Chapter 147

Chapter 147: The Boundless Dark Realm Part 02

In White Whale City, He Kangshi was here, and so was Su Rong.

Including Kuixing herself, there were at least three players in this city.

White Whale City was not an ideal place for survival; it was too chaotic. Su Rong, being a celebrity, her life safety could be guaranteed as she would likely appear in the Poleward District, where the wealthy upper class resided. The Midnight District, however, did not have the same privileges. Those who lacked abilities had to live with their tails tucked between their legs.

Kuixing crumpled up the poster she picked up and tossed it into the trash bin, then began dodging along surveillance cameras to find suitable transportation.

It was half past ten in the morning, and there were fewer people on the streets. She alighted at the interstate highway check post, which was twenty kilometers from the Black Market. White Whale City was a large metropolis, and the Black Market was located in the heart of the Midnight District.

When taking action within such a city, it’s best to get hold of a suitable means of transportation. Motorbikes were excellent choices because they were highly maneuverable and fast.

In White Whale City, anything could be bought if one knew how. This included weapons, equipment, bionic prosthetics… even human lives.

On her way, Kuixing came across a store selling secondhand vehicles. A few brand-new motorbikes were displayed inside, and she glanced at them before walking straight in.

The shop owner, a blond-haired, blue-eyed Caucasian man adorned with large gold teeth, greeted her enthusiastically and started rambling. Kuixing calmly reached for her earphone, activating the in-ear translator.

The shop owner noticed her action, grinned, and said, “A newcomer. Welcome, I’m Valeri, the manager of the Midnight District Free Vehicle Enterprise. Are you interested in buying a bike?”

This time, his words were translated into Chinese in real-time, making them comprehensible.

White Whale predominantly saw Caucasian locals; Kuixing spotted many blond-haired, blue-eyed, and redhead, green-eyed foreigners. Different locales had different languages, but in the Second World, language barriers were easily overcome by translation devices that could accurately interpret conversations, even slang.

“Yes,” Kuixing nodded. She scanned the lineup of motorbikes on display. “Can you introduce me?”

“At our place, all bikes come with proper documentation. There’s no risk of getting caught by the Bureau of Investigation and Order Maintenance while driving,” Valeri said. “We have a wide range from mid-range to high-end models. What kind of bike do you want?”

“Something reliable for commuting will do.”

Calculating her funds, Kuixing realized that her remaining gold bars didn’t suffice for a high-end motorbike. She needed something practical, particularly since she was now an illegal resident unable to use public transportation or travel conveniently.

“That one then,” Valeri pointed to a silver-colored motorbike in the second row from left. “The model is five years old, and though its performance isn’t as good as the newer ones, its engine has been replaced and works perfectly now. It’s priced at 10,000 Federal Credits, a fair bargain. I have a great reputation here, and I have numerous repeat customers.”

In Black Sea City, motorbikes like this could be cheaper, but considering White Whale City’s uniqueness, this price was reasonable.

Kuixing did not want to haggle and immediately agreed.

She watched as Valeri examined and demonstrated the bike thoroughly to confirm its quality.

“If anything happens, bring it back to me.” Valeri assured enthusiastically. “Pay in gold or transfer?”

“Gold,” Kuixing threw a gold bar over casually.

Valeri checked the purity and weight. After a moment, he said, “Ummm, it’s twelve grams more than required. Shall I give change, or do you prefer something else? I can top up your fuel or provide a helmet and electronic lock…”

“Fill up with fuel,” Kuixing replied.

“Sure thing,” Valeri said.

Ten minutes later, Kuixing exited the secondhand vehicle dealership, pushing her new motorbike.

She donned a helmet, straddled the bike, and with a low growl from the engine, she sped off.

Adam’s voice from her earpiece guided her, helping her avoid the Bureau of Investigation and Order Maintenance security patrols.

After about thirty minutes on the motorbike, she covered the twenty kilometers.

In the central area of the Midnight District, Kuixing removed her helmet and inspected the bar before her eyes; she confirmed this was He Kangshi’s workplace. At his apartment sublet, he stayed during the day, and worked nights serving dishes.

Kuixing connected through her data manipulation system to send him a message, then parked outside the bar and entered.

“I’ve been wanting to ask this,” Adam suddenly said. “You’ve also teamed up with players in the First World, right?”

“Yeah,” Kuixing admitted plainly.

It couldn’t be hidden from Adam—once in White Whale, interactions with players became inevitable, and she’d often encounter them. Hiding everything might lead to exposure, eroding their trust; thus, it’s better to be straightforward.

She needed to balance things well—let Adam know enough about players without letting him get overly involved.

“May I request a guarantee?” Kuixing inquired.

“Speak,” Adam said, though he already anticipated her answer.

