This navy can deal with him, how dare he kill White Beard!

The price paid for practicing justice is suffocating.

And these costs and sacrifices have also become a nightmare that haunts Zefa day and night and deprives him of sleep.

Because he was afraid that once he was in a deep sleep, he would see the faces of those who had died again, the corpses lying in a pool of blood, and their unrepentant faces.

Zefa would hate and feel guilty countless times. If...if he could protect them...the ending might be different?

Zefa has encountered the predicament that Ron encountered at this time, and more than once.

This is enough to easily destroy a person's will.

It is from falling into a slump, succumbing to the cruel reality, and giving up the pursuit of ideals;

Or should he muster up his courage again, shoulder the wishes of the dead and the expectations of the living, and once again take the whole life and become a truly great navy?

this is a problem.

And this was something Ron had to figure out for himself, and no one else could do it for him.

It's still raining.

Ron was still standing there blankly, letting the icy rain hit his face, like a body that had lost its soul.

Zefa did not speak.

He just stood silently behind him.

Until a certain moment, Ron, who kept his head down and said nothing, suddenly asked a question.

"Mr. Zefa, do you ever regret being in the navy?"

Zefa couldn't help but froze when he heard that.

When he saw the navy boy in front of him, he turned around slowly, staring at him blankly as if out of focus, his heart trembled inexplicably.

Regret?

The answer to this question is actually very simple.

If not in this naval cemetery where the martyrs are buried,

If the person who asked this question was not the deeply shocked teenager in front of him,

He could easily smile, and then said with a big grin, "Of course I don't regret it."

However, if such high-sounding words, such careless words, can really help the bruised and bruised navy boy in front of him get out of the shadows and find the answer to that question?

Naturally it cannot.

He looked at Ron.

The sharp-edged face was scarred, the messy black hair was sticky in the rain, and the lips were pale.

Under the suit he was wearing, the white shirt had already seeped glaring bloodstains again.

Zefa's old eyes were a little dazed for a moment.

Looking at the navy boy in front of him, he suddenly thought of himself in his youth.

The former self seemed to be like him, gritting his teeth and bleeding, trying to find the answer to this question, right?

In the past, I also yearned and yearned for justice in such a ignorant and innocent way, wanting to save this filthy world, and wanting to protect the pure fertile soil in my heart.

But reality is cruel.

He who has never killed any pirates, the admiral who claims to "do not kill", has not even been able to protect his family and students!

Do you not regret it?

Shit!

How could you not regret it!

He regrets not being able to become stronger and protect his family and students;

He regretted that he hadn't done a better job and wiped out all the evil big pirates in the new world!

over the past few decades,

He didn't know how many nights he cried sadly in front of the photos.

The vivid lives that fell beside him turned into shadows condensed by self-blame, guilt and powerlessness, covering him forever and ever.

but,

but! !

When the dawn comes and the sun rises,

Whenever the bright sun shines on the snow-white seagull flag,

He will put away all the negative emotions in his heart,

Put on the cloak of justice again,

stride out the door.

Thinking of this, Zefa suddenly laughed.

"Come with the old man."

After he finished speaking, he didn't explain anything, just turned around straight away.

Ron froze for a moment, subconsciously stepped forward, and followed.

The two walked through the newly built tomb, and then walked slowly through a low corridor, until at some point Zefa stopped in his tracks.

"arrive."

Zefa's voice inexplicably added a hint of imperceptible hoarseness.

Ron raised his head, his dull face suddenly moved, and his pupils shrank suddenly.

grave,

all over the mountains,

Graves beyond count,

Stretching from their feet all the way to the end of the distant sight,

It makes one's scalp tingle,

It was shocking to see.

Most of the tombstones in these tombs are very old, and the words carved on them have been obliterated by the wind and rain year after year, and have become blurred.

Ron seemed to understand something.

Zefa smiled.

He took a step forward slowly, his rough hands trembling slightly as he passed a tombstone in front of him.

"This is Todt, Rear Admiral, a very stubborn brat who died in the battle when the Golden Lion invaded Marin Vandor 20 years ago;"

"This is Cusd, Captain of the Navy, with a big bald head and dirty military uniform. He was killed 25 years ago while following Garp in pursuit of Roger's Pirates;"

"This is Lenard, the Commodore, his father was a subordinate of the old man, and died under the white beard's cloud cutter;"

"This is Dave, the lieutenant colonel of the navy. His soul was taken away by BIG MOM. His son is now a lieutenant colonel of the navy..."

In the empty and dead cemetery, Zefa's lonely and peaceful narrative came out.

Every time he passed a grave, he patted on the tombstone lightly.

The movements are gentle, and the eyes are emotional, as if greeting an old friend.

Ron looked at the scene in front of him in astonishment, the cold heart in his chest that seemed to have stopped beating gradually warmed up.

Obviously the names and imprints on the tombstone have been washed by wind and rain,

Teacher Ke Zefa still clearly remembers the identity, character, origin and military rank of everyone buried here.

He remembered.

He... remembers all of them.

Chapter 28 Zefa's Answer Sheet

Chattering all the way, Ron quietly followed Zefa, the old man, through the graves in the cemetery.

And Ron could clearly feel that every time he walked through a grave, the slightly hunched back of the old man in front of him straightened up a little bit.

At last they came back to where they were.

Ron opened his eyes again to look at the countless graves, and some indescribable emotions began to grow in his heart.

He set his eyes on the broad back in front of him, his nose was a little sore.

This old man, his comrades-in-arms, are all buried in this place.

On the land where the sun shines in front of you, open your eyes and look out, it is a comrade in arms before dawn.

everywhere.

"Stinky boy...you ask the old man if he regrets..."

In the rain, Zefa spoke hoarsely.

He raised his head and let the cold rain fall on his wrinkled and mottled face.

"The old man has regretted countless times."

"But, at least at this moment, the old man has no regrets!"

Ron stared blankly at Zefa in front of him, the naval legend whose countless students were buried in this place, and murmured in a low voice:

"But... being in the navy... is very difficult..."

Yes, being in the Navy is hard.

The intrigues in military politics, and the face of vicious and unscrupulous pirates.

In comparison, being a pirate is much easier, isn't it?

The navy and pirates, to some extent, can also be called the business of pinning the head on the waistband of the trousers.