A Black Market LitRPG

“My god, you actually did it!” Reese celebrated as he and Gordon watched Kyle demonstrate the Mechanical Arcia Regenerator.

“But the efficiency is extremely low – how are we going to find such a large source of mechanical energy in the city?” Gordon pondered.

“Perhaps we could build a waterwheel on the main river that runs through the city?”

“No way – the Ardent Cretins will never allow us to move that blatantly if they could. Also, we would have to submit a petition to Count Leon. We might have to either place it on our own buildings that we already own, or look further.”

Kyle raised his hand and stopped the conversation. “Let me worry about that part. How’s the progress on the remodification of the lightcapturer engraving?”

“It’s not working sadly. I believe the concept has been implemented correctly, but there’s simply not enough light able to be concentrated onto the engraving to make it even remotely feasible. Based on our calculations, we would need to cover an entire district in such engravings to even power one floor of our new bathhouse.”

Kyle looked at the dismantled lightcapturer, bending over to sort through the separated parts. “Focus your efforts on concentrating the light onto the engraving itself. We can use the lens to redirect light to the engraving.”

Reese was perplexed at first before his face lit up in understanding, nodding vigorously. Gordon was still trying to figure out what Kyle was saying. “Wait, doesn’t that mean we still have to place that many concentrating mirrors around either way?”

“Yes, but making the mirrors is easier and cheaper compared to placing engravings that could be easily damaged by the weather all over the city.”

“Exactly! We can funnel a large area of light onto a single engraving, reducing our material cost!” Reese excitedly explained, working out a plan immediately.

The three of them got into action, planning exactly how much would be needed. Kyle picked up the prototype light-converter engraving that the two of them had been working on for the past week.

“The efficiency of this engraving is far too low… only ten percent.” Kyle pointed out, with Reese stunned.

“How do you know the efficiency of the engraving without testing it?” Reese was slightly suspicious. Even he did not know the exact percentage, and he was the one who made it in the first place.

“I can tell from the differences between my mechanical engraving versus this one. Here, have a look. This specific trace is shorter and wider, reducing the amount of arcia current loss and making it more resistant to interference from other traces…”

Kyle explained the understanding that he had gleaned from the activation of his Arcia Engraver title, enlightening Reese further and distracting him. “You’re right, I never thought about that! And to think that I used to call myself a professor!”

“Also, you can consider modifying this part to be more lenient. Right now, it is limited to a specific band of frequency of visible light.”

“Fre…. What?!”

“Right. Let me handle the modification of this engraving – you two work on the plan of materials needed. I will try to get the efficiency of this engraving as high as possible.”

Kyle brought the prototype to another workshop, making sure the other two could not see him. Through his practice over a week of modifying the mechanical engraving, he could now pinpoint the exact parts of the engraving that could be reworked.

Specifically, he intended to rework the frequency limitations of the light converter, enabling to catch other forms of radiation as well. As long as the rest still believes that it is only converting light, I should not be throwing too many danger signs.

He reworked the frequency portion of the engraving before making four more. The Arcia Engraver title gave him a 20% chance of gleaming a new inspiration and raising the quality of the engraving, which then allowed him to learn more about what could be improved.

He had tried to do it multiple times with the mechanical engraving, but it seemed like there was a cap to the quality level of the engraving, so the amount of inspiration he could get was limited. It was as though the system interface had a hard limit on what improvements it could make to the engraving that Kyle worked on.

Repeating the same process on the light converter engraving, Kyle began to get a bit frustrated as he made his twentieth one. He grumbled to himself as he made the next one. Wasn’t the chance supposed to be 20%? 1 in 5? How is it possible?

Just as he said that in his head, the title’s effect triggered, giving a familiar surge of information to his brain and nervous system, his hands moving automatically to improve the engraving in front of him. About time.

Kyle picked up the completed engraving.

Not too shabby. If I could find a radioactive source… Kyle began to think about the Culdao Peaks. Perhaps he could begin mining there again. He had already sent Sasha back there a month ago to handle the goblin den as she saw fit.

Niko entered the workshop, bowing to Kyle. “Sir, you called for me before?”

“Yes I have. I need you to bring these mechanical engravings over to the goblin den at Culdao Peaks. Make sure the wagon is well protected - the Ardent Cretins will try their hardest to cut us off as much as possible. Hand them this document as well.”

A week later…

Gulak let out a relaxed sigh as it soaked into a pool of hot water. “This… this is life.” It remarked before a splash of water went right into its large nostrils, causing it to gag and sneeze.

The goblin kids laughed as they played in the common pool, splashing around in hot water powered by the new arctech engravings layered into the stone walls.

“Stop disturbing me! I’m relaxing!” Gulak raged and flung a handful of water back at the kids.

It expected the kids to fight back, but instead, the kids were horrified and began doggy paddling and scrambling to the other end of the pool. “Hah! That’s right! Me shaman! You bette-“

“Gulak, what are you doing here?” A familiar female voice caused it to tense up, one that has haunted every waking moment of Gulak’s life since Kyle left.

