Chapter 3: Chapter 3: Drug Runner

Plex walked me into what seemed like a small warehouse. It seemed like a pretty normal warehouse. Racks, boxes, a little clearing with a bulletin board, and a table with some correspondence sprawled over it. It didn’t paint a suspicious picture, but that didn’t stop the odd feeling from traveling up my spine.

My intuition was something I trusted. It wasn’t the ultimate tool of prophecy, but it had kept me out of bad situations and away from psycho girls in the past, so I learned to run with it.

Plex spoke while motioning around him.

“This job is rather simple. We receive delivery orders on that board right there, you can choose the jobs you take. Grab the package from the client, give it to the recipient. Collect the designated payment and run it back to the client. And we obviously earn a portion of that money.”

“...”

Yea, those words definitely didn’t reassure the suspicion cramming itself down my throat right now.

Was this drug running?

Well, only if the products were drugs. Running would be a better descriptor, and would probably also be what I would be doing if it weren’t for my empty wallet.

“Any questions?”

“...What if the customer doesn’t want to pay?”

I asked that question wholly aware of what the answer would be.

Plex’s face twisted into what could be called a smile, if not for the completely wrong emotion behind his eyes.

“Well, those customers only need a bit of persuasion, that’s all. They all cough it up at the end of the day. I won’t toss you into the wild to fend for yourself though. You’ll shadow me on the first few, just to get an idea.”

“...Fuck it, why not. Might as well try something new.”

“Haha, that’s the spirit. But first…”

He looked me up and down.

“Let’s get you a new set of clothes. I don’t know where you came from, but those clothes aren’t very normal.”

I chuckled and glanced down again. I had been wearing a t-shirt and sweats when I died, clothing that definitely didn’t exist here. And although the colors were only white and gray, their sterile uniformity still stood out.

I definitely wouldn’t be so great at running whatever in clothes so unique, so I accepted Plex’s offer and went to a nearby shop.

……

It seemed like suit-like attire was common in this world. At least, in the cities of this world.

Standard dress was pants, long sleeves, a vest, and some hard leather shoes. Thankfully this world’s fashion industry was developed, so I wasn’t uncomfortable wearing anything.

And I looked decent. Slick, even. I definitely blended with the rest of the populace now. The only thing I wasn’t so accustomed to was the pair of gloves that Plex insisted I wore. They were fingerless leather gloves apparently meant to cover my crest.

I understood that my crest might not necessarily be something to show off easily, so I agreed and mentally took note to wear them every day from now on.

Besides that, I kept my old clothes with me. They were the only memento of Earth that I had now.

And after our shopping trip, Plex went and pulled a job off the wall for us.

“The most challenging thing for you will be learning the layout of the city. You have to know where to go if you want to deliver things. And these jobs need to be completed in a timely manner. We don’t like to keep our clients waiting, especially if its a rush order.”

“Alright. So how should I go about learning?”

“Simple. Through experience. Don’t worry, you’ll pick everything up over time, so long as you stick with the job.”

“Well, I only have five months before I plan to enter the Magisterium. So until then, I’ll do my best.”

Sketchy or not, I had seen what the various jobs on the wall paid, and it seemed like good money. I could earn hundreds of coin per job, and I could complete quite a number in a single day.

Of course, if things really did get dangerous, then I planned to leave. I wasn’t gonna get caught up in some underground war after getting on the bad side of a mob boss.

And I had a feeling such a thing was very possible.

“Alright, go ahead and grab the package. We’ll start our first job now.”

Plex handed me the job paper, and I looked at the package identifier on it.

In another part of the warehouse was a series of shelves, each one with various boxes and containers. Some were medium sized, and others were small enough to be held in a hand.

I found the box I needed, a medium sized wooden crate that needed both arms to carry. After I grabbed it, we both left the warehouse and made our way down the streets.

As we walked, I observed my surroundings.

Most of the buildings were at least three stories tall. The streets were wide, the alleys narrow and dark, and as it was getting to be evening, light posts started glowing with radiance.

For a while the walk was dull. Just another boring street, some residential, others commercial with restaurants or bakeries. It was nothing I hadn’t seen before.

But then, Plex led me into a large plaza.

And the whole place lit up.

“Fairy dust here!”

“Two ivory horns for 300 coin!”

“Hand crafted silver blades made by the Golden Warlock!”

“10 hour smoked Yak meat, get it fast!”

It was a plaza full of booths and shops with open walls, with over a thousand people either hawking their wares or haggling down prices.

Floating lights lit up the surroundings as if they were alive, and I could see all the exotic items that were being traded. From grand sets of armor to small animals for pets, it seemed like you could find anything you wanted here.

