Half an hour later, Gunko, using some unknown method, actually managed to find Moomoo, Arlong's Gang's pet sea cow, which was hidden at the bottom of the sea.
Nami also lived up to expectations, bringing Anna and the others to successfully locate the 'people's fat and people's anointing' that Arlong's Gang had plundered over the years. Seeing a room full of gold, Berries, and various treasures, Nami instantly forgot the fear that Gunko's powerful strength had instilled in her, transforming into a money-grubber whose eyes were filled with nothing but cash.
At the same time.
On the deck of a Marine ship that had departed from the East Blue Marine 16th Branch, Colonel Nezumi, the branch's colonel, stood at the bow with a grave expression, looking towards Cocoyasi Village through a telescope.
"Colonel Nezumi, was that really Marine Headquarters Admiral Kizaru who just contacted you?"
Two branch Marine officers excitedly approached Nezumi. They had all heard Nezumi's conversation with Headquarters Admiral Kizaru. Although they didn't know what had happened, the fact that a Headquarters Admiral personally contacted their Colonel meant that their Colonel Nezumi had already gained the attention of Headquarters!
"What are you so excited about?"
Colonel Nezumi turned his head and glared at the two, saying in a deep voice, "Those damned Fishmen of Arlong's are absolutely audacious, actually daring to rob the tenryūbito tribute. If Headquarters finds out about my dealings with him over the years, just this one incident would land me in prison!"
"Don't worry, Colonel!"
One of the branch Marine officers sidled up to Nezumi, fawning, "As long as we eliminate Arlong's Gang, Headquarters won't know what's happened these past years. Not only will they not know, but they'll also praise you for it."
Nezumi remained silent. Of course, he knew that if he could eliminate Arlong's Gang before the Headquarters Admiral arrived, he could escape this calamity.
However, even though he had always held the upper hand over Arlong these past years, he was well aware that if he were to fall out with Arlong's Gang, it would be impossible to eliminate Arlong with just this one Marine ship! Because long before he and Arlong's Gang made their dirty deals, the Marine ships that came to Exterminate Arlong's Gang were attacked by Arlong's Gang, and ultimately, they were completely wiped out, with even the Marine ships sinking to the bottom of the sea, their whereabouts unknown to this day.
The Marine ship was very fast.
Before long, the Marine ship stopped outside Arlong Park.
Because he had been in collusion with Arlong for many years, Colonel Nezumi, leading a group of Marine soldiers, walked towards the Arlong Park gate with practiced ease.
"Oh, there's smoke rising from the park. Could that octopus Fishman be making takoyaki again?"
Looking at the smoke rising from the park from a distance, the adjutant beside Nezumi's eyes lit up, drooling, "Although that damned Fishman is ugly, the takoyaki is truly delicious."
Hearing this, Nezumi suddenly turned his head, gritting his teeth, "What time is it, and you're still thinking about takoyaki! Go, ram open the gate! That damned Arlong, after robbing the tenryūbito tribute, still dares to stay here and have a barbecue!"
Before the adjutant could react, Nezumi immediately turned to his subordinates, saying murderously, "You all listen carefully to This Young Master! When you see Arlong's Gang later, don't hesitate, just open fire and shoot them all, don't leave a single survivor!"
"Yes!"
All the soldiers responded in unison, then skillfully loaded their bullets.
The adjutant also dared not delay, quickly rushing over and kicking open the tightly closed park gate with a decisive blow.
As soon as the gate was kicked open, Nezumi didn't hesitate for a moment, walking into the park with his head held high and a swift stride, and without even checking the situation inside, he shouted at the top of his lungs, "Arlong, This Young Master has arrived! Come quickly and wel...wel..."
Nezumi, who had said 'wel' twice without uttering the word 'come', suddenly stopped, then his eyes widened, staring in disbelief at the open-air swimming pool in the park, completely frozen on the spot.
In the swimming pool, all of Arlong's Gang were submerged in the water, which had turned multicolored due to the blood of various Fishmen. The pungent smell of blood permeated the area around the swimming pool, making people feel a sudden urge to vomit.
"Damn it, what's going on?"
Nezumi, who only recovered after several seconds of being stunned, involuntarily took two steps back, looking at Arlong's Gang submerged in the swimming pool, and said in horror, "Could Admiral Kizaru have already been here and rescued the attacked Celestial Dragons?"
Before he finished speaking, a cunning glint flashed across Nezumi's lips, and he grinned as he looked at Arlong's Gang in the swimming pool, "Good that they're dead, good that they're dead. This way, no one will know about This Young Master's cooperation with Arlong."
"What's that smell?"
"It smells so good!"
Suddenly, a fragrant aroma drifted on the wind, instantly attracting the attention of all the Marine soldiers present.
