3 3 301 DialogEnable Merchant A Fresh livers freshly harvested from fresh bodies! Check it out!
4 4 301 Merchant B Looking for prosthetics? Here's your one-stop-shop for all your mechanical body parts!
5 5 301 Merchant C Toasty pupas, fresh off the grill!
6 6 301 Child Ma, can I have this—
7 7 301 Woman Zip it! One more word and I'm selling you to the "bad-wagon"! How do you like that?!
8 8 201 1 500136
9 9 301 1 Shady Merchant Hey, lady, cute kid you got there! Bit of a waste to send him off in the "wagon," no? How about let me take him off your hands—at a premium, even! I know you ladies have it rough on this boat— 1
10 10 301 Woman You getting ideas on my kid now?! Get the hell away before you piss me off!
11 11 301 Shady Merchant Whoa, easy! There's no need to be uncivilized... 1
12 12 301 Child Pffffftt!!!
13 13 301 The boy pulls a face at the shady merchant as his mother drags him away.
14 14 301 Angry, Shady Merchant Damn kid! I'm gonna get you one day! 1
15 15 201 1 500234
16 16 301 1 ??? You show him, boss!
17 17 201 1 500136
18 18 301 1 Shady Merchant ??? 1
19 19 301 Shady Merchant Who the hell are you? 1
20 20 201 1 500216 1
21 21 301 1 Changyu It's cool, man, I feel you. I can't believe how disrespectful that little brat was! 1
22 22 203 1 0.25 -500
23 23 201 2 500136 400
24 24 301 1 Shady Merchant It's none of your business, you little shit! Get lost! 2
25 25 204 1 5
26 26 301 Changyu Oh, mister, you really shouldn't judge a book by its cover... I'm here to do business. 1
27 27 301 Shady Merchant Business? Does it look like a candy shop here, kid? 2
28 28 204 1
29 29 301 Changyu quickly scans his surroundings, making sure no mechanoid guards are patrolling nearby. He removes the bag from his waist.
30 999 301 It is a most ordinary purse, identical to the one the merchant has on his stall. But Changyu is holding it more cautiously than one would a child, carefully unzipping the bag before the merchant's eyes.
31 30 301 Shady Merchant I said get lost—what the hell... Is this... A Construct?! 2
32 31 301 Changyu Shush! The Kowloong Crew's gonna confiscate it if they find out! 1
33 32 301 Shady Merchant How did you... 2
34 33 301 The merchant coughs and lowers his voice, trying to sound calm and collected.
35 34 301 Shady Merchant How did you get your hands on a Receptor? Where does it come from? 2
36 35 204 1 1
37 36 301 Changyu I'm just the errand boy—my employer is a pretty private person, so I'm acting as his eyes and ears. And from what I've heard, you're the most reputable vendor in these parts. 1
38 37 301 Shady Merchant You bet! You're in luck, kid, 'cause your new buddy Todd here is the fairest merchant of them all! 2
39 38 301 The shady merchant reaches for Changyu's bag as he speaks.
40 39 301 Shady Merchant Now, the fair thing to do is to inspect the goods first... 2
41 40 204 1 5
42 41 301 Changyu Hey! 1
43 42 301 Changyu clenches the bag in his hands, his face filled with suspicion.
44 43 301 Changyu Give us an offer, and you can inspect it all you want. This is just my first stop of the night—my employer told me to get a few more offers before making a deal... 1
45 44 301 Shady Merchant Trust me, you won't be getting a better offer than mine! 2
46 45 301 Changyu Really? 1
47 46 301 Shady Merchant Enough with the dawdling—I thought you're here on business? So show me the merchandise! 2
48 47 301 Changyu Fine, but you better be careful. The Receptor cost my employer a fortune. He just got it from a trader who arrived from the mainland... 1
49 48 301 The shady merchant has stopped listening to Changyu's babbling. His hand meticulously traces the horned contour of the Receptor, his eyes wide with awe and greed.
50 49 202 1 2 1
51 50 401 2 1513
52 532 502 RImgBg1Shake
53 32253 201 1 500235
54 51 301 1 Anonymous Hawker R-run! The Kowloong Crew—the damn Kowloong Crew is coming! 1
55 6325 202 1
56 52 301 The hysterical hawker sprints in the direction of Changyu, screaming and shouting as he nears. He is holding all his wares in his arms, the bits and pieces falling all over as he frantically runs.
57 53 301 The shouting causes a commotion in the black market.
58 54 301 Merchant A What's with the Kowloong Crew? They never paid attention to the black market! Is some bigwig making deals here again?
59 55 301 Merchant B Just pack up and bolt! I don't want my stuff confiscated like last time!
