After returning to the capital, Su Xiao went straight to the house of the Left Minister.
In the study, the Left Minister was examining a few tiger teeth.
"Hmm, yes, very good." the Left Minister said as he put away the tiger teeth and gave Su Xiao a meaningful look.
"I didn't expect you to actually succeed. While the tiger wasn't too strong, it was difficult to hunt because it was hidden in Mt. Colubo. You have outdone your uncle, so from now on, you'll take his place."
With just a few words, Su Xiao had replaced the black market merchant's position. This revealed just how heartless the Left Minister was—he had already cast aside the black market merchant's previous loyalty to him.
"The task is complete, and I've come to take over the position of Guard captain. What do you think, Left Minister?" Su Xiao asked, watching the Left Minister closely. Given the cold nature of the man, it was possible he might try to back out.
"Guard captain? What are you talking about? I never said that..." The Left Minister's words stopped abruptly, and his sly old eyes suddenly dimmed.
[Warning! The Left Minister is violating the rules of the Reincarnation Paradise. The Reincarnation Paradise is correcting the violation...]
Su Xiao heard a cold, emotionless mechanical voice in his ear. This was the first time he had heard the voice of the Reincarnation Paradise.
The Left Minister fell silent for a moment, then continued, "Since you've completed the task, the position of Guard captain is yours. I'll go to the palace right now to arrange it. In an hour, you'll be the current Guard captain."
The Left Minister's tone was mechanical, and his words were contradictory, which made the guards behind him suspicious.
Su Xiao observed the Left Minister closely. The odd behavior was clearly related to the Reincarnation Paradise.
Su Xiao had already suspected that the Left Minister's decision to hunt the tiger in Mt. Colubo was part of a task from the Reincarnation Paradise.
So far, while the Reincarnation Paradise had shown itself to be cold and emotionless, it had always been fair. It was not prone to breaking its word. This was what Su Xiao had experienced.
He had wanted to test what would happen if the Left Minister went back on his promise, and it seemed the Reincarnation Paradise was intervening directly, forcing the Left Minister to grant the reward.
As for what would happen to the Left Minister afterward, Su Xiao wasn't sure. The man might return to normal, or he could become a fool.
Su Xiao also had doubts about whether the world he was in was real or if it was a world fabricated by the Reincarnation Paradise. If it were a fabricated world, then the Left Minister would be an NPC, and such a thing wouldn't happen. But from what he had observed, this world felt real.
It seemed that this "derivative world" might have originated from human imagination and eventually become real.
After leaving the Left Minister's house, Su Xiao began to think about how to assassinate the king.
Though he had now become the Guard captain, this title didn't give him direct access to the king, and even if he did gain an audience, it wouldn't allow him to assassinate the king.
There would certainly be strong guards around the king, and even if there was a small chance of success, Su Xiao would die in the process. The Reincarnation Paradise had warned him that if he died in the One Piece World, it would be permanent—no second chances.
So it seemed like Su Xiao was in a difficult spot, but actually, he already had the means to assassinate the king.
To succeed in the assassination, two things were essential: First, infiltrating the palace, which Su Xiao had no doubt about. The second key point was to divert the guards away from the king—this was the most crucial factor.
The guards around the king would be strong, so when could they be diverted? That would be when a strong enemy appeared in the palace, one that could pose a threat to the king's safety. In such a situation, the guards would have to take action.
At that moment, it would be Su Xiao's chance to strike.
As for the king's own strength, Su Xiao wasn't worried. If the king was too strong, the difficulty of the main task would be too high. The task's level wouldn't be LV.3.
To find a strong enough enemy to threaten the king, Su Xiao needed to rely on the Burning Gray Terminal event.
This was the reason he had worked so hard to gain the position of Guard captain—he needed authority during the Burning Gray Terminal operation.
While the nobles of the Goa Kingdom looked down on the outside commoners, they would never let the kingdom's own departments handle such a shady affair, as it would tarnish the kingdom's image.
So, the task of running the Burning Gray Terminal operation had been delegated to criminal forces, and the pirates from the nearby seas were the main candidates.
These pirate crews had learned about a large transaction in the Goa Kingdom. If they succeeded, they could gain noble status, a powerful temptation for those who had no other options.
As a result, several pirate crews had already gathered near the kingdom, waiting for the opportunity.
That night, the Goya Kingdom would choose one pirate crew to handle the Burning Waste Disposal Station the next evening.
As the head of the Guard captain, Su Xiao's role was to negotiate and liaise with the pirates.
Using this position, he had a real chance to assassinate the king.
According to the original plot, the king had no intention of granting the pirates noble status. He was merely using them.
While Su Xiao was deep in thought, he had already arrived at the guards' headquarters.
The place was much more chaotic compared to the previous day.
The guards who were supposed to be stationed outside had disappeared, and inside, Su Xiao saw more than a dozen guards gambling and drinking in the lobby. The smell of cheap tobacco, alcohol, and sweat filled the air.
There was no leader now. Although Su Xiao was technically the new leader, he didn't care to manage the guards.
He only needed the title of captain, not the responsibility.
Walking into the office that once belonged to Oka, Su Xiao pushed open the door.
Inside, three people were present: Hank and Oka's two confidants.
Hank was sitting on the sofa, while Oka's two confidants stood on either side of Oka's seat. They were in a standoff, but no one dared to sit in the chair.
Su Xiao's entrance surprised them.
Hank didn't speak, but one of Oka's confidants said, "Is this where you belong? Get out!"
Su Xiao didn't even look at them, walking straight to Oka's seat and sitting down.
"You bastard, who do you think you are to sit here?" one of Oka's confidants shouted, walking toward Su Xiao.
"Get lost," Su Xiao said coldly, without looking at him. "You have one minute to disappear."
The confidant stood frozen for a moment, then sneered at Su Xiao.
Just then, the door opened, and a messenger entered with some documents.
"Sir Byakuya, here are your appointment papers for the Guard captain, as well as your identification."
The Left Minister had acted quickly.
The confidant was stunned, looking at Su Xiao in disbelief.
"You two can stay here forever." Su Xiao said, looking at Oka's two men.
Meanwhile, Hank's mind was racing, but he shouted, "Bring everyone up from downstairs to celebrate our new leader!"
Hank was unwilling, but had no choice. He didn't dare openly defy the kingdom's orders.
(End of Chapter)
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Translator's Note :- I am Not that familiar with a lot of the fictional worlds mentioned in the story. So if I make a mistake naming something please correct me by writing a paragraph comment on the mistake. Thank you.