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Rojen's ship had already departed Water 7; in fact, they were not far from the Sabaody Archipelago. This stretch of sea was where several routes converged, meaning they would soon encounter countless pirates.
In just the past few days, Rojen and his crew had already crossed paths with no fewer than three different pirate groups.
And the closer they drew to the Sabaody Archipelago, the thicker the clusters of pirate crews became.
This stirred something within Rojen. His system balance currently showed 1.2 billion. A vast sum at first glance, yet he knew it wouldn't be nearly enough. The battles ahead were certain to be frequent and fierce; there was even a very real chance they would clash with a Marine Admiral again.
To ensure Yilu's rescue and protect the safety of his comrades, he needed far greater resources.
"I wonder how much these pirates are carrying," He muttered, a faint trace of amusement flickering at the corner of his mouth.
Meanwhile, at the Sabaody Archipelago, the holy domain of the Celestial Dragons, Yilu had been confined within the palace for three days.
During that time, her father never once came to see her. It was as if he'd already forgotten her, or perhaps he was simply too absorbed with other affairs and had temporarily cast her aside.
That day, as she quietly watered the flowers, a party of people entered the courtyard.
At their head strode a middle-aged man, his expression full of arrogance. A transparent bubble floated above his head, his clothes ostentatious with wealth, while a line of servants trailed behind, bowing and scraping in his wake.
"Yilu, you've brought nothing but disgrace to the Ilinulay Family! You dare shame the clan, do you know what a crime that is?!" the man burst out in fury.
"Oh." Yilu's reply was cool, almost indifferent.
Her lack of reaction only enraged the man further.
"This time, you won't escape again!" he barked. "From now on, you'll be guarded twenty-four hours a day. In seven days, you'll be sent away."
"You will live your life as a proper wife!" he snarled with a cold snort.
"I won't marry him," Yilu said flatly.
"Of course you won't," the man sneered with contempt, his gaze filled with scorn.
"You think, after committing such a stupid act, I would still let you marry him? Do you think he would marry you? You've disgraced the Celestial Dragons; your already lowly status has sunk even lower!"
"Once, you still had some value, but from this moment on, you are worthless!"
At those words, a sickening premonition surged in Yilu's chest, and her expression shifted ever so slightly.
"What did you do?" she asked.
"I gave you to him," the middle-aged man said with a cold, mocking laugh.
"From now on, you are his plaything. Whatever he wishes to do with you has nothing to do with me. In return, he will grant our family the benefits we require."
"I raised you all these years, now it's time for you to repay me."
With that, he turned to leave.
"In seven days, you will be sent into his household."
Yilu's face drained of color. She fixed her gaze on the man who had the title of her father, hatred blazing in her eyes.
"You are a beast!" she spat.
"A beast?" At the word, the man's expression twisted with fury. He strode forward and struck Yilu twice across the face, the sharp sound echoing in the courtyard.
"If it weren't for your lowlife mother seducing me, you wouldn't even exist!" he roared. "You filthy bastard, you should never have been born! You've tainted the noble bloodline of the Celestial Dragons!"
"I kept you alive all these years only because you served a purpose," he continued venomously. "Don't even think of running away. Don't delude yourself into believing anyone would dare come to save you."
"No one dares defy the dignity of the Celestial Dragons!"
"I will make you live in despair and endless pain, so you can atone for your mother's sins!"
"She ruined my reputation before our clan; I executed her long ago. But you, you will continue to bear the punishment for her crimes!"
Each word was like a dagger, brimming with malice, shattering Yilu's fragile heart.
Yet through it all, her inner strength held her upright. She clenched her teeth, forcing herself to reveal not the slightest weakness before that man.
At last, the middle-aged man spun on his heel and strode away.
Only when the courtyard gates slammed shut did Yilu's body suddenly go limp, collapsing to the cold ground.
Tears spilled down her cheeks as Yilu hugged her knees, burying her face deep within them. The more she cried, the heavier her sorrow became; the more she wept, the deeper her despair sank.
"Someone… someone save me!"
Her voice was a whisper, her tears soaking into the hem of her flowered dress. Her entire body felt powerless.
Despair consumed her, swallowing her whole. She was like a lone leaf tossed into a raging storm, fragile and trembling, about to be torn apart at any moment, helpless, utterly alone.
"Rojen… Rojen… come save me!"
Suddenly, a figure flashed in her mind.
On that endless sea, in the past, she had once crouched in a corner, trembling with despair, the deck stained with blood and littered with corpses.
A boy, equally lonely, had piloted a ship toward her.
In that moment, a spark of hope had flared within Yilu, trembling in her heart as she silently screamed:
"Save me! Save me!"
And yet, fear gnawed inside her even then. What if he didn't save her? What if he were just as cruel?
That time, he had saved her.
But this time?
Her voice cracked with anguish, lips trembling as they whispered low:
"Save me…"
Unnoticed, a figure had appeared before her.
Expression cold, a long scar cutting across his face, it was Runta, that man's most loyal dog.
"No one will save you."
"You will never have hope."
Looking down at the girl curled on the ground, sobbing endlessly, Runta understood her heart completely. And without the slightest trace of mercy, he ground her fragile illusion beneath his heel.
"Everyone is born with an identity, a value. You are merchandise, your worth is gone. And I am a dog. This will never change."
At those cold, mocking words, Yilu suddenly lifted her head.
"No, it will change!"
"He will come!"
"He will come!"
Her tear-stained face glistened, but in that instant it radiated unshakable resolve, her eyes blazing with renewed hope.
Runta froze at her sudden strength. But the next moment, his lips curled into another sneer, voice icy.
"Harboring hope in your heart… that's the stupidest thing in the world."
With that, he turned away, wordless, his face hard.
For in the history etched deep within him, one truth had been proven again and again: all who clung to hope were nothing but fools.
And in the end, despair was always the only fate that awaited them.
The sea howled, waves rising and crashing in savage fury.
A storm descended. Thunder bellowed, jagged bolts of lightning tore open the skies, streaking violently across the black void.
Amid that chaos, at the prow of his ship, Rojen stood, his expression colder than ice.
"Kill!"
He gave the order, his gaze locked firmly on the three pirate ships dead ahead.
(End Of Chapter)