Chapter 125 – Black Market Dungeon

"Hey, Gnu guy, or whatever." Said Noah turning to the doppelganger that was in Gorig's human form.

"Gnundweingur," Said the doppelganger in Gorig's human appearance. "My name means Guiding Star. And if we talk about gender, then I am female not a guy." He added with annoyance.

"Ok, Nu" Said Noah followed by a "tsk" sound from Gorig.

"Gnundwei…."

"You don't really expect me to pronounce that, right?"

"Fuck. Forget it. Nu is fine" Said the doppelganger sighing. "Stupid humans can't even pronounce a name right." She muttered.

"So, I was wondering, Nu. Theron attacked the dark society's people, but still was going to sell Samantha and others at some auction. Isn't it kind of dumb? I mean it's an underground auction belonging to a dark society, wouldn't girls be immediately recognized, and then they would find the seller too, right?"

"Huh?" Doppelganger looked at him with a strange face for a moment, before frowning thoughtfully.

"What?" Asked Noah.

"Are you serious?" Asked Gorig with a strange questioning expression on his face. "Are you really Noble? What kind of closed-off environment did you grow up in to not know it? What's with your mate? Did he hit his head?" He asked looking at Brianna but seeing a puzzled expression on her face.

"Huh? Seriously? You too?" He said putting a palm to his face. "Listen, first of all, you have a skewed understanding of the underworld and what dark society is. There is an underground world where much illegal stuff is going on, hidden from the eyes of law enforcers. Although governments of many cities usually close their eyes on such establishments as Gambling houses and Brothels, this kind of business isn't actually legal. But they are minor problems and pay good taxes so they are forgiven.

"However, there are other things that can't be done in the open. Drug dealers, forbidden artifacts and alchemy sellers, kidnappers and slave sellers, robbers selling goods in bulk, gangsters, smugglers, thieves, pirates,  assassins, and mercenaries with bad reputations. All kinds of people whose trade might get them a death warrant if they are found are part of the underground world. This is almost another kingdom with its laws and rules underneath the one where normal people live." Explained doppelganger.

"Of course with observers, royal investigators with their miraculous systems, and high-level rangers serving as city guards such trades could not exist for long depending on just hiding in the alleys or forests. Sooner or later they were found and tried. Everything changed with the appearance of the Black Market. This gave the criminals of all trades a place to do their deals without being found. Soon in this, safe from law enforcers' environment, all kinds of groups started to unite, becoming guilds."

"The Dark Association is just one such guild and only one of the members of the black market. Besides quite a new one at that. It has barely operated for a few decades. However, they gain popularity and power quite quickly. Mainly because they pay well. But they are quite a strange organization. Its members call themselves a dark society so it might be confusing as if they represent the whole underworld, but in fact, they are just one group of it. Also, all its high leveled members are overly loyal as if it is some kind of sect and unlike other guilds with a clear purpose like Snow Mount Slavers Guild, Black Forest Thieves Guild, or Cursed Sword Assassin Guild, no one really knows what Dark Associations main goal is. Well, your friend over there was a part of it, so maybe they know better than me." Said Nu pointing at Samantha.

"Anyway, their main trade for a long time was assassinations, kidnapping, and mercenary work, but some time ago they started to spread into other trades as well, creating tensions between many guilds that dwell in black markets. Which also gained them a lot of enemies. For these other guilds, your friends are a treasure trove of useful information that might help them fight against Dark society. Whoever actually buys these women would be able to get out of them information about dark society's clients, partners, and allies. As well as some safe houses and already-made deals. With that information, they would be able to ruin a lot of Dark Society's plans."

"I see. I really underestimated the crime world. So this Dark Association is just one guild of many in the underworld." Said Noah rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"For now at least." Muttered Nu quietly.

"What is it?" Asked Noah

"Just some thoughts aloud, forget it." Said Nu refusing to explain.

Noah watched her for a few moments with a thoughtful look but did not dwell on these words for long.

"You said that crime really bloomed with the appearance of the Black Market. But what's so different with the black market that it can't be found by observers and investigators?" Asked Brianna suddenly.

Gorig looked around gazing silently first at her then at all the others seeing that Samantha, Kate, and Lilly perked up their ears at that question clearly interested in this information as well. Then he turned to look at the Raven perched high at the tree branch high above them.

"Well, as everyone here is already aware of the monster households we can discuss this without repercussions, right?" Said Nu gazing at the observer. After waiting a few seconds without getting any reply Gorig's lips widened with a smirk.

"Have you ever thought about why we call the underworld this way? Underground deals. Why not dark deals or alley deals? How did the word Underground become habitable?" Said Nu, turning to look at everyone around her.

"Because Black Markets are hidden underground?" Said Samantha, shrugging her shoulders while still being tied up.

"Yes, but why are they under the ground?" Asked Nu.

