Amidst the storm appeared a group of soldiers wearing armor and holding spears, surrounded by a line of civilians bound with ropes, forming a snake-like column.
These people wore tattered clothes, staggering in the wind and rain. Some cried out loudly while others wept silently, seemingly trying to struggle, but with spears pointed at them by nearby soldiers, all they could do was quicken their steps.
It wasn't until they stepped onto this beach that the soldiers finally stopped. The leader, a man with a cape and no helmet, waved his hand, and the people were untied and placed on the sand.
"No!"
Once the ropes were released, one woman with a good complexion cried out, "I don't want to be here, I can earn money! Let me go, I can definitely make money!"
The soldiers stood straight and unmoved.
The woman wiped her tears, eyes resolute, and ran towards the jungle area different from the beach. But as soon as she moved, the soldiers raised their spears, stopping her in her tracks.
Then, the woman let out a cry of pain.
A soldier without a helmet grabbed her hair and flung her onto the sand, the force making her roll over to Marika, who caught and helped her up.
Marika brushed the dust off the woman, looked at the helmetless man, and said solemnly, "Don't go too far, Hiji!"
"They're already abandoned people; what's too far?"
The helmetless man sneered coldly, "But you, a former Imperial Chef of the Deep Forest Kingdom, insist on coming here to suffer, playing in the sand with these human rights-deficient folks... Come back with me. This isn't the place for you, your talent shouldn't be wasted here."
"I've said it many times..."
Marika said sternly, "I will stay here to help these people. You can't just wash your hands off once you're full. Everyone has the right to eat their fill!"
Hiji shook his head, grinning sinisterly, "Too bad, this is your last chance. You've held on here for two years, and this year is your last chance. The King ordered, if you refuse again, you don't need to go back... There's a spot for you on the recruitment ship from the Bridge Kingdom!"
"How can this be!"
A fisherman widened his eyes in disbelief, "Lady Marika has property in the kingdom! She can afford the tax, how can they send her to the Bridge Kingdom!"
"Shut up, outcast, trash!"
Hiji glared at the fisherman, "You are people of the Shallow Sand Kingdom now, not of our country. How we deal with you is of course according to the King's law. Chef Marika only had property in the Deep Forest Kingdom; isn't she your 'king' now? Since she's a king of another land, how could she have property in ours!"
"Without property and no one to pay her protection fee, unable to receive our country's protection, such rightless people must be sent to the Bridge Kingdom!"
"And you all!"
Hiji pointed at others, smiling sinisterly, "Some of you no longer have families that can pay the 'protection fee'. I will read the names next and put shackles on you. When the ship arrives, you will be the next batch going to the Bridge Kingdom!"
Upon hearing this, among the group, some seemed prepared and others appeared numb as if they had grown accustomed to it.
The more they showed expressions like this, the more excited Hiji felt.
This is how it should be, the lowlives should obediently go to the Bridge Kingdom to be slaves, contribute for them. Continuing to survive on foodstuffs for them is simply rebellion.
How can the lowlives rebel?!
Especially...
Hiji quickly walked over and kicked over the large shell pot still cooking food, the milky white soup splattered with ingredients onto the sand, eroded and washed away by the storm.
"Oh dear..."
He revealed a joyful smile, spreading his hands, "Sorry, wasn't paying attention while walking, knocked over your meal. If there's no food, don't get angry, or if you attack me, the General Commander, I have reasons to retaliate. Getting injured before reaching the Bridge Kingdom, it's easy to die over there."
"Hey..."
Just then, a voice sounded by his ear.
Hiji barely turned his head when he saw a dark gun muzzle aimed at him.
"My subordinates haven't had their drink yet..."
Sage held a flintlock gun, pulled the trigger, and Hiji's pupils shrank instinctively wanting to dodge, but it was too late...
Clack!
Except for the trigger click, nothing happened.
Sage fiddled with the flintlock, shook his head, "Too wet I guess, can't use it..."
Once guns and such things get wet, indeed they cannot fire.
"You bastard! Mocking me?!"
Hiji's forehead veins bulged, hand resting on the sword hilt at his waist.
Shing!
Just as his hand touched the sword hilt, a cold flash swiftly slashed, and the next moment, Hiji felt a spinning sensation, then everything went black.
Lily expressionlessly sheathed her rapier, and with a soft click of the scabbard, a head fell from the air onto the sand.
For a moment, the silence was deafening.
"Also got my clothes dirty."
Sage drank the broth from the shell in one gulp, tossed the shell aside, and glanced at the head, sneering, "And your life cannot compensate for it..."
"General Commander!"
"Captain Hiji is dead!"
"Rebellion! This is rebellion!"
The remaining soldiers finally reacted, hurriedly raising their spears to aim at them, but at that moment, there was gunfire from behind.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Blood sprayed from the front soldiers, making them fall.
From the seawater, Renedia slid over with two pirates on a small boat, jumping off as soon as it reached the shallow water, twisting the gun in her hand into a small tool hammer.
"Smells delicious, what flavor is it, having another feast? Darn, why was I left on watch." Renedia sniffed, her pupils darting around.
Even on the ship, she could smell the wafting aroma, undistorted by the storm, of course enticing her, seeing Sage and the others gathered there, thus she brought two subordinates over.
"Feast is over, Renedia, help me with a modification."
Sage tossed her the flintlock, "This thing doesn't work in the rain, too inconvenient, and only one shot can be loaded, modify it for me."
Saying that, he looked at Marika, "Bridge Kingdom? If you're going to that hell, why not board my ship, after all, being a slave or a pirate, anyone would choose, right?"