Lin Yue hadn't expected to be identified as a first-timer the moment he entered the black market. He directly asked, "Kid, what's your name, and how did you know I was here for the first time?"
Lin Yue believed he hadn't exhibited any unusual behavior, yet the young boy in front of him had seen through him at a glance. He couldn't help but wonder if there was something he hadn't done properly.
The boy chuckled and scratched his head, saying, "Sir, hello. My name is Zhao Yinglai. My health is quite poor, so I can't do much work. I also have sick parents at home who need care. Unfortunately, due to my poor health, I've had to develop keen observation skills. As for the people in the market, even if I don't know them, I tend to recognize their faces. You're a new face, and the badge on your chest is still new, so I ventured a guess that this is your first time. It's just a little bit of cleverness, not worth mentioning."
Upon hearing Zhao Yinglai's explanation, Lin Yue became interested. He thought, "They say children from poor families mature early. It seems even an eight or nine-year-old boy has such sharp observation skills and can speak so eloquently. Truly remarkable."
It's said that circumstances create heroes, not because they are inherently destined for greatness, but out of sheer necessity. While luck plays a part, it's often the momentum of the times that carries people along passively. If one doesn't strive to learn and work hard, they'll be swept away by the tide. Thus, in the harshest environments, the most defiant individuals emerge.
In the apocalypse, some individuals stand out and become the focus of everyone's attention. These children, however, can only act according to others' whims. If a troublesome child appears, people won't tolerate it. If you dare to offend me, you'll get a couple of slaps at the very least. In this world, troublesome children find it hard to survive.
Only children like Zhao Yinglai, who are observant, eloquent, and sweet-tongued, and never offend anyone, can survive.
"Sir, if you're willing to hire me, all it takes is two taels of grain. The price is already very low!" Zhao Yinglai couldn't hold back and continued to promote himself. To survive, he had to be thick-skinned.
"Alright, come with me. But first, I'll test you. Tell me, what are the diamonds here like?" Lin Yue no longer stood on ceremony and directly brought the boy along, planning to continue exploring the black market.
Lin Yue also posed a difficult question to Zhao Yinglai, asking him to comment on a nearby stall selling diamond rings. The stall owner, an uncle, looked at Zhao Yinglai with an unfriendly expression. If Zhao Yinglai dared to say anything negative about the diamonds on display, the stall owner would surely react.
Lin Yue did this intentionally, wanting to see what the boy would say when faced with a dilemma.
Zhao Yinglai was indeed in a difficult spot. If he praised the diamonds, he would appease the stall owner. However, if his employer felt he was spouting nonsense and had made a mistake, he would lose the business. But if he said the diamonds were poor, the stall owner would resent him and might seek revenge in the future.
Facing this predicament, Zhao Yinglai had a flash of inspiration and said, "Sir, please listen to me. Someone in the last century said, 'A diamond is forever, one lasts for a lifetime.' Therefore, diamonds are undoubtedly precious. The quality of the diamonds sold by this uncle might also be guaranteed. However, the value of something is related to the era and the environment. Nowadays, everyone is pursuing real gold and silver. As for diamond rings, if you are willing to buy one, it is naturally good and can showcase your status. But if you don't like them, it's merely the current era's disregard for diamond rings."
After speaking, Zhao Yinglai smiled at Lin Yue. He had uttered ambiguous words, deliberately avoiding giving any advice on whether to buy or not, and returned the decision-making entirely to Lin Yue.
Lin Yue saw that the boy indeed possessed some wit and immediately laughed, saying, "Take me to find someone who sells information. Make sure they are reliable."
Zhao Yinglai quickly bowed and said, "This way, please. Just keep walking forward, and I'll lead you to the seller right away."
The stall owner uncle, after hearing Zhao Yinglai's diplomatic words, didn't get angry. Instead, he muttered to himself, "Could it be that this era truly looks down on diamond rings? But they were so valuable before. A diamond ring cost three to four thousand. How is it that even though I've collected so many genuine items, they're not selling?"
The stall owner uncle was an honest man. He had often seen people buying diamond rings and advertisements on television, which made him truly believe that diamonds were valuable. Later, he noticed that many diamond rings in jewelry stores were not being taken, so he immediately got the idea to sell diamond rings.
Unfortunately, diamonds are essentially a fairy tale woven by capital, with their value inflated through various promotions. In reality, diamonds can be synthesized artificially. Diamonds are, in essence, carbon elements. Synthesized diamonds are even purer than natural diamonds. Once they enter the market, many are undetectable. Now, with the arrival of the apocalypse, the price of diamonds has become only slightly higher than that of roadside pebbles.
Zhao Yinglai directly led Lin Yue to a fortune teller, around whom many people were waiting.
The fortune teller sat on the ground, with a red cloth spread before him. On the cloth were yin-yang fish, eight trigrams, a divination barrel, cards, a tortoise shell, and copper coins. However, these decorations were merely a disguise, as the people waiting around were not there for fortune-telling but for something else.
The fortune teller quickly took out pieces of paper from his person and distributed them to the surrounding onlookers. These people were also sensible; they didn't open the papers in public but quickly left, intending to open them at home.
At this moment, Zhao Yinglai tugged at Lin Yue's sleeve. Lin Yue quickly lowered his head. Zhao Yinglai whispered, "Write down the information you need on a piece of paper. Come back to the market tomorrow to retrieve it. If the information isn't found, you won't pay anything. But if it is found, the fee will depend on the value of the information."
