Chapter 210: Exploiting a Loophole
Just as Mo Tan said, the 'Small Market' is Lake Light City's mobile black market. Its location is not fixed, and even its start and end times have no discernible pattern. Without certain information channels, even commoners who have lived in this city for over a decade would find it difficult to discover this place. At most, they might stumble upon it by chance once in a while. But it's no big deal; any 'outsider' who doesn't understand the rules will quickly be gently knocked out with a club by enthusiastic individuals and then casually tossed into an alley...
In short, it's a rather interesting place, at least in Mo Tan's eyes, and it's one of the reasons he has stayed in Lake Light City until now.
Places like the 'Small Market' are not found everywhere. For various reasons, they usually appear in cities like Lake Light City that simultaneously possess many conditions such as being remote, poorly managed, sparsely populated, conveniently located, medium-sized, and having a complex (or sufficiently dilapidated) internal environment. Therefore, the barrier to entry is quite high.
As for why there are so many requirements, it's naturally because most of the transactions in such places are illicit and not suitable for public display...
These include, but are not limited to, stolen goods, slaves, experimental alchemy potions, various strange materials, and a large number of items Mo Tan doesn't even know what they are used for. After all, he doesn't believe a single word many sellers say about their 'goods.'
Mo Tan's primary purpose when he first came here was to talk to the slave traders. After all, he had been searching for traces of the Whisper Sect ever since he left Pato City, and according to known intelligence, they were heavily involved in the slave trade within the Violet Empire.
His secondary purpose was to relax, so after spending twenty minutes briefly understanding the local slave market, he enthusiastically shopped for over two hours, directly causing that day's Small Market to close early.
Of course, this wasn't because Mo Tan, who had just made a fortune, bought everything, but because the sellers simply couldn't withstand his bargaining tactics.
One unlucky fellow, even after dizzily packing up his stall, still didn't understand why he sold three boxes of Abyssal Worm Eggs to that guy at a cost price of two gold coins per half-kilo, and even gave him a basket of more valuable Jaw-Demon Roots...
Thus, following the various businesses within a ten-kilometer radius of a certain residential area in City B and a certain general store in Pato City, the Small Market in Hussein Territory's Lake Light City also did not escape unscathed...
Fortunately, Mo Tan was wearing Hundred Aspects when he visited the black market last time, so he was not recognized now that he was showing his true face. Otherwise, today's Small Market would likely have ended then and there.
"I don't think you're just a simple Bard," Shaliya said in a low voice. She was currently aimlessly strolling through the crowd with Mo Tan, her pale face tinged with a blush. This Bloodseeker lady, who seemed to be of no small background, apparently wasn't used to the hand-kissing gesture she had just received.
Mo Tan smiled faintly: "Every Bard is extraordinary, my dear Shaliya. Our energy is immense."
"I've met many Bards," Shaliya narrowed her eyes slightly, forcing herself to maintain her vigilance towards the man in front of her, and said coldly, "You're different from all of them. The feeling you give me..."
Mo Tan blinked and gently squeezed her soft, boneless hand: "Very handsome? Want to marry me?"
"Nonsense," Shaliya snorted lightly and quickly pulled her hand out of Mo Tan's palm, shaking her head. "Never mind. Aren't you going to ask me anything? Also, where are you taking me?"
"Just wandering around nearby," Mo Tan stretched his neck, looking with interest at the 'Laughing Gas' on a small shelf, and casually replied, "If those people interested in you don't show up before the black market ends, we'll sneak out of the city. This place is very close to Crystal Wolf Territory, and it might be safer there."
【It's no use, they'll find me...】
Shaliya sighed inwardly but didn't voice her thoughts. She just looked curiously at Mo Tan's profile: "Why are you helping me?"
This question had been lingering in her mind for a long time. After all, few people would want to get involved with a 'Bloodseeker,' let alone one who was 'allegedly' being hunted. Shaliya had thought about it all the way but couldn't understand why this inexplicable Bard was helping her. What was his purpose? What did he want?