60 56 301 Complaining Merchant Come on! It's my first day here!
61 57 201 1 500136
62 58 301 1 Shady Merchant What?! The Kowloong Crew... Listen, buddy, I've gotta run. We'll do this again sometime! 1
63 59 201 1 500216
64 60 301 1 Changyu H-hey! Hand the Receptor back! 1
65 61 201 1 500136
66 62 301 1 Shady Merchant Here you go—I'm outta here! 1
67 63 202 1
68 64 401 2 1513
69 65 301 The merchant shoves the purse into Changyu's arms, then swiftly picks up his goods and vanishes into the night.
70 66 201 1 500216 1
71 67 301 1 Changyu ...Hah. 1
72 68 301 Changyu shakes the bag he has been handed, and out comes crisp, clanking sounds.
77 72 301 AniZhuanchangEnd The door of the gambling den by the street corner slides open, and out slips a young man. Shoutings can be heard through the gap from the many stirring gambling heads.
78 73 301 Red and green lights flash intermittently from the three neon signs above the door. The center one writes "Fortune's Favor," while to its two sides sit "Give Fools Their Gold" and "And Knaves Their Power."
79 74 301 The beggar who frequents outside the gambling den greets the exiting young man.
80 75 201 1 500148
81 76 301 1 Elderly Beggar Changyu, my lad, where have you been? 1
82 77 201 1 500216 1
83 78 301 1 Changyu (Chuckles) 1
84 79 301 Without answering, Changyu grins and casually throws the beggar a grub. He catches it.
85 80 201 1 500148
86 81 301 1 Elderly Beggar You're gonna get busted if you keep taking shortcuts through the den... 1
87 82 201 1 500216 1
88 83 301 1 Changyu I know what I'm doing, old man. How about you stop worrying, and go grab some food instead? My treat. 1
89 84 203 1 0.25 400
90 85 201 2 500148 -400
91 86 301 1 Elderly Beggar Look at that smug face of yours... What have you done this time? 2
92 87 301 Elderly Beggar And where's the boy who's been hanging with you? 2
93 88 301 Changyu He— 1
94 89 202 1 2 1
95 3215 401 2 1504
96 90 301 Before Changyu can answer, a group of barefoot urchins comes running down the alley.
97 998 301 Like a well-oiled machine, the children surround Changyu, some pulling his sleeves while others holding onto his legs, their voices chiming and chattering.
98 91 301 Urchins Changyu! Changyu! Give us some snack money, please?
99 92 201 1 500216
100 93 301 1 Changyu You monkeys! 1
101 94 301 Despite complaining, Changyu takes out a handful of grubs nonetheless.
102 95 301 Changyu Scoot! Leave me alone! 1
103 96 301 Urchins You're the best!
104 97 301 The urchins collect their bounty and scatter. And where they were, stands someone else leaning against the wall.
105 98 201 1 500227
106 99 301 1 Huainan Didn't take you as someone charitable. 1
107 100 201 1 500216 1
108 101 301 1 Changyu We're all literally on the same boat, trying to make ends meet. Not that it's my money anyway. 1
109 102 203 1 0.25 400
110 103 201 2 500227 -400
111 104 301 1 Huainan So did you get it? 2
112 105 204 1 5
113 106 301 1 Changyu Sigh, forget it... 1
114 107 301 Changyu gestures dramatically in disappointment.
115 108 204 1 1
116 109 301 Changyu ...Of course I got it! 1
117 110 301 Changyu There's nothing I can't do if I set my mind to it! That guy immediately panicked when he saw me acting oh-so reluctant, and he swapped his money bag with my "horny" one during the fiasco. 1
118 111 301 Changyu Real impressive switcheroo, I'll give him that... A shame he got outplayed. I wonder what his face looks like once he finds out the Receptor is fake. 1
119 997 204 1
120 112 301 Changyu Well, you reap what you sow. 1
121 996 204 1 1
122 113 301 Changyu By the way, you were fantastic! Even I got a little scared of the "Pulao Crew" chasing you! 1
123 114 301 Huainan Stop exaggerating... 2
124 115 301 Perhaps discord does make concord. Changyu ran into Huainan a few more times since their first eventful encounter, and the two young men eventually became friends—and business partners.
125 116 301 Changyu Let's roll! Full wallet means full bellies! 1
126 117 301 Huainan looks meek with Changyu's arm around him.
127 118 301 Huainan Don't spend it all like you did last time— 2
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129 980 401 2 1506
130 960 401 1 201
131 119 301 The door to the gambling den suddenly bursts open, and two black-clad men drag and throw out a humanoid body. The injured figure gives a muffled grunt.
