Sig immediately put one hand on his chest and raised the other high, "I swear! I will do what I say!"
"Okay, so be it."
Noxia looked at Luffy and said with a smile, "Remember to come to the tavern tomorrow and help Miss Maginot count the money."
"Don't worry, uncle!" Luffy nodded vigorously and suddenly reacted, "Eh? What about you, uncle?"
"I'm leaving tonight, so I don't have time to wait here." Nuo Xia shrugged, "Smorg and the others are also in a hurry to go to work."
"Eh——"
Luffy said in a long tone, full of reluctance, "We have to leave so soon, so we can't stay in Windmill Village for a few more days."
"I have official duties, so I can't help it."
Noxia smiled and rubbed Luffy's head, and after a few words of comfort, he looked back at Sig, who had his head lowered and didn't know what he was thinking, and said calmly:
"Still not leaving? Wait until we keep you for dinner?"
Sig was startled, nodded hurriedly, and left with his subordinates with many thanks.
The moment he crossed the threshold, he narrowed his eyes and a sneer flashed in his eyes.
…
At night, at the entrance of Windmill Village.
Nuo Xia and his group looked back and saw that the small figure on the hillside was still standing there, waving constantly and reluctant to leave.
"This child has good character."
Smoker said softly, "In terms of strength, after being trained by Mr. Karp, he is far superior to his peers, but he is too naive and simple..."
"A child."
Tina was smiling and didn't care too much. She took out a cigarette out of habit and was about to light it when she suddenly stubbed it out quickly and stepped on it. She secretly glanced at Nuo Xia guiltily.
"Let's go."
Nuo Xia didn't notice her little move. He took one last look at the Windmill Village and then turned back, "Let the warship go out first and find a sheltered sea area to dock. Then proceed as planned."
"Yes, Mr. Bailong!"
…
The next day.
Since he had been training in the forest for the past few days, Luffy slept like a dead pig until almost noon when he finally woke up.
"Oh oh oh - comfortable -"
Luffy stretched out comfortably, remembering Nosha's instructions yesterday, and didn't bother to wash up. He opened the refrigerator and planned to have some breakfast before going out.
Um?
Why is the milk carton empty?
"Hey, that's weird..." Shaking the empty milk carton, Luffy was confused, "It doesn't make sense, I obviously remember that there was a big box full..."
never mind.
If he couldn't figure it out, he just didn't think about it. Maybe he drank it while sleepwalking last night. Luffy took the toast in his mouth, kicked open the door and went straight to the tavern happily.
A few minutes later.
Luffy opened the shutter door. The store had just sent away a group of customers. It was deserted. Maginot was wiping the glass. Seeing him come in, she looked up with a smile:
"Why are you here so early, Luffy?"
After saying that, he warmed up a glass of milk for Luffy and handed it to him.
"Thank you Sister Maginot!"
Luffy took it with a smile and said while chewing the toast, "Staying at home is boring anyway. By the way, sister Maginot, you recognized Uncle Nosha at a glance yesterday, you must know him very well, right?
"
"Of course."
Maginot pursed her lips and chuckled, "I'm a big fan of his, Luffy, in fact... when you go to sea, you will find that at least most of the girls my age in the world admire him.
."
So awesome, he deserves to be Uncle Nuo Xia!
Luffy's eyes suddenly shone with stars: "Uncle Nuo Xia was too busy. He left just as soon as he said he was going to leave yesterday. I still have many things I didn't have time to ask him. Sister Maginot! Tell me his story!
"
This silly kid...
It was obvious that they had only been together for half a day and they had already become a little fanboy. Maginot laughed and shook his head. Just in time to finish his work, he simply sat down in front of the bar and started telling the story from the beginning with a smile.
"The story begins when Mr. Nuo Xia was still in Donghai Branch 16..."
This chat lasted for more than half an hour, Luffy listened with great interest, and Maginot became more and more engaged as he talked, just as he came to the chapter "William of the Shichibukai secretly does evil things, and the unknown little recruit does the right thing for heaven".
There was a loud "bang" and the shutter door was violently kicked open from the outside.
"Excuse me."
A familiar voice came, and Luffy and Maginot, who were startled, looked up at the same time and saw a large group of dark figures outside the door. Under the leadership of Sig, they walked in with a smile.
