In the alley of the black market, people stood or squatted on either side, some gathered in small groups. These individuals were highly alert, their eyes and ears sharp. The moment Jiang Le entered, they immediately hid what they were holding and stared at him warily, ready to bolt at the slightest sign of trouble.  

Being stared at by so many people made Jiang Le feel oddly socially anxious.  

He cleared his throat and walked calmly inside.  

Sure enough, once these people saw he was just a half-grown kid, they lowered their guard and went back to their own business.  

Though it was called a black market, Jiang Le felt it wasn’t much different from a food market. Most people were holding vegetables, eggs, or grains.  

These items could actually be traded outside, but everyone came to the black market hoping to fetch a higher price—because here, they could get actual cash.  

Perhaps to facilitate a quick escape, most of these people weren’t holding anything openly. It was unclear where they kept their goods. Even those who were carrying something only held a small bag, ready to flee at a moment’s notice.  

One man with a scruffy beard and a fierce look in his eyes was clutching a bag that seemed to be moving—whatever was inside was clearly alive. Jiang Le had no idea what it was.  

Maybe because Jiang Le had been staring too long, the man glanced around before approaching him and asked in a hushed voice, “You looking to buy? Fresh catches, all good stuff.”  

Jiang Le didn’t dare admit he was just curious. He coughed lightly and said, “Let me take a look inside the bag first.”  

He’d noticed others had also peeked into the man’s bag without being forced to buy, so it seemed safe enough.  

Guagua piped up excitedly: [Host, this guy’s being so protective of his bag—whatever’s inside must be valuable!]  

Jiang Le thought so too. So when the man cautiously opened just a small slit in the bag for him to see, he immediately craned his neck to look.  

Guagua shrieked: [AHHH!!!]  

Honestly, the reaction was justified. Inside the bag were several black snakes with white patterns, writhing aggressively. If the man hadn’t quickly tightened the bag again, Jiang Le was sure one of them would’ve lunged out to bite him.  

He barely managed to stifle his scream—this was the black market, after all, where everyone spoke in whispers. If he yelled, he’d definitely draw everyone’s ire.  

Still, even though he held it in, his face had gone pale.  

The man scoffed at his reaction. “Tch. Scared that easy?”  

He eyed Jiang Le. “Kid, I can tell you’re not here to buy anything.”  

Jiang Le forced a smile. “No, no, I was just thinking how impressive it is that you caught these. You must be really skilled—and brave.”  

The man chewed on his words for a second before grinning. “Kid, you’ve got a silver tongue.”  

Clearly flattered, he decided not to give Jiang Le a hard time, waving him off. “Alright, if you’re not buying, quit loitering.”

Jiang Le nodded repeatedly.  

Just as he was about to leave, he noticed a man in his thirties or forties frowning as he walked into the alley. The man’s clothing was clearly different from everyone else’s—the fabric looked top-quality, and the style was the latest trend.  

Those with sharp eyes could tell he was a big spender. Several vendors immediately approached him, whispering, “Brother, what are you looking for this time?”  

It seemed the man wasn’t new to the black market. Though no one here knew each other’s names, familiar faces stood out after a few visits.  

The man said something in response, but when the vendor shook his head, he walked away, disappointed.  

That vendor must have done business with the snake seller before, because the two exchanged a glance from afar before moving to a corner to talk.  

Jiang Le watched the two from a distance, straining his ears to listen, but he couldn’t make out anything. Just as he was about to give up—  

Guagua chimed in: [Host, this system can eavesdrop for you!]

A moment later, Guagua began relaying their conversation.  

Snake Seller: “Check out my goods this time—real treasures, great for nourishment.”  

The Man: “They are good, but I’m looking for something else.” 

Snake Seller: “Something else?” He motioned for him to continue.  

The Man: “To be honest, my old mother recently fell ill. The medicine helped, but…” He sighed. “She’s getting on in years, and after this sickness, her health just isn’t what it used to be. Anyway, the thing is, she doesn’t crave much, except for one thing—pheasant. She said when she was young, living in the village, she ate it once and still remembers the taste.”  

The Snake Seller frowned. “Pheasants aren’t easy to catch.”

The Man chuckled and buttered him up: “Brother, if you can catch these terrifying snakes, a little pheasant should be nothing, right?” 

The Snake Seller, clearly pleased by the flattery, grinned. “I’ll give it a shot. But my family’s passed-down methods are for catching snakes—pheasants are cunning. No guarantees, but I’ll try.”

The Man wasn’t discouraged. “Don’t worry, brother. If you can catch one, I’ll pay you this much.” He held up three fingers.  

The Snake Seller’s eyes immediately lit up. “With that offer, I’ll make sure to bag one for you.”  

The Man smiled. If his mother wanted it, he’d spare no expense. Money wasn’t an issue for him.  

As the two parted ways, Jiang Le crouched nearby like a sneaky little gremlin, muttering to Guagua:  

[Guagua, I feel like ever since I transmigrated into this book, my luck has gotten better.]  