132 369 204 2 4
133 120 301 It is a Construct. Black liquid covers the Construct's face and hides the body's features. "It" groans, sporadically, as it extends its arm toward Changyu, seemingly desperate to grasp onto something.
134 970 204 1
135 121 301 Changyu A Construct here of all places... 1
136 122 202 1 2 1
137 123 301 Damaged Construct ...
138 124 301 The Construct's hand drops. Its body lies still on the ground.
139 125 301 Changyu is no stranger to scenes like this. They are a common sight on the boat, and all he can do is look out for himself and nothing more. That is how one survives the Nighter.
140 126 301 Then he notices how tight Huainan is gripping his hand. Changyu can feel him shaking through his coat, struggling to stay composed.
141 127 201 1 500216 400
142 128 201 2 500227 4 -400
143 129 301 1 Changyu You good? 1
144 130 301 The beggar nearby immediately adverts his gaze, pretending nothing has happened.
145 131 301 Huainan ... 2
146 132 301 Huainan takes a deep breath and lets go of Changyu, giving him a small nod.
150 136 301 Changyu They probably sold their bodies as merchandise to become Constructs. If that's what it takes for them to survive, then that's their choice, and that's how things go here. You... live with it. 1
151 137 301 Huainan But... how? Have you ever considered that maybe people should just get to live? What if we weren't supposed to sell our souls only for a shot at life?! 2
152 138 204 1
153 139 301 Changyu What's that all about? It's always a trade. Always. 1
163 148 301 AniZhuanchangEnd There is only silence in the alleys in the dead of night.
164 800 401 2000 2 1513
165 801 401 1000 2 1511
166 802 401 1000 2 1510
167 149 301 Out of nowhere comes a piercing scream, followed by frantic footsteps—gunshots—a heavy thud as something falls on the ground. Then everything is quiet again, save for the ravaging wind on the deck.
168 150 201 1 500148
169 151 301 1 Elderly Beggar ...So unfair. 1
170 152 301 Elderly Beggar Probably runs out of gambling folks at this hour. Might as well call it a day. 1
171 153 301 The coughing beggar curls up in the freezing wind. He goes and packs up his belongings, only to find a pair of feet standing in front of him.
172 155 301 ??? A question, old man.
173 156 201 1 500148
174 157 301 1 Elderly Beggar You! Cough—What the hell are you doing here in the middle of the night? 1
175 158 301 Out of the shadow comes a young man crouching before the beggar.
176 159 201 1 500216
177 160 301 1 Changyu Just wondering what's the deal with the Construct earlier. You heard anything about it? 1
178 161 203 1 0.25 400
179 162 201 2 500148 -400
180 163 301 1 Elderly Beggar Oh... What's it to you? 2
181 164 301 Changyu Just curious. C'mon, haven't I been treating you pretty well? Wanna give me the scoop? 1
182 165 301 Elderly Beggar I don't mind telling you, but you better not get involved with that lot... 2
183 166 301 Changyu I'm just being nosy. Folks like us, the worst thing we can face on this boat is uncertainty, don't you agree? 1
184 167 301 Elderly Beggar Well... If you say so... 2
185 168 301 The beggar thinks for a moment.
186 169 301 Elderly Beggar The "bad-wagon." 2
187 170 301 Changyu "Bad-wagon"? You mean... 1
188 171 301 Elderly Beggar Akdilek, the enterprise built on top of a train. They control the bulk of Earth's economy... For some reason, they have their eyes on us recently and bought a bunch of Constructs on the black market. 2
189 172 301 Changyu has heard of this "bad-wagon" in the past, but he never thought it would concern him someday.
190 173 301 Elderly Beggar Word is they're experimenting on putting mechanoid brains into human bodies, even though swapping minds between different species is forbidden... 2
191 95122 301 Elderly Beggar That, or they're buying the Constructs as toys for the Aristocrats... Now you know where the Construct bodies that they throw away every time we dock come from. 2
192 174 301 Elderly Beggar And I hear that they're looking for humans suitable to be refitted into Constructs... Knowing what I know now, maybe you should keep an eye out. 2
193 810 204 1 5
194 175 301 Changyu Is Akdilek why those merchants are attending the Trade Fair? But why the Nighter? 1
195 176 301 Elderly Beggar Who knows? But no one's bothered to hide anything even when someone pokes around, if you know what I mean. Just don't do anything stupid. 2
196 177 301 Changyu ...I see. 1
197 178 204 1 1
198 179 301 AniZhuanchangBegin Changyu I appreciate it. I'll leave you be. 1
