Slaying a Celestial Dragon

"Once you're out, head east. Someone will meet you there and help you escape."

After thanking him, everyone came before Lin Qi, bowed deeply, and left.

Ding! Congratulations, you have completed the first-stage mission. Claim the reward?

"No."

He had just rescued the slaves from this prison when an explosion suddenly sounded in the distance.

Though the explosion was not loud, Lin Qi knew he had to hurry.

Without stopping, he rushed toward the next prison.

Because of the earlier explosion, the Guards here were already on alert.

When they saw Lin Qi enter in black robes, a group of Guards surrounded him and bowed obsequiously. "Do you need something, sir? Does another lord require fresh slaves?"

Lin Qi: "..."

"One Sword Style: Night Phantom!"

Lin Qi's blade left its sheath like a ghost, slicing through the night sky. Before the Guards could react, their heads had already fallen to the ground.

"Enemy attack!"

"Who are you? How dare you cause trouble here?" The prison Guards drew their weapons in horror, standing ready.

It was too terrifying. They had not even seen how their companions had died.

Knowing he needed to end this quickly, he exhaled a breath of cold air. "One Sword Style: Heavenly Guardian."

Lin Qi moved too fast to be seen clearly. He seemed to teleport to another position and sheathed his sword.

Riiip—

The instant the blade returned to its sheath, countless lines of blood burst across the remaining Guards' bodies, reducing them to a pile of mangled flesh.

Seeing this, the prisoners in the cells could no longer stay still. They all crawled to the bars and stared out eagerly.

"Sir, are you here to save us?"

Using the keys taken from the prison Guards, Lin Qi opened the cells one by one.

"That's right. Once you're out, head east. Someone there will take you away."

"Wuwuwu... We will never forget your great kindness, sir."

Some were covered in blood and filth, with not a single patch of uninjured flesh on their bodies. Some had had three of their limbs sawn off by idiots. Some had eyeballs hanging outside their sockets.

Yet at that very moment, a light called hope blossomed in their eyes once more.

Cell after cell opened. When he reached the last one, Lin Qi found that it was extravagantly built from Seastone.

When he unlocked the thick, sealed door, he found the cell pitch-black and exceptionally soundproof, completely cut off from the outside world.

Only four slaves were imprisoned inside.

Four girls.

Two were fat, one was thin, and one was little more than skin and bones.

Three looked around fourteen or fifteen, while the last appeared to be only five or six.

Without exception, they were dressed in rags and covered in dirt like beggars.

They were so filthy that their features were impossible to make out, let alone whether they were pretty.

Upon hearing someone enter, the three older girls merely buried their heads tightly against their knees, neither looking up nor speaking.

The five- or six-year-old girl stared blankly at Lin Qi, a foolish smile still hanging on her face.

Lin Qi could see their wariness. He did not approach too closely and spoke softly from a short distance away. "You're free now."

The four girls seemed not to have heard him and did not react.

Boa Hancock sneered inwardly. They had seen those disgusting Celestial Dragons give people hope countless times, only to crush it with their own hands.

This was probably another trick by the Celestial Dragons. If they dared to run, they likely would not live past tomorrow.

The room was completely sealed off, so they had not seen Lin Qi kill the prison Guards. Naturally, they did not trust him.

Lin Qi sighed. They were all pitiful people.

He had wanted to call someone in to prove it, only to find that everyone had long since fled.

He walked over to the youngest girl, crouched in front of her, and spoke as gently as he could. "How did someone so young end up locked in here? Did you eat a Devil Fruit too?"

There was no focus in the girl's lifeless eyes. She merely said foolishly, "A Devil Fruit... I can eat it. As long as you don't beat me, I'll do whatever you tell me to."

Hancock's ears twitched. She raised her head and said mockingly, "You're even trying to deceive children now?"

"So you're willing to talk now. What are your names?"

With an expression that said, Let's see how long you can keep pretending, Hancock replied coldly, "Hancock. Boa Hancock."

Seeing her older sister speak, the other two followed suit. "Marigold."

"Sandersonia."

"That brat is called Koala."

So they really were the Hancock sisters! And Koala was an unexpected bonus!

Lin Qi had vaguely sensed that these girls were not ordinary, which was why he had been willing to say so much to them.

What surprised him was that he had thought of the Empress, but had not expected Koala to come as an extra.

The future renowned heroines were only fourteen or fifteen this year, while one was merely five or six.

These girls all have potential. Maybe I can try some Loli Raising. Lin Qi stroked his chin.

Nothing was more fulfilling than Loli Raising.

"Eh? Dad, why are so many people lying here? Are they sleeping?"

"Idiot, they're dead."

"Probably some game another branch is playing. Ignore them. Let's see if there are any fun slaves left."

One foolish voice and one cruel, excited voice rang out through the prison full of corpses.

Mary Geoise was simply too peaceful, and the Celestial Dragons had far too many bizarre pastimes. They did not even consider the possibility of an enemy invasion when they saw such a scene.

"Dad, come quickly! There are still living people here!"

The door to Lin Qi's room opened, and two Celestial Dragons wearing glass helmets and bloated clothing, both shaped like fat pigs, walked in.

"Son, what kind of trash did you find? Look at those people on the floor. They're so weak that they'd probably die from one slash."

"But the one standing there isn't bad. I'll hang him up and use him as a target."

"But Dad, he doesn't seem to be a slave."

"Stupid son, whether he's a slave or not is just a matter of one word from us."

The moment the two Celestial Dragons entered, Hancock and her sisters began trembling like sieves.

Beside them, Koala was so frightened that she did not dare move, doing her best to keep the smile on her face.

"Bastard, why aren't you kneeling when you see us? Are you looking for death?!" The middle-aged Celestial Dragon suddenly raised the gun in his hand.

"You two... really piss me off."

Lin Qi suddenly raised his head and swung his sword. The man's gun-holding arm flew into the air.

"Aaaaaah!!!"

"I'll kill you!"

As a Celestial Dragon, when had he ever suffered such an injury? The man rolled around on the ground in agony, tears and snot streaming down his face.

"Dad, Dad, it doesn't hurt, right?" the other fat Celestial Dragon asked stupidly.

"Your dad doesn't feel any pain." Lin Qi stepped on the Celestial Dragon and chopped off his head with one slash. "Because he's already dead."

Ding! Hidden mission triggered: Kill a Celestial Dragon. Congratulations, you have completed the second-stage mission. Claim the reward?

"No."