Lin Yue was puzzled as to why it was so troublesome to inquire about accurate information in Yanjing. He directly asked, "Why is it so complicated? Why so many procedures? What if he runs away tomorrow?"
"This is the black market, so it has to be a bit complicated. If they get caught by official hounds, they might not be released. As for the people, they won't run away. Otherwise, they'll have no place in the black market in the future!" Zhao Yinglai quickly explained. Doing business in the black market requires caution.
Lin Yue thought about it. Getting caught for fortune-telling wouldn't be a big deal; it's a matter of mutual consent. If you don't believe it, so be it. If you do, a few pronouncements won't change anything. However, being caught selling information is a much graver offense. If caught as a spy, they would be dealt with directly. The risk is immense.
Next, Lin Yue immediately wrote the information he needed, which was about He Kanwen, on a piece of paper and handed it to the fortune teller before preparing to leave.
The fortune teller said indifferently, "Please return tomorrow to collect your pronouncements. As for whether I will still be here tomorrow, please pay attention to the news from the market managers."
Lin Yue nodded and said, "I hope you can find the information I need. Goodbye!"
Afterward, Lin Yue intended to browse the black market further. Zhao Yinglai enthusiastically introduced everything. Lin Yue discovered that all sorts of things were sold in this black market. Firearms were being sold, and even cold medicine was available. However, upon picking one up, he saw it had expired two years ago.
The stall owner confidently stated, "Don't mind that my medicine is expired, it still has efficacy. Expired doesn't mean useless. As long as it's not moldy or spoiled, it can be consumed. Sir, if you need it, I also have Banlangen granules, which only expired a year ago. Would you like to buy some?"
"I am free from all illnesses, so I don't need it!" Lin Yue smiled and refused.
It had to be said that the black market had many strange and peculiar items. Some stalls specialized in selling animal hides, clearly lacking the skills for tanning and processing them into clothing, otherwise, they wouldn't be selling raw hides.
"Why are there animal hides being sold in the black market? Would anyone buy these?" Lin Yue asked in confusion.
Zhao Yinglai nodded and explained, "Of course, people buy them. Those garment manufacturers are unscrupulous. They buy animal hides at low prices, make clothes, and then sell them at high prices. It's said that hunters risk their lives to kill mutated beasts, but the hides don't fetch a good price. Ordinary people can't afford the finished clothes. So, they buy them at a reasonable price in the black market, soften them with plant ash themselves, and can get some warmth. At worst, they can just wrap them around themselves and wear them like a bell."
Winter in the north is very cold, especially now that many places lack heating. Therefore, staying warm is crucial. However, clothes made from animal hides are very expensive, and manufacturers make huge profits, while the survival of ordinary people is a serious problem. They can only turn to the black market to buy animal hides and make their own clothes.
The term "bell" is a more elegant way of saying it. In reality, it's just patched-up clothing that can barely be worn. It has no buttons or zippers, and one simply slips it on, like a bronze bell, hence the name "bell clothing." In winter, one would also tie it around the waist to prevent drafts from entering from top and bottom.
Lin Yue suddenly understood. He hadn't seen such a scene in Yuzhou because the south could burn firewood, and Yuzhou had water and electricity, so heating in winter was not a problem.
At this moment, a bald man walked past Lin Yue, holding a hemp rope. At the other end of the rope was a young girl. The girl was scantily clad, with her limbs exposed to the elements. Her clothes were also full of patches.
As Lin Yue brushed past the girl, he was stunned. How could this girl resemble Fu Ya, who was already dead? No, it wasn't just similar; it was exactly the same!
However, Lin Yue knew that this girl was definitely not Fu Ya. Lin Yue himself had cremated Fu Ya when she died. Her grave was built outside Jiangyang City. The dead cannot be resurrected. This girl had absolutely no connection to Fu Ya.
Zhao Yinglai was very observant. Seeing Lin Yue staring intently at a girl being sold, he quickly introduced, "Sir, if you fancy this woman, you can directly negotiate the price and complete the transaction on the spot. If you only want to play around, it depends on whether the seller is willing."
Hearing this, Lin Yue felt as if he had heard something incredible. He frowned and asked, "Are you joking? People can be bought and sold in Yanjing City?"
Zhao Yinglai lowered his voice and whispered, "Most of these people are willing. And transactions in the black market are not regulated. The authorities' attention is currently focused on mutated beasts, so they can't manage everything for the time being. Many people, in order to treat their parents, are willing to sell themselves to other places."
Lin Yue's worldview also began to shift. He had initially thought that since Yanjing was the headquarters and the capital, it must be prosperous, radiant, and a place of peace and harmony. But now Lin Yue suddenly realized that Yuzhou seemed quite good. Although it was a bit poor, at least the people at the bottom had food to eat, preventing them from being driven to desperate choices.
Lin Yue knew this girl was not Fu Ya, so he didn't want to get involved too much. At this point, he also wanted to leave the black market and planned to return the next day to collect the information.
However, at this very moment, Lin Yue saw the girl's eyes in the distance. Her hair was messy, and her eyes reflected a look of hope. Her wrists were bound by the hemp rope, restricting her movement. Perhaps the rope was tied too tightly, as her wrists had turned red.