Chapter 49 Meeting in a Dream

The night was dark, the stars and the moon were silent, and the streets were empty, with only the snow piled up on both sides of the road and the dim lights. Under the influence of the whistling cold wind, it seemed particularly sad and lonely.

The small shop that was bustling and noisy during the day was now very quiet.

It was already very late, but Cheng Xi was not sleepy at all. She sat in the armchair with a serious and earnest expression.

In the afternoon, she secretly placed hair dolls in Lu Qi and Gabra's rooms respectively to monitor their conversations.

Although these two are senior agents of CP, with anti-reconnaissance capabilities and sensitivity far exceeding ordinary special agents by dozens of times, who would have thought that a hair would follow them from the room to the place where they thought they were safe.

Cheng Xi listened carefully to their entire conversation, and her brain quickly sorted out the information contained in it, thinking about how to respond.

There was no light on in the corridor. She walked to Rossinandi's room nimbly and skillfully in the dark and knocked on the door softly.

The door opened, Cheng Xi immediately rushed into his room and quickly locked the door. Because of the ability of the Silence Fruit, she didn't have to worry about making too much noise.

Originally, she just wanted to discuss with her friends alone, but when he turned around, he found that everyone was gathered here. After seeing her, he was not surprised, but had an expected expression.

Rosinante used his ability to create a one-way soundproof cover. As the name suggests, people in the room can hear the sounds outside the room, but people outside the room cannot hear the sounds inside the room.

Because everyone was there, the room seemed a bit crowded. Cheng Xi walked into the crowd and got straight to the point: "I found out their identities."

"They are secret agents of CP9. Only a few people know about this organization. It is directly governed by the World Government and is mainly responsible for collecting some confidential information and assassinations."

"The man who raises pigeons is called Lucci. He is the actual leader of this organization. In order to get some drawings, he has been lurking in the Seven Water City. A few days ago, he received a temporary order to come here as an undercover agent for three months. In addition, he will go to Shampoo to kill a few people during this period." "

They are talking like a riddle. I don't understand the identities and names of these people."

Shunping: "... They are so busy."

I thought that my daily sword practice, study, memorize spells, and clean the store were already very tight, but I didn't expect that this spy was even busier than me.

Is this the world of adults?

It's really not easy. He silently made up his mind to sleep only two hours tonight and finish learning all the moves that he didn't learn during the day before going to bed.

Even Cheng Xi was silently complaining in his heart, how much money and how high the treatment the World Government gave them, was it worth Lucci's hard work?

Or was it that the World Government had first-class brainwashing ability, and this was Lucci's belief in his heart?

I don't understand, I really don't understand.

She noticed that Oda Sakunosuke's beautiful sea-blue eyes were like the sea, and his pupils trembled slightly, so she asked him: "What's wrong, Sakunosuke?"

"Nothing." Oda Sakunosuke broke away from his memory, "I just thought of a friend of mine."

"Friend? Is your friend also a spy?"

Oda Sakunosuke, with a calm and natural look, seemed to dislike the hustle and bustle, always wandering away from the crowd, watching everyone talking and laughing and making noise, Cheng Xi thought his past and future were like a layer of fog.

She rarely lifted this layer of fog.

She believed that in another world, in addition to the five dead children, there would naturally be someone to dispel the fog around him.

It could be the friend named Dazai, or it could be the middle-aged man named Natsume Soseki.

Oda Sakunosuke: "An intelligence agent."

Well, in fact, he himself didn't know how many identities Ango had and how many jobs he had, but anyway, it shouldn't be easier than this person called Lucci.

Time flies so fast. I wonder if Dazai has found something to fill his heart and reach the side of justice?

Cheng Xi complained: "Then he should be very busy."

She told everyone the purpose of Lucci and Gabra lurking here.

First of all, the most important thing is to get Cheng Xi's blood sample.

Then we have to find out what happened to her resurrection and her powerful healing ability?

Is it really dependent on the racial ability, or is there some adventure?

The third point is to find out why the Zhuangzhuang Fruit took the initiative to follow her. You know, since the records began, this is the first time that the devil fruit has recognized its master in thousands of years.

