Pirates: Building High Walls Starting from the East Blue.

Chapter 3 Big Shots of the East China Sea

"Oh, is that so? I understand. Don't worry, I'll handle it."

"You've been promoted to brigadier general? Congratulations, Colonel Sean, no, you should be called Brigadier General Sean now. Will you be transferred to the New World next? Congratulations, congratulations! Will we meet again in the New World, new colonel of Loguetown? I understand. Don't worry, I'll handle it."

Shache casually tossed the Den Den Mushi he had just hung up to Robin beside him, then frowned and fell into deep thought.

That phone call was to his business partner, Brigadier General Sean, the former commander of the Loguetown base.

Although Brigadier General Sean is not particularly strong, he is not rigid in his thinking and does not adhere to so-called absolute justice, but he is not an overly corrupt and greedy person either.

According to him, he was just an ordinary person with limited abilities, and all he needed to do was to protect his jurisdiction and the civilians within it.

He and Brigadier General Sean had worked together very well for many years, and to be honest, Xia Che was still a little sad to see Sean leave.

As for the so-called inspection team... according to the information given to him by Brigadier General Sean, it seems that he has been using the excuse of resisting a vicious pirate crew—the Moke Pirates—to demand military funds for several years, which has led his superiors to suspect that he is defrauding the military funds.

After all, the Navy Headquarters is well aware of the situation in the East China Sea.

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Moreover, for the past three years, they have been complaining about being poor, suffering heavy losses, and having outdated equipment, and have been asking for military funding for three whole years.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 pirate crew, they don't cause trouble in other branches, 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?

What's going on here?

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 finally gritted her teeth and said, "Let's go to sea! How about we become pirates together? 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 prison 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 doubt the Navy even knows 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 were spoken.

"What are you talking about?" 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 now I have no choice."

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 Shattrath, 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 it really comes down to it, 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 wishes."

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's really that bad, 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 her red tea and reading a book, seemed unconcerned. 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 change bosses."

"..."

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 concrete evidence at headquarters yet. You know, we're the Navy, upholding justice, so how could we do something like this?"

only.

Nami just 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 according to regulations, it's legal and compliant. It's just that the Moke Pirates are extremely vicious and desperate, and the 16th Marine Branch simply can't handle it. Asking for more money to buy equipment is perfectly normal, it's all for the sake of protecting the seas!"

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 arms in front of his chin, a serious expression on his angular face. "I suspect another big shot is about to emerge in our East Blue. The Moke Pirates... they're a vicious and ruthless gang of pirates!"

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

With that, he pulled out his Den Den Mushi, dialed a number, and said in a serious tone, "Hello, is this Mok?"

"Boss!" a loud voice came from the other end of the line. "I'm on my way to the Cornish Islands! Udo's on the ship too, and a few other guys I haven't seen before. Are they your new recruits?"

He said in a cheerful tone, "I saw them on the road, sailing off in a beat-up boat to the Konomiya Islands. I just let them on board. Oh, by the way, boss, what's up with your call?"

"...Something came up just now, but I'm all set now! I'm hanging up. If there's nothing else, don't call me 'boss' anymore."

"???"

What does this mean, boss?

But before the bewildered Mok Den Den Mushi could say anything...

"Beep beep beep~"

The Den Den Mushi was immediately disconnected.

Xia Che: ...

He stared silently at the Den Den Mushi in his hand, then sighed deeply, "What a mess!"

……

Let's move the timeline forward a little.

Before Xia Che and his group held their meeting, in the 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.

"Hee-choo!"

A huge sneeze followed.

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

however.

"Where are we going? Remember, we're pirates now." Mok, rubbing his nose, slapped his underling on the back of the head at 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, his voice tinged with grievance, and said, "There's a small boat coming out of the 16th branch up ahead, are we just supposed to ignore it?"

"What small boat?" Moke was taken aback when he heard his 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. Go ask them if they've run into any trouble. That little boat won't reach Cocoyasi Town until sunset!"

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

(End of this chapter)