"If you hadn't poisoned our food today, hadn't kicked in the door, I believe this would have been a very happy journey,"
"Pity, given the chance, you were of no use. You ruined a perfectly good atmosphere."
Qin Xiao shook his head.
"What, what do you want to do?"
Since Captain Heider already looked awful, so it was hard to discern any change in his expression after hearing Qin Xiao's words.
However, his voice contained a tremble that anyone could discern.
This proved that he was scared.
But that was normal.
After all, according to their plan, Qin Xiao and the others were supposed to be only moderately powerful, but now?
That power was so great that it left them powerless to resist.
Even compared to Purple Pearl, the powerful Soul Emperor whose Soul Force Pressure paled in comparison to the young man before them.
In his mind, this young man could possibly be a Soul Sage or even a Soul Douluo, those super-strong beings.
"It's not about what I want to do, but what you want to do."
Qin Xiao shook his head, "Now, you have two choices, one is to die right now, and the other is to continue taking us to Sea God's Island. If your service pleases us along the way, you might have a chance to live."
"We, Purple Pearl..."
Captain Heider's son, after hearing Qin Xiao's words, was about to shout a slogan of preferring death over submission.
But Captain Heider stopped him, silencing his son with a shout before he could speak, "Beast, shut up! Shouting slogans of dying rather than submitting might please the boss for fun, but it does not mean you really have to die, do you understand?"
"Father, you..." His son had no idea what to say.
With an expression of loathing for incompetence, Captain Heider said, "We are pirates, not disciples of some bloody noble Soul Master Family where honor is above everything. Nothing is more important than life itself. Do you understand?"
"Understand, I understand."
Anger distorted Captain Heider's face.
But it also sobered up his son, who didn't dare speak anymore.
He also realized that what he had said before was indeed dumb and foolish.
We're pirates, since when do we have a sense of honor?
Seeing that his son had stopped talking, Captain Heider turned to Qin Xiao, his face switching to a fawning expression, "Respected sir, may I know what we should do to satisfy you?"
"That's easy," Qin Xiao said, pulling out a small vial from his Spatial Soul Guidance Device.
He poured out a few pills, each the size of a fingernail.
"Everyone takes one, then I'll be at ease."
As Qin Xiao spoke, he tossed the pills, and they landed in front of Captain Heider, his son, and the remaining pirates.
"What is this stuff?"
With a puzzled face Captain Heider asked Qin Xiao.
In reality, his heart had skipped a beat, filling him with ominous premonitions.
At this moment, Qin Xiao spoke leisurely, "This is a poison, the name of which I do not know, nor do I need to know. It has but one effect; after taking one, you cannot stop."
"Poison..."
Captain Heider was listening and then quickly sensed something amiss, "Wait, what do you mean can't stop?"
"Meaning, after you take one, you must take another every thirty days. If you don't, you'll bleed from every orifice and die suddenly."
Qin Xiao explained slowly, "How's that? Exciting, isn't it?"
Exciting?
Exciting my ass!
Captain Heider and the many pirates all looked grim.
They had never imagined such a vicious poison could exist in the world.
Qin Xiao spoke again, "Of course, you can choose not to take it."
"Really?"
"Sure, but if you don't, you'll die now."
As Qin Xiao's final word "die" fell, the atmosphere inside the cabin instantly solidified.
Doesn't this mean, not just this voyage, but their future lives would be in someone else's hands?
All the pirates, including Captain Heider, held their breath, not even daring to breathe loudly.
"I'll take it, I don't want to die."
Finally, the pressure got to someone who gulped down the poison like a pill.
"Better to live poorly than die nobly. I want to live, so I'll take it too."
Once someone started, another reached for the poison and immediately took it.
They were not saints; they lived day by day, by the edge of the knife.
Apart from anything else, living another thirty days is better than dying on the spot, isn't that a great profit?
"Glug."
Captain Heider was the last one to take the poison.
It wasn't as distasteful as he imagined, there was even a sweet and sour taste to it.
This poison, it's kind of delicious... he mumbled subconsciously, then respectfully asked Qin Xiao, "Sir, may I inquire what we should do next? Your instructions, please."
"Proceed as usual, the destination remains Sea God's Island."
Qin Xiao finished speaking, and everyone suddenly felt lighter.
Without a doubt, Qin Xiao had withdrawn the Soul Force Pressure.
Sigh...
Captain Heider and the others let out a sigh of relief, one by one collapsing powerlessly onto the ground.
Only then did they realize that due to extreme tension, their clothes were soaked with sweat.
"Now take us to rest, tired."
"By the way, don't forget to clean up here."
As soon as Qin Xiao's voice faded, Zhu Zhuqing, Meng Yiran, Ning Rongrong, and Dugu Yan consciously gathered by Qin Xiao's side.
"Yes, of course."
Captain Heider quickly stood up, respectfully saying, "Sir, how many rooms do you require?"
He changed the way he addressed Qin Xiao to show even greater respect.
A few rooms... Qin Xiao bowed his head, pondering for a moment.
He had to admit, this question was harder than deciding how to deal with Captain Heider.
After a short pause, he spoke again, "Then, three rooms should suffice."
"Sir, please follow me," Captain Heider nodded emphatically and started leading the way.
Soon.
The group reached the guest room area.
"Qin Xiao, do you intend for Yanyan and me to share a room, and for Zhu Qing and Yiran to share another?"
"As for the last one, is it for yourself?"
Ning Rongrong curiously asked.
Qin Xiao shook his head, "Of course not, you and Yanyan get a room each, and the remaining one is for me, Zhu Qing, Yiran..."
What!
As Qin Xiao's words fell, everyone except him was stunned.
"Goodness, I say, goodness. These women of such stature, willing to share with someone?"
Captain Heider was like discovering a new continent.
"What's wrong, is there a problem with my arrangement?"
Qin Xiao looked at the group in surprise.
"No..."
"Not at all," Zhu Zhuqing and Meng Yiran murmured shyly, their faces turning red.
Their actions were similar, burying their heads in their chests.
In theory, they should reject Qin Xiao's arrangement, but for some reason, they were also a bit expectant...
"Is this really okay?" Ning Rongrong couldn't help but speak up.
"What's wrong with it?" Qin Xiao countered.
It's not that..." Ning Rongrong said some embarrassedly, shaking her head, "I just think that one room is a bit small, isn't it?"
Qin Xiao laughed, "Don't worry, the three of us won't just lie around; there's top and bottom, front and back."
"You lecher...."
Ning Rongrong's face turned red as she hurried into her room.
...
Captain Heider returned to the lowest level of the cabin where the remaining crew immediately approached him.
"Dad, what should we do now?"
Captain Heider's son was the first to speak.
He was voicing everyone's thoughts.
"What to do?"
Upon hearing this, Captain Heider first remained silent, then let out a bitter smile, "I never imagined that the sheep would turn into a man-eating tiger. I've been blind, indeed. What else can we do now? Our lives are in his hand; we must serve this nobleman at all costs."
His voice was filled with helplessness.
Having sailed the seas for half of his life, he had capsized today.
Such misfortune.
"Dad, why don't we ask for help from the boss?"
Heider's son asked, puzzled.
Not just him, but the surrounding crew members also thought this way; Purple Pearl seemed like their only lifesaver.
"Would I need your reminder if calling for help was useful?"
Captain Heider gave his son a big eye roll, "But I hate to inflate others' egos by belittling ourselves... Even if the boss came with all the Soul Masters, beside giving away free heads, there's nothing she could do!"
"Gurgle."
"Are they that strong?"
"But, the boss is a Soul Emperor."
Everyone was dumbfounded.