One Piece Gunslinger

Even those who didn't take any drastic action had livid faces and glared fiercely at Li Ang.

It seems Hancock's charm appeals to men, women, young and old; anyone who isn't mentally challenged can't resist her. Who knows how many of these bodyguards are in love with Hancock? Leon has now jumped into the heart of a group of rivals.

This feeling is similar to that of a die-hard fan who learns that their favorite celebrity is getting married, but the person isn't them—a feeling of excitement mixed with a touch of sadness.

Grandma quickly added, "That won't do, Snake Princess. Men are not allowed on Nine Serpents Island, let alone marrying one."

The other guards chimed in, "Yes, yes. This man should be fed to the snakes."

"enough!"

Just as a group of people surrounded Hancock, chattering and clamoring for Leon's execution, Hancock finally revealed her regal side.

"No matter what I do, I will be forgiven, because I am simply too beautiful!"

Sigh, he just showed a little authority, and then immediately reverted to his narcissistic old self. Li Ang could only shake his head and rub his forehead. Although he had overcome the shadows of his childhood and wasn't so unreasonable anymore, this narcissism was ingrained and couldn't be changed.

The guards seemed to have been swayed by Hancock's narcissistic rhetoric and had forgotten their previous condemnation of Leon.

Seeing that everyone had quieted down, Li Ang finally got a chance to speak: "Ahem, Hancock, getting married is indeed too rushed. I think it's really not a good idea to make such a hasty decision about the most important moment of your life. I want to give you the happiest wedding."

Hancock, as if she were a master of changing faces, suddenly became shy and coy after hearing Li Ang's explanation: "Well, since that's the case, then I'll listen to you completely." For a moment, she had no opinion of her own and did whatever Li Ang said.

No one, including Hancock's two closest sisters and her grandmother, had ever seen Hancock with such an expression. Their eyes widened in astonishment, and several of her guards, seemingly lost in thought, wore drooling, almost drooling.

It can only be said that the magic of love is truly powerful, especially in Hancock's case, where it is many times stronger than that of ordinary people.

The most beautiful woman in the world is also the most easily influenced by love, and the most affected by it. Li Ang had no doubt that if he became a heartless man and betrayed Hancock's love, then Hancock, under this twisted magic, would transform into a great demon and destroy the planet beneath her feet.

"So I'm dating Hancock to save the world," thought a shameless, self-serving jerk.

In the end, this farce was brought to a close by Li Ang's reassurance. Although the others were quite dissatisfied, they could only accept the fact that Hancock had fallen in love with this man. Just as Hancock had said, she could be forgiven for whatever she did. The rules of Amazon Lily had remained unbroken for hundreds and thousands of years, and Hancock was about to set a precedent.

With such charm, it not only captivates the masses, but it's almost capable of disrupting the laws of nature.

Farce aside, there's still business to be done. Li Ang didn't follow Hancock into the village just to put on this charade; he had plenty of other things to do and many places to visit. And following Hancock was, of course, also for the sake of the Revolutionary Army.

After driving away the guards, only Li Ang, the three Bo Ya sisters, and Grandma remained in the room.

Chapter 298 Taking Another Step Forward

"Well, as you can see, now that Hancock and I are in a romantic relationship, you can imagine that tomorrow we'll see news of a Celestial Dragon's death in the newspapers."

“And, sisters,” Hancock added, “the two Celestial Dragons I personally killed were the father and son who enslaved and whipped us back then, and even after all these years, their stupidity hasn’t changed.”

Ah, that's exactly what Li Ang guessed. If she hadn't happened to run into those two Celestial Dragons, Hancock wouldn't have had such a drastic emotional change, and she almost turned to the dark side.

However, having Hancock personally dismember them both alive also significantly improved her mental state. At least when she saw Vice Admiral Strawberry, she didn't immediately charge at him, but instead released a bit of Haki, which she quickly withdrew.

However, Li Ang believed that Hancock had not yet fully stabilized at that time, and if it were him, he would definitely be able to remain calm.

The photos and the two younger sisters knew Hancock and knew that this was very likely the case, but they still found it a bit unbelievable when the two said it. That high and mighty Celestial Dragon, who happened to be the World Noble who was pressing down on the three sisters, died at the hands of the two.

