Just as the man named Lin Bei confidently swaggered toward the restaurant door after his declaration, one hand running through his hair, the owner saw him suddenly stop… then turn around and walk back, as if he'd just remembered he forgot something important.
Did he change his mind?
"Ma'am."
"Hm? You've calmed down? Good, then hurry and run."
"No, it's a little embarrassing to ask, but could you see if there's anything else you can make? Maybe pack up a dish for me, grab another bottle of wine, and let me take it to go?"
The owner froze for a moment. She couldn't help but wonder if these three kids had just been bragging on purpose to scam a free meal.
But there was no need; she had already said it was free.
Would saying things like that make her feel any better?
But then again, asking for food to take with them... made it look like they were stocking up for a run.
Forget it. It's better this way. Run as far as you can so you don't get caught by Morgan.
The owner went to arrange things. All the meat and vegetables had already been eaten by the straw-hat kid. The only thing left in the kitchen was flour.
She had the chef make a bunch of flatbreads from the flour as dry rations.
She also grabbed a few bottles of wine and a bucket of water.
After all, wine doesn't quench thirst well. If they were running for it, they would need water on the road.
Handing the dry food and water to Lin Bei, the owner said with a complicated expression, "Set sail tonight. Don't hesitate."
Lin Bei didn't explain. He took the bread, wine, and water, and walked out of the restaurant.
With Koby leading the way, they headed for the Marine base.
On the road, Koby was confused.
"Why bring so much bread?"
Lin Bei replied, "Didn't you say that guy named Zoro has been locked up for a long time? He probably hasn't eaten anything. Since our captain wants to recruit him, I have to win him over a little."
Hearing this, Luffy turned around with a big grin.
"Just as I thought, Lin Bei, you're so thoughtful!"
Luffy felt more and more that recruiting Lin Bei had been a great decision. He was usually carefree and would never think of details like this.
Their personalities complemented each other to some extent.
Soon, they arrived at the Marine base.
The base walls were quite tall, but that wasn't a problem for Luffy.
It was even simpler for Lin Bei; with a light tap of his foot, he floated up.
Only chubby Koby struggled. Later on, you could say this kid completely changed his art style, but right now, he was still like a big soft gummy bear—short and bouncy.
He couldn't climb up at all!
So Lin Bei casually kicked him in the butt, allowing him to float up too.
"That's the guy called Zoro, right?"
Luffy's voice sounded.
Lin Bei looked into the base. On what was probably the Marine training yard stood a cross with a man tied to it.
Green bandana, looking pretty fierce.
Pretending not to know why Zoro had been captured, Lin Bei said, "To be caught and tortured by Marines from such a small branch... he probably isn't that strong. He looks scary, though. Do we really want to save him?"
Luffy hesitated as well.
Just then, a little girl puffed out her cheeks and angrily yelled, "That's not it at all!"
"That big brother is really strong! He beat up the Marines in town easily! He got tied up here willingly for me and my mom. Colonel Morgan's son took us hostage and said if Big Brother let himself be captured for a month, he'd let us go. Big brother didn't want us to get hurt, so he…"
Tears welled up in her eyes as she finished speaking.
Luffy broke into a wide grin — then burst out laughing.
"Shishishi! So he's actually a good guy!"
Lin Bei nodded as well. "Although a bit stupid, he's stupidly cute."
The little girl shouted, "Don't say that about him!"
Lin Bei raised an eyebrow. This must be the first fangirl wanting to be Mrs. Zoro. Little girls always dream of heroes.
However, in his opinion...
"If he could easily defeat the town's Marines, why not just wipe them out after ensuring you were safe? Because of honor? Talking about honor with a bunch of people who have none is blind faith. In the end, it won't just get you killed; it will also hurt the people around you."
As soon as Lin Bei finished speaking, the tied-up Zoro raised his head and glared at him fiercely. "What do you mean by that?"
"What else could it mean? Judging by how you look, you haven't eaten or drunk anything for a long time, right? Not eating or drinking for a month is enough to turn a strong man into a weakling. Once they kill you, won't the people in town still be trampled on just the same?"
Zoro frowned. Was he saying Helmeppo had lied to him?
Clap clap clap—
Applause rang out as a cocky, as what could only be described as a butt-chinned man walked out with a group of dull-eyed Marine soldiers.
"I just received a report that someone was talking big in a restaurant, saying they wanted to kill my father. That would be you, right? Your goal is to rescue this man, then team up to go after my father? Very clever!"
Lin Bei: ???
"Who are you?"
It had been a long time since he watched One Piece. The guy looked familiar, but he couldn't remember his name.
Helmeppo was furious and roared, "Aren't you here to deal with my father?! Didn't you do any investigation?! I am Colonel Morgan's son!"
…So he still didn't say his own name.
Zoro slowly spoke, "Is what they said true? From the start, you never intended to let me go?"
Helmeppo pulled out a pistol and pointed it at Zoro. "Did you just figure it out, moron?! No matter how strong you are, after so many days without food or water, how much strength could you possibly have left? This is called wisdom! Why do you think I've been able to live so grandly in Shells Town for so long!?"
The little girl answered honestly, "Isn't it because your dad is Captain Morgan?"
"Yes, it's because my father is— Who asked you to interrupt?!"
Helmeppo shouted hysterically. Another kid who lacked fatherly love and desperately wanted his father's approval.
In anime, this kind of 'talent' really is everywhere.
Helmeppo shouted, "You guys! Don't you want to save him? If you don't want me to shoot him dead right now, tie yourselves up!"
Same trick as before — Helmeppo used the same tactic again.
Lin Bei rolled his eyes.
"Do you think just because he's dumb, we have to be dumb too? Huh?"
Helmeppo pointed to the person next to Lin Bei. "Yeah, isn't that the case? You're all a bunch of idiots!"
Lin Bei turned his head — and wow, Luffy had already finished tying himself up. "...Where did you even get that rope?"
Luffy put on a very innocent expression. "Oh, I just picked it up off the ground. Do you want me to help tie you up?"
Lin Bei: ...
Captain, doing this makes me look like a total idiot.
Helmeppo did it again! It's super effective!