At Soaring Cloud City's Northern Gate...
Dylan used his extraordinary speed in order to quickly reach the Northern Gate of Soaring Cloud City. He was able to quickly reach this location within half an hour of sprinting. The weird thing was he barely perspired despite crossing a long distance.
"The sheer speed and power that this body is capable of is extraordinary. This is probably stronger than those at the Limit Breaking Realm in Earth's underworld. I think I have gotten a little used to it already." Dylan said as he stretched to cool down his muscles.
"I think this is where I have to line up for." He was currently lining up for the entrance of the city as it was mandatory for any traveler to be inspected by the Gate Guards. It is to deny entrance of any form hostile and dangerous people and goods into Soaring Cloud City. This was something he was rather familiar of as Dylan Vastocean was previously a Gate Guard.
In his previous visit here, he had Victoria to accompany him. With Victoria's status as the highest tier of nobility in the country aside from the Imperial Family, they were able to easily bypass the inspection.
'Should I use the City Lord's Token already? Hm, based on Vastocean's memories, the inspection typically takes less than three minutes, sometimes as fast as a minute if you are alone. Based on the my position, it seems like it will take another half an hour or maybe even an hour.' Dylan thought since he could afford to wait.
It seemed that he was roughly at the thirtieth spot so it would probably take within an hour for him to get to the very front for the inspection.
'I'm not in a hurry so this is fine. I can organize and plan my thoughts in the meantime.' Dylan had brought out a paper and pencil as he started writing down notes pertaining to his future plans for the business.
He was quickly absorbed in his thoughts as he would only move subconsciously when he feels like the line was moving forward.
Unbeknownst to him, someone at the gates actually noticed him and went to the what seemed to be the Chief Gate Guard.
"Sir, that's Dylan, one of the former gate guards here. He is a cripple and a pushover. A complete trash." One of the Gate Guards reported.
"Yeah, he is just a muscular nerd that we order around. He won't fight back 'cause he's scared of cultivators. To think he would actually be wanted and dares to come back here for work? Shameless!" Another Guard ridiculed him as he was under the impression that Dylan was here to excuse himself for his series of no-shows.
"Who would be so dumb as to offend the City Lord? Oh, wait, that Dylan is! Hahaha." The first Gate Guard also joined in the ridicule.
The Chief Gate Guard also saw Dylan, "He does look like the portrait of the person that offended the City Lord. Make things difficult for him so we could get in the good graces of the City Lord."
"Don't worry, sir. We'll make it so that he tuck his tail and run crying!"
"Hahaha, we'll definitely obtain the favor of the City Lord!"
Half an hour later...
Dylan eventually reached the front and he was up for inspection. He recognized the two guards that were performing the inspections. He saw that these two young men in front of him had unfriendly expressions towards him.
They were Dylan Vastocean's bullies who constantly belittled and took advantage of him: Paul and Ronald. The younger Dylan had to endure their bullying just to make ends meet since he was supporting him and his sister.
===
Vivid memories of the cold stone pavement against his cheek flashed through Dylan's mind.
"Hold still, trash! You missed a spot on my greaves," Paul's harsh voice echoed from the past, his heavy iron boot planted firmly on Dylan's back, pinning him to the ground like a dying insect.
"Look at him crawling on all fours like a dog!" Ronald had laughed, casually kicking Dylan in the ribs until he gasped for air, before snatching his meager daily wages straight out of his bloodied hands. "A cripple without cultivation wants to keep his copper? Consider this your tax for breathing our air."
"Exactly, you are nothing but trash, Dylan!" Paul stepped on his hands as he mocked him
They had treated him like a footstool, deliberately tripping him while he carried heavy supply crates, forcing him to clean their mud-stained armor with his own shirt sleeves, and shoving his face into the dirt whenever he dared to look up.
The old Dylan could only tremble and choke back his tears, swallowing his blood in silence just so he could survive and take a few coppers home to his sister.
They were the main reasons that Dylan's ego and self-esteem was so damaged. Indoctrinating him with notions like "People who can't cultivate are trash.", "Cripples should not think of standing up to cultivators.", "You are nothing compared to us", etc.
===
'Pricks like these would pick a fight with people they view weaker than them, huh? How childish. But maybe I can also be a little bit childish and play along with them.' Dylan chuckled in his heart as he thought of a fun scheme. He looked back at the crowd behind him.
Dylan handed over his small pouch which only contained a bundle of paper for him to write on. He raised his hand in the air for the inspection
"Hahaha, look who it is. If it isn't our old buddy Dylan. Did you come here to do guard duty? You're terribly late! It's already past the afternoon." Paul started the inspection with sarcasm.
"We've been wondering where you've been. You suddenly went on a series of absences. The chief had no other choice but to remove you from the gate guards. But don't worry, you can come with us and we can vouch for you to the Chief so he can take you back." Ronald sarcastically shared while going through Dylan's belonging.
"Good day, Guards. I am not here to work as Gate Guard. I think that it was apparent from my absence that I no longer wish to work here. I am simply here to visit the city for personal affair. Otherwise, why would I have to fall in line if I could simply report directly to the guard post behind you wearing my uniform?" Dylan calmly answered with a serene smile while pointing towards the guard post behind Paul and Ronald.
