Piercing Them

Hank's words made Su Xiao's eyes light up.

He finally determined the current point in time. It was a scene that had appeared in the original work, three days before Terminal Station was burned down.

In other words, Terminal Station would be burned down within the maximum time limit of his mission.

This was undoubtedly good news for Su Xiao. The more chaotic things became, the more opportunities he would have. It was easier to fish in troubled waters.

Hank walked toward the warehouse exit. As if remembering something, he turned and said, "Our boss is called Brandon Oka. You're a member of the Guard Corps now, so how can you not know the boss's name?"

Su Xiao chuckled softly and nodded.

The two walked out of the warehouse. By then, dusk had already settled, and the streets were filled with weary pedestrians.

Through casual conversation, Su Xiao learned that the Strong Man he had seen earlier—his current "superior," Brandon Oka—had served as Guard Captain for nearly ten years. He had extensive connections and had dealings with officials of all ranks in the palace. He had even once been summoned by the king.

Su Xiao did not entirely believe what Hank had said. Hank might have been flattering his superior.

Brandon Oka might indeed have served as Guard Captain for ten years, but his extensive connections remained open to question.

After all, remaining in the same position for ten years also meant that his "superior" had not made much of a name for himself in the Royal Capital.

Just as Hank was about to bid Su Xiao farewell and leave, Su Xiao spoke first.

"How about going for a drink? I just arrived in the Royal Capital today, and there are many things I'd like to ask you about."

Hank pretended to hesitate, but under Su Xiao's "enthusiastic invitation," the two entered a tavern.

After several cups of rice wine, Hank's face reddened and his breath reeked of alcohol. He became noticeably more talkative.

"Let me tell you, if the boss hadn't been unable to control his lower half back then, he would've entered the palace to serve by now.

"You tell me, of all the people he could've gone after, why did he have to go after... hic~"

Hank let out a hiccup and stopped halfway through his sentence, as if he had realized he had said something he shouldn't.

Su Xiao lifted his cup and clinked it against Hank's. While Hank tilted his head back to drink, the wine in Su Xiao's cup vanished without a trace.

Drinking in this dangerous mission world was undoubtedly courting death, so Su Xiao had not swallowed a single drop.

"Forget it, I won't say anything more. The boss is living quite comfortably every day anyway. He's a regular at Pleasure Street. I'm really jealous."

Su Xiao gave a few perfunctory replies, then poured Hank another cup.

After three rounds of drinks, it was around seven in the evening. Su Xiao and Hank parted ways at the tavern entrance, and the streets were already brightly lit.

Su Xiao lit a cigarette. Amid the drifting smoke, he watched Hank leave with a thoughtful look.

Hank had provided him with a great deal of information. Moreover, nightfall was when Su Xiao would begin to act.

He placed one hand on the hilt at his waist and stopped a passerby. The passerby was initially irritated, but after seeing Su Xiao's Guard Corps uniform, he clearly became fearful.

"Can you tell me where Pleasure Street is?"

The passerby revealed a knowing smile shared by all men, then pointed Su Xiao in the right direction.

That smile and the name Pleasure Street made Su Xiao realize what kind of place it was.

His "superior" truly had abundant energy.

--

As the first lights came on, a district dominated by pink and red illumination appeared before him.

The buildings on both sides of the street were mostly two- or three-story structures with pointed roofs. Their tops were covered in glazed tiles, and round or square lanterns hung in front of the doors.

Soft instrumental music mingled with the laughter and chatter filling the street, while numerous men and women leaned intimately against each other.

On the pavilions lining the street, Su Xiao could vaguely see several scantily dressed women holding slender pipes. They stood on the balconies with seductive smiles, trying to attract passing customers.

This was Pleasure Street, the Flower Street of the One Piece World.

Su Xiao crouched on the roof of a pavilion, dressed in black and holding Dragon Slayer Flash.

Since entering the One Piece World, Su Xiao had barely taken action. Tonight, however, he would assassinate his first target and lay the groundwork for completing his mission.

A loud laugh rang out from the street.

The somewhat familiar laugh immediately drew Su Xiao's gaze. Wasn't the person laughing the "superior" he had seen that day?

Two guards followed behind Brandon Oka as he swaggered through Pleasure Street.

When pedestrians saw Brandon Oka, they immediately moved aside, their expressions somewhat restrained.

"He's finally here."

Su Xiao hid on the rooftop and followed closely behind Brandon Oka and the others.

Before long, Brandon Oka and the others entered a pavilion. Su Xiao moved through the darkness and arrived at the top of that building.

After waiting for a while, Su Xiao leaped down from the roof and landed without a sound. He immediately pressed himself against the wall to avoid being discovered.

Using the night and dim lighting as cover, Su Xiao began searching the rooms one by one.

Searching the rooms did not require his eyes. He only needed to rely on sound.

Su Xiao had specifically trained this ability before, and he still remembered Brandon Oka's voice.

After searching three rooms, Su Xiao found his target. Voices came from inside—a man and a woman.

"When exactly are you going to 'save me'? Can you really bear to watch me accompany other men here?"

"Soon, soon. This is the Minister of the Left's business. It isn't something money alone can solve. I've been working hard lately, too. The Minister of the Left is someone close to the king..."

Su Xiao listened expressionlessly to the conversation inside the room, but the increasingly "intimate" content made him frown deeply.

However, the time was not yet right. Su Xiao had to wait until Oka was at his most vulnerable before delivering a fatal blow.

Soon, an opportunity arrived. The guards nearby began talking, and their attention was somewhat diverted.

Su Xiao slowly drew the long blade at his waist. Then, moving with extreme care, he pushed open the window and climbed into the room without making the slightest sound.

Inside the room, a man and a woman were leaning against each other in an embrace.

Su Xiao had chosen this moment because only now would Oka let down his guard.

With every step toward Oka, Su Xiao was exceptionally cautious. He moved as silently as a Leopard stalking its prey.

Five meters. Three meters. One meter.

Su Xiao arrived behind Oka and slowly raised the long blade in his hand, aiming the tip at the side of Oka's neck. Oka's head was turned toward Su Xiao, but his gaze was directed elsewhere. At that moment, the woman beside Oka seemed to sense something. Unfortunately, it was already too late.

Clutching the hilt with one hand, Su Xiao thrust the blade toward the side of Oka's neck with all his strength.

Pssh.

The long blade pierced straight through Oka's neck. The sharp tip seemed to tear through a sheet of paper before piercing the woman beside Oka as well.

If he killed Oka alone, the woman beside him would scream immediately. The guards at the door would then rush into the room, placing Su Xiao in danger.

The physical attributes of civilians in the One Piece World were already formidable, let alone those of guards.

One strike, two people. Without hesitation.

That was also why Reincarnation Paradise had chosen him to become a Hunter.

A Hunter could not be appointed merely for possessing special talents. They also needed the courage and decisiveness to kill their enemies.