Scarlet Descent
Ch. 83 - The Great Demon Gathering

“Captain, are you sure this is the demon trading market?”

Wei Wei asked with great enthusiasm as he followed Captain Ouyang Jian into the area. However, his naivety was quickly apparent.He had imagined it would be a place filled with illegal demon superhumans, selling items strictly forbidden by the Foundation and the Spiritual Barrier cities, where anyone caught would be executed ten times over. But as he followed Captain Ouyang, he found that while such individuals were present, there were also many ordinary people who weren’t superhumans. Some had used demon injections but didn’t qualify as superhumans.Moreover, at both ends of the market, he saw vendors selling skewers, sweet potatoes, and even 30G hard drives. It was bewildering.“This doesn’t look like a demon trading market; it’s more like a village fair” Wei Wei thought.“Of course, it is,” Captain Ouyang replied, leading Wei Wei through the market while surveying their surroundings. “You need to get used to the existence of wild superhumans and these wilderness vagrants. We’re accustomed to living within the Spiritual Barrier ,but many people believe those inside are cursed by God.”“They prefer to suffer in the wilderness, enduring natural disasters and exploitation by the church, rather than enter the city,” Captain Ouyang continued.Wei Wei listened intently, unsure how to evaluate this.The Spiritual Barrier had a welcoming and tolerant attitude toward wilderness vagrants. These people knew that the Spiritual Barrier offered far more material wealth than the wilderness, yet they refused to enter. They believed that living in supercities meant being cursed, enjoying life now but destined for hell later. They believed that even if they suffered, God would eventually save them.In the eyes of those inside the Spiritual Barrier, outsiders were vagrants, while to outsiders, those inside were cursed.Both sides were like different soils, producing different ideologies that grew increasingly divergent.“Scrap Iron City, like other third-tier defense cities, lies between these two worlds,” Captain Ouyang said, sighing as he walked forward. “Inside and outside the Spiritual Barrier, though clearly divided, everyone is human and shares many desires. The Spiritual Barrier needs things from the wilderness, and the wilderness needs things only available inside the barrier. So, countless smuggling groups have emerged, and the administration turns a blind eye.”“So, Little Wei, the world of superhumans isn’t simply black and white. Be cautious in your actions…”As he spoke, Captain Ouyang glanced at Wei Wei, his eyes seeming deep and serious.Wei Wei nodded, “Captain, you’re right. I’ll remember.”Captain Ouyang suddenly let out a laugh, feeling that Wei Wei was indeed very obedient and listened well. However, his responses were a bit too quick…As they walked through the trading market, Wei Wei couldn’t help but feel a sense of wonder. Growing up in Scrap Iron City, it wasn’t until now that he truly began to understand it. This so-called trading market felt more like a village fair, the kind held on the second and seventh days of each month. The atmosphere was lively, with vendors selling vegetables, meat, guns, second-hand TVs, filters, and signal receivers. Some even set up small stands to copy movies.What was more surprising were the unique stalls and shops that blended in perfectly with the atmosphere. Some hung colorful lanterns, with a woman dancing seductively at the entrance. This was a stall selling love potions. Next to it, a large computer was set up for high-tech fortune-telling.There were also vendors selling books and offering mock exams for the high school entrance exam, calling out to passersby: “Knowledge can change your fate! Buy a book to take home for your child…”“What if the child is always killing people?” someone asked.“Does killing mean they don’t need to study? Take this medical reference book home.”