Investigate the mystery of her and, if possible, convince her to be used by the World Government.

Cheng Xi sneered softly, with a hint of irony on the corner of his mouth. If he had not the power to protect himself, they would not dare to act rashly. He would have been captured by Lucci and imprisoned in the unknown laboratories of the World Government. Various tubes and instruments were inserted into his body, and blood was drawn every day for testing, becoming a test subject for their experimental research and various gene sequencing.

After all, they had done such things decades ago.

Everyone began to discuss how to deal with this survey.

"Actually..." These days, Luo Xinandi has been struggling in his heart, and now he has finally made a decision, "I have something to tell you."

He once thought that hiding his true feelings would keep Cheng Xi away from hatred and lead a better, happier, and more carefree life.

But now it seems that she has the right to know the truth.

"Actually, it was the former CP9 members who provided wrong information that made..." He made the dusty past public.

The room fell into silence, and no one spoke. Cheng Xi did not seem to be very upset on the surface, but from her fluctuating breathing, it can be seen that she was really angry this time.

Cheng Xi laughed in anger: "Everyone just needs to protect their own safety in the next period of time. As for the two of them, I have already thought of a strategy to deal with them."

It's strange to say that the enemy they are facing is a world government with hundreds of member countries and countless powerful combat forces, but no one feels panic, helpless and afraid at this moment.

Looking at the companions around him, his heart is inexplicably full.

This is everyone's reliance on each other and the trump card.

Before leaving, Cheng Xi also asked by the way why Rocinante took the initiative to play tricks on Luqi and the others this afternoon.

The reason is very simple. When Cheng Xi gave Rocinante the bounty order for Luo, he was ready to go to the North Sea to find Luo to see if he was living happily. Unexpectedly, CP9 came out halfway.

Trafalgar is a pirate, and it seems that he is still a very powerful pirate. There is no powerful pirate who does not yearn for the Grand Line. Anyway, their store is not far from the Sabaody Archipelago, and there is a chance to meet no matter which route they take.

Therefore, Cheng Xi suggested that it was a time of trouble, and it would be better to stay and face the enemy instead of leaving the store and being defeated one by one.

Although he agreed with Cheng Xi's suggestion, he still hated these two people in his heart.

Cheng Xi was speechless. This was really a... very reasonable reason.

She returned to the room, threw herself on the bed and rolled several times, turned off the lights and went to sleep, but after she closed her eyes for a long time, she always thought of various things in her mind, and tossed and turned and couldn't fall asleep.

She opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling for a while in the dim moonlight through the curtains, but still couldn't fall asleep. She looked at the alarm clock next to her and it was exactly three o'clock in the morning.

In the end, she simply jumped out of bed. If she couldn't sleep, no one else could sleep well.

At three o'clock in the morning, she didn't look at the sleepless crabapple flowers, nor did she have the energy to think about the half crescent moon. She rushed directly to Lucci and Gabra's room and pulled them out of the warm bed to work.

Poor these two people, they worked hard all day, their brains were thinking at high speed all day, and they were forced to eat half a plate of dark cuisine. They finally finished talking about the strategic plan with their teammates and were about to go to bed to replenish their energy, but they were tossed by Cheng Xi. 

Maybe it was because of the influence of his living environment since childhood, or it might be because of his natural personality. Lucci was extremely bad and unfeeling. His principle in his heart was the law of the jungle, the strong killed, and the weak were killed. Therefore, he hated provocations from others and would send provocateurs on their way without hesitation. 

He could feel Cheng Xi's actual provocation and teasing. 

But the anger in his heart subsided after she smiled. 

It was not because of how beautiful this smile was. There were countless beauties on the sea, and Lucci had seen many of them. No matter how beautiful the smile was, he could face it calmly. 

But the woman in front of him raised her head slightly, with arrogant eyes and a bad smile, as if she didn't care about anything in the world. 

That was not a provocation, but a challenge. 

Like an ambitious, capable, and ambitious hunter. 

It was a challenge between the strong and the strong. 

Lucci thought so. 

