area51novel Page 87
Page 87
It wasn't the same group of men in black from before, but a different group. They were dressed in variegated clothes and looked like pirates, but the greed and ruthlessness in their eyes were exactly the same.
"Search carefully! The 'Empress' must be hiding nearby! She's seriously injured; this is a golden opportunity!"
"If I could catch her... hehe, wealth, fame, women, I could have anything I wanted!"
"Cheer up! Even if we can't catch her alive, getting that thing from her will be good enough!"
These searchers became more scattered, but also more reckless, roughly searching every possible hiding place as they gradually approached the alley.
The woman held her breath again.
She glanced at the swaying figure at the alley entrance, then at Liu Jiu in front of her, who was like a bottomless ancient well.
She moved closer again, cupped Liu Jiu's cheeks in her hands, and kissed him a second time.
This time, unlike the first time, it wasn't filled with the resolute performance; instead, it carried a hint of dependence that even she herself hadn't noticed. Or rather, it was an instinctive use of the incredible protection that this silent body could provide.
She leaned almost entirely into Liu Jiu's arms, using his figure and the shadow of the alley corner to perfectly conceal herself.
The fabric of the cloak rustled softly as it rubbed against each other.
The only sounds in the air were her suppressed breathing and the rude searching and cursing of the searchers outside the alley.
Liu Jiu remained standing, like an ancient stone statue, letting her do as she pleased. His hands didn't even rise; they simply hung naturally at his sides.
Time flowed slowly in the oppressive silence.
Every second seemed to be stretched out.
The woman's heart was pounding in her ears.
The searcher's footsteps paused briefly at the alley entrance, and a pair of fierce eyes swept into the alley.
His gaze swept over the couple "intimate" in the shadows, and he spat.
"Damn it, I've been bombarded with PDA for no reason! Let's find somewhere else to look!"
The footsteps faded away again.
Only when it was completely quiet outside did the woman, as if she had exhausted all her strength, slowly release Liu Jiu.
Her body slid down the wall, and she was about to collapse to the ground.
Liu Jiu, who had remained as still as a stone statue, suddenly moved.
He reached out a pair of incredibly steady hands and gently supported her arm, stopping her from sliding down.
The woman used his strength to steady herself, raised her head, and looked deeply into Liu Jiu's ordinary yet incredibly profound face with her amethyst eyes.
She opened her mouth, as if she wanted to say something.
But in the end, it turned into a very soft sigh, filled with complex emotions.
Why...why didn't you ask?
This was her second time speaking, and her voice was slightly more stable than before, but still weak.
Liu Jiu looked down at her, his gaze calm and unwavering, as if he wasn't the one who had just been kissed twice and dragged into an inexplicable crisis.
Although I enjoyed it a little at the time.
He finally spoke his first words since she appeared, his voice low and steady, without any emotional fluctuation.
"what?"
The woman was stunned.
The faint noise from outside the alley contrasted sharply with the frozen silence inside, creating two completely different worlds.
The woman leaned against the cold brick wall, panting with the faint support from Liu Jiu's arm. The noise outside the alley came and went, rising and falling like the tide, but it could never truly drown out this forgotten, dark corner.
Her amethyst eyes were fixed on Liu Jiu, trying to glean even the slightest emotion from his calm demeanor—curiosity, fear, greed, or even just the most ordinary thrill a man would feel after being kissed by a beautiful stranger.
Nothing at all.
His gaze was like the deepest trench, swallowing all light and ripples. Even that brief moment, which she had keenly captured and which she might have called a "small pleasure," vanished like an illusion, leaving only eternal silence.
This complete and irrational calm, however, made her feel a deeper unease. She was used to the gazes of others, whether of awe, greed, or fear, but she had never encountered such...complete "ignoring."
It was as if her thrilling escape, her forced intimacy, and her bounty of 290 million were no different from the growth of moss in the corner of a wall or the falling dust in the air in his eyes.
This realization made her feel a strange sense of frustration and... bewilderment, even more so than facing those fierce pursuers.
She took a deep breath, which aggravated her internal injuries. Her brows furrowed almost imperceptibly, but her voice had already regained some composure, carrying her unique, seemingly innate, cool quality:
"You're not from the Western Sea?"
This question seems abrupt and unrelated to her current situation, but it is precisely the most direct judgment she can make based on the man's unusual reaction.
People in the West Blue, whether pirates, merchants, or ordinary citizens, would never react this way upon seeing "Empress" Angelica Ishtar—neither in person nor on her wanted poster.
Liu Jiu's gaze remained fixed on her face, without shifting. He nodded, the movement so subtle it was almost imperceptible.
“The world is my home.”
His voice remained steady, uttering four words without any embellishment or further explanation. It was as natural as stating, "The weather is nice today."
This answer, though simple, stirred something within her.
Not originating from a specific sea area means lacking the inherent knowledge and stance rooted in that sea. It also means... that one is more difficult to fathom.