However, my mother-in-law was getting on in years and had seen a lot of ups and downs, so she quickly calmed down: "So you mean we can continue discussing our collaborative project?"

That's right, that's why Li Ang came.

They had almost reached an agreement, but were interrupted by a request from Hancock. They could only cooperate if Hancock's request was fulfilled.

However, Li Ang was clearly not satisfied with this. Since Li Ang not only met this condition but also had a close relationship with Hancock, then what he had discussed before was too immature. He should take this opportunity to bring the Revolutionary Army and Amazon Lily closer together.

Since the goal was to build a closer relationship, Li Ang directly set his sights on Amazon Lily itself. His ultimate aim was to obtain all of Amazon Lily's resources, just as he had done with the areas occupied by the Revolutionary Army.

"Then tell me, what areas need improvement? I think what we discussed before was already quite comprehensive." Although Grandma Za was usually just a bystander with little real ability, she could suddenly unleash a powerful aura at the negotiating table.

Although Granny passed the throne to Hancock, she still effectively governs the entire Amazon Lily. Granny's affection for this land runs deeper than anyone else's.

She might not care much about other things, but when it comes to the entire Amazon Lily, she can't afford to be careless. Even if Li Ang were already married to Hancock, let alone now that he's not her son-in-law, she still wouldn't let her guard down on this matter.

Of course, Li Ang respected her authority. After all, Granny was just an administrator, and Hancock could easily reclaim her power with a single word. It was only because Hancock rarely had time to manage the country that she entrusted Amazon Lily to Granny's administration. If Li Ang truly had any malicious intentions, he could have bypassed Granny Lily and targeted Hancock directly. He believed Hancock would not refuse any of Li Ang's requests.

But this is incredibly reckless. That's something only villains do; Leon wouldn't do it, or rather, he wouldn't stoop to it. It's essentially exploiting the relationship between Hancock and him. Besides, Leon isn't doing something that harms others for personal gain; this is highly beneficial to both sides and would completely convince Grandma.

Li Ang said slowly and deliberately: "First of all, I think that with the development of the times, this kind of closed-door policy and survival by plundering at sea is no longer suitable for Amazon Lily."

Steamships have now appeared, and methods for dealing with Sea Kings are diverse. The Calm Belt, a natural barrier, is no longer insurmountable. Therefore, it's inevitable that Amazon Lily will develop close ties with the outside world in the future, or rather, that the entire world will become more interconnected. At that time, this barbaric and stagnant way of life will inevitably be eliminated. I mean, the entire species will be eliminated.”

Li Ang wasn't exaggerating; this was all based on experience. With the development of transportation and communication, the world will become increasingly smaller. At that time, Amazon Lily will become a place of rampant "civilization" and barbaric inhabitants, thus being abandoned by the world.

When Grandma heard Li Ang's words, she was skeptical. After all, she had not experienced Li Ang's kind of modern education. As a native, it was already a sign of great wisdom for her to believe half of it.

Moreover, Grandma had also discovered some clues, otherwise she wouldn't have let Hancock become a Shichibukai and use that title to protect Amazon Lily.

"So, after saying all that, what exactly do you want, or what do you want?" Since Li Ang has brought it up, there must be a solution, and he might just be looking to exchange some benefits.

It's so pleasant to talk to smart people, Li Ang said immediately. "I do have two immature ideas about this issue: going out and bringing in."

"Oh? What does 'going out' mean, and what does 'bringing in' mean?" asked the professional straight man, Grandma.

"Going out means letting the warriors and residents of Amazon Lily leave this place. I believe that every woman on Amazon Lily is a warrior. Instead of spending her life quietly on the island, she should go out and make a name for herself, fight alongside our revolutionary army, and learn together. After a few years, she can return to Amazon Lily and share what she has learned and experienced, inspiring other Amazon warriors."

Grandma Za said disdainfully, "Ha, that sounds nice, but isn't this just making the people of Snake Island work for your revolutionary army?"

