Chapter 44 Flame Rose

Because of a promise made by Cheng Xi before his death, the Zhuangzhuang Fruit was buried under the ice of Apara Island and sealed for seventeen years. No matter who it was, no matter how much power they used, they could not find it.

It was not until the day when Cheng Xi was resurrected that she felt her breath and the ice melted, and the Zhuangzhuang Fruit reappeared in front of everyone. It was picked up by Roy, who happened to pass by here. He was a navy under Cheng Xi at that time. After a long period of consideration, he organized this auction.

Seeing that the finale of this auction was eaten, the venue was in chaos. Several princesses and princesses complained. The guards and bodyguards in the venue were overwhelmed and thought they had encountered the biggest problem in their careers, but they didn't know that the atmosphere outside the venue was even more overturned.

Out of the keen intuition of a journalist, Morgans immediately ordered all reporters on the archipelago to take action. He had a hunch that this time he would discover a big news that could shake the world.

January 18, 1518, Haiyuan Calendar, 21:32.

According to the calendar, it should have been just an ordinary night, not a festival or a special anniversary, but now the whole island is extremely lively and heavily guarded. Whether it is the pawns, the pirates, the navy, or the members of the Black Bang, these people who were originally clearly divided and belonged to different camps are all looking for the same person.

If it were in the past, resurrection from the dead and the unchanged appearance would only be described as absurd, outrageous, and unrealistic to them, but when the person who had been thinking about countless times and had been in their hearts for a thousand times really appeared in front of them, they all chose to believe it.

Even if this is the most illusory, impossible, and dreamlike fantasy in the world.

They still insist on it.

Everyone wants to find Cheng Xi first, and it doesn’t matter whether they tell her about their years of missing and waiting. They just hope that everything can go back to the past, and she can stay by their side.

Kuzan stood at the entrance of Area 1, his heart was like a flute, his mind was full of thoughts, and countless memories flooded into his mind like a tide. Not only the gentle years in the past when he fought side by side with Cheng Xi, laughed and quarreled together, but also the words that he wanted to say but didn't say, which had been brewing in his heart for eighteen years, were all mixed in his heart, and he urgently needed to find an opportunity to say them out.

Now, with an incredible miracle, his opportunity has come.

He was about to leave Area 1, but was stopped by someone.

There were several crew members behind that person. It was Shanks, who had often done some puzzling things since last year. Now Kuzan connected all the cause and effect opportunities together, and only then did he understand his provocation to him at the port of Fette Island that day.

Kuzan frowned, not wanting to get entangled with him any more, so he went to the other side of the road, but Shanks would stop him wherever he went.

He lost his patience, and his expectation to see Cheng Xi reached its peak. He asked, "What do you mean?" "

It seems that General Aokiji has been taking a relatively easy time recently. Where is he going?"

Shanks had a perfect smile on his face. On the surface, he looked gentle and harmless, as if he was stopping Kuzan to reminisce with an old friend, but Kuzan could hear the sarcasm in his tone, as well as the fact that he was smiling but not smiling.

Indeed, at this moment, Shanks wanted to put on the sea stone armor for Kuzan, sink him to the bottom of the sea, and then sprinkle a handful of bait next to him.

At that time, the moment the light shone on Cheng Xi, Shanks began his rare thinking and careful analysis.

According to Cheng Xi, she and Mihawk disliked each other, and Mihawk was obsessed with swordsmanship. He should have come here just for the sword, so the first person to be eliminated in the venue today was Mihawk, and the degree of danger was almost zero, no, zero.

There is also the star general of Big Mom's family, the guy called Thousand Hands Cracker, who should have come here because of the wanted order issued against Cheng Xi before. Shanks is not worried about Cracker's pursuit, because the scene when they first met was too amazing, so he believes in her strength more than Cheng Xi herself. In his heart, let alone Cracker, even if Big Mom herself comes, Cheng Xi has the strength to fight her.

Garp is an elder, so there is no need to worry.

He is even less worried about Shiratori and the Empress, after all, he has won in terms of gender alone.

As for the sea gangster Doflamingo, he is responsible for most of the shady underground businesses in Shampoo Land, so it is understandable that he came here this time.

He doesn't know much about the past bond between Kai's family's Flame Disaster Jin and Cheng Xi, but in short, in short, it will definitely not be more difficult than Aokiji.

