Spoon Aunt's Gouging Bar

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"Holy Land?"

The moment Ye Chen spoke, the proprietress behind the bar widened her eyes. The drinkers in the bar burst into laughter, while a fat man snorted disdainfully. "Holy Land? What does a tiny little Ghost like you want to know about that for? Do you even dare go there?"

Ye Chen did not get angry in the face of their harsh mockery. Nor could he explain himself. But no matter how he asked, no one would tell him anything about the Holy Land.

"Boss, the bill." After the fat pirate and his crew had eaten and drunk their fill, the fat man waved his hand and grandly pulled a money pouch from his clothes.

The bar's proprietress strode over with a cigarette still between her lips. She exhaled a ring of smoke, did not even look at the bill, and said directly, "The food and drinks come to eighty thousand Beli."

"What? Eighty thousand Beli? That much?"

The fat pirate gaped in shock, nearly biting his own tongue. He pointed at the few dishes on the table. "We only ordered four dishes and two barrels of booze, yet it costs eighty thousand? This is obviously gouging!"

"You're right. I am gouging you. Didn't you see the sign above the door when you came in? This bar is called Spoon Aunt's Gouging Bar!"

"Huh? So it really is gouging! You're just a woman. If we want to leave, can you stop us?" Seeing that the proprietress was alone, the fat pirate's courage immediately swelled, and he sneered disdainfully. The pirates beside him all doubled over with laughter. In their eyes, a woman could be dealt with by lifting no more than a finger.

"This is bad." Ye Chen was startled as well. He had been so preoccupied with his thoughts that he had only just realized he seemed to have entered a shady establishment. Ye Chen grabbed Olvia's hand and ran for the door. After all, he barely had any money on him.

Bang...

Before Ye Chen could reach the door, a cold gust suddenly swept past his ear. The next moment, he discovered in shock that the bar's proprietress had appeared in front of the door and shut it.

"No one is allowed to leave. Ghost, your bill is twenty thousand Beli." Spoon Aunt glanced at Ye Chen, bent down slightly, and blew a ring of smoke into his face before extending her hand toward him.

"Twenty thousand?"

Ye Chen was filled with regret. This woman was far too ruthless. He had only eaten two plates of egg fried rice.

Ye Chen stubbornly shook his head, his lips bitten pale. "I don't have any money."

"Then stay here obediently and wait. Remember, you are not allowed to run until your bill is paid." With that, Spoon Aunt walked toward the pirates. Ye Chen then watched in astonishment as those vicious pirates were knocked down by Spoon Aunt in just a few punches and kicks.

This woman was actually a hidden expert. Ye Chen immediately gave up on the thought of sneaking away and obediently sat back down. It was not that he did not dare run; he knew he could not outrun her. He might even earn himself a brutal beating.

"It was eighty thousand Beli just now. Now it's one hundred thousand."

Spoon Aunt elegantly sat atop the fat pirate, crossing her legs as she slowly exhaled smoke and spoke coldly.

The fat pirate struggled several times but could not get up at all. Lying facedown on the floor, he complained indignantly, "What? Why is it one hundred thousand Beli now?"

Spoon Aunt pointed at the damaged tables, chairs, bowls, and plates. "Don't you have to compensate me for these broken things? Hand over the money."

The fat pirate hesitated for only a moment before Spoon Aunt's high heel came crashing down on his wrist. He howled like a slaughtered pig as the bones in his hand were crushed. Ye Chen sucked in a cold breath. This unassuming woman was truly vicious, and her expression remained cold and calm throughout, as though such a thing meant nothing at all.

The fat pirate and his crew were dealt with miserably. Even though they had passed the trials of the first half of the Grand Line, they were still utterly helpless before Spoon Aunt. They obediently handed over their money, but even pooling it all together was not enough. Without another word, Spoon Aunt took several of their fingers. By the time the pirates fled wailing like ghosts and howling like wolves, the bar was covered in blood. Ye Chen's scalp tingled, yet Spoon Aunt remained composed as she walked up to him. "No money to pay your bill?"

"What do you want?" Ye Chen's face went pale with fright, but he still spread his arms protectively in front of Olvia.

"Then work here to pay off your debt. Once you've paid for your meal, I'll let you leave."

With a cold snort, Spoon Aunt pointed at the messy floor. "Clean this up at once."

Ye Chen had no choice. This woman was simply too terrifying, but he had no money on him. He picked up a mop and began scrubbing the floor. Seeing the two swords strapped to his back, Spoon Aunt giggled and approached to take them. Ye Chen tried to dodge, only to discover that her speed far exceeded his imagination.

"Not bad. Two fine swords. But why do these swords look so familiar?" Spoon Aunt drew Oto and Kogarashi, examined them, and slightly furrowed her brow. She looked at Ye Chen again, surprise showing on her face. "Where did you get these two swords? Don't even think about lying to me. Spoon Aunt is a renowned information broker."

Ye Chen felt that his luck was truly terrible. Everywhere he went, he encountered monsters so powerful they were frightening. This woman did not look fierce at all, but tormenting people seemed like child's play to her. Ye Chen fell silent for a while, unsure how to respond, when Spoon Aunt suddenly smiled. "Tell me the truth, and I'll tell you where the Holy Land is."

After thinking it over, Ye Chen told her the truth. Spoon Aunt's reaction stunned him. This woman was actually sighing, and her mood seemed to have worsened considerably.

"So you all escaped from Ohara. Good, very good..." As she spoke, Spoon Aunt took out a wanted poster from behind the bar. "I thought this child was the only survivor of Ohara."

"This is... Robin. She has a bounty on her? What... seven hundred and ninety thousand Beli? How is that possible?" Ye Chen froze after taking the wanted poster and looking at it once.

Olvia hurried over as well. Staring at the photograph on the wanted poster, she could not stop herself from crying.

"Don't worry. That child is fine for now. The Marines haven't caught her." Having just finished one cigarette, Spoon Aunt immediately lit another. She took a deep drag, smoke curling upward as the ember flickered, making her expression appear especially solemn.

"Ghost, the Holy Land is where the Dragon People gather. In other words, Mary Geoise. Why are you asking about that place?"

It took Ye Chen a while to calm down. Although Robin was in a dangerous situation, she seemed safe for the time being. Hearing Spoon Aunt's question, Ye Chen shook his head. "Today, I met some slaves who had been captured. I heard they were being sent to the Holy Land, so I wanted to know what kind of place it was."

Spoon Aunt nodded, took a deep drag of her cigarette, and smiled coldly. "It is the paradise of the world nobles, the Dragon People. At the same time, it is a hell where slaves suffer a fate worse than death!"