After exiting the cavern Xi Shen quickly made his way back to where he left Jun. Since he left him it had been a couple of hours, so the morning had passed to quickly welcome the afternoon. Though despite what one might think, the afternoon weather had a bad feeling to it as dark clouds formed in the sky, discarding an unpleasant gloominess down below on everyone.
Xi Shen had taken off the mask and was still in the badly burnt robes as before.
On his way, not one person took a second glance at his tattered attire. This was the slums, there were plenty of people who were in a more ragged attire.
Coming to a stop at his destination, Xi Shen paused and used his Heavenly Physique to heighten his sense to locate Jun’s Saint Physique aura. Xi Shen then followed this trail and headed for Jun.
Meanwhile, in a certain back-alley in the slums, a little over a dozen nervous-looking beggar boys were kneeling on the grotesque ground with their heads bowed.
Sat in front of them on a cushioned crate was a rather skinny-looking man, who was around his mid-thirties at a height of 5’4.
He was one of the Seven Leaders in the slums, and contrary to his name Big Boss, he was on the smaller side in terms of body build.
However because of his position, he had a bit of muscle mass on him unlike most people in the slums, as well as these beggar children in front of him.
So it was no surprise that a battered and bloodied face Jun was badly hurt from his beatings.
He was laying off to the side, trying to stifle back his sobbing from the pain he was feeling. He could tell that one or two of his ribs was broken, given that his entire left side felt like it was on fire.
He shifted a little to get in a better position to ease the pain, but the shift immediately aggravated his injuries and he had to bite down hard on his lips to not let out a sound. He was afraid if he did, he would give Big Boss more reason to continue beating him.
From the occasional glares of displeasure he sent his way, it didn’t seem he was satisfied with his previous work.
“You see this you little shits? This is what will happen to any of you if you don’t bring in some earnings. This bastard went the third day this week without getting anything. After I took in the lot of you, clothed you, fed you, and even protected you, you dare to come back empty-handed?!”
Big Boss said with a rather cruel and twisted look on his face.
“Have this be a lesson to all of you. Even if you have to give up an arm and a leg, don’t you dare come back to this place without any earnings!”
He shouted once again, which bounced off the building walls that were on opposite sides and echoed loudly into the kneeling children's ears.
He was cruel and harsh towards them, completely disregarding the fact that they were kids and instead was treating them like ant workers.
He was what you would call a tyrant and a bully who had no position being in charge of anyone. But somehow he had rose head and shoulders above the people in the slums and became one of the Seven Leaders.
That was a testament, that to survive in the slums one had to be completely cruel to others and only selfishly think of one’s interests. If something, god forbid, got in the way of those interests, then make it so that thing never does it again.
After his shout, Big Boss shot a frightening and threatening glare at Jun on the ground.
“You cursed freak, the last time I warned you what would happen if you messed up for the third time. Because I’m too soft-hearted on you little shits, I gave a three strike count on when you could miss a day of earnings. But now your three streaks are up, you're out.”
When Jun heard that his heart shudder.
“I’ll deal with you after this.”
Jun began to panic even more upon hearing those further words.
Big Boss then turned his gaze back to the kneeling kids, and shouted, “Number 14!”
After his shout, Big Nam got up from his kneeling position and approach Big Boss.
At the feet of Big Boss were four bags, taking up the slightly puffier bag he said, “You're the biggest contributor this week as well, keep it up.”
Despite his praise, Big Boss’s tone was cold and detached, his expression showed not one ounce of warmth.
Big Nam received the bag, but he suddenly shot a glance at Jun.
“What? You want to join him?”
Big Nam’s body shook, and he immediately turned his gaze from Jun and went back to his kneeling position.
Big Boss snorted, and then called the last three kids to collect their share.
Asides from Big Nam, not one of them felt overly joyous of their share. Compared to what they had gathered for the past week, Big Boss was only dividing up 15% to give them their share.
By the time the week ends it would be all gone, resulting in them depending on next week's money.
It was a cruel tactic by Big Boss to make it so they become dependent on working for him. If he gave them too much they might get thoughts of trying to save up, he couldn’t have that.
After distributing all the shares he dismissed all of them.
When everyone left, Big Boss’s gaze turned to Jun.
“Now to deal with you.”
Jun’s heart let out a thud.
‘What is he going to do to me? Is he going to kill me? But I only missed three days, he can’t.’
Jun began fearing for his life, and thoughts of escaping plagued his mind, but his body was in no condition to be moving.
Seeing the panicked look on his face, Big Boss said, “Don’t worry kid I ain't gonna kill you that would be a waste.”
‘He’s not lying.’
Jun thought as his eyes flickered with an imperceptible light.
The names were given to Jun, even back in the orphanage he grew up in, were things like no good Jun, or curse child.
That was because he couldn’t tell a lie.
This sounds like a wonderful trait a priest or a monk would want, but being in the situation he was in, where people put their self-interest above others while scheming and executing conniving plans were the norm, Jun was a defective tool.
His orphanage was poor despite it being in the Inner City, so he had developed a habit of stealing from a young age.
There was once an event when he was eight, where he had stolen goods from a local vendor. After taking some for himself, he distributed the rest to people he would call friends in the orphanage.
He was found out. Someone had recognized him as someone from his orphanage.
The local authorities approached the orphanage and questioned all the male kids who match the description.
They question Jun, and obviously, this was where he lie, but for some reason, he blurted out it was him. Upon further questioning, they found the ones he had shared the stolen goods with.
They were kids so punishment like jail was out of the question, but the Orphanage itself was the one that took the blame and had to cough out compensation for the stolen goods they didn’t have.
For three months, the children in the orphanage had it worst than before with barely anything to eat, even the adults themselves.
They blamed Jun and the others, while the people he once called friends blame him for everything.
This was a somewhat small case, but this was the first time it had happened to him. From then on the consequences of this curse placed on him kept getting worse and worse until it was known of his inability to lie. His previous name, which was long forgotten by him, was replaced with insults and names like no good Jun.
And it didn’t help the fact that he was also being forced by some inexplicable force to request punishment for any wrongdoings he had done. Jun had found multiple ways to navigate around this curse, like not getting into a conversation where someone asks him a question by skillfully changing the subject, or just talking over them. Or he would just downright run away from the person before a question could be asked.
Once someone asked him a question, he had to stand still and answer it truthfully. Jun really believed he was cursed.
But with all the bad things this curse had caused to happen to him. All the ridiculous or horrifying situations he had gotten himself in because he was forced to tell the truth at all times.
There was one thing that Jun was grateful for about this curse.
As he looked at Big Boss, a white glow that encapsulated his entire body appeared in Jun's eyes.
When Big Boss said those words before, about him not going to kill him, that white aura around him didn't change to a blood-red color.
Updated from fr𝒆ewebnov𝒆l.(c)om