“Welcome to the Golden Trading Post. Hundreds of merchants fight to come here and sell their wares, and thousands of people drop many millions of coin here on the weekly. Only when the sun falls does this place come alive. But of course, the only people who come here are chumps who spend their money on overpriced garbage.”

Plex snickered, and then he brought me to a shop.

It seemed just as busy as all the others, selling all kinds of savory food that made my mouth water.

But we didn’t come here for food. Instead, upon entering, the shopkeep saw Plex and beamed with a wide smile.

“Plex! I haven’t seen you in a while! I thought you had quit the business.”

“Hah, like that’ll ever happen. I was just looking for an apprentice to help me, and I found John here.”

He pat my shoulder, and the shopkeep looked me over.

Back on Earth, I played college sports and was in the prime of my life. At 22 years old I was over 6 feet tall and proudly chiseled with large muscles.

Even Plex was only barely taller than me. In fact, everyone in this world seemed to have a much taller average height, so I didn’t stand out much in that arena. But I was still built like a wall, and the shopkeep nodded with approval.

“He looks strong. And he’s a Magus, huh?”

He looked me over, his words confusing me since I had my crest covered by my gloves. How did he know I was a Magus?

Plex only nodded.

“That he is, but not a certified one. He’ll be joining the Magisterium this upcoming year.”

“I see. Well John, so long as you’re not stupid and know when to respect the right people, you’ll keep your head. Don't make yourself an enemy, and you’ll remain immune. And who knows, maybe someone will take a liking to you and you’ll get to make a connection. Magi always need friends, and not just in high places.”

He slapped my shoulder with a toothy grin before waving the two of us to the back of the shop.

“Head on in. And the next time you come through, just give my name. I’m Chef Black.”

“Thank you, Chef.”

I gave the guy a smile and nod, and weaving through the store, we came upon a hidden door that led into a dark tunnel.

If I still had any doubt in my mind, I didn’t anymore.

Walking through the dry dark tunnel made of paved stone, we came upon another door. Plex knocked once, and a hatch opened revealing a pair of eyes.

“Gavin.”

“Oh, it’s Plex. Who’s the new guy?”

The pair of eyes widened before looking at me.

“A new recruit. I’m teaching him the ropes.”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

“Hm. Fun.”

He hummed before closing the hatch and opening the door.

Gavin, a heavy set man who was taller than even Plex, welcomed us in.

“Have a safe trip.”

“Always.”

Plex smiled as he led me in.

I couldn’t help a wry smile.

Music, lights, hot women, and men with a ring on each finger.

The festive yet moody atmosphere, along with the thick scent of heavy alcohol, told me all I needed to know about this place.

“Where there’s light, there’s darkness. Welcome to the Black Market. Where there’s no rules except the ones you make.”

Plex laughed and brought me along.

As I walked, I saw three things.

First, a fight that broke out between two men with broadswords. In only three seconds the fight was decided as one man had his right arm taken off.

Second, a store full of caged beasts that were as massive as they were ferocious. Apparently they could be bought as slave beasts or pets.

And third, a brothel with nude women at the doorway and heavy smoke that wafted out, creating a flowing fog at their feet.

“As the freest market in the city, there’s nothing you can’t find here. They have everything from slaves to the hardest drugs. They also have the best and most powerful gear a Magus can buy. You’ll do good to remember that in the future.”

“...The kingdom allows all this?”

I was quite shocked by it all. Sure I knew that these places existed, but on Earth, it all existed online, or behind closed doors that nobody knew existed.

But here, it was basically out in the open. I could see the night sky above. We seemed to be within an area that was enclosed by the backs of buildings around it.

Plex laughed.

“Allow it? Sure, on paper they abhor this kind of stuff. But there’s two reasons that nobody touches the Black Market. One, because every powerful Magus has a hand in this dark place. And two…”

His voice fell.

“Because the last person to try and destroy this place was murdered in his sleep. You don’t fuck with the Black Market.”

“...Yea.”

I sighed.

This new job of mine was turning out to be interesting.

…

“We’re here.”

After walking through many alleyways. We finally approached our destination.

“Since the box you’re carrying is a light package, it was dropped at our delivery center. These jobs are easier since you just need to take them straight to the recipient instead of grabbing the package from the client. Still, we’ll need to collect the money, and those who receive light packages that aren’t worth much tend to enjoy giving us a hard time. Let’s see if this one is one of those people.”

Plex smiled before knocking on the door to a dark building.

“Who is it?”

The door opened, revealing a really skinny girl who looked malnourished. Smoke also bellowed out of the doorway, giving off an incredibly strong odor that made me frown.

