Indeed, they were businessmen!
Money mattered more to them than their lives!
This wasn't just an overload; it was like wrapping a wooden board around a parcel of mud and floating it on the surface of the sea. Any storm would spell disaster for something like that!
But they didn't sink halfway, so it seemed that luck was on their side!
Henry muttered a few words silently, calmly took the documents, and said,
"Sorry! The price is fixed, no matter how much you carry, it's the same price!"
After speaking, regardless of the fat captain's objections, he put away the documents and ordered someone to bring the corresponding amount of Belly.
Although the fat captain had a displeased look on his face, his heart was filled with joy. On the return trip from Water Seven to Alabasta, his ship was empty, carrying only some local products to sell along the way to balance the expenses. But now, with G-10 Branch, he could earn some extra money, which was a great stroke of luck.
In the eyes of a merchant, not earning meant losing!
If you earn, you don't lose!
"Get moving, all of you! Whoever dares to slack off tonight won't have dinner!"
After collecting the Belly, the fat captain sipped his fine wine and staggered towards the merchant ship. Along the way, he cursed and scolded, urging the dockworkers to work faster.
Time is money, and the time spent docked is time lost. If they didn't finish unloading and depart one day later, he would lose a day's worth of earnings!
Drake blended in with the dockworkers, while others quietly cursed the heartless captain, he chuckled foolishly. Then, in a place where outsiders couldn't see, he gazed at the magnificent g10 Branch with profound eyes.
"Are those people getting ready to set sail? It seems they've received the message…"
At the port, squads of soldiers boarded the ships one after another, preparing to set sail. Given the current timing, Drake knew exactly what had happened.
Take your time searching!
Seeing this, a smile appeared on Drake's face, and he continued his work quietly, without attracting attention.
…
Dante was able to mobilize soldiers naturally because Rowen had returned to the base. Although he went to find someone, he wouldn't directly blink away to the maximum distance. So when Dante roared in anger, Rowen heard it loud and clear.
After Rowen returned, the two of them exchanged silent glances for a full minute before Rowen reached into his pocket and pulled out a Den Den Mushi to hand it over to Dante.
Similar to how a Golden Den Den Mushi is required for a Buster Call, the Marines often use different colored rare Den Den Mushi to indicate their identity and serve as various credentials.
This milk-white Den Den Mushi was one such example. It was only possessed by the highest-ranking Senior Officers of each Marine Branch, with the snail shell inscribed with the branch number. Holding it allowed them to mobilize the military strength of their respective branches.
Because of this unique feature, Rowen jokingly referred to it as the "Tiger Tally."
Not only was it called the "Tiger Tally," but it was also officially known as the Tiger Tally.
The small Tiger Tally appeared a bit confused after being taken off and blinked its eyes, realizing that something was off— it wasn't in the hands of its owner! It crawled along Dante's palm, making its way back to Rowen's shoulder, moving from left to right.
After carefully inspecting Rowen's appearance, it let out a big sneeze and settled down.
Due to Rowen's special status in the Marines, he didn't usually need to use it. Therefore, its energy was not depleted like the other Den Den Mushi that had been used many times.
It didn't require sleep to restore stamina. However, the characteristic of Den Den Mushi is dormancy, which not only saves stamina but also reduces the consumption of their energy. It is the secret behind their species' coverage of the entire world.
After taking off the Tiger Tally again and handing it to Dante, the latter left silently with the Den Den Mushi in his hand, preparing to mobilize the troops.
Meanwhile, Rowen released his Observation Haki (Kenbunshoku Haki) to lock onto the planet's magnetic field as he prepared himself to 'Blink' out of the Marine Branch Fortress.
However, he suddenly noticed the presence of a remarkably powerful individual within the G10 Branch, and his eyebrows raised in silent surprise.
As Dante walked along the corridor, Rowen's voice suddenly reached his ears.
"What's happening at the port?" This was the reason Rowen rarely needed to use the Tiger Tally unless it was to contact Headquarters. Otherwise, he was just a Den Den Mushi himself.
After a moment of surprise, Dante regained his composure and glanced out the window, replying, "Seems like a shipment of mud has arrived at the port. We didn't have enough soil left for the construction of the branch, so we started purchasing it from the outside a month ago… Why? Is something wrong?"
Dante asked back as the expression on his face turned serious as his sharp gaze locked onto the distant port.
Rowen agreed and said, "Indeed! There's someone with extraordinary strength who has infiltrated the cargo workers. I'll point out the target to you, and you take your men to investigate… We're not sure yet whether he's a pirate or a spy from another faction."
"If possible, try to follow the trail…"
Sure enough, there was a situation!
A fleeting burst of icy killing intent flashed through his eyes as Dante grinned and gripped the hilt of his sword.
"Understood!"
At the same time, the Port Fang was bustling with activity. A whole shipload of mud was being transported from the cargo ship to the island, and the workers were busy, wiping away their sweat as they moved bag after bag of soil to the designated area.
"One, two, three!
Heave-ho!"
Loud cheers rose and fell as carts of mud were piled up by the workers. Drake wiped the sweat off his forehead and looked at the mound of mud, resembling a small hill, with a smile on his face.
At the current pace, they would be able to finish the transportation in another three hours. The Marine officers couldn't possibly help them, as they were already fast with one shipload of people in three hours.
Once the cargo was unloaded, they could enjoy the boundless sky and the vast sea.
No one would expect him to boldly come to Branch G10 like this, completely evading the search for him.
…
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