After a few hours of wandering the festival with Jian and his friends, we found ourselves moving away from the crowd. The city's chaotic energy faded as we reached a quieter area on the outskirts of the festival grounds. Trees lined the pathway, and the sounds of laughter and chatter grew distant, replaced by the rustling of leaves in the gentle breeze.
Jian tossed a small ball back and forth with one of the younger kids, while the others sat in a circle sharing sweets they had bought earlier. I leaned against a tree, enjoying the brief rest from the noise and commotion. For a moment, it almost felt peaceful.
But peace never lasts.
A group of older boys appeared, their tailored clothes and smug expressions immediately marking them as nobles. They strolled over with the kind of arrogance only wealth and status could provide, their eyes scanning our group with disdain.
"Well, well, what do we have here?" the tallest one sneered. His gaze settled on Jian and his friends. "A bunch of street rats enjoying our festival? How disgusting."
Jian stiffened, his cheerful demeanor vanishing in an instant. The other kids looked down, their earlier joy replaced with fear. It didn't take long to piece things together. These kids were poor, and it seemed they were used to being bullied by the likes of these nobles.
I remained silent, observing the situation. The lead bully's voice dripped with mockery as he continued, "Shouldn't you all be off begging in some alley? This isn't a place for the likes of you."
Jian clenched his fists, but he didn't say anything. I could tell he wanted to fight back but was holding himself back, likely knowing it would only make things worse. Then, unexpectedly, he muttered under his breath, "At least we don't have to buy friends."
I couldn't help it, a small giggle escaped me. It was quiet but loud enough to catch the bullies' attention. Their leader turned to me, his eyes narrowing.
"And who's this?" he asked, stepping closer. "Another stray? Or are you just a mute?"
I met his gaze without flinching. "Neither," I said, my tone calm. "I'm just enjoying the show."
The bully's face darkened. "You think this is funny?" he demanded, stepping even closer. His entourage snickered behind him, clearly expecting him to put me in my place.
"Hilarious," I replied, a smirk tugging at my lips. "You should try stand-up comedy. Might suit you better than bullying kids."
The other kids' eyes widened, and Jian's jaw dropped. The bully, however, was not amused. His face turned red with anger, and without warning, he swung a fist at me.
The punch landed on my stomach, but I didn't even flinch. A loud crack echoed through the air, followed by a cry of pain. The bully stumbled back, clutching his wrist, which was now bent at an unnatural angle.
"My hand!" he screamed, tears welling up in his eyes. "You broke my hand!"
I tilted my head, faking innocence. "Oh, did I? That's odd. I don't remember moving."
The bully's face twisted in pain and fury. "You'll regret this! My father—"
"Blah, blah, blah," I interrupted, waving a hand dismissively. "Shut up, Draco Malfoy. You nobles are all the same."
He glared at me, but his fear was palpable. I took a step forward, and he scrambled back. Slowly, I began to release the Eight Spider Lances from my back. The air grew tense as the sharp, green-tinted appendages emerged, glinting menacingly.
"Do you know how many bones are in the human body?" I asked, my tone casual but laced with a cold edge.
The bully froze, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. When he didn't respond, I guided one of the lances dangerously close to one of his eyes.
"It's polite to answer when someone asks you a question," I said, my voice dropping to a whisper.
"N-no," he stammered, trembling visibly.
I smiled, though there was no warmth in it. "There are 206 bones in the human body. You already broke one a few moments ago. Do you want to know how long it would take me to break the other 205?"
He shook his head violently, tears streaming down his face. "N-no, please! I'll do anything!"
"Good," I said, retracting the Spider Lances. "All you have to do is never mess with these kids again. Do that, and you won't ever see me again. Think you can manage that?"
He nodded desperately, scrambling to his feet and clutching his broken wrist. Without another word, he turned and ran, his lackeys following close behind. "I'll know if you don't keep your word," I shouted as the sound of their retreating footsteps faded into the distance, leaving only stunned silence.
When I turned back to the group, I half-expected to see fear in their eyes. Instead, they looked at me with wide-eyed amazement.
"That was incredible!" Jian exclaimed, his earlier fear replaced with awe. "You scared them off like it was nothing!"
"I did more than scare them," I muttered, brushing off imaginary dust from my sleeves. "But thanks."
The other kids chimed in with their praises, their earlier tension completely forgotten. Jian clapped me on the back, grinning from ear to ear. "You're like a hero!"
I raised an eyebrow. "A hero? Hardly. Heroes don't usually threaten to break every bone in someone's body."
"Well, you're our hero," he said firmly. The other kids nodded in agreement, their smiles genuine and unguarded.
As much as I hated to admit it, their gratitude felt… nice. But I wasn't about to get all sentimental. "Come on," I said, gesturing toward the festival. "We should head back before your families start to worry."
We made our way back toward the main festival grounds, the atmosphere lighter than before. Before we parted ways, I tossed Jian a small bag of gold coins.
"What's this?" he asked, catching it with a surprised look.
"For the snacks," I said casually. "Consider it a thank-you gift."
He tried to protest, but I didn't give him the chance. Before he could say another word, I disappeared into the crowd, leaving him and the others behind.
When I reunited with my family, Liu Erlong was the first to greet me. "So," she said, crossing her arms. "How was it? Kill any children while you were gone?"
I smirked. "Of course not. Although I might have traumatized a few for life."
Dugu Xin laughed, assuming I was joking. But when he caught the look on my face, his laughter faltered. "Wait, what?"
Ignoring his question, I continued walking, leaving them to wonder what had happened. Today had been… interesting, to say the least. And while I still wasn't a fan of crowded places, I had to admit the day wasn't a complete waste of time.