So he chose to find Aokiji first.

Kuzan replied: "Looking for someone."

"Looking for someone, who? What's her name? Admiral Aokiji, why don't you tell us, we, the Red Hair Pirates, can help you find her."

"Her name is Cheng Xi." Kuzan was inexplicably gentle when he mentioned this name, "She is my old friend, my best friend, my confidant."

"Oh, it's Cheng Xi." Shanks pretended to be enlightened, "Where is she, why didn't I see her?"

Kuzan said concisely: "Just now, at the exit of the auction house."

Shanks pretended to be confused: "Eh, really? Why didn't I see her? Maybe you saw it wrong. After all, you navy people are busy every day, and it's possible that you are hallucinating."

Kuzan didn't respond to his words, but looked at the red group members who were watching the excitement behind Shanks. His eyes turned around among these people and finally stopped at Hongo.

"Are you Red Hair's ship doctor?"

Hongo couldn't understand why the two of them had just been confronting fiercely, but now the focus suddenly shifted to him?

"Ah, yes, I'm the ship doctor of the Red Hair Pirates."

Kuzan said calmly, "It seems that your captain has some problems with his eyes. I'll prescribe some lutein for him when I go back. Oh, by the way, it's better to prepare some kiwis and blueberries."

Hongo thought to himself, it seems that this admiral knows a little bit of medical skills. The two fruits he mentioned, kiwis and blueberries, have the effect of protecting eyesight and relieving eye fatigue. He didn't react for a while, and just as he was about to nod in agreement, he heard a fatal word from the other side.

"At the beginning, because I handled too many documents, my eyes were dry, and Xixi would often send me these two fruits."

Shanks: ...

Red Pirates: ...

It seems that this is a high-end game.

Hongo chose to keep silent, and everyone focused their attention on Beckman, who had the most experience in romantic affairs, and he looked uncomfortable.

What are you looking at me for? I understand women, but I don't understand the overly lively and cheerful Cheng Xi at all. It's not me who has romantic affairs with him!

Beckman finished smoking the cigarette in his hand and looked at Shanks. Fortunately, Shanks was very good at dealing with love rivals. He was only angry for a short time at Kuzan's words, and then he kept swinging his left arm in front of Kuzan, trying to attract his attention.

Kuzan understood the subconscious meaning of his actions: "Xi Xi helped you fix it?"

Xi Xi? Is this Cheng Xi's nickname? Why call him so intimately?

"Maybe when you like someone, you will be extra worried about his health."

Originally, Shanks said this just to irritate Kuzan, but later he thought more and more that this was likely to be true, and he became more and more confident in his words.

She must have some feelings for him, otherwise why would she risk her life and shed half of her blood to repair her arm.

Thinking of the scene at that time, she ignored the pain, blood continued to flow from her wrist, her originally fresh and vigorous cheeks turned pale, and finally she didn't even have the strength to speak, so haggard and weak.

If it wasn't for love, who would do this for a casual acquaintance?

Shanks looked at his vice-captain. Over the years, there have been so many women around Beckman, but no woman was willing to take such a risk for him?

In just a few words, Shanks conquered himself.

Beckman, who received Shanks's gaze:?

It feels like I was shot for no reason while walking on the road, inexplicably.

Kuzan still looked calm: "Ala, Red Hair, don't think too much, she is always so kind. When we sailed together before, she would help even the kittens and puppies with broken arms and legs, not to mention a living person."

The Red Team heard the tension in his words. The phrase "sailed together before" also implied that Aokiji and Cheng Xi had a good relationship and had experienced a lot. They couldn't help but sweat for their captain. 

Shanks was not to be outdone: "Since you always sailed together before, I think you must have a good relationship, so why didn't you meet again after a long time? Don't you like him?" 

Red Team: Turn the game back. 

Kuzan: "We have experienced so many bonds and experiences together. You should have been just a 15- or 16-year-old kid at that time. It's understandable that you don't understand us." 

Shanks suddenly showed Kuzan a harmless smile: "I think you are right. Compared with your mature age, Xixi is a kid, right? Since you treat me as a kid, please give me some face and let us two kids deal with each other's affairs..." 

"Don't worry about the vicissitudes of life, General Aokiji." 