Following the direction of the scent, everyone, including Nezumi, couldn't help but light up.
In another corner of the park, where the smoke was rising, several beautiful women of varying appearances were gathered around a huge barbecue grill, constantly sprinkling various barbecue ingredients onto a giant sea cow on the grill!
"What's going on? Are these women crazy? They actually came to Arlong Park to barbecue!"
"What a big sea cow, it looks so delicious!"
"Huh. Why does that sea cow look familiar? Wait, could it be Moomoo, Arlong's Gang's pet?"
"Is that the point? Is that the point? The point is, Arlong's Gang is soaking in the swimming pool, and they actually dare to barbecue here!"
Nezumi didn't speak, but instead watched the women with a gloomy gaze!
Over the years, he had managed to thrive in the 16th Branch and secretly cooperate with Arlong without being discovered by Headquarters, not relying on powerful strength, but on a shrewd and intelligent mind!
The fact that these women dared to barbecue in Arlong Park indicated that Arlong's Gang, who were soaking in the swimming pool, were very likely their doing.
"Hey, Marine!"
Just as Nezumi was secretly on guard, a cold voice suddenly came over, "What are you all standing around for? Hurry up and help, This Young Master wants to hold a charcoal-grilled sea cow banquet in this park!"
Before he finished speaking, Nezumi and the others saw a figure step out from the tall building in the park. It was Ian, who had gone into the building to look for various barbecue ingredients.
Before Nezumi and the others could react, Gunko, who followed Ian out of the building, suddenly turned her head, her inherent aura of a superior completely undisguised. "Are you all deaf? Hurry up and come over! If you mess up the Young Master's charcoal-grilled sea cow banquet, you'll all go soak in that swimming pool!"
"Young Master?"
Nezumi's pupils constricted, then his eyes widened, and he blurted out, "You...you are Saint Ian, whom Admiral Kizaru mentioned?"
Ian didn't speak, he just turned and left with the ingredients.
Although Ian was not wearing the clothes and bubble headgear symbolizing the Celestial Dragons, Nezumi did not dare to have the slightest doubt, and immediately led his subordinates to run over quickly.
Now that Arlong's Gang was all soaking in the swimming pool, all he had to do was serve this distinguished Celestial Dragon from the Holy Land well.
As soon as he arrived at the barbecue grill, Nezumi saw a short-haired girl with orange hair holding several large boxes of Berries, her eyes sparkling with hearts as she looked at Ian, who was distributing the seasonings, "Saint Ian, are all these Berries really for me to manage?"
Ian smiled and nodded, "This Young Master is not interested in money. As long as you serve This Young Master well, all these Berries are yours!"
The one holding several large boxes of Berries was Nami. Hearing that Ian would bestow all these Berries upon her, she could no longer hold back, jumping up on the spot and preparing to pounce on Ian.
However, as soon as she pounced in front of Ian, Gunko grabbed her by the neck and threw her back!
"Hmm?"
Nami, who was thrown to the ground by Gunko, suddenly her pupils constricted, and then she suddenly turned her head to look at Colonel Nezumi standing to the side, unconsciously blurting out, "It's you."
Not expecting Nami to actually know this Marine branch colonel, she frowned slightly and said, "You two know each other?"
Nami protected the box full of Berries with one hand and pointed at Colonel Nezumi with the other, gritting her teeth, "Saint Ian, I want to report him. For all these years, he has been secretly cooperating with Arlong's Gang to oppress civilians. If it weren't for him concealing Arlong's Gang's actions in the East Blue, I wouldn't have been captured by Arlong's Gang to draw navigation maps for them!"
"Is there such a thing?"
Ian feigned ignorance, turning his head to look at Colonel Nezumi, "As a Marine, your primary duty is to apprehend pirates! And you, as a Colonel, not only failed to eliminate them but also became their protector!"
As soon as Ian finished speaking, Nezumi fell to his knees with a thud, emotionally exclaiming, "Sir, you've been wronged! I know this woman; she is a villager from Cocoyasi Village who has been involved in theft for a long time. Her words are not credible!"
"Don't be nervous."
Ian smiled and waved his hand, "Even if you cooperated with Arlong's Gang to oppress civilians, it doesn't matter. In This Young Master's eyes, you are all a bunch of commoners, insignificant!"
Upon hearing this, Nami froze on the spot, while Nezumi was secretly delighted.
Just as Nezumi thought he had escaped the calamity, the smile on Ian's face suddenly disappeared, and his voice instantly turned cold, "However, although This Young Master will not blame you for cooperating with Arlong's Gang, she is now This Young Master's woman, and you say she is a thief... Are you doubting This Young Master's judgment and taste?"
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