Settle It on the Spot

The moment the two finished speaking, the crowd that had merely been watching erupted into commotion.

After many people saw that there truly was a living mermaid girl inside the backpack, their eyes instantly grew hot with greed. Countless gazes clung to Camie with barely any attempt at concealment.

On Sabaody, the price of a mermaid was enough to make countless desperate outlaws risk everything.

But everyone still clearly remembered what had just happened.

This Marine, who looked exceptionally young, had sent a pirate flying with a single punch, blood spraying from him without end.

They only dared to watch from afar. Not a single person truly dared to take even one step forward.

Anyone could see that although this Marine appeared gentle, he showed no mercy when he struck. His strength was far from as easy to provoke as his appearance suggested.

"By the way, since I saved you, may I ask you a few questions?"

Beiyuan Heng withdrew his gaze, his tone calm and carrying a relaxing gentleness.

"First, let me introduce myself. My name is Beiyuan Heng, a commodore from Marine Headquarters."

"A commodore?"

Camie blinked. She did not know much about Marine ranks; she only knew that he was a good person who had saved her.

She could not sense the slightest malice from Beiyuan Heng and instead felt quite at ease. She immediately nodded hard.

"Sure! I'll tell you anything you want to know. As long as I know it, I'll tell you everything!"

Unlike the innocent and simple Camie, the moment Pappag heard the words "Marine commodore," his tentacles tensed, and his vigilance shot straight up into his throat—though he did not seem to have one...

Even though Beiyuan Heng was their savior, Pappag still did not dare lower his guard completely.

The entanglement between Fish-Man Island and the human world ran too deep, while the shadow of the slave trade was carved into the heart of every fish-man.

He shifted half a step forward to shield Camie and asked in a low voice,

"What do you want to ask?"

As the two spoke, the surrounding passersby had already completely exploded into an uproar.

"A Marine commodore? One this young?"

"He looks around twenty at most. Isn't that absurd?"

"He must be some monster rookie the Marines are focusing on cultivating. Maybe he's a Supernova within the Marines..."

The discussions rose and fell, and many people quietly backed away, preparing to leave this troublesome place.

Beiyuan Heng seemed deaf to the surrounding clamor. His calm gaze settled on the mermaid and starfish as he spoke unhurriedly.

"Do you know Fisher Tiger?"

The words drifted down lightly, yet they were like a boulder crashing into a still lake.

Pappag's entire body stiffened abruptly, and all color instantly drained from his face.

Almost by reflex, he lunged forward and covered Camie's mouth with his small body, terrified that this innocent little girl might blurt out something she should not say.

"W-We don't know!"

Pappag spoke extremely fast, his voice panicked and faintly trembling.

"We only left Fish-Man Island not long ago. We know absolutely nothing about what's happening on the surface. We really don't know anything!"

Anyone could see through such a transparent attempt at concealment.

Seeing his flustered appearance, Beiyuan Heng maintained his gentle smile. He did not press any further and merely nodded lightly.

"Is that so? I understand."

He had never truly intended to hunt down Fisher Tiger.

Tiger's act of freeing slaves and attacking the Holy Land might have made him a heinous criminal in the eyes of the world.

But in Beiyuan Heng's eyes, the man carried the hopes of countless slaves and the dignity of the fish-man race on his back.

He was only following orders to investigate. There was no need to force two innocent little ones.

Seeing that Beiyuan Heng did not pursue the matter further, Pappag finally let out the breath he had been holding. A layer of cold sweat had already formed on his back.

He quickly changed the subject and asked tentatively,

"Then... can we leave now?"

Beiyuan Heng raised a brow slightly. His gaze swept over the crowd still watching them like hungry wolves, and his voice was calm.

"Are you sure you want to leave now?"

Camie and Pappag instinctively followed his gaze and turned to look.

On both sides of the street, countless greedy gazes were fixed firmly upon them like starving wolves.

