Wolf Meat Trade

Basan asked how Ye Chen had been locked up here. Ye Chen chuckled and did not hide it. The old man was decent, and he had even taught Ye Chen many techniques for massaging acupoints.

Ye Chen went back and tried them on Olvia a few times. Though clumsy and unpracticed, they were indeed effective.

He traded the prisoners for quite a few things: a dagger, several sets of clothes, and two books. He had no idea where the prisoners had gotten them.

Ye Chen used all the clothes he had acquired to shield Olvia from the cold. As for himself, after eating his fill, the freezing weather forced him to train hard. Even with injuries on his body, moving around could warm him up a little.

At night, Ye Chen obediently curled up in a corner. Olvia was frail; even though she was a stunning beauty, Ye Chen had no improper thoughts. He knew clearly that this was a prison, and he had to get out as soon as possible.

To get out, he first had to stay alive. To stay alive, he had to train his skills well. Only then could he live better.

The next day, as soon as it was light, Ye Chen began running outside the cell. He never dared go too far, afraid that a War Wolf might appear. That way, if he encountered one, he could quickly duck back into the cell.

When Basan saw Ye Chen running across the snow, his eyes widened in surprise. A while later, Ye Chen began practicing his punches. Not only was Basan curious, but prisoners from several nearby cells also crowded against their iron doors to watch.

For no apparent reason, Freezing Hell had suddenly gained a six-year-old Ghost. On his first day, he had killed a War Wolf, and now he was practicing martial arts outside his cell. Everyone was astonished, though most were merely watching for entertainment. A few smiled approvingly, Basan among them.

Ye Chen had a foundation in martial arts from his previous life, and now he also had the Martial Arts Codex. His progress was not slow, and he placed great importance on building a solid foundation.

The wind and snow here were fierce, and the temperature was frighteningly low. The slightest slowdown would cause ice to form on his body immediately. To Ye Chen, this had become an excellent training ground. The brutal weather alone forced him to exercise constantly, making his physique stronger and stronger. The harsh environment also greatly tempered his will.

"Ye Chen, what are you practicing? I don't think I've ever seen it before." Ye Chen did not stop until noon, when Basan asked curiously.

Ye Chen proudly puffed out his chest. Gasping for breath, he answered with pride, "Kung fu!"

In the days that followed, War Wolves often prowled nearby—too many to count. Ye Chen fought lone War Wolves several times, but he was badly hurt each time and gained nothing.

These War Wolves were fast, strong-bodied, sharp-fanged, and vicious-clawed. The reason he had managed to kill one the first time had largely been luck. And after that, the War Wolves never came near the cells again, making Ye Chen frown anxiously. He had no choice but to train even harder.

As time passed, the prisoners became more familiar with Ye Chen. Some even jokingly offered to teach him their skills. As long as Ye Chen gave them meat to eat, they were willing to teach him everything they knew. This delighted Ye Chen immensely.

He knew that compared to himself, these people were all monsters. Basan had mentioned that their bounties had all exceeded one hundred million. The reason they were imprisoned on the fifth level was that they were all ruthless figures who gave the World Government headaches. Some were pirates, some were government "traitors," and some were high-ranking officials. But no matter what, each of them possessed frightening strength.

The guards of Impel Down only delivered food once a month, and it was stale, foul-tasting bread. Compared with wolf meat, it was like heaven and earth.

Knowing that Ye Chen liked training, these people did not mind teaching him their skills. They understood that no matter how capable they were, they would ultimately die here. If they could eat a little better, it was well worth it.

Besides, once Ye Chen grew stronger, they could live more comfortably too. They might even get to eat roasted wolf meat.

Though tempted, Ye Chen knew that once he mastered the Martial Arts Codex, he could become very strong as well. Still, there were many things he needed to ask others about—for instance, the Rankyaku that CP9 agent had used, and why Saul's fists had been so powerful.

"Rankyaku? Ghost, you've seen CP9? Heh, to be honest, that's a move from the Six Powers. I used to be a Marine vice admiral. I know those techniques too. As long as you feed me meat, I'll teach you all of them."

A burly, bearded man sneered disdainfully after hearing Ye Chen's question.

"Ghost, do you know about Haki?" Basan suddenly interjected.

Over the past few days, he had been observing Ye Chen. He could tell that Ye Chen was promising talent. Since Basan could not get out anyway, he wanted to pass his own skills on to Ye Chen.

Ye Chen's eyes immediately lit up. Basan nodded. "Starting tomorrow, I'll teach you. But first, get this old man a whole wolf leg to eat. Ah, I've become addicted to wolf meat these days. If I go without it, my cravings become unbearable." Basan deliberately stretched, then leaned comfortably against the wall.

Ye Chen ran back to check. After more than ten days, there was not much wolf meat left. Only two wolf legs remained. Gritting his teeth, Ye Chen still picked one up and gave it to Basan. There were plenty of War Wolves outside; as long as he became strong enough, he would catch more sooner or later.

Seeing Ye Chen ignore him completely, the former Marine vice admiral slumped to the ground like a deflated ball.

It was not that Ye Chen refused. If he had enough wolf meat, he would be willing to learn any good skill. Unfortunately, he and Olvia still needed the remaining meat to eat. He could not give it all away.

Besides, Haki sounded impressive just from what he had heard from Basan. Basan was the strongest person in this prison, knew medicine, and was kind-hearted. Naturally, Ye Chen was willing to learn from him.

Ye Chen understood that this was merely a trade. Basan had eaten nearly half of a War Wolf by himself, and the price Ye Chen had paid was not small. He did not think Basan would be kind enough to teach him for free.

Besides, these people were all prisoners. Ye Chen had to stay on guard against them at all times. Treating prisoners as good people would mean he had rocks in his head.

The next day, Basan did not break his word. He first explained to Ye Chen what Haki was.

Basan seemed highly experienced. He was proficient in both Armament Haki and Observation Haki, while he only briefly mentioned Conqueror's Haki.

Even he sighed. "That is the qualification of a king, possessed by only one person in a million. This old man has never seen it either. Next, I will teach you Armament Haki and Observation Haki. As for why the kick from that CP9 agent had such tremendous power, that is precisely the application of Haki! First, you must comprehend the breath of all things."