Looking at the kid in front of him, Apollo couldn't help but sigh. The harsh reality of the world forces even young boys to mature, knowing they won't have a place to go once the walls expand.
The threat of monsters from the nearby forest could be the reason, or perhaps it has something to do with the Lightning Tribulation. But considering this is the Mayor's doing, there must be something deeper—something more sinister.
Apollo didn't have any concrete clues for the time being, but even if he did, it's unclear whether he would help. As long as his cultivation or peace wasn't disturbed, he would let it be.
"This Miss Millie, who is she?" Apollo asked.
"Besides Brother Bubba, Miss Millie helps us a lot. She convinced the Mayor to give us a place outside the city," Don explained. "She talked to you back then, right?"
Apollo glanced at the tomb behind him, then nodded at the kid, recalling the woman he had spoken with in front of Big Chub's house. "I remember."
"Why are you asking?" Don tilted his head. "Do you want to talk to her? I can take you there. Oh! And she has really delicious milk!"
The Beggar looked at Don strangely. Come on, don't say it like that! My mind is going somewhere else! Shaking his head, Apollo couldn't help but ask, just to clarify and cleanse his thoughts, "What do you mean, delicious milk?"
"She got monster milk from the city," Don said.
"Oh, I see," Apollo smiled. "Anyway, I should get going now."
"You're leaving so soon? Why not stay here and play?" Don stared at his new friend, reluctance in his eyes.
Sorry, I don't play with kids. That's what Apollo wanted to say, but instead, he thought of another excuse. "I still have other matters to take care of. Besides, I was only here to deliver a message to Big Chub."
"Is that so…." Don nodded, smiling bitterly. "Then let me take you to the entrance!"
"Haha, no need," Apollo shook his head. "You should head back."
"Well, if you insist."
"See you," Apollo waved.
"See yo—" Don couldn't finish his words as his new friend became a blur in front of him. When he blinked, Yoma was gone. "G-ghost?!"
His whole body shivered, fear engulfing him, and he almost fainted from dizziness. However, after taking a couple of deep breaths—something he always did when scared—he calmed down a bit.
"N-no, he can't be a ghost," Don muttered, confusion etched on his face. "The others clearly talked to him… but how did he do that?"
Suddenly, one possibility crossed his mind, his eyes widening in surprise and shock. "Is he a cultivator?!"
Staring at the spot where Yoma had disappeared, amazement spread across his face, followed by excitement. "A cultivator is a friend of Brother Bubba, and he came here to pay his respects! He must be a good person! I should go tell Miss Millie!"
A savior—that's what Don believed. That kid… no, that Mr. Cultivator could help them! A glimmer of hope shone in his eyes as he bolted down the small hill toward Miss Millie's house!
It was a simple technique he had come up with casually. Deriving elements from the Hydra Mirage Technique—a movement technique that makes his body as light as a feather—and combining it with the Simple Movement Technique, he managed to turn his body somewhat transparent before running off into the distance, creating the illusion that he could vanish into thin air.
When he cultivates, and the world turns dark with only him and the Qi, his mind enters a state where he can think freely. This allows him to realize many things—some fleeting, some within reach. They linger in his mind, waiting to be tested.
Watching the shocked Don from behind a tree, Apollo couldn't help but smile with satisfaction. Astonishing and impressing others with his abilities felt somewhat rewarding. However, that trick would only work on regular people. Even a 1st-Step Foundation Building Cultivator with decent perception would easily see through it.
Shaking his head, Apollo walked back toward the city entrance from Slumstreet, passing through a hole in the wall wide enough for two people to fit through at once.
Once inside the city, Apollo didn't return to his Beggar Spot immediately. Instead, he wandered into an alley, specifically searching through the trash, hoping to find some clothes. His current attire was uncomfortable, and he looked more like a beggar than ever before.
In the first alley, he found nothing but a piece of ripped fabric. In the second, he was lucky enough to find a pair of pants. Though there was a hole in one leg, they were still better than what he was currently wearing.
He didn't put them on right away but used the Cleaning Bead first. The Bead emitted a bright light that enveloped the pants, and when the light disappeared, the pants were as clean as if they were brand new. Satisfied, he switched into them after taking off his old pair. He continued rummaging through other alleys and, after about an hour, found a dark brown robe.
Again, the Bead emitted its light, and the robe was cleaned as if new. Once he put it on, along with his pants, he looked decent enough that one might assume he was just an ordinary kid.
"This is great," Apollo murmured, still amazed at the Cleaning Bead's power. Even if someone offered him a hundred thousand gold coins… ten thousand… no, even just a hundred gold coins, he would definitely sell the Bead. Well, it's not like he couldn't buy another one anyway.
With a smile on his face, he headed back toward the street where his Beggar Spot was located. However, from a distance, he noticed a commotion in front of the Filly Restaurant.
"What's going on?" Apollo muttered, curiosity lighting up his face as he approached the restaurant. There, he saw a woman wearing expensive clothing and jewelry, speaking loudly to Filly, the owner. She was accompanied by other women and men, all dressed in similarly extravagant attire. Apollo instantly knew they were Nobles—who wouldn't? They practically announced their status by how they dressed.