The Apocalypse Has Been Downloaded – Chapter 53

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: JayM
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I looked around the shop.

While the Poacher’s Shack had been messy and disorganized, the drug dealer’s shop had the atmosphere of a bar.

The shop was filled with various drugs in colorful bottles along with ordinary alcohol and strange liquors infused with bizarre creatures.

And the peculiar posters on the walls, the flashing, unidentifiable characters on the electronic display, the sweet scent tickling my nose, and the steady beat emanating from a jukebox-like object, which I couldn’t tell whether it was a machine or a living creature…

It was a futuristic bar filled with neon signs and colorful lights.

Judging by the atmosphere alone, it was the safest-looking place in the Black Market, and it strangely gave me a sense of security.

If it weren’t a drug dealer’s shop, I would have wanted to relax here and have a drink.

This must be the drug dealer’s trick. Creating a sense of security to ease the customer’s tension and make them vulnerable before doing something.

“Try it… It’s good for calming the mind and body.”

“No, thank you.”

I firmly refused the unknown drink he offered me.

According to the rules, food and drinks offered by drug dealers were likely to be laced with something, so it was best to avoid them entirely.

“Really? It will make you feel good. That’s a shame. Then, why don’t you check out the merchandise since you’re here? I’ll give you a good price. Our cute little human friend… has a familiar scent. I like it.”

Was Favor of the Myriad Demons working here?

The poacher hadn’t reacted at all, but the drug dealer sniffed around me and let out a pleasant hum. If he was susceptible to Favor of the Myriad Demons, I might be able to use him.

“Here, here. Why don’t you have a seat? I won’t do anything bad. And I have something to tell you. Wandering around the Black Market alone for the first time can be nerve-wracking.”

I had been planning to just take a quick look at the merchandise and leave, but the crossdressing man insisted I sit down at a long table with incredibly comfortable sofas that felt like they would swallow me whole.

Since I had already encountered a drug dealer, I was curious about what he sold. And his words about having something to tell me made me wonder if there was a way to escape this insane Black Market, so I agreed.

The crossdressing drug dealer went around the shop while gathering items, and then started placing bottles on the table.

I checked my watch. Two hours and five minutes left. I would spend ten minutes here, no more.

“Aren’t you sweating a lot? Did something scary happen?”

The crossdressing man asked gently as he arranged the bottles. There were four bottles on the table.

I rubbed my arms, which had goosebumps from his unsettlingly gentle voice, and replied vaguely,

“The path… was quite complicated.”

“Really? Is that so? Hmm. If it’s your first time here, you might feel that way. Well, as long as you listen to the vigilantes and avoid the underground security, there’s nothing to be afraid of.”

“Th-those guys in diving helmets are the vigilantes, right?”

“Yes. That’s right. The Black Market’s security. Or vigilantes, in nicer terms. If you steal something or dine and dash, they’ll come after you.”

After saying that, he placed an orange bottle filled with white pills on the table.

He handed it to me, suggesting I take a look.

I skimmed the description and asked him what I was curious about.

“Do you… happen to know how to get out of this Black Market? Or how to find a door with a keyhole?”

This was the most important question. I had to find a way out.

Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to explore the Black Market properly because of my anxiety.

“You already want to leave? But without buying anything, just asking for information? I’m not an information broker…”

“Ah… Wait a moment. I’ll buy it.”

The Nerve Stabilizer wasn’t as expensive as the items the poacher had offered. It was a reasonable price, a small enough expense that I could afford.

If the other items were also around this price range, I could buy them all.

Then, just like when I bought out the peddler’s items, a similar trigger might activate for the drug dealer.

Moreover, he seemed more willing to talk than the poacher, who hadn’t been affected by Favor of the Myriad Demons, so I figured he would be helpful if I increased his favorability.

I quickly paid for the Nerve Stabilizer, put it in my bag, and asked again about how to leave.

“There is someone who knows how to get out.”

“Really?”

“Yes. We call him a guide. He calls himself a ‘broker,’ but… he’s a kind person. It’s rare to find someone kind in this place.”

