The inner market wasn't
stalls and bartering.
It was
negotiations behind locked doors, whispered deals, and controlled auctions.
Everything here was
either stolen, salvaged, or illegal.
And Ava's
Blueprint System
went
insane.
[ANALYZING...]
[Shifter Combat Armor – 90% Efficiency]
[Modified Firearms – Partial Damage]
[Encrypted Data Drives – UNKNOWN CONTENT]
Ava's breath
hitched.
There was
so much tech here.
So much
opportunity.
Lucas caught her
reaction immediately.
"Overwhelmed?" he murmured.
Ava
forced herself to stay calm.
"Hardly. Just wondering how much of this stuff is a trap."
Lucas
grinned.
"All of it."
Ava sighed. "Fantastic."
Lucas nudged her forward. "Come on, Zhang. Time to see how real trades are made."
And just like that?
She was
thrown into the deep end.
Ava had seen
trading in the bunker
before—people haggling over scraps, swapping
half-broken tools for moldy food
, struggling to survive.
This?
This was
something else entirely.
The
inner Black Market
was where
real power changed hands
—where warlords, traders, and rogue engineers cut
high-stakes deals
that could decide who
thrived or starved
in the weeks to come.
Lucas led her into a
low-lit chamber
, where five different groups were
seated around a central table
, each with
something valuable
to offer.
Ava kept
her hood low
, letting
her system scan the room.
[Analyzing Participants...]
[Identified: Shifter Mercenary Guild]
[Identified: Bunker 12's Trade Representative]
[Identified: Rogue Engineer – Unknown Affiliation]
Lucas
moved like he belonged here
, which—judging by the way the others nodded in acknowledgment—
he did.
Ava stayed close, scanning the
items on the table.
Weapons, supplies,
a locked security case with no label.
And then, her
system flickered.
[UNKNOWN TECH DETECTED]
Ava's breath
hitched.
The case wasn't
just valuable.
It was
something new.
Lucas noticed her reaction, his
golden eyes glinting.
"Something caught your interest, Zhang?"
Ava
exhaled slowly.
"Yeah. And I have a feeling it's gonna be expensive."
Lucas smirked. "Good thing I brought my secret weapon, then."
Ava frowned. "Who?"
Lucas
grinned.
"You."
Ava sighed.
Of course.
Lucas turned back to the
table, his voice smooth, confident.
"Alright, gentlemen. Let's make a deal."
And just like that?
The real game
began.
Ava
wasn't sure what was worse
—the way the traders
sized each other up like predators circling prey
, or the fact that Lucas Bai
was one of them.
The air in the
auction chamber
was thick with
unspoken threats and hidden motives
.
Lucas moved like he was
born for this
, sliding into his seat with
effortless confidence
, his golden eyes
calculating every move
before it happened.
Ava, still
hooded
, stood behind him like a
silent shadow
, watching as her
Blueprint System flickered.
[SCANNING AUCTION ITEMS...]
[SECURITY CASE – UNKNOWN TECH DETECTED]
[ANALYSIS BLOCKED – HIGH-LEVEL ENCRYPTION]
Ava's
pulse quickened.
The locked case wasn't just
valuable
—it was something
her system couldn't immediately break down.
That meant
it was rare. Dangerous.
And if Lucas was
interested in it?
So was she.
The auctioneer—a
grizzled ex-mercenary with a missing eye
—leaned forward.
"Starting bid—three power cells."
One of the
Shifter mercenaries scoffed.
"Too low."
"Four," another trader countered.
"Six," a man from Bunker 12 added.
Lucas smiled lazily, fingers
tapping against the table.
Ava
leaned in slightly.
"What's in the case?" she whispered.
Lucas didn't look at her, but his smirk widened.
"That," he murmured, "is the fun part."
Ava
gritted her teeth.
"You don't even know, do you?"
Lucas's golden eyes flickered with amusement. "Doesn't matter. If they want it this bad, I want it more."
Ava sighed.
Classic Bai.
The bidding climbed higher—
ten power cells, then fifteen.
Ava watched as the others
hesitated.
That was a
steep
price.
But Lucas?
He was still waiting.
And then, when the room
grew tense
, he finally spoke.
"Twenty."
Ava's head snapped toward him.
"Are you insane?"
Lucas smiled.
"Probably."
Silence fell over the room.
The traders
shifted uncomfortably.
That was
too high. Too risky.
The auctioneer's
one eye gleamed.
"Final call?"
No one countered.
"Sold."
Lucas
leaned back, smug as hell.
Ava exhaled sharply.
"You better pray that case is worth it."
Lucas chuckled, golden eyes flashing. "Oh, Zhang. You worry too much."
Ava scowled.
No, he just didn't worry
enough.
And somehow, she had the sinking feeling that
this deal had just made their lives a lot more complicated.