Chapter 10: Even in Darkness, Shadows Linger

The gang member who first discovered Song Chai's corpse stood beside He Xun, hands clasped, his respectful facade barely concealing his trembling.

His face was deathly pale.

Half of it was due to the gruesome state of Song Chai's body.

The other half was fear—fear that He Xun's wrath would spill over onto him.

Yet, to everyone's surprise, He Xun merely glanced inside before quietly closing the door.

"Take care of your boss… give big brother a proper burial."

He waved a hand dismissively, his tone indifferent. The Rootless Gang members, relieved, filed in to clean up the aftermath.

He Xun himself wasn't sure how he felt at that moment.

Back when they were both scraping by at the bottom, Song Chai had always looked after him. With his sturdy build and ruthless fighting skills, he naturally took the lead.

When the Rootless Gang was established, brute strength remained the most valuable asset in a low-tier gang, so Song Chai remained at the top.

But in truth, the actual management had long fallen into He Xun's hands.

Because of this, the regular gang members understood He Xun's cold and calculating nature far better than Song Chai did.

Yet, He Xun still called him "big brother."

After He Xun became the district supervisor for the market, he stopped caring about Rootless Gang's affairs.

Gradually, Song Chai had become nothing more than a thug under his command.

On the surface, He Xun still treated him as a sworn brother, but deep down, he had grown increasingly impatient.

Naturally, he had long since stopped calling him "big brother."

And now, because of a single command from him, Song Chai had been reduced to an unrecognizable mess.

He Xun felt both relieved and… like something was missing.

It was time to reclaim Rootless Gang.

As the southern district's market supervisor, he needed his own power base. With Song Chai out of the way, He Xun could officially take over as second-in-command, consolidating power without obstacles.

And as for that scavenger…

"Increase surveillance on the market," He Xun ordered the remaining gang members. "Not just the southern district—station people in the west and east districts too."

"Find that scavenger named Lu Meng."

"And bring in everyone who knows him."

For scavengers, the ruins were their workplace. But their survival depended on the market.

They couldn't live without it.

He Xun was certain that one day, he would catch Lu Meng.

Maybe Lu Meng wasn't the one who killed Song Chai.

Maybe another district supervisor had intervened in secret.

But Song Chai had died because of this.

Someone had to pay the price, whether through blood sacrifice or blood debt.

A scavenger's life.

That would do just fine.

...

Lu Meng had his head wrapped in burlap, a ring-handled saber hanging from his waist.

Mouse-rabbit leather was too soft for a proper sheath, so he had carefully wrapped the long blade in cloth instead.

At the moment, he was leading Huo Buyang along the path, each of them carrying a large sack on their backs.

Inside were dozens of dried mouse-rabbit pelts and forty pounds of jerky.

Not a large haul.

But they weren't heading to the market.

They were taking it to the "black market" to test the waters.

In a place like the Hub Station, food was always in high demand.

Compared to rough cloth, beast pelts were not only warmer but also offered some degree of protection.

Li Liu had already sewn more than a dozen mouse-rabbit pelts onto what used to be Song Chai's leather jacket, completely altering its appearance. Lu Meng no longer looked flashy in it, but at least his shoulders and arms had some protection now.

The change in design was a good thing—less chance of someone recognizing it and causing trouble.

His distinctive white hair was also concealed beneath his headscarf.

Lu Meng led Huo Buyang through the hidden paths of the ruins.

They occasionally passed by desiccated corpses, some of which bore gnaw marks.

Honestly, scavengers were struggling, but they hadn't resorted to cannibalism just yet.

That was due to the market's careful control.

By eliminating those who couldn't work, they not only maximized efficiency but also instilled fear in the remaining scavengers, forcing them to work harder.

But if the majority of people saw no hope of survival no matter what they did, they would be pushed to cross that line.

And when that happened, the first target of their chaos would be the market itself.

Not necessarily out of hatred.

Simply because it would be the only way to get food and survive.

...

Though scavengers hadn't turned to eating people yet, rats had become a highly sought-after delicacy among those who couldn't hunt.

And in a place like the Hub Station, even the rats were starving.

There was only one thing left for them to eat…

...

Turning a corner, they entered an open space.

A cluster of wooden shacks leaned against each other, and a few anxious, watchful people moved through the area.

This was the Hub Station's underbelly—

The "black market."

"This 'black market' isn't black at all," Huo Buyang commented curiously.

Lu Meng explained, "The so-called 'black market'…"

It wasn't black because of the market itself, nor because of the time of day.

Darkness always bred chaos, and even the black market was safest during the day.

At the Hub Station, the term "black market" didn't even refer to illegal goods.

Most of the items here—whether scavenged or handmade—came from honest labor.

What made it "black" was its opposition to the market's control.

Because the market governed order at the Hub Station, anything it prohibited was considered "black."

And the market really only forbade one thing: private trade between Hub Station residents.

All transactions had to go through the market as the middleman. That was how they skimmed off their profits.

The market knew it couldn't completely eliminate bartering.

So instead, it ensured absolute control over the most critical survival resources—water and food.

All known water sources were under the market's control, and the few cactus farms were worked by their indentured laborers.

Not to mention, they monopolized the only trade route with outside merchants.

No matter how much anyone profited privately, in the end, it all had to flow back into their hands.

That was the market's survival strategy.

Because of this, the market's supervisors turned a blind eye to the black market's existence.

Some even suspected that a certain supervisor was deliberately allowing and supporting it.

Of course, the Hub Station was vast, and people's access to information was limited.

Overall, the black market still operated in secrecy.

Huo Buyang sighed, "I never imagined there'd be a place like this outside the market."

The black market was hidden away in an area with no scavenging value. If Lu Meng hadn't led the way, an ordinary drifter would have almost no chance of stumbling upon its entrance.

But just as they were about to step inside, a figure suddenly blocked their path.

A man in his late thirties or early forties stood before them, smiling broadly. But his eyes gleamed with shrewdness.

"Hey there, boys," he greeted. "You look new—first time here?"

"This black market is deeper than it looks. Whether you're buying or selling, you need to find the right people."

"I've been in this trade for over ten years. If you need a reliable dealer, I can introduce you."

"If you have any questions, just ask Old Lei!"

Huo Buyang looked confused, but Lu Meng smiled—he knew exactly what was happening.

They had run into a broker. Or more precisely, a guide-for-hire.

These guides helped newcomers navigate the black market, connecting them with shops and suppliers.

Of course, they charged a service fee or took a commission.

Usually, they took 20–30%. But for more sensitive deals, they might demand half.

His finely tailored clothing—aside from making himself look more respectable—suggested he was making good money in this business. The timing of his appearance was also too convenient, meaning he had been keeping an eye out. Hiring him wouldn't be cheap.

For most newcomers, paying a middleman to avoid unnecessary trouble wasn't a bad choice.

But for Luo Meng, it was completely unnecessary.

So, he politely declined, "Thanks, Uncle Lei, but we can manage on our own. You should help someone else instead."

With that, he prepared to move forward with Huo Buyang.

Seeing his business slipping away, Old Lei quickly sidestepped to block their path again. "Come on, you two youngsters—what do you mean 'manage on your own'?

"I'm only looking out for you! Getting scammed is one thing, but what if you lose both your money and your lives?"

Luo Meng frowned slightly.

He didn't mind the existence of brokers, but business should be done with respect. He had already turned Old Lei down once, yet the man was still pestering them.

"Alright then," Luo Meng said, thinking for a moment. "Tell us—what are the best places for us to go on this street?"