Chapter 836: Chapter 514: I Already Paid!
O’hara.
"Half a year of punishment isn’t enough."
Facing the three returning, Hawkins, Lily said coldly:
"Failure isn’t the issue, but saying something as unambitious as not wanting to continue is. And you two, even though you didn’t say it, you had the same thoughts. In the end, being quietly influenced by abilities is too embarrassing! One year of punishment!"
After dealing with Bode, Sage didn’t waste any time and hurried back to O’hara with his crew.
Although their desires were drained, thanks to Sage’s commotion, those desires were reignited, and once they returned, they were soon enchanted by the bustling city, regaining their desires.
However, Hawkins and the others would face punishment.
"No objections." Hawkins nodded and said, "Indeed, we were too careless."
Urouge maintained his peculiar smile, "There are too many strange abilities on the sea. Getting caught off guard, I have nothing to say."
Money, such a thing, the officers didn’t lack, because from the collected taxes, Sage would allocate a portion as bonuses, just like dividing spoils of war. One way or another, these high-ranking officers always got their share.
"Sipher, any objections?" Lily looked at the clearly uncomfortable Sipher.
"None."
Sipher shook his head, smiling bitterly, "It’s just that I’m out of money all of a sudden. I’ll have to eat dirt."
Lily frowned, "As a Security Officer, you’ve received quite a bit of money, haven’t you? Why are you broke?"
The Security Officer in O’hara receives the highest level of pay, just below the rank of a "New Star" within the Disaster Pirates. Sage was generous with money, and Sipher had been a Security Officer for quite some time, he shouldn’t be out of money.
"Eating, drinking, gambling."
Sipher spread his hands, "I never save money. I spend what I have. It’s O’hara’s charm, with so many desires and things to want."
Though he’s a Security Officer, once things were on track, aside from routine patrols, he had nothing tying him down, so of course, he spent all he had.
Lily sighed, touching her forehead, "The punishment is set. It can’t be changed. If it doesn’t work, go out and rob. Channel your loot to the black market, sell it at black market prices."
Losing is the most normal thing on the sea. There’s nothing unforgivable about failing. Lily was just peeved by the embarrassment and couldn’t harshly blame the officers.
These guys are the foundation of the Pirates.
"I told you to save money, but you wouldn’t."
Sitting on the throne, Sage propped his chin on his hand and smiled at Sipher, "You could at least put some in the bank, as a contribution to me, you know. That way, when something happens, you have a buffer."
"Why bother, the biggest risk is us."
Sipher shrugged, "If you fail, there’s no point in O’hara existing. If you don’t, then why save money? Besides, I’m known here as the O’hara Gambling King! Every time I sit at the table, I throw down tens of thousands of Belly, that’s a contribution too."
"Gambling King?"
Lily was surprised, "I’ve heard you like to gamble. That’s just a king? Then who is the Gambling Emperor?"
Sipher glanced at Sage.
"Indeed, that’s me!"
Sage smiled proudly, "I am the O’hara Gambling Emperor!"
Lily: "..."
Is this a Gambling Emperor?
O’hara, the charitable Gambling Emperor, I guess.
Seeing Lily’s speechless and surprised expression, Sage said indignantly, "What’s the matter? I play a few rounds, what of it? It’s not like I don’t pay. Winning or losing, it boosts the economy."
"Correction!"
Renedia raised her hand, "There’s no winning, only losing, losing, losing!"
"Go draw your blueprints!"
Sage glared at her and continued, "Anyway, whatever kind of king it is, it belongs to me! In my territory, I don’t tolerate anyone declaring themselves king, and those claiming kingship outside, I’ll crush them all eventually!"
"Hee hee hee, then the Feast King should be yours too."
The shadow in the corner of the side hall grew darker. With a sharp voice, the shadow rose, forming Moriah’s shape.
He stepped out from the corner, sneering, "Sage, I have confirmed it. The pirate banquet will be held soon, no more than half a month away."
"Oh... my world martial arts tournament is confirmed?" Sage’s eyes lit up.
Lily nodded, "The festival banquet led mainly by Buena Festa. It’s surprising though, that someone missing for twenty years has reappeared."
"However, we don’t know the exact location. We only know that the rumors are true."
"They’ve obviously shielded the pirate emperors’ forces. None of our pirate subordinates received news."
Since Sage decided to host the martial arts tournament, she’d been gathering intel. It was confirmed that the pirate feast, held every four years, was mainly promoted by Buena Festa, who had perished in the sea twenty years ago due to a Sea King attack.
Nonetheless, the news of the feast spread across the sea, though it was just a rumor, as the other party’s intelligence work was excellent. Within a day, Lily found nothing.
Moriah’s appearance only confirmed the rumor was true.
You have to know, our intelligence is very strong too.
"Lucci?"
