It had been about a week since Xiang had left home. In that time, she hadn't seen a single person. It had been just trees, grass, and the occasional animal. Some of those animals even got close and allowed her to pet them. For the most part, though, it was just her and the journal she used to log her days.
Just when it seemed like she'd never see another person, she saw what appeared to be a group of people headed in the direction she was coming from. After a little more walking, she got closer enough to confirm they were, in fact, human beings. A group of four males wearing villager clothes, armed with swords. This was a good opportunity to asked where the next village was. Her food supply was running low and she needed to restock.
Once they were close enough, she waved them down. "Excuse me," she said. "I don't mean to inconvenience you, but might you direct me to the nearest village?"
The men stopped and looked her up and down, each giving her a look she wasn't very fond of. "Well, hello, milady," one of them said. "Surely, a pretty lass like you ain't out here all alone."
She heard one of the men whisper to another one, "Get a load of those legs."
Perhaps this wasn't a good idea. She didn't like the energy they were putting out. She looked away and sped up her walk. "I'm sorry to have disturbed you."
Two of the men ran in front of her while one wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "S'no trouble at all, lass. What did you need? To find the next village?" He pointed down the road. "S'bout a day and a half that way. You can't miss it."
She took his arm off her shoulder and bowed. "Thank you." As she turned to walk away, she felt him grab her arm. "Please let go."
"Why are you in such a hurry, lass?" he said. "We did you a favor. That means you owe us." He toyed around with the hem of her shorts with his other hand. "You got a lot of assets we'd be willing to accept as payment."
She elbowed him in the face and said, "Stop that!"
He let go of her shorts and her arm, checking his nose as he stumbled back. Upon coming to a stop and seeing blood from his nose on his hand, he exclaimed, "You dirty wench!"
"Please," she said. "I don't want any trouble."
One of the two men blocking the road reached out to grab her. "We'll teach you a lesson."
She floored him with a roundhouse kick.
The other drew his sword and laughed. "Whatcha gonna do now?"
She ran in and punched him in the chest, sending him flying thirty feet back, where he hit the ground a skidded another twenty feet, and lied unconscious.
"Please stop this madness," she pleaded. "You're supposed to be human beings."
The fourth man drew his sword and said, "Take of your darned clothes or I'll cut 'em off!"
"So this is what it's like out in the world," Xiang said. She felt her heart break. She expected better. And it looked like she wasn't getting away without a fight, so she got into her stance. "Then come at me and be crushed."
He charged her sword first. He intended to run her through.
She took a deep breath and time slowed down. Then, she stepped forward, rearing back for a punch. When he was within two sword lengths, she punched at the sword, stopping just short of the tip.
The sword broke and the man tripped and fell with a useless stump of a weapon.
"What the heck?" one of the men asked.
Xiang got back into her stance. "Your swords are useless against my Burst Fist technique. I doubt your bones would fare much better. But, if you wish to continue, come at me."
The men ran away, crying, "It's not worth it!"
She relaxed when they were a safe distance away. She hadn't been prepared for such individuals. A woman of lesser skill would have been...used. It was hard to believe people like this existed.
Her gaze shifted to the man she punched out. He was starting to stir. She walked over to him and knocked him out again with a kick. "Pig." Satisfied, she continued on her way.
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