Chapter 606: Chapter 606

The Black Market earned its name because it was a place to trade items not meant for public display. It had both advantages and disadvantages. For instance, the vast majority of goods were second-hand, transactions often involved old-fashioned bartering, or it was a place for dealing with clearance stock.

Overall, the Black Market boasted many excellent finds across a wide array of categories; one could find almost anything imaginable there.

The high-end market, however, was different. Its advantage lay in offering items unavailable in the Black Market. All products there came with a traceability code. What did that imply? It meant that every item, regardless of its nature, was legitimately authorized for trade via big data, recognized by the state, and included after-sales support.

The most significant difference was that most goods here were newly produced post-apocalypse.

This meant the items within were high-cost and extremely expensive.

Of course, a well-known saying states, "Expensive items have no faults other than their price." Hopefully, Jing Shu would be satisfied today.

"Why didn’t you bring your little sister along to broaden her horizons?" Jing Shu asked Tan Ke.

Tan Ke chuckled. "I promised my sister I’d buy her some treats to take back, so she decided not to come and cause trouble. She’d only be envious if she came, and besides, we’re here to help you."

Tan Ke puffed out his chest, looking every inch the bodyguard. His objective today was clear: to act as Mirror’s bodyguard and porter, despite Mirror being stronger than him.

The full name of the high-end market was the "8th Floor Trading Club"—a place far superior to the remote, godforsaken location of the Black Market.

For one, it stood in a bustling area of the Imperial Capital and even had a bus stop named after it. From a distance, an ancient, majestic building could be seen standing proudly before them.

"Well, before the apocalypse, the 8th Floor used to be so brightly lit it would illuminate the entire building. Now, they don’t even dare turn on the decorative light strips. It was truly beautiful back then," Tan Ke said proudly.

At the main entrance, Jing Shu and Tan Ke were first guided into an adjacent building through a side door.

Jing Shu whispered, "What’s going on? Aren’t we supposed to go into the 8th Floor Trading Club?"

It was her first time, after all, so she didn’t dare speak too loudly.

Tan Ke also whispered, "You can’t just walk into the trading club. Regardless of whether you’re a new or returning client, everyone must first go next door for asset registration and exchange them for Trading Coins. Newcomers like us also need to be assessed as having a net worth exceeding 10 million Virtual Coins and carrying goods worth at least one million Virtual Coins to gain entry."

Jing Shu nodded in understanding. She wasn’t sure of her exact net worth, but... to put it bluntly, wouldn’t almost anything she possessed be worth at least a million Virtual Coins? Check latest chapters at 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝✦𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖✦𝕟𝕖𝕥

"Just queue up here and follow the instructions later. I’ll go on ahead," said the approachable-looking worker in a thick, cotton-padded jacket, turning to guide the next group of customers.

According to Tan Ke, before the apocalypse, these staff members all wore black suits—very cool and flashy. But now, post-apocalypse, with the cold weather and cessation of clothing production, they had switched to these more practical, ’down-to-earth’ outfits.

There were quite a few people at the Trading Club today. It featured three separate, enclosed windows, lending it an air of exclusivity and privacy. Both new and returning customers had to come here first to exchange their assets for ’Trading Coins,’ which were used to purchase items within the club.

It was similar to exchanging cash for chips before gambling; if you didn’t spend anything, you could simply return the chips on your way out.

Upon entering the lobby, Jing Shu noticed a price chart displayed on a screen. Tan Ke quietly explained that this chart was set according to state regulations and fluctuated daily based on market conditions. It determined approximately how many Trading Coins various commodities could be exchanged for.

The people in the hall were orderly and dressed in ordinary attire. They traded quietly amongst themselves; some sat alone, while others formed small groups. Jing Shu blended in, remaining inconspicuous.

Soon, it was Jing Shu’s turn. She handed her ID QR code through the window. The woman at the counter, yawning as if it were routine, checked the information and recorded it on an electronic spreadsheet. The pervasiveness of big data meant that everyone’s information, movements, and assets were no longer private secrets.

"Jing Shu. Permanent address: Wu City. Occupation: Confidential. Assets: Confidential. Trading system access: Confidential, confidential, confidential..."

The woman stopped yawning, rubbed her eyes, and called out, "Manager, there’s someone here with high-level confidentiality! My clearance isn’t enough to access their information. Could you come and check?"

Jing Shu frowned, a sudden thought striking her. Her information’s confidentiality level was exceptionally high... She had always considered this incredibly convenient, but now... why did it suddenly feel like a complication?

The man referred to as ’Manager’ quickly arrived. He casually entered his employee ID and began to check the information. After all, in the Imperial Capital, it was said that if a brick fell from the sky, it was more likely to hit an official than anything else; such things were considered normal.

However, the Manager soon grew uneasy. He hastily called out, "Director, we have a case with an extremely high confidentiality level here..."

Jing Shu was rendered speechless.

Tan Ke was equally taken aback.

Tan Ke looked at Jing Shu in confusion, whispering, "Mirror, what exactly is your clearance level? He (the Manager) can usually access information for most levels in the Imperial Capital."

Jing Shu was at a loss for words. Her information’s confidentiality level had been secretly elevated by Jin Tianci, a fact she had only recently discovered due to the earlier incident with the Seeds. She understood Jin Tianci’s good intentions; he didn’t want others to learn about the factory she operated. After all, it was a hen that laid golden eggs and required careful protection.

The Director (Director Wang) arrived quickly. He was a short, stout man with glasses, notably dressed in a black suit. He appeared quite energetic and had a friendly smile. Jogging over, he said, "No problem, no problem at all, I’ll handle it. You must be Jing Shu, correct? I’m the director of this club; feel free to call me Xiao Wang."

He didn’t seem surprised at all and said reassuringly, "Please don’t worry. We only check credit transaction histories. We absolutely do not look into anything we aren’t supposed to. Furthermore, all access is logged, so your information will not be exposed. I give you my word."

For him to personally intervene indicated that the person before them was indeed very special.

Jing Shu felt rather awkward. Her security clearance was high, but it came with no actual authority; she was essentially just a figurehead.

The Director, ever the professional, immediately got to work on the computer, typing rapidly. After about two minutes, he wiped the sweat from his brow and hurried out.

Just as Jing Shu’s curiosity piqued, an announcement was made: "Attention, everyone in line, please proceed to windows 1 and 2. Window 3 will require a slightly longer processing time." This was an unprecedented development.

"What sort of issue is this, Old Wang, that required your personal attention and still isn’t resolved?" someone acquainted with Fatty Wang teased from the side.

Director Wang gestured towards a private booth. "The individual inside has an exceptionally high status; even I don’t have the authority to access their full details. Everyone, please be sure to treat them with the utmost respect."