Sage asked and then waved his hand, "Forget it, don’t ask. Someone surely knows. Lily, call Capone Bege and ask about his progress in the West Sea."
...
West Sea, an unknown Kingdom near the Grand Line.
In a lavishly decorated banquet hall, Capone Bege sat at the head, a napkin tied around his neck, leisurely slicing steak. Across from him sat several people dressed as nobility.
A middle-aged nobleman with a head full of curls angrily slammed the table, standing up to roar at Capone Bege:
"Bege! You’re going too far! What do you mean by stopping all trade? You’re just a gangster, not qualified to rule the country! We can expel you at any time!"
Capone Bege stabbed a piece of steak with his fork, put it into his mouth, chewed for a while without even looking at the furious nobleman.
"Bege! Answer me!"
Bege swallowed his food and wiped his mouth with the napkin.
"So noisy, make him shut up."
Bang!
The man in black standing beside him pulled out a gun, swiftly pulled the trigger, and shot the nobleman in the head, blood splattering across half the table.
After that shot, all the Mafia standing behind Bege pulled out submachine guns, aimed at the remaining nobles.
A mustache-wearing nobleman shivered all over, frantically crying out, "What do you want, Capone Bege!"
"Isn’t the money I give you every year enough? Why speak to me so loudly?"
Bege put down the napkin and looked across, "I’m just asking you to change channels. I’ll give you all the money you’re owed anyway. Each year you have to trade, what’s wrong with trading with someone else?"
"You’re infringing on our interests!"
Another noble gritted his teeth, "All the kingdom’s tableware is provided by our Eiffel Clan. You’re joking if you want all channel for goods. Moreover, how dare you kill Lord Collier, who manages the kingdom’s entire food supply!"
Hearing this, Bege gestured, "Forgot about you, eliminate him."
Ta-da-da-da!
The submachine gun spurted fire, turning the noble into a sieve, falling to the ground.
"I’m not negotiating with you. Although I’d like to, if you could negotiate, whom should I negotiate with?"
Bege said, "I’m notifying you; all external trade here will be connected by other people. Whether you buy or sell, you can only choose those they specify. If you don’t agree, just die; the result won’t change anyway."
"Aren’t you afraid of being expelled by us?!" another noble still tried threatening.
"I’m already a pirate, where could I be expelled to? The navy can’t protect you forever, and I will certainly complete the task here. Unfortunately, compared to offending you, I’m more reluctant to offend him, so I will keep an eye on this place."
Bege said, "You don’t charge tax, I still give you dividends, that’s enough, don’t overthink."
"You’ll regret this, Bege!"
Bang!
Capone Bege directly took out a gun, shot dead the threatening noble.
"Won’t regret it now."
He raised the handgun, letting the gun muzzle smoke, looking at the remaining nobles, "Any objections?"
"No, no more..." the remaining nobles trembled as they spoke.
"Great, the dividends they deserved I’ll give to you too. As for covering up the matter, you should be adept, no need for me to teach you. Go, see them out."
Bege nodded, after sending out the remaining nobles by his subordinates, he continued to slice the steak, ignoring the bodies on the ground and the blood on the table. Just after slicing a piece, he tutted, his face sinking.
This kind of task is really thankless.
But there’s no choice, he got the job from Sage, must be completed.
Though not his subordinate, logically he could just hide anywhere in the West Sea, but he was genuinely afraid of Sage.
So he’d rather offend the nobility of this country than the possible retributive Sage.
The former is nothing, killed just killed, the latter... that’s killed just killed too.
"Godfather, there’s a letter."
A Mafia walked in from outside, respectfully handed up a letter and an attached eternal pose.
"Hmm?"
Capone Bege glanced at the eternal pose, the mark on it was ’Delta’, he opened the letter, reading word by word.
"To all damned pirates... Tsk, ill-mannered fellow."
"No discrimination between enemies and friends, indulge in pleasure, refuse none, chase none, the world’s first pirate feast, looking forward to your participation. Captain of Celebration Pirates, Buena Festa..."
Capone Bege furrowed his brow, "Buena Festa? Is this guy still alive? Pirate feast, ah, I see, a rare event, might as well go take a look."
"Bloop bloop bloop!"
Just as he finished speaking, a Mafia holding a ringing radio snail quickly ran over, "Godfather, the phone..."
Slice!
Capone Bege grabbed a fork, stabbed it into the Mafia’s eye socket, making him scream miserably while rolling on the ground clutching his eye.
"I told you, no phone calls to bother me during meals."
He tutted, picked up the phone, called first: "No matter who you are, now you’ve broken my rule, so you’ll enter my..."
"Capone Bege? I’m Lily, Bienta Lily."
The radio snail formed into sharp features, emitting a chilly voice.
"Enter my invitation guest list."
Capone Bege turned his words, quickly added: "Let’s make it clear, I’ve paid the money!"
