Chapter 64: Huating and the Butcher

Very quickly, the *Shenyun Longting* approached the Carnival Island before them. Luo Di directed them to find a hidden stretch of coast to dock, and following standard practice, left a small portion of the crew to guard the ship before taking the rest ashore.

This island appeared quite large; the forest beside the coast was filled with falling blossoms, and all sorts of flowers and plants drifted with a pleasant, faint fragrance. Walking along the path was like wandering through a sea of flowers, enough to make one forget all sorrows and worries.

"I didn't expect there to be such a beautiful island in the Grand Line; I want to settle down here," Ka Li Na said, skipping and jumping like an elf in a flower garden.

"Oh my, Ka Li Na, this is the Grand Line, after all. Don't lower your guard just because it looks beautiful on the surface; there might be man-eating monsters hiding in the flower beds," Robin said with a smile.

Ka Li Na: (눈_눈)

"Hehehe, Sister Robin's train of thought is truly unique," Lu Xi Ya said with a chuckle.

The group walked into the town and, as usual, first looked for a large tavern, intending to experience the different styles of food from various places.

While waiting for their food, Ka Li Na had already asked the shopkeeper for information about the island. It was named Jijing Dao, and their current location was the Chunxi Wangguo on the island, the most prosperous kingdom here and one of the member nations of the World Government.

And the royalty and nobles lived within the "Huating" in the inner layer.

But when asking about "Huating," no matter how Ka Li Na tried to probe, the commoners would say no more.

After confirming the location and finishing their meal, Luo Di paid the bill and led the crew out of the tavern.

Except for the time Robin paid for him, Luo Di always paid for these group outings himself. After all, he was the captain and received half of the treasure split; currently, there were 400 million Beli in his small treasury, so this little bit of money was of no consequence to him.

Besides, money was meant to be spent; that was the only way robbing those nobles had any meaning.

Luo Di assigned the tasks, telling the crew to go buy supplies individually, after which they could spend as they pleased, provided they were back on the ship by six in the evening.

Gai Ou, Pa Lu, and Lin De Bo Ge went to the commercial street to see if there were any sturdy materials, as they wanted to craft weapons; Lu Xi Ya took the medical team to purchase medicine; A Nuo and Kamen and his two siblings went to find ingredients.

The others also had their own objectives. Luo Di was generally very relaxed with his crew; as long as they didn't violate his rules, they could have maximum freedom of activity.

Soon, only Luo Di, Ka Li Na, and Robin remained.

"Do you two not need to buy anything?" Luo Di asked.

Ka Li Na shook her head: "Everything that needed buying has already been bought; the room is almost overflowing with clothes now. We'll just follow you and observe so we can determine our plans for the evening."

"Hmm, then let's relax for a bit first," Luo Di said.

"Relax?" Ka Li Na looked puzzled.

Inside the bathhouse, steam rose in clouds. Ka Li Na and Robin had shed their clothes, their smooth skin soaking in the water, sensitive areas partially visible, their faces wearing the contentment of having washed away all their fatigue.

"So comfortable, Sister Robin, what do you think?" Ka Li Na asked with a smile.

"Oh my, indeed," Robin said, squinting with a smile: "It's been a long time since I've soaked in a bathhouse."

"Speaking of which, are all you Ability Users afraid of water?" Ka Li Na asked.

Robin smiled and shook her head: "Only seawater. If half of one's body is submerged in seawater, one will basically lose all strength."

"That's truly dangerous, then. After all, we are sailing on the sea; if we fall into the water during a battle, it'll be the end," Ka Li Na said hesitantly.

Lu Xi Ya had told her before that as time went on, they would also need to improve their strength and must not hold the group back. But no matter how Ka Li Na trained, she couldn't gain power beyond that of an ordinary person. After witnessing the power of a Devil Fruit, she had also begun to think that if she had the chance, she must eat one.

Though the side effects seemed a bit significant.

Seeing Ka Li Na's worry, Robin smiled and said: "As long as you have reliable partners, it doesn't matter. I think everyone is very reliable."

"They are very reliable," Ka Li Na said, resting her hands on the edge of the bath, smiling: "I remember back in the Goa Kingdom, it was just me and that guy Luo Di. Even then, I thought he was amazing and wanted him to protect me. I never expected that in the blink of an eye, it would turn into a great pirate crew of several hundred people."

"Ah, the captain is indeed a very charismatic person," Robin said with a smile.

"I wonder how that guy is doing with his bath," Ka Li Na muttered.

"Sir, is the pressure alright?"

In a room emitting a faint fragrance, Luo Di, having just finished his bath, lay on a soft mat while a woman with orange-red curly hair wearing a slit qipao massaged him.

Luo Di opened his mouth, and the woman immediately fed him a small piece of watermelon.

"Not bad, the pressure is just right," Luo Di said with satisfaction.

"I'm glad you're satisfied, sir," the woman smiled: "This is your first time at our shop, isn't it? Ours is the best bathhouse in this country, aside from Huating."

"Hmm," Luo Di nodded: "The people of your country seem very happy."

"Happy..." Xiali paused for a moment, her smile fading before immediately returning, and she smiled: "Yes, it's quite good. This is a World Government member nation, so it should be better than other countries."

After saying this, Xiali added: "Since you are here for the first time, you must be careful of the rules. After eight o'clock in the evening, it's the time for the Butcher Gang to be active. They have several hundred people, so you must be careful."

"Oh? Does the royal palace not manage them?" Luo Di asked in surprise.

Xiali looked hesitant and said slowly: "The boss of the Butcher Gang provides the royal palace with a lot of manpower and treasure every month, so it's considered a cooperative relationship. That's why the Wang Cheng side doesn't make things difficult for them."

"Hmm, thank you for the warning," Luo Di said with a smile.

After the massage, Xiali saw Luo Di out, and Ka Li Na and Robin were already waiting in the lounge area.

"My, Luo Di, you really know how to enjoy yourself," Ka Li Na pouted, looking at Xiali to the side.

"Welcome to visit again, everyone," Xiali said with a smile.

"Let's go, let's go outside and look around," Luo Di said, stepping out, and Ka Li Na and Robin quickly followed.

"Hey, put down the things in your hands." A group of crew members carrying wine and food had just reached a corner when they were blocked by a group of burly men.

There were about sixty of them, splitting into two sides to block them in the middle; it was clearly a premeditated robbery.

A crew member frowned and said: "We are from the Blood Calamity Pirates; if you know what's good for you, get lost."

"Hahahaha, and I'm an executive of the Butcher Gang," the burly man in the lead said sharply: "Hurry up and put down what's in your hands, strip naked, and hand over your treasure, so you'll suffer less. What are pirates? In a bit, I'll beat your captain half to death and take him to breed with the pigs, hahaha..."

"Hahahaha..." his underlings behind him also started laughing.