"Captain! This time it went really smoothly, we achieved our goal in just one day!" A henchman next to the burly man with Double Axe exclaimed exaggeratedly, waving his hands so high that his knife almost hit his companion on the other side.
"Hahaha! I can only say we chose the perfect time this time. Who would have thought these doctors would gather together to discuss some medical topic? It was only right that we wiped them all out, hahaha!"
The pirate captain, carrying Double Axe and sporting a large beard, was quite pleased with himself. He had a rugged face, and his black hair was wrapped in a black turban, with only a few stray hairs peeking out from the edges.
"That's just their fate. If they're bought by some nobleman to become their private doctors, that's their good fortune, much better than staying on this snow-covered island," the underling continued.
"That's right, if we sell these top doctors, we'll be a millionaire pirate crew, hahaha!" Captain Double Axe seemed to be imagining a scene from the future.
"Captain, there's a bald old man behind us who says he's not from this island, and that he's not a doctor at all. He said he also came to the island to find a doctor, and he wants us to let him go!"
Just as Double Axe was lost in his daydreams, a henchman guarding the doctor stepped forward to report.
"Just because he says no doesn't mean it isn't. You need to open your eyes and look carefully for yourself. You need to make your own judgment. What clothes is he wearing?"
Double Axe was displeased that his underling had to report even such a thing, so he slapped his underling's bald head, the sound particularly crisp.
"He's wearing a white coat too, but he's a bit old. Can an old guy like that even sell?" the younger brother replied, rubbing his bald head, which was a little itchy from being hit.
"You know nothing! The older a doctor is, the better their skills and the more valuable they become. You better keep an eye on him and don't let him get away, or I'll skin you alive!"
After saying Double Axe, Shuangfu slapped him again, making the henchman spin around twice before he staggered to the back.
"You have absolutely no sense of judgment. How can we grow and become strong if things continue like this? You need to pay more attention during future voyages. Don't hire dullards like this anymore. From now on, we'll find capable and intelligent people!"
Double Axe, somewhat disgruntled, gave instructions to the underling beside him. The underling he had just spoken to was in charge of recruiting people; he was also the most quick-witted and responsive person on the ship.
"Next time for sure, next time for sure! That guy was related to me in some way. He wasn't very clever, but he was hardworking and willing to take a bullet for you, Captain!" the henchman with the knife quickly flattered.
"Captain, we have pursuers behind us. It looks like Dalton, the captain of the Kingdom Guard who ate the Devil Fruit. He's leading a group of soldiers. Should we stop and fight?" Another underling came to report the situation.
"Damn it, it must have been that little nurse who served tea who tipped me off! I shouldn't have let her go just because she was pretty! Let's fight! She's just a weak Zoan user, how many of my axes can she withstand!"
Double Axe was furious, feeling that his trust had been betrayed.
"Captain, I told you long ago not to let her go. There are plenty of women with fair and beautiful legs. How can you not even resist two flirtatious glances? You need to abstain from lust, Captain!"
"Actually, we don't need to fight Dalton head-on. The doctors behind us can all be our hostages. I heard that Dalton cares a lot about the safety of civilians, that's his weakness! We can definitely use that!" The henchman with the knife immediately offered his advice when he heard that his boss wanted to fight head-on.
"That's right. We should use strategy if possible. We've finally gathered so many men; we can't afford to waste them. Tell those behind to speed up and get to our ship as soon as possible."
If there's enough time, we'll sail away directly; if we're caught, we'll confront Dalton with our backs to the ship." Double Axe readily agreed and made a general plan.
However, he underestimated Dalton's determination to save people. Dalton led the guards and caught up at top speed. This was the advantage of being a native; accustomed to living in the snow and ice, they could travel faster than outsiders.
Speed was useless; once the Double Axe Pirates caught up, they immediately surrounded all the doctors in the middle of the group, pointing various weapons at the doctors' heads, necks, and waists. Dalton immediately hesitated to get too close, and could only stay a hundred meters away.
"Hahaha, Dalton is indeed hesitant to act rashly. How can someone like that be the captain of the guard? His weakness is too obvious. We'll definitely be safe this time."
Double Axe turned around and laughed heartily at Dalton, who was lagging behind with a livid face. Although he had been tricked by a little nurse, it didn't affect the outcome.
Dalton then attempted to approach and launch a surprise attack several more times, but each time he was forced back by the flintlock pistol that the pirates had pointed at the doctor's waist. After walking and stopping for a while, he finally arrived at the pirate ship at the end of the river.
" Dalton! Why did you chase after us? Do you dare order a full-scale attack? If you don't dare, then take your men back. We're not trying to kill them; we're just giving the doctors a better environment to study medicine."
No need to send any more. Just go back and report to your king, hahaha!
The henchman with the knife was very pleased with himself. He was addicted to the feeling of using his brain to manipulate others. He always believed that if you can't beat someone with a fight, you can win with your brain, and that's how he has always survived.
"Pirates, you have violated the laws of our Drum Kingdom. Release the doctor now, and I will let you leave. This is your last chance!"
Dalton uttered his final harsh words, but his eyes held a sense of helplessness. Although he desperately wanted to save the doctors, he lacked the courage to take the plunge; he couldn't bear to watch the hostages die.
"Your country has an abundance of doctors; there aren't enough patients on the island for them to treat. This is a serious waste of resources. They can only truly utilize their talents abroad."
Dalton, your actions are stifling their talent and rendering their lives meaningless! The henchman with the knife knew quite a bit, even resorting to verbal attacks from a moral high ground.
"That's a fallacy. Our medical skills didn't come from nowhere; we learned them all in this country. Even if we didn't practice medicine abroad, we would still be making strides on the path of medicine."
We will publish books, we will teach students, and we will leave a greater legacy for future generations. The ills of our times cannot be cured by medicine alone!
A loud shout rang out from among the hostages. It came from an elderly man with a long, snow-white beard, wearing a hat with a red cross on his head. His white coat was slightly yellowed, but his eyes were unusually firm.