Chapter 102: I Am Also a Non-Professional Treasure Hunter! Part 1

They hadn’t even arrived at the Central Business District yet when they ran into Tuls himself right after getting off the high-speed tram at the station.

He looked like he’d rushed over from somewhere else, with fine beads of sweat on his forehead, his clothes somewhat wrinkled, and his hair not combed into any proper style.

When he turned back and locked eyes with Xie Jianxun, it was clear he gasped in shock.

Xie Jianxun walked up, puzzled. “Mr. Tuls?”

Tuls forced a smile. “Boss, I thought you’d take an aerial taxi. The high-speed tram is too crowded—way too packed.”

Xie Jianxun keenly noticed the unexpected dishevelment about him, things even Tuls himself hadn’t realized, like his pant leg rolled up and his tie missing.

“I happened to see the tram station when I headed out, so I hopped on.”

After his explanation, he asked in passing, “What about you? Why are you here? Here to pick me up?”

Tuls hesitated. “Uh, yeah. I was afraid the area was too complicated for you to navigate, Boss. Let’s head out of the station.”

Probably because Xie Jianxun hadn’t said anything, Tuls regained his confidence and introduced the area as they walked. “Though the Central Business District is in the core of Silver Watchtower, its northern section has a less prosperous zone. According to my intel, the Black Market is currently in an abandoned sewer pipe in that area.”

He walked quickly ahead, his open suit jacket flapping in the wind.

But soon, Tuls noticed one pant leg rolled up. His smile vanished as he hopped along, quietly using the toe of his other shoe to nudge it down.

Xie Jianxun’s expression grew subtle. He raised an eyebrow but pretended not to notice.

He lowered his head to chat with Ela. “Once we get out of the Black Market, it’ll be right around noon. We can head back and make lunch.”

Ela played along. “I’m your assistant. I’ll help out.”

The assistant was so obedient and cute. Xie Jianxun shook the hand he was holding and grinned. “Great, great. We’ll call Idis down to eat together too.”

Ela paused slightly. Tuls, walking ahead, overheard and turned his head curiously.

“Idis?”

He repeated the name in surprise. After all, the ghost mech engineer had quite the reputation locally—anyone with ears had heard of him. “Is this the Advanced Mech Engineer Idis I know, or just a coincidence in name?”

Xie Jianxun confirmed. “I think it’s the one you know.”

Tuls came to a sudden realization. Remembering that most items on the list were minerals and rare metals, they must be for this engineer.

He joked, “Never thought I’d one day have even a tiny connection to Mr. Idis. Maybe someday I can ask him for an autograph.”

Ela: “…”

They passed through the bustling business district and found the maintenance entrance to the abandoned sewer pipe.

As expected, its two doors were tightly shut, as if refusing any visitors.

Tuls cleared his throat, about to tug at his tie, only to realize in horror that he hadn’t even brought it from home.

He casually dropped his hand and adapted on the fly. “The Black Market entrance is right there, Boss. Wait here—I’ll go knock.”

He struck a pose of “You don’t have to worry about a thing, Boss—I’ve got this.” Xie Jianxun nodded along and stood in place, watching him approach the doors step by step.

Tuls frowned tightly, walking carefully to avoid making noise, then darted to the side of the left door.

Seeing no ambush, he reached out and knocked.

Thud thud.

A minute passed after the knock with no response.

Tuls darted to the right door’s side and knocked again.

Thud thud.

Still no reply. For a moment, the three of them stood there dumbfounded, not knowing what to do.

An ominous premonition surged in Xie Jianxun’s heart.

Ela said softly, “I don’t think they’re here.”

Xie Jianxun replied in a whisper, “Me neither.”

He thought for a moment, then walked straight over and reached to push the doors open. Tuls froze, then panicked to stop him. “Boss! The Black Market guards are vicious. Entering without permission will get you…”

His words cut off abruptly as the doors pushed open smoothly, with no one rushing out to stop them.

Xie Jianxun asked, puzzled, “Vicious guards?”

Tuls: “…Just a fluke. A fluke. They might be inside and didn’t have time to switch shifts.”

His earlier cautious display had been for nothing. Tuls felt a wave of annoyance.

Behind the opened doors stretched a pitch-black tunnel, the air thick with the persistent dampness of moisture. The ground was muddy and treacherous. According to Tuls, the Black Market was deep inside this abandoned sewer pipe.

