I know how to do this. I'll pretend to be a slave. I took off my pants and tied them to my hip, took off my shoes and hid them under my pants, tying them tight, then buttoned up all my buttons and smeared my face and clothes with mud.
I saw a massive cargo truck stop by a shop; the driver went inside, leaving the truck unattended. What an amateur—I'd fire him for leaving children alone like that. While the driver was in the shop, I went to the back of the truck and pulled back the tarp. Small children were sitting there, hands and feet bound, gags in their mouths.
I tucked the "Vial of the Wind" and the "Arrowhead Chain" into my underwear. I untied one boy and shoved him out of the truck; as soon as he hit the ground, he bolted.
"Hand woven of phantom, I call upon thee, fulfill my will."
The hand burst from my chest; it bound my hands and feet and placed a gag in my mouth. Five minutes later, the driver opened the tarp, counted the children, and left. The truck started moving, and we drove for about 20 minutes.
You have displayed [Wisdom]. +1 Transcendence Point. You have infiltrated the Black Market.
So that's how it works. Characteristics:
Wisdom: 11
Perception: 10
Survival: 11
Medicine: 9
Insight: 12
Animal Handling: 8 Wisdom XP: 3
The tarp was pulled back, and we were led down the street. We weren't chained together, but all the children were under some kind of hypnosis—their eyes were clouded and their movements sluggish. I tried to act the same way. One stout dwarf led us from behind, while another led from the front.
There was noise and clamor everywhere. There were wooden planks underfoot, and the place reeked. The boutiques here sold magical resources, weapons, and meat from various races. I couldn't get a good look around, though.
We were led into an old shed. A tall man stood there—looking about 29 or 31—with black hair, wearing a black coat over a white aristocratic shirt. The two dwarves handed each of us pickaxes. The tall man's gaze burned right through me.
This man was a character from the game: Balinor, the right hand of the mafia boss Akadi. A loyal son to his stepmother and a firm believer in justice. Suddenly, he grabbed me by the throat. My face flickered with fear, but I suppressed the emotion immediately.
"Who gave you this coat?" Balinor asked.
Even though I'd smeared it with mud, he recognized it as a popular brand. I didn't flinch.
"My father gave it to me... his last gift before he died," I said slowly. I kept my eyes fixed on the ceiling as if I were still under hypnosis.
He let me go. "Move out."
I obediently stood in line with the other children. The dwarves led us away, and I saw the teleporter—a metal capsule with thousands of pipes snaking into the ground. First, one dwarf vanished, then they started teleporting us one by one. When my turn came, I entered the capsule and was blinded by a white light. I woke up in a small sandstone hut.
A goblin in bright clothing kicked me out of the hut. Outside were more small sandstone houses; the place looked more like a prison than anything else.
Quest Completed: +30,000 Bao. +Potion of Rapid Absorption. +2 Transcendence Points.
Goblins in matching bright uniforms led us toward a mine. Children were already working there, digging up various ores—yellow, brown, blue. A dwarf in ornamental clothing struck them with a whip if anything displeased him.
"Hey, you! Go dig a new tunnel, the one in the center passage," the dwarf barked.
I walked slowly toward the center passage of the mine and started digging. Now I just need to climb back out the other side and use the Vial of the Wind. The sound of pickaxes hitting stone filled the mine.
Meanwhile, at the mine entrance:
"Why didn't you take that boy's coat?" the dwarf asked.
"His father gave it to him before he died," Balinor replied.
"So what? It's 'Golden Line' brand."
"He's a slave; if his coat hasn't been taken yet, there's a reason. Goblins live here—they would have stolen it instantly."
"What are you getting at?"
"He's either not under hypnosis and knows how to fight..."
"You want to turn him into a pit-fighter slave?" the dwarf smirked.
"Yeah. I'll take the coat and promise him a great future. After that, Boss Akadi will find a way to break him."
While Balinor and the dwarf were talking, I found a passage into a cave beneath the rocks. I said to the boy on my right:
"Hey, go to the man back there and tell him we found a cave," I whispered.
"Okay," the child said hollowly.
At this point in the game, Balinor isn't actually that strong, so he likely won't come down here alone. There could be dangerous monsters here, from level 1 to 10.
"What did you find? Oak, bring me a rope and a lantern," Balinor ordered.
The dwarf beside him left the mine. Balinor shoved me into the cave. Luckily, I landed in water. Balinor jumped down after me.
"What do you think could be down here?" Balinor asked.
Why was he asking me? I was supposed to be just a boy under hypnosis.
"I don't know," I said dryly and slowly. Without realizing it, I swallowed hard.
"I see," he said with a smirk.
He began to mutter something under his breath and raised his hand. A flame appeared above his palm. The cave lit up; the floor was wet, and stalactites grew from above and below, joining together to create makeshift walls. I felt a sensation—I wasn't a hunter and I'd never been hunting, but even I could tell we weren't alone.