After parking the shared scooter, Lin Guang walked into the mall and glanced at the directory near the entrance.
The first three floors sold Gray Inferior- and White Common-tier spirit beasts, which were sufficient for most ordinary Spirit Tamers. Access to the fourth floor and above required proof of being a combat-oriented Spirit Tamer. There were even Blue Elite-tier spirit beasts for sale there, though they were usually too high-level for beginners to contract.
Compared to the crowded entrance and elevators, an oddly strange scene appeared on the right side of the mall. There was clearly an elevator and a marked entrance there as well, yet only a handful of people headed in that direction.
This was an illusion array set up by Psychic-type spirit beasts, capable of deceiving ordinary people and even electronic devices. Only those who could resist the illusion and see through it would notice the area it concealed.
Generally, a business wouldn't set the entry barrier too high. A two-star Spirit Tamer or a one-star spirit artifact would be enough to pierce the illusion. That was why Lin Guang had asked Ouyang Wei for the military-issued "entry pass."
The one who received him was a well-built man, his entire body hidden beneath a trench coat, his face covered by a mask. On his chest was a badge bearing the logo of Afu Premium Spirit Beast Emporium.
"Young man, what are you looking to buy?"
"..."
Lin Guang briefly considered asking for a sweet-voiced, pretty receptionist instead—but then again, this was the underground black market. What kind of normal person would work here? He quickly dropped the idea.
After a pause, Lin Guang listed all the types of spirit beasts he had previously attempted to contract at the breeding base, specifying both species and attributes in detail.
"Do you have any rare or unusual spirit beasts? Anything outside of what I just mentioned."
The masked man fell silent. Just as Lin Guang thought he might've overwhelmed him with that long "menu," the man answered in a low voice:
"Yes."
"There are?"
Lin Guang was slightly surprised.
"In the basement level. You'll find what you're looking for there."
"Then let's go take a look."
Following behind the masked man, Lin Guang descended the stairs to the underground level.
The moment he reached the bottom, he blinked, taking a second to adjust to the lighting.
The space was unexpectedly vast. In the darkness, only the neon signs of a few shops provided dim illumination.
It was hard to imagine how this underground area had originally been designed—or whether the surrounding structures risked collapsing—but the dim, gloomy atmosphere was clearly intentional. You could barely make out the faces of people just a few meters away.
Not far off, a few scattered figures stood around, their bodies hidden beneath dark gray cloaks.
Several gazes shifted toward him—but upon noticing his age and the silver key he had deliberately pinned to his chest, they quickly looked away.
Lin Guang smiled faintly.
A Spirit Tamer's senses were far sharper than those of ordinary people. They would naturally notice the card on his chest. Combined with his deliberately youthful appearance…
A student who clearly didn't look wealthy, yet entered the black market using a military-issued card—he would naturally be categorized as a potential "easy mark."
Whether he actually had money or not didn't matter. If something went wrong and his family came knocking, it wouldn't be worth the trouble.
The fact that the black market could exist here meant it followed certain rules. A gray zone wasn't complete lawlessness. The issuance of special access cards to retired military Spirit Tamers was proof of that.
And without sufficient profit incentive, who would bother targeting a minor student?
Following the masked man, Lin Guang observed the goods around him.
Unlike the polished and glamorous mall above, the underground black market was far from clean. Most customers here had been out in the wilderness—they didn't care about such things. They were happy to save on maintenance costs.
The smells of rust, blood, and excrement rushed into Lin Guang's nose, competing as if performing a tap dance inside it.
He knew exactly why.
The spirit beasts here were mostly captured from the wilderness. They were wild and difficult to tame, often injured during capture—bleeding was normal.
Following the faint whimpers and growls, he turned his gaze toward the alloy cages lining both sides.
As expected.
On the left, an Ironback Wolf—its armored plates shattered in places, exposing gruesome wounds. It panted heavily, its eyes dull and lifeless.
On the right, a Flame-Tail Fox curled into the corner of a wire cage. The flame on its tail flickered weakly, as if it might go out at any moment. Its left hind leg was crudely wrapped in a blood-soaked bandage.
Looking around, almost none of the spirit beasts in the cages were unharmed—only varying in severity.
Most of these beasts were captured from the wilderness. But there were also protected zones established to prevent overhunting of rare species. Capturing from those areas counted as poaching—hence why such beasts couldn't be sold openly.
The masked man grabbed the walkie-talkie hanging from his chest.
"Number 130… Wood Ether fragments… stimulants."
130?
Lin Guang quickly estimated the numbering of nearby cages and looked ahead—right in the direction they were heading.
Several cloaked figures were gathered around a massive Apple Turtle. Its sturdy shell was riddled with cracks, and the apple tree growing from it was scorched black, not a single leaf remaining. The cloaked figures whispered among themselves, then shook their heads and dispersed decisively.
As he passed the cage, Lin Guang's gaze lingered, his brows slightly furrowing.
Because on the turtle's head—retracted into its shell—was a worn, old bow.
It had an owner… or once had one.
Seeing this, Lin Guang couldn't help but sigh softly.
"Kid, are you pitying them?" the masked man asked in a hoarse voice. "I suggest you don't entertain unrealistic thoughts."
"No," Lin Guang replied calmly. "I just think it's a shame—you've raised such an easy-to-care-for species to the brink of death. With a basic Plant-type skill like [Sunny Day], or even just a UV lamp used regularly, many Plant-type spirit beasts could improve their condition by at least twenty percent."
This level of knowledge was common among anyone with a bit of experience. They simply didn't value the lives of low-tier spirit beasts.
Lin Guang's expression turned neutral again. He shook his head slightly, a trace of disdain flashing through his eyes as he commented sharply:
"With product quality this poor, how do you expect repeat customers?"
"I doubt you could even keep a cactus alive."
"..."
The masked man paused mid-step, clearly at a loss for words. After a moment of silence, he continued walking.
"There's not much we can do. If we turn on the lights here, many of our regulars wouldn't be comfortable."
"But you've got a point. If they die, it's a loss for us too. I'll pass the suggestion along."