The saxophone's melody gradually reached its peak.
The wide-ranging notes surged like the furious waves of the sea—rising, falling, and crashing with power.
Inside the cabin, Saint Xildes danced wildly, thrashing his iron whip without restraint.
His face twisted into a crazed, ecstatic grin, eyes gleaming with madness.
He stomped in rhythm with the music, the sound of each lash weaving perfectly with the passionate and swelling saxophone.
Pa!
Snap!
Snap!
The whip cracked mercilessly across tender flesh, and the woman clenched her teeth, her body already covered in dense, bloody welts.
Searing pain radiated from her wounds, but she didn't dare scream.
She just kept biting down, forcing a strained, submissive smile to remain on her lovely face.
"No... No! That look in your eyes—it's wrong!!"
Saint Xildes suddenly roared in fury, swinging the gem-studded whip even harder.
"You're supposed to glare at me with defiance! You're supposed to hate me! Loathe me!"
"Think! I killed your father! I killed your mother! Now remember it—remember it all!!"
Crack!
The whip sliced down, tearing a fresh gash across the woman's chest.
She let out a muffled groan, her blood-soaked body collapsing to the floor, gasping raggedly for air.
But her eyes grew even more submissive, even more yielding.
She knew too well—showing hatred would only inflame the Celestial Dragon's twisted lust.
Submission, on the other hand, would sometimes cause him to lose interest and move on.
"Damn it!! Damn it all!!"
Saint Xildes stormed forward and slapped her across the face with his pudgy, greasy hand.
Her body flew two meters back. Her cheek visibly swelled, blood trickling from the corner of her lips, long black hair splayed in a tangled mess.
"What a bore!!"
He cursed, panting with rage that only worsened the more he thought about it.
Without hesitation, he drew the golden pistol at his waist, clicked off the safety, and pressed it against her bloodied forehead.
He had planned to spare her—if she pleased him.
But now, there was no need.
The noble gods had no reason to show mercy to these filthy, lowborn insects.
He'd already found his next exquisite toy anyway, hadn't he?
Thinking that, Saint Xildes let out another cruel, twisted laugh.
"My apologies, my beloved wife," he said coldly, looking down at his seventeenth wife, finger tightening on the trigger.
"Goodbye."
But just then—
Saint Xildes suddenly noticed her pupils shrink.
Her once vacant expression gained clarity.
She was staring past him.
Straight behind him.
"Hm?" Saint Xildes frowned.
He smelled something strange.
A scent he knew all too well.
Blood.
Thick, suffocating blood.
And then, from behind him—came the creaking sound of a door slowly opening.
Saint Xildes turned his head toward the cabin door, puzzled.
It was being pushed open.
From the gap beneath it, a stream of crimson blood crept across the floor.
As the door swung fully open, a blast of snow-laden wind howled into the cabin.
There—stood a tall figure, soaked in blood.
Snowflakes clung to his short black hair.
A broad white cloak billowed behind him, carrying with it the thick, metallic scent of death.
Saint Xildes's eyes widened in shock, and he couldn't help but cry out,
"It's you!!"
He stared hard at Daren, who stood at the cabin doorway. From the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of the horrifying scene on the deck outside.
Corpses in black suits hung suspended in the air.
The twelve CP members assigned to the escort were all dead—lifeless bodies pierced through by rusted steel, sprawled in twisted, chaotic positions.
They hung in the wind and snow like shredded rags.
Blood dripped steadily from them, dyeing the entire deck a vivid red.
Saint Xildes's pupils shrank to pinpoints.
This guy... he actually killed my men!?
Could it be...
In that instant, an overwhelming chill surged from the soles of his feet, rushing up his spine to his head, sending shivers through his scalp.
"Admiral of the North Blue, Supreme Commander of the North Blue Marines, Captain Daren of Marine Headquarters, reporting in to Saint Xildes-sama."
Standing in the doorway, Daren narrowed his eyes, bowed slightly, and smiled.
Bang!!
The golden pistol spat fire.
The bullet struck Daren squarely in the forehead—but instead of piercing through, it let out a metallic clang and bounced off, scattering sparks.
"Seems like Your Excellency has a decent aim."
Daren smiled and stepped forward.
"You... you..."
Saint Xildes-sama was shaken to the core. Seeing that the shot had no effect, he involuntarily stepped back twice.
"Daren, what are you trying to do!?"
"What am I trying to do... now that's a good question..."
Daren gave a short chuckle, paused as if in thought, then winked at him.
"What do you think, Saint Xildes-sama?"
Saint Xildes-sama froze—then flew into a rage.
"Whatever it is you're planning, you've already offended me! You must die!!!"
As the Marine Captain drew closer, he squeezed the trigger frantically.
Bang bang bang bang!!
Bullet after bullet struck Daren's body—only to ricochet off harmlessly, leaving pockmarks on the cabin walls and floor.
After emptying several shots, Saint Xildes stared in disbelief at the man now standing right in front of him.
"You..."
Daren smacked him hard across the face.
The blow shattered the glass dome he wore, sending shards slicing into his face as blood streamed out.
Under Daren's terrifying strength, Saint Xildes's pig-like face twisted grotesquely.
His body was sent flying, spinning several meters through the air before slamming into the cabin wall.
Bang! The wooden planks split apart on impact.
Saint Xildes let out a miserable howl.
Bloodshot eyes full of venom glared at Daren as he pointed a trembling finger.
"You filthy—"
Shhkk!!
Two iron bars suddenly shot out from the bottom of the cabin, twisting up like tree roots and wrapping around the Celestial Dragon's arms.
They pierced clean through his pudgy hands and nailed him firmly to the wall.
"AAAHHHHHHHHH!!"
Saint Xildes screamed like a pig being slaughtered.
(40 Chapters Ahead)
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