"No one patrols the sewers so it's easy to hide there? And it's like a maze in big cities so it's easy to go in and out unnoticed?" Said Samantha what she always thought about the reason for it but seeing the smug smile on Gorig's lips, her words were said with a tone of hesitation.

"Rat or mouse observers are no different from normal rodents that live there. If it was so easy they would sneak into Black Market and bring doom upon everyone there soon after. Investigators would easily find the hidden place after following the rumors in the city. So what prevents them from finding Black Markets?"

Everyone around him went silent, not finding any answer.

"I will give you all a hint. What else can be found underground?"

"O!" Said Noah, finally figuring it out. "You mean dungeon?"

"Bingo." Said Nu winking at him, making Noah shiver from that strange winking expression on Gorig's face.

"Dungeon?" Asked Kate "How can this be? Aren't we protected from dungeon breaks in cities thanks to Labyrinths?"

"Pseudo core forceful advance." Muttered Brianna with a thoughtful face.

"Hold on. That can be done?" Asked Noah surprised, turning to her.

"Yes. But it's of course punishable by death." Said, Brianna.

"Hello! Explain to the plebs please?" Said Lilly annoyed.

"Sorry. You just found out that monsters are living among humans. But there is actually a reason for that." Said Noah turning to the three sitting on the ground women.

*Caw* sounded the Ravens croak from the tree.

"Ah don't be an asshole." Said Nu looking at the raven. "It wasn't us telling them the secret, they found out on their own. We just explain to them how stuff works so that they would not go around blabbering about it all over the place." She said and saw that raven turned away. Nu smiled gazing back at Noah.

"In short " Said Noah nodding to Nu, before turning to the three sitting women again. "Monsters create a pseudo core from evil seeds that sleep in the ground. With that, we can immediately make a new labyrinth if the active labyrinth in the area dries out and dies faster than a new dungeon breaks."

"So these pseudo cores. They can be turned into dungeons in the area that is under the Labyrinth's influence?" Asked Kate with surprise. "But wouldn't there be monsters?"

"Actually, no." Said Nu. "There would not be as long as the Labyrinth in the area is still alive. The pseudo core forcefully advanced into the dungeon core under the Labyrinth's influence would be too weak to produce monsters."

"And how does it help?" Asked Noah. "Why do they create a dungeon under a city?"

"How would you make a space of such size to fit the huge market under the city without anyone finding it?" Said Nu. "Dungeon creates a space that may be a lot wider inside than it is actually outside, you know? And the one who controls the dungeon core can actually hide and move around its entrance. While the walls of the dungeon are practically indestructible. In other words, whoever controls the dungeon can choose who to let inside and where to place an entrance. When people go to the Black Market, they usually pass a few checkpoints of people that work for whoever controls the Black Market's dungeon. When they pass the check, an entrance appears. But those who don't know such information simply think it is a hidden place with an entrance in the same place every time."

"What would happen if the Labyrinth in the area dies?" Asked Noah.

"Immediate dungeon break of course." Said Nu. "Right under the city. That's why it is punishable by death."

"But the pseudo core can only be produced by…" Thought Noah aloud

"Guardians." Said, Brianna.

"I thought pseudo-core creation needs a lot of resources." Said, Noah. "Wouldn't it be noticed that some Guardian households need a lot more resources?

"It's not that easy." Said Nu. "It needs a lot of resources at the period of pseudo core creation, but when it's formed they need a lot fewer resources to maintain it. If they don't report that their core already formed and spend resources on a new pseudo-core creation or resell the resources somewhere else, no one would notice."

After Nu's explanation, Noah went silent thinking through the new information for a few moments.

"This Dark Association, why is it after you? You broke some rules or what?" Asked Noah turning to Samantha.

After hearing his question Samantha scrunched with an expression of discomfort.

"We don't really know." She said quietly.

"Huh? You don't know?" Asked Noah surprised.

"Well, their leader said something strange, but I don't know what he meant. Something about us killing shadows in Greenville town so shadows are now after us. I don't know what he meant by that. We didn't kill anyone." Said, Samantha.

"Oh." Voiced Noah with a strange face. /This our fucking fault then!/

/How is it our fault?/ Said Ugy's voice. /They were the ones attacking us./

"And why do they think you were the ones to kill these…shadows?" Asked Noah scratching his cheek.

"As I said, I have no idea. I don't even know what this shadow is all about." Said, Samantha.

"Enough talking." Said Gorig suddenly. "They are coming." He warned looking out of the forest at the carriage that moved in their direction.

"Alright girls, our ride is here. Do the captured prey act." Said Noah putting back his cape and picking up Samantha from the ground while Brianna went to pick up Kate.

"Well then miss nice perky ass. Let's get reacquainted." Said doppelganger smiling at Lilly that clenched her teeth with new anger.