Indeed, Li Ang was somewhat envious of the people on Amazon Lily; the female warriors were truly impressive. He naturally wanted to recruit them into the Revolutionary Army to fight on all fronts. But as Granny Za said, this would be tantamount to making Amazon Lily serve the Revolutionary Army.

"So, we need to bring them in," Li Ang continued, or rather, patiently explained.

"The so-called 'bringing in' means introducing the advanced technology and ideology of the revolutionary army. When I was walking on the street before, I found that the vast majority of people here had never seen a man before, which shows how closed-minded and backward their thinking is. I think that such an ideology is no longer sufficient to lead the development or even the survival of Amazon Lily."

Similarly, in terms of science and technology, we are basically in a prehistoric society. I haven't even seen a single gun here. Perhaps you think that current science and technology are nothing special, and that firearms are far less useful than your javelins. But science and technology are advancing, and at a very rapid pace. In less than ten years, the javelins you rely on for survival will be far behind firearms.

It was precisely because of the backward technology that the island's production of supplies was far from meeting people's needs, and they had to rely on plundering at sea to fill the gap. Naturally, this was not something our revolutionary army wanted to see.

"Then we, the revolutionary army, can provide you with everything you lack, filling those gaps. And not only will we give you things, but we will also impart knowledge to you."

Li Ang's intentions are clear: he wants Amazon Lily to exchange people for knowledge and technology, thereby enhancing the revolutionary army's combat effectiveness. Amazon Lily can also make up for the problems caused by its unbalanced development over the years.

"So do you think it's fair to exchange our Amazon Lily warriors for some knowledge?"

Li Ang immediately replied, "Knowledge is priceless."

"The lives of our Amazon Lily warriors are priceless."

“So, exchanging something priceless for something priceless, I think that’s very fair,” Li Ang said with a slight smile.

Only then did Grandma realize that she had fallen into Li Ang's trap and had been led astray by his rhythm.

Li Ang and his mother talked for a long time, but the three Bo Ya sisters were completely confused and dizzy from listening. Sometimes they had no idea what Li Ang was saying at all.

It's clear that Li Ang currently has the upper hand. And Hancock, who's secretly siding with Li Ang, is already cheering him on in her mind.

Li Ang continued to explain, "Everything must be fought for, whether it's an individual, a country, or a nation. Rather than calling this a transaction, it's more accurate to say that this is Amazon Lily's self-salvation."

Of course, our revolutionary army could easily sponsor these things. But if Amazon Lily could receive our revolutionary army's help without paying any price, then it would be no different from charity. And a nation that can only survive on charity will perish immediately once it loses that charity.

Similarly, the same applies to plundering. You can plunder for a while, but you can't plunder forever. No matter what happens in the future, the world will eventually become more stable, and the living space for pirates will become smaller and smaller until they are completely wiped out.

We can't always look at things from a short-term or personal perspective; we need to look at them from a long-term, national, and ethnic perspective. If you consider Amazon Lily as a person, then the question you need to consider now is whether or not you want to become stronger. If you want to become stronger, you need to train, and training will inevitably lead to injuries.

After Li Ang finished speaking, Granny Zha couldn't help but fall into deep thought. Although she was very reluctant to let the people of Nine Snake Island take risks, just as Li Ang said, it was almost impossible to become stronger without getting hurt.

Even the three Boa sisters, who did not concern themselves with politics, understood that what Li Ang said was true.

The reason why Li Ang's words made sense was not because he was smart, but because he could draw more experience from history than they could. History always repeats itself in surprising ways.

After pondering for a long time, Grandma sighed and said, "Hancock really found an extraordinary husband."

Afterwards, Grandma Za discussed some details with Li Ang, and while retaining the previous proposals, they further deepened communication and cooperation in all aspects.

Thus, after a conversation between Li Ang and Granny Za, Snake Island and Amazon Lily had effectively become part of the revolutionary army.

Chapter 299 Rayleigh

After dealing with the matter on Snake Island, Li Ang did not stay for another day. He found a small boat and set off again.

This immediately displeased Hancock. Of course, Li Ang also wanted to stay a few more days, but he had many things to deal with, and it was inconvenient for a Shichibukai to appear. So he could only promise Hancock that he would come back to make it up to her later.

"If love between two people is meant to last, why should they be together every day and night?" Li Ang finally understood the meaning of this sentence.

