A Black Market LitRPG

The opening day of the shopping arcade was in full swing, with hundreds of visitors flocking towards the shopping malls.

Kyle watched the entire affair from the top floor office’s balcony, overlooking the front lobby of the shopping arcade, a mere five storeys above. Keith was already giddy with excitement, watching the visitors browse the various stalls. “This is it, I can smell the money!” Keith laughed.

“Don’t get ahead of yourself - we need to make sure the first light-thrower show is perfect,” Kyle warned. “Have the associates patrol the floors regularly, especially the bathhouse.”

Keith quickly calmed himself down, nodding in agreement. “Got it. I’ll keep an eye out.”

“Good.” Kyle exited the office, intending to make a tour around, ensuring everything was going smoothly according to his plan.

The shopping arcade layout was simple – he decided not to innovate too much lest unknown organizations were watching him. It was clear to him that he was not the only one aware of Galactic Era technology, which meant he had to keep a low profile.

As such, each of the companies he established had a figurehead in place to serve as the public face. If Kyle wanted to grow his influence legally, he needed frontmen to absorb the shock and hate where necessary. Of course, the locals knew that he was the main guy in charge, but that was not the case for foreigners and other district residents who would come over to patronize the shopping arcade.

Even if the enforcers and lesser nobility knew who he was and how much he controlled, it was still better to stay out of the public spotlight as much as possible. No reason to pose front and centre and jeopardize his position publicly.

Kyle reached the bottom of the lobby through an arctech elevator, feeling the cool wind that blew through the corridor of the shopping arcade. He limited the innovations within the shopping arcade to three main points:

1. Temperature Control

2. Light thrower Cinema

3. Cleaning Inventions

These three innovations are hardly revolutionary – they should not freak out anyone working with Galactic Era tech… Kyle was acutely aware of his animosity with Versia now. He had no doubt that the Ilysian Punks and those who were backing them from beyond the border would return to harass him or to take revenge.

As he walked out to the front lobby, he noticed Guang Hwa smiling at a group of reporters, his face covered in makeup to make him look like a completely different individual, lest he was recognized as Long Hua.

“President Hwa, can you tell me what inspired you to start such a large project?”

“Of course. The Golden Snake Construction Company is, first and foremost, dedicated to the betterment of the common folk. We want to improve the standard of living for everyone living in our district. However, it is not limited to just this district alone – we would like to extend our hand to everyone in the city of Raktor to come and visit once!”

“Offering free entry to the bathhouse for everyone seems to be a completely unprofitable venture; how is the company funding any of this? The cost to clean such a large bathhouse meant to serve thousands would be astronomical!” A reporter jabbed an arctech radio in front of his face, obviously trying to dig out some dirt.

“Indeed it would be if we were relying on current technology. However, we have partnered with our sister company, Anaconda Cleaning Solutions, in order to alleviate such a cost. I cannot divulge further as the innovations are a secret. However! Today, on this glorious opening day, we will be showcasing the first public screening of a light-thrower show!”

“A light-thrower show? Is it the same machine that the enforcers have been using to campaign recently?”

“Indeed it has. The enforcers have worked very closely with our new theatre company – Sliver Snakes Productions. And speaking of the devil, here he is!”

The reporters turned to see the Seven Snakes guards clearing a path as a luxurious arctech wagon pulled up, with Reese stepping out in a slick tuxedo, his hair clearly well-done and his skin glistening in the daylight.

Kyle glanced over to a Seven Snakes associate who was filming the entire thing with a lightcapturer. He walked up to the associate and lightly tapped him on the shoulder. “Don’t film the reporters. Film Reese.”

“U-uh, yes sir right away!” The associate was nearly shocked to death by Kyle’s sudden approach, hastily repositioning himself to get the correct viewing angle.

The reporters immediately swarmed Reese as he got out of the wagon, clamouring and asking him questions. “One at a time, people, one at a time!”

“Reese, you have been credited with the invention of the lightcapturer and light thrower – how do you feel right now?”

“I feel vindicated. I am proud and happy that there were this many people who came out in support of my work. It has been a long hard journey with many obstacles, but I am glad to say that today is a new era in theatre and the entertainment industry!”

Reese continued to answer questions with a steadfast expression, his eyes winking at Kyle, who hung back. Kyle nodded his head, satisfied with the performance so far.

Kyle walked around the perimeter of the shopping arcade, heading towards what was set up to be a transportation hub of sorts. Dozens of arctech wagons were here, with many local residents disembarking and entering the shopping arcade.

He watched as a packed arctech wagon entered one of the berths, unloading a dozen families who looked as though they were coming to a theme park. He spotted Monica in the front passenger seat of the wagon, who waved to him.

“How’s the transportation so far?” Kyle asked as he approached..

“Working fine. As you can see, I managed to negotiate a fair working wage for all the drivers here; they won’t have any qualms about what we’re doing.” Monica replied as she glanced around suspiciously, her eyes locked onto an enforcer who was helping to guard the perimeter of the shopping arcade as well. “We working with them now?”

“It’s complicated. They won’t arrest us outright, but if they see it right in front of their faces, they’ll act.”

“Got it.” Monica nodded before beckoning for Kyle to get on as well.

“Hey, you. Drive into the basement.” Monica asked the driver.

