MM Racing Chapter 121: That's your godfather!
Chapter 121: That's your godfather!
Chapter 122: That's your godfather!
In April of the 1493rd year of the Haiyuan calendar, the climate in the Western Sea had already warmed up.
Standing on the familiar pebble beach, Lockes took a deep breath of the air from his hometown.
It was damp, carrying the scent of grass and soil, completely different from the salty sea breeze of the Grand Line.
God Valley is a non-member state. Although the island is rich in resources, there is only one town that can sustain the population, and the royal family that rules the entire island consists of only a few people.
He walked towards the town along the path he remembered.
He had walked this road countless times during his youth, always dreaming of leaving this isolated island and venturing out to the open sea.
Now he has returned to his hometown in such a sorry state.
As you pass through a dense coniferous forest, the outline of the town gradually comes into view.
The town buildings in God Valley are all in the style of the Old West.
The houses are made of wood, with wide wooden porches, and some shops still have faded signs hanging outside. The streets are rammed earth roads, which kick up fine dust on sunny days.
The town is fairly large, considering it's the only settlement on the entire island.
Rocks pulled his hat brim low as he walked along the edge of the street. Although this was his hometown, he didn't want to attract too much attention.
Several elderly people sitting in the sun outside the grocery store glanced at him with some doubt in their eyes, but no one said hello.
Lockes quickened his pace and turned into a side alley.
David's old house is on the east side of town. It is a two-story wooden house with a small yard.
The wooden fence in the yard is quite old; the paint has peeled off, revealing the dark wood underneath.
Locke stood outside the gate, looking at the house where he had grown up. Wisps of smoke rose from the chimney; at this hour, his grandmother should be preparing lunch.
Lockes pushed open the gate, the wooden door creaking familiarly. He walked to the main house door, stood there for a moment, and then reached out and pushed it open.
The furnishings inside were almost exactly as he remembered. Upon entering, there was a living room that also served as a dining room, with a heavy wooden table in the center. Family photos were displayed on a cabinet against the wall, and the floor was dark solid wood, old but very clean.
The sound of chopping vegetables came from the kitchen, along with the old man's muttering curses.
"This damn knife's dull again—I'll have to get old Henry to sharpen it again tomorrow—"
Rocks took off his cloak and hung it on the coat rack by the door. Just as he was about to speak, the kitchen curtain was lifted.
An elderly woman with gray hair walked out of the kitchen. She was short but had a straight back. She wore a plain apron and carried a heavy kitchen knife in her hand, with some vegetable scraps still stuck to the blade.
The old woman paused for a moment when she saw Lox standing in the living room.
Then a smile spread across her wrinkled face, and she opened her mouth to let out a unique, strange laugh: "Hehehe! Why didn't you tell me you were coming back, Little Gigi?"
The smile that had just appeared on Lox's face vanished the moment he heard the address. He shouted angrily, "Old woman! How many times have I told you! Don't call me by my nickname!"
"Eek cackling!"
The old woman laughed even louder. She walked up to Locke, carrying a kitchen knife, and looked up at her grandson, who was two heads taller than her: "What a nice name! You have no sense of humor at all. With your bad temper, you've been gone for so long and you still haven't found a wife."
She patted Lockes' arm with her free hand, quite forcefully: "Kid, let me tell you, the David family bloodline can't end with you! You're almost thirty!"
When I was your age, your dad was already old enough to run errands!
Locke rolled his eyes and decided to drop the subject. He pulled out a chair from the dining table, sat down, and relaxed completely.
It feels strange to be back home; the vigilance and tension that I had to maintain at all times while at sea can be temporarily set aside here.
He picked up the ceramic cup from the table, wiped the rim with his sleeve, and then poured a cup of water from the kettle: "Where did the old man go?"
Grandma glared at him, turned and walked back into the kitchen, her voice coming from behind the curtain: "Your father went to see that brother of his again! He drinks every single day, he'll drink himself to death!"
Rocks swirled the water in his glass: "Brother? What kind of shady characters has he met this time?"
The sound of chopping vegetables came from the kitchen, the rhythmic thud of the knife hitting the cutting board, accompanied by Grandma's aged voice: "You bunch of cronies? Kid, watch your mouth!"
"Your dad's friend has a lot of feelings for our family, and now he's your godfather!"
"puff-"
Lox spat out all the water he had just drunk, choking and coughing repeatedly. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, his voice rising eight octaves: "Cough cough cough! What the hell?!"
The kitchen curtain was lifted again, and Grandmother peeked out with a gloating expression on her face: "Didn't you hear me? I said, your father has recognized a brother, and that person is now your godfather!"
"Hehehe, look at that expression now!"
Lox stood up, his chair creaking on the floor. "What's going on? Where did this guy come from? Did that old bastard get scammed again?"
Grandmother shrugged and retreated back into the kitchen: "I don't know, you should ask your father yourself."
"He's probably still in that new building in town center, drinking with his best buddies."
New building?
Lox's heart sank.
New buildings are rarely constructed in God Valley. The residents are accustomed to maintaining the status quo and will not undertake large-scale construction unless necessary.
Moreover, in the town center, the only land available for new buildings is land approved by the royal family.
"What does the building look like?" Lockes asked, keeping his voice calm.
The sound of chopping vegetables in the kitchen paused for a moment, and Grandmother's voice came out: "It's quite grand, with royal guards standing at the door. Your father's friend seems to have a good relationship with the royal family."
Lox's brain trembled slightly as a name surfaced in his mind, and a strong sense of foreboding welled up inside him.
No way?
No, it shouldn't be.
That guy should be on Jaya Island right now, or somewhere in the Grand Line planning his next move.
The Western Sea is so far away, and the Valley of the Gods is so hidden, that guy shouldn't have an easy time finding this place.
Shouldn't it be?
Lox put his cloak back on: "I'll go take a look."
Grandma came out of the kitchen, a cleaver in her hand: "Going already? Before we've even finished eating?"
"Still waiting?! If we wait any longer, I'm afraid that old bastard who can't hold his liquor will get scammed and end up having another godmother!"
Rocks instinctively reached out to kick the door open, but as he raised his foot, he remembered that this was his own home, so he could only pull the door open with force.
"Mind your manners, kid! That's your godfather!"
His grandmother's shouts from inside the house made Locke's nerves pound. Without turning his head, he rushed out.