But in fact, he thought he was the hunter, and Cheng Xi on the opposite side, and even all the members in the store, were prey. 

If Cheng Xi knew what was really in Lucci's mind at the moment, he would definitely roll his eyes at him. What a bad and perverse, rebellious and unruly, this smile was just her simple bad taste. 

Because she thought that such a smile was like the arrogant villain in the movie, which would give people a strong sense of oppression. 

Who knows what strange things these agents have in their heads every day! ? 

Compared to Lucci, Gabra didn't have so many thoughts. This bad-tempered and irritable old man directly chose to refuse and scolded Cheng Xi, saying that she abused employees and exploited his labor. 

Cheng Xi said calmly: "Are you done? Go to work after you're done." Gabra 

: "I won't do it." 

"If you don't work, I'll beat you." 

Gabra didn't believe that she could really beat him. After all, he was also a senior agent of CP. He had no habit of not beating women. If Cheng Xi really dared to do it, he would fight back, so as to give this arrogant woman a taste of pain. 

He didn't respond to Cheng Xi's words, turned around and went back to the room. Just after walking a few steps, he heard a gust of wind in his ear. Something flew towards him? 

It turned out that Cheng Xi picked up a small ornament next to him and threw it at him. It seems that 

the method is casual, but it is actually clever. 

Although Gabra didn't care about the flying ornament, he still used the iron block to resist it with the caution he had gained from being a spy for many years. 

He didn't call out the name of the move, but his strong body was secretly exerting force. He had the strength as hard as iron, which even bullets couldn't penetrate, and silently transformed into sharp wolf claws. 

Then... 

accompanied by a dull bang, Gabra was directly knocked against the wall. He felt that his internal organs had moved, his whole body was in pain, and he kept coughing. He looked very embarrassed. 

He looked at Cheng Xi in disbelief. How could he... have such great strength? 

So fast, so strong. 

If it weren't for the different standpoints, Cheng Xi really wanted to tell them not to always think about your iron block, and if it really doesn't work, study the Moon Step. 

"Are you seriously injured? Are you still alive? Wipe the blood from the corner of your mouth and get up and work quickly." 

Ah, I've been beaten like this by you, and I still have to work! ? You are such a black-hearted boss. 

Gabra's hatred for Cheng Xi reached its peak, but he couldn't beat her, so he had to stand up silently with a resentful look. 

It's very late in the winter on Forense Island, and it was already past seven in the morning when the sun finally appeared. 

Even though he was just wearing a spacious work vest, Lucci's movements when eating breakfast were still very elegant. The simple black coffee and sandwiches immediately increased tenfold in value in his hands, comparable to the food in a high-end restaurant. 

Cheng Xi noticed that Lucci frowned unconsciously, probably because he was not satisfied with the food in his mouth, but he still ate it all. 

Brother, you are quite picky about food, Cheng Xi complained in his heart, then went to the kitchen to take out a few bottles of milk, threw one bottle to Yoshino Junpei, and put the other two bottles in front of Lucci and Gabra. 

"Drink it, it's nutritious and helps you grow taller." 

Under Cheng Xi's eager gaze, Lucci had to unscrew the lid, but he only took a sip and put it down, "I don't drink yogurt." 

He thought it was milk. 

"But you've already opened it. It's not good to waste food." Cheng Xi was like a little devil. "If you don't drink it actively, I can only feed you." 

As he said that, he brought the milk to his mouth and was about to pour it in. 

Lucci: Chirping, it's really annoying. 

His disgust was almost visible on his face. 

In order to avoid trouble, he simply took it from her hand and drank it all in one gulp. 

Gabra didn't refuse. He had been pulling the mill with injuries for the whole morning. Now even a pig could finish it, let alone a bottle of yogurt. 

"Hey, Lucci, can pigeons drink yogurt?" 

She shifted her target to poor Hadori, scaring it to tremble. On 

the other side, Shunpei, who had been up all night, felt a little confused. This was obviously a rich and delicious milk with a little sweet taste. Why did Lucci say it was yogurt? 

It was really incomprehensible. 

He looked at the bottle of milk in his hand. 

