The celebration inside the tavern carried on.
Riberra Sami wore the same relaxed smile as everyone else, raising his glass and drinking along—but the corner of his eye kept sweeping across every inch of the room.
When his gaze passed the tables near the entrance again—
he paused, ever so slightly.
The table that had been occupied by three men…
was now empty.
Half-eaten food remained. Drinks still half full.
Amid the noise and chaos, that sudden emptiness stood out like a sore thumb.
Not long ago, three ordinary-looking sailors had been sitting there.
Normally, an empty table wouldn't mean anything.
But the timing… and the location…
were wrong.
Right after Hans sensed something.
In that exact direction.
And they had barely touched their food.
When did they leave?
Riberra Sami didn't know.
Maybe when everyone crowded around him for drinks.
Maybe when Aldo drew attention.
Riberra Sami's eyes narrowed slightly.
Who were they?
Bounty hunters?
Or…
Marines?
If they were bounty hunters, they would've lingered—like sharks smelling blood—waiting for someone to slip up.
They wouldn't withdraw so cleanly.
They also tended to act louder, relying on brute force.
But Marines…
That thought sent a faint chill through Riberra Sami's eyes.
Well-trained reconnaissance agents would immediately retreat upon possible exposure, report upward, and wait for a coordinated operation.
That… made perfect sense.
Riberra Sami's gaze drifted beyond the tavern—to the night-covered Haiyin Cape.
Dim lights flickered along the harbor.
Voices, waves, and distant noise blended together.
This island was bustling.
Thousands of civilians lived and worked just in this port area.
And more importantly—
this was a World Government–affiliated nation.
Harbor.
Dock.
Civilians.
A realization struck Riberra Sami like lightning.
The Marines hadn't acted yet…
because they were avoiding civilian casualties.
Avoiding chaos.
Avoiding uncontrolled destruction.
Typical "justice."
That meant—
those three weren't alone.
To deal with a pirate crew whose total bounty was nearing one billion berries—
a force like that wouldn't send just a few scouts.
At minimum:
A flag officer-level commanderMultiple warshipsA full encirclement waiting offshore
This is a net.
Staying here…
might feel safe for now—
but it was actually waiting to be slaughtered.
Once the Marines completed their encirclement…
and once Kahairo's main force arrived…
that would be the moment they closed the trap.
A dead end.
We have to leave.
Immediately.
But—
there were likely still eyes watching from the darkness.
Any unusual movement…
could ignite everything instantly.
Riberra Sami's expression didn't change.
He waited for Aldo to raise his mug and start shouting again.
Using that moment—
he subtly leaned toward Hans.
Under the perfect cover of lifting his drink, he spoke quietly:
"Hans."
"You weren't wrong."
"Don't actually get drunk tonight."
"We may have to leave at midnight."
"There are still eyes on us—act natural."
Hans froze for a fraction of a second—
then immediately recovered.
He belched loudly, acting drunk, and slammed his cup against Riberra Sami's.
"Boss! Let's… let's drink together! For… for our victory! Hahaha!"
"Good!"
Riberra Sami laughed and drained his drink.
Half an Hour Later
Hans performed flawlessly.
From slightly tipsy…
to fully drunk…
to completely gone.
"Hah… the ceiling… why's it spinning…"
THUD.
He collapsed onto the table—
even snoring lightly.
"Hahaha! Hans is down already?!"
Aldo roared with laughter.
"Your tolerance is trash!"
"Yeah! Not even as good as me!" Henry laughed, slapping Hans's back.
"Come on, Aldo! You and me!"
"Bring it on!"
Aldo grabbed a barrel.
"Count me in!" Gad joined, already tipsy.
Then he turned to a quiet figure nearby.
"Hey Sakins, don't just sit there eating—have a drink! Be a man!"
Sakins looked up blankly.
At the cup.
At Gad.
Trying to process.
A large hand suddenly grabbed Gad's shoulder.
"Don't mess around."
Aldo snatched the drink.
"He's still a kid."
"You drink with me instead."
He slammed the cup down.
"Let's see who drops first!"
"Bring it!"
The atmosphere exploded again.
Boasting turned into drinking contests and chaos.
Marcus and Feiqi continued drinking casually—
but both had noticed everything:
Riberra Sami's whisperHans's performance
They exchanged a knowing glance.
From then on, they only sipped—no more heavy drinking.
Midnight
Riberra Sami clapped his hands.
"Alright, that's enough."
"We've got things to do tomorrow."
"Wrap it up. Boss, the bill!"
Under Aldo's grumbling and the crew's drunken laughter—
a group of staggering pirates left the tavern.
Back on the Ship
The moment they stepped onto the deck—
Riberra Sami's relaxed expression vanished.
"All of you—back to your cabins."
"Sleep. No more messing around."
Most of the crew quickly passed out under the effects of alcohol.
Snoring soon filled the ship.
But—
Hans, who was supposedly unconscious…
Riberra Sami…
Marcus…
Feiqi…
gathered silently in the helm room.
Under the dim light—
their faces were completely serious.
The storm…was about to begin.
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