Chapter 27
“More than one underground market?”
On the street, Sherlock and Donald were walking and discussing the underground market, and the latter started the conversation.
“Of course, there are two markets in Preston, north and south. We are going to the southern market which is closer to us.”
Sherlock said without looking back. , his eyes have been on the notebook page in his hand, and all the content translated by Donald has been transcribed on it.
“Why…”
“Why are there two? The reason is very simple, government regulations.”
This reason is only used by Sherlock To stop Donald’s mouth, the real reason is of course more complicated.
The volume of underground transactions in Preston City is not small. On the one hand, the control of commodities in underground transactions is not so strict. There has never been a department such as the Quality Supervision Bureau. , Some people sell parallel imports as real goods, and some people sell real goods as parallel imports because they are not enough in their own eyes.
Killing customers, picking up leaks, this kind of thing is not uncommon in the underground market, and most people still eat this set, compared to those regular shops that have been checked layer by layer before putting them on the container, This kind of place always gives a strange sense of excitement.
When there are too many people, trouble will come.
Not to mention the store, the seller must at least have a place to move a small bench to set up a stall, right? Otherwise, where to put the goods.
The buyer on the other side has to have somewhere to walk, right? Otherwise, how can it be called a market?
However, there is a very helpless thing in this joint: the government does not allow the appearance of this kind of market just and honorable. Once some goods in the underground market are exposed, it is easy to cause unnecessary trouble.
The market size should not be too large, otherwise it will be easy to be discovered. The government can turn a blind eye at some point, but if the underground market is exposed, they will have to take action to manage it, when the time comes both sides are uncomfortable.
Therefore, after coordination and negotiation and on-site investigation, two underground market areas were formed in the city of Preston, which were tacitly opened by the government, located in the north and south urban areas respectively.
The brightly lit neighborhoods are full of various shops on both sides of the road. The spacious alleys that should have been designed to accommodate three people in accordance with urban planning have been compressed again and again. This is normal. Capitalists have always liked to maximize The utilization of resources, even if it is only a one-square-meter store expansion.
That means a single small table, a new guest or two, an extra income.
The heat of summer nights fuels a lively atmosphere, people in groups of three or four roaming the streets, happy laughter and cheerful voices in and out of pubs, ambiguous calls in Nightingales and temptations in restaurants. The human aroma makes people involuntarily stop.
“Is this the location of the underground market?”
Donald looked at the block in front of him, and felt a little ridiculous. It was clearly a bustling commercial street in Preston.
“That’s right, the underground market exists below the bustling commercial street, isn’t it weird?”
Shylock asked with a smile, Donald startled, and then he laughed.
As a well-equipped and mature commercial street, I don’t know how many people will come and go in this area every day. Is there a better disguise than this?
Here are all traders, but some people’s transactions are on the ground, and some people’s transactions are only underground. After buying or selling things, they walk into the crowd and can’t lift a little bit. Splash, those who want to investigate, these ordinary persons are a natural barrier. After all, making trouble in such a place is provoking the government, and the consequences will undoubtedly be serious.
In the words of his previous life, this is called hiding in the city.
“Follow me, don’t look at the many shops here, there are only a few places where people can go down. For example, some vendors have other passages.”
Sherlock Walked ahead, walked through the crowd, and continued to speak until it stopped at the door of a restaurant:
“Because of the 10 gold pounds you helped me earn, I have an extra piece of information for you. , see the sign above this restaurant, can you tell the difference?”
“Jeff’s restaurant…the two forks on the wooden token?”
The ones Donald saw outside the restaurant were all with intersecting knife and fork signs. This is an industry sign. The real name of the restaurant is on the top of the restaurant door. This Jeff’s restaurant has a knife and fork sign hanging outside. On the top of the door, a double-crossed sign appeared repeatedly, and the ordinary person didn’t seem to think there was anything. After all, the restaurant Boss had the final say on what brand to hang.
“This is the sign of the entrance to the underground market, with a double fork. It usually appears on the bottom of the restaurant name. It should be similar in other cities…I don’t know how it became popular.”
Donald’s right, this is for people who know how to hang it.
“Go in now?”
The diners at the door were sitting separately and eating in a frenzy. The two of them stood at the door and looked inside. This behavior was a bit weird.
“Almost something, you go to the side and buy two cod for 1 shilling, remember, 1 shilling.”
Lifted up his walking stick and clicked on the side Shop, Donald only found out that there is a seafood shop near the restaurant. Preston City is not in the coastal area, but it is not far away. There is no shortage of fresh seafood. He didn’t ask much. After a few minutes Came back with two live cod tied with straw rope.
