Beggar Cultivation System

"A pity, I couldn't get all my prizes," Apollo muttered regretfully, taking a bite from his bread filled with eggs. He had a basket in front of him with a plate of scrambled eggs, bread, and milk—his breakfast provided by the restaurant beside him.

Thinking about all the prizes he missed made him deeply disappointed. Should I show myself and claim my rewards? Apollo considered, his mouth full of food. But they would definitely question how he survived the lightning. What if they decide to kidnap me? The thought made him shiver.

He still didn't know the personalities of the Headmasters, and it was better to be cautious than risk putting his head on the chopping block.

In the end, he decided to let the rewards slip through his fingers. Not only had he lost so many of his Alm points, but he had also forfeited his hard-earned prizes just to save himself from that lightning punishment!

The thought of it made him angry at the System for having such a strange rule. Abandoning my Beggar Spot will result in a Lightning Tribulation?! And if he really wanted to leave and find another place, he'd have to pay a fee—an expensive fee!

That fcking swindler! I'll never buy from you again! Apollo took one last bite of his bread and downed his milk in a single gulp, letting out a loud burp afterward.

"Ah…" Sighing, Apollo began to clean up, putting the basket back in the corner for Ned to collect later.

He then went back inside his Beggar Spot and looked at his clothes. He was only wearing small pants and a simple shirt, and even though he had used the Cleaning Bead on them, they still looked shabby.

I should get some new clothes. But before that, I should visit him, Apollo thought and headed out to the street. He immediately attracted stares but, already used to it, wasn't bothered. Still, he didn't want to attract the attention of the guards, so he moved quietly along the alleys and walls.

…

Slumstreet was located beside the wall, outside of Klown City.

Wooden houses lined the area, some seemingly on the verge of collapse but still standing through the test of time. People were on the street—some selling goods, others chatting with their neighbors in front of their homes.

It was a simple place, but they all had the same expression on their faces: sadness. Even though some managed to smile, their eyes told a different story.

There was a hill nearby Slumstreet where tombs were set up. Flowers were scattered on the ground, their scents battling the sorrow that hung in the air.

In front of a particular tombstone with a wooden plaque, decorated with all kinds of flowers, a boy stood, holding a piece of bread. He knelt, placing the bread in front of the plaque. "I know you're watching over us, but don't worry—I'll protect Slumstreet, just like you did."

The boy had black hair down to his shoulders and black eyes. He wore a simple shirt and ripped, wide pants.

"You should eat the bread instead," someone suddenly said, startling the boy to his feet. He quickly turned around.

"Who are you?!" the kid shouted. But upon closer inspection of the person in front of him, he let down his guard—it was another kid. "Oh, it's you."

"Don, right?" Apollo asked, smiling.

"Yes, may I ask your name?" Don tilted his head to the side innocently. He didn't act the same as he did in front of older people, unaware that the person before him was actually over a hundred years old, despite having the body of a 7- to 8-year-old.

"I'm Ap—" Apollo cleared his throat before continuing, "I'm Yoma."
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"Yoma? Nice to meet you," Don smiled and reached out his hand.

Apollo shook hands with him before returning to his earlier point. "You should take the bread and eat it. Big Chub wouldn't mind."

"So that's what you call Brother Bubba," Don said with a smile, then shook his head. "I can't do that. It's my way of showing respect."

"That's up to you then," Apollo shrugged, thinking Big Chub's real name suited him, especially given his size.

"Are you also here to pay your respects?" Don asked, squinting at Apollo, noticing the lack of any offerings.

"More or less," Apollo replied, walking in front of the tomb.

"I see," Don muttered, taking a couple of steps back to watch as Yoma stood there quietly.

Apollo stared at the plaque and let out a sigh. "I've killed the one who killed you. He'll definitely go to hell, and if you happen to be there, you should take your revenge. Beat him up—though he'll probably beat you into a pulp instead. But it's the thought that counts, so that should be okay."

There was no answer, only the wind blowing through the grass and flowers.

"But if you happen to be in Heaven… well, maybe there was a misjudgment," Apollo chuckled, shaking his head. "Anyway, you can say I've done my job by personally taking revenge, though it mainly aligned with my mission. But even if it wasn't my mission, I still would've done it."

He stood there for a while longer before turning back to the boy behind him.

"How's Slumstreet doing?" Apollo asked.

"It's the same as always—barely getting by," Don answered honestly. Then his expression turned cold, and with clenched fists, he continued, "But I heard we're getting kicked out, and our homes will be destroyed in a week or two."

"Oh?" Apollo raised an eyebrow as possible reasons came to mind. "Where did you hear that?"

"This morning, two average guards and a big one talked with Miss Millie. They said we'll have to move out… I don't remember everything, but I think they mentioned something about the walls—making them bigger or expanding them? Yeah, that's the word." Don said, looking up and nodding occasionally.

Sure enough, Apollo thought. Was this the Mayor's order? If it was, the decision to expand the walls made sense, but Apollo knew the Mayor wasn't as good as he appeared to the public. He hadn't met the Mayor personally, but he'd heard enough to paint a clear picture of Klown's character.

While expanding the walls might be a wise decision, Slumstreet would be lost in the process.

"Are they providing shelter for you guys?" Apollo asked, already knowing the answer.

"No," Don shook his head. "I don't remember their full conversation, but I know they're bad guys. So, I doubt we'll have anywhere to go after."