Chapter 14 Smoker
Vic asked an uncle who was setting up a stall for the way to the execution platform. The uncle's expression did not change. He estimated that many people had come to see the execution platform in recent years. After all, it had only been four years since the execution of the Pirate King.
I observed the town as I walked. Occasionally, a team of marines patrolled the streets. The townspeople lived a good life. After all, trade was very developed here. It was fine to do some business as long as you didn't have the bad luck to encounter brainless pirates.
The people in the town loved to watch the fun, and gathered in groups here and there.
Vic arrived at the central street where the execution platform was located after a short walk. Walking on the textured stone pavement, his feet made a slight friction sound.
Gradually, the outline of the execution platform appeared in the field of vision, slowly approaching. I imagined the huge crowds of people when One Piece was executed, and now there were only occasional passers-by here.
Coming to the execution platform, looking up at this not-so-tall execution platform, imagining the tall figure of the Pirate King, it was so inharmonious and the contrast was too great, such a glorious life ended on this simple little platform.
Roger had a purpose for what he said before he died, but the price for this purpose was a bit high, and the whole world would have to pay for it. Vic could guess some of it.
Speaking of which, the death of his previous incarnation's parents was also related to One Piece, but the current Victor does not hate him. He just understood the truth of the world and wanted to do something for the world before he died, that's all. As for the consequences, he must have thought about them, but he still did it. Whether it was right or wrong will be clear in twenty years.
The ladder used for the execution had long been removed, and there was a steel frame underneath. Ordinary people would not go up to the stage. Vic looked up and sighed silently.
"Hey, kid, this is a place of execution, don't get close." A rough and low voice sounded from Vic's right.
Vic turned his head and saw a white-haired man who was slightly taller than him, very big, and had a defiant look on his face.
Who else could it be but Smoker, the chain-smoking man who had lost three consecutive games? He was not wearing a military uniform and was not smoking. Vic didn't know whether he had joined the navy or not.
"Are you in the navy?" Vic was curious whether he had joined the navy now.
"No, so what? You can't get close to the execution platform, or I'll beat you up." Smoker threatened.
"Oh..., are you meddling too much? This execution platform belongs to your home? Move it back home." Vic teased.
"I'm not a navy now, but I will be one soon. My dad promised me to join the navy." Smoker's face turned a little red.
Smoker is only fifteen or sixteen years old now, and he is still thin-skinned. He did not rush up to hit anyone. Smoker's values are well-shaped. He has witnessed the execution of the Pirate King and is in a major traffic route like Rogue Town. He knows a lot of things that others cannot understand and has seen a lot of darkness, so he yearns for bright justice in his heart.
Vic will also join the navy in the future, and does not want to have an enemy relationship with this future vice admiral who has a righteous heart. In the final analysis, the two are of the same kind.
But Vic knows that it is difficult to make changes without strength, and without strength you cannot realize the justice in your heart.
"Oh, I'm also planning to join the navy like you. Maybe we can be in the same class. Hahaha." Vic walked over, patted Smoker's shoulder and laughed.
Smoker's expression also relaxed, and he looked at the man in front of him carefully. He was very handsome, a little shorter than himself, and very strong. He had two knives on his waist, and a black coat that reached his calves. The collar was slightly upright, and he wore slightly tight black pants and long leather boots. He was confident and free and easy, much more decent than himself.
"Oh, you are going to join the navy too. Let me introduce myself. My name is Smoker and I was born here." Smoker said, stretching out his hand.
"My name is Vic, Orens Vic. I come here to buy a knife and then wait for an old man to take me to join the navy." Vic shook hands with him and laughed.
"Goodbye then. I'm going to look for bargaining chips that can get that old man to take me to join the navy. See you at the navy headquarters." Vic said, waved his hand and turned to leave.
Smoker didn't say anything. He was a little confused by Vic's words and stared blankly at Vic's back.