"You..." The two were stammered. The Dylan from before would usually cower in the face of their intimidation. Yet, he was acting rather nonchalant and unbothered by their behavior.
"O-oh, I see. It seems like you've grown some balls since we last saw you! Growing more arrogant now, are we?" Paul felt embarrassed since Dylan pointed out the situation so logically. But there was nothing he could do to refute that reason since he did follow the regulations of a visitor.
"Brother, I doubt that's the case." Ronald looked at Paul and then sneered at Dylan, "There is no way that's the case. I remember you telling us that you cannot do without this job because of your sister! That it was hard to look for a job with your background!"
Paul found a renewed sense of power from Ronald's power as he quickly jumped upon that line of thought, "That's right. You kept on rambling about wishing to encounter an expert that would hopefully grant you the ability to start cultivating. That's why you always stand guard the gate!"
"If that's so, why didn't I come report to work for a week?" Dylan asked with an amused smile.
"Uh..." The two were once again at a lost for words.
"Couldn't it simply be that I found a new job?" Dylan continued.
"..." As Dylan posed another question, the two became even more uncertain.
"Brother, what do we say now?" Paul nudged Ronald and whispered, not knowing what to say.
"I don't know." Ronald was helpless faced with Dylan's questions.
Dylan did not give them any time to think, "I think that the inspection should be over now. May I go?"
"N-no!" Ronald stopped Dylan from his tracks. He felt the stare of the Chief Gate Guard, 'We promised the Chief to make him suffer. We can't let him pass the gate easily.'
"Hm, why is that?" Dylan's eyes narrowed.
"Aha, why are you hurrying to enter the City?! Suspicious behavior." Paul suddenly came up with an idea to accuse Dylan.
'Nice going, Brother! We're guards, no one will doubt us if we brand this useless trash as a danger to the city.' Ronald rejoiced because this was an angle they could pin on Dylan as a guard.
"What do you mean by this? The inspection is already done. The one's before me were able to swiftly go through the inspection." Dylan's expression turned solemn.
"Indeed. It is as my brother has stated. Why are you hurrying to the city? Inspection time can vary depending on the individual. You should know that." Ronald pressed. He deliberately raised his voice so those in line could hear this.
"How unreasonable." Dylan replied.
"Aha! Being uncooperative is an obstruction of justice. Your motives are now in-question! Follow us to the guard post for further interrogation." Paul threw out another unreasonable accusation.
"What's going on?"
"It seems there's a problem with the inspection just now."
"What did he do?"
'Hahaha, he's dead now!' The two rejoiced in their heads as they saw the people in line paying more attention to them
'So you want to publicly condemn me. Two can play it that game. You are the people who started this. After I'm done, you guys will be begging for forgiveness.' Dylan thought as he silently laughed.
"If I am suspect because I expect equal treatment, then by your own standard, every single person behind me is a criminal waiting to happen," Dylan said, his voice carrying clearly over the murmuring crowd as he turned slightly to face the long queue.
"Huh? What are you saying? That's preposterous!" Ronald said as he waved his hand.
"Exactly, it is as you've said it's preposterous to wrongfully accuse someone! Look at the line behind me," Dylan continued, pointing calmly at the dozens of waiting travelers. "You claim inspection time varies, yet for the past hour, every single traveler was processed in under three minutes. I stood in line, waited my turn according to the law, and answered every question truthfully. The moment I expect the exact same three-minute courtesy as the thirty people before me, you brand me 'suspicious' and accuse me of 'hurrying'."
He looked back at Paul and Ronald, his calm posture sharply contrasting with their flustered expressions.
"Y-you...!"
"T-that's...!"
Dylan bombarded the two with a series of questions, "So tell me, Sir Guards, is adhering to the standard AND established entry pace now a crime in Soaring Cloud City? If expecting a fair and efficient inspection makes me an immediate threat, then what does that say about your process? Are you admitting that your previous thirty inspections were completely negligent and rushed, or are you admitting that you are inventing special, arbitrary rules on the spot just for me?"
Whispers erupted from the crowd behind him. The waiting travelers, already frustrated by the delay, began nodding in agreement, directing annoyed glares toward the two guards.
"If a citizen following regulations is considered 'obstruction of justice,' then justice here is bound only by your personal mood," Dylan said smoothly.
He raised his voice just enough so everyone in line and the Chief Gate Guard could hear every word. "If you intend to detain me for simply expecting the same standard of entry as everyone else, do so publicly. But do explain to the Chief and to every merchant standing in this line whose time you are wasting; why standard compliance in the inspection is suddenly cause for arrest."
This sparked protest among the onlookers, as they sided with Dylan. Their safety has been jeopardized and the inspection looked suspicious now.
"Yeah! How else can we proceed with the inspections if we're to be incriminated by the whims of the guards?!" A merchant who had multiple push carts filled with goods shouted angrily.
"What if you falsely accuse us of crimes like this young man?! How tyrannical!" Another traveler protested.
"Is this how the Soaring Cloud City Guards are supposed to act? I should reconsider making business here!" Another entrepreneur criticized.