"Boss, tell me, isn't this the most helpless thing?" Shendu looked at Ron with anticipation.
Ron nodded, still in a daze.
Did this guy get the wrong script?
From entering to sitting down to drink, he didn't behave as he should. Now, these words seemed to bemoan the difficulties of being a father.
"Two years!"
"For a full two years..."
Shendu took a sip of his wine and raised two fingers: "Boss, do you know how I survived the two years I was imprisoned in hell?"
"I fought with my stupid son for two and a half years, day and night, endlessly!"
Two and a half years?
Ron rubbed his chin, realizing Shendu came from that timeline.
[The Adventures of Jackie Chen] After the ending.
Shendu and Drago were completely sealed in hell.
Aren't all twelve talisman in Shendu possession?
After pondering, Ron comforted softly: "Calm down; it's common for sons and fathers to be arguing."
Rem's voice came from the backyard: "Yes, father and son are father and son after all; there must be a day of reconciliation."
Ron turned his head to see Rem and Ram standing at the backyard door, their little faces full of sympathy.
Maybe Shendu's voice was too loud, prompting the two sisters, who had finished washing and changed into pajamas, to check the situation again.
Shendu nodded, glancing with interest at the black cat in Ram's arms.
Since he entered the tavern, he had immediately assessed everyone's presence. The twin maids were formidable, but one slap could end them.
The black cat seemed to possess a similar means of attacking the soul. However, Ron displayed no discernible aura the entire time, appearing just like an ordinary person. Yet, how could someone capable of transporting themselves from hell to another world be considered ordinary?
Thus, from his entrance until now, Shendu had conducted himself admirably.
"You don't have children, so you don't understand the bitterness of a father," the Holy Master's voice carried a tinge of melancholy. "My foolish son blames me all day for not giving him enough attention, choosing to fight with those wizard instead. But what's it all for? Isn't it all paving the way for my foolish son?"
Ron nodded contemplatively.
Drago's strength was undeniably formidable. If the Shendu didn't subdue the wizards and demons in hell, Drago's survival, let alone ascending to the throne, would be immensely challenging.
"But in the end..." Shendu continued with a wry smile, "My foolish son betrayed me. Despite gathering the Eight Demonic Energies, he still has one opponent who can defeat him."
"That opponent is me, his father!"
He paused, took a sip of wine, and continued to express his bitterness. "Though I defeated him, he's still my son, and I wanted to save him. But at that moment, he sought to drag me down to that eternal hell!"
"To die together, and reunite as father and son in the realm that belongs to me!"
As he spoke, Shendu halted, scarlet eyes misting over. However, the seasoned tears of the old father remained unshed.
"There's no irreparable feud between father and son. Sit down and have a heartfelt conversation, and surely, you'll find a way back to each other," Ron offered in a soothing tone.
"Alas..." the Holy Master sighed, on the verge of saying more.
But their attention shifted simultaneously to the window.
A robust man approached the tavern, accompanied by three others and a gaunt horse. The man's rugged features were accentuated by thick body hair, and three flintlock guns glimmered at his left waist.
He constantly wears a grin, exuding an air of arrogance and self-importance. The visitors were unmistakably led by Blackbeard and his crew.
"The way you look now might scare off my customers. Please consider changing your appearance," Ron suggested with a smile.
Shendu nodded, activating the power of the monkey talisman instantly. The once ferocious-looking monster transformed into an unassuming middle-aged man, the type that would blend effortlessly into a crowd.
Soon after, the tavern door swung open, and Blackbeard and his crew strolled in.
"Zehahahaha... I never expected to find a tavern here," Blackbeard grinned.
"With no Marines in sight, let's drink today. The captain's treating!" Burgess declared loudly.
Blackbeard's eyes were involuntarily drawn to a blade hanging on the wall. It was Roger's saber: "Ace"!
Blackbeard's pupils contracted suddenly. Back then, Roger wielded this sabet, almost delivering a "divine" strike to Oden.
For a moment, greed surged within Blackbeard, eager to claim the blade for himself. He refrained from taking immediate action, instead signaling his comrades discreetly before calmly approaching the bar.
"Welcome," Ron greeted with a smile. "What can I get you guys to drink?"
Blackbeard grinned and replied, "We're pirates; we want the strongest wine and the company of the most beautiful women!"
True to form, the addition of "play" before "women" tainted the sentiment.
Ron grumbled internally, turned around, and placed four bottles of wine in front of Blackbeard and his crew. "Please enjoy."
"This wine is potent. It's best to savor it slowly."
Blackbeard and his crew were momentarily taken aback.
What in the world? As pirates, there's no type of liquor we haven't sampled!
Blackbeard lifted the bottle, declaring loudly, "Guys, I hope you can survive this storm. You have to grit your teeth and live because, in the end, no one will remember the dead!"
With his words hanging in the air, the four promptly opened the bottle caps and took a swig.
Gulp...
After the first sip, the wine's rich aroma exploded in their mouths. The mellow, smooth taste lingered, creating a momentary illusion of satisfaction.
Yet, in the next second, the eyes of Blackbeard and his crew widened. The wine, previously seemingly pleasant, now burned like fire from their throats to their stomachs, akin to a knife slashing through their insides.
"Cough, cough, cough..." Blackbeard hoarsely coughed, "Why is this wine so strong?"
Ron shrugged, "I did warn you; it's not my fault."
"Why didn't you warn us more?" Blackbeard's eyes flashed with cunning, "We're feeling quite uncomfortable now. Our throats and stomachs are burning. Tell us, how can we compensate?"
With that, Van Augur grabbed a sniper rifle, aiming it directly at Ron's head. One command from Blackbeard, and it would be a lethal shot.
Ron, unfazed, smiled and asked, "Are you trying to blackmail me?"
Burgess roared with laughter, "It's blackmail!"
"Hand over the saber from your back, and we can consider this settled," he continued, then, feeling the need to bolster his threat, kicked Shendu, now in an ordinary form.
Boom!
Unprepared for the kick, Shendu, previously disguised as an ordinary person, was sent sprawling. The wine bottle in his hand shattered on the ground, liquid staining the floor. After a moment of bewilderment, Shendu stood, emitting a low growl, "Why did you kick me?"
As he spoke, a tangible aura of murderous intent burst forth, locking onto the Blackbeards in front of him.