"We happened to be passing by here, come in and sit down."
Sig looked at the tables and chairs on both sides and said, "The efficiency is quite high. It was all repaired in one night. I like this atmosphere. The navy is not here today. How nice it is to be quiet like this!"
He randomly found a round table, pulled out the seat, sat down gracefully, crossed his legs, and glanced at the bar.
"What are you doing standing there, we are guests."
Sig grinned and slapped his hand on the table, "You haven't brought me the wine yet!"
"That's right, hurry up!"
“Want the best wine!”
The other bandits also started making noises. Maginot pursed her lips, but before she could say anything, Luffy next to her had already slapped the table and stood up, saying angrily:
"Hey! You guys! What's your attitude? You want to drink as soon as you start. Today is obviously the day you come to pay back the money, right? We are still short of eight million beli. Have you brought the money?"
"Eight million Baileys?"
The corner of Sige's mouth raised slightly, "Of course I brought it with me. Why, do you want to come and get it yourself?"
"That's really rude..." Luffy curled his lips, jumped off the bar, "Forget it, considering how badly you were beaten yesterday, I won't argue with you..."
He came to the round table, looked around a lot, and raised his head in confusion, "You are all empty-handed, where is the money?"
"Of course it's here..." Sig pointed to his head with a smile.
"Eh?"
Luffy was stunned for a moment, and before he could react, Sig in front of him suddenly raised his foot and kicked him hard.
Bang!
Luffy screamed and was kicked five to six meters away. Several tables were smashed into pieces and he fell heavily in front of the bar. Maginot screamed and hurriedly threw down the rag and stepped forward to help Luffy up.
"How naive, kid!"
Sig didn't know when he got up and came to him. He looked down at Luffy from a high position and said solemnly, "You actually think that I'm here to pay back the money today? Those marines have already left, and they have no backers. Just rely on
Are you worthy enough to mention these two words in front of me, Sig?!"
"But... but..." Luffy's face was swollen into a pig's head, and he spoke with difficulty, "But you clearly promised yesterday... a man, you should keep your promise..."
"So you're an idiot, kid!"
Sig grinned and kicked Luffy in the stomach again, "Stop talking nonsense! Where's the money I gave you yesterday? Take it all! And! It's just past noon today, and the wine in the tavern must be returned.
Not sold out, right? Get them all for me too!"
"No, no problem!"
Magino opened her arms to protect Luffy and nodded hurriedly, "The money is still there, and there's still plenty of wine. I'm going to get it now. Please don't hit Luffy anymore, he is still a seven-year-old...
"
"Stop talking nonsense!" Sig glared at her, "Lori, you're so rude, hurry up and go!"
Maginot didn't dare to delay any longer and hurried into the bar to withdraw money. As soon as she picked up the money bag, she heard an angry voice:
"Don't give it to them! Sister Maginot!"
Maginot turned around to look, only to see Luffy standing up at some point, clenching his fists and glaring at Sig with blazing eyes.
She immediately turned pale and said, "Luffy! Don't be impulsive..."
But in the end it was a step too late.
Luffy roared angrily and punched Sig in the abdomen:
"Guys who don't keep their promises..."
"The most disgusting!"
…
Boom!
There was a muffled sound, and the door of the village chief's house was kicked open. The village chief, who was playing bridge, turned his head and looked displeased: "Don't you see that I am busy... Louise, what are you doing?"
"No, village chief!"
Aunt Louise was carrying a basket of green onions. She had obviously just returned from buying vegetables at the vegetable market. She looked anxious, "I just passed by the intersection and saw a group of bandits surrounding Luffy. They seemed to want to kill him. Very
It’s dangerous!”
"What?"
The village elder was shocked, immediately put on his glasses, and rushed out of the door anxiously following the aunt holding the onions.
On the card table in the back, several elders and aunties were taking advantage of the opportunity when he turned around to secretly change cards. At this moment, they were also stunned, hurriedly dropped their cards, and rushed out.
Two minutes later.
The old men and women, panting from running, came to the open space in the center of the village, and happened to see the bandits surrounding them, playfully kicking Luffy like a ball.
"It's really unexpected that you can resist being beaten."
