Contract Signing

With weights on, he returned to Shimotsuki Village and did suburi for an hour.

From seven to nine, the time said to be when Yin and Yang harmonize, is most suitable for meditation. He couldn't miss it.

With yesterday's experience, he found a method. First, he focused his attention on one thought, casting aside all other thoughts. Then, he cast aside that one thought, finally entering a state of no thought, no mind.

Without Koshiro's sword hum, he focused on visualizing the Space Gate.

The Space Gate appeared to be just a simple circle, and to the naked eye, it was indeed a simple circle. But in Zhou Qi's imagination, it was a super circle capable of severing space, time, and even fate!

Though it was still a circle.

However, the method of visualizing the Space Gate seemed very effective. Not only did he quickly concentrate his attention, but at some point, he also visualized the Space Gate away.

In the end, only emptiness remained in the entire world.

One breath in, one breath out, the tide comes and goes...

While he could meditate seriously, Tashigi in the next room had a heart full of turmoil.

So, what should I do?

She originally had no plan for her goals, only following her father's arrangements and becoming Smoker's subordinate. After Zhou Qi requested her, she didn't express her own wishes and directly followed Zhou Qi when she received Smoker's order.

She did have an ideal: to reclaim all the Famous Swords held by pirates. But she hadn't thought about how to achieve this dream.

Until today, she suddenly realized that she had to make her own decisions!

Should she continue to be a Marine, steadily and peacefully, and leave after Zhou Qi's career stabilized and his cooperation with the Marines became steady? Or should she join Zhou Qi and strive to change the world?

Can I change the world too?

Thinking of the laughter and joy in Huaxia, where everyone had clothes to wear, everyone had shoes to wear, no need to worry about sudden pirate attacks, and no need to carry weapons when going out.

Then thinking of Loguetown, the poorly dressed townsfolk, herself who couldn't feel safe without a sword when going out, the homeless orphans, the displaced refugees...

Is this world really good?

Doesn't this world need to be changed?

In a country of complete peace, where weapons are not needed, even treasures like the Ten Great Famous Swords could only be placed in museums.

Is such a world a tragedy for swords?

No, it's an honor for swords!

Because only in a peaceful world are swords not murder weapons, but carry all sorts of stories and all sorts of noble virtues...

And there is only one way to collect all the Famous Swords held by pirates worldwide.

That is, world peace!

Otherwise, even if she achieved it one day, new Famous Swords would be born and continue to be held by pirates!

"Do you want to be a murder weapon, or an artwork representing noble virtues?" Tashigi fell silent, looking at Small Night Rain in her hand.

The next day, as soon as Zhou Qi opened the door, he saw Tashigi, looking haggard with red eyes, but unusually energetic.

"Qi-kun, I am willing to join you. Please tell me what I should do!"

"You've figured it out?" Zhou Qi quickly invited her in. Otherwise, looking like this, anyone would think he had bullied her.

"Mhm, mhm!" Tashigi nodded repeatedly. "I believe that only by changing this world, making it like Qi-kun's country, will swords no longer need to be drawn!"

"The best destination for Famous Swords should be as artworks, not held in hand to become murder weapons!"

"Sit down first!" Seeing Tashigi's eagerness, Zhou Qi smiled. "Come, have some water."

Tashigi then realized that she hadn't slept all night and had been standing outside for a long time. She was now dry and thirsty.

After drinking the tea in one gulp, Tashigi felt much better, and her mood gradually calmed down.

She asked softly, "What should I do to change this world?"

Zhou Qi shook his head. "It's too early to talk about that now. We need to take things one step at a time. It's best to set a small, achievable goal. To talk about changing the world right from the start isn't a dream, it's a delusion."

"Ah..." Tashigi was taken aback, but it was true. With just the two of them, how could they change the world?

They definitely had to take it step by step.

"I understand..." Tashigi said. "Then what should I do for the first step?"

"Hmm, how about becoming a Marine Admiral?" Zhou Qi smiled.

"You?"

"You!"

"Me?" Tashigi blinked, then quickly waved her hands. "No, no, no, how could I possibly do that?"

Zhou Qi said, "As I said, if the goal is too big, we'll break it down further! If becoming an Admiral is too difficult, how about we aim for Captain first?"

"This..." Tashigi frowned. This was still very difficult.

The person she used as a benchmark was Smoker, and Smoker's strength was overwhelmingly superior to hers!

"Don't worry, just steadily improve your strength!" Zhou Qi said. "Teacher Koshiro is a Sword Saint. With his guidance, our strength should improve significantly within three to four years. Reaching Captain in terms of strength may not be impossible!"

"This..." Tashigi still felt it was very difficult, but she soon clenched her fists.

Because it's difficult, we must work even harder!

"Also, when you're with the Marines, you need to cover for me!" Zhou Qi continued, "If you want to do something big, you can't do it without money or people. I'm responsible for both of these. I need you to reduce the Marines' attention on me so I can develop in the East Blue in peace."

"How should I do that?" Tashigi asked.

"Well, just tell the Marines that Huaxia is a country located at the bottom of the sea, where sunlight never reaches. They survive by using underwater volcanoes for warmth. This country only has three thousand people, and I am the prince of this country. I accidentally obtained a Devil Fruit that allows me to leave the seabed and come to the surface..."

"Mhm, mhm..." Tashigi nodded, "What else?"

"This is enough for now. After all, you've only been with me for a day, how much information can you find out!" Zhou Qi said, "If they ask later, we'll weave more intelligence bit by bit. If no one cares, then we can develop in peace!"

"Mhm, mhm!" Tashigi nodded repeatedly.

"And about this gold issue!" Zhou Qi thought for a moment and said, "Tell them that we Huaxia want to return to the surface to live, but to leave the seabed, we need to build a treasure ship cast from gold..."

"A ship made of gold, how could it possibly sail underwater? They won't believe that, will they!"

"Then let's change it..." Zhou Qi thought for a moment, "Say that this country is controlled by a Sea Eagle, a powerful Sea King. It demands tribute of a pair of male and female children every year. Only gold can pay the debt, but the country has no gold left..."

"This one works!" Tashigi nodded. This story sounded like it had a bit more tragic color to it.

After the two discussed the details a bit more, Zhou Qi opened a Space Gate and sent her back to report.

After all, he had confirmed that Bingxing Town was quite safe and didn't need protection.

As for him, he practiced sword swings for two hours. Checking the time, it was nine in the morning, so he quickly opened a Space Gate to go back.

"You're awake! I was just about to call you!" Yibing saw Zhou Qi come out of the room and curiously peeked inside, "Where's that Okinawa girl!"

"She left!"

"Left?" Yibing was stunned, "When? Why didn't you keep her?"

"I already told you, we're just friends!" Zhou Qi said speechlessly, "Alright, career is more important, let's not talk about this!"

"Fine..." Yibing sighed. What a great opportunity, and the girl was so pretty.

He suddenly started worrying about Zhou Qi's lifelong marital prospects. With such a straight man, could he ever find a wife?

At nine-thirty, the group arrived at Baofeng Pharmaceutical Factory and toured the facility under Luo Baofeng's guidance.

It was just a formality. Zhou Qi saw that the production lines were operating normally and, after hearing the accountant, who had been busy all day, report that there were no bad debts or non-performing loans, he immediately nodded and signed.

The 138 million in his hand directly became 58 million, a reduction of 80 million. Zhou Qi felt quite pained.

But from then on, he gained a factory and became a wicked capitalist.

Tsk, it felt pretty good?