One Piece: Starting from Awakening the Cosmo at Marineford

"Find them? Senior Aaron, do you think these children were kidnapped?"

Lark had initially guessed that the children had been swept into the sea by the waves while playing on the beach.

Considering the shop owner's feelings, she didn't say anything.

Now, hearing Aaron say this, it seems there's more to the story.

Aaron said, "A child on the island just contracted a strange illness, and then this doctor appeared. After she left, several more children went missing the very next morning. Isn't that too much of a coincidence? Too much coincidence means someone is doing it on purpose."

"Huh? So, this female doctor abducted those children? Are there really such evil doctors?"

Aaron said, "Perhaps, being a doctor is just a cover for her identity."

"Boss," Finbdi said, "could it be human traffickers from Sabaody Archipelago who came here to do it?"

Aaron explained, "No. We've basically wiped out the human traffickers in Sabaody. Besides, these children aren't even worth as much as ordinary adults in the human trafficking market."

Hibari started chewing on her nails again: "Senior Aaron, this female doctor is a mystery. Besides her green hair, she has no other distinguishing features. The ocean is so vast, how are we going to find her?"

Aaron said, "I have a way. Finbuddy, go and contact the G5 and G14 branches. Ask them if any children in the surrounding kingdoms have suddenly fallen ill or gone missing."

"yes!"

Finbdy took out a Den Den Mushi (a type of electric scooter) and made the call.

Soon, he reported that children in several nearby kingdoms had suddenly fallen ill with mysterious illnesses and had gone missing.

Coincidentally, they all had the same symptoms, as if they had been infected with a mysterious virus.

Even more coincidentally, the female doctor with the female hair also appeared in those kingdoms.

Moreover, a male doctor with a pale face, purplish-black hair and lips appeared in this incident and often made strange laughs.

Hearing this, Aaron was now 100% certain.

"Finbuddy, inform the crew to return to the warship immediately after purchasing the supplies. We're heading back now."

"Oh? You just got here and haven't even looked around yet, and you're leaving already?" said Fombardy.

Yun Que said, "Senior Aaron must have figured out where those children are and doesn't want to delay any longer. Those children must miss home and their mothers very much."

"Oh!" Finch finally understood, and took out his Den Den Mushi again to make the call.

Most of the marines didn't have Den Den Mushi (snail phone), and an hour later, three of them still hadn't returned to the warship.

Aaron immediately gave the order: "Fire at the sea!"

Not long after the two cannon shots rang out, the three marines appeared on the shore.

"set sail!"

"Boss, where are we going?" asked Fombardy.

Aaron said, "Take a guess?"

Lark said, "Punk Hazard."

Aaron laughed: "Lark, you're very clever. How did you come up with that?"

"Yeah? Why Punk Hazard?"

Finnbudy was completely baffled and had no idea what to do.

Lark explained, "Similar incidents have occurred in several nearby kingdoms, and these kingdoms are quite close together. However, no such incidents have happened in kingdoms further away, which indicates that the base of this group of fake doctors who abduct children is located nearby."

"That doesn't prove they're in Punk Hazard," Finbdi retorted.

Lark asked, "If you committed a crime, where would you hide?"

"The truly wise hide in plain sight," said Finbdi. "I'll find a crowded place."

Yun Que said, "With so many people around, we might get recognized."

"Then I'll find a secluded place to hide."

"What kind of place, somewhere deserted?"

Finbdy thought for a moment: "It needs to be both quiet and safe."

"A safe place is never completely deserted."

"Then tell me, what kind of place?"

Lark tilted his head slightly: "This place needs to be dangerous enough that no normal person would want to go to the island. Moreover, the island should ideally have a place to accommodate these children. After thinking it over, Punk Hazard fits the requirements perfectly."

Three years ago, a toxic gas leak occurred on the island, turning it into a no-man's-land. A little over a month ago, a fierce battle for the marshal's position took place on the island, completely altering its ecosystem. I don't think anyone would want to go there.

"Then you said there needs to be a place for the children to live," Finbdi said. "Does Punk Hazard have that?"

Lark said, "Three years ago, this island was Vegapunk and Caesar Clown's research institute. I believe that the buildings of these research institutes should not have been destroyed yet."

Aaron clapped his hands: "Lark's prediction is correct. Punk Hazard is indeed an excellent hiding place. How long will it take us to get there?"

"According to the schedule, we should arrive by evening," said Finbdi.

Around 4 p.m., Aaron stood at the bow of the ship and could already see the strange cloud formations in the distance.

Half of the sky was covered in somber, dark clouds, and it seemed as if snow was falling.

The other half was illuminated by the light below, turning it a deep red, and the air below was also scorched by the intense heat, spreading outwards.

Especially where these two types of clouds meet, a visible circulating airflow is formed in mid-air.

The warships quickly approached the island and anchored in a sheltered harbor on the colder side.

This is easy to explain.

When you're cold, you can put on clothes, but when you're hot, you can only take them off; you can't peel off a layer of skin.

If there are still people on Punk Hazard, they must be hiding on this cold side.

As the warships turned into the harbor, a ship came into view.

Fombardy quickly pointed to the boat and said, "Lark, you said no one comes here, isn't this it? Look at the snow on top, there isn't much, they must have just arrived recently."

Lark smiled and said, "Doesn't this just prove that those people are very likely hiding here? Is this ship here to resupply?"

Just as Finnbudy was about to defend himself, he suddenly paused, and an embarrassed look appeared on his face.

Aaron noticed something amiss: "What? You've seen this ship before?"

Finbdy shook his head: "Although I haven't seen it, I've heard many rumors. Look at the hull, it's decorated in a lavish and extravagant manner, mainly in red and bright colors. Such a boat is called a Girls Ship, a kind of pleasure boat."

Lark asked, "A flower boat? What kind of boat is that?"

Finbdi coughed: "It's a pleasure boat."

"Huh? What's a pleasure boat?"

Fombardy didn't want to explain too clearly, but Lark kept pressing him for details, so he got a little annoyed and blurted out:

"It's like a mobile brothel, operating on a ship and sailing the seas. It goes wherever there's a need."

Lark's face immediately turned red, and he stomped his foot, saying, "Finbuddy, you're disgusting..."

Fombardy quickly raised his hands in protest: "I'm a respectable person! I've never called anyone that... I only meet respectable girls through my own charm."

Aaron interrupted their argument and asked Finbdi, "Can you identify which organization or faction this ship belongs to?"

"Queen of Pleasure Street, Stussy," said Finbdi.