It wasn't until Vic was far away that he murmured, "We'll meet. I can feel it."
……
Vic did not stop, as he had done what he needed to do. He just had to wait for Captain Buck to load the goods before setting off. It was still early, so Vic planned to try the special food of Rogue Town.
We came to a restaurant that seemed to be doing good business and ordered a bunch of their specialties.
"Handsome guy, you're eating alone? Do you want me to accompany you? Hehehe!" A woman in her late 40s who still had charm sat next to Vic and teased him.
"No need, it's fine to be alone, you can find someone else." Vic said lightly.
"Then can you accompany your sister? I'll treat you to dinner, hehe!" The woman moved closer to Vic.
Vic didn't say anything else. He turned his head and looked at her. The woman felt as if she had fallen into an icy cave. What kind of look was that? It was too scary. Her whole body felt as if it was cut by a knife. The woman ran out.
The people who were originally laughing at the joke stopped laughing when they saw the woman running away with a look of fear in her eyes, and the scene became quiet.
They didn't speak loudly until the waiter brought Vic the food and he started eating.
Vic ate all the special dishes he ordered and then paid the bill and left. He didn't eat to his heart's content. He just wanted to enjoy the taste. The food in this world really tasted better.
Vic staggered towards the dock. As soon as he left the town, he heard shouting and screaming coming from the direction of the dock. Vic had a bad feeling that Buck's boat might have been in trouble.
That leisurely mood disappeared without a trace in an instant. In a few leaps, Vic arrived at the dock. A group of pirates were besieging Buck and his gang. Captain Buck and others stood on the dock with their backs against the wall of the ship, struggling to resist the pirates' attack.
Vic looked at the snow on his waist and muttered, "I didn't expect you to bleed so soon."
After saying that, he flashed between the two groups of people, and the Xuezou sword was unsheathed in an instant. Three cold lights flashed, and the Xuezou sword was still the same Xuezou, as if it had never been unsheathed, without any change at all.
There was no sound from the pirates, and Buck was also confused and stood there in a daze, until he saw Vic and the others in front of him, and then he breathed a sigh of relief.
At this time, the pirate on the opposite side began to spurt blood from all over his body and fell to the ground. The onlookers' jaws almost dropped and they were simply stunned.
This scene happened to be seen by Smoker who came to the beach to help his father move things. A glimmer of yearning flashed in his eyes, "Olens Vick, he is so strong. Is this the one who will join the navy? I have to work harder."
The pirates were not very strong, but the bounty was 1000 million Baileys. They purchased supplies in the town and were ready to enter the Grand Line, but they saw Buck's ship loading goods. They thought that since they were going to set sail for the Grand Line anyway, they were not afraid of the navy and could just rob the pirates and sail to the Grand Line. They did not expect to meet the killer Wick, who did not leave a single person alive.
Two sailors on Buck's side died, both of them were killed in a surprise attack while resisting pirates.
"Captain Buck, see if there is a bounty on this group of people. If there is, you can collect the bounty and divide it among the families of the two men. If not, you will need to pay for it yourself." Vic looked at Buck and said, without any compassion. This was the way the world was, and he could not change it at the moment. He would help if he could.
"Yes, yes. The pirate leader just announced his identity and said there is a bounty of 1000 million Baileys. If we divide it between the two families, they can live for a long time. I will also give them some extra money." Buck said sadly.
When you are a merchant at sea, you have no control over your own fate. If you don’t have the strength, you mostly have to rely on luck.
Vic didn't say anything. He went straight to his room on the ship, closed his eyes, and sat cross-legged, feeling the snow in his hand. He had to understand the new weapon, master it, and know how to use it better.
Vic just used Snow Walker to kill the pirates, and it took him three cuts. If he had used another sword, he would have killed them all with two cuts at most. I am not very familiar with Snow Walker at the beginning, so I need to speed up to understand it.
Vic no longer paid attention to what happened on the ship. He believed that Buck could handle these small matters.