Akame and the others watched Zhong Chen and Ace, who had suddenly appeared, with wary expressions.
"Who exactly are you, and why are you here?" Leone asked Zhong Chen with a serious expression.
"Why does everyone I meet for the first time like to ask that question?" Zhong Chen couldn't help but complain, feeling a sense of déjà vu.
"Lord Chen, when encountering strangers for the first time, it's normal for people to ask that, isn't it?" Ace listened to Zhong Chen's complaint, speechless. There was nothing wrong with them asking that, seeing him for the first time.
"Uh... what you said actually makes some sense. Ahem... well, we were just passing by."
"And we brought those two over. Just think of us as helpful passersby." Zhong Chen said earnestly, nodding as if in self-confirmation.
"But your subordinates kidnapped us..." Sayo muttered softly, remembering her experiences of the past few days after hearing Zhong Chen's words.
"Hey, you little girl, if my subordinates hadn't taken you two, you'd be in this warehouse right now."
"You really don't know what's good for you." Hearing Zhong Chen's words, Sayo glanced at the scene inside the warehouse and couldn't help but tremble all over.
She suddenly realized that what he said seemed to be true. Although they had been kidnapped by him and Ieyasu.
However, they had not been harmed or abused. Instead, they had even eaten delicious barbecue they had never tasted before.
Thinking of this, she couldn't help but glance at Ace, who was standing behind Zhong Chen.
Zhong Chen noticed Sayo's gaze towards Ace, and a smile suddenly appeared in his eyes.
"Oh-ho, there's a story there."
"Uh, I'm very sorry, I spoke out of turn. Thank you very much for your care these past few days." Hearing Zhong Chen's remark, Sayo's small face flushed, and she quickly bowed with Ieyasu in thanks.
"Heh heh, that's more like it. I hate people who take advantage and then resent others."
"Usually, with such people, I just crush them to death, heh heh." Hearing Zhong Chen's smiling remark, everyone present couldn't help but shiver.
This guy was definitely not a good person, and definitely not a simple character.
"Since you and your companions have nothing to do, then we will leave first. The Security Force will be arriving soon." Night Raid and the others, sensing that Zhong Chen had no ill will, thought of the Security Force that would soon arrive and couldn't help but speak up.
"Oh dear, don't be in such a hurry to leave. I still have something to say." No sooner had Zhong Chen finished speaking than Ace and the others instantly vanished, reappearing to surround Night Raid.
"What is the meaning of this, sir?" Bulat looked at Ace and the others who had surrounded them, and asked Zhong Chen with a gloomy expression.
"No meaning, I just want to ask if you want to join me?" Akame and the others had thought Zhong Chen might say something like they were constantly assassinating people and he wanted to eliminate them.
Or that he wanted to cooperate with them, etc., but they never expected him to try to recruit them right off the bat.
"We don't even know what faction you belong to, how could we possibly join you!" Mine, holding her Pumpkin Imperial Arm, raised it and shouted at Zhong Chen.
"Impudent!!!" Mine's action instantly ignited Katakuri's anger. He instantly appeared in front of Mine.
"So fast, when did he get there!!!"
"Mine! Severing Thread!" Lubbock didn't hesitate, directly unleashing the ultimate move of his Imperial Arm, [Thousand-Mile Changes: Cross Tail].
"Clang!"
"Impossible!" Katakuri didn't even turn his head, easily catching the incredibly sharp thread with his right hand, his gaze still coldly fixed on Mine.
Then, with a slight flick of his right hand, Lubbock was pulled by the thread and sent flying.
Boom... "Cough cough... Pfft." Lubbock struggled to his feet amidst a pile of rubble, a mouthful of fresh blood involuntarily spilling from his mouth.
The other members of Night Raid, seeing this, shouted in concern and collectively attacked Katakuri.
"Lubbock!"
"Damn it! Demon Armor: Incursio!"
"Funeral!"
"Rupture!" Katakuri ignored the others attacking him, instead reaching out and pinching Mine's neck, lifting her up.
"Clang!"
"Clang!"
"Impossible!"
"This..." Bulat and the others watched in shock as Katakuri, expressionless, held Mine by the neck.
All of their attacks had failed to cause even the slightest damage to him.
They couldn't even scratch his skin.
"Alright, Katakuri, let her go." Zhong Chen looked at Katakuri, who was covered in Imperial Arms, a smile on his face, and said softly.
"But Lord Chen, this guy actually dared to..."
"Heh heh, what kind of Lord would stoop to the level of a little brat?" Hearing Zhong Chen's words, Katakuri finally released Mine's neck.
Mine, released, couldn't help but collapse to the ground, breathing frantically.
"Cough cough cough... Huff... Huff... Huff..."
"Are you still going to point your weapons at my subordinates?" Zhong Chen narrowed his eyes and said faintly to Akame and the others.
Hearing this, the Night Raid members quickly put away their weapons and rushed to Mine's side to check on her condition.
"Wow, Katakuri is really cold-hearted, he shows no mercy to girls." Ace stood by, teasing.
"Hmph, daring to point a weapon at Lord Chen, not killing her directly is letting her off easy!" Hearing Ace's words, Rob Lucci also spoke with an expressionless face.
"Uh... I guess I understand why Souei arranged for you two to be partners."
I almost forgot, this one also doesn't know how to cherish and protect women.
"Can we talk properly now?"
"Little girl, remember, don't casually show hostility towards someone you don't fully understand."
"Otherwise, people really will die." Zhong Chen lectured Mine like an experienced elder.
Perhaps he had been a teacher for too long, as Zhong Chen now not only liked to say a few words but also enjoyed lecturing.
"You probably don't know the faction we belong to, do you?" Leone checked Mine and found that she was fine, then stood up and spoke with a serious expression.
"I know, isn't it the Revolutionary Army? Following them has no future."
"Your ultimate outcome will be only one: to be discarded once you've served your purpose!" Zhong Chen declared loudly with an expression that suggested he already knew the outcome.
"Impossible!"
"This..." Unlike the somewhat naive Mine and the naturally air-headed Sheele, the other three had witnessed true darkness.
What Zhong Chen said was very likely to happen, but in this world of choosing the lesser evil, the Revolutionary Army was already the best option.
As for the outcome after a successful revolution? They didn't even know if they could overthrow the Empire, so why think about the future?
"We are assassins for the sake of the entire country. The future is not important; as long as the Empire can be overthrown, I can sacrifice my life at any time." Bulat seriously refuted Zhong Chen's statement.
"Heh heh, just because you want to die doesn't mean others want to die, am I right, little girl Mine?" Zhong Chen looked at Mine, who had become moody after hearing his words...