Xie Jianxun glanced into the tunnel. Thinking he was scared, Tuls volunteered to lead.

“Boss, follow me. Don’t worry—no one will hurt you.”

…You literally said two days ago that your combat skills are weak. If a real fight broke out, who knew who’d end up on the ground.

Xie Jianxun thought to himself, then took a small step back, letting the professional Treasure Hunter take the front—which suited his rich boss persona anyway.

The three filed into the sewer pipe one by one.

The deeper they went, the more off it felt to Xie Jianxun.

It was too quiet. Not just no voices, but no footsteps or other sounds at all—only their breathing.

The ground was pooled with sewage, like one landmine after another.

The Little Adventurer carefully skirted the hazardous sections but still unexpectedly stepped on a loose tile.

Splurt. Sewage sprayed from the gaps in the tile.

Xie Jianxun: “…”

The assistant beside him reacted with wind-like agility, leaping aside to dodge the splash.

They watched the water splash down, creating what seemed like calm ripples.

Ela said seriously, “Can you carry me?”

He even walked back over and tugged Xie Jianxun’s finger. It looked like the assistant was acting spoiled, but Xie Jianxun saw right through him.

—He was absolutely germaphobic and didn’t want to wade through the sewage with them!

If I carry you, who’s carrying me?

Xie Jianxun thought expressionlessly.

He ruthlessly rejected the kid’s request. “This is a critical moment. If I carry you, I won’t see the path.”

The assistant’s request went unsatisfied, and he let out a soft hum.

With that, Xie Jianxun turned his attention to Tuls, whose face was tense ahead, and asked doubtfully, “It’s way too quiet. Is your intel solid?”

He wasn’t just doubting the Black Market’s existence now—he doubted if anyone was here at all!

Not just him—Tuls felt unusually uneasy too.

He’d gotten this intel not long ago from Dobin’s current apprentice.

He’d even spent a good deal of favors for it, all to build a reliable image with his new boss.

Damn, it couldn’t be fake! he cursed inwardly.

He immediately halted everyone from advancing and said steadily, “Boss, wait here a bit. I’ll scout ahead to avoid any accidents.”

With that, he hurried forward a ways. His footsteps on the tiles even produced a dull clang, like striking a copper pipe.

Soon, the Treasure Hunter Tuls returned empty-handed, dejected.

“Sorry, Boss. Inside, I only found some debris—they must’ve gone somewhere else. Or maybe we have the wrong sewer. I’ll call someone right now…”

He trailed off, seeing Xie Jianxun holding half a torn notice with some scribbled announcement.

Xie Jianxun said calmly, “The city management just raided this place, so they moved yesterday.”

Tuls stared at him in a daze, like he was looking at some powerful alien being.

“Moved to this location, Mr. Tuls. I don’t know my way around the Central Business District—mind navigating?”

Xie Jianxun handed over the notice. The poor Treasure Hunter Tuls was still dazed as he took it.

He made a dry thumbs-up. “No problem, Boss… Wait, where’d you find this?”

Xie Jianxun pointed to a corner piled with waterproof crates and spread his hands.

Tuls took a deep breath, sensing trouble.

He clutched the half-notice, determined to lead the boss to the right spot and salvage his shaky professional Treasure Hunter image.

Luckily, though only half remained, it clearly stated the new location: from the abandoned sewer to a dark alley eight hundred meters away—a ten-minute walk at normal speed.

They didn’t just “pass by” the unassuming alley entrance this time. Doubting but entering, they finally reached the Black Market.

No “vicious guards” as Tuls described. At the door sat an old man sunning himself. If city management showed up, he’d yell into a megaphone, and everyone would pack up and flee.

Seeing them approach one after another, without any of the city management’s menacing vibe, he barely lifted an eyelid before waving them through.

No shady rules either—just scattered stalls selling private goods, like an underground gathering.

No business license, no quality guarantees, but otherwise no different from outdoor markets.

Finally at the right place, Tuls let out a long breath, still a bit shaken.

It must’ve just been a fluke earlier, he thought.

In his plan, he was supposed to take the boss to a high-end Black Market: identity verification for entry, everyone in masks (to look classy), selling rare high-level goods—not this motley mix of all sorts.