Chapter 46: The Targeted Government Ship

"Move at the fastest speed possible. I want to return as quickly as I can."

Roswald Saint, now dressed in a new set of clothes and wearing a mask, walked up to the guards and issued his orders with an air of superiority.

"We're already moving at top speed, Lord Roswald Saint," a guard replied nervously.

"What's the status of those three CP2 agents?" Roswald asked, frowning.

The guard shuddered, as if recalling something horrifying, and spoke with difficulty, "Their bones are completely shattered... They might not make it..."

"Useless! All of them are useless! Three against one, and they end up like this? How can I ever trust my safety to such incompetence?" Roswald ranted, his mind consumed with thoughts of his own security, completely indifferent to the fate of the dying agents.

"We've already contacted the Holy Land. The CP agents are on their way to assist us," the guard said, trying to placate him with good news.

Sure enough, Roswald's expression brightened upon hearing this.

"Good, good! Did you tell the people in the Holy Land about that Jack guy?"

The guard, unsure of how to handle Roswald's volatile mood, replied with forced cheerfulness, "Yes, we did. It's said that the Five Elders themselves will personally look into this matter."

"You dog! Who told you to spread this around? I can handle this myself!" Roswald's eyes bulged with rage as he kicked the guard to the ground.

Not satisfied, he continued to kick the man repeatedly.

"I won't do it again! Please spare me!" the guard pleaded, but his cries only seemed to fuel Roswald's anger.

Roswald pulled out a whip and began lashing the guard mercilessly. Before long, the guard fell silent, lying motionless on the deck.

"How amusing!"

Roswald suddenly burst into laughter, reveling in the feeling of absolute power over life and death. It was the only way he could momentarily forget the humiliation he had suffered earlier.

"Do any of you dare make decisions for me again?"

The guards were momentarily stunned, then quickly dropped to their knees on the deck.

"You know we always follow your orders, my lord. We would never dare to disrespect you."

"That man acted on his own. We weren't close to him."

Roswald's eyes gleamed with arrogance. This was the power his status granted him—the power to decide life and death with a single word.

"I like the fear in your eyes..."

With that, he strode into his lavishly decorated cabin.

Unlike the quarters of the guards and CP agents, Roswald's cabin was adorned with priceless treasures. The carpet was made from the pelts of rare and exotic beasts.

Scattered across the carpet were over a dozen chests, their contents spilling out slightly to reveal dazzling jewels. Even the faintest glimpse of these treasures made the cabin radiate opulence.

Roswald stripped off his clothes and leaped onto the soft bed like a pig diving into mud.

...

Outside the cabin, on the deck.

"Whew..." The guards collectively exhaled in relief.

"That guy almost got us all killed!"

Although they were guards for the Celestial Dragons, their status wasn't much higher than that of slaves.

Watching the closed door of Roswald's cabin, they pulled out cigarettes and lit them, trying to ease their nerves.

Working for the Celestial Dragons was dangerous, but the benefits were undeniable. To the Celestial Dragons, they were nothing, but to ordinary people, they became untouchable figures.

As long as they could read Roswald's moods correctly, they could avoid danger altogether.

This was a privilege only those close to the Celestial Dragons could enjoy.

"Keep an eye on our surroundings. We're the only ones escorting him right now. We don't know when the CP agents will arrive."

"As long as we make it to Mary Geoise safely, the rewards will be substantial."

"You're being too optimistic. No one in this world would dare trouble a Celestial Dragon."

The guard paused, then added, "Except for that lunatic earlier."

The mention of that "lunatic" made them wonder. How could anyone dare to strike a Celestial Dragon? And stranger still, why had Roswald tolerated it?

Could it be... that even Celestial Dragons felt fear?

The thought barely formed in their minds before they dismissed it. Such a thing was impossible.

Even someone like Rocks, who had dreamed of ruling the world, had never dared to lay a hand on a Celestial Dragon.

After 800 years of rule, the World Government had firmly established the authority of the Celestial Dragons in the hearts of everyone. No one could defy them.

Only the truly insane—or those who didn't belong to this world—would dare challenge the Celestial Dragons' authority.

...

"Captain, I've decrypted a coded message."

"Oh? Let's hear it," said a man with golden hair, seated on a throne-like chair wrapped in animal pelts. He was polishing two swords in his lap.

"The message says a ship carrying gold and jewels will pass near us. It seems to be a bribe from some kingdom to the Celestial Dragons, headed for Mary Geoise," the crew member reported.

"So the guards shouldn't be too strong, right?" The golden-haired man—Golden Lion Shiki—leaned forward with interest. "This is perfect. If it's nearby, let's head over."

"But... what if it's a trap?" the crew member asked, more cautious.

"Who cares!" Shiki sheathed his swords. "I'm the Golden Lion! Even if it's a trap, we'll smash through it!"

"Wow! That's our captain!"

"Majestic! Fearless!"

The crew erupted in cheers. Since forming their pirate crew, they had never tasted defeat.

A ship carrying bribes for the Celestial Dragons, not as heavily guarded as the Heavenly Tribute, would provide them with enough wealth to live lavishly for a while.

It was also an opportunity to further spread their infamy.

Pirates with similar intentions were converging on the same location, all sharing the same target.

...

"Boom!!!"

The sea grew turbulent, and the weather shifted abruptly. Clear skies turned dark as storm clouds gathered.

Within the clouds, a massive shadow seemed to writhe and twist.

On the deck of the government ship, the guards paused their work, looking out at the sudden storm with frustration. The unexpected weather had slowed their progress.

"Why does the weather have to change so suddenly?"

The guards sighed and doubled their efforts. "Stop complaining and focus on steering. Keep working..."

In a corner they hadn't noticed, a man with a golden braid silently observed their movements.

...