New Subordinates

"Hiss! Should I attach some special body parts to him? Like Masira's arm or a tiger's teeth, to make him even stronger."

In a mansion on the side, Hogback stood in front of the operating table, looking at Heckle with a somewhat excited expression.

"Masira and tigers?"

Heckle chuckled and said, "Their strength may not be able to match mine."

"All you need to do is focus on your treatment," Ace's voice rang out from afar. "Don't do anything useless."

"What a pity."

Hogback was performing surgery on Heckle. Although the injury was horrific, it was nothing to a world-renowned doctor like Hogback.

"I really didn't expect that the captain of the Whitebeard Second Division would appear here."

Hogback made a conversation while performing the surgery.

"Don't get distracted, focus on the surgery," Ace said coldly upon hearing this.

"Don't worry, it's just a minor surgery."

Hogback said, "How about we discuss what's next? I'm just a doctor, I pose no threat to you. I'll treat him, and you can let me go, okay?"

Ace looked at Hogback and said, "I'm not the boss, I have no right to decide your fate. But if you heal Heckle, I believe the boss will spare your life."

"Boss? Could it be Whitebeard?" Hogback paused, looking at Ace.

"Of course not, I've temporarily left the Whitebeard Pirates," Ace said with a shrug.

"This..."

Hogback frowned, about to say something, but a deafening roar came from afar.

Thump, thump.

Ace immediately went outside and saw Xia Qiu, saying, "Heckle has been treated by Hogback."

Xia Qiu didn't reply, but looked around. Ace looked into the distance, frowned, and said, "What are you doing?"

In the shadows, some pirates who had been secretly observing the area quietly left.

They were all people whose shadows had been taken by Moria, and they were not yet dead, temporarily residing on the island.

They noticed the battle just now but dared not approach.

But with Moria's death and the return of the shadows, they quietly arrived.

"It really is Fire Fist Ace."

There are people who were arrested in the last three years who knew about Ace. Now that they have seen him in person, they have confirmed his identity.

They passed messages to each other and slowly emerged from the darkness.

"We came here to express our gratitude."

A figure stepped forward and said, "Thank you for saving us."

Upon hearing this, Ace said helplessly, "No need to thank me. I didn't come here to save you."

"But no matter what, you are our benefactor."

The figure in the distance bowed to Ace, Ace waved his hand and said, "Alright, you can leave here, but don't leave the island for now."

"Good."

One figure after another walked away into the distance, but one figure remained.

"Um?"

Ace looked at the other person and saw a woman with a peculiar face, standing there awkwardly.

"Is there anything else?" Ace asked, looking at the other person.

"You saved me, and I have no way to repay you but to offer myself to you."

The woman quickly said, "Please marry me."

Hearing this, Ace was stunned, but Xia Qiu opened his mouth with delight. This woman should be Big Mom's daughter, Lola, if there were no surprises.

"Sorry, I refuse," Ace said helplessly.

"Failed again."

Lola shook her head, left sadly, and disappeared into the distance.

"President, if you want to laugh, then laugh."

Ace looked at Xia Qiu's appearance and said helplessly.

"Cough cough."

Xia Qiu coughed, flicked his front paw, and threw Perona out, saying, "Tie her up first, then wake her up."

"Good."

Ace immediately went forward, went back into the house to get bandages, tied Perona up, and then poured water on Perona's head.

"Ah."

Perona opened her eyes, panting heavily, trying to move, but found herself restrained. She struggled a couple of times, looked into the distance, and saw Xia Qiu.

Xia Qiu immediately opened her mouth, revealing her sharp teeth.

"Ahhhhh!"

Perona screamed, saw Ace not far away, and immediately shouted, "You, you have to make it go back!"

"Sorry, I can't control it," Ace said with a smile.

"Are you afraid of me?" Xia Qiu's voice rang out from not far away.

"Of course."

Perona answered instinctively, but then realized something and glared at Xia Qiu, "You can talk."

There wasn't just one voice; another voice rang out not far away.

Hogback stood there, looking at Xia Qiu.

"Weren't you treating Heckle? Why are you out here?" Ace said, somewhat annoyed, upon seeing this.

"The treatment is over, and he is receiving an IV drip."

Hogback quickly said, then looked at Xia Qiu and said, "My lord, I did not mean to eavesdrop on your conversation. I just wanted to report his matter to you."

Xia Qiu ignored all that and looked at Hogback, asking, "When will he be fully recovered?"

Hogback replied, "If it's just getting out of bed, it will only take two days, but if you're fully recovered and ready to fight, it will take at least seven days."

Xia Qiu nodded and said approvingly, "Very good, you did a good job."

"Thank you, sir."

Hogback said, then wiped the sweat from his brow and asked, "Then, sir, could you please let me go?"

"Let you go?"

Xia Qiu shook her head and said, "I don't plan to let you leave."

Hogback's expression turned tense, and then he asked, "I... I pose no threat to you, and I was forced here by Moria."

"Force?"

Xia Qiu sneered, "Aren't you and Moria cooperating? He helped you resurrect Sindory, and you work for him. Without you, he couldn't have created so many Zombie Legion."

How did you know?

Hogback stared blankly at Xia Qiu, his expression momentarily stunned.

"Don't try to deceive me."

Xia Qiu said coldly, "I will not let you go, nor will I let her go."

"No, don't kill me!"

Perona shrank back, looking extremely nervous.

Xia Qiu said with a smile, "Of course I won't kill you. I need you to become my subordinates and serve me."

"To become your subordinate?"

Hogback and Perona were both somewhat surprised by the result.

Xia Qiu said with a smile, "Now that Moria is dead, you have nowhere to go. Why don't you come with me?"

Perona is very important, but Hogback is equally valuable.

As a genius surgeon, his medical skills are also of great value.

"I agree."

Hogback looked at Xia Qiu and said, "I am willing to be your subordinate."

For him, money was more important than medical skills, but in the face of life, none of that mattered.

Xia Qiu nodded, looked at Perona, and asked, "What's your opinion?"

"I... I'll join too." Perona hesitated for a moment, but still agreed to the result.

"Very good."

Xia Qiu nodded and looked at Ace, saying, "From today onwards, she will be your partner."

"My partner? Does that mean we'll be together all the time?"

As Ace recalled the events of the day, she felt incredibly negative because of her ghost, and suddenly felt that life ahead was somewhat terrifying.

I must learn Armament Haki as soon as possible, Ace thought.