stepped onto the tiles near the sink.
Immediately, an impatient voice drifted from inside the stall.
“Who is it? Can’t you tell I’m using the bathroom?”
“Ahem…”
Gu Lian cleared her throat and said in a strange, mocking tone, “Still using the bathroom? Let me in to party!”
After saying it, even Gu Lian couldn’t help but blush.
‘Can’t they change this damn secret code? Every time I say it, I’m worried someone will think I’m a pervert.’
With a click, the door opened.
A shadow loomed in the darkness of the doorway.
A man completely covered in a black robe stood at the entrance.
His hood was pulled low, making it impossible to see his face.
“Secret Key…”
The Black-robed Man looked up slightly and spoke in a dull voice.
His eyes, deep as still water, emitted a soul-shaking light from the shadows.
This was the requirement for entering the Black Market.
Because they had to filter out eavesdroppers or sudden police raids, no one without a Secret Key was allowed to enter.
“Don’t have one.”
Gu Lian remained calm and took a step forward.
The Black-robed Man shook his head and stepped out of the stall, gesturing for her to leave.
“I’m sorry, please leave—”
Whoosh!
A muffled sound like a thunderclap erupted.
Gu Lian dropped her body low and threw a punch like a bolt of lightning.
She moved so fast that her fist left an afterimage in the air.
‘Oh no!’
The Black-robed Man tried to dodge, but Gu Lian’s explosive speed was too sudden.
He had no time to retreat.
In desperation, he abruptly raised his arm to block.
Bang!
Fist met arm with a heavy thud.
The blow forced the Black-robed Man down to one knee.
Gu Lian stepped back, kicked off the floor with all her might, and lunged forward again.
‘This person is definitely not a cop!’
Without a second thought, the man who had guarded the Black Market for years instinctively raised his hands to protect his face.
He shielded his eyes from the oncoming wind and moved his right leg back to stabilize his stance.
Bang!
A dull thud echoed.
The Black-robed Man felt a terrifying force, like a sledgehammer, slam into his arm.
A searing pain instantly swallowed all sensation.
“Hmph.”
A cold snort escaped Gu Lian’s lips, filled with disdain and contempt.
The man’s pupils shrank as he felt a sudden, bad premonition.
Bang!
A muffled sound rang out as Gu Lian landed a heavy uppercut to his abdomen.
The Black-robed Man’s face turned pale.
Following up immediately, Gu Lian stepped forward with her left foot and shoved her fist forward.
Like being hit by a car, the Black-robed Man was slammed into the ground, his body bent into a C-shape.
Boom!
The entire restroom shook from the impact.
“Am I qualified now?”
Gu Lian pulled back her fist and stepped onto the man’s chest.
The best way to deal with these Black Market personnel was to show a brutal, overbearing side.
Someone like that could never be an undercover informant searching for leads.
“Cough… cough…”
The Black-robed Man coughed up blood.
He pulled a mask from his robe and held it up with a trembling hand.
He smiled.
“Welcome… cough… our honored guest.”
“Wouldn’t it have been better if you did this from the start? Do I look like a ‘good person’ to you?”
Spitting disdainfully, Gu Lian moved her foot and entered the downward passage.
The Black-robed Man coughed up more blood and struggled to his feet to close the door.
As for holding a grudge against Gu Lian?
Heh, anyone who spent time underground knew that not being killed in this situation was a great mercy.
Dead people had no value.
Walking through the dark passage, psychedelic and brilliant colors occasionally merged and separated in layers.
The colors shifted constantly until the corridor ended.
Ahead was a semi-enclosed room with a desk, a counter covered in bounty posters and target images, and a Masked Man sitting behind the desk.
One should not assume the underground Black Market was messy.
On the contrary, it was usually very stable.
Since both parties wore masks, the Secret Key was essential.
The Secret Key recorded a person’s transaction history, as well as the commissions they posted or completed.
As for identity and name… those were never recorded on the key, and there were not even any code names.
But every Secret Key was unique.
Without a specialized card reader, no one could access the information inside.
“Customer, what do you need? Or are you looking to sell something?”
The Masked Man sat back on a sofa with his arms spread.
His monkey mask gave him a cynical, wild air that defined his presence.
“Blood test.”
Gu Lian pulled out a chair and sat down, placing a small piece of blood-stained skin on the table.
The Masked Man opened a drawer, took out a small glass bottle and a pair of tweezers, and steadily placed the skin inside the bottle.
“Anything else?”
After finishing, the Masked Man put the bottle away and interlaced his fingers, resting his head on them.
The mouth visible under the mask was smiling, or rather, it was a fake smile.
“Do you know your fake smile is hideous?”
Gu Lian stared at the Masked Man.
In the center of her blood-red eyes, her pupils turned a grayish-white.
They were cold, silent, and so deep that they lacked any sign of life.
The fake smile on the man’s face slowly vanished.
“My apologies…”
The Masked Man’s smile disappeared completely.
He truly felt that the person in front of him might kill him.
He could feel a faint, persistent malice at all times.
This was no small-time player!
Only three types of people dared to speak to the Black Market like this: a reckless greenhorn (whom he immediately ruled out), someone with incredibly powerful backing, or someone with overwhelming strength.
‘That means only two types are left…’
Slap!
Gu Lian slapped the table, interrupting the Masked Man’s thoughts.
He looked up, feeling a bit confused about what she intended.
Seeing that the groundwork was laid, Gu Lian propped her elbow on the table and rested her head on the back of her hand.
In a tone that was half-question and half-assertion, she said, “How good are the fake identities you provide here?”