I bolted down Main Street threw many people. I darted my eyes around and saw a bathroom. It was outside a restaurant.
I slid to a stop and ran toward it. I bolted to the woman's section and a mirror. I looked at my face and realized the problem. I had bushy eyebrows, my lips were dry, and well my face wasn't clean. Though there is only so much you can get off in a small river.
I yanked the clothing bag up and pulled out my female dress. I sat Aden down and he turned around. He still hadn't said a word. I didn't worry about him and I got dressed. I cleaned my face with a water crank and put on a veiled hat some woman left behind. I then picked up Aden and put him around my neck but he was hidden underneath the veil. I then breathed in deeply and set outside.
I then started to walk around. I copied how I saw other graceful ladies walk. I watched as village militia ran around in search of me. Little would they know, I'm actually a woman.
I kept forward to a gate steady and unhurried. I would make it. I needed to make it.
The closer I got though, the more I felt like anything could go wrong, and wrong it did.
"There's my veil!" I heard a woman scream.
How the fuck?
I kept forward unhurried and didn't even stop.
"Hey, you!" I felt a hand come down behind me and I moved quickly to the left. "You stole my veil!" She started yelling even louder now.
"I did not steal your veil. I bought it at a shop." I calmly spoke.
"Bought it?! That veil is from the Capital! It was made by hand by the best craft men in the Capital specifically for my hair ceremony two months ago!" The lady yelled.
I raised my hand and pointed at my own self.
"This veil?" I questioned.
"Yes!" She yelled.
"Can't be," I said,
"What how can that not be?!" She exclaimed with passion.
"I bought it at a shop," I responded calmly.
This was when the woman just went speechless. I couldn't see her clearly but I could feel her getting angrier. Then again I did just completely humiliate whoever it was.
I turned back around but alas my cultivation was only so high as a man in black swooped in and ripped off the veil.
Great, just fucking great.
"It's a boy and a snake!" The woman screamed.
I whipped my head around so fast.
"I am a Woman!" I yelled anger welled up in my face as I now stared at a very attractive young girl and a couple of other well-dressed people.
What was this? Was there a convention in town?
I was so utterly confused.
Then a militia saw me.
"It's them!" He screams.
"Fuck you lady!" I yelled at her face.
I then turned tail and continued to run. This time the militia was everywhere so there weren't many places I could hide.
"Hey Aden, got any ideas." Threw out all of this we only talked in Chinese as we couldn't let people know about English.
"Roof."
A one-word response but a great one. I bolted to a hay bail and climbed on. I then jumped to another until I was the same height as a roof. I then jumped on the roof as a militiaman was coming through.
I then laid there and took large breaths. I was so tired.
"Kobe," Aden spoke quickly.
"Yea?" I looked over at his face.
"Why did you come back to me?" Aden asked.
"You're the closest thing I have to family," I replied with a smile.
"..."
"Yea, family fights, but you're still my family. You were also the first thing to be nice to me out here. It would be pretty rude to just let you be taken like that." I spoke more and then stopped.
I just looked at the sky and noticed it was evening. At night, I would move again.
I continued to lay there and breathe in and out. I kept hearing shouts but I just remained still. I also thanked whoever it was for building the front of the shop up high because I was able to shield myself from the sun.
Then as night came, I changed into my new male clothes and dropped to the ground. I then walked slowly and steadily through the village. I used my senses to know where they were as I made my way through. I just needed to get to an unguarded part in the wall or the gate and cause a distraction.
I decided on the wall as I could just climb over it easily. I came up close to one piece that was still guarded but one of the militiamen had fallen asleep. I then hurried over quietly and made my escape. I bolted through the woods and back toward Aden's home. It took me half the time though as I ran most of it. I had no interest and being in or near a village for a while.
There were too many annoying and aggravating people. It all just pissed me off and all I wanted was to just eat deer meat.
I ate some that night and slept great. The next morning, I awoke to find Aden bigger than before.
"Your awake," Aden said.
"Yep!" I yawned.
"I will tell you more about cultivation today after you eat breakfast."
I was very excited about this so I stood up quickly and ran outside to find some grapes and cook the last of the deer meat.
Then I zoomed back into the cave and squatted down.
"Cultivation in this world is set up by levels and ranks. The higher your rank and level, the more power you have. Now levels have three different parts you must get past. You have just entered Level 1 Rank 1. There are 9 Levels in each Rank. There are many ranks but almost no one can get past Rank 5. This is unless you are a prodigy."