“It’s not… that guy with the box on his head… is it?”

“No? Hmm. You’ve already met him, I see. That’s good. Heh heh. The real guide isn’t Boxman.”

So, that Boxhead creature was indeed dangerous.

I didn’t want to imagine what would have happened if Indikron hadn’t warned me, if I hadn’t sensed something was off, and if I had carelessly followed him.

“Th-then can you introduce me to that broker or guide or whatever…?”

He smiled and handed me a second bottle as I spoke.

“Five thousand… for one pill…?”

“It’s hard to come by. It’s a special product.”

I bought it immediately. I was slightly curious about what kind of “special encounter” it would be, and I didn’t have time to waste hesitating.

“Then… about that broker…”

“That’s not enough for an introduction.”

I quickly checked the remaining two items.

Both were beauty products.

I had expected the drug dealer to only sell dangerous items, but he was showing me relatively normal products.

“Then I’ll buy the remaining two as well.”

As I put the items in my bag, he smiled and took out a small switch with a black button from his pocket.

“You can summon the guide, Cheshire, by pressing this button. Here.”

“Oh…”

“It’s given to anyone who spends more than 10,000 coins.”

The total price of the items he had offered was exactly 10,500 coins. I wondered if he had intentionally shown me items that would add up to that amount to help me.

“Did you visit any other shops before coming to me?”

“Well… The poacher’s shop.”

“Hmm… Then he must have shown you only expensive items. So that you could meet the guide after buying just one.”

“Ah…”

So that’s why the Today’s Specials he had shown me were all in the tens of thousands. Perhaps it was his way of being kind.

“He’s a grumpy one. Well, the poacher is still better than that slave trader bastard. The slave trader probably wouldn’t have even told you about the guide. He always wishes for someone’s downfall.”

So, the slave trader was the worst of the three Black Market merchants. Even the drug dealer seemed to despise him.

Honestly, judging by the state of the drug addicts sprawled outside his shop, he wasn’t much different, but…

“Anyway, it’s good that you met me now. Press the button and wait, and Cheshire will come here.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

He returned to the counter, lit a cigarette, and started writing something. One of his heads, still seemingly drugged, was muttering something unintelligible.

Ding.

Exactly three minutes after I pressed the button, the shop door opened, and someone entered.

“Yo, Jackie. New customer?”

“Yeah. This human friend here is new, apparently.”

“Oh my. A cute little human. And Jackie! Don’t casually offer him a drink! I never drink anything you give me.”

It was a figure in a black raincoat and a neon mask with blue lights, their gender indistinguishable.

They approached me and extended a gloved hand.

“Phew. It was a rush getting here. Nice to meet you, visitor.”

Their voice was a distorted electronic sound, perhaps due to the neon mask.

“I’m Cheshire. The Black Market’s best transporter and broker.”

“And a guide for newbies.”

“Hey! Jackie. I’m not a guide! A loser who can’t even leave this place, a guide? That’s ridiculous.”

Cheshire seemed to strongly dislike being called a guide.

They seemed to have a story, but we weren’t close enough for me to pry, so I just shook their hand.

The inside of their glove felt strangely fluffy.

‘Is there cotton in their glove?’

I didn’t sense anything ominous or unsettling. And there was no warning from the goddesses watching over me.

“I’m…”

“Wait, friend. Let’s not exchange real names. It’s best not to mention real names here. And try to conceal your face as much as possible.”

“Uh… Yes.”

“Let’s see.”

Cheshire took out a worn gas mask from their side bag and handed it to me.

“The only ones who walk around the Black Market with their faces exposed are those who are confident in their abilities. You… I don’t think you’re at that level. So, cover up. Don’t let anything be seen. It’s best to hide and conceal as much as possible. That’s how you survive here.”

I put on the gas mask Cheshire had given me.

My vision narrowed, and a slightly sweet smell emanated from the mask. Did they eat something while wearing this…?

I suddenly realized I was hungry.

