The banquet was over, and it was time to unleash the slaughter.
In Wano Country, there were still many unresolved matters. Kurozumi Orochi and those rebellious samurai were not the whole of Wano Country. The ones truly rooted in Wano Country were the nobles with the title of Duke.
Kaido's invasion and Kurozumi Orochi's rule only drove the five great families of Wano—Kozuki, Tenzuki, Shimotsuki, Fugetsu, and Uzuki—into hiding, but they still existed, and the dukes beneath these families were living even better.
These individuals were Lily's primary targets for elimination.
Although Kaido wanted to bring down the nobility through war, it was Kurozumi Orochi who had been in charge before that. Kaido didn't care about how the power in Wano Country was divided; he just wanted to establish weapon factories.
Families might be gone, but some things don't disappear as expected. To make them disappear... a thorough cleansing is necessary!
Ruined Village.
"Tsuru! I've found you!"
A group of pirates stormed into the Desolate Town, surrounding a tea stall and the woman in a blue kimono.
The sudden commotion startled those inside, who were eating and drinking tea, causing them to immediately step back, though they didn't flee.
In this village close to the Flower Capital, they were deeply affected by the pirates' presence.
Kaido never truly controlled Wano Country, and neither did Kurozumi Orochi. Although they had eliminated the rebellious feudal lords across the land, they merely achieved this step without further control.
Kaido stayed on Ghost Island, Orochi ruled in the Flower Capital, and they didn't care much about the rest, only allowing pirates to act. Some villages and towns had been plundered by pirates.
Just like looting islands that hadn't paid protection fees, only those islands that paid received protection. If they didn't pay, not only other pirates but even the Great Pirates within the territory would come plunder them.
Pirates were like this.
Usually, upon seeing pirates, they should run away immediately.
But these pirates were different. After several days of providing food relief, they felt the pirates of the "Disaster Pirates" were good people. Aside from distributing food, they didn't bully, and were even kinder than those former samurai lords.
They seemed to treat the locals as equals; some, after getting drunk, even helped build houses and repair things.
It made some locals understand them better. Though they were still pirates, many had been craftsmen or ordinary merchants before becoming pirates.
These people were transformed from ordinary people.
This made nearby residents lower their guard; although not buddy-buddy, they weren't running at the sight of them anymore.
Since that Disaster Pirates arrived, the previous vicious pirates of the Beast Pirates who robbed them had improved somewhat.
Occasionally overhearing, they caught snippets that after changing captains, they had to follow the new captain's rules. Those who didn't had been skinned and dismembered at the harbor; they heard the bones were made into wings like a Blood Eagle!
Even the pirates were scared, so the locals were less afraid.
Now, surrounded by pirates, they didn't leave immediately, just watched nervously.
"I don't know what business you have with a simple village woman like me?"
Tsuru brushed a stray strand of hair from her forehead, her expression calm. "If you want rice balls, I can give them to you. Besides that, there's nothing here worth taking."
"You indeed have a way with words."
A crisp voice rang out from behind the pirates.
The crew automatically parted in two rows, revealing the blonde beauty who had appeared on a national broadcast.
"What are you trying to incite here? Since Sage arrived, he hasn't taken anything from you because you're too poor, you're weak."
Lily looked coldly at Tsuru, "Don't accuse others of things that haven't happened; it's malicious slander, an attempt to shake the foundation of Sage's rule. Besides, you're not a mere village woman nor an ordinary person. You're the head of the 'Nine Red Scabbards' and the wife of 'Fox Fire' Kin'emon, the most significant household servant of the Kozuki Family obstructing the rule."
Tsuru's pupils contracted, cold sweat trickling down her forehead.
Indeed, it had been discovered...
Discovering this wasn't difficult.
Bao Huang's intelligence network connected the entire Flower Capital, spreading it out, watching everywhere with hidden animal cameras reporting what they saw and heard.
Nobles, remnants of feudal families, even families of samurais were all tracked.
Sending Who's-Who and newly subscribed Imperial Court Guards made intelligence gathering in this area simple.
Once found, it was time for execution!
Recognition wasn't hard because Lily didn't bother with it.
No matter if they're kin or family, if someone on the list is heard, they're on her must-kill list!
If she kills all ten, there might be unjust kills, but if she kills every other one out of ten, there'd surely be some missed!
Sage used his own money to give them free food, saving them from starvation. Until their promised work materializes, supplies continue flowing.
At this moment, any normal person would be grateful; those worried about past rebel groups and cursing Sage aren't normal.
They must be killed!