Chapter 13

5, The Peaceful Little Island That Was Broken (5/10)

The Breathing of the Sun combined with extreme training increased his Qi and Blood far more dramatically than Luo En had imagined.

Before mastering it, nearly two-plus months of extreme training had only raised his Qi and Blood by 12 points.

But after mastering the Breathing of the Sun, in just five months, it had risen by a full 57 points.

Moreover, Luo En could clearly feel it.

The growth of physical constitution and Qi and Blood became harder the further one progressed.

"Looks like it's going to snow."

Luo En looked up at the sky — a dark, heavy, oppressive sheet of grey.

"Better head back early today, or Aunt Mary will be after me again for a talking-to."

"These past few months really have given her quite a lot to worry about."

As Luo En spoke, he hurried toward the mountain cabin.

He moved through the forest at great speed, agile and nimble as a monkey.

Before long, the mountain cabin came into view in the distance.

At that moment, snowflakes began drifting down from the sky.

"Hm? Uncle Brian?"

Luo En saw Brian rush up to the mountain cabin and bang loudly on the door of the little house where the lamp was lit; the door opened at once.

Brian spoke anxiously to Mary about something, and Aunt Mary covered her mouth with her hand, her face full of terror.

Then she left the cabin together with Brian, running toward the town.

A faint sense of foreboding rose in Luo En's heart.

"Could something have happened to Old Man Harris?"

Without the slightest hesitation, he immediately followed.

"Toward town, then…"

Luo En's feet instantly picked up speed; cutting through the forest path, he overtook Mary and the other man and arrived in town ahead of them.

The moment he stepped into town—

Luo En heard—

Bang!

—the crack of a gunshot ring out.

"Over there…"

Luo En immediately rushed toward the sound, squeezing into the crowd of onlookers.

The sight before him made his eyes go wide.

An old man was on the ground, clutching his bullet-struck arm, his face twisted in agony.

Led by Harris, several middle-aged men stared furiously at the group of more than twenty pirates before them.

The gun in the hand of the pirate at their head, the one wearing a pirate hat, was still trailing wisps of smoke.

"Hehehe, you stubborn old coot — all I asked was for you to hand over some money, and you had to be so ungrateful."

The pirate captain, a cigarette dangling from his lips, looked down at the old man on the ground, his pockmarked, fleshy face radiating arrogance and insolence.

"Hm…" He glanced at Harris and the others. "You lot… thinking of fighting back against me?"

He leveled his still-smoking pistol at Harris, who stood at the head of the group.

"This here is the great pirate Smoyati, with a bounty of 1.5 million berries on his head. I advise you to think this through — if you anger my lord Smoyati, for a little island like yours, I can't promise what might happen to it."

A thin, wiry pirate beside the captain spoke in a sinister, snickering voice.

Harris clenched his fists, fury burning in his chest.

He wanted badly to strike, to teach these pirates a proper lesson.

But reason told him… he could not act.

The corner of Smoyati's mouth curled up. He fired a shot into the floor in front of Harris: "Hmph, that's all the guts you've got — a bunch of trash, what a boring little island."

"Boys, go smash up this tavern for me — take all the valuables and the liquor."

"Hahahaha!"

"Hehehe, I've been itching to get started!"

"I'll go first!"

The pirates could barely contain themselves; the moment they heard the order, they charged into the tavern and began wantonly destroying and looting the place.

"No, please! You can take all the valuables, I beg you, just please don't destroy my tavern!"

The old tavern owner, shot in the shoulder, lay on the ground pleading desperately.

Harris's body trembled with rage.

"Big Brother Harris!"

The men behind him were just as furious.

"This tavern — my wife and I built it with our own two hands. It's… it's my last treasure. I beg you, please don't destroy it!"

The old tavern owner, tears streaming down his face, dragged his bleeding, wounded arm forward and crawled toward the tavern's great door.

He seized one pirate by the ankle; the pirate glanced down at him with disgust and promptly kicked him away.

"Die, old man — get lost. If you want to die, at least don't dirty my clothes."

Seeing this, Harris's fury finally overwhelmed his reason.

He lunged forward in a single bound.

Before the pirate captain with the gun could react, a fist fueled by rage slammed full-force into his face.

"Get... get off this island!"

Harris threw a full-power punch, sending the 'big' pirate, who had a bounty of 1.5 million berries, flying.

Mary and Brian happened to arrive just in time and witnessed this very scene.

Both of them were greatly shocked.

"Harris!"

"What a magnificent punch."

Luo En, who was in the crowd, couldn't help but praise inwardly.

That punch's explosive force, speed, and penetrating power were all quite impressive.

Although Old Man Harris's HP was only 50 points, his actual strength was above that.

The pirate named Smoatie was sent flying five or six meters by that punch, and only after he crashed heavily to the ground did the other pirates finally react.

"Boss!"

"How dare they lay a hand on the boss — they've got a death wish!"

"Attack! Don't let a single one of them get away!"

They drew their weapons one after another and charged at Harris and the others.

The several middle-aged men behind Harris had long been unable to hold back; they grabbed tools like hammers and went to meet them.

Seeing a melee was about to break out, the surrounding crowd hurriedly stepped back.

"Mary, you stay back — I'll go help Harris!"

Brian let out a great shout, drew the filleting knife he carried on him, and charged in.

He had long wanted to teach these pirates a lesson.

6. Luo En makes his move, stunning everyone (6/10)

"Brian..."

Mary's face was full of worry, yet she could do nothing.

She had followed Brian here hoping things wouldn't blow up, but in the end...

Just then, Mary felt her clothes being tugged.

She turned her head to look.

A boy with half-long black hair, young and adorable, stood behind her, smiling at her.

Mary's eyes went wide: "Luo En?!"

"It's me, Aunt Mary."

"How did you get here? This place is dangerous — go back right now!"