4: Ruffians

Bradford’s view

“Hey old man! Have you got your protection fees ready?” Damnit, why are they bothering me?

“I thought we had a deal! I provide medicine for free to the Lan family, and I don’t have to pay?” 

“We heard you’ve been doing really well lately. So obviously we need to get a little extra! Maybe if you tell us who’s providing you with all the good medicine, we can negotiate a lower fee.” They must be after my teacher! I can’t let that child face these ruffians!

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. All the medicines I sell, are ones I’ve made.” This is actually true. While my young teacher is very knowledgeable, she’s not tried to make any pills herself. Considering her complete lack of cultivation, she’s probably not able to do it right, since a good alchemist uses their own ki to heat the cauldron. A natural flame would only produce inferior medicine.

*crash* Oh no, they are going to wreck the place!

“Children should know better than to behave like hooligans!”

What? Why is the little lady here? She should be hiding upstairs! Not walking down the steps and… and… what happened? She leapt towards them and now they are all lying on the ground, in pain?

“Get up and leave, you stupid brats!”

“This isn’t over! We’ll get you for this!”

As the men fled, she began to walk after them. “Wait, teacher, where are you going?”

“I’m just going to clean up a little. It seems this town has some trash in it.”

“Every town has some trash.”

“Yes, but the good rulers know to clean it up once in a while. Otherwise the pile gets quite noxious and becomes a problem.”

Then, she vanished. How did she do that? She has no cultivation. Unless… could she be a secret master hiding it? Why does she pretend to be a child then?

…

Boss’s view

Why are my men returning with injuries? I’d just sent them to go interrogate that doctor.

“Who hurt you?”

“Boss! It was a crazy girl! We were demanding answers from the doctor, when she just ran at us and beat us up!”

“You can avenge us right! You’re a martial master!”

*sigh* Must I do everything myself? I never expected to become the ruler of the slums, but just because I help these fellows out every now and then, it’s ended up that way. I just want to know who’s making these pills. Could there be a hidden master using that doctor as a front? Why would they do that? What is the purpose in making such high quality low rank pills and selling them cheaply?

“Very well, I’ll go investigate this myself.”

“Oh, you don’t need to go anywhere for that.”

What? Who is this strange girl? How did she sneak up on us? 

“It’s her! She’s the one!”

I sense no ki from her. Only ordinary people and those skilled in hiding their cultivation should appear so lacking.

“Why are you here?”

“I just followed a few fools who made trouble at a doctor’s house. I wanted to know who might be so foolish as to associate with them.”

“I see. Have you seen enough then?” 

“I suppose. Though I was hoping for a bit more excitement. I guess you aren’t as easy to antagonize as I’d expected.” 

“Sorry to disappoint, but I see no reason to start a fight over a few pills.”

It’s hard to believe, but she really does look disappointed that I didn’t take the bait and attack her. Her appearance must be a disguise. No child would act and behave as she has. 

“Very well. Do remember in the future: Doctors are not to be messed with. Too many people rely upon them.”

With that, the little girl left. 

“Why didn’t you beat her up?” 

“Because she was clearly trying to goad me into a fight, and I sensed no ki on her. This leaves only three possibilities. She could be a fool, except a fool wouldn’t have been able to defeat you. She could be an even greater master than myself who is hiding their ability, or she could have a very powerful backer that is using her as bait. We had better leave that doctor alone for now. Whatever that girl is, she’s too dangerous to offend.”

…

Mellanie’s view

Well, that was disappointing. Aren’t most young mortals hot headed fools? I insulted her, and she hardly batted an eye. Though, I suppose it wouldn’t have been an interesting fight. They called her a martial master, but from my point of view, she was merely at the peak of ki collection. That can be reached in a year with a good teacher. Clearly this world is using different names from what I’m familiar with.

***Author Note***

I had a plan, but then decided to roll some dice, and the dice did not like my plan. Instead they made me throw my tropes out the window. Villain rolled a 19 on a rather crucial check (d20 rules), and thus lives to see another day.

Also: Mellanie’s standards for “good teacher” is herself. One year is how long it took for her students in her past life to complete ki collection, the first big step in cultivation. That’s four times faster than the norm. Her concept of “normal” is way off.