From Yang Ying's vantage point, he could clearly see the several lines of piranhas forming a cold, white stream, flowing along the artificial creek into the fountain, quickly approaching the ascending and descending prisoners.

Though the space pirates bore the name "pirates," they were rarely skilled swimmers; many among them couldn't swim at all. Even those who could manage merely thrashed about helplessly once in the water, their restricted limbs preventing any effective movement.

The massive school of piranhas swarmed into the fountain instantly, heading straight for the inmates. Many prisoners let out sharp, agonizing screams before being dragged beneath the surface.

A slick of crimson began to spread across the water's surface.

At the edge of the fountain, some prisoners remained, yet to be pushed in. Seeing this spectacle, their entire beings were instantly enveloped in terror. And when fear reaches its absolute peak, it breeds the desperate urge to fight back.

At that moment, the splashing water sprayed outwards, dampening some of the pirates and prisoners alike. The current from the stun batons and electric whips immediately conducted through the moisture. Several pirates and prisoners convulsed simultaneously, clearly paralyzed by the stray electricity, plunging the fountain area into instant chaos.

A few prisoners seized the opportunity and struck out. Shackled in handcuffs and fetters, they charged the armed pirates. Seeing a chance, the other prisoners reacted instantly, and a brief, violent struggle erupted between the two sides.

To avoid injuring their own men, the armed pirates cut the current, reducing the whips and batons to mere ordinary sticks and lengths of leather, drastically diminishing their lethality.

Some of the stronger prisoners, before being submerged, managed to cling tightly to an armed pirate and jump in with them. In that moment, they no longer sought survival but vengeance—taking a body with them.

Smack. Yo.

Nabu watched as if observing a play, seemingly unconcerned by the casualties among his subordinates, even clapping his hands in applause and chuckling, "They truly deserve their reputation as high-ranking members of large pirate crews; even facing death, they carry such ferocity. That's better. Watching them simply devoured by piranhas without resistance holds no appeal. I prefer these dying struggles to keep my enjoyment at its peak."

People were scrambling everywhere across the plaza: prisoners fleeing in the lead, armed pirates in hot pursuit. Though a few prisoners managed a few extra steps, they were quickly overtaken, hauled up, and thrown into the pool.

The prisoner who had run the farthest successfully reached the base of the high platform and loudly begged Nabu for mercy, only to be kicked down by a guard pirate stationed below. He was then recaptured by the pursuing armed pirates, facing the inevitable end of being tossed into the fountain.

The red tint in the pool deepened, as the piranha swarm pressed onward, dragging struggling figures beneath the surface amidst screams. Moments later, several crimson skeletons were nudged to the surface by the swarm, still bearing remnants of bloody and fleshy tissue. The horrific sight of the bare bones caused both parties engaged in the struggle by the pool's edge to instinctively recoil several steps.

The melee at the pool's edge lasted about a minute before it was suppressed. The prisoners, hampered by their constraints, were quickly overwhelmed and shoved into the pool despite their desperate, all-or-nothing fight.

Finally, every prisoner, along with a dozen or so armed pirates, fell into the fountain. The piranha swarm tore into them fiercely, causing the water's surface to boil as if it were churning furiously.

The blood of over two hundred people turned the once-clear water a pale red, which gradually deepened.

Next, the jets of water spraying from the fountain turned the color of fresh blood. The faint, reddish mist drifted outward, catching the light, which even stained the normally ethereal rainbows with a layer of crimson.

"Magnificent! This is the 'fairyland' that belongs to me! A beautiful fairyland, stained with blood, cruel, and filled with slaughter!"

Nabu burst into laughter. He turned his head, "Commander Yang Ying, you see? This is precisely why I constructed this plaza. In the first Paradise City, there is an identical fountain plaza. Every time we execute over a hundred people at once, this view is guaranteed."

At this point, the violent agitation on the water's surface slowly subsided, freezing this new scene in place. The entire plaza had transformed from its original snowy white to blood-red. Skeletons floated on the water, the air was thick with the smell of blood, reflecting against the reddish hues of the rainbows, creating a visual akin to an Asura battlefield from hell.

Witnessing this scene, the pirates surrounding them wore expressions of awe and dread, none daring to look directly at the Pirate King. A few with weaker constitutions vomited uncontrollably nearby. They were men accustomed to killing, capable of laughing in the presence of one or two corpses, but the sight of over two hundred people being torn apart by piranhas clearly exceeded their psychological tolerance.

Nabu’s lips curved upwards; he was clearly quite pleased. However, when his gaze fell upon the area behind Yang Ying, his expression stiffened. The two Ghost Agent Colonels and the two Marine Colonels standing behind Yang Ying were utterly disregarding the carnage before them. The four maintained the same indifferent expressions they held before the execution began, as if nothing in the world warranted their concern.

As for Yang Ying, while he had never intended to speak up for the prisoners, he felt a deep surge of anger. This was clearly another threat and show of dominance from Nabu, attempting to assert his authority through sheer terror.