“Good. Then… Oh, and it’s 5,000 coins for two hours of guidance. It’s prepaid. Let’s settle the payment first.”

“Ah, yes. But how do I pay?”

Until now, the coins had been automatically deducted when I purchased something.

How did this kind of payment work?

“Haha! This friend is a complete newbie. A human newbie… It’s been so long… Cute…”

Did they just call me cute? Did I mishear?

Before I could question it, Cheshire continued.

“Now! Extend your wrist towards me and think about giving me 5,000 coins.”

“Uh… Here…”

“Alright! Payment received! Thank you for your patronage!”

Cheshire chuckled and then asked me if there was anywhere I wanted to go.

Of course, I just wanted to go home, so I asked about a place with a door and a keyhole.

“If you’re looking for a door with a keyhole, it’s somewhere in the Twisted Alleyways. But how much time do you have left?”

“Less than two hours.”

“Really? Where have you been so far?”

I told Cheshire that I had come out of the pipe-filled alleyways, passed through the underground shopping mall with those unpleasant restaurants, and walked through the sewers filled with drug addicts.

Cheshire burst into laughter at my description.

“Hmm. You entered through the Twisted Alleyways… visited Gourmet Street… and passed through the Drug Den… Then the only places left are the Central Plaza and the Sad Festival.”

“But what’s the layout of this place like?”

I had to gather as much information as possible since I might visit again.

At my question, Cheshire explained the structure of the Black Market.

First, the Black Market was a distorted space that was constantly shifting, and newbies like me couldn’t control this distortion, so passing through an entrance would always lead to a random location.

And there were five main areas in the Black Market. The narrow, pipe-filled alleyways I had first entered were the Twisted Alleyways, where doors with keyholes appeared randomly. The place I had arrived at after leaving the alleyways was the Gourmet Street, where the poacher was located. And the place I had just passed through was called the Drug Den.

The remaining two areas were the Central Plaza and the Sad Festival.

“The Central Plaza, as the name suggests, is at the center of everything. So, you can go to anywhere from there. There are many peddlers and a few normal restaurants there. And… the Sad Festival is where the slave trader is. The merchandise is displayed in the underground prison of the Central Circus.”

Cheshire then asked with a smile.

“Where do you want to go first? You should look around since you’re already here.”

“Do we have time?”

“Don’t worry too much. It won’t take more than thirty minutes to see the remaining two places. And once you’re in the Twisted Alleyways, it only takes about fifteen to twenty minutes to find the exit. How about it? That’s enough time, right?”

Now that I had a guide, I had a way to escape this insane space.

But could I completely trust this person in the neon mask? No.

Honestly, who could I trust in this strange place? But I couldn’t just refuse outright.

For now, I could only hope that Cheshire wasn’t a crazy lunatic.

I simply trusted Indikron and Kashnax, who were still silently watching.

They were my Lords, so who else could I trust?

“Let’s go to the slave trader’s place.”

“Okay. Don’t let go of my hand while we’re moving. It’s a pain to look for you if you get separated!”

I took Cheshire’s outstretched hand.

“Then…! To the festival grounds!”

The moment Cheshire opened the entrance to Drugs and Rush, the drug store…

Whoosh!!!

I felt like I was being sucked into somewhere, and we were suddenly standing in a completely different place.

“An… abandoned… amusement park…?”

It was an old, abandoned amusement park with a black ceiling.

“Spooky, isn’t it? Let’s go.”

I quickly let go of Cheshire’s hand and followed them.

Even though there was no one in the amusement park, the rides were operating on their own.

And in places where I thought there was no one, shadowy figures, human or alien, flickered in and out of my vision.

“Don’t stare too much. They’re shy. They’ll attack you if you stare too much. And they’re hard to get rid of once they attach to you.”

“Ah, yes…”

I decided to just look at Cheshire’s boots and walk.

It was reassuring to have someone giving me tips.

Flap…!

We arrived at the circus tent, and Cheshire opened the entrance and went inside.

“Hey! It’s me!”

The circus seats were filled with mannequins.