Leon's next destination was the Sabaody Archipelago, right under the World Government's nose. According to the intelligence he had gathered, Leon was going to meet two old friends there. Two days had passed since the Hancock incident, and his two old friends' ships were probably already coated with protective gear. If he arrived any later, he might miss his chance to hitch a ride with his old friends.

It can be seen that Li Ang was different from many others. He fulfilled his duties in his position. Since he had joined the revolutionary army, he was determined to carry on this cause and actively contribute to the revolutionary cause.

Inevitably, this leads to actions that are highly purposeful and utilitarian. Therefore, every voyage and every step of Li Ang's actions is meticulously planned.

Instead of acting like a pirate, taking things one step at a time and just enjoying the adventures along the way, Li Ang didn't want these unexpected encounters to happen, because unexpected encounters meant surprises.

Of course, the reason why an accident is called an accident is that it is unpredictable. For example, helping Hancock deal with two Celestial Dragons was an extraordinary encounter for Leon, which unlocked his mental shackles.

However, the main operational procedures have never deviated. If an accident occurs, as long as it is not too serious, Li Ang can adjust back. Moreover, not every accident will lead things in a worse direction; sometimes there are also some wonderful accidents.

This naturally includes this trip to see two so-called old friends.

Li Ang understood that, frankly speaking, given his behavior, he couldn't be considered a friend at all. In fact, he didn't deserve to be called a brother by others. He was merely using intelligence to create these chance encounters so he could exploit these "friends" later.

This behavior is nothing short of villainous, deliberately using one's foresight and intelligence advantage to influence the course of the world in order to achieve a certain goal.

However, Li Ang still went ahead and did it without hesitation. If he could achieve his goal, what did it matter if he used some means? It would be foolish not to take advantage of his strengths and resources.

"Yes, it lives up to its reputation. It really does look like a fairy tale." Li Ang rowed all the way from Amazon Lily to the Sabaody Archipelago. Fortunately, he didn't encounter any sea kings this time. But since it was all manpower-driven, Li Ang had worked hard for half a day. Seeing such a dreamlike landscape, he couldn't help but feel refreshed and invigorated.

The island is filled with bubbles produced by the breath of the mangrove roots, and the bubble culture that has arisen from it. It wouldn't be out of place in a fairy tale.

"Unfortunately, the Sabaody Archipelago, which looks like a fairy tale, is not a fairy tale at all, and is filled with too much filth."

Yes, the slave trade, human auctions, lawless zones. These things permeated the entire Sabaody Archipelago. They clashed with the island's environment, its dreamlike coating technology, and its tourist attractions and theme parks, yet they existed in a wonderfully incongruous balance.

Furthermore, the presence of the World Government stationed on the island, the resident Marines, and the occasional appearance of the Celestial Dragons further stabilized the chaotic situation. This sense of order emerging from chaos is quite captivating.

However, the last sentence was not spoken by Li Ang, who is still rowing a boat.

"Oh, old sir, you're really enjoying yourself, swimming too," Li Ang said to an old man with white hair and glasses standing next to him.

Li Ang recognized the old man at a glance; he was none other than Rayleigh, the hidden boss who lived in seclusion on this island.

Moreover, Rayleigh's shout startled Li Ang quite a bit; he suddenly appeared from the side, catching him completely off guard.

"Haha, young man, you're in just as much spirits as you are, rowing all the way from Amazon Lily to the Sabaody Archipelago," Rayleigh laughed.

“Look at you, your clothes are all soaked in the seawater. Why didn’t you call me back sooner? I could have given this old man a ride. If word gets out that I don’t respect the elderly, you’ve swum all this way. Come on up.”

Li Ang now realized that Rayleigh hadn't just discovered him now, but had been following him all along. Rayleigh had been chasing after Li Ang ever since they set off from Amazon Lily, and Li Ang hadn't even noticed that Rayleigh had been following him the whole way.

Li Ang was still muttering to himself, "I was wondering why I hadn't encountered any Sea Kings. I was thinking that my luck might have finally turned around? But it was all bullshit. A Sea King did approach, but Rayleigh chased it away halfway through."