4 The Old Beggar’s Request

"My daughter…she's been very poorly and I don't know if she'll survive. I've been begging for credits so I can at least feed her but I have only been able to afford food money for her. She won't survive at this rate. Please try to understand.

"I was even pushed off my wheelchair and robbed of everything I had earned these passed few days." The Old beggar began to sob, "Please son, all I request is for you to take me to my daughter."

As Peter listened he thought of different scenarios and most of them turned out bad. This could well be a trap. Was it because he looked rich that the old man approached him or did he really require help?

Peter was sitting on edge. He didn't know if he should help the man out as it could be a terrible trap, on the other hand he may be rewarded something at least decent. Even bread wouldn't be half bad, he was kind of getting hungry already.

"Friday Incognito Mode." Peter whispered, activating one of Friday's special functions. One could converse with Friday using their thoughts. This feature was good in this type of situation but it required great mental energy. Therefore, most people just stuck with commanding Friday out loud.

'Record everything that's gonna happen and if the Bracelet is removed from my wrist or if I lose consciousness, immediately, send my location to Mark and the police.' Peter commanded in his head.

'As you wish sir.' Friday replied in his head.

"Okay. How should I take you there?" Peter asked.

"I'm quite light. Maybe you can carry me."

'Is he serious? Can't he see I'm a stick? This reward better be worth it.' Peter sighed mentally, before kneeling down.

The man immediately crawled on his back and he wasn't lying, he must have weighed half of Peter's weight.

"Okay. Give me directions as I'm blind."

"Oh yeah. Straight ahead."

Peter began walking straight on like the man insisted and occasionally he would bump into people and they would swear at him like maniacs.

"...We're almost there. Take a right here and we've arrived."

Peter's forehead was drenched with sweat and his clothes stuck to his body like glue due to the humidity and hot weather. He took the final turn and kicked the door open to a small ran down hut.

"Bridget!" The old beggar yelled, rampantly crawling towards his daughter's still body.

"Father… *Cough* *Cough* My time has come. I'm sorry I wasn't able to make you a proud father." The young girl in the bed spoke with a raspy and weak voice.

Peter could hear the tempo of the young girl's heartbeat slowing down by the second. From beating once every 3 seconds to beating once every 5 seconds. The girl was dying…

Loud cries of the beggar filled the small hut and a wave of sadness and bitter memories brushed past Peter, making him remember the day of his own Brother's death. A solitary tear ran down Peter's eyes and he didn't notice it but the tattoo on his neck glowed momentarily.

"Bridget…Wake up. My beautiful daughter." The old beggar pulled the cold corpse of his daughter to his chest and clutched it in embrace, trembling as he cried.

A couple of minutes later, when he had calmed down, he turned his head towards Peter and crawled to his side. He pulled out a small Gold coloured bean from a pocket and pressed it on Peter's palm.

"Young boy. I'm sorry for the troubles I have caused you and I thank you with utmost sincerity for letting me see my daughter one last time before she… she passed away. This is a legendary pill passed down in my family and we were told to never sell it or give it away. I was tempted to let my poor daughter consume it but I didn't know its effects.

"...I truly have nothing else to give you in return. Please accept this." The old beggar spoke in a glum tone.

Peter just couldn't accept this. This must have been something special to the old man; he couldn't just accept something like this after the old man had also lost his daughter.

"I cannot accept something this important. Please, it's okay. Keep it for yourself." Peter turned around to leave but the old man wouldn't let go of his hand.

"I insist. Please take it…"

Peter sighed, putting the bean into his bracelet.

"Old man, are you okay?" Peter asked, sensing the old man's heartbeat getting slower and slower.

"Oh what a pitiful world... Bridget, I'm coming to the other side too. My poor little girl..." A quite and raspy voice played out for the last time, before cutting off forever. Peter knelt down next to the old man and held him with his arms in his final moments. Then finally the silence filled the room. There was no other heartbeat resounding in the room other than Peter's.

"Rest in Peace." Peter passed his hands over the man's eyes, closing them shut.

