Seeing the man in front of him preparing to attack, Kai quickly ducked to dodge and then tried to move to attack... only to trip over his shackles and crash to the ground, losing consciousness.
The guard looked stunned, thinking he'd narrowly avoided a fight. He thought to himself:
"This should probably be left to the boss to handle. I've never encountered a situation like this before."
A few men came over, tied Kai to a cross-like post, and took him to the boss.
.....
In an open yard, the boss held a whip in his hand and said:
"Throw water on his face to wake him up."
Some water was splashed directly onto Kai's face, causing him to cough and sputter.
"Gasp... Thank you."
Hearing his gratitude, the people around him were dumbfounded. Who would express thanks in a situation like this?
"What are you thanking me for?" the boss asked.
"Of course, because you helped wake me up." Kai replied casually.
But the boss didn't respond. Instead, he struck Kai hard with the whip, leaving a bloody wound on his body.
"Hmph! What nonsense are you talking about? Tell me again—where do you think you're going?"
Kai yelped in pain but quickly relaxed, answering in the same easy tone:
"Of course, I'm going to the sea."
"Go to the sea, huh? Go to the sea, you say what? You're my slave, you're not allowed to go anywhere."
With each word, the boss's whip lashed across Kai's skinny, emaciated body, the strikes landing so fiercely that it felt as if his fragile bones were about to shatter.
Seeing Kai beaten to the point of looking like a tattered rag, the boss sneered and asked again:
"Slave, where do you want to go?"
"Of course, to the sea. It's such a fun place, so why wouldn't I go?" Kai replied with ease.
Though he had been beaten repeatedly, he showed no sign of hatred or resentment toward the boss.
"You… you're a slave! Why do you want to go to the sea?" the boss asked, now truly bewildered, for he had never encountered a slave like this before.
"Then what do you think? Can't a slave have a free will? Even if my body is imprisoned, even if I can't move, what of it? A free will doesn't need a body, doesn't require material things—just the will to be free is enough."
Hearing this, everyone around was taken aback. The boss frowned and asked:
"I've beaten you this much and forced you to work like this—don't you hate me?"
"Ha ha, what kind of joke is that? A truly free person cannot be bound by anything. There's nothing that can truly concern someone who is genuinely free.
You can beat me, kill me, rob me of all my money, imprison me, kill my wife, my children, wipe out my family, and kill my friends. But so what? A free spirit can't be bound. As long as I'm still breathing, I'll be joyful. To be joyful until I draw my last breath and then just resting after the journey."
The people standing there were stunned, while the boss muttered in astonishment:
"Freedom… freedom… ha ha ha, I never expected to encounter a true free spirit at this level. Could you be one of those legendary souls? Amazing, truly amazing! You all hurry and untie him. By the way, what's your name?"
"My name is Kai."
"Good, Kai. Whatever you need, just tell me, and I'll help you as much as I can to get to the sea."
Once untied, Kai immediately collapsed to the ground. Lying there, he asked:
"Before we talk about that, do you have a stick or something to lean on? My body can't stand right now."
"Oh, you can use my stick."
Kai took the stick and propped himself up, smiling as he said:
"Thank you. If you could prepare a small boat for me, along with some food and water, that would be enough."
Everyone was momentarily stunned, then looked at Kai with respectful expressions.
The sea in this world was extremely dangerous, with tsunamis hundreds or even thousands of meters high not being uncommon.
Taking a small boat was almost no different from having no boat at all. What ordinary person would dare use such a toy to venture into the open sea?
"Indeed, a free person who fears nothing. Good! Today, we must hold a banquet, it's a rare occasion in life. Let's upgrade the meal for the slaves today—such a joyful day deserves to be shared."
In this world, freedom is something truly extraordinary. Those who possess it are deeply respected, regardless of their actions.
It's a respect, not fear—even if they are a notorious pirate, the people still regard them with admiration.
Freedom at Kai's level is rare. In this small kingdom, such a person is almost unheard of.
A short while later, the banquet was held, not indoors but outside under the open sky.
The atmosphere of freedom was intoxicating, making everyone feel relaxed and at ease.
"Ha ha ha, cheers! Boss, thank you. If we meet again, and you ever need any help, just say the word. Though, if it's something too silly, I won't agree." Kai laughed heartily.
"Ha ha, then I'll thank you in advance. But let me say, I don't need anyone to help me. However, if you're ever inclined to help me voluntarily, go ahead." the boss replied.
"You're quite something, I see. As for the future, who cares? Today, let's enjoy ourselves fully." Kai said.
"Indeed! In my life, this is the first time I've met a true free spirit. We must embrace freedom to the fullest today." the boss laughed.
.....
Late at night, beside the campfire, the group lay sprawled out on the ground, asleep. They all shared the same condition—they were drunk.
They slept until morning. By now, Kai's body had healed considerably. Despite not having tended to his wounds after the beating, a night of food and rest was enough to get him back on his feet.
In the morning, the boss arranged for Kai's wounds to be treated and even provided him with new clothes and a haircut.
"Ha ha, thank you so much." Kai said, smiling.
"It's nothing. Meeting a free person is an honor for me. Helping you a little is no trouble." the boss replied.
It was clear that the status of free people in this world was very high, yet free will couldn't be faked.
And the free enjoyed this elevated status, true free spirits had little use for it. Most of the time, they just wandered around the world for fun.
Suddenly remembering something, Kai asked:
"Can I take a slave with me?"
"Only one? No problem. If you want a hundred, that wouldn't be an issue either."
"Nah, I don't like managing a big group. Just one is enough."
"Good, I'll take you to choose one."