Lirisk quietly observed everything, and after the CP0 commander left, he calmly asked, "What's the matter? Do you suspect they intend harm towards me?"
As Celestial Dragons, being hated by others was not a rarity.
Even as the legitimate eldest son of the Nefertari household, Lirisk had encountered many risks and crises.
"It's unlikely!" However, Rowen thought for a moment and shook his head decisively. "Although Cobra didn't seek help yesterday if pirates are coming here, it means the situation favors the unknown enemy. At a time like this, if they come to bother you, do they think I won't kill?"
Regardless of their schemes, Rowen and Lirisk constituted the strongest "authority" and "power" combination in Alabasta at the moment.
Even with the backing of the Gorōsei (Five Elder Stars), if Alabasta's chaos tarnished the "Celestial Dragons" label, their only fate would be death.
Lirisk pondered for a moment and curiously asked, "So, what do you think they're up to?"
"This question will soon be answered."
Ten minutes later, the CP0 commander returned with a group of captives.
"Vice Admiral Soryu, we only brought back 12. The rest resisted more fiercely, so..."
The commander's heart was heavy, and he nervously reported.
"Deal with it as you see fit. Surely CP0 has regulations?" Rowen waved his hand, signaling the main force to stop, a single sentence making the commander break out in a cold sweat.
With that said Rowen pulled the reins and rode his camel to the front of the captives.
"Each of you has only one chance to speak. Think carefully about how to speak to survive."
Rowen didn't have time for their tricks; his expression remained calm.
"This gentleman, we were just passing by."
Hiss!
A bolt of lightning-blue electricity formed a sharp arc, slicing across the neck of the captive, instantly splitting the pirate into two, blood spattering across the desert, adding a touch of crimson to the golden sands.
The pirates were startled, realizing that Rowen wasn't joking. With just one sentence, he decided on life and death!
"We, represent you guys, right?"
"However, this bit of information isn't enough to save his life. I hope you all take it as a lesson."
Rowen sheathed his thunderous crescent-sided halberd and looked down at the pirates from a higher vantage point. At this moment, one of the pirates suddenly widened his eyes and screamed.
"Wait, you're Marine Vice Admiral, Soryu (Azure Dragon)?!"
This time, Rowen traveled incognito, not even wearing his cloak. If it weren't for the highly recognizable weapon, unique to the seas, no pirate would have guessed his identity.
Including his swift strike just now, his attack speed was beyond the reach of ordinary people.
Hiss!
As the words fell, another body fell into the pool of blood.
Rowen slowly raised his weapon, looking at them with eyes that seemed to see death. "You guessed right, but it's useless. Even if you tell me something I don't know?"
The pirates fell silent; they only had one life, one chance.
Upon realizing that the man before them was the infamous Marine Vice Admiral, Soryu (Azure Dragon), many of them despaired.
Marine Vice Admiral, that was definitely a fearsome figure capable of silencing crying children in the night!
"Alabasta has a treasure, and someone spread the news to us!"
"Oh?"
Rowen and Lirisk exchanged a glance, then pointed at him. "Very well, you're temporarily safe."
The CP0 commander, due to the previous battle resulting in a reduction of captives, would likely face punishment. Grinning maliciously at the news, he gestured for the agents to take them away for interrogation.
At least for now, the captive was safe, at least until they had to explain the color of their underwear from last year.
"Who's next? My patience is wearing thin!" Rowen's eyes narrowed coldly as he scanned the crowd.
Half an hour later, the compiled data was delivered to them.
"So that's how it is, using divide and conquer, a familiar tactic." Lirisk nodded after reviewing the information, tossing the file aside.
The contents were straightforward: a group was spreading rumors in secret that Alabasta possessed an Ancient Weapon, attracting a large number of pirates to invade. These pirates were among them.
Since they couldn't recognize Lirisk, the Celestial Dragons without their distinctive fishbowl helmets, they thought this group was also part of the search party and wanted to muddy the waters, leveraging the government's power to get a head start on finding the treasure.
And thus, the scene from earlier occurred.
Due to Crocodile's downfall, Alabasta lost one of its strongest deterrents.
Cobra's forces couldn't be fully committed to cleaning up every trouble spot, so pirates gradually gathered in various lawless zones, laying the foundation for what would later become known as the "pirate sanctuary."
Later, there was a rumor circulating that Crocodile was stripped of his Shichibukai title not only because he attacked Rowen and attempted to seize the throne but also because he was probing into the Ancient Weapon buried in Alabasta. Thus, the government took thunderous measures to suppress him.
This was information not disclosed by the government. Except for Doflamingo, who had vague connections with Crocodile, even other Shichibukai were unaware.
For the mastermind behind the scenes to say this, the direction was pretty clear.
Even if only one out of ten believed it, the number was still terrifying!
A large number of pirates came to Alabasta seeking the power of the Ancient Weapon. Eventually, an invisible hand controlled this influx of forces, formally competing with the King's army for control and plundering gold, silver, and jewels.
Until now, except for the capital Alubarna, most of Alabasta remained in name only. It was not surprising to find pirates appearing in such areas.
"Very familiar style. Who do you think it is?"
Rowen asked curiously.
A camel is bigger than a horse even if it's starved. Playing divide and conquer in Alabasta would require at least the level of power of a Shichibukai.
"There are many possibilities so its hard to say."
Lirisk shook his head. "In my memory, there are plenty of people with the ability, courage, and time to do such things. There's simply no way to narrow it down to one person accurately."
"But what's certain is that those people are only after wealth. We don't need to bother with them; they won't stir up trouble."
Even those who play dirty have their limits. The Gorōsei (Five Elder Stars) aren't blind or deaf. Playing tricks for profit is fine, but if it causes a mistake for a powerful Allied Kingdom Member like Alabasta, there will be someone to deal with the mastermind behind the scenes.
As long as Cobra completely surrenders, those people will scatter after ransacking Alabasta, and chaos will be averted.
Rowen instantly understood this principle and couldn't help but feel a sense of resignation. "Politics!"
Letting pirates appear in Alabasta for the sake of profit was something only those dirty and corrupt politicians could do.
In the northern part of the Desert Kingdom, amidst an ancient desert, the convoy stopped at a wind-protected spot against the weathered cliffs, setting up camp.
"Are you sure this is the location on the map?"
Rowen asked a slim and capable middle-aged man beside him, holding the treasure map.
This was a "professional" brought in by Lirisk midway through, whose family had relied on digging in the earth for hundreds of years, mastering excavation and mining techniques. In the underworld, he was known as "Mighty Mouse."
"Yes, sir. I'm sure, it's right here."
"But the map is quite rudimentary, and the range within three kilometers could all be potential spots. It's quite a hefty undertaking!"
"You don't need to worry about the scope of the project. Once we find the treasure..."
After several days, they finally received some good news. Rowen nodded in satisfaction, then suddenly raised an eyebrow and looked into the distance.
"Alabasta seems to have only one Princess!"
(End of this chapter)
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