"Hehehehe..."
A strange laugh broke the dead silence.
Gild Tesoro's smile did not fade; instead, it grew even brighter, taking on an almost pathological ecstasy.
His gaze slowly swept over the four pale-faced, stunned Celestial Dragons across from him, his eyes like those of someone admiring the rarest treasures about to be put up for auction.
The prey had finally walked into the hunter's trap.
And it was the most unexpected, top-tier prey imaginable.
"Hehehehe! Wonderful! Absolutely wonderful!" Tesoro spread his arms wide as if to embrace this sudden surprise. "Relay my orders! Everyone, come with me to the port immediately to prepare for the arrival of our most distinguished guest, the great Fleet Admiral!"
Having said this, he didn't even glance at the terrified Celestial Dragons, nor did he care about the three still-warm corpses on the floor.
Surrounded by his subordinates, he turned and strode away with maniacal laughter.
"It's over... it's over, it's over..."
Watching the open box door, Silos trembled all over, his legs giving way as he collapsed to the floor.
The glass cover on his head instantly fogged up with white mist from his rapid breathing.
"If Orion-sama finds out we're here, he'll definitely crucify us! He absolutely will!"
Ferrari and Lamborghini weren't faring any better.
Both slumped in their chairs, their faces devoid of color.
"Losing money gambling is one thing!" Liana's voice also carried an uncontrollable tremble. "The key issue is the gambling debt! We must never let Orion-sama find out we owe money!"
Tens of billions of berries!
This amount would have been insignificant to them as Celestial Dragons in the past, but now it felt like a massive mountain crushing her, making it hard to breathe.
She abruptly stood up, wanting to find the staff member who always handled their loans, only to discover that both inside and outside the private room were completely empty.
Only the four of them and several cold corpses remained.
"Where is everyone? Where's that bastard who gave us the chips?!" Liana screamed.
"We have to leave this place immediately!"
"It's too late!" Ferrari roared in despair. "The training ship has already arrived! Our only way out now is to contact Sharlia immediately! Yes! Contact Sharlia!"
He seemed to have grabbed onto his last lifeline. "Sharlia is currently in Orion-sama's favor the most. As long as she's willing to speak up for us, we might still have a chance at survival!"
Hearing this, Liana acted like a drowning person spotting a floating log.
She immediately took out her den den mushi from her bag and dialed the number with trembling hands.
"Purupurupuru..."
The den den mushi connected quickly, and Sharlia's voice came through, carrying a mix of laziness and surprise.
"Liana?"
"Sharlia! Help! Please save us!" Liana completely abandoned her usual arrogance and quickly explained how they had sneaked out, lost tens of billions of berries at the Golden City.
"...Orion-sama is about to arrive! If he finds out about this, we're dead! Please, for the sake of our relatively pleasant interactions, beg Orion-sama to show us mercy!"
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the den den mushi.
"Have you all gone mad?" Sharlia's voice suddenly turned cold. "Never mind that the World Government needs funds everywhere now, have you forgotten the lesson of the West Ice Hotel? At a time like this, you actually dared to go out gambling? And accumulated tens of billions in debt?!"
"This matter... don't even think about me helping. Even if the Five Elders themselves intervened, they couldn't save you!"
Liana was utterly desperate.
With a tearful voice, she pleaded, "Lady Sharlia, I beg you! As long as you're willing to help, as long as Orion-sama would spare our lives, I'm willing to do anything!"
As if having made a firm resolution, she gritted her teeth and declared, "Isn't Orion-sama seeking pure-blooded Celestial Dragons to continue his lineage? I... I've never been intimate with any man! I'm willing! I'm willing to bear children for Orion-sama! As many as he desires!"
"Who told you Orion-sama is seeking a Celestial Dragon to bear his child?" Sharlia's voice from the den den mushi sounded as if she had heard the most ridiculous joke.
"Where did you hear such nonsense?"
"Aren't you already..." Liana panicked, words tumbling out recklessly from her mouth.
"Haven't you already slept with him? Sharlia, you must help me! Otherwise, I'll spread the word about your relationship! Let the entire Holy Land know how this shameless woman climbed her way up!"
"Heh," Sharlia let out a light laugh, filled with disdain and pity.
"Liana, let's not even discuss whether you'd have the chance to spread such rumors. Even if you could, feel free to try."
"I would welcome it!"
The call was decisively cut off.
"Ahhh! That damned bitch!" Liana clutched the silent den den mushi, cursing furiously in her rage.
"So what if you slept with Orion-sama once? What gives you the right to act so arrogantly! If not for Orion-sama protecting you, you'd be nothing in my eyes!"
"How can you still be arguing about this at a time like this!" Silos snatched the den den mushi, his face covered in cold sweat.
"Since that bitch refuses to help us, I have no choice but to beg Lady Gunko of the God's Knights!"
With that, he frantically dialed another number.
The den den mushi connected, and an icy, emotionless female voice came through.
"Who is this?"
"Lady Gunko! It's me! Silos of the Manmayer Family!" Silos's voice trembled with agitation. "There's a matter of utmost importance—I beg for your assistance!"
He quickly recounted the situation, finally placing his hopes on that absurd bargaining chip.
"Lady Gunko, I've heard Orion-sama is seeking outstanding Celestial Dragons to bear his descendants! If you're willing to help us, Liana... she is willing to bear Orion-sama bloodline!"
...
Meanwhile, in the Chamber of Flowers within the Holy Land.
Upon hearing the den den mushi's message, Gunko's eyes instantly turned cold.
Back when she helped Orion raise military funds, she had emptied her private treasury accumulated over centuries.
And these worthless fools actually used the money for lavish revelry and reckless spending—they were practically seeking death!
Now they even dare to seek survival through such filthy transactions?
"What kind of trash is Liana?"
Gunko spoke coldly, her voice dripping with undisguised disgust and killing intent.
"Is she even worthy of bearing Orion-sama child?! What you should be doing now isn't running around begging for help, but calmly awaiting the arrival of the God of Death!"
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