Camie shuddered in fright, while Pappag's face turned pale. The two of them almost simultaneously hid behind Beiyuan Heng, pressing close to him as their bodies trembled faintly.

"Th-then what should we do now..."

Camie asked softly, her voice trembling on the verge of tears.

After thinking briefly, Beiyuan Heng spoke calmly.

"This place isn't safe. Stay with me for the time being."

That was the only option.

Pappag nodded to himself. Following him for now was far better than falling into the hands of other pirates or slave traders.

"Ahem, by the way..."

Pappag forced himself to find a topic, trying to ease the awkward atmosphere.

"Why would you Marines specifically come to a place as chaotic as Sabaody?"

"Haven't you already guessed?"

Beiyuan Heng turned his head and gave him a faintly amused look.

A few beads of cold sweat instantly formed on Pappag's forehead. He gave an awkward laugh, wisely shut his mouth, and did not dare say another word.

Fisher Tiger was no longer merely a hero of the fish-man race.

He was the banner of slave liberation and a symbol of resistance against the oppression of the Celestial Dragons.

Not only did Pappag truly not know Tiger's exact whereabouts, but even if he did, he would never reveal a single word to the Marines.

Just then, a series of crisp, capable footsteps approached from afar.

Hina walked over at an unhurried pace. Her gaze lightly swept across Camie and Pappag as she spoke in an even tone.

"A mermaid, and... a talking starfish?"

She looked at Beiyuan Heng and asked directly,

"Did you get anything out of them?"

"Do you think that was possible?"

Beiyuan Heng spread his hands lightly.

Pappag awkwardly scratched his tentacles, lowered his head, and remained silent, looking as though he would not say another word even if beaten to death.

"Hina doesn't care."

Hina lightly adjusted her sleeves, her tone entirely without fluctuation.

She was only carrying out orders and felt absolutely nothing about capturing Fisher Tiger itself.

Beside her, Smoker held a cigar between his lips and deeply exhaled a cloud of white smoke.

He pointed at the pirates on the ground, who were still howling and groaning, unable to move, and asked,

"What do we do with these guys?"

Beiyuan Heng turned to look at him and asked in return,

"What do you think would be appropriate?"

"Arrest them all, of course. Take them back to the Marine base for interrogation."

Smoker replied as though it were only natural.

Unlike Hina's indifference, Smoker fully supported Fisher Tiger's actions. But he could not turn a blind eye to crimes taking place before him.

Beiyuan Heng pondered for a moment, then gently shook his head.

"Sending them to court for trial is too cumbersome. It wastes too much time and manpower."

"The Marines have plenty to do right now. We don't have spare energy to waste on this scum."

"Settle it on the spot."

The light words fell, and the air around them seemed to turn several degrees colder in an instant.

A trace of barely perceptible surprise flashed through Hina's eyes.

This newly arrived commodore was usually gentle toward others. She had not expected him to be so decisive and efficient once he intended to kill.

"Settle it on the spot?"

Smoker froze for a moment, not immediately understanding. He frowned slightly. "What do you mean?"

"Exactly what it says."

Beiyuan Heng's gaze swept over the trembling pirates on the ground. His voice was calm, yet it carried an unquestionable chill.

"Among those who can survive in Sabaody's Grove 1, whose hands aren't stained with blood, burdened with the lives of countless innocents?"

Smoker, who had always been hard-line and hated evil, frowned instead, showing some hesitation.

"This... isn't appropriate."

He could arrest pirates and crack down on them without mercy, but executing them directly on the spot went beyond his usual principles.

"You're right."

Beiyuan Heng nodded slightly as though accepting his opinion, and his tone softened somewhat.

"Those whose crimes are relatively minor can be taught a harsh lesson and thrown out of Sabaody."

"As for those guilty of heinous crimes, whose hands have been stained with the lives of slaves and innocents..."

His gaze swept over the red-bandana pirates trembling on the ground. His voice was light, but its chill pierced to the bone.

"Just settle them on the spot."