“We have a delivery. For Mr. Hally.”

“Oh. Hey, Hally! The Moonshine is here!”

“Finally!”

The girl yelled, prompting another man to come to the door.

I spotted a long pipe in his mouth for smoking, and whatever plant he put into it glowed a silvery white when it was burned.

It resembled the radiance of the moon, causing me to narrow my eyes at the box in my hands.

“I’m a drug runner now…”

“Go ahead and put the box inside.”

The man waved, but I didn’t move anywhere.

Plex smiled.

“I’ll need to see the money, if you don’t mind.”

“Hm? I’ll get it, just put the box inside.”

“...”

Plex was silent, simply standing there with a small smile on his face. It caused the man’s face to fall.

He snarled and drew a knife, but Plex was right there with him, a shortsword appearing in his hand.

“Let’s not make this difficult, friend. Otherwise I’ll take more than just your money.”

“...Tsk. Ass-licking piece of…”

The man’s voice faded as he headed inside. When he came back, he threw a sack at Plex’s face. When he caught it, I finally handed off the box.

“Pleasure doing business.”

“Just get the fuck off my doorstep.”

*Slam!*

I recoiled a bit at the door in my face.

Plex chuckled as we walked away.

“Most of the lightweights are like that. But so long as you don’t give them any room, they’ll back off. And if they really want to fight, you just have to make sure you win. Then you can take a little bonus along with the payment.”

“...I have two questions.”

“Ask away.”

Plex counted money as I asked.

“First, what are lightweights and light packages.”

“What you just delivered was a large batch of Moonshine, which is a common drug the guy was smoking. Light packages are packages that contain common or low value goods, and lightweights are the people who deal in those goods. On the contrary, It’s the heavyweights you want to be careful with. Dealing with those people is just as rewarding as it is risky. Valuable cargo, high payment, but those people are similarly dangerous. I’ll take you on a heavyweight tomorrow.”

“Okay.”

I got the concept, and at the same time was now looking forward to tomorrow.

“Now second. If that guy insisted on fighting, why would you only take a little bonus instead of everything he’s good for?”

“Haha, quite the ruthless question. And I get it, but there’s a special reason we don’t ruin these little runts.”

Plex nodded as he finished counting the money, stuffing the sack into his coat.

“It’s wise to never take more than you’re worth. Not only does it ruin our reputation, but it can invite trouble. It’s a principle of mercy that I’ve always employed, and it’s led to more business and fewer enemies. Besides, I don’t care about whatever small stash of money that deadbeat was hiding. As delivery men, we’re above that. This trade of ours is a special one, so act like it.”

He smacked my chest, causing me to smirk.

After that, we delivered the money to a drug dealer who let us take our fee directly. He didn’t even bother to check.

It would’ve been easy to sneak away with a few extra coin, but as Plex said, we’re above that. And what was a few extra bucks, when we could continue to receive this man’s business?

It seemed like common knowledge, but Plex told me that I’d be surprised by the amount of idiots who ruin everything for a bit of extra cash.

*Clink*

I jumped when Plex tossed a sack of coin at my chest.

“Your payment for the job.”

“This is the entire fee.”

I looked inside. The fee was close to 200 coin, and all of it was in the sack.

“It’s fine. Consider it a starting bonus.”

“...”

I was silent as I glanced at the man.

He was being good to me. He got me clothes, a job that could pay well, and was giving me this bonus.

But as I had discovered, anybody doing this kind of business wasn’t someone to easily trust. You couldn’t trust even the strangers walking past you. Maybe they were out to steal the sack of coin in your pocket.

So after I sobered myself, washing out all the thoughts of how fantastical all these experiences were, I brought forward my skepticism.

Plex noticed as I stopped walking, turning around and looking at me with a raised brow.

“Something wrong?”

“...You take the coin.”

I tossed the sack back at him.

“I don’t need to be in your debt. Put that toward the bill for my clothes.”

“Oh? Hahaha!”

He started laughing, taking a few seconds to calm down.

“Getting skeptical, are we? I will admit, you shouldn’t trust anybody in the Black Market. But unfortunately, you’re already in my debt, and 200 coin isn’t going to change that much. At least have enough to get a room and feed yourself.”

He threw the sack back at me.

“And hey.”

He continued before I could.

“You don’t have to trust me, John. You’re a Magus, right? Figure out what power you have, and then you can keep yourself safe from any schemes I might be planning. Your own ability is what determines everything else. And besides, I couldn’t care less about 200 coin. Now come on, I want to get one more job done before the day ends.”

“...”

Seeing him walk off, I sighed.

And I followed, deciding that I would work on whatever my magic was when I got the chance.