It was morning already, the police finally let Jason and Caroline go.

 

The video from Jason’s video was very helpful to him and Caroline - according to the officers, this video basically proved that they did not instigate the fight, they did not even use much violence to fight back. The other three, on the other hand, may need to stay in the station for a bit longer and may even get booked. To their dismay, the abusing claim did not seem to stick, since the victim was not around to report it.

 

But most important of all, the injuries on those three were all documented on the video and the security footage from the inn - they were trying to assault Caroline and Jason but ended up connecting their hits to cars and light poles in the parking lot.

 

"Well, boss is gonna be pissed. ” on their rideshare way home, Jason said to Caroline, scratching his forehead beneath his beanie.

 

"Relax, he can afford the liabilities.” Caroline rolled her eyes and said without a care.

 

"Yeah I know that, but we missed work.”

 

"You mean, YOU missed your shift.” 

 

"And you are the reason why!”

 

"How is that my problem?! You were paying back a favor!”

 

"Dealing with you is really stressful, you know that? ” Jason sighed and laid back on the car seat. 

 

"Yeah I know, why do you think I work at an inn that is barely getting by with a cheap ass boss?” Caroline sighed as well, and laid back on her seat just like Jason.

 

"You missed work! Both of you.” as Caroline and Jason entered the door of Xianshi Inn, Jianmen the boss was already waiting for them.

 

"You mean Jason missed work.” Caroline still tried to wiggle her way out of the situation, "how’s the guest.”

 

"She left early in the morning. And no, you were absent for the last two hour of your shift. And Jason was late for almost two hours. So you both missed the same amount of work.” Jianmen was serious yet kind of expressionless as he spoke, staring both Caroline and Jason in their eyes, "I had to cover for you. So you know the drill.”

 

"Can I make up our shift today?” Jason raised his hand with slouched shoulders.

 

"No.” Jianmen’s answer was simple.

 

"Can we at least wait till Jason’s shift is over? You know, shouldn’t interfere with the business at the busiest hour of the day.” Caroline raised her hand and asked.

 

"No. It needs to be now, which happens to be the best time. And you know where.” Jianmen gave out a slightly devious smile.

 

------------------------------------------

 

After a brief moment, two giant wooden buckets were placed on the backside of the inn, in a discreet corner surrounded with decorative plants that Caroline and Jason did not know the names of.

 

Inside the buckets, were hot water with a bunch of things in them - they include some chili peppers, ginger, some kind of unknown tree bark, some unidentifiable dried fruit, and a couple of pieces of rock.

 

"Medicinal bath”, this was what Jianmen calls it, but it was quite a torturous experience for both of them.

 

"Alright, 1, 2 3!” with the final countdown, Caroline and Jason both wearing their bathing suits, jumped into the buckets put in front of them. Hard as they tried, the water in the buckets barely splashed out of the bucket.

 

The water was hot enough as it is, but the chili peppers and ginger inside it made the water feel even hotter and produced a burning sensation on their skin.

 

Also, for some unknown reason, the bath gave them a sort of sore feeling to their whole body, especially the muscle in their extremities.

 

After staying in the buckets for around 20 minutes, both of them struggled to climb out and started practicing their martial arts moves right there in front of the buckets. 

 

Their skins were as if they had been exposed to the hottest and brightest sun for a whole day and then some - they looked red and if anyone paid close attention, they could see red tree root like markings all over their body.

 

The red skin and red markings hurt as much as it looked - but neither of them could make a sound until the process was finished, because if they did they had to redo it all again.

 

The moves practiced by Caroline and Jason were mostly similar with very small differences, but they were also very in sync so when they were doing the same moves they started and ended at the exact moments. As their kicks flew and punches struck the air, the red marks on their skin slowly dissipated. This was not easy for either of them, as the more they moved the more tired their arms and legs got, if it was a normal person, they’d hardly make past 10 moves.

 

"Are they… are they doing Kung Fu?” although this area is quite discreet, it was not entirely hidden and still some of the guests that were staying in the inn walked by the area and noticed Caroline and Jason.

 

This was not the first time it happened, but still a tad bit embarrassing for both of them - no one wants to be seen doing Kung Fu in swimsuits with skins like that of a boiled lobster.

 

"Ha!” both finished their practice with a final fist strike and a loud yell, steam slowly rose from their bodies as if they were a new set of newly forged human weapons.

 

Something clicked inside their minds the moment they finished this set of moves - a comforting chill came in their body through their every pore, the weariness from staying almost all night at the police station and having to practice their moves quickly went away. It was as refreshing as a couple of good nights’ sleep.

 

"Congratulations!” Jianmen was standing among the people watching, and started slow clapping right after they felt the chill, "now you can join an MMA fight if you want to.”

 

"Thanks, boss.” Jason and Caroline both made a bow with folded fists, like true Kung Fu apprentices.

 

"Now get back to work! Our guests can’t serve themselves!”

 

"Oh, come on boss!” Jason frustratedly threw his towel into his bucket.