“This palm-sized cod actually sells for a shilling. I think 3p is the normal price.”
Donald doesn’t know much about the price of fish, but a basic comparison Still, 1 shilling for a cod, it’s more than a black heart.
“You’ll find out why it’s so expensive later, let’s go.”
Opening the door of the restaurant, Sherlock walked in front, and went directly to the inner order. tower.
“Sir, bring your own materials? We don’t support this.”
The old man with gray temples behind the counter was wearing glasses and holding a small square book in his hand. Two cod fish in Donald’s hands, and he speaks proficiently.
“We’ll pay the full price, can you help me with the food?”
“That’s ok, go straight 5 meters through the door, turn left, and the fish warehouse.”
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The person next to them was talking about a diner who wanted to borrow the kitchen to cook. Does the store have any rules in this regard? The two sides finally reached a compromise.
It’s just that Donald, who knows something, sounds a bit like a joint code.
There are a lot of code programs, and it’s quite unique…
Follow the old man’s instructions and walk into the half-height self-return door on the right side of the counter. The back of the restaurant is naturally In the back kitchen, after passing the corridor, the collision of pots and pans and the sound of ingredients pouring into the hot oil were particularly loud.
Turn left, there is indeed a small warehouse that is separated out at the back of the restaurant. Youngster wearing a black leather apron is sitting at the door, holding a cod to disembowel. Know how many fish have passed his hand.
Sherlock took the fish from Donald’s hand and put it directly into the bucket beside him, and waved his hand back, motioning to follow.
Donald took a look at the washbasin as he passed by. Seven or eight cod fish were swimming in it, and there was a wide basin near the calf, with the logo of the previous seafood store on the side. There also seemed to be quite a few cod in it.
1 shilling is not so much the price of a fish as it is the price of an admission ticket.
Entering the compartment, you can see that the entrance to the cellar is open. Going down the stairs is not a small warehouse, but a corridor with kerosene lamps. The journey is not long, and there is a wooden door at the end. closed.
“Apply some of this medicinal liquid under the nose. The underground market is rebuilt from abandoned sewers. Although it has been cleaned many times, there is always some smell due to some special commodities and the underground environment. Wait for medicinal The liquid has expired, and you can almost get used to the smell.”
Take the medicinal liquid, like Sherlock took some with his index finger and rubbed it on the back of his hand, then rubbed it under his nostrils.
As he walked forward, Donald was inexplicably excited. The underground market was like the other side of this world to him now. When he was close to the wooden door, he seemed to be able to hear faintly coming in from outside. sound.
“Are you ready? Don’t blink. Entering the underground market for the first time will be an unforgettable experience in your life, at least I think so.”
Pinch Pushing the brass handle out, the sight suddenly widened, and the noise rushed into Donald’s ear. The sight in front of him was indeed shocking.
The secret and cumbersome way to enter made Donald always feel that the underground market is a place full of dark flavors.
The rows of black tents, the hanging lamps of dark green, and the colorful oil paint on his face, like a weirdo who will lose half a year at a glance, plus some strange creatures to dry Corpses and skeletons, this is his imagination.
However, the moment the wooden door opened, just at first glance, it overturned all Donald’s imagination. A few meters outside the door was actually a spacious gravel platform with a diameter of nearly 20 meters!
A stone path paved with gray bricks connects this platform, with kerosene lamp posts on both sides, which illuminate brightly. If you look left and right, you can see the same seven or eight stone paths, each of which is connected to a wooden door. , a few people are opening the door.
Donald speechless, just don’t want to waste the blink of an eye, keep walking forward, first to the gravel platform, people from the nearby passages gather here, and then set foot on it. A road with a width of nearly five meters leads directly to a large square dotted with lights in front!
“Are you surprised? Are you surprised? Haha, the first time I came here, the expression was similar to yours. The two underground markets in Preston City, each not smaller than the above-ground trading center, often The number of resident merchants is not less than 80, and the goods are guaranteed to be diverse. As for the details, I will not tell you. That is to destroy your experience. Enjoy your ‘first night’, I am only responsible for bringing you in and out to find a way , remember to go to work on time tomorrow, by the way, let me remind you at the end, take care of your purse, there is a gold hole in front of you.”
Sherlock has his own business to do, and he can’t wait to finish. Donald responded, rushing out a few steps, as if avoiding him on purpose.
Donald slaps his cheek, it’s shopping time!