Sinuiju Free Market (3)

“Market…… guide?”

The pickpocket asked with a blank look.

“There’s an app for that, and there’s an information desk too.”

“If I’m asking an actual person—and a pickpocket, at that—doesn’t that mean there’s a reason?”

At Hyeonseong’s retort, the pickpocket looked blank again. The expression quickly shifted into flustered panic.

“Uh, uh…… that ‘reason’… you don’t mean…….”

“Sounds like you get it, so let’s stop there.”

Hyeonseong cut them off before she said “black market” out loud.

“I-I don’t really know that stuff……. How would a mere pickpocket know something like that? Hahaha…….”

The pickpocket tried to laugh it off and steer the conversation away. Not a chance.

“Um, your heart rate is spiking abnormally.”

Hyeonyeong—still holding the pickpocket by the nape—suddenly cut in.

“Hiiik……!”

Hearing that voice from behind, the pickpocket jolted.

“Heart rate? So they’re lying?”

“Yeah. Classic lying response.”

“……That’s what she says.”

Hyeonseong stared the pickpocket down as she spoke.

“So…… I mean…….”

The pickpocket dragged their words out, eyes darting around as if searching for an excuse. Then they gave up and raised one hand.

“I-I don’t know much…… just this much……?”

They pinched a tiny gap between their fingers.

“That’s fine. For us, that’s still useful.”

“Yes…….”

The pickpocket answered with a heavy sigh.

“Then I’m counting on you?”

Hyeonseong said, patting their shoulder again.

“Um… that’s kind of scary, could you stop doing that…….”

“Huh? Oh, what—worried I’ll steal from you again? Relax. Unlike someone, I don’t swipe just anything.”

Even as she said it, Hyeonseong pulled her hand away. If this punk was going to be their guide now, she’d keep the teasing within reason.

“Alright, then…… I should at least know your name, right?”

Hyeonseong said to the pickpocket.

“My name?”

“If you want to keep getting called ‘wallet snatcher,’ you don’t have to tell me.”

“J-just call me Haesu…….”

No matter what, they clearly didn’t want a nickname like “wallet snatcher.” The pickpocket gave a name that might’ve been real or fake.

‘Do I need a contract item for this?’

Hyeonseong stared at Haesu for a moment, weighing it. She had spare contract items, and the compensation was clear on both sides. If she wanted to use one, she absolutely could.

‘Real name or fake name doesn’t matter. The item recognizes the person using the name, not the name itself.’

She watched Haesu’s demeanor—glancing around while checking their reactions, looking ready to bolt at any moment.

‘It was borderline…… but seeing that, I should use one after all.’

“Then, Mr. Haesu?”

Hyeonseong rummaged through the Infinite Corridor and pulled out a contract.

“Let’s just sign this one sheet.”

She said, showing the contract item.

“This is…….”

“You’re an Awakened too, so you can probably tell what it is right away.”

“Huh?”

Haesu startled again at Hyeonseong’s words.

“Your level of presence suppression, and the way you stole without even putting your hand into my pocket—none of that is normal.”

At Hyeonseong’s remark, Haesu gave up denying it.

“……What are the terms?”

Haesu asked.

“Simple. I won’t report your pickpocketing to the police, and in exchange you guide us to the black market—doing your best within what you actually know.”

As Hyeonseong spoke, the contract’s blank spaces filled in on their own.

“What if I don’t guide you and I run?”

“Then the contract will curse you accordingly. In your case… maybe a streak of bad luck until you eventually get caught by the police…….”

Haesu immediately took the contract and wrote a signature beside their name with a fingertip.

“Here.”

Haesu returned the signed contract. Hyeonseong signed beside her name as well. A message appeared, indicating the contract had been formed.

“Then please start guiding us right now.”

Hyeonseong said, flicking her eyes at Hyeonyeong. Hyeonyeong finally released Haesu’s nape.

“Yeeah……. Follow me.”

Haesu answered with a sigh, then checked Hyeonseong’s expression.

“What?”

“Oh, nothing. I was just wondering if you have zero interest in the normal market side. The regular market’s huge too—you could probably get most things without going ‘there’…….”

“Not sure.”

Hyeonseong turned her gaze to Hyeonyeong. Hyeonseong’s only business was the black market, so she needed Hyeonyeong—who had business on both sides—to decide.

“I think we should handle Unni’s business first.”

“Then we go there first.”

Hyeonseong said, looking back at Haesu.

“Okay……. Then do you have a specific place you need to reach?”

Haesu asked again.

“Yes. We do.”

“Where?”

“The name was probably…… something like this.”

Muttering, Hyeonseong took out her phone. She opened the messages and typed the name “Heukwol Auction House,” then showed it to Haesu.

“H-here?”

Haesu jolted again after confirming the destination.

“You two are terrifying people…….”

“It’s not like I’m going because I want to.”

Hyeonseong replied with the same uneasy tone. She didn’t want to go looking for a shady illegal auction house either.

‘But the info says the item is there, so what can I do?’

Still, separate from how it felt, it wasn’t strange that the item itself would end up there.

‘Its name was “Thread Soaked in Sacred Blood.” Rank S. Producer unknown. Description…… blank.’

