As I walked further down the road, everything worsened.
From old, suspicious, run-down buildings, to dilapidated structures.
My eyes narrowed, and I clutched my briefcase closer to myself.
My body was still in pretty bad shape. Perhaps I was so enchanted by those meat skewers that my mind completely ignored my physical health.
My face still felt a little numb, and I could now feel a couple of bruises across my body.
Hah, I bet my face is going to swell up in the morning.
Jagged walls filled my view, as a horrible stench that could only be described as feces hit my nostrils.
Everything looked like it was abandoned and forgotten, but it wasn't, because there were people living here. Real families that lived in these "houses".
This was somebody's home.
Their safe space.
I thought about the waitress before. She probably also lives in a house like this. She was struggling, yet still lent a hand to another, and I couldn't repay her with anything.
Why? Why did she give me all that food for free when she was obviously struggling?
My mind flashed back to when I first saw her. I was reminded of her tired-looking eyes and messy hair. She was also the only staff member working there.
No, I want to pay her back. She deserves it.
I want to let her know, that her kindness, had come full circle.
I took out my phone, determined to pay the waitress back as quickly as possible.
But before I pay her back, I need to focus on myself.
The first step of paying her back would be to get to the nearest pawn shop to get more Jia for myself...but...
Looking at the phone, the closest pawn shop near me was closed.
...I guess that means I'll need to find a place to spend the night at first. Hmm....Let's see....
Clicking on the Locations App, I found multiple places to stay at, and landed on a small motel just thirty minutes away.
It looked a lot better than the buildings here, still a bit dirty, and pretty old, but at least bearable. For what I was getting, the price wasn't so bad either.
Huh, there seems to be a shortcut around here. If I go through this alleyway, I can cut down at least five minutes!
I then thought about it.
An easily accessible shortcut in a small alleyway...doesn't this seem just a little suspicious? Or maybe even too good to be true?
I shouldn't be taking risks right now, considering how expensive the stuff I have with me is; you never know what could happen. Especially in a place like this.
Playing the game, I rarely went into the slum areas, and when I did, I only went for the Zengmen Raids or insignificant world quests.
My heavy suitcase suddenly felt even heavier, not on my body, but on my mind.
I turned around and decided to go the long way; either way, there was a place I wanted to go before heading to the motel.
But fate had other plans for me.
"YO! FUCK FACE!"
I jumped out of my skin, back prickling with sweat.
"HEY, MAN, WHAT'S IN THAT SUITCASE OF YOURS!"
The voice was coming from behind me, probably still a few dozen feet away.
I gulped.
Should I just book it?
"HEY MAN, YOU DEAF OR SOMETHING?"
No, there's no way I'd be able to outrun a thug whose job is to rob people.
His voice got closer, his footsteps now louder.
He was cornering me, and I needed to escape. Right now.
I started walking again, a little faster this time.
I could hear his footsteps also getting quicker.
His heavy boots hit the pavement, but then...I heard more footsteps.
Tiny little pitter-patters that were trying to be quiet, but failed to do so.
Those footsteps that weren't coming from him.
My blood ran cold.
This guy wasn't alone; he brought a gang.
I tried to breathe, but all that came out was a pathetic gasp.
Colors started to become extremely saturated, then suddenly monochrome.
I could feel the anxiety slowly paralyzing my body.
...
My foot violently pushed off the pavement, and I started running.
Sprinting.
As fast as I could.
The cold, skin-piercing wind rushed past me as I tightly clutched my briefcase against my chest, my lungs burning.
I could now hear all the thumping loud and clear; they no longer cared about me noticing them.
The moonlight just barely illuminated the streets.
My eyes darted around, looking for a sign. I knew I couldn't outrun them forever.
It's somewhere around here! I know it is!
They were catching up, dangerously quick, and I felt it, their hands, just centimeters behind me-
That's when I saw it.
A purple sign, posted next to a small alleyway, tucked so snugly that no average person would notice it, but I wasn't the average person, not right now.
I basically dove into the alleyway, knees scraping the concrete.
I scrambled to the old, worn-out door, whose hinges were just barely holding on, yet it felt like I was banging on cement walls.
"H-HELLO? MS. WITCH, PLEASE!"
My voice trembled uncontrollably, to the point where I didn't even understand what I was saying myself.
I frantically turned my head around, but before I could even process anything, a glass bottle flew straight at my head.
I somehow ducked down fast enough, and the glass bottle exploded against the wooden door, with pieces of glass flying past my eyes.
Oh my god
I feverishly started pulling at the doorknob, trying to force it open.
"HELP! PLEA-URK"
The air was sucked out of my lungs as a foot struck my ribs, and my whole body collapsed to the side.
A hand immediately grabbed my throat.
"Well, well, well, you really made us work for this one, huh? Whatever's in your suitcase better be worth it."
Enveloped in darkness, I could barely see the man-
No...NO! It can't end like this! I...won't...
My nails gashed at the man's arms, but it was like trying to stop the impossible.
I was dying.
My once flailing body had started to go quiet, and I was losing my vision. Losing my strength.
No...ugh, stop...
"You know, wearing such an expensive suit out here really just makes you easy picking, I mean, seriously, what were you expecting? You 'high-class' folk just really make my blood boil-"
BAM
The once-silent wooden door had slammed open, and smoke poured out, showing an ominous figure that was carrying multiple bottles filled with some mysterious liquid.
"Y OU BO YZ THII NKSSS IZ OK AYY TO DISS RUPT ME FRE E TIIME?"
Her raspy voice rang throughout the alleyway, out to the road, and I felt the hand around my throat slightly weaken.
I could see the man turn his head to her.
"Look, Ma'am, this will be finished up quickly, so-"
He slightly looked down, then his eyes widened a little.
"Drop the suitcase, we're leaving. Now."
"Huh? Boss, why? He's right there! We have him-"
"I SAID WE'RE LEAVING, RIGHT NOW."
His hand finally let go of me, and immediately upon his release, my body slumped over.
Hunched down, knees to my stomach, I gasped for whatever air I could, holding my neck.
My hair stuck to my sweat-stained face.
Tears streaked down as I realized just how close I was to...death.
Just because of a suit.
A single suit had almost cost me my life.
"Agh, agh...hah."
"Tch, let's go."
Just as quickly as they came, they left, blending right back into the shadows, as if it was their home.
....they're....gone.
I could feel my breathing starting to stabilize.
I then cautiously looked up to see my savior, and I was met with an old wrinkled face, huge yellow teeth, and an unforgettable mole right next to her mouth.
Grandma Guanhuai.
A stubby, old lady who lived in the slums.
No one knew her talent for making potions; in fact, her quest was a hidden quest in the game, only unlockable through manually encountering her.
I can't believe this granny just saved my life.
"Uh, t-thank you for-"
"Were you the one who called me the 'witch'?"
But there was one very important thing to note about Grandma Guanhuai, and it was that she...was obsessed with witches, even to the point of believing that she was one.
"...y-yeah..."
She stared intensely at me until her mouth contorted into a concerning grin that no normal Grandma would nor should ever make.
I nervously swallowed.
"Hmmmm...Child, I can tell you are very special..."
".....I...uh-"
"I see that you know who I truly am!"
Like a cult leader, she lifted her arms up into the air, as the moonlight captured every little wrinkle on her face.
She slowly limped towards me, grinning, from one ear to another, but I couldn't help but think about what had just happened.
Pain started cutting through my head, and every inch of my body began to sting and burn.
My body was giving out.
"Ah, Miss, I-"
The ringing in my ears got louder and louder, drowning everything else out.
Then, the world around me had suddenly gone black.