C O R U S C A N T
Galactic City, Level 502
Nai Shi
Gentle, foul-smelling droplets fell from the level’s rafters like rain. This happened occasionally, when the sluggish dehumidifiers and air purifiers would malfunction and fail to pull the moisture that raised and gathered above. It gave the subterranean district its own semblance of weather every now and then. Streams of grey-brown water flowed from the narrow alley passages and followed along the congested market streets, hopefully finding their way to the sewer drains. What remained settled into toxic puddles; a dangerous game of chance for those desperate enough.
Nai Shi, or the Neon Market as it was commonly referred by those not fluent in the local Xiaolang dialect. It didn’t take much to figure out where the name came from – the vibrant and abundant lights of the district’s many shops and signs were a spectacle well-known throughout the levels of Galactic City and even other areas of the ecumenopolis. In the rain, their starburst refraction against the water painted the area in a diluted glow. Exhilarating to some, distracting to others, and blinding to most. An outsider might be naive enough to call it beautiful, but the locals knew better.
This central market was an integral part of Xiao-town’s survival. The colours, exotic trinkets, and strange Atrisian decorations and architecture all served the purpose of attracting curious tourists and distracting them from the dilapidated shanties that filled the nooks and crannies in recent years. The economy of this undercity was almost entirely dependent on tourism, and the lives of most of its impoverished refugee descendants revolved around this in one way or another. Those who failed to find success here often turned to begging, or in worse cases fell to a life of crime.
Crime. Another rampant issue. Although word of the growing occupation of Coruscant by the Grayson Imperium had reached the commonfolk, the laws and expectations of the many government authorities before them had never come to practice here. Xiaolangzhen was a micro-community that had always existed in some form of unofficial autonomy. The Xiaolang founders were a deeply proud and stubborn people who, even after centuries, clung to their own traditions and values regardless of the struggles they brought. Fight fire with fire had become the way of things in the absence of any meaningful policing, which paved the way for the success of the now infamous Gokudo.
Starting small, the Gokudo offered protection from rival gangs to those who could afford it. As they grew in both size and wealth, they began to invest in the local businesses they trusted, respected or saw value in, while offering loans to others who were desperate or willing to take the risk. With discreet dealings and an iron fist toward those who crossed them, the criminal organization eventually became viewed as the de facto government of the city, winning the hearts of its tired and struggling people through the careful and controlled management of their public reputation.
Under the protection of a marquee, a xiaolang shop keeper bickers back-and-forth in a foreign tongue with another man across the counter of his fruit stand. A well-dressed kansai man appears to be angry with the quality of the products, scolding him in some manner while the clearly insulted owner protests with some reservation to his tone. The two continue to argue, but as it seemingly escalates the xiaolang man's nervousness becomes more apparent. His demeanor and inflections become apologetic while the other seems caught up in his anger, growing louder and more aggressive with his body language.
Despite the scene grabbing the attention of a few passing foreigners, the locals in the surrounding area outwardly ignoring the exchange. With most eyes deterred, the distraction could be seen as a perfect opportunity to the daring and unfamiliar.
Xian Xiao
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