[Player ID: Missing Teeth]
[Profession: Gunslinger]
[Sin Value: 0]
[Justice Points: 20]
[Bounty: 0]
[Player ID: A Quan]
[Profession: None]
[Sin Value: 0]
[Justice Points: 0]
[Bounty: 0]
[Player ID: Rippling Sun]
[Profession: None]
[Sin Value: 0]
[Justice Points: 0]
[Bounty: 0]
[Player ID: Wasabi]
[Profession: Farmer]
[Sin Value: 0]
[Justice Points: 0]
[Bounty: 0]
[Upgrade Captain Teach's Monocle Eyepatch to view more information.]
Just as she'd expected, Missing Teeth had come looking for her—and he had the Special Profession Gunslinger. His ability to get a gun probably had something to do with his profession. The other three weren't much of a threat. The Farmer profession was purely for growing crops and offered no help in a fight.
The man at the head of the group clearly glanced at her waist, then signaled to the other three to surface for air.
Ling Chu pretended she was going to surface for air too and followed them up. Keeping about ten meters away, she was just close enough to hear what they said.
"Brother Ya, isn't searching for someone like this a bit like looking for a needle in a haystack? We don't even know if that Ling Chu is a man or a woman."
"That's easy. Just look for whoever's carrying a gun at their waist. I'll bet she checked the Nearby Channel after killing someone. There's no way she'd dare leave the gun on her boat. She'll definitely keep it on her.
"My Shotgun only has two shells, so I've got just one shot to get it right. But it's a shotgun, with a large bore and plenty of firepower. Even if I miss, I can still leave them half-dead. You guys distract her first. As long as I get a shot off, she's dead!"
Listening to them discuss their plan to surround and kill her, Ling Chu couldn't help sneering inwardly.
You really shouldn't get too confident. Otherwise, you might not even realize when you've become a joke in someone else's eyes.
Their plan wasn't actually bad.
But first, they hadn't considered that she had a personal storage space. Even if she carried a gun, she wouldn't have it tucked into her waistband. Second, they hadn't considered that the person who'd shot and killed someone wasn't her at all, but someone else.
At that very moment, aboard a Sailboat among the many vessels on the surface,
the baby-faced girl who'd given Ling Chu a Sail Logo DIY Hand-drawn Card was sitting on the deck with her legs crossed, a spread of Tarot Cards before her.
After Missing Teeth had revealed the method for finding Treasure Chests and the players had claimed all the nearby ones, she'd returned to her boat. She'd talked tough and refused to back down when arguing with Missing Teeth, but she still felt a little uncertain.
Her Special Profession was powerful in certain ways, but when it came to combat, she was seriously weak.
She was afraid Missing Teeth might somehow find out where she was and come after her, so she took out her Tarot Cards and did a reading.
Two minutes later, Squid Ball looked at the cards in her hand and smiled with relief.
The Sun, upright: dark intentions would melt beneath the sun.
Seven of Swords, reversed: the attacker's sword would ultimately turn against him.
The two cards showed that she was in no danger. Missing Teeth, on the other hand, seemed to be in for trouble.
Ling Chu followed the four men back underwater.
They continued along the reef, searching for anyone suspicious who might be carrying a gun.
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Their route was slowly bringing them closer to the large reef where Titch was hiding. Once Ling Chu estimated they were within Revolver range, she quietly took the Iron Dagger out of her Ring.
These people wanted to kill her. They couldn't be allowed to live. Better to strike first than be struck down.
Ghostly Steps!
Ling Chu vanished like a phantom amid the flowing waves. The next moment, she appeared behind the man at the head of the group.
He was the only one with a gun. She'd deal with him first; the others wouldn't be a threat after that.
The sharp blade of the Iron Dagger slashed across the man's throat. He didn't even manage a muffled cry before his windpipe was severed.
Missing Teeth felt his neck go cold and instinctively clapped his free hand over it, but no matter how hard he pressed, he couldn't stop the blood gushing out.
He tried to raise his Shotgun, but found he no longer had the strength.
Ling Chu thought, Cold weapons really are better at close quarters.
[You killed player Missing Teeth. Sin Value +10. This player had 20 Justice Points, so your Sin Value increased by an additional 20.]
The other three only just managed to react. Gripping their Iron Pickaxes, they rushed at Ling Chu in shock and fury.
Titch had been watching Ling Chu closely the whole time. When he'd seen her follow the men to the surface, he'd had to stop himself from going after her. He'd only breathed a sigh of relief when she'd come back with them.
The moment Ling Chu attacked, Titch drew his gun too, aiming at the two men beside her.
Two shots rang out, each striking its mark and blooming into a spray of blood.
The two men who'd been hit instantly lost the ability to move.
[Your servant killed player A Quan. Sin Value +10.]
[Your servant killed player Rippling Sun. Sin Value +10.]
The last man was too close to Ling Chu. Afraid he'd hit her, Titch hesitated for an instant.
In that instant, the man's Iron Pickaxe came crashing down toward her head.
Ling Chu raised her dagger horizontally and easily blocked the iron pick head as it came down on her. The man put all his strength into forcing it downward, but the pickaxe remained firmly braced above her head.
The man stared at her in astonishment. How could this woman be so strong?
Ling Chu's Initial Strength was already 7. After eating the Mysterious Fruit, it had increased to 8. An ordinary man might not be stronger than her at all.
The man gritted his teeth. He'd never imagined that this pirate called Ling Chu would have such a nimble female accomplice!
And she'd known in advance that they planned to surround her, hiding behind the reef ahead of time. One of them had attacked by surprise to draw their attention, while the other had seized the chance to shoot from the shadows.
How cunning!
No, they'd been far too careless.
Cold sweat streamed down the man's back. He couldn't beat this woman even in close combat with an Iron Pickaxe, let alone with a pirate carrying a gun right beside her.
Realizing things had gone badly, the man dropped his Iron Pickaxe on the spot, turned, and tried to flee with his Flippers.
His flight gave Titch the opening he needed to shoot without worrying.
A sharp gunshot rang out, and the bullet grazed the man's shoulder.
Titch was usually a good shot. He'd missed this time because a Bud-like Object had appeared out of nowhere and swallowed the man whole. In the blink of an eye, both the plant and the man had vanished.
Ling Chu's eyes flickered. She hadn't expected that the man she'd dismissed most—because he was a Farmer—would have the best way to save himself.
At the same time, aboard a small Sailboat on the surface,
a huge pitcher-plant-like creature grew in a Planting Pot. The pouch on its belly suddenly swelled. As the "lid" above it opened, it spat out a human figure.
Wasabi was covered in foul-smelling slime. Clutching his injured shoulder, he sprawled on the ground, panting heavily with relief at having survived.
If you can't find a book by its title, try searching for the author's name. Maybe it was simply renamed!
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