Chapter-03 - Trash-Plan.

I smiled as I enjoyed the expression on the old man as I turned.

"How?"

"How what?" I turned my face only to answer.

"How do you do that?"

I didn't answer.

"That?"

Still didn't answer.

"That pulling out things out of the air…"

"How do you grow such fresh apples in this cursed land?"

The old man stayed silent for a moment and chuckled, I chuckled back.

We both laughed and I walked out.

I looked around, both sides and took the direction of the darker path.

On a lonely street I stopped and suddenly a knife was on my neck.

"You have the nerve to scam my master." a childish hissing voice whispered in my ears.

Dane felt the soft paws but sharp claws on his shoulders.

"Scam? How?"

"You just gave away my master's item in that vegetable shop, do you think I do not have eyes?"

I raised my hand slowly and between my fingers was the vial. "This vial?"

No word, no breathing then he quickly took my hand and smelled the vial.

"Do you smell your master's scent on it?"

He pressed his knife again on my neck. "What game are you playing here?"

"What's in it for you? I have the vial here…"

Something very confusing was going on and this cat creature was not able to understand it at all.

"I smell a scam here, tell me how did you do it?"

"And what if I don't?"

"Then I would return my master's item to my master and you will die right here, right now for scamming my master."

"What item?"

The creature looked again and the vial was gone between the fingers.

"Give it back!" 

"Why? I still have time as per the agreement and do you think your master can afford an Imperial Audit?"

"If I kill you here right now, no one will know about you at all."

CLAP CLAP CLAP

The street suddenly gets surrounded by lots of thugs.

"What do we have here? A rich boy with his exotic fetish toy?"

The cat creature snarled at all of them as he took me as hostage.

"Are you an idiot? They are here to loot me, they will take away your master's item too."

It kept snarling as the thugs started to come closer.

"Protect me and I will show you the vial again or I will give it to them to protect myself from you."

"Is this a romantic quarrel?" The bald leader gave a snarky comment.

Suddenly two of them jumped and the Cat creature immediately made its choice, to protect me.

Another two jumped and I ducked, kicked one on the back of his knee and rolled out of the encirclement. 

Then I dashed. Didn't look back and didn't care about that cat creature.

After taking a few turns later I was in a busy street and the cat creature was waiting for me. He gestured to me to return the vial.

I smirked and ignored it, what will it do now? In front of everyone? 

It bared its fangs as a warning but I walked away.

I went to an inn, sat in the corner, out of everyone's eyes, ordered food and drink, told the waiter to put it on my tab, enjoyed my meal and went upstairs to my room.

I slept like there was no tomorrow but woke up from banging on the door.

"Who is it?"

"Pay up!" It was the innkeeper's voice.

I opened the door.

"It's been a week, pay up." The fat innkeeper was fuming for some reason.

"Didn't we agree for a month?" I rubbed my eyes and yawned. "And didn't I give your chef that precious herb for its soup?"

"You stole it from the shop. I do not serve thieves. Pay up and leave."

"I stole it? Who told you that? The shopkeeper? That old man?"

"I don't care! Pay up and leave."

"I have no money…if you want I can give you more of that herb."

"I don't need your stolen herb…pay up and leave."

"I have no money."

The fat innkeeper gestured to his back and a few men showed up.

"Last chance before this gets dirty."

I smiled and they entered, searched my room and found nothing.

"Take away all his clothes and throw him in the gutters." 

They stripped me naked, my fancy leather robe coat and all, even the underwear.

They dragged me to the backdoor and threw me in the back stream of water filled with filth.

Children laughed at me as I struggled to swim.

"Don't you dare show your face to my Inn again!" he and his goons left as I winked at the children.

They threw a rope line and I crossed the stream.

"Mister…I thought you would not return."

"This is very cold…" I started shivering and trying not to gag from all the filth and smell.

They giggled and waved to follow them.

They took me to a well and I bathe like I want to scrap my skin off.

The little girl offered me a bowl of ash. "This is Moonlily tree's ash, rub it and wash it again."

I took the bowl and looked at her, she was looking at me with curious eyes.

"Do you want to see a magic trick?"

She nodded.

I raised the ashbowl in one hand and it was able to fit in my palm comfortably, making it centerpiece and as I waved my other hand on it.

"WAH!" She immediately grabbed my hand to check, her eyes wide. "Where did it go?"

She looked at me with fascination.

"Are you a cultivator, Big Brother?" her voice had great admiration now.

I shook my head. "No, I am a Mortal Trash."

"How is that possible?"

"I have tested it on the Essence tablet, it didn't even get warm." I chuckled.

Then I waved my hand and the bowl of ash was back. I rubbed it on my body and surprisingly it was able to wash away the smell from my skin leaving a faint aroma.