King of the Wilderness

Chapter 772: Chapter 354: Underground Black Market

After saying goodbye to Mike and his daughter, Lin Yu’an did not return to the hotel directly.

He called for a ride-sharing car, but the address he gave was completely opposite to the hotel’s direction, located in an old industrial area on the city’s edge.

In the car, he appeared to be resting his eyes, but in reality, he had already switched back to being the Hunter surviving alone in the wilderness!

His brain was rapidly analyzing the journey ahead.

A fifteen-day voyage, passing through the Bahamas and the Turks Islands... this sea area is not only known for its beautiful scenery but is also one of the world’s famous hotspots for smuggling, drug trafficking, and piracy.

Although modern pirates are not as rampant as those in Somalia, robberies targeting solitary yachts still occur occasionally.

To rely fully on the deterrent power of the Coast Guard and some illusory luck for the safety of himself and the crew? That is not Lin Yu’an’s style.

He believes in a truth always within his control, a truth that exists only within the range of a cannon.

He needed to equip himself and this voyage with the sharpest ”teeth.”

The ride-sharing car stopped at a remote street corner, and after getting out, Lin Yu’an skillfully navigated through the labyrinthine alleys for several blocks, ensuring no one followed him.

Finally, he walked into an unimpressive second-hand bookstore, emanating the musty smell of old books.

He did not look at the dust-covered books, heading straight to the counter.

Behind the counter sat an old man wearing gold-rimmed glasses, looking scholarly like a university professor.

Lin Yu’an did not speak, simply turning his phone screen towards him. On the screen was a dynamic QR code purchased with cryptocurrency on the dark web.

The old man raised his head, adjusted his glasses, calmly glanced at the QR code, then looked at Lin Yu’an’s face, obscured by a mask, and those sharp, eagle-like eyes.

”The tip, one hundred US dollars.” His voice was hoarse yet calm.

Lin Yu’an pulled out a hundred-dollar bill from his wallet and placed it on the counter.

The old man accepted the money, took out a small scanner from the drawer, and scanned Lin Yu’an’s phone with a ”beep” sound.

Then he pointed to a small door at the deepest part of the bookstore, marked ”Employees Only.”

”Go in, follow the passage. Don’t look back, don’t stop.”

Lin Yu’an nodded, opened the door, and entered. Beyond the door was a narrow and dim passageway, filled with the damp smell of a basement.

He walked about a hundred meters along the passage when it suddenly opened up.

A massive bunker-like underground space unfolded before his eyes, with blinding industrial fluorescent lights hanging from the high dome, illuminating everything below without casting shadows.

This was a completely different underground kingdom from the quiet bookstore above.

One of the largest black markets in South Florida, nicknamed the ”Crocodile Market.”

As soon as he entered, two burly men in tactical vests, built like bodyguards, blocked his way.

One of them handed over a black balaclava mask that only exposed the eyes and mouth, along with a pair of black gloves.

”Rules,” one of the men’s voices was low and powerful, ”put it on, it’s for your protection as well as others’.”

Lin Yu’an skillfully put on the mask and gloves, completely concealing his identity. His Asian features were entirely hidden, turning him into an anonymous ”customer.”

The other man followed him like a shadow, keeping a cautious distance.

This wasn’t surveillance, but a ”service” to ensure his safety during transactions and to prevent any possible conflicts or double-crossing.

Lin Yu’an’s gaze swiftly scanned this bizarre underground world.

The entire market was divided into several chaotic yet orderly zones, each stall comprised of a simple folding table with various masked ”merchants” seated behind.

The first area he passed was the ”Identity Zone” at the entrance, where the trade was in the most illusory yet valuable goods in the world—a new identity.

A man as thin as a stick had a dozen passport samples from different countries laid out in front of him, as if selling different configurations of cars.

”A whole new life, my friend. Want the basic version? A Philippine passport for free travel in Southeast Asia, eight thousand US dollars, guaranteed to pass through customs scans.”

He picked up a dark blue passport and waved it in front of Lin Yu’an.

”Or want the advanced version? A Canadian passport with real biometric chip, twenty thousand US dollars. It can input your fingerprint and iris data into their backup database. Unless you alert Ottawa’s highest intelligence agencies, no one will find any issues.”

”Of course, if you seek the top-tier experience, a Swiss passport for legal verification, complete with bank account flows, tax records, and social background, a hundred thousand US dollars. Owning it makes you not only a legal person but also a ’clean’ wealthy person.”

Beside it, another stall had several laptops continuously flashing data streams, selling a more digital existence.

”Need a clean Social Security Number (SSN)? A newborn’s range, five thousand US dollars each, ’Netherworld Ghost’ files with a credit score above 800, high-limit credit cards, full package for thirty thousand US dollars.”

The vendor’s voice had an electronic, synthesized rasp, ”Or... would you like your annoying neighbor to suddenly discover a fifty-thousand-dollar Venezuelan debt in his credit report? Ten thousand US dollars, I can turn his life into a digital nightmare.”