They were on the edge of Area 1, and their words were full of gunpowder. In the restaurant of Area 24, Cheng Xi and Ace had a harmonious and warm atmosphere, and they got along very well. 

The boss brought plate after plate of food, fearing that Ace's stomach would be neglected. 

Maybe this is his unique ability. He can talk to Cheng Xi while chewing half of his meal. Cheng Xi picked up the remaining spices on her plate. After eating the Zhuangzhuang Fruit, her body did not react at all. Everything was normal except that she could not touch the sea water. 

She is still the same Cheng Xi, the user of the Makeup Fruit, with exquisite swordsmanship, and the ability to cast various talismans and spells such as the Peace Talisman and the Five Thunder Talisman. 

But she is not the same Cheng Xi as before. She has learned a lot of abilities in Langhuan Pavilion. After leaving the navy, she opened a beverage store and made several new friends. When she was a child, she cried when she saw the episode in the cartoon where Wizardmon died. She felt empty inside. At that time, she would never have thought that Wizardmon would be resurrected and become her clerk more than ten years later. 

The change in her state of mind is quite big, and it can be said that she was bent by reality. 

The restaurant owner's Den Den Mushi rang. After the call was connected, the owner respectfully called "Tian Yasha-sama". Cheng Xi alertly pricked up her ears to listen to the conversation on the other side of the boss, and heard keywords such as several women in white skirts, the Makeup Fruit, arrest, and blockade. 

Before the other side hung up the phone, Cheng Xi directly pulled Ace away from the restaurant quickly and stopped at a remote place with lush tree roots. 

Just like the first time Ace pulled Cheng Xi to eat a free meal. 

Ace was confused and asked her blankly: "Do you want to eat a free meal too?" 

Cheng Xi: "No." 

Ace: "Then why did you pull me out?" 

Cheng Xi first took out a pack of tissues from her skirt pocket, took out one, and wiped the food crumbs left on his lips. This extremely close contact made Ace blush all of a sudden, and tried to stop her instinct to turn into fire because of excitement. 

This action was indeed intimate and ambiguous. 

Ace had lived with the bandits and Luffy for the first seventeen years of his life, and then went on adventures on the sea with his friends. The word ambiguous had never appeared in his dictionary. 

Of course, Makino didn't teach it. 

But Cheng Xi knew this word, and she did it even though she knew that doing so would appear ambiguous. 

Out of an intuition that didn't require thinking. 

In life, just follow your heart. Of course, it is also possible that you are tempted by beauty and are bold and lustful, just simply wanting to tease the handsome guy. 

There was no sign of a trash can nearby. A small flame shot out from Cheng Xi's fingers and burned the tissue into ashes, which fell into the soil and became part of the land. 

Ace's eyes lit up, and he asked curiously and excitedly: "Is this your fruit ability? It's similar to my Flame-Flame Fruit. What kind of fruit ability are you?" 

Cheng Xi: "This is my own ability, which has nothing to do with the fruit, but I did eat a devil fruit. Just an hour ago, I was the ability user of the Makeup Fruit?" 

"Makeup Fruit!?" Ace's voice became a few decibels involuntarily. Thinking of the information on the Moby Dick, he excitedly pulled her wrist, "Do you know that the previous ability user of the Makeup Fruit was a navy man with the same name as you, Cheng Xi." 

Cheng Xi nodded: "Yes, I know." 

Then he said a fact that surprised Ace even more. 

"Because I am the vice admiral who died eighteen years ago. It may sound incredible, but it is true. I was reborn, and I was reborn seventeen years later." 

These three sentences shocked Ace a hundred times. 

He felt that his brain was a little short-circuited. 

Under her incredible shocked eyes, Cheng Xi roughly told him the cause and effect of the matter: "I am a spell master. I can draw spells with different uses and apply them in battle, such as wind, thunder, water, fire, and electricity. The little flame just now is one of them." 

"Seventeen years ago, on the day I resigned from the navy, I received a mission..." 

"Well, this is all my recent experience." After finishing speaking, Cheng Xi tilted his head, spread his hands and asked him, "Do you have anything else you want to ask me?" 

For example, the exploration of her ability, or the curiosity about resurrection, and the entanglement with those people in the auction house, she has incredible trust in Ace, as long as he asks, Cheng Xi will tell him. 