She was silent for a moment. From outside the alley, Sabo's boisterous laughter could be faintly heard, as if he were arguing with Kuina about the bounty. The voice was full of energy, completely out of place with the somber atmosphere in the alley.
"You saw that wanted poster." She stated it as a statement, her gaze sharpening as she tried to apply some pressure. "Do you know who I am?"
"Yes." Liu Jiu nodded again, admitting it readily.
"Then you should know even better what it means to get close to me."
Her voice was low, carrying a hint of warning, and also a probing tone that she herself was unaware of.
"Endless trouble, the threat of death, and being at odds with the World Government, the Navy, the underworld, and countless pirates like those hyenas outside."
She stared intently into his eyes, trying to see even the slightest hint of hesitation or retreat.
However, Liu Jiu simply looked back at her calmly, as if she were talking not about a potential death, but about what to have for dinner.
"Oh," he replied.
Then there is no more then.
Angelica felt as if her powerful punch had landed on empty air, nearly aggravating her internal injuries. A sweet taste rose in her throat, which she forced down. She had never met anyone like this before!
"You..." She was speechless for a moment, unsure how to continue the conversation. Threat? The other person didn't care. Bribe? She didn't even know what the other person wanted. Reason with them? She couldn't even grasp their basic logic.
Just then, Liu Jiu slightly adjusted the pressure on her arm, making it easier for her to lean against him. This subtle, almost instinctive movement created an eerie contrast with his completely indifferent attitude.
Angelica was slightly taken aback.
Looking at his ordinary, weathered face, at his unfathomable eyes, an absurd thought suddenly flashed through her mind—
Perhaps, when he said "making the world his home," he meant more than just geographical wandering.
It's more of a state of mind... detachment from worldly affairs?
She couldn't understand.
But at this moment, this man, silent as a stone and with bizarrely irritating reactions, was the only seemingly safe "shelter" she could reach despite her serious injuries.
The changing light outside the alleyway shows the passage of time.
A new crisis may be looming.
Angelica Ishtar, the "Queen" of the West Blue and a great pirate with a bounty of 290 million Berries, felt an unprecedented sense of bewilderment under the silent gaze of a strange man.
What should she do with him?
So what will they do with her?
Chapter 103 Transaction Conditions
At the other end of the alley, near the port, Sabo's distinctive voice, both cheerful and somewhat irritating, could be faintly heard.
"Kuina, Robin! Look closely, this barbecue smells absolutely amazing! Let's eat our fill first, then we can go find the dock!"
"Sabo, don't forget the important matter." This was Kuina's cool voice.
"Hehe, it's okay to relax once in a while." Robin's gentle chuckle could be faintly heard.
The sound grew louder as it approached, clearly indicating that Sabo and his two companions were heading in this direction.
The woman's body tensed instantly, like a startled mother leopard. She instinctively looked at Liu Jiu, a hint of wariness and inquiry flashing in her amethyst eyes. In her current state, she couldn't afford any further unexpected conflict, even from someone who might know this silent man.
Liu Jiu sensed her sudden stiffness.
He glanced down at her, his gaze lingering for a moment on her pale yet still stunningly beautiful face, before he made a move that surprised her.
He tightened his grip on her arm slightly, leading her deeper into the alley, behind a pile of tall, abandoned wooden crates. His movements were not rough; rather, they carried an undeniable steadiness, allowing her to be "moved" almost without her feet touching the ground into a blind spot.
At the same time, he used his body to perfectly block any view that might be cast into this direction from the alley entrance.
The entire process was silent and as fast as a ghost.
Just as they stopped, the sounds of Sabo and his two companions laughing and talking reached the vicinity of the alley entrance.
"Huh? I think I just saw Uncle here?" Sabo's puzzled voice rang out.
“You must be mistaken, Sabo. Uncle isn’t interested in crowds; he’s probably gone somewhere quieter.” Kuina’s voice was certain.
"Perhaps Uncle is asleep somewhere," Robin guessed with a knowing smile.
"Let's pack some delicious food for Uncle! We all have life cards, so we won't have trouble finding him."
The footsteps didn't stop, and accompanied by the aroma of roasted meat, the three gradually disappeared into the distance.
Deep in the alley, in the shadows cast by abandoned wooden crates.
The woman leaned against the rough wooden box, looking up at Liu Jiu, who was so close to her. His broad shoulders blocked out all light and sound, creating an absolutely secluded, small space.
She could clearly smell the clean, simple scent emanating from him, like sun-dried hay, which mixed with the bloody and cold fragrance on her body, creating a strange sensation.
Two kisses, one act of protection, and one tacit concealment.
This man, from beginning to end, showed no ulterior motives, did not inquire about her identity, did not ask for payment, and did not even display any of the emotions a normal man would show when facing her. He was like a silent mountain, appearing just in time for her most perilous moment, and then... offering shelter.
This utterly motiveless behavior, instead of making her mind at peace, which was used to calculating gains and losses in conspiracies and betrayals, made her feel a sense of unprecedented bewilderment.