He saw in the corner of the dock, his small boat, already engulfed in roaring flames, black smoke billowing into the sky.
Why!
How could this happen!
This was the boat he and Ah Ni had scrimped and saved for five years to buy!
And this was just the beginning, those people in white uniforms were still setting fire to the remaining boats.
"Quickly go! Everyone return to the town immediately!"
A masked figure in white barked harshly, drawing a long sword from their waist and pointing it at the fishermen, "From today onwards, no one is allowed to go to sea! Those who violate will be killed without mercy!"
The fishermen retreated in fear, and one elderly man asked tremblingly:
"W-why? Sir, it's one thing to not let us go to sea, but why burn our fishing boats? How can we fish and feed our families like this..."
"Shut up!"
The figure in white swung the sword sharply, the flash of the blade splitting a barrel beside the old man in half instantly, "This is His Majesty the King's order! Ask one more question, and the next thing to be split will be your head!"
The King?
Ah Bi gritted his teeth, these liars!
He had seen the royal guards with his own eyes, and the uniforms were nothing like this, plus the current old King was a kind-hearted person, unwilling to see his people suffer, how could he possibly give such an order?
These people were clearly spreading false orders from the King!
Suddenly, a hand covered his mouth from behind, pulling him abruptly into a side alley! Ah Bi almost screamed, turning to see it was Ah Ni!
"Shh!" Ah Ni whispered urgently, "Keep quiet! Those are World Government agents!"
"World Government?"
Ah Bi was stunned, as a citizen of a non-affiliated nation that was struck off in retaliation just for delaying the Celestial Gold, he had no good feelings about that name, "What are they doing here?"
"Not sure, but they've blockaded the entire coastline."
Ah Ni shook his head, his face pale, pulling him deeper into the alley: "I came before dawn and faintly heard them talk about 'hunting grounds', 'the masters will soon come to clear the prey'..."
"Clear the prey?"
Ah Bi stopped in his tracks, turning his head suspiciously, "What does that mean?"
It made no sense.
Due to the World Government's past retribution, and the looting by the Germa Army, this country had suffered several famines in the past!
The wild animals in the mountains and forests that could be eaten were nearly extinct, even field mice weren't spared, what prey-worthy beasts could there be left?
"Don't know, but it's definitely not a good thing."
Ah Ni shook his head, fear flickering in his eyes: "Ah Bi, I have a bad feeling about this, anyway, we must quickly inform everyone, let everyone be careful!"
Just then.
A dull rumbling sound came from the distance, and it seemed something was approaching.
The two exchanged a glance and quietly climbed onto the low wall of the alley, looking in the direction of the sound.
——On the horizon in the distance, an unimaginably immense giant luxury cruise ship was slowly sailing toward the port.
The cruise ship was entirely gilded, with the World Government's flag hanging from the mast, and faint figures with bubble helmets could be seen on the deck, leisurely lounging on deck chairs or gathering at the railing, pointing and gesturing towards the shore.
"Those, those are..." Ah Bi's voice trembled, "Heavenly Celestial Dragons?!"
How could there be so many!
Just on the deck alone, at a glance, there were at least a hundred of them!
"Hey, get down!"
Ah Ni urgently pulled him down, the two of them crouching behind the wall, holding their breath.
On the cruise ship's deck, a fat Heavenly Celestial Dragon with a helmet was eagerly scanning this way with a gem-encrusted telescope.
"Saint Charlos, sir."
The black-suited butler next to him bowed, "There is more than an hour before the game starts, you haven't had your breakfast today, would you like me to bring some refreshments?"
"Get lost, this is no time for that!"
Saint Charlos kicked the butler aside, excitedly waving his hands, "I've waited eight years, eight full years! I can finally play the hunting game again! This time I must break the record, kill a thousand lowly people!"
He turned and shouted towards the ship's cabin:
"Hey, Aunt Maria, Aunt Diana, how much longer do you plan on dawdling! Hurry up or all the prey will be killed by me!"
Laughter and curses came from the cabin, and two still-graceful middle-aged female Heavenly Celestial Dragons elegantly walked out, each holding a cup of red tea:
"What's the rush, it's only the first day."
"Exactly, I heard this time there are as many as 360,000 prey prepared, it's the most abundant harvest in years, enough for us to play for days!"
"By the way, when was the last time we participated in the game? It feels like so long ago."
"It's been over ten years I think, that time was in the East Sea, don't you remember? You didn't kill to your heart's content, felt unhappy, and even invited me for a casual visit to the Goa Kingdom, we played for a few days."
Diana smiled, "And on the way back, there was an ignorant woman who tried to cozy up to us, and you got impatient and cut her head off, kicked it like a ball?"