The Pirate Empress in Her Youth

Besides these captured slaves on deck, there was only Wood. Most of them were silent, either because they knew their fate or were too weak from hunger.

Therefore, Mary's crying and Hancock's comforting voice stood out starkly amongst the crowd.

Hearing the conversation of these girls, Wood turned and went into the cabin. He soon returned with a lot of food, placing it before the girls.

"Eat up, eat up. I just checked, and the auction house scum left quite a bit of food on the ship.

Even if we feast, there should be more than enough."

Looking at the mountain of food piled before them, Hancock and the other slaves were stunned.

Mary, who had been crying, immediately stopped when she saw the food and slowly reached out towards the pile.

However, before Mary could grab any food, Hancock beside her slapped her hand away.

"Mary, you can't eat that. That's from bad people. Who knows what they might have put in it!"

Having been starved for days, even Hancock was ravenously swallowing her saliva as she looked at the food.

Yet, her reason told her that the auction house people wouldn't be so kind, especially those working for the Celestial Dragons.

No one knew what they might have added to the food, so she couldn't let her two sisters take the risk.

Unfortunately, Mary and Sonia were still children, and besides being starving, they couldn't listen to their older sister. They eventually broke free from Hancock's grasp and slowly crawled towards the food.

Just as Hancock was about to use her authority as an older sister to snap the disobedient Mary and Sonia to their senses, the black-haired man guarding them suddenly reached out towards them.

During the slave auction, the three sisters had been beaten many times for not obeying.

Seeing Wood reach out to them, Mary and Sonia reflexively closed their eyes and crouched down.

Although Hancock was also scared, as the elder sister, she resolutely ran in front of her two younger sisters to protect them.

Despite her fear, Hancock kept her eyes tightly shut. She spread her arms, shielding her two sisters behind her.

One second, two seconds... Time slowly passed, but Hancock felt no pain as she expected from past experiences.

So, she soon opened her eyes in confusion.

What greeted her was the black-haired man in front of her, smiling and taking large bites of food.

The hand he had reached out was not towards them, but towards the food.

And by eating the food in front of them, he was proving that it contained no strange substances.

"How is it? Feel reassured now? While I've never considered myself a good person, I wouldn't stoop to such despicable tactics.

Your sisters have probably been starving for days. If they died of hunger midway, it would be quite troublesome for us."

Wood didn't immediately act like a good person, as that would only make the little girl in front of him more wary.

"I want the food you've already started eating!"

Hearing Wood's words, Hancock still hadn't completely let down her guard. She cautiously stated her desire for the half-eaten roast meat in Wood's hand.

"Alright, cautious little one. As long as you don't mind."

Hancock cautiously took the half-eaten roast meat from Wood's hand, then immediately put distance between them, as if worried Wood might do something to her.

Looking at the roast meat with several bites taken out of it, Hancock confirmed it was fine after repeated checks, then quickly handed it to her starving younger sisters behind her.

Already famished, Mary and Sonia, upon receiving the roast meat from their sister, certainly didn't mind that it had been eaten by someone else. They immediately began to devour it.

Watching her two sisters eat with relish, Hancock's expression showed longing. However, as Mary and Sonia's older sister, Hancock absolutely refused to snatch food from them.

"Here, little girl, I also took a bite of this apple. You should believe it's fine now, right?"

Hancock looked at the roast meat in her sisters' hands. Her stomach, unfed for days, let out a low rumble.

But just as her attention was fully captivated by the roast meat, a half-eaten apple suddenly appeared before her eyes.

Looking at the apple, Hancock desperately wanted to defiantly throw it away, but her current physical condition wouldn't allow it.

Unlike most people here who had completely given up hope for the future, Hancock had not completely abandoned hope even after becoming a slave.

Moreover, if she collapsed first, what would happen to Mary and Sonia?

With that thought, Hancock suppressed her disgust towards Wood and took the apple he offered, taking large bites.

Because the auction house people were worried the slaves might escape, they hadn't let them eat their fill while ensuring they didn't die.

Hancock and her sisters had also been starved for days. A mere apple couldn't possibly satisfy her hunger.

So, quickly, the half-eaten apple was gone in a few bites. When she saw Wood reach for the food again, Hancock this time proactively grabbed the food in front of her and began to eat it greedily.

She had already realized that the food provided was likely safe, otherwise Wood wouldn't have been so nonchalant.

Since she had confirmed the food was safe, Hancock naturally had no interest in eating leftovers, nor did she care about Wood's saliva. She certainly wouldn't let him waste the food in front of them.

The three Boa sisters ate with great gusto, and by their appearance, nothing was wrong.

So, soon, the others locked in the iron cages also became agitated, reaching their hands into Hancock's cage.

As for those farther away, they began to clamor for food from Wood, completely forgetting their earlier indifference.

However, this was the true reality. When faced with desperate circumstances, not everyone could hold onto their original intentions.

These people had been starved for days. When they felt no hope, their attitude was naturally quite stubborn.

But when they saw Wood actually providing them with food, they too couldn't escape the "true fragrance law."