“A vow. Keep identities of players under wraps and protect them at the right moment,” Kuixing said.

“I’ve been doing so,” Adam replied. “There’s someone from the Bureau of Investigation and Order Maintenance in Black Sea City named Zhang Xiaoyun, he lives in the same building as you. I observed him for days and deduced he was possessed by a player. I’ve been shielding him, and he’s still alive.”

Kuixing raised an eyebrow slightly.

“Thanks,” she said briefly.

Since Kuixing had been hospitalized on her return to the Second World, neither had encountered Zhang Xiaoyun nor instructed Adam to take care of this “newcomer” specifically.

Kuixing had not revealed that Zhang Xiaoyun existed—it wasn’t necessary or relevant.

Meanwhile, she waited for Adam to mention Zhang Xiaoyun.

—This was a test, one to assess Adam’s honesty and intentions of glossing over their relationship with lies and sweet talk.

Given Adam’s unique nature, it would surely uncover Zhang Xiaoyun’s secret. If truly an important partner to her, Adam would inform Kuixing of Zhang Xiaoyun’s existence.

Now that Adam brought it up, it alleviated some of her burden.

A black-haired bartender woman, slowly wiping glasses behind the counter, greeted her.

“We’re closed,” she looked up and said.

“I’m looking for someone, my friend lives here,” Kuixing politely said.

“Name?” the bartender asked, offering to call for the person.

“Thanks. No need, he should be coming soon,” Kuixing declined.

The bartender looked suspiciously at Kuixing, suspecting she might be seeking revenge.

Such incidents were common in the Black Market. People were frequently murdered at the gates or on streets, with gang conflicts never ending.

Before long, He Kangshi climbed up quickly from the stairwell, surveyed the empty bar and pinpointed Kuixing.

“Lariisa! Thanks for the hassle, this is a friend of mine; we’ll go outside to chat,” He Kangshi bowed and said to the bartender.

“Oh, alright,” Lariisa nodded and continued cleaning glasses.

He Kangshi approached directly, gesturing for Kuixing to follow him.

Kuixing activated her extraordinary ability “Electromagnetic Detection” to sweep the bar for any listening devices. Satisfied it was safe, she turned her focus to He Kangshi himself.

Earlier, He Kangshi mentioned having made enemies in the Second World, suffering from acid burns that disfigured him. Red scars marred his face, extending down his neck, fingers included. His right hand, a mechanical prosthesis. Kuixing scrutinized his eyes, finding them artificial, purely visual, lacking additional functions.

Seems He Kangshi faced significant troubles in his journey through the Second World.

Under Kuixing’s blue-eyed gaze, He Kangshi lowered his voice nervously, “Password! What are the last three words after ‘Teddy Bear’?”

Kuixing: “…?”

She hesitated, replying, “Bounce bounce jump.”

He Kangshi sighed in relief. “Just joking… Nice to meet you, colleague. It’s nice to work together in the future.”

“Colleagues?” Kuixing repeated.

“Working for the same boss, don’t we?” He Kangshi pulled out his communicator and, in front of Kuixing, messaged “Black Snake.”

Kuixing received a new notification saying, “Boss, connection established.”

Calmly poised in her seat, she used data manipulation to reply: “Good.”

Upon completing the message, He Kangshi looked at her, “Have you eaten lunch yet? I’ll treat you to a meal.”

“I’ll treat you. Much help will be needed in this city,” Kuixing said. “What should I call you?”

“Boss hasn’t told you… Hmm, got it.” He Kangshi imagined scenarios, “Just call me Hunter Falcon. That’s what I go by in the bounty hunter community. Folks who take jobs don’t want to give away their real names—they all use aliases.”

Kuixing curled her lips under the mask.

Tsk, another name to create. She was already a collective of aliases: two from Mechanized Dawn—one she used prior and “Lady Fortune” she created. Among rebels, she had a dedicated alias. And amongst players, her alias was 233—also known as Black Snake.

Another alias would overload her.

“Call me Pointed Viper,” Kuixing said indifferently.

He Kangshi pondered, “Is our organization represented by a snake? Should I switch my alias to something else, like Cobras or Ring Snakes…”

Kuixing: “…No, unnecessary.”

He Kangshi gave up on changing his alias.

“Let’s go eat,” Kuixing said. “And afterwards, we’ll head to complete bounty hunter missions.”

“Alright,” He Kangshi stated.

“Joining a bounty hunter group requires a familiar referral. I can be yours,” He Kangshi added.

They stepped outside the bar. Seeing a thief stealing a bike, Kuixing quickened her pace, seized the moment, knocked out the thief with a powerful uppercut.

The thief tumbled to the ground while another was knocked down, jaw fractured.

With two thieves dispatched effortlessly.

“…Sister, impressive,” He Kangshi said, stunned.