Chapter 4

The gunfire gradually subsided, replaced by the moans of the wounded.

Su Xiao, observing from the shadows, felt the moment had come—Toby, the burly giant, had already driven back the refugee mob.

The refugees fought with no strategy; after a chaotic volley, they began blindly chasing.

Leaping from the building, Su Xiao landed steadily, then immediately lowered his body.

Before him stretched an endless mountain of trash, smoke curling upward from its summit, a stench of decay striking his nostrils.

Su Xiao ignored it all, his eyes locked on a gun lying in the distance—a short flintlock pistol, worn but still a deadly weapon.

The gun’s owner was dead, half his throat shattered by a stray bullet, his corpse grotesque.

Perhaps his death had been hidden; Toby’s faction hadn’t found the gun. Otherwise, in the weapon-scarce “Waste End Station,” they’d never have left this “short flintlock” lying here.

Crouching low, Su Xiao moved toward the gun.

But at that moment, a gaunt refugee sprinted ahead, grimy hand reaching for the “short flintlock.”

Su Xiao frowned—not because the man had seized the initiative, but because he feared the man would draw attention from either faction.

He snatched a fist-sized stone and hurled it with all his strength.

The stone struck the refugee’s arm with brutal force.

“Thud.”

The refugee staggered back, screaming in pain.

Su Xiao lunged behind him, sidestepped, and drove his knee hard into the refugee’s spine.

The refugee arched forward, spitting a jet of acidic saliva, yet despite the blow, he only lurched two steps forward—still standing.

Su Xiao’s pupils contracted. How strong were the humans of this pirate world? This was just the weakest of the refugees.

But there was no time to ponder it. Su Xiao saw the refugee’s eyes turn feral, teeth bared, jaw muscles bulging like a cornered beast.

To an ordinary man, this sight would trigger instinctive retreat—but Su Xiao was no ordinary man. He had fought before. He knew: if he fled now, his exposed back would take a bullet.

Clenching his fist, Su Xiao struck the refugee’s jaw before he could recover.

The human jaw is packed with blood vessels; a sudden heavy blow causes cerebral hypoperfusion, leading to oxygen deprivation and brief unconsciousness.

“Crack.” Several bloody yellow teeth flew far away.

After Su Xiao’s full-force punch, the refugee collapsed straight backward, like a felled log.

An ordinary man would have blacked out for seconds after a jaw strike—but the natives of this pirate world possessed inexplicably tough physiques. Su Xiao flipped the refugee over and smashed his fist into the back of his neck.

A dull thud echoed. The refugee lay motionless.

Su Xiao snatched up the “short flintlock,” and instantly, text appeared before his eyes.

Before Su Xiao could read it, a large group of figures approached from afar—Toby’s faction, returning from failed pursuit.

Su Xiao’s blood ran cold. If discovered now, he wouldn’t even get to speak—he’d be riddled with bullets. These men were already blood-mad.

He scanned left and right, face grim. Around him rose towering mountains of trash, arranged in a ring, blocking all sightlines.

He dared not climb the unstable trash heaps—they could collapse at any moment, hiding unknown horrors. If he were pierced by a sharp object here, he wouldn’t die from blood loss—he’d die from infection.

So Su Xiao slipped into the dilapidated building. Mia, the girl, stared at him, fear etched on her face.

This time, without prompting, Mia spoke first.

“I won’t speak.”

Realizing she’d spoken, Mia clamped both hands over her mouth, her eyes darting to the “short flintlock” in Su Xiao’s hand.

Soon after Su Xiao entered the building, loud noises erupted outside.

After a burst of curses, the noise faded. They’d returned to scavenge—but the anger in their voices suggested they found little.

Su Xiao exhaled, then checked the earlier prompt.

【Obtained: Worn Flintlock (White）】

Worn Flintlock (White)

Origin: One Piece, Leopold Workshop

Durability: 6/30

Ammunition: 4/6 (Rapid-fire flintlock is a unique technology of the One Piece world)

Attack Power: 2~13 (calculated by distance)

Equipment Requirement: Strength 1 to use; Strength over 3 to use effectively.

Rating: 3 (Note: White equipment ratings range from 1 to 10. A rating of 10 is labeled “Rare” and grants special attributes.)

Description: This flintlock has been neglected. Its original rating of 9 has plummeted to 3. Use it carefully—your next shot may be its last… and yours.

Price: 150 Paradise Coins (This item is a chance-loot; cannot be removed from the One Piece world.)

……

【Hunter’s First Equipment Acquired: Equipment Tier Introduction Activated】

【Equipment Tiers: White, Green, Blue… Tier insufficient to view further details. Hunter, explore on your own.】

【Hunter’s First Encounter with Paradise Coins: Paradise Coin Explanation Activated】

Paradise Coins can be used to trade with the Paradise Loop or other contractors. This is the only universal currency of the Paradise Loop.

【Warning: Use each Paradise Coin wisely. It is your capital for survival and strength.】

……

Su Xiao nodded thoughtfully. The Paradise Loop had strict systems—not only detailing weapon stats, but also a fully developed currency mechanism.

Though Su Xiao knew danger lay ahead, he felt a quiet anticipation—eager for the Paradise Loop to make him stronger.

He didn’t yet know how to grow stronger, but the Paradise Loop must hold the way—otherwise, he could never complete the harder tasks ahead.

After carefully inspecting the “Worn Flintlock,” Su Xiao smiled.

Finally, he had a weapon. Without one, in this perilous world, he could never feel safe.

But compared to firearms, Su Xiao preferred cold weapons—like a long, narrow-bladed, razor-sharp sword.

If his own blade were with him, his combat power would rise by at least fifty percent.

Su Xiao now understood the basics. He needed to prepare for the mission—the deadline was only seventy-two hours.

He didn’t dare imagine what failure would bring. He had to devote himself entirely to completing it.

Assassinating a king was no simple task. He needed other methods—at least a way to get close to him.

The idea of secretly infiltrating the palace never crossed Su Xiao’s mind. In the One Piece world, there was something called Observation Haki.

From his memories, this king was likely tied to the World Nobles, the Celestial Dragons. It was entirely possible he had elite Observation Haki users guarding him.

Otherwise, with Su Xiao’s assassination skills, the difficulty of killing a king could never be rated LV.3.

In the real world, with its surveillance systems, Su Xiao had carried out his revenge. How much easier would it be in the backward tech world of One Piece?

But thinking of this now was premature. First, he needed to understand his location—the Paradise Loop offered no map. Everything had to be discovered by himself.

Su Xiao’s gaze turned to the girl cowering in the corner. She lived in the “Waste End Station”—she must know this place well.

Sensing Su Xiao’s stare, the girl, Mia, curled into herself.

“What do you want?”

Her voice trembled, laced with tears. She’d hidden her gender—because in the Waste End Station, being a woman was a deadly liability.

“Are you hungry?”

Su Xiao crouched before her, his face softened with a gentle smile—but his eyes remained cold.

He was not a kind man. Hatred had long erased kindness from his heart.