City Life

At this point, the author is just used to, not wants to.

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My girls and I settled in our new house. After a night's rest, I left the house and started to walk the city.

I wanted to test the secret tunnels, but I didn't know where did I end up after I used them. So, I had to learn the ins and outs of the city first. It didn't take me long to reach the main road from the gates to the heart of the city.

At this hour in the morning, cars already started to fill the streets. Pedestrians were also walking the sideways. I looked at every street and shop on my way to learn every detail about the city.

As a human-looking person, I wasn't eye-catching, but my handsomeness attracted some attention. Women of all ages were taking a glance from me and were blushing cutely. It cheered me up, and the depressing air around me dissolved.

I only walked for an hour, and a bustle caught my attention. I approached the crowd and started to listen.

"Yes, you heard it right!" An old voice came from the shop the crowd was waiting for. "We discovered a dozen of bottles of sacred medicine. The force our shop has nurtured brave the dangers of secret realms and came back with these medicines. But because the quantity is limited, these items will not be placed on sale. They will be auctioned tonight at the Human Federation Auction House!"

"What? Why the Human Federation scums?" A man with bear physic shouted.

"Yes, we Beast Race cannot enter in those shops the Human Federation owns!"

"Change the venue! We want to participate in the auction as well!"

"Change the venue!"

"Change the venue!"

I was watching the people struck dumb. These people were more racist than I initially thought. There might not be obvious casting out, but they are excluding the people from entering to the avenue. That person apologizing politely and acts humbly. But behind the curtains, these are all calculated moves. Now security forces will arrive and apprehend these people that creating a ruckus.

I moved away from the crowd and watched from a distance. People started to get wilder, and their courage increased with each shot. Suddenly, I smelled a funny odor.

"What is this?" I go over the alchemy memories I acquired not so long ago and recognized the smell. "Oh, Taunt Vapor!"

It was a simple gas that would enrage low-level creatures. Most of the time used to enrage animals in large quantities to lower the labor. But such a mediocre potion is a highly effective mass destruction weapon.

As I expected, people of Beast Race started to attack to the shop owners and even each other. Not long after, the police force arrived at the scene in record time and arrested all the Beast Race, but not any human. It was all staged, yet no one even questioned. This city is more corrupted than I thought.

"Hello, brother. Do you mind telling me what that sacred medicine is for?" I asked another human was in the scene.

He first looked all over my body to locate any beast organ, and when he made sure I am a %100 human, he answered. "You don't know, little brother? It is a miracle medicine, can only be found at secret realms. It is one of the most expensive items and runs out as soon as one appears in the market. Luckily this time, it will be auctioned in the Human Federation Auction House, so we have a chance to purchase."

"Yes, luckily." I humored the guy, and asked, "But won't the rich humans buy all of them. We still can't have any."

"Oh, so you don't know." The man said proudly, "Unlike those beasts, humans will not influence the market with their wealth. In Human Federation Auction House, every person has to use their own money, and the auction house does a background check."

"I see." Stupid people believe they have a chance because of such a rule. What if I have to use my own money. I can simply sell an item "I discovered" to one of my family's associates ten times its worth and then prove my income. "So, big brother, what is medicine for?"

"It is a body strengthening medicine. When you apply to your body, that part will be stronger." Man explained.

'Just this?' I saw the bottle when the man was displaying. The bottle was sealed, so I couldn't smell the potion, but the color of the medicine was one of the lowest quality. And potion with the same or better effect like this one was only bathwater in outer space. Yet it was a treasure in these people's eyes.

"How much is the estimated price of the potion?" I asked once again.

"It should be around 20 to 30 thousand gold coins. But auction houses hardly accept gold coins. Cores are the true currency in there. I mean cores of the beast, not "the beasts." ("The Beasts" in the sentence is slurringly insults people of Beast Race. The person is bigot, thus use that pharase.)

'It is good to know I cannot use the core I acquired from Troll King openly. Although I killed him justly, I can't use the core from another sentient race.'

'But the price of the potion is too expensive. Concocting such a low tier potion is hardly a challenge. I can make money through this, and I need all the money I can find to conquer this city.'

'I gave my last Level 9 core to Starisk, the guard at the door. I have to talk to him. He should know a place I can sell Troll King's core. I should also join the auction to have a better understanding of the market.'