Chapter 4The Spice of Karma

I just wanted to go out and get some fresh air.

But a small street stall caught my eye.

A red cloth was spread on the ground, displaying a few bottles and jars.

Next to it stood a piece of cardboard with crooked writing.

But the message was eye-catching:

[Homemade concentrated capsaicin, colorless and odorless, extracted from Indian Ghost Peppers. Takes effect in 10 seconds, lasts for 48 hours! A must-have for home defense. A young lady's best friend for late-night commutes. Money-back guarantee if ineffective.]

I stopped in my tracks.

The vendor was a guy with bleached blonde hair, wearing a mask, squatting there scrolling on his phone.

When he looked up and saw me, his eyes lit up.

"Hey beautiful, this is my latest invention—the 'Scream at First Touch' concentrated capsaicin. Want to take a look?"

I didn't say a word, just stared at the bottles.

He continued:

"Look, you're so pretty. You definitely get harassed by creeps on your way home from work at night, right? Keep a bottle on you, and if anyone dares to get handsy, you just spray them! I guarantee they'll be screaming in agony right then and there. They'll be avoiding women for the next 48 hours."

"Is it spicy enough?"

Hearing this, the blonde guy got excited.

"I'm not bragging, I extracted this stuff myself. Three pounds of ghost peppers went into this tiny bottle."

He pulled down his mask, leaned in closer, and pointed at his mouth:

"Look! I'm the best proof!"

I gasped.

That wasn't a mouth.

They clearly looked like two sausages.

He tried to grin, stretching his lips, but the pain made the corner of his mouth twitch, and he quickly closed it.

"I accidentally touched it a couple of days ago, just a tiny bit. That night, it blew up like this. I couldn't even speak clearly. I had to eat with a straw and wait for water to cool down before sipping it slowly. It's been over two days, and the swelling hasn't gone down."

There was actually a hint of pride in his eyes.

"And you can't wash it off. Plain water is useless; the more you wash, the spicier it gets. I tried, and I almost had to call an ambulance."

I was silent for a few seconds.

"Give me a bottle."

The blonde guy quickly packed it up for me.

"Beautiful, you gotta be extremely careful."

He suddenly became serious.

"Don't get it on your hands. If you do, don't rub your eyes, don't touch your mouth. Wash it with cooking oil. Remember, cooking oil! Nothing else works!"

The liquid in the small bottle was transparent, looking no different from water.

Was this stuff really that magical?

I had some doubts.

I walked a few steps and couldn't help but look back.

Maybe the blonde guy was chased away by city management.

The stall was gone.

The person was gone too.

It was as if he had never appeared.