Even though it was S-rank, every identifying field that could’ve explained what it actually was had been left empty. All she could do was guess at its general nature from the word “sacred blood” in the name.

In other words, it was a suspicious item.

High-rank items whose identity couldn’t be determined through an info window usually ended up in places like illegal markets.

‘Because during appraisal or transaction, people backstab and siphon things off all the time.’

Once it was diverted by illegitimate means, it became stolen property. And once it was stolen, it couldn’t be traded in legitimate aboveboard markets—so it naturally flowed into the black market.

‘And even if it’s S-rank, selling an unverified item publicly is usually a burden. No—because it’s S-rank, it’s more of a burden.’

If the appraisal succeeded and it still wasn’t worth S-rank, or if it was the kind of item that harmed its owner, the seller would be in real trouble.

No matter how loudly they warned that they couldn’t guarantee what the item really was, they couldn’t prevent an enraged buyer who’d drawn a dud from going berserk.

‘……Even so, going to the filthiest, most sinister place among the illegal exchanges in this area is not exactly great.’

Either way, she needed to calm Haesu down and find a way in.

“I’m not going to make you go all the way inside, so just help us figure out how to get in.”

“……I really don’t have to go in that far, right?”

“If you don’t want to. The contract says ‘guidance,’ after all.”

“W-well, then…….”

Reassured by the fact they didn’t have to go in, Haesu visibly relaxed.

“I do know where the first checkpoint is. I think it’s one of those things everyone knows but nobody says out loud…….”

“Which means you don’t know the actual way in.”

“How would someone like me know that? I’m a commoner just trying to eat day to day…….”

“By stealing wallets?”

At Hyeonseong’s question, Haesu went silent.

“……I-I mean, yes, that’s my main job, but I do other things too, okay?”

‘At least they’re not denying they’re a thief.’

Hyeonseong kept that thought to herself.

“Alright. Just guide us to that ‘first checkpoint’ place first. I feel like we’ll only be able to figure out how to get in once we’re there.”

“Yeeah…….”

In the end, Haesu began leading them.

“Like you saw on the way in, this zone mainly sells consumable goods and general-use items. Some places import stock from elsewhere, and some make things themselves…….”

Maybe their mouth was bored while walking, because Haesu voluntarily started explaining things to Hyeonseong and Hyeonyeong.

What Haesu told them included the free market’s general layout, shops considered especially useful, and assorted rumors about the black market.

It was more useful than Hyeonseong expected. She had information Nemesis had gathered too, but it couldn’t match what a local had personally seen and heard.

‘Because nobody’s going to openly post the real passwords or passages that lead to illegal exchanges online.’

“You explain things well. And you seem to know more about the black market than I expected.”

Hyeonseong said to Haesu.

“Huh? Me?”

Haesu asked, startled.

“Yeah. You’re actually a pretty decent guide. Instead of pickpocketing, you should’ve just done market guiding.”

“Ah, well…… I can’t, because my criminal record is kind of…….”

Haesu scratched at their hood, looking embarrassed.

“……How many pickpocketing convictions do you even have?”

Hyeonseong asked with an uncomfortable look.

“That’s not the only issue, it’s just…….”

“……So you’re saying it’s not just pickpocketing—you’ve done enough other stuff to land in a holding cell too?”

Hyeonseong honestly wondered if, contract or not, sending Haesu to the police would contribute more to public safety.

“I’m not the only one like that, okay? You think anyone who survives in this business has never ended up at the police station even once?”

Haesu snapped, flustered.

“Well, sure. Especially with a black market in the mix.”

“……Anyway, if you understand, stop bringing it up.”

Haesu replied in a sullen voice. Hyeonseong gave a vague nod.

‘Come to think of it, we never ended up using the cameras that recorded the pickpocketing.’

As they continued walking, that thought crossed Hyeonseong’s mind.

‘There’ll be cameras around the building that leads to that illegal auction house too, right?’

Of course, even if there were cameras, she wouldn’t be able to directly capture the hidden passage or the gatekeeper who let people through.

No one would be stupid enough to let that appear on camera.

‘But…… even if it’s not recorded directly, there are ways to confirm it indirectly. If there are enough cameras.’

Right as Hyeonseong’s thoughts continued—

“Th-that building.”

Haesu pointed to a large commercial building straight ahead.

“I heard you can enter that auction house through…… the Yeolha General Mall.”

Hyeonseong approached the mall Haesu pointed at. From the outside, the building with a “Yeolha General Mall” sign looked like an ordinary outlet.

‘No—this mall itself is probably a normal outlet. And somewhere inside, either squatting or operating with tacit permission, the gatekeeper’s holding their spot.’

Hyeonseong watched the people coming and going through the main entrance. They all looked like ordinary shoppers.

“Shouldn’t we go in and check?”

Hyeonyeong said to Hyeonseong.

“Yeah. We can’t learn anything just staring from outside.”

Hyeonseong turned to Haesu.

“This is still ‘guidance,’ so you’re coming inside with us.”

For a moment, a pained groan slipped out of Haesu. But they didn’t refuse.

“Fine…….”

With Haesu reluctantly in tow, Hyeonseong and Hyeonyeong walked through the main entrance of the Yeolha General Mall.