Chapter 895
Shen Lang stood high above, looking down at the pirates of the Goulan Gang, and laughed aloud.
“Brothers of the Goulan Gang, I timed my arrival perfectly to greet you. I arranged this place to look just like the White Harbor of the Seiren Empire. Wasn't it a surprise? Weren't you amazed?”
Then, Shen Lang looked at Haiyuan, Haimeng, and especially Douglas, and said loudly,
“All hail Your Highness Douglas! You saved us, you led us out of our predicament, you took us home. Pah! Douglas, didn't you detonate several ancient core energies? Didn't you set a timed self-destruct function? With abilities like yours, how dare you pretend to be a savior, acting as if you were a god?
Yes, last time, when the undersea earthquake occurred, the explosion of the ancient core energy temporarily disrupted the energy field of the Cursed Sea, which is how Hella managed to escape. But just because it worked once doesn't guarantee it will work a second time. They’ve been on guard ever since that incident. Douglas, you idiot! And all fifty-three thousand of you from the Goulan Gang, you’re all idiots too.
Did you really dream that Douglas would save you? In this world, only I, Shen Lang, can save you. Only I can truly lead you out of the Cursed Sea and take you home. Do you want me to save you? Kneel and repent! Kneel and pledge your loyalty to me! I, Shen Lang, am exceedingly magnanimous. I will give you one more chance.”
Douglas Seiren had been utterly shocked when Shen Lang jumped from the Empress’s Defeat last time, but he had quickly recovered. He had used the various miracles he had created and the base nature of humans to defeat Shen Lang and become the new leader of the Goulan Gang. But this time, Shen Lang had delivered a truly brutal slap in the face. Struck as if by lightning, he couldn't react at all.
‘What on earth happened? Why did it fail? My theory was proven correct. The explosion of the ancient core energy last time definitely tore through the energy field of the Cursed Sea, and that’s how Hella successfully escaped.’
But revealing the truth of the matter now was pointless. For the past few days, he had played the role of the Goulan Gang pirates’ savior, basking in their adoration as if he had ascended to heaven. Now, he had been kicked from heaven and sent plummeting into hell. What did the truth matter when the fervent support he had received from the pirates had become a complete farce?
However, the ones who had truly fallen from heaven to hell were not Douglas, but the pirates of the Goulan Gang. How joyful had they been for a time? Thinking they could go home at any moment, they had drunk themselves into a frenzied ecstasy. They had treated Douglas like a god.
People do not fear despair itself, but they fear despair after being filled with hope more than anything. Once they grasped the situation, nearly all the pirates of the Goulan Gang broke down completely. Most could no longer stand, collapsing to their knees, their strength gone. Some wailed loudly.
“Why? Why? Why do the heavens treat us this way?”
“Oh, heavens, you are too cruel. To torment us like this, why not just kill us outright?”
Hella watched the scene, feeling an unparalleled sense of satisfaction.
‘Serves you all right. You didn't stop my mother when she performed the sea burial. You faced her death with shame yet remained indifferent. When my brother offered himself for another sea burial, you remained unmoved, bowing with false sincerity. And then you chose a true charlatan like Douglas. This outcome is only natural. You deserve it.’
Hella shouted loudly.
“Who can you blame? Who else can you blame? This is the First Gang Leader you chose. This is the savior you chose. Douglas, keep up the act. Keep playing your tricks.”
Douglas Seiren took a deep breath, gradually feeling sensation return to his body. He absolutely could not admit defeat now. He hadn't lost yet. Douglas said with a sneer,
“Shen Lang, I may have failed, but who can prove that you have succeeded? You keep saying you can save the Goulan Gang, but what is your method?”
Shen Lang retorted with a sneer of his own.
“Trying to trick me into revealing the fruits of my wisdom? Dream on!”
Hella's sworn brother, Haiyuan, trembled uncontrollably, his breathing ragged with anguish. He had been the most convinced that Douglas could save them, so in this moment, with Douglas’s myth shattered, he was the most devastated of all. But even so, he had to continue defending Douglas and stand against this pretty boy Shen Lang to the very end.
Haiyuan said in a furious voice,
“Shen Lang, you keep saying you have a way to lead the Goulan Gang out of here, so tell us! To expect the brothers to risk their lives for you without even revealing your method is truly a daydream. His Highness Douglas has only failed once. So don't even dream of overthrowing his position as Gang Leader.”
Hearing this, Hella looked at Haiyuan in disbelief. Why was this happening? Why was her sworn brother defending Douglas so vehemently? The two of them had been complete strangers before, having known each other for only a few months.
Shen Lang clicked his tongue and said chidingly,
“You see? Now, this is love. Aren't you moved, Your Highness Douglas? Even at a time like this, Haiyuan still seeks to protect you. His love for you is deeper than the sea.”
Hearing this, Haiyuan’s expression changed drastically. Hella stared at him in disbelief, and the pirates present all fixed their eyes on him.
‘What… what does that mean? Could it be that Haiyuan and His Highness Douglas are in that kind of relationship?’
