Chapter 76 Cash Cow

As she walked toward Mystic Oasis Inn, she couldn't shake the image of David getting beaten up by a group of women in the alleyway. She knew she should have done something then, but she didn't know what was going on.

But now, she felt a slight, tiny, little bit of guilt for not helping David. She decided to go back and check if he was okay. She cautiously approached the alleyway, looking around to make sure no one was watching. As she entered the alley, she heard a soft groan coming from behind a dumpster.

She walked towards the sound. There, lying on the ground, was David. Someone took out the trash bags and placed them on David, he was covered up in trash bags. Suzuka pulled him out of the trash pile and leaned him against the wall.

 He was badly beaten, with bruises and cuts covering his face and body. He hasn't recovered from last quest injuries as well. Suzuka knelt down beside him, thinking, "God admit, even if he is a creep and stalker, it would leave a bad taste I'm my mouth to leave him here to die. Clearly, no one cares about him, he was covered in trash bags, and no one cared to help him." She knew she had to get him out of there and get him some help.

She helped David with her shoulder, trying not to cause him any more pain. She made her way out of the alley and headed straight to the alchemic, where she knew she could find the healers who could help David. 

 She hoped that the alchemist would be able to assist them. Suzuka took David to Alchemic to help him with the injuries. She led him through the doors of the alchemic shop. 

"Good evening, sir," Suzuka greeted the alchemist politely. "May we get a little bit of help? I found this man and he needs assistance. I don't know him and I've never seen him before, but I would like to help him." Suzuka lied, she don't want to associate herself with David.

The alchemist gave them a frank response. "My apologies, but I don't handle charity. If you pay, I will help. If not, please leave my shop."

Suzuka approached the alchemic with a calm look on her face, her coin purse jingling in her hand. "I have 5 silver coins and 214 copper coins," she said, laying the coins on the counter. "What can I get with that, please consider the discount for the adventurer and the MBPU."

The alchemic gave a quick glance at David, who was injured and in need of immediate medical attention. He rustled through his drawers, searching for something that would be of use to Suzuka.

After a moment, he placed a small, sparkling crystal on the counter. "Well, the best offer I can give you is this Minor healing crystal," he said. "It will not heal him to full health, but it will stop the bleeding and close his wounds, and help to heal the bruises. But he will need at least a week to fully recover from his injuries."

Suzuka grudgingly paid the hefty sum to the alchemic, all for the sake of saving the life of David. Despite her reservations about him, she couldn't bring herself to just let him die. However, she was far from happy about it. In her mind, David was a stalker, a pervert, a creep, and an enemy of women everywhere.

As she walked out of the shop, she carried David to a secluded back alley and gently placed him on the ground. She then took the life-saving crystal from her pouch and placed it in his hand. As she watched his body lay motionless, she grew anxious. She needed him to come to, and fast.

With a loathing look on her face, Suzuka reached down and delivered a resounding slap to David's cheek. "Come on, wake up!" she yelled. "Infuse some mana into that crystal. It will make you feel better."

David groaned as he slowly came to. He looked up at Suzuka with the disorder, his mind still foggy from his near-death experience. He hardly focused on the crystal in his hand, with a slight burst of mana, he infused the crystal.

 To his relief, he felt a faint tingle as the magic flowed through his body, and he could feel the effect immediately. The bleeding from his wounds slowed, then stopped completely. His skin knitted back together, closing the wounds and erasing the evidence of injury. The bruises on his body faded, and the pain he had been feeling subsided.

However, the strain of using magic had taken its toll on David, and he soon lost consciousness once again. This time, though, he was not in critical condition. The crystal's magic had done its job, and he would be able to recover with just a few days' rest.

Suzuka leaned David at the wall of the back alley and then stepped back. She knew she had to leave him there. With a sigh, Suzuka turned and made her way back to the Mystic Oasis Inn. She was exhausted mentally, and all she wanted to do was collapse into bed.

Suzuka made her way to the hot spring bath, eager to soak her weary body. She immersed herself in the hot water, letting the heat seep into her bones and ease the tension in her muscles. She closed her eyes and let out a deep sigh, feeling the stress of the day begin to melt away.

After her bath, Suzuka dried off and made her way to her room. She climbed into her soft and warm bed, pulling the covers up to her chin. She was asleep within minutes.

A new day has dawned, and Suzuka eagerly jumps out of bed. Despite the grey sky overhead, there are no signs of rain and she is fixed on making the most of the day ahead. With a sense of urgency, she hurries through her morning routine, eager to start the herb-gathering quests. 

Suzuka is dead set to finish these quests as soon as possible and hopes to be able to complete them all by the end of the day. 

As she neared the hunters guild, she noticed several women with piercing gazes fixed upon her, their expressions filled with scornful insult. Suddenly, a stunning woman appeared in front of her, blocking her path with an air of elitist arrogance.