**

'Finally done.' Peter exhaled a breath of relief as he laid back against the car seat. After he left the old man's hut, he headed into the market again but this time to buy his uniform. The trousers were standard black and the blazer was navy blue with gold stitched laces near the shoulders. The price of the uniform was a whopping 900 Credits and that was only the price for one set of clothes!

Peter was going to go broke at this rate.

When he arrived home, he immediately showered and sat down in his room taking out the bean he had received from the Old man.

His step siblings weren't home, so he could do what he wanted in peace without getting interrupted.

"Friday, scan the bean. What is it?"

"Scanning…Scanning Complete. The bean is a Legendary Grade Healing pill. It's effects are:

Healing any injury almost completely

Healing Damaged Meridians

Removal of the Body's impurities.

'WHAT THE F*CK IS THIS?! I hit the jackpot!! Does this mean I'll be able to see again? Cultivate mana?! Sh*t! Old man, Wherever you are, You have my utmost gratitude.'

Peter's body exploded with excitement. He couldn't hold in his contentment and jumped up from his bed and leapt up and down in joy. He was going to be a normal boy finally!

Of course the thought of selling it also went through his head but he wouldn't waste such a blessed opportunity. He could always earn money when he got a bit older. He was still 10, turning 11 in the next month.

"Friday, is there anything I need to do to consume this pill, any special resources etc.?"

"No. Just consume the pill normally."

'Okay. Let's do this…' Peter braced himself taking deep breaths and calming his rampant heart.

'It's all or nothing. Hope there's no side effects.'

Without any more thinking, Peter chucked the bean into his mouth and swallowed it whole, not even biting it down. It had a pungent and disgusting taste to it that made him want to throw up but he prevented himself by covering his mouth with his hands. The pill would be wasted if he threw up.

After a couple seconds of his body showing no reaction, the effects of the pill finally hit and Peter Roared in excruciating pain as if he was being skinned alive.

"AAAAARRGghhhhhhh!!!" He screamed so loud his voice went dry, dropping down and rolling on the floor, clenching his fists so hard, blood poured from his hands. If he knew it was going to be this painful he would've had something to bite down on and prepare for the sudden shock of pain.

It was as if every single pore on his body was being poked with a scorching hot needle and being stretched open forcefully.

Blood began trailing down from his eyes, turning the white bandage he was covering his eyes with stain red. Not only that, blood was also pouring down his nose and ears.

He then lost consciousness from the pain and his body went still.

After a couple minutes, he screamed himself up.

"AaArghhhhh!!!" Peter rolled around on the floor smacking the ground repeatedly trying to persevere through the hellish pain.

Slowly, a black, sticky, tar-like substance was being released from his pores poisoning the whole room with a rancid stench. The smell was so pungent, dead cows would get up and run.

As more and more of the tar-like sticky, black, goo was being released from his body, the pain lessened a little.

10 minutes of relentless torture passed and the process was finally over. Peter laid on the ground lifeless. He had no more energy to even lift himself and couldn't help but doze off into a deep slumber.

**

Knock! Knock!

"Young Master Peter, can I please come in? I've been knocking for the past 10 minutes. Okay, young master, I'm coming in." As Miss Rose - The Head maid - turned the knob of the door and entered the room a whiff of malodorous and putrid air attacked her nose, making her turn back and close the door immediately.

"What the f*ck was that?!" she shouted, turning her head and vomiting violently on the ground.

'I need reinforcements for this.' A suspicious smile appeared on the Head Maid's face, as she wiped her mouth.

After a couple seconds later 10 maids stood outside Peter's room in White Quarantine Suits, covering their whole bodies.

"Ready… 3…2…1… Let's go!" Miss Rose opened the door and charged in.

As the others entered the room, the sight of the Black pungent tar like substance stained all over the carpets came into view and it made 3 of the women faint.

"Get those 3 out of here. You, help me take the young master to the bathroom, we need to give him a thorough wash; I can sense he's alive and healthy so there's nothing to worry about. As for this disgusting black stuff. Burn it all with Fire magic."

"Yes madam. Right away." The maids all reluctantly replied, getting to work.