Cheng Xi just took off the labels of the bottles of milk and pasted them all on the bottles in his hand. After reading them, he found that it was not difficult to understand... 

The production date of the milk he drank was yesterday, and the shelf life was one week, which was normal. 

The production date on the label of the milk they drank was January 3, 1500 in the Haiyuan calendar. 

This milk is older than he is and has been expired for a full eighteen years... 

Not to mention that it tastes like yogurt, it would not be surprising even if it tastes like natto salad dressing! 

No wonder they can be spy agents, their physical fitness is good. 

Yoshino Junpei silently mourned for them for three seconds, and then prepared to go upstairs to sleep. When he walked to Cheng Xi, he suddenly thought of something and whispered in her ear: "Teacher Cheng Xi, today is Saturday, the store is closed." 

So it's useless for you to get them up early in the morning to do a lot of work. 

Cheng Xi: "Don't worry, it was originally closed, but it can be opened for them, and as long as they are still in the store, it will be open every day in the future." Shunping 

: "Is there anything else I can help you with?"

"Go back to sleep, just leave all the work to them."

Since these agents like to work hard, Cheng Xi simply lets them work as hard as they want. Accounting, finance, purchasing, security, salesperson...all kinds of positions are pushed to the two of them.

Even if they are secret spies, they have to be office animals when they come to me.

At two o'clock in the afternoon, taking advantage of the low flow of people, Cheng Xi chatted with a customer. This customer was originally a navy stationed in the Sabaody Archipelago. He took advantage of his day off today to buy some Codonopsis, Angelica and Red Dates tea from her. While waiting, he casually complained that the pirates he had been catching recently had eaten a devil fruit and were more difficult to catch than before.

"Devil fruit..." Cheng Xi stroked his chin with a thoughtful expression.

After hearing what she said, thinking of his own mission, Lucci concentrated on eavesdropping on his conversation with the navy.

"Do you know that before eating a devil fruit, you can say something from your heart to it, treat it as a part of your body, establish a connection, and you can communicate with it and increase your combat effectiveness."

Navy: "Then how can you communicate with the fruit?"

Cheng Xi: "This is a very magical phenomenon. I don't know much about it. Anyway, people and fruits should get along well."

The navy confirmed half-doubtfully: "Really?"

"Fake, I'm kidding."

The navy also read the newspaper about the devil fruit recognizing its master, and was very yearning and curious about this mysterious navy senior. It would have been fine if she didn't refuse. This refusal confirmed the authenticity of these words in the navy's heart.

After listening to their entire conversation, Lucci racked his brains and pondered how credible these words were.

I always feel that none of them are true...

But these so-called "establishing connections" and "getting along well" are somewhat credible.

In the following days, Lucci carefully collected every word of Cheng Xi, and even secretly placed a monitoring telephone bug in her room, and then analyzed it accurately, unraveling which of them were true and which were false.

After nearly a month, he found that Cheng Xi likes to eat lettuce and cherry tomatoes, hates lemongrass, has ugly handwriting, likes money, likes good-looking people, regardless of gender, has an ambiguous relationship with the world's number one swordsman Mihawk, and often feeds stray cats and dogs...

The three most favorite sentences every day are "I'm so poor", "I'm so sleepy" and "I'm so hungry"...

Although some useful information was found, the credibility is basically 0.01%.

...

That night, Cheng Xi learned a new spell in Langhuan Pavilion, called the meeting talisman.

Follow the instructions in the book, draw the talisman, write the four big characters "non-soul wandering", burn it to ashes, put the powder in a small porcelain jar, place it at the head of the bed, go to bed, cover yourself with clothes inside out, make a sword gesture with your right hand, take a deep breath, and close your eyes.

For the target of meeting, Cheng Xi inexplicably thought of a person.

I haven't seen him for a long time, and I don't know if he is doing well recently?

Thinking of this, she gradually fell asleep.

When Ace woke up, he found that he was not in his room on the Moby Dick, but in a forest with sparse trees. He rubbed his sleepy eyes and couldn't figure out what was going on. He

walked forward a few steps and saw a person standing in the bright moonlight not far away.

