NOVEL WEB Chapter 26: A Visit to the Black Market
"Yun Xiaoxiao, isn't this happening too quickly?" Kent asked, feeling embarrassed.
"Why, don't you feel tempted?" Yun Xiaoxiao linked her arm with his, her demeanor affectionate. "You're quite the catch now. If I wait too long, I fear I'll miss my chance. You have to understand."
Kent cleared his throat and straightened his posture. "If this were before, I'd definitely accept with joy. But now, we've all graduated. Is there still time for this?"
"As long as we're willing, there's always time," Yun Xiaoxiao laughed lightly.
"But if something happens tonight, I'll regret it for the rest of my life. You know my goal is to get into earthstar University. Long-distance relationships aren't exactly something to look forward to."
Kent frowned. Although he was very tempted and almost wanted to drag the beautiful girl into his arms, he had his principles and didn't want to violate them.
Yun Xiaoxiao seemed to snap back to reality, looking at him with a deep gaze. She finally sighed, "Alright then, I wish you success in getting into earthstar University and a bright future."
Kent nodded. "Thank you. Next time we meet, I'll treat you to a meal."
Yun Xiaoxiao fluttered away like a butterfly, performing an elegant dance, her movements enchanting. Her figure was stunning, leaving many boys staring in awe.
That night, Kent drank a lot of beer amidst the enthusiastic atmosphere.
Eventually, Class Leader Yang stood up and, with a voice like a duck's, sang a song titled "Strolling Across Half of Earthstar."
The lyrics spoke of monsters appearing, forcing humans to live in cities, never to see their former lands again. It expressed a strong sense of patriotism, stirring emotions and easily rousing the blood.
Kent was slightly moved but knew his own limits.
Let's be real—one of the mythical beasts, the Chaos Giant Ape, could smash a hundred-story skyscraper with a single slap. With his current strength, he couldn't even pluck a hair from the giant ape.
So, better stick to his own path and let others dream on.
The next day, Kent woke up early, greeted Zhou Yun, then quietly left the school with his backpack.
He waved his sleeve, leaving without a trace, never before feeling this carefree.
Garfield followed behind him, wagging its tail, looking like a loyal dog.
Once home, Kent cleaned up the house and then stared out the window, lost in thought.
At that moment, a black car pulled up, and it seemed somewhat familiar.
The car stopped downstairs, and a black-clad bodyguard, seemingly named Xiao Chen, walked up to the door.
Soon, there was a knock.
Kent opened the door. "Hello, you must be Mr. Li's man."
The bodyguard nodded and smiled. "Mr. Li knows you've graduated, so he sent me to ask about your plans for the future. After all, you're still a few years away from adulthood."
Kent welcomed him inside, poured a cup of tea, and sat down. "I haven't thought it through in detail yet, but I'm aiming for earthstar University. So, if all goes well, I'll continue my studies."
"Earthstar University?!" The bodyguard was startled, then paused before continuing. "So, that's it. In that case, would you need Mr. Li's assistance with tuition?"
Kent had already looked into the tuition fees for earthstar University, which amounted to a hefty 100,000 dollar per year—a significant sum for many students, leading them to seek loans.
However, Kent didn't need to worry about that; he had his own way of making money.
"No need, I can handle it myself," Kent decisively declined.
"Since that's the case, please accept Mr. Li's business card."
The bodyguard handed over a golden card with Mr. Li's name—Li Wan Feng—written on it, along with his phone number and email address. There was no mention of his position or identity.
Kent thought for a moment but still accepted the card. After all, the man was his nominal guardian, and refusing this gesture might seem ungrateful.
"If you encounter any problems that are difficult to resolve, don't hesitate to contact Mr. Li. He will definitely lend a hand," the bodyguard said before leaving.
...
The next day, Kent went back to the black market.
The secret realm trial was about to begin in a few days, and he had no idea what it entailed. So, he planned to prepare by getting some supplies.
He made his way to the northern part of the city, entering an underground parking garage of a department store. He put on a mask and, under the watchful eyes of the security guards, entered the black market.
Since most of the items in the black market were quite expensive, Kent went straight to the mission hall to complete a few tasks and earn some credit points.
Upon seeing him, the staff in the Beast Master area, Lu Jia, quickly stood up and called out, "Mr. Eight God, you finally arrived."
Xiao Wei, also wearing a cat-faced mask, approached him with bright, lively eyes and smiled, "Greetings, Mr. Eight God."
Kent nodded and greeted the two of them.
"Mr. Eight God, I take it you're here to accept a Beast Master task?" Lu Jia asked respectfully.
"That's right. What's the matter?" Kent asked.
"Well, recently, Master Ye Yan has encountered a troublesome high-level task. Tonight is the last deadline, but the beast in the task hasn't evolved yet. If it fails, it will harm the reputation of the Beast Master Department, so Master Ye Yan is very anxious."
"I see. So, you want me to take a look?" Kent asked.
"Mm... yes. I apologize for this sudden request. I hope you can forgive me, Mr. Eight God." Lu Jia clasped his fists.
"Well... I'll take a look at the task details first, and if there's no issue, I'll agree to try it," Kent replied.
"Great! We're really grateful for your help." Lu Jia said as he handed over the task details.
"Task: Evolve a Dinosaur Beast from Silver to Gold... Reward: 300,000 credit points."
Kent frowned after reading the task details. "Why is the reward so high?"
Lu Jia explained, "It's a 40-level King-tier monster, very violent in nature, and usual methods can't calm it down."
"I understand now. Lead the way; let me take a look," Kent said nonchalantly.
"Alright." Lu Jia was surprised that Kent agreed so quickly and excitedly told Xiao Wei, "Xiao Wei, take Mr. Eight God to the second restricted room."
Xiao Wei nodded and led the way.
It was a room about ten meters wide and long, with walls that were thick and sturdy enough to contain even the strongest King-tier beasts.
The door was reinforced with thick iron bars, each as wide as an adult's thigh.
Kent stood outside and looked in. Inside, there was a dinosaur-like Beast with a yellowish-brown color. Its two hind limbs were thick and strong, supporting its massive body, while its forelimbs were short, tucked under its neck, with sharp claws.
The King-tier Dinosaur Beast occupied nearly two-thirds of the room. Without a storage bracelet, it would have been difficult to bring such a creature here.
Kent immediately used his system scanning ability to read the Dinosaur Beast's attributes.
Beast Name: Bloodhand Tyrant Dragon
Beast Rank: Silver
Beast Level: 40
Beast Age: 5 years
Experience Pool: 34,962
Abilities: 1. Brutal Hunt; 2. Relentless Charge; 3. Terrifying Transformation...