"Twin Snake Island... Shall we go take a look?"
Cifer left the problem to Nolan; it was her business, and she could go if she wanted, or not if she didn't.
I want to go!
"I want to know why that old man abandoned Qing Kingdom!"
Although she had a vague idea of the answer, she still wanted to hear the Security Officer say it himself.
She could not accept that such an upright and benevolent person would abandon his people.
"Um... now that I've told you everything you wanted to know, can you let me go now?"
The tall man's face was being stepped on by Lucci, and the pain and suffocation were causing him great suffering.
Lucci, however, did not act on his own initiative and instead turned his attention to Nolan.
"No matter what, they are still one of the culprits who brought about the destruction of the Qing Kingdom."
Nolan's fingers moved, and the people, including the king, who were still barely able to breathe, were now completely buried in the earth and rocks.
In the open-air palace, it was as if two tombs, one large and one small, had been erected for living people.
Meanwhile, Cifer and his group continued to enjoy the delicious food that the chefs kept serving them.
To the latter, the scene was truly horrifying, but they dared not stop serving the dishes until the other party spoke.
At this moment, numerous footsteps sounded, Euin, his face stained with blood, had led his men from outside the palace all the way to their doorstep.
Looking at the palace before them, which differed from their memories, the group would have wondered if they had come to the wrong place if Cifer and the others hadn't been there.
"Mr. Euin, this..."
The soldiers and civilians behind them, all wounded, did not rush forward but instead looked at their leader.
The latter simply waved them off, telling them not to rush, and strode into the palace, walking up to Cifer.
"Mr. Ulquiorra, could it be that you have already given the king to...?"
Looking at the surrounding scene, the chef's flustered way of serving the dishes, and the two inexplicably added earthen hills, Euin began to make a guess.
"Right in front of you, in these two piles of things."
Cifer did not respond to his gaze; it was Nolan who spoke.
"Great! I can't believe it was so easy!"
Upon hearing this, the soldiers and civilians began to shout excitedly, and some even wept bitterly.
From this moment on, the blade hanging over their heads may no longer exist.
"Aren't you getting ahead of yourselves? Success doesn't seem to be something you've achieved."
Cifer's words poured cold water on the joy of the crowd.
"It's alright... just kick him out too. This country belongs to us, and we won't allow anyone to trample on it again!"
The crowd's anger and fighting spirit did not dissipate; instead, they turned against Cifer. They raised their weapons and awaited Euin's orders.
"Ulquiorra, we have no intention of being your enemy, but you should not even think about interfering in our country!"
Euin didn't want to fall out, but he also didn't want the pirates to attack the country he loved again.
"First, recall all those stationed in the Qing Kingdom, including Rona Town, and return them to the Qing Kingdom."
Second, they sought help to rebuild the hometown of the residents of Rona Town.
Third, from this day forward, if any war breaks out between the Qing Kingdom and Basena, you will be held responsible.
Receiving Cifer's gaze, Nolan held up three fingers, stating his own request.
Basena was none of their business, and she couldn't care less what would happen to other countries.
All she wanted was to help her country return to its former state as quickly and conveniently as possible.
"How could that be... We are the victorious nation, we will not accept such a demand!"
One of the soldiers behind Euin felt that Nolan's demands were too harsh and couldn't help but object.
After all, they had fought with the Qing Kingdom for a long time, and many people had died before they finally managed to bring the entire Qing Kingdom under their control.
But to expect them to hand over the fruits of years of war with just a casual remark is going too far!
"Flying Finger Pistol - Draw!"
While he was still filled with resentment, Lucci's attack had already struck him, splattering blood everywhere, and the residual force knocked away more than a dozen soldiers and civilians behind him.
"Get this straight, we're not negotiating with you."
"If you're not willing, then kill them all and replace them with someone who is."
Lucci was eating, and Hadley, perched on his shoulder, was making sounds with a strange tone, but one could hear the contempt and impatience in his voice.
"Damn it... Mr. Euin, let's fight them!"
Seeing their comrade severely wounded, the soldiers were unable to contain their anger and wanted to rush forward and fight to the death.
"I agree to your request!"
Euin reached out to stop his men who were about to make a move, while looking at Nolan with a livid expression.
"Mr. Euin ..."
"Shut up, all of you!"
Some soldiers were unwilling, but he forcibly stopped them.
"You'd better be able to do that. I personally don't like to go on killing sprees, but my companions might not."
Cifer had finished eating. After wiping his mouth with the towel handed to him by the chef, he stood up and looked at Euin.
Seeing this, the others also stood up. Bonney seemed oblivious, still feeding herself, while the bear gently wiped her face.
"If you love your country, then protect it well."
With his last words, Cifer tore through space and departed with his crew in full view of everyone.
"Mr. Euin, why don't we fight them? So many soldiers have died in the war against the Qing Kingdom!"
At this moment, another soldier couldn't help but complain, and the others behind him echoed his sentiment, feeling that they shouldn't have given away such a large territory of the Qing Kingdom.
"Compete, compete, compete... but what do we have to compete with them on!"
Euin Yin flicked a soldier on the head, genuinely unsure whether his men were truly brave or simply foolish.
After finally liberating the country, why risk the lives of the entire nation to fight for a place that doesn't even belong to them? Isn't that just plain stupid?
Besides, they're ruthless people who can destroy dozens of islands; it's already quite generous of us not to bother with them.
"War is vile, Qing Kingdom should not have suffered such a calamity. We cannot be like that incompetent and foolish ruler."
Euin made his point very clear, and although the crowd was unwilling, they did not voice any further opinions.
Meanwhile, Cifer and the others had returned to Rona Town.
Nolan was paying respects to her parents, with Cifer and others standing behind her.
"Dad... Mother... I've become a renowned and powerful woman at sea!"
Nolan placed two bowls of wine and some food in front of his parents' gravestones, his face devoid of sadness.
She knew that if her parents knew what great things she was going to do in the future, following Captain Cifer, they would be very proud of her!
She sat in front of the tombstone, telling her parents about what she had seen and heard over the past year and about her future.
She wanted to follow that man to witness the changing times and create New World together!
After a long while, she walked up to Cifer and the others, seemingly having completely let go of her burdens, and looked much more relaxed.
"After a while, I will have Bater send someone to the East Blue to bring your uncles back here."
As they reboarded the ship and were about to leave, Cifer suddenly spoke.
"Captain Cifer is the best!"
Nolan's face flushed as she took his arm.
The journey to the Qing Kingdom has come to an end.