REINCARNATION PARADISE

Hank's words made Su Xiao's eyes light up.

He had finally confirmed the current timeline. This was a scene that had appeared in the original storyline, occurring three days before the burning of the Gray Terminal.

This was excellent news for Su Xiao. The more chaos, the better his opportunities would be. The murkier the waters, the easier it was to fish.

As Hank was about to leave the warehouse, he turned back and said, "Our boss's name is Brandon Oka. Now that you're part of the Guard Squad, you should at least know the boss's name."

Su Xiao chuckled lightly and nodded in acknowledgment.

The two walked out of the warehouse, and by then, the sky had already started to dim. The streets were filled with weary pedestrians.

Through casual conversation, Su Xiao learned that the burly man he met earlier—his current 'superior' Brandon Oka—had been the captain of the Guard Squad for nearly ten years. According to Hank, Brandon had extensive connections and contacts with many officials in the palace, and he had even been summoned by the king himself.

However, Su Xiao didn't fully believe Hank's words, suspecting some flattery in them.

It was likely true that Brandon had been the Guard Captain for ten years, but whether he had such vast influence was still uncertain. Staying in the same position for that long could also indicate that his 'boss' hadn't been advancing much in the capital.

Just as Hank was about to say goodbye, Su Xiao took the initiative to speak.

"How about a drink? It's my first day in the capital, and I have a lot to ask."

Hank pretended to hesitate, but under Su Xiao's 'enthusiastic invitation,' the two entered a nearby tavern.

A few cups of rice wine later, Hank's face turned slightly red, his breath reeking of alcohol, and his words became much more unrestrained.

"I tell you, if the boss could just keep himself in check, he'd have been in the palace by now. But no, he had to mess with... hiccup~."

Hank hiccupped, stopping mid-sentence as if realizing he had said something he shouldn't have.

Su Xiao raised his glass and clinked it with Hank's. As Hank tilted his head back to drink, Su Xiao quietly poured his own drink away.

In such a dangerous mission world, drinking alcohol was practically asking for death, so Su Xiao hadn't touched a drop.

"Forget it, let's not talk about that. The boss is still living it up, you know. He's a regular at Pleasure Street—how envious is that?" Hank continued.

Su Xiao responded with some casual remarks, refilling Hank's cup.

After a few more rounds, it was around 7 p.m. when Su Xiao and Hank parted ways at the tavern entrance. The streets were now brightly lit.

Lighting a cigarette, Su Xiao took a puff, the smoke swirling around him as he thoughtfully watched Hank walk away.

Hank had provided a lot of useful information. And now that night had fallen, it was time for Su Xiao to act.

Placing his hand on the hilt of his sword, Su Xiao flagged down a passing pedestrian. The man initially looked annoyed, but his expression quickly changed to one of fear when he saw Su Xiao's Guard Squad uniform.

"Tell me, where's Pleasure Street?" Su Xiao asked.

The man gave a knowing smile—the kind all men understood—and pointed Su Xiao in the right direction.

That smile and the name "Pleasure Street" made Su Xiao realize exactly what kind of place it was.

His 'boss' sure had a lot of energy.

As the lanterns lit up the night, a street adorned with pink and red lights came into view.

On both sides of the street were buildings with double or triple pointed roofs. The roofs were covered in glazed tiles, and round or square lanterns hung at their entrances.

Soft music intertwined with the laughter of the street's occupants, where men and women walked closely together, arm in arm.

On the balconies above, scantily clad women, some holding long-stemmed pipes, stood laughing coquettishly, trying to attract passing customers.

This was Pleasure Street, the red-light district of the One Piece World.

Perched on the roof of one of the buildings, Su Xiao crouched, dressed in black, gripping his sword, Dragon-Slayer Blade.

Since entering the One Piece World, Su Xiao hadn't made a move yet. But tonight, he would assassinate his first target, setting the stage for completing his mission.

A loud, familiar laugh echoed down the street.

Su Xiao's gaze immediately focused on the source. It was none other than his 'boss,' Brandon Oka, accompanied by two guards, swaggering down Pleasure Street.

As Brandon passed, pedestrians hurriedly moved out of the way, their faces tense with apprehension.

"He's finally here." Su Xiao whispered.

Hiding on the rooftop, Su Xiao silently followed Brandon and his men.

Before long, Brandon entered a particular building. Su Xiao leaped across rooftops under the cover of night and soon reached the top of that same building.

He waited for a while before silently dropping to the ground, landing without a sound, and quickly pressing himself against the wall to avoid detection.

Using the dim light and shadows to his advantage, Su Xiao began checking the rooms one by one.

There was no need to rely on his eyes—he had trained to use his hearing to locate his target. And he remembered Brandon's voice well.

After checking three rooms, Su Xiao found his target. Inside, a man and a woman were talking.

"When are you finally going to 'rescue' me? Can't you bear to see me with other men?" the woman asked.

"Soon, very soon. This place belongs to the Left Minister, and it's not just a matter of money. I've been trying my best—after all, the Left Minister is close to the king..."

Su Xiao listened to their conversation with a blank expression, but their talk grew more and more 'intimate,' making him frown.

However, it wasn't the right time to act yet. Su Xiao needed to wait until Brandon was at his most vulnerable, then deliver the fatal blow.

Soon enough, the opportunity came. The guards outside began chatting, their attention distracted.

Su Xiao quietly drew his sword from its sheath and, with painstaking slowness, pushed open the window, slipping into the room without making a sound.

Inside the room, the man and woman were nestled together, lost in each other's company.

Su Xiao had chosen this moment because it was the only time Brandon would completely lower his guard.

Every step closer to Brandon, Su Xiao moved like a predator stalking its prey, silent and precise.

Five meters, three meters, one meter.

Su Xiao stood directly behind Brandon, slowly raising his sword. The tip of the blade hovered over Brandon's exposed neck. Brandon, his head turned slightly away, hadn't noticed anything yet. The woman beside him, however, seemed to sense something, but it was too late.

Gripping the hilt of his sword tightly, Su Xiao plunged the blade into Brandon's neck with all his strength.

Shkkt.

The sword pierced clean through Brandon's neck with ease, as if slicing through paper, and continued through to the woman beside him.

If Su Xiao had only killed Brandon, the woman would have screamed, alerting the guards outside and putting him in serious danger. The physical capabilities of even ordinary citizens in the One Piece World were strong, not to mention trained guards.

Two kills with one strike, without hesitation.

This is why the Reincarnation Paradise had chosen Su Xiao to be a Hunter.

Being a Hunter wasn't just about having special abilities. It required the courage and decisiveness to kill.

The fledgling assassin had made his mark.

(End of Chapter)

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Translator's Note :- I am Not that familiar with a lot of the fictional worlds mentioned in the story. So if I make a mistake naming something please correct me by writing a paragraph comment on the mistake. Thank you.