The black market was located in the southwest corner of Moonview City, within that narrow strip of land separating the slums from the urban area.
It was well known that the black market was a haven for shady deals where both parties tacitly understood.
But in truth, the black market was also under government surveillance.
It just wasn’t too large in scale, and its clientele were basically officials, wealthy merchants, and superpowered individuals.
So the ruling body turned a blind eye.
You Xue wore a wide black robe, wrapping her entire body in the dark fabric.
Most people in the black market dressed like this—both customers and sellers hid their identities.
In this place, money was the only god.
All kinds of strange items from various places were sold here, but You Xue only bought one thing—Magic Blocker.
She turned left and right with practiced ease, finally arriving at a dark corner.
A simple wooden frame stood there covered with a waterproof tarp, and on it were various items for sale.
The merchant at this stall was a man wearing a deep blue hooded cloak and a smiling mask.
“It’s you, Miss Black Robe.”
His tone was very familiar.
You Xue frowned beneath her robe.
“You knew I’d come?”
“I guessed,” the merchant said.
Of course he picked up on the wariness in her voice, but he didn’t care.
He still spoke in a slow, leisurely tone.
“I estimated when your last batch of medicine would wear off. Since it’s already past that time, I figured you’d be here.”
“And you’re so sure I’d come to you?”
You Xue asked.
“Because my medicine is already the cheapest.”
The merchant’s tone didn’t change at all—still slow and calm.
You Xue stared at the merchant’s smiling mask, but of course, she couldn’t see anything.
He was right.
His Magic Blocker was the lowest price in the black market.
Other sellers would basically add about fifty percent to his price.
That made You Xue’s heart ache.
If she spent all her money on medicine, she wouldn’t have enough left to buy materials for making engraved items.
But she always felt this merchant was paying too much attention to her.
It was probably ill-intentioned.
“Why are you lowering the price just for me?”
So she asked.
After all, at this price, it would definitely attract a ton of people to snap it up.
It wouldn’t be left for her.
The only possibility was that this merchant was deliberately lowering the price for her.
You Xue stared at the merchant.
The merchant sat on the ground and spread his hands.
“Because you need it. You especially need it. So I’m selling it to you.”
You Xue was silent for a moment, then heard the merchant say:
“Magic Rejection Syndrome, right?”
You Xue neither confirmed nor denied it.
The smiling-mask merchant seemed a little troubled and scratched his head.
“Let’s just say my conscience woke up. I want my merchandise to be used for good, not to set traps for other superpowered individuals.”
That was right.
Besides delaying death for Magic Rejection Syndrome patients, if an ordinary superpowered individual took Magic Blocker, they would be unable to use their supernatural ability.
In other words, this medicine could turn a powerful superpowered individual into an ordinary person in a short time.
Based solely on the merchant’s words, You Xue wouldn’t easily believe him.
But given her current financial situation, the only Magic Blocker she could afford was his.
So You Xue nodded and said,
“I’ll buy it.”
The merchant took the money You Xue handed him, then picked up a bottle of blue liquid from the tarp and gave it to her.
You Xue was about to take the medicine and leave when she heard the merchant speak.
“If you really need this medicine, maybe we can meet again later—outside the black market.”
You Xue understood what he meant.
He wanted to reveal his identity.
The risk was too great.
Besides, this merchant wasn’t mentioned in the original story at all, so she had no idea about his background—whether he was real or fake.
“East City Wutong Street No. 666 Coffee Shop, two o’clock on the Sunday of the first week of next month. I’ll wait for you there. I’ll wait at most one hour.”
You Xue didn’t say anything.
She just silently took the medicine and left.
She didn’t linger in the black market.
She walked for a long time, aimlessly wandering, until she was sure no one was following her.
Only then did she take off the black robe.
Her gray hair was freed from the hood, scattering over her shoulders.
Her sky-blue eyes looked at the medicine in her hand.
She first pulled out the cork and took a sharp sniff.
‘That’s right.’
It was the smell of moldy oranges, mixed with dirt, sour rot, and bitterness.
You Xue frowned.
The smell was correct.
But just smelling it made her suddenly not want to drink it.
‘No help for it, though.’
You Xue tilted her head back and downed the Magic Blocker in one gulp.
‘Bitter. So bitter it’s killing me. But if I don’t drink it, the pain will kill me.’
‘What should life be like? It should be something that, though sometimes wrapped in sadness and pain, you can still feel joy and happiness.’
‘That’s it, isn’t it? That’s normal.’
‘But why is it that when it’s my turn, there’s not even a sliver of room left for me?’
‘It’s a pity. I should have added another wish when I made my wish.’
‘I should have said: I want my family to be happy, and I want to have a healthy body.’
‘Maybe then the god would have granted it.’
You Xue walked out of the alley.
The street was sparsely populated, but people walked side by side—some holding hands, some laughing.
‘Suddenly I feel a little lonely.’
She still had to go to work.
She had come to the black market during her break.
‘I’d better hurry back.’
But You Xue’s footsteps paused again.
Right in front of her was a convenience store.
She walked in and used the money left over from buying the medicine to get a few apple candies.
She tore open the wrapper and put one in her mouth.
‘Mm. It’s sweet and sour. A beautiful sweet and sour.’
‘This is a kind of comfort already.’
‘Even if Su Li were by my side, I probably wouldn’t get this kind of comfort.’
‘Because he’s not someone important.’
Despite that, You Xue always thought of him.
Next, she had to go back to Scar Workshop, finish those endless orders, and then prepare for the operation to steal the Dragon Eye.
She threw the candy wrapper into the trash can and walked forward.