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Chapter 431: Beaten and Enslaved?
Chapter 431: Beaten and Enslaved?
"I don't want to!"
"Let me see!"
"I said, I don't want to!"
Bang!
On a transport ship sailing across the vast ocean, not far from the waters near the Orlara's affiliated territories, a handsome young man with a bruised and swollen face shouted, only to be punched in the face and knocked down onto the deck.
A burly man with a sinister smile approached, frisked the young man to ensure he wasn't hiding any Belli, then turned to the trembling crowd.
"As the captain of this ship, my authority is absolute!" He declared, hands on his hips. "Not a single Belli will remain on your bodies before you reach your destination!"
Faced with his intimidating gaze, the passengers bowed their heads in silence, afraid to speak.
Satisfied with their obedience, the burly man nodded and said, "You should be grateful to me. You were starving on this ship, and I provided food and drink. I even brought you to this place. Orlara is known as the City of Worldly Desires, and once you arrive there, you can enjoy your new lives!"
"Such good fortune is like being reborn. Since it's a new beginning, you should leave your old belongings behind. Why not let me have them? After all..." He gave a sinister smile. "I don't have the same luck as you."
The World Government's population transport ships were not operated by the Navy or the World Government directly. Such tasks were carried out in the dark, at the very least.
And so, those who took on this business appeared. After passing through Mariejoa, a small number of people were chosen by the Dragonians to become slaves, while the rest, after crossing the Red Soil Continent, were dropped off on various small islands to await new owners.
Those who came for them were mostly underground figures, primarily slave traders, with a few ruffians and thugs among them, who also dabbled in slave trading.
In this sudden population migration, not only officials and the Navy profited, but the nobility also made a fortune. After all, with the people leaving, they could take advantage and grab whatever they wanted before the departure.
Even if they couldn't pay taxes, there were still small amounts of money to be had, and these accumulated funds could amount to a significant sum.
After barely surviving their journey to the New World, those who had managed to hide some money on their bodies were stripped of it by the slave traders. According to them, their final destination was the territory of the Pirates. Life was truly bitter.
They were pirates, known for their extreme brutality, especially the newly crowned Pirate King, Cataclysm. Many lost their hope upon learning their destination.
They dared not resist, nor could they even think of ending their lives. Their future seemed hopeless, and they could only live in a daze.
Sometimes, the future is uncertain because it is already predetermined.
The ship rocked with the waves, eventually reaching the port of Storm City. There, numerous transport ships without pirate flags, similar to theirs, had docked.
One by one, people descended from the gangplanks and were led away together. Perhaps due to previous resistance, bloodstains remained on the ground.
The burly man let out a cold laugh. This was the territory of one of the Four Emperors; it was too late for these people to resist now. After his ship docked, instead of letting the crowd disembark immediately, he went down first, plastering a smile on his face. He fawned upon a short-haired, golden-haired man standing below his ship, "Oh, you must be Lord Belami? Your beauty surpasses your bounty poster by a thousandfold!"
Belami crossed his arms and gave him a sidelong glance without replying. Instead, he looked at the cowering passengers on the ship.
"It's like this," the burly man continued, rubbing his hands together like a fly. "We took on a commission to transport people over a long distance to this place. It was a perilous journey."
I didn't say I wanted money, but with so many people, I can't just give them away for free. There's some loss, and I can't bear the cost, right?"
His humble and ingratiating smile now carried a hint of greed, "I'm a businessman too, you know. These people have value in the market."
Bang!
Before he could finish, Bellamy's fierce smile appeared, and his wrist suddenly contracted like a spring, tightening as he punched viciously at the giant's neck.
The giant felt a sharp pain in his neck from the punch, and then the world spun. As he spun, he saw blood splattering and a familiar headless body.
Oh.
So that's where the blood on the ground came from.
In that instant, as he realized the truth, his vision went completely dark.
"Another bold one!"
Bellamy stuck out his tongue, licked his lips grotesquely, and hung his head like a mad dog. His fist extended, and behind him, some of his men boarded the ship and killed the guards.
"Don't waste time. Bring the people down and take the ship. Let's see who's willing to buy them!"
Scenes like this had been occurring non-stop ever since the first ship carrying people arrived.
The one in charge of receiving them was Aokiji, and the first thing the people did after disembarking was to demand money, just like this dead giant.
They talked about losses, valuable slaves, but the bottom line was always money.
And then Aokiji sent them off with their ashes.
They didn't know what agreement these transporters had with the World Government, nor did anyone care.
Instead of negotiating politely with those guys, it was better to be straightforward. Anyone who didn't understand the situation would be dealt with directly.
In comparison, the people sent by the Revolutionary Army were much more obedient, but there were fewer of them.
One group was smaller but more manageable, while the other was larger but required more effort to explain things to.
At first, they would say something to soothe the fears of these terrified people, but as time went on, they became too lazy to bother.
Because no amount of explanation seemed to help, it was better to be direct. They would wait until everyone was gathered and then distribute them accordingly. Once they reached their destinations, they would naturally understand.
The practical benefits were more effective than anything else.
Indeed, this was the case. Some of the people who disembarked stayed in Ohara to fill gaps, while others were assigned to other islands and started working immediately.
Initially, they thought they would have to endure hard labor, but after their first shift, they realized it was different.
They weren't subjected to the cruel treatment of working in darkness for that brutal pirate.
They weren't treated like cattle, forced to contribute to the evil Catastrophe without any benefits.
Not only did they not suffer, but Norton Sag, who seemed to have misunderstood, also paid them a salary.
Not only did he pay salaries, but the benevolent landlord, Sag, also allocated funds for them to purchase houses.
Although the houses had to be bought, the wise and valiant Sag gave them the houses first and then deducted a portion from their future salaries until the house was paid off.
The remaining money was set aside by their supreme lord for their families' well-being.
They had jobs, enough food, and even extra money for better meals!
Oh yeah!
Ohara!
It truly was a land of blessing, just as those cruel slave traders who brought them here had claimed. The lord wasn't going to make them kneel and become slaves; he was genuinely giving them work and a chance to live anew!
It was all a misunderstanding; only the slave traders, the World Government, and their former country were brutal.
No!
From now on, there was no former country to speak of; they couldn't survive there anymore.
But here, they could live as human beings!
(End of Chapter)
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