She also had a confused expression on her face. She was wearing furry black and white panda pajamas. Her long hair was scattered, and a few strands of hair mischievously blocked her eyes. Cheng Xi was too lazy to take his hands out of his pockets. He blew directly at the hair on his face and threw it behind his ears. He looked silly and a little cute.

"Cheng Xi!"

The boy called her name with obvious excitement in his tone. It was a joy that was beyond words, brilliant and warm.

"Ace!"

Cheng Xi's tone was also very happy. It was hard to tell whether it was because of the success of the magic, or because of the excitement of seeing this boy who was as warm as the sun, or both.

Maybe because of his bad sleeping posture, Ace's hair was messy, and there were a few strands of hair standing on his head. The corners of his mouth were slightly raised, and his eyes were clear and bright under the moonlight.

They naturally approached each other.

"I was sleeping in the room just now. I don't know how I woke up and came to this place. If I hadn't met you, I would have thought I was dreaming."

Cheng Xi corrected him: "It's a dream. We met in each other's dreams."

Ace: "Really? Then this is really a beautiful dream."

"This is my new ability. As long as... I can meet the person I want in my dream."

Cheng Xi told Ace about the process of this new ability like offering a treasure, and there was a little expectation in his tone, as if he was suggesting that he should praise me quickly, praise me quickly.

Sure enough, Ace's emotional value was maxed out: "Sugoi! Cheng Xi, you are so awesome."

They chopped a few trees in the mountains and forests as wood, and beat a few wild animals. After processing, they were skewered with branches and grilled on the flames.

After doing all this, Cheng Xi's white furry pajamas were already covered with dirt and dead leaves, and were extremely dirty, but she didn't care at all.

The crackling flames dispelled the coldness of the late night and made her cheeks red.

Although there was no seasoning, the original taste of mountain birds and beasts was very delicious. Cheng Xi tore off a piece of roasted and fragrant meat and stuffed it into her mouth, and asked: "How is the effect of the caraberry powder you brought back last time? Is White Beard still secretly hiding alcohol to drink like before?"

"After that day, Dad didn't drink for four days. The nurses in the medical class were stunned. They discussed privately that they were still not used to Dad following the doctor's advice. They had a lot of reminders in their hearts but no one to tell."

She told Cheng Xi a lot of interesting things on the ship, as well as his companions. Similarly, Cheng Xi also told him about CP lurking in his store.

The night was dark, insects chirped, the evening breeze blew gently, the moonlight was like a refining, the stars were like silver, and the soft light was generously sprinkled on the two people beside the campfire.

The moonlight in the sky shone on the body, and the moonlight beside him shone in his heart. Looking at the bright and lively expression of the person in front of him, Ace couldn't tell for a while whether the moonlight in the sky was more beautiful or the moonlight in his heart was more beautiful.

Until the sky gradually showed a fish belly white, the sun rose, and at dawn, the bodies of the two gradually became empty and disappeared in the dream.

After Cheng Xi opened her eyes, her first reaction was to lift up her clothes to check if the dirt on her body had stained the sheets, but she found that her pajamas were still as clean and soft as before she went to bed.

She smelled the cuffs, and there was no greasy smell of the barbecue just now, only the smell of laundry detergent, fragrant and good.

As the gurgling sound sounded, Cheng Xi felt hungry in his stomach and rubbed his stomach. It seemed that dreams were just dreams after all. All the barbecue he had just eaten was in vain, and he had to eat breakfast again to fill his stomach.

This spell was very energy-consuming. Cheng Xi was listless and had no interest for almost a day. In the evening, she suddenly thought of a problem.

The first choice was to rush to the door of Rosinante's room. After her hand stopped in front of the door for a while, she chose to give up knocking.

She was afraid that Rosinante would find her annoying. After all, you can't pull the wool from a sheep, and you can't ask a friend about emotional problems.

Kanae and Shinobu have no experience in this area, so they pass.

Junpei is still a high school student, so he passes. Sakunosuke is

of the right age, mature and stable, has a cool head, and is a writer. He fully meets the requirements!

"Knock knock knock!"