He had just been thinking of how to sell the pheasants, and now here was a buyer offering top dollar.  

His luck was so good it almost made him suspicious—was this a trap?  

Guagua reminded him: [Host, if you don’t hurry, that guy’s about to leave the alley.]

The alley had many exits, and once someone left, it would be hard to track them down.  

Jiang Le gritted his teeth. Remembering that the pheasants were safely stored in his system space—even if he got caught, they wouldn’t find anything—he immediately followed the man.  

The two walked out of the alley one after the other. After just a few steps, the man stopped and turned, eyeing Jiang Le warily. “Kid, why are you following me?” 

Jiang Le tried his best to appear harmless and ease the man’s suspicion. He glanced around and asked, “Can I talk to you up close?”  

The man assessed him again—just a scrawny teenager—and relaxed slightly, nodding.  

Jiang Le stepped closer, stopping just an arm’s length away. “Big bro, are you looking to buy pheasants?” 

The man’s casual expression instantly sharpened. He studied Jiang Le, noting his empty hands, and assumed he had an accomplice. Though eager to buy, he kept his tone indifferent. “Where’d you hear that?”

“Ahem…” Jiang Le knew gaining the man’s trust was crucial, so honesty was best. “I overheard you talking with the snake seller just now.”  

The man snorted. “Kid, you’re pretty straightforward.” 

Maybe because Jiang Le seemed sincere, the man relaxed further. “I am looking to buy. You’ve got the goods?”  

Jiang Le nodded nervously. “I do.”  

The man fell silent for a moment, thinking. “Alright, go get it. See that first house after turning left up ahead? Bring it there.” 

He pulled out a five-yuan bill from his pocket and handed it to Jiang Le. “This is the deposit.”  

Jiang Le blinked, surprised the man would just hand over money. “Big bro, aren’t you afraid I’ll just take the money and run?”  

The man smirked. “Running off with the money? That depends on whether you can outrun me.” 

Jiang Le didn’t mind—he wasn’t planning to run anyway. Tucking the money into his clothes, he nodded. “Got it. I’ll go get it from my dad.”  

He played it smart, implying he wasn’t acting alone.  

The man nodded. “Fine. When you get there, just say Third Brother sent you.” 

Jiang Le memorized the name. Once out of sight, he ducked into a secluded spot and had the system retrieve the pheasant, then carried it in a basket to the specified location.  

Guagua complained: [This chicken stinks! It stunk up my storage space!] 

Jiang Le: […]

He spent the whole walk coaxing Guagua, promising to hurry up with the system tasks after selling the pheasant. That finally cheered the system up a little.  

Soon, he arrived at the place Third Brother mentioned. Jiang Le knocked, and a voice like muffled thunder answered from inside:  

“Coming!”

Before long, a burly man with arms thicker than Jiang Le’s thighs opened the door and looked down at him. “What do you want?” 

Jiang Le wasn’t here to pick a fight, so he replied calmly, “Third Brother sent me.”  

The man glanced at him and asked, “Where’s the goods?”  

Jiang Le lifted the basket slightly to show him. Inside, the pheasant was still flapping and struggling. The man took a look, then nodded. “Wait here.”  

A moment later, the man returned with a stack of bills and handed them to Jiang Le. Jiang Le counted them—twenty-five yuan in total! Combined with the five-yuan deposit earlier, that made thirty.  

Jiang Le happily stuffed the money away, his gaze toward the man now noticeably warmer. He handed over the pheasant and added, “There are also some wild mushrooms I picked in the mountains. They’ll make a great stew with the pheasant—consider them a freebie.”

The mushrooms he gave were, of course, non-toxic. In modern times, some people couldn’t resist tasting undercooked poisonous mushrooms despite knowing the risks. But in this era, medical conditions were far from adequate. Jiang Le didn’t want to risk poisoning anyone, so he made sure to give only safe ones.  

The man looked at him with approval. “Kid, you’ve got a good head on your shoulders.”

Jiang Le left in high spirits and met up with Yu Hezhong at their agreed spot. “I found a buyer. I’ll bring the goods next time.” 

Yu Hezhong didn’t ask for details, only reminding him to be careful.  

Meanwhile, Third Brother arrived at the burly man’s place. The man lived alone—no wife, no parents—so Third Brother usually had his purchases delivered there.  

As soon as Third Brother arrived, the man handed over the pheasant. “No idea how that kid did it, but the pheasant doesn’t have a single scratch on it. Still lively as hell.” 

Third Brother was surprised. Catching a pheasant usually took tremendous effort, yet that kid managed to bag one alive without injuring it? “He’s got skills.”  

Either way, a lively pheasant was far better than a half-dead one. Third Brother was pleased. Then he noticed the bag beside it. “What’s this? Also from the kid?”

The man scratched his head. Originally, he’d planned to keep the mushrooms for himself…