"One Piece:The True Codex"Chapter 385: Using Cannons to Swat Flies
While Admiral Sengoku at Marine Headquarters was still racking his brain over William's intentions, William himself was leisurely fishing by the seaside.
Pucci, famed worldwide for its cuisine, stood in stark contrast to other cities along the Sea Train route, such as Water 7, Saint Plut, and Saint Baobab. Unlike these industrial hubs, Pucci was a classic tourist city, making public safety an even more pressing concern.
Pucci's mayor, Bimini, was a rotund man with a bloated figure and a piggish face, giving the impression of ineptitude. Yet, he got along surprisingly well with William and his crew, even enthusiastically inviting them for a private fishing trip by the sea.
It was worth noting that aside from Selkirk, the rest of the group—mastermind William, undercover Gin, and strategist Dampier—were all high-bounty criminals who had made a name for themselves during the recent East Blue War. Even though William was now officially recognized as one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, and the government had issued statements to legitimize his position, the impression left by previous news reports was not easily erased. Moreover, anyone with a discerning eye could spot the flaws in the government's statements.
When Bimini extended his invitation, the alarmed expressions of his attendants and stewards, who were too shocked to speak, revealed the typical attitude most people had toward William and his crew.
Bimini, however, was simply pragmatic. The Seven Warlords of the Sea were officially sanctioned by the World Government as legal armed forces. Until William's title was revoked, he was both a pirate and a protector of government-affiliated islands and nations. The deterrent of the Marines and the government no longer applied to him.
Without the backing of the Marines or the government, how could Mayor Bimini possibly oppose William? After all, the Seven Warlords of the Sea were super-criminals chosen for their fearsome reputations and immense power, each capable of toppling a nation.
While the Seven Warlords served as a significant counterbalance for the Four Emperors, from the perspective of the World Government and the Marines, they were a necessary evil. However, for the nations under the World Government's protection, they were dangerous and unpredictable time bombs.
Unable to deal with William publicly or privately, Bimini could only open every door for him and present himself as a willing collaborator.
Without bringing any guards, Bimini arrived at the seaside with just a few attendants carrying fishing rods, chairs, and other gear, joining William and his crew.
"I'm just curious about how you plan to deal with the countless pirates roaming the seas," Bimini asked as he watched William cast his line far into the water. "With all due respect, your Sea Train Network plan is truly impressive, especially for a city like Pucci. But without addressing the issue of public safety, it's impossible to achieve the ideal results you envision."
The Sea Train Network plan, along with the proposed joint-stock company, wasn't as widely publicized as William's appointment as a Warlord. However, for those with access to reliable information, it wasn't difficult to uncover. Once implemented, such initiatives couldn't be kept secret, and the government had no intention of hiding them.
It wasn't surprising to William and his crew that Mayor Bimini, knowing of their arrival, had done his homework on the plan.
Gin, hands in his pockets and reclining on a deck chair, had tossed his fishing rod aside. His attitude was a stark contrast to William and Dampier, who were both engrossed in fishing.
Having grown up as a fisherman, Gin saw fishing as a means of survival rather than leisure. He'd rather wield a fishing net and spear to battle Sea Kings in coastal waters than waste time on what he considered a frivolous activity.
Distracted from fishing, Gin was the first to respond to Bimini's question. "What, you've heard about the Sea Train Network but not the joint-stock company? Isn't having a Warlord of the Sea enough to scare off the criminals in the first half of the Grand Line and bring peace to these waters?"
Bimini glanced at Gin's fierce expression, then at William, who seemed entirely focused on his fishing rod. Hesitating for a moment, he finally said, "Having a figure as powerful as a Warlord stationed in the first half of the Grand Line does alleviate concerns about major pirates. But I'm worried about the countless small-time crews. I fear that someone of a Warlord's stature might not bother with such minor threats."
William chuckled softly, his gaze shifting from the water to Bimini. He understood the implications of the mayor's words.
The pirate crews of the Grand Line varied greatly in size and strength. While the notorious figures, like the Supernovas, posed significant threats, the smaller, lesser-known crews were no less dangerous to civilians and towns.
The Five Elders tended to focus on the former—on the Supernovas or other promising rookies capable of reaching the New World. From their vantage point in Mariejois, they primarily dealt with major events involving the Supernovas, often overlooking or dismissing the widespread but seemingly minor issues plaguing the lower levels of society.
In William's view, they had long been detached from the common people.
Both William, who hailed from a humble background, and Mayor Bimini, who governed a tourist city, understood that a hundred small-time pirates with bounties of one million Belly could inflict as much economic damage and loss of life as a single pirate with a bounty of one hundred million.
While the Seven Warlords and the Marines could cooperate to eliminate the high-profile rookies that the Five Elders prioritized, it was unrealistic to expect them to wipe out every pirate in the Grand Line. After all, the Grand Line's pirate problem was fueled by the East Blue and the other seas.
Moreover, the Seven Warlords were notorious pirates themselves, many of whom had gained fame long before William set sail. Expecting such individuals to dedicate themselves to the time-consuming and exhausting task of maintaining public order was impractical.
Take William, for example. If he were tasked with hunting down nameless pirates every day, he wouldn't be willing. Once or twice might be entertaining, like a game of cat and mouse, but over time, he'd inevitably grow indifferent or even refuse outright.
William would delegate such mundane tasks to his subordinates. However, not all Warlords were like him, with a well-organized and disciplined armed group at their disposal. Some operated as small crews, while others were lone wolves. For them, using "cannons to swat flies" was a waste of time and effort. Even if they agreed initially, they'd likely slack off later.
This issue might have escaped the attention of the Five Elders, or perhaps they noticed but didn't care. But for Mayor Bimini, who had to ensure Pucci's future prosperity and safety, and with William promising to protect the four cities along the Sea Train route in exchange for operational rights, the question was unavoidable. It was a matter of both the city's future and Bimini's own political survival.
(End of Chapter)
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