However...
"Oh, I fell in love with you at first sight."
Mo Tan answered with such a casual, distracted, and offhand remark.
"Uh?!" Shaliya was stunned for a moment, then imperceptibly pouted. She felt that if this guy named Tan Mo had been even a little more serious or sincere just now, she might have actually believed him.
An uncomfortable silence spread between the two of them. Of course, only Shaliya was uncomfortable; Mo Tan seemed to be enjoying his stroll.
A moment later, just as Shaliya was about to say something, a chill suddenly rose from the bottom of her heart.
And Mo Tan almost simultaneously turned and draped his white robe over Shaliya, then gently put his arm around her shoulder: "Don't get cold."
"There's..."
Shaliya was about to say something but was interrupted by Mo Tan with a 'don't speak' look.
【Is he really trying to help me, or is he with those guys to catch me?】
Shaliya, gently held in place by Mo Tan's arm around her shoulder, couldn't help but think this. Her slender right arm under the white robe moved slightly, but she ultimately didn't quietly stab Mo Tan through the chest. On one hand, she felt that if he truly had ill intentions, she would have been caught long ago. On the other hand, it was...
Well, she didn't know what the other hand was, but the first reason should be enough.
Several figures in black cloaks appeared silently in the crowd, their scarlet gazes under their hoods quickly scanning every passerby.
"I'm saving you, you know~"
Words too low to be noticed whispered in Shaliya's ear.
The next second...
Mo Tan gently kissed Shaliya's lips.
Yes! That's right, although it was only her lips, he actually kissed her firmly and thoroughly, and he succeeded!
It's important to know that although Shaliya was just an NPC, she was a genuine female NPC. Yet, the system, which had zero tolerance for even same-sex harassment, showed no punishment for Mo Tan's 'severely violating' action. Forget punishment, there wasn't even a warning. Not only no warning, there wasn't even a damn sound!
And Shaliya, the 'victim' herself, showed no reaction either. This wasn't because she was broad-minded, but because she had completely short-circuited the moment Mo Tan kissed her. Her mind was a blank slate, filled only with confusion.
For some reason, although Shaliya's race was human, her body had always been cold, like a cold-blooded animal. At that moment, the warmth from her lips almost instantly overwhelmed her...
Two minutes later
Mo Tan released his hands from Shaliya's slender waist, straightened up, and pursed his lips as if still savoring the moment: "Mmm, strawberry flavored."
Shaliya lowered her head, her face slightly flushed, and tightened the coat Mo Tan had just draped over her. After a long silence, she said softly, "Thank you..."
"I thought your reaction would be more intense, like directly opening a hole in me or something~" Mo Tan chuckled in surprise, shrugging, "Or have you gotten used to it?"
It must be said, his tone was as irritating as could be.
"I haven't gotten used to it! That was the first time I was... sigh..." Shaliya said subconsciously, then shook her head gently. "I know you had to do that just now to hide me from those people, so I won't blame you."
Mo Tan snapped his fingers lightly: "That's good. Actually, I was already prepared for you to kiss me back."
Shaliya narrowed her eyes dangerously, seemingly considering whether she should really open a hole in someone.
"Just kidding," Mo Tan also knew when to stop. After all, he felt that he definitely couldn't beat this cold and beautiful woman in front of him in every sense. So, he lightly glossed over his previous rudeness, smiling, "Those guys should have gone to look elsewhere. Let's leave the city."
Shaliya sighed: "I don't have a pass, so it'll be difficult to enter Crystal Wolf County through official channels. We'll part ways here..."
"It's not safe for you here right now," Mo Tan didn't let her finish, but simply took her hand naturally. "I have a way~"
"Then... then I'll leave it to you, Tan Mo."
"My pleasure~"
...