In the Western world, same-sex love was not blessed, but the pirate world was more tolerant. It wasn't uncommon for men to love each other, and Hella herself liked women. However, since Douglas’s arrival, he had been ardently courting Haimeng, and many had secretly thought the two had become a couple.
‘Could it be that Douglas intends to have both the brother and the sister? That’s… a bit much, isn’t it? Besides, Haiyuan’s behavior has always been perfectly normal; he never gave off that kind of vibe.’
As if Shen Lang’s words had hit a nerve, Haiyuan’s expression changed dramatically, and he pointed at Shen Lang.
“Brothers of the Goulan Gang, the failure of His Highness Douglas’s plan is all because of this Eastern pretty boy. It’s because of this shameless charlatan! Brothers of the Goulan Gang, we could have escaped this predicament and returned home. But Shen Lang destroyed everything! His schemes have ruined it all for us! We have been trapped here for over a decade. What’s wrong with wanting to leave this place and go home? But this shameless Easterner, for his own selfish desires, to win the loyalty of the Goulan Gang, sabotaged Douglas’s plan.”
As soon as Haiyuan spoke, a glint appeared in Douglas’s eyes. It was indeed a good idea—to pin the blame for the failure on Shen Lang.
Douglas then spoke up.
“Shen Lang, I had a question that I didn't voice. The explosion was a quarter of an hour later than expected. It should have detonated with perfect precision, so why was it delayed? I want you to give me a reasonable explanation. Aren't you an expert on ancient core energies? You stopped the self-destruction of a large core energy in the Amazon Kingdom. Not only that, but five core energies were supposed to explode this time. Why did only three go off?
Shen Lang, you have greatly disappointed me. I originally thought that even with your ambition, you were a hero to be respected, but I never imagined you would resort to such despicable means. To defeat me, you didn't even care if sixty thousand members of the Goulan Gang died? What is wrong with the brothers wanting to go home? Why did you try to kill us? Why did you destroy my plan? Because the explosion lacked power, we couldn't break through this energy field and couldn't return home. I demand that you give the Goulan Gang an explanation.”
Hearing this, Hella and Jack Dawn were filled with admiration. They had been with Shen Lang constantly for the past few days and knew he hadn't done anything to sabotage the ancient core energies. Why would Douglas frame an innocent person with such slander? Was he really such a vile person?
Haiyuan then shouted,
“Brothers of the Goulan Gang, it’s all Shen Lang’s doing! He’s the one who harmed us and prevented us from going home. Let’s kill him here and now to avenge this!”
Haiyuan raised his cutlass, pointed it at Shen Lang, and continued.
“Only by killing him can we return home. Kill him!”
At Haiyuan's cry, many of the Goulan Gang pirates turned to Shen Lang with eyes full of hostility and suspicion. This was a part of their base nature—the desire to vent their anger on someone else. Whether this person was at fault or not, they needed to release their frustration. Kill first, ask questions later.
“Brothers, follow me! Let's kill Shen Lang!”
As Haiyuan shouted, thousands of pirates truly did charge forward with him.
‘We don't know. We don’t care about right or wrong. Right now, we must vent this anger. We need to kill someone! Shen Lang, how dare you mock us and trample on us?’
Jack Dawn was enraged by their actions, drew his cutlass, and shouted loudly.
“Protect our lord!”
In an instant, the seven thousand members of the Goulan Gang who had pledged loyalty to Shen Lang drew their cutlasses, their fighting spirit flaring. A civil war among the Goulan Gang pirates was about to erupt. Watching the situation unfold, Douglas’s eyes flickered constantly. This might be a good thing. If a civil war broke out in the Goulan Gang, the two factions would be in complete opposition from now on. Then, even if he had failed to save them, most of the pirates would have no choice but to follow him to the end.
“Goulan Gang, kill Shen Lang! Only then can we go back! Kill!”
Haiyuan, as if possessed, led a multitude of pirates in a charge. Hella drew her sword and stood by Shen Lang's side. Her martial skill was on par with Haiyuan's, but Haiyuan was of a special race, closer to ancient humanity, possessing immense strength and speed, so she couldn't be careless.
Shen Lang assessed the unfolding situation, raised his right hand, and was about to open his mouth to begin his planned performance. But just then, a cold yet pleasant voice suddenly came from the darkness.
“Who wants to kill Shen Lang? Who said they would kill Shen Lang? Was it you?”
Then, a shadow, flying like the wind, rushed toward the thousands of pirates led by Haiyuan.
“Whoever blocks me dies!”
Haiyuan roared, gripping a greatsword in his hands, and swung at the approaching shadow.
*Clang!*
But his greatsword stopped abruptly, as if nailed in mid-air. It had been blocked by a slender, jade-like hand. The woman who owned the hand asked,
“You wanted to kill Shen Lang?”
“What if I did?”
The woman's hand trembled slightly, and the greatsword in Haiyuan’s grasp shattered into pieces. Then, her slender hand lightly tapped Haiyuan’s head. Haiyuan tried to flee, but his entire body was completely frozen, unable to move at all.
*Splat!*
The next moment, Haiyuan's head burst like a watermelon. And only then could everyone present get a clear look at her.
‘How can such a beautiful woman exist in this world?! She has the face of an angel and the body of a devil!’