2026-06-15 10:22:24
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Chapter 50 -The Auction
The deeper Sawyer explored the Midnight Market, the more dangerous the place became. Not because of the goods, and not because of the guards, but because of the people.Everywhere he looked, influential merchants moved through the underground hallsmen and women who controlled businesses, warehouses, caravans, and entire trade routes. These were people whose daily decisions affected thousands of livelihoods above ground. And all of them had gathered beneath a city that was supposedly dying.The contradiction deeply bothered him. The deeper he looked, the less this place resembled a mere illicit marketplace. It resembled something else entirely.A government. A hidden one.The answer arrived unexpectedly. While exploring one of the market's inner corridors, Sawyer noticed several wealthy merchants moving toward a guarded doorway. The entrance stood entirely apart from the main marketplace, boasting more guards, tighter security, and an unmistakable aura of secrecy. It was immediately su
Chapter 49 - Inside the midnight market
The guard stared at the token for what felt like an eternity. The river continued flowing behind them, the night wind drifted through the abandoned warehouses, and nobody moved. Nobody spoke.Wang's hands had become slightly sweaty, and Chi looked ready to sprint back to the city. Only Sawyer remained calm at least outwardly. Inside, even he understood how much depended on this moment.The guard examined the token one final time. His thumb traced several hidden engravings, the exact engravings Hector had worried about, the exact engravings Sawyer had spent nights reconstructing.Then finally the man handed the token back."Proceed."Silence. For half a second, nobody reacted. Then Wang nearly laughed, and Chi released a breath he didn't realize he had been holding. The counterfeit had worked. Barely, but it had worked.The guard stepped aside. A large warehouse door slowly opened, lantern light spilled outward, and for the first time, the trio entered the Midnight Market.Nothing prep
Chapter 48 - Something goes wrong
The date finally arrived. For nearly a month, Sawyer had followed clues through Kanada City's shadows, the symbol, the poison, the missing caravans, the hidden trade routes, and the vanished merchant. Everything had led to this night. The night the Midnight Market opened.And for the first time since arriving in Kanada City, Sawyer was about to step directly into enemy territory.The atmosphere inside the Vance Estate was tense. Dinner had ended hours ago, yet nobody seemed interested in sleeping. Victor paced across his study, Wang sharpened a knife, Chi watched Wang sharpen the knife, and Sawyer sat quietly by the window. Waiting. The sky outside had already darkened, only a few hours remained.Victor finally stopped pacing. "I still don't like this."Nobody looked surprised. He had repeated those words at least fifteen times throughout the day.Wang looked up. "That number seems low."Victor ignored him, his attention remaining fixed on Sawyer. "You don't know who's waiting for you
Chapter 47 - Counterfeit
The problem wasn't the invitation. Not anymore. Sawyer had already solved that part. The real obstacle sat in the center of Victor's study, a small drawing of a brass token. And unfortunately for everyone involved, it looked far more difficult to copy than a piece of paper.The room remained quiet as Victor examined Sawyer's sketch, his expression growing increasingly troubled. Finally, he set it down. "This won't be easy."Wang frowned. "It's just a piece of brass."Victor looked at him. "No." His finger tapped the drawing. "It's a key."The distinction immediately changed the atmosphere. Because keys were designed to keep people out.The following morning, Victor led the group through the older district of Kanada City. The streets here were quieter, narrower, and older, many of the buildings had existed before Victor was even born.Eventually, they stopped outside a modest workshop. The sign above the entrance had faded with age, and the building itself looked ordinarily almost forg
Chapter 46 - Invitation Heist
The moment Sawyer identified Roland Mercer as a member of the hidden network, the investigation entered a new phase. Observation was no longer enough, and questions were no longer enough. If they wanted answers, they needed access and access required an invitation.Unfortunately, obtaining one would be easier said than done.The following evening, the group gathered once again inside Victor's study. A map of the city covered the desk alongside several pages of notes. Sawyer stood beside the window, thinking, while Victor sat across from him. Wang lounged in a chair, Chi was eating pastries, and Elena was pretending not to notice her father's growing headache.The discussion was not going well."Absolutely not." Victor's voice echoed through the room.Wang sighed. "You're saying that a lot lately."Victor pointed at him. "Because your ideas keep getting worse."Wang looked excelled. "My ideas are excellent.""They are criminal.""Details."Victor closed his eyes. For a brief moment, Sa
Chapter 45 - Roland Mercer
The investigation officially changed the moment Sawyer identified his target, Roland Mercer. A wealthy merchant, a respected businessman, and quite possibly a member of the hidden network operating beneath Kanada City. The challenge now was proving it.Fortunately, Sawyer had no intention of rushing. The most dangerous mistakes were often made by impatient people, and while Sawyer was many things, impatient wasn't one of them.Three days later, Roland Mercer stepped out of his mansion shortly after sunrise. The merchant was a man in his late fifties well-groomed, well-dressed, and carrying himself with the confidence of someone accustomed to authority. Two guards followed behind him as another carriage waited outside. Everything about him screamed respectability. A successful merchant. A pillar of the community. At least, on the surface.From across the street, Sawyer watched quietly. Beside him, Wang frowned. "That's him?"Sawyer nodded."The ring?""The ring."Wang scratched his chi
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