As night fell, Jiang Mo and Lin Junjun quietly arrived at a secluded alley.
The lighting here was dim, and a chilling aura permeated the surroundings, with only a few scattered figures hurrying by, as if concealing their intentions.
Not only those who live in the shadows enter the black market for trade; many within the Alliance also rely on this industry chain to accumulate wealth and find what they need.
Jiang Mo pulled up his hood and whispered to Lin Junjun, "Remember, once we go in, speak less, observe more, and act cautiously. If anything unusual happens, stick close to me immediately. Don't try to be a hero."
Although Lin Junjun was excited, the surrounding atmosphere made her a bit nervous. She softly said, "I know, Jiang Mo Gege. I definitely won't mess around."
The two entered a hidden entrance, and after a simple verification, they stepped into the main area of the black market.
Inside the spacious underground venue, it was bustling with activity.
Various stalls were set up along the sides, and a dazzling array of Pokémon and peculiar items drew people in, making them linger.
The stall owners were all shrewd and seasoned; some wore wide smiles, while others were taciturn. But no matter their outward appearance, Jiang Mo knew that each of these individuals was more dangerous than the last, likely with several lives on their hands.
As soon as Lin Junjun entered, she was immediately captivated by the scene before her.
She looked around, muttering softly, "Jiang Mo Gege, this place is so magical! These Pokémon all seem very special."
Jiang Mo stayed close behind her, reminding her in a low voice, "Don't be fooled by appearances. Not everything here is real, and some things are even obtained through illegal means. There might be hidden illnesses, so you need to be careful when choosing."
As he spoke, Lin Junjun's gaze suddenly stopped in front of a cage, where a plump Phantump was nestled, looking adorable and innocent.
Her eyes immediately lit up, and she tugged on Jiang Mo's sleeve, excitedly saying, "Jiang Mo Gege! This Phantump is so cute! Let's go take a look!"
Jiang Mo followed her gaze, but his brows furrowed slightly.
He keenly noticed that although this Phantump looked healthy on the outside, its eyes revealed a hint of unease and fatigue, clearly indicating it wasn't here willingly.
He shook his head slightly, pulling Lin Junjun back. "Don't rush, let's keep looking. This one might have some issues."
"Issues?" Lin Junjun paused, then asked, puzzled, "But it looks very healthy?"
Jiang Mo explained softly, "The Pokémon here aren't necessarily from normal channels. Some might have been forcibly captured, or had something done to them internally."
"When choosing a Pokémon, you can't just look at its appearance; you also need to look at its state and mental well-being. This Phantump's eyes aren't right; it might have experienced something bad, and might not be very friendly towards humans."
"Besides, I don't know if you'll like what Phantump looks like after it evolves into Trevenant."
As he spoke, Jiang Mo took out his phone and showed Lin Junjun a picture of Trevenant.
Lin Junjun shook her head repeatedly after seeing it, saying, "Ew, that's too scary. Let's just forget about it. Let's look at something else."
...
The two continued deeper into the black market, and the further they went, the more vendors there were.
Lin Junjun was still excitedly looking around, seeing many interesting Pokémon along the way, but none that truly made her decide.
It wasn't until they reached a small stall filled with Pokémon that a Black-robed Old Man, whose face was obscured by his hood, coldly glanced at them.
"Feel free to look around. If you like something, you can ask for the price," the Black-robed Old Man said in a hoarse voice, but his tone was calm, indicating he was a seasoned veteran.
Lin Junjun's gaze suddenly stopped on a Fennekin in the center of the stall. It was a small creature with fur as vibrant as flames, quietly curled up in its cage, its small ears twitching slightly, and its tail fluffy and elegant, appearing both adorable and spirited.
"Jiang Mo Gege!" Lin Junjun excitedly tugged on his sleeve, pointing at the Fennekin and exclaiming, "Look at this one! It's so beautiful! I want it!"
Jiang Mo also directed his gaze towards the Fennekin, his heart stirring slightly.
He quietly activated the game panel to scan the Fennekin, and a satisfied expression instantly flashed in his eyes.
Pokémon: Fennekin
Gender: Female
Attribute: Fire
Level: 5 (Novice Mid-stage)
Ability: Magician
Held Item: None
Skills: Scratch, Tail Whip, Spark
Egg Moves: Hypnosis, Magic Room, Heat Wave
Evaluation: A recently born Fennekin, very healthy. Its parents are powerful, and it has inherited excellent bloodline.
This Fennekin not only possessed the hidden ability "Magician" but also mastered three powerful Egg Moves, making its aptitude quite exceptional.
Jiang Mo knew very well that this was definitely a good prospect.
"How much for this Fennekin?" Jiang Mo looked up at the Black-robed Old Man, his tone calm.
The Black-robed Old Man's eyes flashed with shrewdness when he heard the question, and he said with a smile, "Young man, you have good taste."
"This is no ordinary Fennekin; this is a Starter Pokémon from the Europa Alliance, very rare! You can't buy it anywhere else!"
He paused, then continued, "Eight million Pokémon Coins, absolutely worth the price, no trickery involved!"
Lin Junjun was slightly stunned when she heard the price, and she whispered to Jiang Mo hesitantly, "Cousin, isn't it too expensive? Or... should we look at something else?"
Lin Junjun knew that although Fennekin was a Starter Pokémon unique to the Europa Alliance, the price of a typical Starter Pokémon was around five million Pokémon Coins, and the only difference here in the Shenzhou Alliance was the added shipping cost.
However, Jiang Mo didn't hesitate and immediately said, "No problem, eight million Pokémon Coins, it's a deal."
The Black-robed Old Man had originally expected Jiang Mo to haggle, and had even prepared countermeasures, but he didn't expect the other party to be so straightforward.
He was momentarily stunned, but quickly reacted, his face creased with a wide smile: "Young man, you're decisive! This Fennekin is yours now!"
Jiang Mo directly transferred the transaction amount to the old man, then opened the cage and gently picked up the Fennekin, then quietly channeled Tokiwa Power to soothe it.
The Fennekin was a bit nervous at first, but after feeling Jiang Mo's warm palm, it quickly calmed down, even gently nuzzling his hand with its damp nose.
Seeing this, Lin Junjun's eyes were filled with surprise and affection. "So cute! Jiang Mo Gege, you're amazing! This Fennekin is really beautiful, I absolutely love it!"
However, just as Jiang Mo was about to leave with Lin Junjun, the Black-robed Old Man suddenly spoke up: "Wait a moment!"
Jiang Mo stopped, turned back, and coldly looked at the old man, "What? Is there something else?"
