Scritch, scritch scrith...

"Driver, there's a scratching sound coming from the roof."

"Hmph, ignore that. It's those spirit crows causing trouble again!"

That didn't work? Mei was scratching the roof with a knife she found in her bag. Right, she bought it over two months ago and forgot about it...

At first, she was a bit worried that would be going too far, but it was already covered in them to begin with. No problem adding a few more then!

So this man even managed to anger random crows, huh?

"Ghuaaaaaa..." she made a weird low noise.

"Driver? I don't think that is the sound of a crow!" a passenger said anxiously.

"Hah! Those stupid birds already learnt to speak Chinese long ago. This isn't the first time they've done this!"

...why did it feel like she was scaring the passengers more than the driver? And her antics had already been tried by some random birds?!

"You get crows harassing you on the regular? Did you anger them somehow?"

"How would I know? They're probably just messing with me for fun!"

"Shouldn't you do something about it then?"

"Believe me, I tried! A few weeks ago, I mounted spikes all over the roof, but they covered them with piles of mud and sticks, then laughed as they sat anyway! It took ages to clean!"

Mei: ...

Those crows were quite something.

Now assured, the passengers had a laugh with the driver as they chattered.

Okay, fine! Then...

Mei lowered her head, letting her hair dangle over the roof, into view.

"Oh, those crows are at it again! To think they'd even have a wig on hand!" one of the passengers chuckled.

"That's actually the first time I've seen them do that. These pesky birds..."

He reached out and yanked Mei's hair, pulling hard!

Ow ow ow!

She almost screamed, grabbing the driver's arm with both her hands, trying to shake it off. Then, suddenly remembering she had the token glued to her, she teleported back to the flag.

Her scalp was tingling from that...

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"...driver. I-I don't think crows have human hands..." the same passenger stammered.

"Maybe we imagined it..."

The carriage began to quieten down.

----------------------------------------

At last, after several hours of clinging to the flag like some sort of weird monkey, Mei arrived to the city!

Tiangou was a huge mountain covered in a myriad of buildings. It was to the point where most of the rock wasn't visible. But through its middle, the massive canyon snaked through, dividing it in half! Countless bridges connected the divided mountain, flocks of birds flying through. Even on the inside, the walls were still lined with buildings.

Mei couldn't help but stare in awe.

"Hey! That carriage over there!" a man yelled.

Eh? Mei turned over and saw it was one of the guards at one of the many city gates who had shouted.

"Why is there someone clinging to your flag?"

Crap! Mei quickly teleported behind a nearby bush.

"Huh? Weird, I must have imagined it..."

"It really is a ghost!" the driver yelled.

He quickly ran out of the carriage, along with the passengers who were just as pale. The concerned guard listened as they recounted what had happened. Okay... maybe she went too far. And it wasn't like the passengers did anything to her.

Oh well.

Mei watched as the guards talked to the incoming carriages. From the looks of it, they required some sort of identification... Urgh. But she still could get in easily! With a swift teleport to one of the roofs in sight, then into an alleyway, Mei had snuck past the gates.

To her surprise, a beggar was already in the alleyway, jolted awake by her sudden appearance. He stared at her in alarm.

"I heard there was a famous pharmacist in the city. Where do I find his shop?" she asked.

"Huh? Why would you ask me?" he scowled.

Hm...

Mei suddenly had an idea. With a grin under her mask, she took out a jade, holding it up to the little light from the gap above.

The beggar widened his eyes, dropping the dirty pillow he had been hugging.

"I'll take you right there, esteemed cultivator!" he said eagerly, putting his hand to his chest.

Mei felt a bit smug as he took the jade from her happily, looking as if he would kiss it at any moment. So this was what it felt like to be rich? She could get behind that. Technically, she could have simply found someone else to ask, but she wanted to see his reaction.

She followed as the beggar led her with a joyful bound, passersby giving her a strange look.

Soon, they arrived before a tall, imposing store made of glass, proudly displaying their countless medicines. "Baiwan Pharmacy" was written boldly on a sign stuck to it.

...weren't some medicines supposed to be kept away from sunlight?

Mei was about to walk in when she realised there was an attendant checking each of the customer for identification as well.

...

Gah!

Mei turned around angrily. After all she hitched a ride on an uncomfortable roof for hours, this?

"What's wrong?" the beggar asked.

"...I lost my identity card."

"Tsk tsk tsk." the beggar wagged his finger. "I can tell you're lying! You didn't have one to begin with!"

"Huh?"

"After years of living through the street, I have learnt to see through lies! It's as clear as water to me!"

Mei wasn't exactly sold on that logic.

The beggar turned around, tossing her something. Mei caught it, peering at it curiously. It was a bronze token with the words "Beggar's Association" on it. What the...

"I am Bagai, a proud member of the association! How can I sell out a benefactor?"

Mei: ...

For money perhaps?

"Ahem!" he coughed. "Anyway, get me a proper outfit. I will buy it for you!"

Huh. Even this beggar had an identity card? Wait, if this guy was buying it for her, wouldn't that mean he would need to hold on to heaps of her jade while she waited outside?

Mei narrowed her eyes. Was he trying to run off with her money? Maybe he would secretly change to a different outfit, then run out of a different entrance.

Hmph. But with her powerful soulsense, she'd be able to find him regardless!

Not to mention how she could teleport easily. Mei thought about it for a moment before deciding to agree. If he did do as promised, then she'd have found someone to buy on her behalf. If he was scamming her... heh, he wouldn't get away with it!