Chapter 5: The Underworld

In addition, there are no commercial taxes or any other taxes here

If one were to speak of the most bustling, vibrant, and simultaneously chaotic place in Wildfire Town, it would undoubtedly be the "Black Street"

The streets are crowded, with the sounds of arguments and shouts occasionally emanating from the shops and stalls on either side. The local customs are fierce, and those who dare to venture thousands of miles to such a place are mostly not of good character—hence, there are no good people in Wildfire Town. These hot-tempered individuals even seem to curse while haggling over prices.

The Witcher and the Hunter are two distinct professions. Although the nature of their work is generally similar, the targets they pursue differ.

Periodically, there are always one or two fortunate individuals who, against all odds, traverse the Wildfire Plains to reach the other side's territory, successfully engage in trade, and become overnight millionaires. This has inspired even more people to come to the Wildfire Plains with dreams of wealth

Although the natural environment is harsh, it must be said that Wildfire is a place full of business opportunities! This area serves as a buffer zone between the Byzantine and Odin Empires, and it is the only trade route between the two great empires. For the merchant groups of Odin and Byzantium to conduct business in each other's countries, they must pass through here

The Byzantines have a saying: the distinction between mercenary groups and bands of thieves lies in the fact that

At the end of the dark street, a small shop has a sign hanging at its entrance

When the old man was alive, he forbade Shaya Leiming from hunting magical beasts. However, Shaya Leiming did not want to spend his entire life as a hermit hunter in the mountains. The life of a demon hunter is filled with adventure and excitement, and it can also be lucrative, which is what young people aspire to.

However, what was just mentioned is that the "originally" could accommodate two carriages side by side—if there were not so many vendors occupying the street.

Willing to pay a high price for Warcraft cubs

At last, Shaya Leiming has found a target

The finest furs produced by the Northern Odin Empire, along with various crystals and sculptures (how ironic! The Odin people have always been synonymous with rudeness and ignorance, yet it is precisely this ignorant nation that possesses the most exquisite carving techniques in the world, a fact that has left the sculptors of the Byzantine Empire unable to hold their heads high. However, to express their disdain, the Byzantines explain this by saying: those Odin people divide their entire lives into three parts: one-third of the time is spent fighting, one-third of the time is spent mating, and one-third of the time is spent carving idols and praying)

Therefore, if he cannot find a job to earn some money today, he will really have to join the beggars' gang

Of course, this saying has been strongly opposed by the Wangdu Trading Guild, as the guild has repeatedly stated that only those registered mercenary groups are legitimate and lawful. These legitimate mercenary groups adhere to the law and regulations. Those who are both mercenaries and thieves are part of the illegal black gangs.

These tribes are difficult to distinguish as either mercenaries or thieves—this depends on their mood

Fortunately, no golden finger would pay attention to Shaya Leiming—he looked worse than a beggar

If those small trading groups wish to engage in such business, then first and foremost, you must possess the determination to put your neck on the line.

The term "Black Street" is not an official designation. In fact, both the Byzantine Empire and Odin occupied Wildfire Town for a very brief period, so short that they did not even have time to register all the streets and buildings of Wildfire Town. In contrast, the more ignorant Odin people did not even bother to count the population.

This place gathers all sorts of peculiar items from all corners of the mainland, and anything you can imagine can be found here

The vast area of the wildfire plains is fraught with danger due to its harsh geographical environment. To the north of Wildfire Town lies the blue basin on the wildfire plains—territory belonging to the irritable, fierce, and reclusive dwarves. If you are part of a human caravan, it is best to steer clear of that area; otherwise, in a few days, your skull may be fashioned into lacquerware and displayed on the shelves of a shop in Black Street.

Only a very few merchant groups that have established trust with the dwarves are able to approach their territory and engage in trade with them

***

There are also some suspicious-looking individuals sneaking around in the crowd, engaging in activities typical of pickpockets.

