The surrounding area was all part of the old city—once the outer edge of Old Eridu. Since the construction of the new city, it had been left undeveloped, and now lay in decay.
The stretch extending toward New Eridu—where Ellen and her friends had been—was in slightly better shape.
Because of its proximity to the Dead End Hollows, this area was usually a hideout for raiders, as well as a home to many families struggling to make ends meet.
So seeing people dressed like this wasn't unusual.
What was strange... was why they were kneeling in a row.
Zane glanced at Panta, still perched high above in the shadows. For some reason, these four looked like they were worshipping him.
When Panta saw Zane approaching, he immediately hopped down and began complaining to him nonstop.
After hearing the full story, Zane gave the four men a brief glance and smiled.
"It's fine. Just a minor incident. You can get up."
Hearing such kind words, the four men stood up, trembling, grateful but confused.
This guy was Bangboo's boss?
He didn't look like much—frail, even.
Zane watched them rise, then waved his hand slightly. Threads of Ether crystal dust floated toward them and were inhaled.
"I've got other things to deal with. Go turn yourselves in to the Security Bureau. Come clean about everything illegal you've done."
What?
The four looked at each other, startled and baffled.
He wanted them to turn themselves in? Was he serious?
Still, the odds were stacked against them right now, so the four exchanged glances and all pretended to agree.
Zane gave them a quick look and simply smiled, then walked over to retrieve the sack he had hidden, loading the inconspicuous black stones—actually Ether—in one by one.
Seeing that he said nothing more, the four assumed he'd let it go. They cast one last regretful glance at the Ether they hadn't managed to steal and prepared to leave.
Turn themselves in?
They were already on the run. No way they'd actually do that.
They weren't idiots.
As the four walked off, Panta folded his arms and glared after them, clearly displeased.
"Mm-hmm, mm-hmm-mm? (Boss, are we really letting them go?)"
"Mm-hmm-mm-mm, mm-mm-mm-mm. (They tried to steal your stuff, and they definitely won't do what you said.)"
"I know."
Zane's expression didn't change as he lifted the sack full of Ether.
"It's their choice. I'm not to blame."
He turned and walked away. Behind him, the lingering Ether dust began to coalesce into a flowing black orb.
Its surface rippled with protruding spikes that rose and fell rhythmically—strange and mesmerizing.
"Mm-hmm? (Boss, what's that?)"
Panta followed behind and eyed the orb curiously.
"Just a little trick."
"It won't be my problem afterward anyway."
The black orb shifted into liquid form, reshaping as if responding to Zane's will. With a casual wave, it vanished as if struck.
"Mm? Mm-mm-mm-mm? (Huh? What did you do?)"
"Let's just say I had them drink a bowl of forgetfulness by the River of No Return..."
One man, one Bangboo—their silhouettes faded quietly into the night.
...
The sky had grown darker, cloaked in a deep, impenetrable black.
The darkness before dawn was suffocating.
Even the neon glow of the city couldn't pierce it.
"This is the black market?"
Zane looked ahead, surprised by how... normal everything seemed. The street looked completely ordinary, nothing suspicious at all.
According to the address Qingyi had given him, this was the northern part of the Janus District. Any farther north, and he'd be outside of it.
Qingyi had said this was the largest Hollow black market in Janus. So shouldn't it be within city limits?
But what he saw in front of him...
Was just an average street.
Was this another setup like Sixth Street?
Restaurants, gyms, karaoke bars, toy shops...
Carrying a large sack, Zane stood out as he moved through the sparse pedestrian traffic—but nobody paid him any attention. Clearly, the locals were used to it.
"Mm-hmm! (Boss, over there—look!)"
"Mm-hmm-mm. (They look shady.)"
Panta, now cleaned up and back to his usual self, had spotted something. He jumped and pointed it out to Zane.
Looking in that direction, Zane saw several people in hats and sunglasses, each carrying a bag, slipping through a door under the invitation of a shopkeeper.
He raised an eyebrow.
Could that seemingly normal tea and dried fruit shop be a front for the black market?
The layout of the street was tidy and orderly—every storefront faced the road, nothing looked out of place.
Too perfect.
Like something was being hidden.
Zane thought for a moment, then pulled out his mask and slipped it on. He had Panta do a quick disguise as well, then made his way toward the tea shop.
The shopkeeper was a man in his fifties, dressed plainly. Oddly, he wore a yellow conical hat even though it was nighttime.
"Excuse me, sir... What were those people doing just now?"
Zane knocked on the wooden counter to get his attention, then got straight to the point.
The old man looked him up and down, his gaze landing on the sack behind him.
"Dressed like that, yet clueless..."
"You a rookie?"
He frowned, then leaned back lazily in his chair.
"Do you have an invitation to this shop?"
Zane shook his head. This was his first time even hearing about the black market. No way he had something like that.
The old man lost all interest and waved him off.
"Kid, we don't deal with newcomers. Quality over quantity. Go on. Try the shop across the street—they take all kinds."
Clearly, Zane didn't meet his standards.
"Thanks for clearing that up, sir."
Zane smiled without taking offense, nodded in thanks, and turned away.
But now he understood how it worked.
Following the old man's tip, he crossed the street and entered the toy shop.
"Hi there! Can I help you with anything?"
A young girl inside, busy arranging toys, greeted him with a smile. Seeing the mask, she tilted her head curiously.
Anyone wearing something like that had to be a big toy fan, right?
She figured he was here to buy something and was just about to introduce him to the latest seasonal collectibles when Zane interrupted.
"The gentleman across the street sent me. I have something I need to take care of—think you can help?"
He gestured toward the sack in his hand.