When Sig trampled Luffy under his feet, a bandit cadre exclaimed:
"For an ordinary kid, if he got kicked like this by the boss, he would probably be half dead, right? This kid looks like a skinny monkey, but his body is so hard."
"It's a little special."
Sig pinched his chin and said with a smile, "I originally wanted to kill him with a knife, but now it seems that I can keep him alive and take him away and sell him to those noble gentlemen as slaves. There are very few brats who can take such a beating.
See, maybe it can be sold for a sky-high price."
"Well, that's it."
He released his foot from Luffy's cheek and waved his hand, "Take it away!"
The surrounding bandits took the order and were about to take out the rope and tie up Luffy with a smile, but at this moment, a hoarse roar suddenly came from the distance:
"Let that kid go!!!"
Um?
The bandits turned their heads, and Sig looked over displeasedly. There were so many fierce faces staring at him. The village elder's head and legs were shaking, but looking at Luffy with a bruised nose and swollen face, he still gritted his teeth and mustered up his courage.
Said loudly:
"Although I don't know what Luffy did to anger you, he is still just a child after all! Let him go!"
"I heard that just now, you want to take him away and sell him for money, right? If that doesn't work, we can pay a ransom, as much as you want! Just let him go!"
"ransom?"
Sig was startled for a moment, and after looking at the bandits around him, he couldn't help laughing, "Hey, hey, hey, what are you talking about, old man!"
He stopped laughing and pointed at Luffy at his feet, "This guy can sell for millions of beli at least. How can you, a poor old man like you, afford it?"
"this……"
The village chief felt distressed, a few million beli? That was really a huge sum of money. He had saved all his belongings for so many years, but the total sum was only a few hundred thousand beri at most...
but……
"no problem!"
The village elder gritted his teeth, "I'll go back and sell off my property right away, and then borrow some from my neighbors. I can always make up for it!"
oh?
Sig raised his eyebrows. Can't you tell that there is so much oil and water in this remote rural village?
He winked at several cadres around him, and the bandits smiled knowingly, with greed in their eyes.
"Okay, seeing as how sincere you are, I reluctantly agree."
Sig smiled and said: "However, the ransom alone is not enough."
"This kid is so infuriating. I still haven't gotten rid of my anger yet."
He stretched out his right hand and pointed at the surrounding villagers one by one, "So, you, and all of you, have to kneel down on his behalf and kowtow to me ten times to apologize. Do you understand?
"
"this……"
The village chief and the surrounding villagers looked at each other, hesitated for only half a second, and nodded in agreement: "Of course, no problem!"
Although he is a lot older, in order to save Luffy, what does this humiliation mean?
"Don't believe them, Grandpa Village Chief! These guys are all..."
Luffy turned his head with difficulty, and just as he yelled, his whole face was stepped into the dirt again, "Stop talking about it, kid!"
Turning to look at the village chief, Sig raised his eyebrows, "Why don't you start?"
At his feet, Luffy struggled hard, but to no avail. From the corner of his eye, he could only see the uncles and aunts who usually loved him. They were about to kneel down in front of the open space under the leadership of the village chief...
In an instant, Luffy's eyes turned red and his fists clenched. Unprecedented regret surged out of his heart, filling his chest in an instant.
It's all my fault!
It's all my fault!
If I hadn't insisted on letting Uncle Nuo Xia let them go yesterday, if I hadn't been brave enough to attack these bandits today, if it hadn't been...
How could things become like this!
Damn, hate, hate...
hateful!!!!!
"That's it for now."
At this moment, a calm voice suddenly sounded.
The next moment, in his blurry vision mixed with tears and dust, Luffy was shocked to see a strong hand lifting the village chief's grandfather, whose knees had sunk halfway down.
Looking up along the hand, he saw a familiar face that should have left.
"No...Uncle Noxia?"
Luffy was stunned and raised his head suddenly, "I'm not dreaming, are you... why are you all back?!"
The person coming was naturally Nuo Xia.
Behind him, sailors in white uniforms helped the other villagers up one after another, and then spread out to both sides in tacit agreement, blocking all intersections.
"Of course you're not dreaming, Luffy."
Nuo Xia and Luffy looked at each other, and there was surprise, self-blame, and guilt in those eyes... He shook his head slightly and said softly: "Do you still remember, you kept questioning me in the tavern yesterday, except for my sense of responsibility and reason?