Your flesh will be sun-dried into jerky, your bones will be ground into powder for soup, and your hair will be woven into blankets by those goblins! In summary, goblins possess a quality that humans greatly lack: frugality and simplicity

There is a saying in the wilderness: go outside the town, take a shovel, and casually dig up a handful of soil in the fields; beneath it lie the bones of adventurers.

As a hunter, you can hunt rabbits, foxes, pheasants, and coyotes, as long as you are skilled in archery and capable of setting traps.

By the way, the tax rate in Wildfire Town is very straightforward; there is only one tax: the entry tax! Regardless of who you are or what your status is, when entering the town, each person must pay a tax of one copper coin per head.

Shaya Leiming walked along with the crowd, looking around in search of profitable work. His idea was quite simple; he first needed to earn some money. His plan was to take on a temporary role as a demon hunter.

Today, when Shaya Leiming entered the city, he handed over the last copper coin from his pocket to the soldier at the city gate

However, the monster hunter only hunts one thing: magical beasts

The Black Street is no different from the past; it is just that the band of thieves that occupied Wildfire Town a few days ago has been driven away. Now, the ones patrolling the roads are soldiers from a mercenary group. The people of Wildfire Town are accustomed to such matters. Moreover, this new mercenary group that has taken over here adheres to regulations and has not raised the tax rate

However, it is precisely these black gangs on the wilderness that have been of great assistance to people. They are willing to take on any job and are ready to do anything!

If you are unfortunate enough to be captured by them, then congratulations to you

Occasionally, some drunkards are thrown out from the taverns by the roadside, discarded in the heap of garbage at the corner.

Certainly, if you wish to purchase anything, no matter how rare or peculiar, as long as you come to this black street in Wildfire Town and hang up a sign indicating your desire to buy, within half a day at most, several individuals dressed in filthy robes, with indistinct features and furtive expressions, will surely approach you to inquire how much you are willing to pay

If we say that the dwarves are relatively well-behaved (as long as you do not provoke them, they generally will not trouble you), then the goblins are truly the troublesome ones. These creatures seem to proliferate like field mice in the northern part of the Wildfire Plains, breeding in nests. They are the real bandits—stealing everything: food, clothing, and tools. In fact, they eat anything.

The term "Black Street" is a conventional designation, located on the western edge of Wildfire Town, being the street closest to the outskirts. This street was originally quite wide, considered the most spacious in the town, capable of accommodating two horse-drawn carriages side by side—such a thoroughfare is rarely seen in such a remote and impoverished area, and even in the civilized and developed Byzantine Empire, it was only a standard feature in some major cities

These individuals are neither fraudsters nor beggars. Rather, they are contacts from a mercenary tribe.

When Shaya Leiming walked into the dark street, his back was straightened, primarily because he had filled his stomach—thanks to that foolish conman from out of town

If you hire mercenaries as bodyguards, then you can simply pay them afterward. If they suddenly feel displeased, not only will they take your money, but they may also rob you clean—at that point, they become a band of thieves

If you pay enough, they might even dare to engage in many risky dealings! For instance, capturing dwarf slaves is a job that regular mercenary groups would not undertake, but what about these criminal gangs...? Heh heh, how much are you willing to pay?

Trade across the Wildfire Plains is extremely dangerous, yet it is also highly profitable

Certainly, in the face of enormous profits, there are many who are willing to take risks. At least half of those who come to Wildfire Town are here with dreams of striking it rich

Thus, he had secretly engaged in such activities several times without the old man knowing, and he had successfully hunted some magical beasts. Unfortunately, he had never saved much money; most of his income had been consumed by alcohol, filling the stomachs of the two drunks at home.

However, only those large commercial groups with exceptionally strong capabilities are able to engage in such businesses

The exquisite armor and weapons, horses, cattle and sheep, ores, and artworks produced by the Byzantine Empire

On the Wildfire Plain, there are many tribes of various sizes, with the larger ones having over a thousand members and the smaller ones consisting of a hundred or so. Some of these tribes engage in mercenary work, but more often, they are bands of thieves