An’s stomach growls. She thumps the back of her head against the wall to replace the dull ache with a different pain as she tries to focus. Her eyes absently run over the crowd in the market square while she leans against the corner of a building. She had expected life to get better once she ran but so far it has been getting worse and worse. Seeing a woman being given a wide berth by the masses while muttering like a weirdo she can’t help but feel loathing deep inside. She stares at the stranger that is so confident in their safety and so carefree she isn’t even paying attention to her surroundings. Perhaps, An thinks, the woman won’t notice if the pouch on her side goes missing. Her more logical side rebels at the thought, everything about her screams she’s a cultivator. The way she moves, her clothing, appearance and her confidence well over the border to arrogance practically shout it. Yet still she can’t help but start moving towards her. It takes her a moment to realize she's walking, so caught up is she in observing the older girl. The curiosity is almost physical, driving her forward as if she were nudged.
Her eyes hone in on the prize like a hawk while she palms the tiny knife she keeps within her sleeve. Rusted, blunt at some points and bent at others as it is it nonetheless cuts through the string tying the money pouch to Mu with ease. She hurriedly mutters an apology for bumping into her, praying she isn’t courting death and moves into the crowd with her head bowed. Despite her experience blending into groups she can’t help but speed up and duck into an alley at the earliest opportunity.
Her prayer increases in intensity when she hears the cultivator cry out. Rationalizing that she is either out of view and no longer in need of stealth or already busted and in need of a getaway she speeds her pace up to a run. Panic begins to bud in her when she hears rapid steps clash against the pavement behind her. She sprints as fast as her malnourished legs can carry her, realizing she seriously underestimated the brightly dressed woman when she catches up to her in less than a minute in spite of her efforts. Throwing herself through a hole at the bottom of the solid wooden fence marking the edge of Zhi's territory she swallows when she feels the wind on her neck, the cultivator just barely missing her by the hair on her neck.
She lets out a breath and settles into a jog when she crosses the boundary. Safe. Her hope is dashed when the warrior crashes down behind her, landing in a kneel. Her eyes widen and she curses under her breath while pushing herself to the limit to get away, toppling whatever debris and other obstacles she can find along the way to hinder her pursuer. She chides herself for her lapse of judgement. Of course an outsider, let alone a cultivator, would not be dissuaded by the prospect of invading Zhi's territory. When did she get so soft as to be sure in the knowledge that she's safe with her she wonders.
Even as she fears for her life she can't help but admire her pursuer's power. How much easier would her life be if she had that same strength? She would not have had to run, not now nor in the past. She would not have to live at the mercy of others, not her mother’s nor that of Zhi. She would be free. Free without being alone. Free without being hungry. Free without seeing success slip out of her grasp at every opportunity. Pushing herself even harder she swears then and there to attain that power no matter the cost. But first she has to survive. Rushing into Zhi’s hovel she clenches and unclenches her free hand while the other tightly hugs the gold pouch to her chest.
Taking the steps two at a time she doesn’t even hesitate to rush past Lankly and Horseface, slam their leader’s door open and kick it shut behind her again while looking at Zhi in wide-eyed panic. She says a silent prayer for them in her head, promising not to forget them even as her actions endanger and betray them all. Slamming the pouch down on the desk she begins rattling out excuses.
“Zhi, help! I got this to help us all but the owner’s chasing me. I thought she was just some rich girl but she’s so fast and she leapt over the fence like it’s nothing and- and-”
“You fool, you led her here? Are you insane? You’re gonna get everyone killed! What were you even thinking, stealing from a cultivator?”
An can feel the vibrations through the floor, the footsteps making their way closer and closer. The cultivator is approaching. She hates what she has to do even more hearing Zhi accurately figure the situation out in moments by listening to her rambling but she cannot risk dying here. She needs to make it look like she’s the victim, like she was forced to. Even then the cultivator may still choose to kill them all but at least she’ll stand a better chance of surviving if they believe she isn’t to blame.
“I didn’t know. Please, boss, we need this. We’re not gonna survive if we don’t get more food.”
Explaining while scrambling towards her on hands and knees as if to kowtow in apology she loudly thumps each into the floor in the hopes the cultivator will hear it and hugs Zhi’s thigh. Zhi can’t protect her after such a mistake. She’ll have no choice but to cut her off or risk the others taking risks beyond their means as well. So knowing she has the choice between getting herself killed or risking those she will have to leave regardlessly, An kills the little voice in her head telling her she is committing a despicable act.
“We’re not gonna survive if she finds us! Go distract her or something, we’re leaving.”
“Wai-”
She grabs Zhi’s sides while feigning distress, knowing it’s the woman’s weak point. As she expects, the gang leader lashes out and kicks her away to get her to let go. An doesn’t miss the immediate regret flashing across Zhi’s face before experience takes over and the gang leader rolls with her mistake, pretending it's what she meant to do all along. Even through the pain she can’t help but admire her decisiveness. It took Zhi years to acquire this territory, few would immediately abandon it to protect their charges from danger the way she instantly did.
