Chapter 104: An Eye-Opening Experience

Contrary to Qi Chen’s expectations, the bustle within Yellow Rock Town was in no way inferior to City No. 3; if anything, it was even more intense.

Perhaps it was the higher population density, or perhaps it was simply the wilder, more vibrant energy of the place. Once he stepped into the town, he was stunned by the clamorous main street. It felt strangely reminiscent of the bustling markets during major holidays back in his previous life.

Shops of all kinds were crammed tightly together on both sides of the road, their dazzling displays of merchandise enough to blind the eyes. The narrow street was packed with people, leaving so little space between them that if a supernatural incident were to break out here, the number of casualties would be staggering.

"Weapons for sale! All prices, all types! Alliance standard-issue gear, rifles, grenades, grenade launchers! Come take your pick if you see something you like!"

Cacophonous hawking echoed incessantly. The number of weapon stalls alone was mind-boggling. Many of the weapons on display would be hard to find even in the black markets of City No. 3, yet here in the Yellow Rock Town bazaar, they were merely commodities with a slightly higher price tag.

"Hey! You two look like big shots. How about picking up a couple of handguns?" A merchant, noticing that Qi Chen and Warm Man were dressed differently from the typical denizens of the mist, eyes lighting up, rushed over to pitch his wares. "My guns are stylish and powerful! A single bullet could easily take down a three-hundred-kilogram mist beast!"

Before Qi Chen could respond, another weapon merchant nearby let out a scoff. "Don't listen to his drivel! That piece of junk is just a hunk of iron with a coat of shiny paint—come take a look at mine instead!"

Warm Man pulled a cold face and shook his head dismissively. Both merchants took the hint, offering a knowing smile before immediately shifting their focus to other passersby.

That was the way of trade.

...

Continuing toward the designated meeting point, Qi Chen followed closely behind Warm Man. Having never been to Yellow Rock Town before, he certainly couldn't lead the way. He took the opportunity to soak in the other sights along the street.

People dressed in colorful, garish clothing were performing on the middle of the road, holding ropes tethered to several thin, small figures. The performance was similar to the monkey shows Qi Chen was familiar with, but the creatures being led by the performers were not monkeys; they were clearly, unmistakably human.

Such performances were not suppressed; in fact, they had an incredibly broad market. The crowd surrounding the performers was packed so tightly, three layers deep, that not even a drop of water could pass through. Qi Chen only managed a glimpse by peering through the gaps in the crowd, relying on the exceptional vision of a supernatural walker.

"These people... their mental states aren't normal, are they?" Remembering the advice Warm Man gave him before entering the town, Qi Chen lowered his voice to ask.

Warm Man beside him let out a soft sigh. "Does it even need to be said? Living in the mist for so long, Yellow Rock Town is filled with more outsiders than locals. These people don't have access to the permanent mist-repelling devices that we and the residents of Yellow Rock do, and they can't afford to wear mist filters every single second of the day. Over time, combined with the environmental factors, their mental health is more or less compromised."

"Aren't they afraid of turning into anomalies?" Qi Chen’s expression tightened. If a person's psyche were twisted to the extreme, it was highly likely that the influence of the mist would trigger a supernatural transformation.

"What do they have to fear?" Warm Man sneered. "To the people of Yellow Rock, anyone whose madness is severe enough to risk triggering a supernatural event is barred from entering the town. Those who do get in are at least mentally stable enough to function—a little irritability or bloodlust is considered irrelevant. And for those mist-dwellers, what’s the difference between dying in a fight one day or suddenly losing their minds and inducing a supernatural transformation?"

As they walked in silence, a new sight caught Qi Chen’s eyes.

By the side of the road, a small area had been cordoned off with simple wooden fences. Inside, a large number of burlap sacks were piled on the ground, but to his horror, many of them were moving on their own. Judging by the outlines of the sacks, they held living beings.

A transaction was taking place within the enclosure. A burly man in a sleeveless leather jacket, a cigarette dangling from his mouth, was talking loudly to the proprietor. The voice was so booming that even Qi Chen, standing outside the fence, could hear every word.

"Hey! Rat-face, how much for this lot?"

"The usual rate." The proprietor, sporting a thin, rat-like mustache, smiled to reveal prominent front teeth. His eyes narrowed into slits, revealing a look of pure craftiness. "This batch is full of lunatics caught in the mist. Don't look at me like that—sure, they’re crazy and not much use for labor, but you can turn around and sell them to the owners of the beast-fighting pits! They love using lunatics to train their beasts. I hear the current champion in the arena was raised on a diet of lunatics. If that doesn't work, you can always just bring them into the mist as emergency rations."

"Next batch." The burly man spat on the ground, urging the owner with visible impatience.

The owner, undeterred by the impatience, only smiled brighter. "Then how about this lot! The price is a bit higher, but these are healthy seeds with no physical defects. Buy them, raise them... they make decent enough servants. And then... there’s this premium stock. Young female slaves, took me quite a bit of effort to acquire! And I guarantee... they’re all clean. Won’t cause a shred of trouble!"

Qi Chen frowned, wanting to say something, but Warm Man noticed and quickly grabbed his arm, pulling him forward.

"I told you, you wouldn't like it outside the city. And don't even think about using your abilities to intervene; there are supernatural walkers in Yellow Rock Town, and they are watching!" Warm Man’s tone deepened, and he let out a long, heavy sigh. "This... is the way of the world. Faceless, if you want to change things, you should found a major conglomerate, something on the scale of the Mist-Travel Transport Group. You could buy up everything you find unpleasant right now. Or else, build a city with rules just like City No. 3."

Suddenly offering a self-deprecating laugh, Warm Man added, "But even those are just stopgap measures. Unless... you can change the world itself."

A spark of light ignited in Qi Chen’s eyes, and the faint, low growl of the Overlord echoed in his ears.

But soon, a shout from up ahead drew his attention away.

A group of women, decked out in heavy makeup, were waving frantically at him and Warm Man, their gazes even more terrifying than the mist beasts in the fog.

"Hey, handsome! Want to play?"

Qi Chen frowned, feeling deeply uncomfortable, and turned to find that Warm Man looked equally repulsed.

"You're..."

"Nothing, just a bit of heartache." Warm Man exhaled. He still preferred the simpler companions he drank with back on Lamp Street. "Remember, seafood merchants are everywhere. But you’d better have a taste of your own."

Qi Chen clenched his fist, then slowly let it go.

He felt a strange sense of numbness.