However, the boy in front of him had clear eyes and did not ask her anything: "Since you don't like your past life, then end it, don't think about it anymore, and start living the life you like again." 

This warm word hit Cheng Xi's heart at once. 

Ace, you are really... 

you are so nice. 

Ace suggested: "Let's go to the park." 

Cheng Xi: "Okay." 

They left here side by side and went to the bubble park. 

In the distance, Abel looked at this warm scene, a trace of loneliness flashed across his eyes. 

He said to the person next to him: "Let's go back to Wano Country." 

Even though they were far apart, he could confirm that the person in front of him was the one in his heart through every move, every frown and every smile. Because he disliked the fact that the skirt had no pockets to put things in, but thought it looked good, he would sew a pocket on the exquisite and beautiful skirt to hold various types of paper. This is what Cheng Xi often does.

The subordinate asked, "Lord Jin, aren't you going to look for her?"

"No, just know that she is happy now."

There is a huge gap between them that cannot be crossed, so he chose to protect, not win.

The bubble park does not receive tourists at night, but Cheng Xi and Ace have their own way to make the equipment inside run. They always study the equipment for a long time, and then use Ace's flame and Cheng Xi's wind symbol as power to support the start of the entire equipment. Bubble roller coaster, bubble Ferris wheel, bubble bumper car and so on, have a lot of fun in it. Cheng Xi has completely forgotten that he is still being hunted.

There is a bouquet box stuck on the wall on the side of the road. You only need to put in a ten-Bailey coin to get a flower.

Cheng Xi threw a coin, and the first flower that fell was a white rose.

"I want a red one." She said as she put the second coin in. This time it was not a rose, but a wind chime. Unfortunately, it was also white.

The third, the fourth... I don't know if Cheng Xi was unlucky or if white flowers were on sale today, so they were cheap. She threw in nine coins, and all nine flowers were white.

White roses are beautiful, pure and innocent under sufficient light, but they are a bit boring at night. Cheng Xi waved her hand and used her fruit ability to dye them red, but still failed to achieve the desired effect.

She handed the bouquet to Ace and said frustratedly, "It seems that it's not the color that's the problem, but the moonlight. The moonlight tonight is not bright, it's too dark."

"Really?" Ace raised the corner of his mouth, stretched out his hand to light a flame on each flower, and the surrounding vision suddenly lit up.

"For you."

The breeze blew gently, but it couldn't blow out the hot flame. On the contrary, it made it burn even more. The rose in the middle danced in the bonfire and breeze, gorgeous and warm, and the other flowers around it were like lovers who were interested in each other, entangled and lingering.

The sparks spread all over the prairie, and it was not only the nine flowers that burned, but also Cheng Xi's heart.

Looking at the sleepy, drunken, hazy and moist expression on Cheng Xi's face after the bouquet, Ace felt a strange feeling in his heart. It

was so strange, this feeling was really strange. Why did Cheng Xi look more attractive than the most delicious meat and the sweetest candy in the world at this moment? He really wanted to taste it.

It was an indescribable feeling, a feeling he had never had in the past eighteen years. What on earth was going on!

Ace was entangled and tossed, and Cheng Xi was not feeling well either. She was fascinated by the boy in front of her who was warmer than the sun.

He was so handsome, he was so gentle, and she wanted to... kiss him. She

prepared herself mentally and mustered up her courage. In the flowers bathed in fire, she took a deep breath and stood on tiptoe.

The two of them were getting closer and closer. Ace felt as if he was fixed by magic. His heart was beating heavily and a blush appeared on his face.

Suddenly, there was a sound of breaking through the air, and a square object flew past quickly, bringing a violent wind and blowing out the flames on the bouquet.

An angry voice rang out: "What are you doing!?"

The hazy atmosphere was broken, Cheng Xi immediately calmed down, turned around and looked, this person was...

Cracker! ?

The little sparks on both sides of his purple hair were crackling because of anger, and the whole person exuded a terrible aura of rage.

"Cheng Xi! What are you doing!!"

Cracker was obviously very angry. This quirky, anxious and deep-hearted woman disappeared for eighteen years, causing him to miss her like a fool for eighteen years, and then she did such a thing as soon as she showed up!

If I hadn't arrived in time, now even the hat on his head would have turned fucking green!