Pirates: Building High Walls Starting from the East Blue

Thanks to a certain naval hero who frequently returns to his hometown, there are no particularly powerful pirate crews in this sea area.

And what about their 16th branch?

In the past few years, they haven't captured any pirate crews, but they've been chasing one pirate crew for almost three years, raising their bounty from zero to thirty million.

Moreover, for the past three years, they have been complaining about being poor, suffering heavy losses, and having outdated equipment, and have been asking for military funding for three whole years.

For so many years, they've been chasing after just one pirate crew, and such a powerful one at that. The other branches don't cause any trouble, they just target your 16th branch to bully you.

They even have enough strength to enter the Grand Line, but they just won't go?

OK?

What deep-seated hatred could there be?!

Therefore, after repeatedly demanding military funds, the higher-ups also noticed something was wrong. After discussions among relevant departments, the higher-ups seriously suspected that their 16th branch was defrauding military funds!

"What do we do? What do we do? I heard the Navy inspection team has arrived at the 16th branch!" Nami paced back and forth in a panic. Looking at Shiatsu, who was deep in thought, she hesitated for a moment, then gritted her teeth and said, "Let's go to sea! How about we go to sea together and become pirates! I'll pilot the ship, and we'll run away together. With my skills, I'm sure we can evade the Navy's pursuit!"

As he spoke, he looked up in despair.

"I don't want to be locked up in jail at such a young age!"

however.

Hearing Nami's words, Shattrath looked at her with a strange yet comforting expression and said, "Don't worry, even if they want to arrest someone, they'll only arrest me. You're just a sergeant in the branch, and you're not registered at headquarters. I bet the Navy doesn't even know you're a sergeant in the 16th branch."

Neither Robin nor Nami registered. Robin did so because of her identity, while Nami hadn't had time to register yet.

Moreover, the branch sergeant is completely irrelevant to the headquarters; it doesn't matter whether it's reported or not, since they don't go to the headquarters for further training.

The words fell.

"What are you saying?" Seemingly angered by Shache's words, Nami angrily grabbed Shache's collar. "I'm so worried, and you're still saying things like that. Didn't you invite me to be your partner? Damn it, I didn't want to be a pirate either, but I have no choice now."

As he spoke, he glared at Xia Che in front of him.

This guy……

It's infuriating! Believe me, she'll quit immediately, and she won't even get on the ship next time we invite her.

“That’s right, Colonel Shache, we know you’re not a bad person, but now…” Kensuke, the captain of the Cocoyasi Town security team, looked at Nami’s angry face, sighed inwardly, and said worriedly, “If all else fails, just do as Nami says and run! Everyone will help hold off the Marines and buy some time.”

"Yes! Colonel, run! I heard that naval hero is here too."

"Rest assured, we will definitely take good care of Cocoyasi Town, and everyone will always remember the Colonel's kindness."

"Alright, I told you not to worry." Xia Che patted Nami's hand, helplessly stopping everyone's attempts to persuade her.

He was also aware of everyone's concerns.

but now……

"Things aren't that serious yet." After glancing at everyone, Xia Che tapped the table with his five fingers. Once everyone quieted down, he said expressionlessly, "I'll handle it. Everyone, go back to your work."

Then there was a slight pause.

"If it really doesn't work out, I'll run away as everyone else suggests."

After hearing their own words, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Everyone was quite nervous about the sudden appearance of the inspection team; they didn't want their benefactor to be arrested like this.

Colonel Shache is clearly a good person. He drove away the pirates and the despicable navy, and made sure everyone had enough to eat. How could he have been arrested?

But since Colonel Xia Che had said so, they had no choice but to accept it. Worried about disturbing Colonel Xia Che, everyone remained quiet and began to carry out their work, so as not to worry Colonel Xia Che any further.

"You really have a way?" Nami touched her hand, which was a little red from being slapped, blew on it, and then looked at Shache, saying irritably, "That was so hard, it hurts! If it really doesn't work, let's just run away. He's a Marine hero, Robin, you should try to persuade the BOSS too!"

however.

“The boss is a smart man, we don’t need to worry.” Unlike the others, Robin, who was leisurely sipping red tea and reading a book, didn’t seem worried at all. She smiled slightly, raised her head, and said elegantly, “Besides, I’m just a lowly secretary, why would the boss listen to me?”

He sighed and shook his head.

"If all else fails, we'll have to find a new boss."

"..."

Why is this guy talking in such a sarcastic way?

Xia Che rolled his eyes, but continued, "It's just suspicion, and there's no solid evidence at headquarters yet. You know, we're the Navy, upholding justice, so how could we do such a thing?"

only.

Nami simply rolled her eyes at his words. As a navigator, she had given directions on the Mok ship, so how could she not know what was going on?

This guy even lied to himself!

"Ahem." Seeing Nami's gaze, Xia Che coughed twice, still speaking righteously, "Every penny of our military funds is applied for in accordance with the requirements, it is legal and compliant. It's just that the Moke Pirates are extremely vicious, and the 16th Marine Division really can't handle it. It's normal to ask for more money to buy equipment. This is all for the sake of protecting the sea!"

Garp wasn't worried. This guy's backside was even dirtier than his own. He wasn't a real pirate, and he hadn't done anything bad.

As long as he wants to run, he believes that this lazy guy won't really go all out to catch him, just like he did with Axe King.

If all else fails... then just run away.

Having operated here for so long, he still has many ways to run away if he wants to.