‘It’s truly a shame you lack ambition.’ An can’t help but think. Fools satisfied with living on scraps are a dime a dozen. Certainly it is praiseworthy that she is willing to protect others, An ponders, but that means nothing if they’re still living in the dirt despite that. Best to abandon them, gain success and return later to save the ones hardy enough to survive should she still have the sentiment. Nonetheless she is grateful Zhi stuck with them. She might’ve been dead months ago without the older girl. The thought feels sour. To think she would be one of those that weren’t strong enough. It terrifies her nearly as much as the cultivator barging in by kicking open the door hard enough it rattles in its ramshackle frame. An can see her eyes flick over the scene faster than what is humanly possible, taking it all in within a heartbeat.
“Let her go!”
It worked. Now she just needs to find an opportunity to ingratiate herself with the cultivator and her rise can begin. She listens in on their conversation while making herself as small as possible to avoid attention, taking mental notes from Zhi’s fearful bluffing all the while even as she disdains the fact that the woman is so weak that she’s backed into a corner like this. Inventing some manner of supposed 'bosses' they are under is a bold move by Zhi and one that may yet save them. Even so all thoughts of simply surviving are forgotten. After all, is that not how Zhi got into this position? Without sufficient strength it matters not whether one can survive and protect those under them, the moment someone stronger comes along you lose everything. An is sick of being on the losing side, sick of seeing her meager possessions shrink and her miserable circumstances get worse and worse. She’ll grasp the golden chance to attain this power or die trying. She pushes down the self-loathing she feels for dragging down the people who sheltered her in the attempt, turning her heart to stone and killing the sign of weakness before it can threaten to drag her down too.
And then her chance arrives. In an attempt to protect those under her charge Zhi offers a challenge to the cultivator offering her the pouch back and the choice of how to deal with the little thief. An can’t help but think there is absolutely no chance of Zhi being victorious no matter what she does. The thought of being at the cultivator’s mercy with her last layer of protection stripped away sends shivers through her. Yet her heart beats louder not in terror but in excitement. If she plays it right this is exactly what she needs. Yet once more Zhi catches her off guard, challenging the cultivator in the only way she might stand a chance.
Her gut twists further when she hears the gang leader give her opponent the chance to back out and take the money with her. But not An. Even now Zhi is still protecting her. It grates at her and intensifies her guilt at the betrayal. What surprises her most is the anger she feels at Zhi trying to rob her of this chance, the intensity of the feeling catching her entirely off guard. Her eyes widen in shock when the cultivator not only takes Zhi up on the challenge but praises her form during it.
Despite her age she’s no naive brat, growing up as a courtesan’s daughter with far too much curiosity and a talent for remaining unseen she is well acquainted with such lewd acts. It is clear to her neither of them has any experience whatsoever yet despite that the way Zhi collapses at the end is something she’s only seen in those who partook in the wrong dosage of aphrodisiacs. Chalking it up to cultivator magic she quickly yet with even, measured steps moves towards the desk in order to take the initiative and determine the flow of the conversation. Nevertheless she can’t keep a slight skip out of her step.
“You won, Elder Sister. This lowly one’s name is An. It is truly a pleasure to make your acquaintance. This one swears to serve you faithfully.” An replies to her query with full politeness, the long lessons on etiquette her mother had made her take finally finding a use.
“Huh?” Seeing Gao Mu’s confused expression a strange feeling overcomes her. Despite the cultivator’s naivety she finds herself honestly wanting to serve her. The power is almost secondary to the intense desire to follow in Mu’s wake. She bows low to hide her trembling as she realizes she can’t tell when exactly this urge began nor how much it has been influencing her actions. She makes a mental note to go over every decision she’s made since first spotting the cultivator to figure it out.
“You have won the wager, Venerable Gao. I’m deeply thankful you’ve freed me. As a sign of my gratitude this lowly one will gratefully be at your beck and call.”
Making her best puppy dog expression she cutely clutches her hands to her chest and looks up at Gao Mu with wide eyes and trembling lips, using the pain she still feels to force tears to appear in her eyes.
“You… you’re not gonna abandon An too, are you?”
“No! Of course not.”
“Thank you, master. Let’s go then, an esteemed warrior such as yourself need not remain in such a hovel for even a second longer.” An adds, desperate to leave this dump and unable to meet Zhi’s eyes. The hypocrisy of trying to protect the gang leader by getting the cultivator to head elsewhere after mentally chiding her for doing the same isn’t lost to An.
“No.”
She panics at the dismissal, afraid she's pushed too hard. Yet her panic is replaced by even more admiration before long as Mu manages to make the most of her victory, albeit she questions the need to show such kindness to a bested foe. An swears to follow her example henceforth nonetheless and does not even hesitate when addressed.
“Yes, boss. I know all the best vendors, leave it to this lowly An.”
She’ll latch on to her. She’ll pander and praise, fulfilling each of the woman’s wishes before she even thinks to utter them until Gao Mu can’t even imagine a life without her. Until she has no choice but to teach her the ways of cultivation lest she sees her servant perish far before her. For a chance at power, she’ll bury her pride and do what needs to be done.