【The quest is 'Rescue the Beauty,' which simply means helping Shaliya escape danger.】
【And with my previous arrangements, pretending to kiss her had the highest success rate at that time. Shaliya was also well aware of this, so not only was the condition of 'mutual consent' met, but it was also accompanied by the situation of 'if I don't do this, the quest is very likely to fail,' and I truly had no other ulterior motives.】
【Thus, driven by these three factors, although I did indeed take advantage of her, the system implicitly considered it a 'necessary step to complete the quest,' so it neither warned nor directly stopped me.】
【Heh heh, if I had known this would happen, I wouldn't have just kissed her on the corner of her mouth...】
【However, the system probably wouldn't allow me to take further actions anyway. After all, pretending to peck each other is enough to get by, and a French kiss wouldn't increase the success rate, so I probably couldn't do more.】
【Tsk tsk, so even in an area like 'sexual harassment,' which should theoretically be absolutely off-limits, if handled properly, it can be overlooked~ How humane.】
【So, the conclusion is... the Innocent World system is either extremely intelligent, or... very clever.】
【Although they seem similar, they are fundamentally two completely different situations~】
【It's so damn fun~】
Mo Tan, pulling Shaliya along the path to the west gate of Lake Light City, couldn't help but show an extremely joyful smile.
Shaliya, still wearing the white robe on her shoulder, couldn't help but ask him in a low voice, "What are you... laughing about?"
"I'm just reminiscing about that kiss, which lasted a total of one hundred and twenty-seven seconds," Mo Tan playfully winked at her, smiling faintly. "It will hold a very significant place in my 'life'~"
Crack!
Shaliya, who had been obediently led, immediately gripped Mo Tan's hand in return and directly deducted 5% of his health.
"I'll just follow you," she released Mo Tan's hand with a smile and blinked gently. "No need to hold me."
Mo Tan stuck out his tongue, feeling that Shaliya was a bit conceited.
The so-called life was just the game process, the so-called significance was exploiting a big loophole in the system, and as for that kiss...
To be honest, even if the other party was a sixty-something Orc grandma, as long as she met all the conditions Shaliya had, he wouldn't mind kissing her. Well, as long as she didn't have a beard... no beard was the bottom line.
However, such words were naturally not suitable for telling the other party, so Mo Tan didn't seek his own death by explaining the matter clearly. He was eager for Shaliya to misunderstand.
Five minutes later, at the Lake Light City gate
"Wait for me a moment," Mo Tan stopped and turned to Shaliya with a smile. "Before I leave, I need to say hello to a few friends. Your identity is quite sensitive, so wait for me here."
Shaliya nodded gently: "Okay."
"Don't worry, I won't run off alone," Mo Tan saw that she seemed hesitant to speak and immediately added softly, "I'll be back soon."
"If you wanted to go alone, you wouldn't have brought me along earlier," Shaliya shook her head, then paused slightly. "I'm just curious, are the friends you mentioned those old flames you brought up before?"
Mo Tan whistled, then turned and started walking: "Who knows~"
"This guy..."
Shaliya looked at his retreating back with a complex expression, sighing softly: "Completely unfathomable."
...
A moment later, in an abandoned house on the west side of Lake Light City
"Well done, the reminder was very timely," Mo Tan placed a small bag of gold coins into the hand of a handsome elf dressed as a ranger in front of him, chuckling, "You guys worked hard this time."
The ranger and the four or five people behind him immediately shook their heads like rattles, saying repeatedly, "Not at all, not at all, it's what we should do."
"By the way, the mercenary I asked you to trick earlier died, and he died quite miserably," Mo Tan yawned, casually saying, "You guys can go check that alley later. If his body hasn't been found by those black cloaks, dispose of it. If it has been found, then never mind. Hmm, but there won't be any reward for that, so it's up to your convenience."
The leading ranger rubbed his hands, his face beaming: "Brother Zelda, you're too polite. We'll definitely go take a look later. Uh... wanna add each other as friends?"
"No thanks," Mo Tan waved his hand, then turned and left the old house.
He quickly turned a few corners, then took off the Hundred Aspects from his face and let out a soft breath, a playful curve on his lips.
"Bloodseeker, huh..."
Chapter 207: End