Compared to Garp, Smoker was more of a headache for him. That guy was truly impartial and incorruptible; if he really wanted to arrest someone, he would do everything in his power to do so.

Of course~

He wasn't worried about Smoker's current strength.

Anyway, catching him won't be easy. Of course, if he could, he wouldn't want to just go to sea and become a pirate constantly on the run, and besides...

Xia Che crossed his hands in front of his chin, a serious expression on his angular face. "I suspect that another big shot is about to emerge in our East Blue. The Moke Pirates... are a group of vicious and ruthless pirates!"

As long as they don't capture Moke, who can say that they're colluding with pirates?

……

Let's move the timeline forward a little.

the other side.

Waters near the 16th branch of the East China Sea.

A huge pirate ship was slowly sailing on the calm sea.

If anyone saw the fishbone pirate flag fluttering in the wind, they would understand that it was the Mok Pirates, the most vicious pirate crew in the East Blue that had given the Navy's 16th Branch a headache and which they had failed to capture for many years.

now.

The pirate ship, with its obvious draft, appeared to be carrying some heavy cargo.

“Hehe!”

A huge sneeze followed.

"Boss." A member of the Mok Pirates looked curiously at the burly, nearly three-meter-tall, bald giant rubbing his nose and said, "The 16th branch is just ahead. Shall we go there?"

however.

"Going where? You know we're pirates now." Mok, rubbing his nose, slapped his underling on the back of the head in response to his question. "Don't cause trouble for Boss Shacher. We'll go see him after we unload the cargo in Cocoyasi Town!"

As someone personally mentored by Boss Xia Che, he was quite familiar with Boss Xia Che's rules. Although it wouldn't matter if he went now, there was really no need to cause trouble for Boss Xia Che.

The voice just fell.

The underling, who had just been smacked on the back of the head, pouted with a wronged expression, but he understood what Boss Moke meant, except...

He pointed ahead and said in a wronged tone, "There's a small boat coming out of the 16th branch ahead, are we just supposed to ignore it?"

"What small boat?" Moke was taken aback when he heard his younger brother's words. He looked up and looked towards the 16th branch. Sure enough, he saw a small boat slowly sailing on the sea, and its direction seemed to be towards Cocoa West Town.

Did they come from the 16th branch?

Are we traveling by small boat? Is something wrong?

Moke hesitated for a moment, then touched his bald head and said, "We're all brothers, let's go ask them if they've run into any trouble. That little boat will probably be out of reach by sunset by the time it gets to Cocoa West Town!"

With a wave of his hand, he ordered, "Move the boat over there and see if they need any help."

Chapter 4: Was it you who brought these people here?

"Hmph, I told you to stay put, and you actually tried to tip me off right in front of me?"

"It seems the 16th Marine Division has been infiltrated and is completely corrupt." Smoker stared at the Marines from the 16th Marine Division who had been arrested, his face ashen. "One rat left, and an even fatter one has arrived?"

Good, good, they kept complaining to the Navy Headquarters about being poor, but when they came and saw this Navy branch... they were practically rolling in money.

The report claimed that the former base chief of the 16th branch was seriously corrupt, that the troops had not yet formed combat capability, lacked training, and that the navy lacked combat experience. Most importantly, it stated that there was a lack of weapons and equipment; the navy had fewer than ten standard-issue swords and no warships. As a result, two people couldn't even share a single gun. He was truly powerless to uphold justice.

Good heavens, not a single word of it is true.

Not even a single naval warship?

There are at least five naval warships lined up at the branch dock. This combat power... many branch bases in the New World cannot reach this level. And yet, they are still shouting about being a powerful pirate crew in this weakest sea, saying that they can't beat them or anything.

This strength is enough to catch pirates in the Grand Line!

Moreover, out of distrust, he had already ordered his subordinates to keep an eye on them and ordered all the 16th Branch Navy to stay put, yet some still dared to slip away right under his nose?

It would be strange if there wasn't a ghost involved!

"No, no, I'm not that rich~" The Marine from the 16th Division, who was being held captive, looked at Captain Smoker with a dark face in front of him and chuckled awkwardly. "I didn't sneak away. I just saw that it was about to rain and remembered that I hadn't brought in the laundry at home, so I went home to collect it."

No wonder he's a naval captain who was demoted from the Navy Headquarters just like the colonel. He was so careful, yet he still got discovered!

And this headquarters...

Why didn't they give us a heads-up before coming to investigate? They could have easily taken possession of our assets!

If we hadn't secretly contacted the colonel amidst the chaos and received his orders to stay put and not make any rash moves, we'd probably all be ready to fight the colonel's troops by now.

Thinking of this, the marine glanced at the old man happily snacking beside him and inwardly groaned, "I guess the boss's really done for this time!"

He originally planned to personally ask the colonel what to do next, but... he was still caught, and even the Den Den Mushi he had secretly hidden was confiscated.

Even naval heroes have come this time, it seems the Navy Headquarters really suspects the colonel. Although the boss isn't a bad person, he has indeed violated the Navy Headquarters' laws and regulations.

"Collecting clothes? You still dare to argue?" Smoker sneered, looking at the marine in front of him. "Fine, tell me, where is that guy Dand Shacher now? I'll ask him myself if, as a naval captain, he lives up to the justice he bears."

"Colonel Smoker, you've misunderstood!" Seeing Colonel Smoker's expression, the Marine knew that he probably couldn't escape this time.