“Basement? How can you drive into a basement?” The driver was confused, glancing around.

“Idiot, it’s at the end of the hub. I taught you during your induction. You need servicing; go there.”

“Who says I need servicing?”

“Says me. You’re working for me now, remember?”

The driver grumbled to himself as he restarted the arctech wagon, driving into a downward slope that led to an underground warehouse below the shopping arcade, where the unused wagons were stored.

“I’ll take over from here; go wait in the break room.” Monica urged the driver out, who complied quickly, scampering away.

Monica drove the arctech wagon into a service workshop, where two Seven Snakes associates were already waiting. Kyle hopped out of the back of the wagon, motioning for the two associates to begin.

They began to remove the floorboard, revealing barrels of alcohol layered into the base of the wagon. Grunting as they lifted it and placed it onto a trolley, they followed Kyle from behind as he led into a double door at the back of the workshop, which opened to reveal a fully-fledged pub, packed to the brim with customers.

Eric Dicar was laughing as he served customers non-stop at the bar, happily explaining all of the different types of alcohol here. Kyle recognized nearly all the customers as regulars at the other Seven Snakes’ businesses, noticing Karl and the factory workers partying at the back.

Eric noticed Kyle, his joyful expression quickly diminishing as he quickly sauntered over, bowing slightly to Kyle.

“How’s the bar going?”

“First day, and it’s already a riot. Sales are through the roof. Honestly, you should’ve placed the brewery here.”

“Better to keep things separate for now. Harder to track.”

“Right. I heard Reese is already at the theatre. You should head over.”

Kyle nodded, heading to the projector room of the theatre on the top floor of the shopping arcade. A group of associates were still running around in the room, setting up everything for the upcoming show.

“Ah, ah, ah one two three radio check.” Gordon’s voice boomed across the theatre, blasting out from the various arctech radio placed around.

“Gordon, any issues?”

“Everything is working perfectly; we’re good to go in a few minutes,” Gordon replied without looking back as he double-checked the audio playback, making sure it was in synchronization. “Sound is ok, the light thrower is okay. However, I’ve been monitoring the arcite fuel consumption of the entire building. Do we even have enough money to pay?”

“Only for the next three months.”

“We need to find a more stable source of arcite ore; maybe we can set up our own energy company as well. Have you considered expanding to Versia?”

“Versia? Is it good for arcite ore?”

“Not as good as Tryas, but at least you don’t run the risk of angering the nobility here.”

Versia… I do have plans to head over eventually, but it is not the right time… Kyle could hardly leave the Seven Snakes as they were right now. With multiple legal companies in the spotlight, he knew enemies could come from anywhere.

“Anywhere that’s closer to Raktor?”

“Hmm… we had an operation in the Culdao Peaks, and I recall it used to be an arcite mine. Perhaps you could find undiscovered veins there? I know the nobles gave up fighting the goblins, so it’s a chance there too.”

“I’ll think about it.”

The theatre was already packed to the brim, with the seating capacity being five thousand and many more standing in the aisle. Reese was just about finished with his opening speech on the main stage.

“… and without further ado, I present to you the first commercial film by the Sliver Snake Productions: Princess Rescue!”

Gordon flicked the light thrower on while activating the audio playback device at the same time. The opening scene began to show on the grand white wall that was as smooth as marble, reflecting the images perfectly.

The audience gasped in awe as they saw the largest moving ‘painting’ they had ever seen, complete with audio as well as a tribal drum beat echoing through the theatre.

[In the depths of the mountain, a lone princess captured by a goblin tribe cries for help…. Who can save her?]

[Kyaaaa! Somebody, save me!] The princess’s voice resounded, drawing the audience more and more into the scene.

An evil goblin grinned widely as he stepped closer to the princess. [No one is here to hear your screams nor save yo-]

Without warning, the light-thrower machine suddenly cut off, losing power completely. The arctech radio faltered too, the audio warbling and distorting as the theatre was plunged into complete darkness.

“What? What’s going on? Is this part of the show?”

“I can’t see anything; what happened to the painting?!”

Kyle quickly grabbed an arctech radio off a nearby table, barking into it. “What’s going on? Why isn’t the backup kicking in?”

[Sir, someone sabotaged both the main and the backup arcite fuel generator. It’s a complete mess in here!]

“Fuck! Get the associates in here now to handle the crowd. Guang Hwa, grab a loud hailer and calm down the crowd!” Kyle stormed out of the projector room into the office. The entire shopping arcade had somehow lost power, with the arctech engravings originally powered by a single grid no longer working as expected.

Even the backup was not working, fueling Kyle’s worst fears. Keith was already in the office, desperately trying to call an arcite fuel company. “We need an arcite fuel generator here as soon as…. What do you mean no? I’m willing to pay five hundred thousand rakels – no, a million rakels for you to come down right now!”

Keith’s face baulked as the radio went silent, causing him to grip the table in anger. “Kyle, no company wants to help us at all! What’s going on?! It feels like they are ganging up on us!”

“Even the ones we have a contract with?”

Keith nodded, with Kyle gritting his teeth. It’s too much of a coincidence. Whoever sabotaged the opening day knew exactly what was going to happen, and there were a few people who would have the incentive to do so.

“Looks like it’s time to have a chat.”