"Pirate King Nabu, defacing beautiful things—I suppose that is the consistent style of you pirates." Yang Ying stared at the splashing crimson water columns and rumbled in a low voice, "This place is called Paradise City, while outside they call it the City of Sin. I imagine this reputation is inextricably linked to this manner of operation."

"City of Sin? That is the infamous label hypocrites have affixed to Paradise City. Commander Yang Ying, do you perhaps share the same sentiments? What a pity, the hallmark of the Trant Mercenary Corps' combat is annihilation—leaving no survivors. I truly believed we were kindred spirits, capable of deriving supreme pleasure from this atmosphere of slaughter."

Pausing here, Nabu suddenly lowered his voice, "I even used your need to apologize as an excuse, hoping to smooth over yesterday’s conflict while simultaneously deepening the friendship between us—killing two birds with one stone. You must understand, ordinary people do not qualify to witness this execution alongside me. Never mind. You have fulfilled our agreement just now: sitting here and merely watching. Now we are even. The Trant Mercenary Corps truly lives up to its name; even your retinue can observe an execution scene without changing expression. That deserves praise."

Yang Ying cut him off, "Save the praise. But tell me, Lord Nabu, have you ever considered the saying: 'Those whose paths diverge cannot work together'? After witnessing an execution like this, what if we decide to turn against you?"

The shift from "Captain" to "Lord" clearly indicated Yang Ying had raised the formality level of his address to Nabu by a full measure.

"Turn against us?" Nabu idly spun his glass, his tone utterly dismissive. "The Caribbean Pirate Fleet has dominated the stellar seas for decades—whom have we ever feared? Let me analyze your situation for you, Commander. Though the Trant Mercenary Corps' rising power is undeniable, it brings many troubles. Firstly, your ascent was too rapid, attracting numerous enemies: the Ape Worship Cult, the Council, the Earth Government, the Ancient Legions. Secondly, you possess so much coveted technology that even those without enmity towards you would not hesitate to kick you while you’re down. Thirdly, your foundational connections at the highest levels are too weak; if trouble arises, you have no external allies to call upon."

He stopped, then shook his head. "Wait, perhaps the third point is invalid. I heard you recently concluded a deal with the Nianeng Temple, acquiring shares in the Singer and Earth United Industrial Group. That barely qualifies as borrowing some connections. But it is certainly insufficient to deal with all your enemies."

"Putting other issues aside, your most pressing enemies right now are the Council and the Ape Worship Cult, with the latter being the most urgent. Know this: Horas is currently in the asteroid belt, and he is certainly searching for you. A joint effort against the Ape Worship Cult would be mutually beneficial at this stage. As the leader of an organization like the Trant Mercenary Corps, Commander Yang Ying must possess a comprehensive overview of the grand situation and wouldn't turn against us over personal grievances, would you?"

Yang Ying had to concede that the Pirate King's analysis held considerable weight. However, Nabu understood him too little; he was unaware of the existence of the Floating Continent, which could nullify all these perceived disadvantages.

Yang Ying shrugged. "If analysis determined victory, then all strife in the world would cease. Putting other matters aside, I find this Paradise City deeply unsettling. Perhaps this city is short-lived."

Nabu was startled. He couldn't tell if Yang Ying was joking or probing him, inadvertently touching upon Nabu's own plan to abandon Paradise City to lure Horas into a trap.

Despite his inner shock, his expression remained unchanged. "Perhaps. If the first Paradise City was destroyed, the second was built. If the second is ruined, a third will rise. Demand dictates supply, and Paradise City is rooted in the dark corners of the human heart. As long as humanity harbors darkness within, there will always be a need for entities like Paradise City; they will spring forth to meet that demand. No matter how many times Paradise City falls, it will rise again. Commander Yang Ying, how many Paradise Cities can you destroy? It is better not to waste effort on such futile endeavors."

Yang Ying suddenly felt further discussion was useless. Nabu clearly operated by his own set of principles and was not the sort to change his mind based on another person's words.

Yang Ying rose. "Since that is the case, then I have nothing more to say. You invited me here, and you have said all you wished to convey. I have certainly witnessed the legendary First City of Pirates. Perhaps in the future, you might visit Trant City—though perhaps that opportunity will never arise. Farewell."

Yang Ying's words clearly signaled his intention to leave Paradise City. But how could Nabu allow that? He had already leaked information through certain channels, revealing the location of Paradise City and simultaneously announcing that Yang Ying was within its walls.

Nabu knew that following the Battle of Xingshi, Horas would certainly place even greater importance on the Trant Mercenary Corps. As the leader, Yang Ying undoubtedly knew all the corps' secrets, yet his movements had always been difficult to track since he rarely left the secret base.

Now that he had such a rare opportunity, once Horas learned Yang Ying was in Paradise City—compounded by the factor of Agon—Nabu was ninety percent certain he could draw Horas out. He had made all the necessary preparations to turn Paradise City into a grand stage, intending to use Horas's head to elevate the authority of the Pirate King to a new height. How could he possibly allow Yang Ying, who played such a crucial role, to simply depart?