The Loner - Chinatown's Underground

Old women: I hope you enjoy "Hòumén" store."

Denial approached the old elevator, dirty and ruined down a bit with a strong smell of antique things as well as a sign saying "Out of Service".

Denial pushed the bottom to open the door.

The door: "noise" "noise" "noise" "slowly opening". But then stops while halfway opened which mean that the elevator is too old to be in use that even the door function doesn't work properly. But it doesn't seem the case here.

Denial knows the reason to why the door stop halfway, it is not malfunctioned, it is designed to do so, as a cover up, excuse. He then pushed the sequences, up, up, down, up, down, down and finally "UP". The first six sequences for the passcode and the final "command".

The elevator door fully opened and Denial get into the ride. Suddenly an announcement started to broadcast, through the ruined down speaker attached to the wall.

"Thank you for using our Hòumén's Gate for the trading service. Please wear at least a mask to avoid being recognize as we don't take responsibility after getting into the designated location. From now, the consequences that you have to face are all your own doings. Hope you enjoy using our service"....

After a short ride, Denial get into the underground floor, look alike underground train station but much wider. There are a lot of signs saying "Dungeon's Products", "Magi Stone" "Raiding Equipment". Most sellers are wearing black robe and their face are coved with a full mask. There are also hunters, raider, normal mercenaries and dealers as well as all sort of inhumane businesses. There are all sort of interesting things, but Denial is only interested in one small ruined down store at the corner, "Emiror". Denial get into the shop.

The shopkeeper: "What do you need?" (cold voice)

Denial: I need a dealer.

The shopkeeper: "We sell products not dealerships, go find somewhere else. Fxxk!"

Denial: I know but what I need to buy is a ticket.

The shopkeeper: (silence)......(stare). A regular? One lowest grade magi stone....

Denial: here.

The shopkeeper check the stone and said, "that will work, here take this and get out".

The shopkeeper give Denial, a piece of paper saying "Block B, Walter Street 12th road, Coffee shop "Mary's Coco", tomorrow. Passcode: "A iced-americano, make it spicy with Sichuan Chili". After Denial done reading, a sec later, the letter disappear as if the paper is totally new.

Denial: Well, I need to use my saving again.

Denial walked around the market to see something new and interesting. Everything is totally expensive, but not important to hunter because all the products here are indeed from the dungeons but targeted for the normal human or un-awakeners.

Background noise: "This is mucus of the forest slime, very good for the skin, the core is gone but the mucus is still alive for a couple day, you put this on your skin and it will absorb any toxic material from you skin. The drop item in the dungeon. One liter for 340 USD"

People chatting: "This is the rare blood of the fire turtle, it has a very unique heat character, far strong than the heat that 100% liquor can give, consuming a little can make your blood flow in the best condition. A rare drop from a volcano dungeon. One glass bottle for 23000 USD at a discount."

People chatting: " This is essence of the violent pitcher plant, it can create hallucinations and a sweet scent to the any animal who smell it, including human, work especially on female, as most female have sensitive to fragrance. Usage is depend on how creative you are. A drop from a high death rated dungeon, "The crazy garden". 5ml per bottle at the price of 1300 USD" I heard it is also an excellent material for the hunter to lure the monster and hunt. It is also used on the living bait to lure the monster out. Let's just say, more demand, high price right?

People chatting: "This is the fang of the giant snake, it can be an excellent material of the crafting things. I don't know the specific use. Because I am sure it is worth the price. You guys know that the gate accident from the few years ago right? All government raiding teams got somehow wipe out clean because of the abnormal gate. Well, I heard from the inside source that in fact the gate is double gate, a gate inside the gate, and somehow the unknown creatures came out from the inside gate and attached to the monster making a rank C monster to B+ in a berserk state."

"Don't buy that! I once bought a fang just like that from him, but when i touched it with my bare hand, it corrupted my hand, now i lost my two fingers. Fxxk!."

Denial is trying to pass that because he has no interest in buying other materials as they are very expensive for him. But when Denial pass near it. "heart beat.." "thump.." "thump.." "THUMP"...;

Denial: What I feel something? Had I been losing sleep lately? No, that isn't the case, I know my body best. What is causing me to be in this state? What is that... "A bone? no.. a fang?".

Denial: Hey, how much for what you are holding?

Seller: Well, I earned that with great difficulties, initially I gonna sell it at 1400USD but now, just give me half price, 700USD, how about that? (Inner thinking) Ho..Ho.... I make a huge profit today, I got it from the waste pile of melting corpses, when I sneaked into the dismantling facilities of the government to steal some bones. It is worth nothing and that is why, it is in the waste pile waiting to be burned. Hee hee, So how about 700USD?

Denial: 400USD.

Seller: WTF, you are cutting the price half. I can't give you that. Give me a little more.

Denial: 400USD. Final say, yes or no, I gonna leave anyway.

Seller: Wait, wait, wait. (thinking)...........

Denial: Ok, I gonna leave.

Seller: Ok! Ok. ok. happy! Here, take it. Give me my money you fxxker.

Denial: Here.

Denial give him 400USD and get the fang that he newly interested into. Then he slowly walked out of the market. "Ding Dong.... Thank you for using our service.... Hòumén trading channel. Do come again."

Denial walked out off the lift.....,

Old women: "The exit is in the back. Help yourself. Don't come again."

Denial then go to the work, as usual,

Chatter.... Chatter.... "Hello, I want fried chicken one set, and a drink please." Yes, coming right up"

Television New: "Another victory for the raiding party leaded by Hell Fire Princess, her guild is getting more and more popularity among the people as she finally successfully raided the "The Black Forest for the first time with only her guild." She said, that is all the experience she got from the participation of the national-level emergency group raid (NEGR) back in gate breakout accident in Korea."

People chatting: "Wow, my idol.", "She is like angle, very beautiful and strong"

"I wanna hug her"

"Don't forget, her attribute is fire, she will burn you to ash if you cross the line. Stop dreaming and hurry go back to work. Look Daniel is hardworking see, at least do half of him, you idiot.(female voice)"

"Yes, Manager-Nim"

News.... chatter... chatter... speaking... speaking...

Daniel felt the feeling of staring by a eye from the behind.

Manager: What?(female voice)

Denial: Ah, nothing at all.

Interesting, I though only the girl is interesting. But that guy also can feel my presence. I, the one who rule over the wind of west, "Dogoda". Humm.. may be I am imaging things. A mere mortal doesn't have any mean to know my existence. Well, let keep an eye on the girl, I want to know, she is worthy of my attention as the game of the entities are already started, I need my own toy to play in the game. Right?...