A "surprise"?
What the hell kind of surprise was this supposed to be?!
This happiness came so suddenly that Doflamingo's brain went completely blank for a moment.
But he quickly forced down his excitement and asked in a low voice,
"Besides serving you, what other conditions are there?"
He knew it couldn't be that simple.
If all it took was allegiance to this woman to overthrow the World Government—
then the price was far too cheap.
There had to be something more.
Liang Bing smiled faintly.
"You're smart. I like dealing with smart people.
I intend to spread the ideas of decay and freedom throughout this world.
And you—" she lifted her glass, taking a slow sip—
"will be my first seed.
You'll grow wild and untamed until your roots cover the whole world."
Whether he accepted or not didn't really matter to her.
She simply wanted to see whether her ideology—
one that treated "decay" as a virtue instead of an insult—
could truly take root in a world like this.
Doflamingo went silent.
Here, in this sea ruled by the World Government,
spreading ideas of "decay and freedom"
would sound no different from encouraging ordinary people
to become pirates, slavers, or criminals.
That kind of talk would be purged in an instant.
But this chance—this gift—was right in front of him.
If he didn't grab it,
even with Ronn's Devil Fruits and his army of ability users,
it would take years to build the strength to shake the world.
And if real powerhouses appeared, his forces would crumble like glass.
Finally he spoke.
"Before I agree, I want to see your sincerity first."
"That's fair," Liang Bing said with a smile.
"The Queen is never stingy with her followers.
Tell me—what power do you want?
Immortality? Flames? Superhuman strength?"
She tapped a finger to her chin.
"Oh, right. Since you're my first, I could even grant you a Rubber Body.
Cost me several planets' worth of material to make."
Ronn raised an eyebrow behind the counter.
Rubber Body?
Don't tell me that's the same as Luffy's rubber fruit.
Could it even awaken to Nika mode?
Meanwhile Doflamingo just stared, dumbstruck.
These abilities—were they things one could just give away?
If they weren't in Ronn's tavern,
he would never have believed a word of it.
After a long silence, he rubbed his hands together.
"Can I… have them all?"
Liang Bing blinked—then burst into laughter.
"Ha-ha-ha!
Greedy! I like that. Fits my ideals perfectly.
But taking everything would be a waste.
Here—have a dose of flame genes and ice genes instead."
A wave of darkness engulfed Doflamingo.
It vanished a heartbeat later—
and twin forces erupted from his body.
Flame burst from his right hand;
ice condensed in his left.
Feeling the sudden surge of power,
his pupils shrank in shock—and fear.
Just what kind of being was this woman?
Even Imu, the phantom ruler of the world,
was nothing compared to her.
"Stop overthinking," Liang Bing said, catching his thoughts as easily as breathing.
"Just remember—I am your Queen.
That 'Imu' you're thinking of?
She's just an eight-hundred-year-old kid.
Don't compare me to her—it's insulting."
Both Doflamingo and Rayleigh stiffened.
Did she really just say that out loud?
Was she not afraid of the Marines razing this entire island?
Liang Bing didn't care.
"Oh, and when I say decay and freedom, I don't mean what you think."
She rested her chin on one hand and explained slowly,
"Decay and freedom mean living without effort,
without order, without justice—
completely free."
Since this wasn't her universe,
she simplified her philosophy.
Even so, just hearing it made Doflamingo and Rayleigh feel
their entire worldview crack.
No order, no oppression—
pure freedom to live and think as one pleased.
To men like them, it sounded like paradise.
But she was clear:
with absolute freedom came absolute consequence.
Every person would bear the cost of their own choices.
For humankind itself, Liang Bing's doctrine of Decayed Freedom
was the truest reflection of primal nature.
That was why Ronn hadn't stopped her.
He wanted to see what humanity would become
when its restraints were fully stripped away.
Of course, it wouldn't happen overnight.
It would take time—years, maybe decades—
for Doflamingo's "seed" to sprout.
"I can't read your thoughts," Liang Bing said suddenly,
"but I can see from your face that you agree with me.
Am I right?"
She leaned back, crossing her long nylon-clad legs.
Her arms folded beneath her chest,
the black and white contrast making Ronn squint against the glare.
"Maybe," he said with a shrug.
"I'd rather see what happens if Keisha's ideals spread here too.
Who would people choose—you, or her?"
Liang Bing snorted.
"That b-tch's 'order' reeks of dictatorship."
"Disgusting."
To her, all order before embracing Ultimate Fear was absurd—
a delusion of self-righteous fools.
And Keisha, the goddess of "justice,"
was the worst offender of them all.
Rayleigh, meanwhile, leaned closer with a sly grin.
"My Queen, I'd also like to be your follower!
I only have one request—
can you restore my body to its prime?"
Liang Bing gave him a sidelong glance.
"I can see every filthy thought in that head of yours."
"Forget it. Unless you're ready for an organ transplant."
Rayleigh's hopeful face crumbled.
That feeling…
was like having the flame of hope inside your heart
snuffed out by a full bucket of cold water.
"It hurts… it hurts so damn much!!"
Then the system's calm mechanical voice rang in Ronn's mind:
[Ding — Customer Liang Bing has completed her confession.]
[Ding — Customer Doflamingo has completed his confession. Customers Demon Dragon and Holy Master…]
[Ding — Liang Bing's confession involved target: Keisha.
She will arrive at the tavern soon.]
Advance Chapters available on Patreon
patreon.com/ZoroTL442