Gulak gingerly turned around, smiling meekly as it slowly got up out of the pool. “Lady Merissa, I – “

“No excuses. Have you completed the installation of the wind converters and light converters? Have you completed the tunnel to Raktor?!”

“Yes… mostly.”

“What do you mean mostly?! Do you think we gave you the engravings for free? Is this bathhouse for free? You got a day to fix everything up, or else I’ll tell Sasha.”

Gulak tensed up even more, nodding its head vigorously. “Yes ma’am!” It quickly scampered off, completely naked.

Merissa did not care at all when she saw the wrinkled genitals on full display, having lived with the goblins for close to four months now. She sighed as she continued her rounds through the goblin den, which had been reinvented to include various modernised features.

The lights were improved, as well as better utilities and a sewage system. The goblins were cleaner than ever before, with none of them complaining. She still had to continuously scold the goblin workers who attempted to skive at every minute, forcing her and those under her to always be on the lookout.

On top of that, she had to make sure they continued to expand the tunnels towards Raktor. Kyle did not want to have a supply chain continuously running overground, which was prone to ambush and hijacking. Right now, they had already dug a few kilometres over the past few months, though it was getting harder to ventilate the tunnels. Three more months till we reach the outskirts of Raktor. We need more workers!

Merissa stormed back towards her office, where Feldon was already waiting for her. “When will I be able to return to Raktor? Am I not a film star now?”

“You won’t be a film star until we start making a proper supply of replenished arcite ore to the city! And besides, if you entered Raktor right now without a disguise, the Violet Demons would lynch you on entry.”

Feldon was about to retort that he could act as a squatter in order to enter the city, but he knew Kyle would also find out about his departure. He could also hardly smuggle his entire family out of the goblin den, though life here was relatively peaceful so far, save for the constant raid attempts from other gangs who were still trying to encroach on the Euria Seeds.

Before Merissa could continue scolding him, a burst of static erupted on the arctech radio mounted in the office. The bursts came in a specific pattern, causing Merissa’s eyes to light up. “Call Gringer, Gobalt and Gulak immediately! Have them gather all the goblin warriors immediately!”

“What? I thought we were working on the supply of arcite ore?”

“Exactly! MOVE!”

The goblin den kicked into action, the warriors forming up into groups. A few humans were embedded into their ranks, the humans being the squad leaders of the goblins.

They stood at attention at the entrance of the mine, with Gulak, Gringer and Gobalt standing at the front. The gates of the fort soon opened to reveal Sasha, who entered with slightly bloody hands gripping a struggling goblin.

The goblin was noticeably different, with a tattoo marking his affiliation to another tribe. “Ahah!” Gulak exclaimed with joy upon seeing the predicament of the goblin.

Every goblin warrior shuddered with excitement while Feldon was still at a complete loss. “Wait, what’s happening?”

Merissa smacked the back of his head. “I covered this four days ago, you idiot! We’re annexing another goblin tribe!”

Sasha made a few hand motions, with the warriors immediately following her out of the mine to assault the neighbouring goblin den. Trained like a paramilitary organisation, the human squad leaders converted the sign motions into verbal orders for the goblins who did not understand.

Over the past week, Sasha had been implementing the same strategy that Kyle used to subjugate the first goblin den by stalking and hunting the members, which left the den to forage for food. Now with a significant force backing her, she did not need to stalk as long as Kyle did, enabling her to launch an assault immediately.

It was a nearly overwhelming victory, with the new battle tactics that Kyle and Sasha had drilled into the goblins, plus the ubiquitous use of crossbows and bows, unlike the enemy, who still relied on brute force tactics.

Gulak gloated as it stepped into the enemy’s den with its warriors, watching the enemy try to flee through the mining tunnels. The fighting was harsh and brutal, but the enemy goblin tribe stood no chance, even with all the traps and ambushes they set up.

Soon, the enemy goblin tribe’s warriors were diminished, resulting in the complete surrender of the tribe. Gulak stood at the top of a rock formation, speaking to the enemy goblins. “Be happy! For I am Gulak, your new shaman! Your old shaman, weak and powerless! I, Gulak, will give you happiness!”

“No!” An elderly goblin stood up in defiance, pointing its wrinkly green finger with long yellow nails towards Gulak. “You work with Humans! You are no longer goblin! We see your machines! Betrayal of ancestors!”

Gulak snapped his fingers, prompting Gringer to move forward with two warriors to grab the elderly goblin, dragging it out to the front as its children and relatives screamed and tried to pull him back. The warriors smacked and beat up those who resisted while the elderly goblin was hoisted above next to Gulak.

Gulak grinned as he pulled out from his belt a prototype handgun, planting the tip of the barrel right into the neck of the elderly goblin, blasting the brains of the goblins out in a spectacular splatter that showered onto the screaming goblins.

“Who else? WHO ELSE?!” Gulak roared, aiming the handgun towards the crowd. They all cowered in fear, no one speaking out any longer. Gulak did not see them as goblins any longer, only seeing them as new slaves. He was already internally celebrating at all the slave labour he could now delegate. My tribe shall no longer be slaves!

“Good. First, it is time to work!”