As I finally emerge from one of the nearby alleyways, I begin my trek back towards the meeting area. Heading back down the Main Street towards the carriages, I can see that more people have arrived here.

The majority seem to be just normal middle-class individuals from this area with a few poor people. Of course, there are other, more prestigious people here as well. Based on what Gong told me, these people are likely to have a bit more status than those young Masters from before.

I believe my suspicions to be proven when I catch a symbol on one of the newer young Masters clothes. it matches the symbol that’s shown on many of the buildings around the city. It’s likely he is a part of the Monchon Clan, the founders and rulers of this city.

There are a posse of people around him, which are clearly of lower status, but still higher status than anyone else in the area.

However, even for him, this is still not very late in the day, which in some ways shows the politics of when you show up.

He’s important enough to come later in the day, but is choosing to not come after other groups. Showing there are others that are more important than him coming.

It makes me wonder if they set up a schedule for when they need to arrive. Considering what I know about these types of things, from what Ai told us, I wouldn’t be surprised.

Regarding the normal people, they likely don’t know the connotations of coming later to such a pick up and just arrive when they can. Some are carrying their stuff in backpacks or bags resembling the duffel bags from back home.

The air is full of excitement, desperation, and sometimes, fear. Each person is coming here with a different motive, hoping to accomplish it.

All the while, I’m seriously trying to focus on making sure I blend in. But I’m walking, talking, and just generally feeling like I’m a different person.

A quick look around shows that the beautiful man from before is still around and conversing with many different groups. Clearly establishing relations.

However, his eyes seem to travel over all the groups, looking for something… or someone. It’s pretty clear he is looking for me. His eyes travel briefly over me, but don’t seem to recognize me.

Looks like my work paid off a bit.

… One thing has been bothering me this whole time, though.

I can’t seem to find that young man, who had his nose broken and was lying on the ground.

Even as I’m trying to stay low, I still do hope that he made it through.

Lowering my continuous scan for the briefest moment, I direct that energy to doing a pulse search instead. All to make sure that I don’t overload my mind, but still receive the answers I’m looking for.

I stop in my tracks at finding the answer.

In total, I was likely unconscious for about an hour after becoming diced. My body was healed much quicker than that.

In that time, after the young master had left, one of the other young masters following him, a lackey, dragged him into an alleyway and beat him to death.

The memory of his motivated eyes, fill my thoughts.

I wanted to save him.

Normally, if a person’s brain is still intact, even after their heart has stopped for hours before, I still have a chance of saving them.

After a heart ceases beating or the rest of the body stops working, the brain keeps trying to bring everything back to life. For quite a while after what we typically consider death.

I can still bring someone back from this state. It’s part of the reason that I could bring back the Fox family. Though part of their heads were crushed in, some parts of their brain were still working enough to live.

This young man is not in that state.

The young master’s lackey completely caved in his skull. As if he had a vendetta against him. And he’s been dead for a while. Almost immediately after I was attacked.

A playback of the scene that had happened using my scan reveals the young master lackey believed the man should be grateful to breathe the same air as blessed individuals, such as themselves, but dared bare his teeth against them instead.

The young man didn’t have a chance, no matter how much he fought back. Against someone who has been strengthening their body since childhood, he was less than useless. He broke his bones against the lackey’s body.

Even till the end, though, he cursed at them. Not giving up for a single moment.

After he had died, the Lackey didn’t stop beating him and continued to stomp and stomp, until there was nothing left of his head.

He shook his clothes off, pulling out a talisman that cleaned his clothes by scattering the blood onto ground. Then spitting on the body, muttering that he’s good to be so merciful, not torturing him for a thousand years for his defiance.

Indifferently, he strode off after that.

A look back at their group now shows them nonchalantly bantering with each other, while paying respects to the clearly higher up young master.

It’s infuriating.

I want to do something about this.

Something tells me that this guy would have been an ally.

But, even without that, it’s the fact that he clearly didn’t deserve this. He did all the right things. He didn’t fight back until he truly was going to be killed. Especially considering he had no power.

And even while he was being taken to the alleyway, he acted subservient. But the lackey had no intention of keeping him alive.

That’s when it clicks into place for me, from the scan.

The lackey worked with the Alchemist Guild to direct the original young master’s ire at the two ‘weak’ people there.

This young man was just really unlucky to have caught the attention of the young master lackey during the Alchemist Guild’s plot.

The lackey wasn’t even hurting him to clean up after their plans. Just someone to kill as an excuse for pride.

Disgust runs throughout me and I can’t help but to throw an angry glare over to their group.

However, I quickly realize that this could cause issues. So, I reign in my anger… and focus elsewhere.

… This is an opportunity.

An opportunity to practice control. To not allow myself to be drawn in so easily to issues. I can’t help that young man now.

He’s gone.

What I can do is honor his memory by helping others in the future.

At that very moment, I can hear another, different group of young masters, covered in even fancier clothing, exclaim something loudly.

“Look! It’s Mei Lin, of the Mei Merchant Group. Her beauty is unsurpassed by any others. They must have sent her here, hoping to strengthen their group by marrying her off. With such traits, there’s no question she’ll be taken by you, Young Master Jin.”

The man in question says, “Indeed, she is a Jade Beauty, with eyes like Limpid Autumn Water. With her buds’ plump upon the branches, she’ll truly the best physical match for one such as I. I’m sure that she’ll be grateful to warm my bed. It will be good to show her the immensity of Heaven and Privilon.”

Control, James. Practice control. I’m sure that’s an innocent statement.

Another conspiratorially says, “If you’d like Young Master, we can make her available to you, before she joins the sect. That way there are no untoward repercussions to acquiring such an item.”

His response confirms his scum status.

He gives a scoff, before saying, “Mmm… yes. That seems appropriate, but try not to be too rough with her. I’d like my flower to be untainted before it’s plucking. It will be unfortunate, but it’s likely she won’t be able to make it to her testing. Once I’m done, you two have served me well and can partake in the meal.”

My head moves mechanically to the person in question. Already knowing that I’m not going to like this situation. Not one bit.

And it’s worse than I thought.

It’s a fucking kid.