The mannequins, with their fixed, wide smiles, were so creepy and ominous that I felt intimidated.

“Don’t cause a scene, Cheshire.”

The center of the circus floor opened up, and a man in clown makeup emerged.

He was wearing sad clown makeup, and he looked at Cheshire with an expressionless face before turning his gaze to me and speaking in a gloomy voice,

“Bringing a guide. How boring. Follow me.”

He then went down to the basement.

“Heh. He seems offended. He must be flustered that I came along when he was about to pull something.”

Cheshire chuckled, as if mocking the clown, and followed him down.

The basement was filled with cages containing various species.

The stench of their screams and excrement made it difficult to breathe.

“Hey. Aren’t you managing this place properly?”

“Mind your own business. I’m the owner here.”

“Ha. A monster only interested in collecting people. Is that all you do after capturing them?”

The clown ignored Cheshire and asked me.

“There are four products. Choose one. Just one.”

I nodded.

Then I looked at the four naked slaves trembling before me. They were all completely naked.

“Introductions, begin.”

As the slave trader, the clown, cracked his whip on the floor, the man on the far left spoke first.

“My name is Creton… a great warrior. I’m strong… and I work hard. If you spare me… I’ll serve you for life.”

An old man with a long beard and bull horns on his head bowed. He was trembling while barely suppressing his shame.

He might be useful for increasing our combat power, but… I was a bit put off by the hairy old man.

“This one is 34,000 coins. Next.”

The clown slave trader cracked his whip again with a monotonous voice.

The fish-woman next to Creton flinched and started her introduction.

“I-I’m! Kesia!! Uh… I mean, yes! An Ocean Warrior! Especially strong underwater, and I lay eggs… My eggs are nutritious…”

Her halting speech made her seem a bit dim-witted, but her appearance was quite striking.

She looked mystical. And her ocean-blue skin seemed smooth and supple.

“This one is 27,000 coins. Next.”

She wasn’t as beautiful as the next slave, but…

“I am Merhere. A Fallen Angel. I have lost all my powers. All I have left is this wretched body. No wings, no halo. And I no longer wish to live. So, do as you please, stranger.”

A tall woman glared coldly at me.

I wasn’t short, but she was taller than me. Close to 190cm, perhaps.

And she had breasts so large that I felt like I would be suffocated in them, explosive hips, and beautiful platinum blond hair.

I wanted to embrace her, but I changed my mind as soon as I heard the price.

“This one is 68,000 coins.”

For a Fallen Angel, she was awfully expensive. I might be able to afford her if I scraped together everything I had, but…

“Then the last one.”

The last one looked like a young boy.

“Hic… Mommy…”

“Introduce yourself properly!”

Crack!

The clown lashed the crying boy’s back with his whip.

The boy’s tearful, innocent face instantly contorted into a demonic grimace, filled with a viscous killing intent and malice.

“Argh!! Fuck!!! You damn clown!!! Can’t you see I’m acting!!! Damn it! Tch.”

He spat on the floor and started his introduction in a cocky manner.

“What are you looking at?! I might look like this, but I’m an 80-year-old Half-foot. Satisfied?! Phew. Damn it… To an ordinary human… My name is Rowe. I’m skilled in pickpocketing, lockpicking, trap disarming, and all sorts of thievery. You’ll find me useful if you buy me.”

Rowe sat down after his introduction.

“This one is 40,000 coins.”

I had been introduced to all four slaves. They were all of different races. I was contemplating who to choose when the slave trader spoke in his usual monotonous voice.

“Now, choose.”

I instinctively checked my watch and looked at the four aliens.

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T/N – Sorry for the late post, guys. I got a high fever last night that put me out of commission. I’m alright now though and I should be able to post on schedule this week.

While the Fallen Angel is expensive, we all know where this is going. Having an MC that thinks with his dick makes him too predictable sometimes.

Also, I’m liking this Black Market more and more. I like the concept. Hopefully, there are more areas to explore.

If you find any mistakes, feel free to point them out in the comments.