The deeper stretch of the district didn't advertise itself.
The stalls were fewer, spaced out instead of packed together. Buyers didn't linger, and sellers didn't call out. Most exchanges happened with a glance, a nod, and a quick transfer before either side moved on.
Riven slowed his pace as he stepped in, taking in the layout without staring. The people here carried themselves differently. No one looked desperate. No one looked relaxed either.
He stopped at a narrow table set against a wall. A handful of stones rested on its surface, none of them drawing attention. The man behind it glanced up once, then waited.
"I'm selling," Riven said.
The man gestured toward the table.
Riven placed the stone down.
The system activated as soon as the seller picked it up.
[Skill: Adaptive Grip]
[Tier: E]
[Status: Stored]
The man's expression didn't change immediately. He turned the stone once, then checked the display again.
"This isn't a standard listing," he said.
"It works," Riven replied.
"That's not the issue." The man tapped the stone lightly against his palm. "Where did it come from?"
Riven didn't answer.
The man studied him for a moment, then set the stone down without pushing it back.
"Anything that doesn't match known variants slows things down," he said. "People start asking questions, and questions cost time."
"And?" Riven asked.
"And time cuts into profit," the man said. "You either lower expectations or find someone willing to deal with it."
Before Riven could respond, a voice came from the side.
"You're treating it like it's a problem when it isn't."
Riven turned.
Daris stepped into view with an easy stride, one hand tucked into his pocket, the other loosely at his side. He looked like he had nowhere urgent to be, but his eyes had already taken in the table, the stone, and the two of them before he spoke. There was a familiarity in the way he carried himself here, like he belonged without needing to prove it.
Recognition came a second later.
Riven held his gaze. "Didn't expect to see you here."
Daris stepped up beside the table, glancing at the stone before picking it up. "You're not the only one who moved on from scraping outer zones."
His tone stayed light, but his attention stayed on the display.
[Skill: Adaptive Grip]
[Tier: E]
[Status: Stored]
He turned the stone once, studying it without rushing.
"This isn't something I've seen circulate," he said.
The stall owner shifted slightly. "That's what I told him."
Daris gave a small nod, acknowledging the point without looking away from the stone. "Doesn't mean it won't sell."
"It means it won't move cleanly," the man replied. "I'm not taking that on."
Daris set the stone down, resting his hand lightly against the table.
"That's because you're trying to move it like everything else," he said. "This needs a different approach."
The man didn't argue, just leaned back slightly, letting the conversation shift away from him.
Daris looked at Riven. "You planning to run this through official channels?"
Riven shook his head once.
"That would be a mistake," Daris said. "They'll flag it before it even reaches a proper bid."
Riven watched him. "So what would you do?"
Daris's expression didn't change. "Find someone who's buying for function, not records."
He pushed the stone slightly back toward the center of the table, not claiming it, not giving it away.
"I can move it," he said.
Riven didn't answer immediately.
Daris didn't fill the silence. He let it sit, giving Riven space to think it through.
"And your cut?" Riven asked.
"A percentage after the sale," Daris said. "Nothing upfront."
"How much?"
"Depends on the buyer and how long it takes," Daris replied. "If it moves fast, you keep most of it. If it drags, I take more for the effort."
Riven considered that.
"You're still brokering?" he asked.
"Among other things," Daris said. "This just happens to fall under it."
Riven glanced at the stone again.
Selling it here would stall. Taking it to an auction would raise attention. Holding onto it served no purpose.
Daris stood without pressure, waiting for an answer but not pushing for one.
Riven made the decision.
"Fine," he said. "You handle it."
Daris nodded once and picked up the stone.
"I'll get back to you when it's done," he said.
Riven stepped away from the table without adding anything else.
The flow of the district closed around him again as he moved back toward the main path. Conversations continued, deals carried on, nothing shifting on the surface.
Behind him, the stone had already changed hands.
He knew that in that moment he had directly or indirectly entered the dangerous and beautiful underbelly of the human society.