After Oda Sakunosuke opened the door, Cheng Xi entered his room. The books on the table were open and the coffee was still steaming. Cheng Xi guessed that he must have been reading before opening the door.

"Cheng Xi, what's the matter?"

"Sakunosuke, I have a very serious question to discuss with you." She added, "I've been struggling with it in my heart for a long time."

"What's the question?" Oda Sakunosuke was puzzled. In the past, she usually went to Rosinante to talk about something. Why did she come to him for the first time this time?

Cheng Xi said something shocking: "Do you believe in love at first sight?"

"Cough, cough." Oda Sakunosuke couldn't help but cough, and looked at Cheng Xi with surprise and confusion in his eyes for the first time.

He couldn't understand why someone would come to him for advice on relationship issues.

After all, he had no experience in this area.

He calmed down for a while and shifted his gaze to the open book: "I was just reading the novel you wrote."

Although he didn't know why he suddenly changed the subject, Cheng Xi still asked: "How is it written?"

"It's very interesting, with ups and downs in the plot. I can't wait to see the next plot."

"But what does this have to do with my problem?"

Oda Sakunosuke relied on his memory to turn the book to the few emotional lines.

"It's right here." His slender finger pointed to one of the paragraphs. "In this paragraph, the heroine said, "All love at first sight in the world is caused by lust." Although I don't know why she has this idea, since it is a novel written by you, it should be the most real idea in your heart."

Cheng Xi was silent. After thinking for a while, he looked up at Oda Sakunosuke: "I seem to have suddenly become enlightened and understood everything at once. Thank you, Sakunosuke! You made me realize my deep nature."

He asked curiously: "What deep nature?"

"It's actually very simple, that is..." Cheng Xi said confidently.

"I am lustful and covet his beauty."

Oda Sakunosuke: ...

...

Three days later, one morning, the store was not open yet. There were only Cheng Xi and two agents from CP. Cheng Xi sat on a chair, her hands moved neatly, and the table was piled with discarded scraps she had used.

The last step was to tie the ribbon. Looking at the product in front of her, she played with it carefully for a while and was very satisfied with it.

"Lucci!"

"What's wrong?" He walked to Cheng Xi and asked.

"Look!"

Unexpectedly, a bunch of sunflowers was handed to him.

This is not a real flower, it should be made of clay or something like that. To be honest, she has a strong handicraft ability, and the sunflowers she made are lifelike.

Lucci took the bouquet from her with some doubt.

The petals are brilliant yellow, sprinkled with some shiny powder, shining brightly, passionate and bright, several of them are tied into a bunch, layered, like the orange gears of the sun, blooming unscrupulously.

There is also a small card in the middle, with a very cute smiley face painted in the upper right corner with a paint pen, and in the middle it says: Always happy in the future.

Always happy in the future.

Lucci doesn't understand what her sudden show of goodwill and blessing means?

Is she giving in to him and wanting to reconcile? Has she realized the strength of the World Government? Or has she come up with some unknown conspiracy in private?

He has been wandering underground for many years, taking dark justice as his main job, and his daily life is plundering and killing. She actually gave him a bunch of sunflowers.

It's ridiculous, does she think she is playing a redemption game?

Although it was ridiculous, at least he was pleased at the moment.

Cheng Xi: "Sunflowers, growing freely and passionately under the sun."

She asked: "Do they look good?"

The man's eyes, as cold as a winter night, softened a little, pursed his lips, and finally said: "They look good."

Cheng Xi stretched out her hand in front of him: "Even if they look good, you have to give them back to me. I just let you enjoy them."

Lu Qi: "......?"

He was stunned.

Cheng Xi didn't know that he had made up so much information in his mind, and simply thought that Lu Qi wanted to take it for himself.

So he snatched the bouquet from his hand, packed up the caraberry powder in the corner, the wine brewed by himself, the roasted meat and other things, and carried them out of the door, and handed them to the shipping king Umit who happened to be here for business to help transport.

Lu Qi:...

Looking at her expectant and excited expression when she left, Lu Qi realized that he had found out another piece of news.

Although this news is useless.

That is...

his investigation subject seems to be in love.