 The two women who had been eyeing her moments before now emerged from behind, sandwiching her in a menacing triangle. The atmosphere was tense, and the threatening energy radiating from these women was strong. She wondered what kind of trouble she was walking into as she casually asked, "And? What would be a problem?"

The woman blocking her path spoke with a charming smile, "Excuse me, but would you be so kind as to accompany us into this charming alleyway for a moment? We have a matter of utmost importance to discuss with you, and it would be ever so lovely if you could spare a few minutes of your time." The woman's polite demeanor and the warm invitation were hard to resist, making the request all the more intriguing.

Suzuka complied and followed the mysterious figures into the dimly lit alleyway, she had a pretty good idea of what it was. Suzuka was sure that this was a shakedown, and with a slight excitement, she followed the woman with the expectation of trouble.

 Suzuka was attacked by thieves and bullies in the past, but she always beat them up and took their money instead, so she recognized the pattern here. As she ventured deeper into the alleyway, she was met by two more imposing women and two rough-looking adventurers standing further in the back.

 Their stances were aggressive and their expressions cold, making it clear that they meant business. The atmosphere was tense, and Suzuka felt an exciting shiver run down her spine as she realized she was right. She braced herself, she was ready for a fight.

The five women closed in around Suzuka, their polite act suddenly dropping as the leader of the group stepped forward. Her voice was cold and menacing as she threatened Suzuka.

"Listen up, you little village slut. I won't say this again. Leave our cash cow, David, alone or you'll regret it. We'll carve up that pretty face of yours and leave you in a mess. Don't think for a second that we won't do it. We're not playing games here. You cum guzzling slut."

Suzuka said with great disappointment in her voice, "Oh for fuck sake, it's about David again? Look, bitches. I couldn't care less about David, I followed you here expecting a shakedown and to beat a living shit out of you fools. But if that is not the case I will be leaving. What a fucking disappointment."

But the woman didn't let that go, "What did you call us? You dam twat! We will show you bitches, when we have done with you, you will be the only good little bitch here. You back alley whore!"

They signaled to the adventurers that were standing further away in the alleyway. Suzuka stopped and waited to see what will happen next, expecting a fight, "Okay, getting better I see. I will get to warm up after all."

The two adventurers walked up and stood tall in front of Suzuka, the woman start talking, "That's the bitch you need to teach a lesson to, beat her, cut her, brake her arms or legs, fuck her if you want, just make sure she gets the point to not mess with us ever again. Make her your little bitch if you have to."

But the two adventurers' intimidating facades crumble after a few moments of looking at Suzuka, "Wait for a second! That's Helen, from our guild! Bitches! Did you set us up or something? This woman here is with Olivia! And to make things worse, we can't fight fellow adventurers from the same guild, we will get kicked! We paid a big coin to enter we won't blow it for a petty few silver coins. Bye, we are out!"

Suzuka was getting bored from the lack of action and decided to taunt them a little, "Come on boys, make the first swing, I'll give you a free shot. Come on, don't be shy, I won't tell anybody."

But her taunt had no effect, the adventurers turn and left leaving five women behind. The leader of the woman's group shouted at them as they walked away, "Damn coward! Chicken shits! How can such a pussies pass the adventurers test?! Huh? Fine! I will teach this slut a lesson myself!"

She turned back to Suzuka and started to ridicule her, "Well, countryside pumpkin, looks like I will have to make you my bitch myself. When I am done with you, you will be walking like a dog, on a lech!"

Suzuka couldn't care less about her hurtful words being thrown at her. She didn't care at all, in fact, it amused her. Because she knew that only powerless losers go for insulting. 

The woman walked into Suzuka's face and started to trash-talk her, "You damn bitch, just because you have a little bit of a pretty face don't get so full of yourself. What's with all the get-up? Playing adventurers? I bet it turns these loser adventurers on, and you joined just to get boned by all of the men in that guild, what a slut. But you better leave our sissy cash cow David alone, he is our bitch."

Suzuka rolled her eyes and was about to turn and leave when she heard the last words coming out of the woman's mouth, "You better go fuck that slutty bitch Olive freak, she is your bitch, or the other way around?"

Suzuka was indifferent to the opinions and ridicule of others. She was unfazed by their insults and barbs and remained stoic and unaffected. However, when she heard the way she spoke of Olivia, something deep inside her stirred.

 It was a feeling she had buried long ago, a feeling she thought she had successfully repressed. But now, as she heard the words, they rose to the surface like a tidal wave, cutting her deeply and leaving her feeling wounded. 

The pain was like a sharp knife, slicing through her heart and leaving her feeling vulnerable. This emotion was one that she had only ever felt when her parents, or anyone she loved, had been mocked and belittled. For the first time in a long time, Suzuka was filled with intense and powerful emotion, and she felt as though she was being torn apart from the inside out.

The anger started to rise from within her, her eye twitched from anger as she looked at the woman.