“If they haven’t been killed, they must keep studying at night; otherwise, they won’t know where to strike more effectively…”Captain Ouyang explained a few things to Wei Wei before excitedly walking around the market with his hands behind his back. He seemed interested in everything, even chatting happily with a vendor selling sweet potatoes.As they walked, a large canvas tent nearby caught their attention. Someone was shouting through a megaphone: “A once-in-a-century opportunity! The love demon system’s corrupted creature, the Siren Banshee , was captured after our boss spent a month and a half and lost two teams. Tickets are 100 yuan each for a breathtaking experience!”Captain Ouyang suddenly turned around, his eyes wide. “Siren Banshee?”Wei Wei was intrigued as well—this was a well-known corrupted creature from the Love Demon system. Technically a biological entity rather than a monster, it was famed for its breathtaking beauty. Those infected by Love Demons often possessed an unnatural allure, and among them, the Siren Banshee was the most legendary. Just one look could leave an indelible mark on the mind, and a single kiss could erase the memory of all others. Many men described the experience as nothing short of divine...Still, Wei Wei found it hard to believe such a being had been captured and put on display. Was this truly how the demon trading market operated?Captain Ouyang seemed rooted to the spot, his eyes fixed on the tent. Wei Wei adopted a “if the leader goes, I’ll follow” attitude.Captain Ouyang felt reassured and appreciated Wei Wei more. Just as he was about to head towards the tent with Wei Wei, the megaphone continued: “Today, we’re offering a grand opening special! For 100 yuan, you can have a breathtaking experience, and for 1,000 yuan, you can…”The announcer clapped enthusiastically: “Clap, clap, clap, clap…”Captain Ouyang suddenly stopped, turning back to Wei Wei with a serious expression. “Work comes first. Little Wei, don’t go over there yet. Just wander around and see if you can find anyone selling the Origin Book. If you do, grab a copy.”Wei Wei let out a sigh of relief, understanding. “That’s okay, Captain. You go check it out. I’ll look for the Origin Book.”“Good,” Captain Ouyang said, taking a step forward before turning back. “How much money do you have on you?”Wei Wei hesitated, “A thousand?”Captain Ouyang’s face lit up with a smile. “No need for that much; I have some myself…” He paused, then said, “Lend me 980 yuan.”Wei Wei turned around, pulled out a bundle of cash tied with rubber bands from his pocket, took out a small portion, and handed it to Captain Ouyang.Captain Ouyang was visibly excited, his face flushed. He grasped Wei Wei’s hand, saying, “Little Wei, I really feel like we haven’t interacted enough before. Don’t worry, with me around, everything will be fine.”As he released Wei Wei’s hand, he took the money and walked briskly towards the canvas tent. Turning back, he said, “Remember to get reimbursed from Lucky Sister later…”Wei Wei waved his hand. “No need to reimburse; it’s just a small amount, Captain. You focus on your work…”Captain Ouyang was so moved that he almost cried. He pointed at Wei Wei and then at his own heart, pounding it twice.“Captain is really something,” Wei Wei thought, putting away the remaining cash.He reflected that if he had known this would improve his relationship with Captain Ouyang, he would have followed him out sooner. When he returned from the training camp, he had only brought a few thousand yuan, which the Instructor had provided in case food was scarce in the Third City Defense Ring.Now, after being back for over a month without many expenses, he had spent a thousand yuan on his first outing with Captain Ouyang. However, Wei Wei thought the money was well spent…With Captain Ouyang gone, Wei Wei relaxed and began to stroll around the market. There were various stalls selling antiques, offering services to summon small ghosts, selling love potions, curses to harm others, and even items labeled as “mysterious artifacts.” On a piece of torn fabric, over a dozen items were laid out for customers to choose from.Wei Wei picked one up, frowning. “What’s this?”The vendor whispered, “This is a second-tier Demon Forbidden Object. It guarantees you’ll win every bet for just 5,000 yuan. Take it, and you’ll never lose again…”“Demon Forbidden Object?” Wei Wei asked, pulling out his phone to check for radiation. Finding none, he said, “How come there’s no radiation?”The vendor grew annoyed, waving his hand. “Leave. This is for fools. You’re not stupid, so why bother?”Wei Wei felt at a loss for words and walked away, grateful that his temper had improved. After all, he was an artist and needed to maintain his composure.

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