Settsetse! The Pirate Nemesis

Having met countless people as a bartender, perhaps sensing Hawkeye's interest, the bartender said, "Frevans used to be quite prosperous, famous for its amber and lead mines."

Because of its abundant amber and lead ore deposits, Flevans' ground and trees are uniformly white, earning it the nickname "White Town."

"What's so interesting about that?" Sett said nonchalantly, sitting to the side with his legs crossed and resting on the armrests. "What's so interesting about white? People who don't know any better would think someone died in the city. You could scatter ashes on the ground and it would still be white."

“…Okay.” Hearing Sett’s words, the bartender shrugged and continued, “Purple lead ore is very valuable, so Flevans processed it into all sorts of works of art and everyday items, which were then exported to other countries and made a lot of money.”

"That sounds great."

Hawkeye was somewhat confused as to why the bartender was preventing him from entering the city. The bartender, in turn, glanced around at the people around him—it was strange, really; despite it being the weekend, the bar was empty except for the bartender, Sett, and his crew, along with an old drunkard who had fainted from fright and was snoring on the spot.

After confirming that no one else was around, the bartender said, "You don't know, lately, the people of Flevans have been frequently experiencing aches and pains all over their bodies, and their hair and skin have started to turn white. Although the King and the World Government haven't announced it publicly, you can see it if you observe carefully. The average lifespan in Flevans is constantly decreasing... Although the World Government forbids us from talking about it, the citizens of Flevans and the people on the surrounding islands all know. We call it 'Amber Lead Disease.'"

Are there many sick people?

Upon hearing about the serious illness, Hawkeye's face grew solemn.

“Many… before, it was only elderly people,” the bartender sighed. “But now even young people and children are showing signs of leukopenia.”

"Didn't the world government intervene?"

“Yes,” the bartender said blankly. “The World Government considers this a major infectious disease, so they sealed off the surrounding waters, prohibiting people from entering or leaving… In fact, you two are the first people I’ve seen from outside this week…”

"Ha!" Sett said casually upon hearing this, "I knew it! When we first arrived, there were even warships trying to get close to us! Thanks to the assault boats, they couldn't catch up at all!"

“No…” Unlike Sett’s nonchalant attitude, Hawkeye rubbed his forehead and said, “If this is an infectious disease, we could also be infected…”

"So you swordsmen are all weaklings!" Sett raised his arm nonchalantly, his massive biceps cracking as he crushed a beer bottle.

"Abandon your worthless broken knife! Learn from me! Embrace primal power! That's what a real man does!!!"

"It's been a remarkable journey for humanity to evolve from the Stone Age to the present day." Hawkeye shook his head indifferently: "Don't turn back the clock of history."

If it were anyone else, Hawkeye would have slashed without hesitation. Such words are undoubtedly an insult to a swordsman… but Sett is different. Sett is brainless. The fact that he said that only means he truly believes it…

However, just as Sett said, given Sett's strength, there is indeed no need to worry about so-called infectious diseases... Hawkeye even suspects that Sett's powerful physical abilities allow him to survive even without food by digesting organic matter in the soil.

Regardless of the type of infectious disease, the first hurdle to overcome is the immune system. And Sett's immune system is practically the god of war among gods… When they first met, Sett was submerged in the sea, his entire body covered in the highly toxic fluids of sea kings. Corrosive fluids, neurotoxins, incapacitating toxins, erosive toxins, asphyxiating toxins…

The deadly poison that could kill a person thousands of times over was something Sett could absorb and become immune to simply by sleeping.

Compared to before... lead poisoning? Whether it can break through the surface immune system is an unknown question.

However, that's Sett. While Hawkeye's physique is strong, it's not quite at Sett's freakish level. Even Hawkeye is having a headache about whether he should enter this large-scale infectious disease zone…

Long voyages require more than just water; they also need various vegetables, meats, and so on.

“We need to buy some oak barrels,” Hawkeye said somewhat helplessly. “That way the water won’t spoil easily… Or you could go in yourself? You don’t have to worry about catching any infectious diseases anyway.”

"Whatever~ I'm always reliable!"

Hearing Sett's confident words, Hawkeye remained silent for a moment before quietly changing into his protective gear—which was essentially just a large robe. It was Middle Eastern in style, covering his entire body, from head to toe, even concealing his eyes behind a mesh screen.

Seeing this, Sett raised an eyebrow; "...You don't believe me?!"

“No, it’s because I trusted you too much.” Hawkeye’s voice held a hint of emotion as he walked numbly toward the town of Frevans in Bass.

Chaos and turmoil were already visible to Sett and the others even before they had fully entered Flevans.

"The world government here is really something." Sett stroked his chin with amusement as he looked at the chaotic crowd. "Are they trying to implement some kind of herd immunity scheme? They have ships, tanks, and robots, and they're still going on this? Anyone who didn't know better would think they were in the Middle Ages!"

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Eternal Hell is so much fun! My previous ID was "Dump Truck Steps on the Gas," but I thought it wasn't fierce enough, so I changed it to "Shandong Killing King"... Sure enough, it immediately became fierce after the change!

101. Raging Expulsion

Just as Sett said, Flevans is now in complete chaos. The streets are filled with people in despair. And the vast majority of those who still dare to go out have developed leukopenia (albinism).

Hair, skin. Every inch of the body can be a source of lead poisoning. In the bustling crowd, only a few are wearing completely airtight protective suits.

News of the blockade of Flevans Island had spread throughout the town, and people were desperately trying to escape. Unfortunately, in a world where the average speed was only around ten knots, they were surrounded by naval warships. Unless they had assault boats equipped with Sett and Hawkeye, they had no chance of breaking out of the naval encirclement.

"Get out of the way!"

Facing the bustling crowd, Sett felt no pity whatsoever. Seeing the market in the direction of his chariot, he strode over there with overwhelming force.

Wherever it passed, no matter how crowded the place, it forcefully pushed a path through it. The people on the verge of collapse didn't care about that; their minds were already extremely tense, and now, suddenly being pushed aside, several people exploded: "Do you want to die! Get out of the way! If you push any further, I'll just kill you!!!"

"Damn it, you think you're so great, huh?"

Hearing that they dared to resist, Sett raised an eyebrow and, without a word, grabbed the speaker and threw him back towards the house. Under other circumstances, the others might have scattered in fear. After all, people are naturally afraid of ruthless and powerful individuals.

But things are different now. A group of people already in despair won't consider retreating. Just like now, upon seeing Sett's actions, a young girl instinctively grabbed Sett's clothes, her eyes filled with fear and tears, crying out, "Our lead poisoning! We're about to die! Why do you have to..."

"I want your mother's!"

Without a word, he raised his foot and kicked out. The burly man next to him tried to step forward, but before he could even stand up, Sett spat at him and the burly man's forehead turned purple as if he had been hit by a brick, and he fell backward.

"Trying to play moral blackmail with me? Did I infect you guys with that?!" Sett cracked his shoulders, his body making a series of popping sounds. His face was full of impatience and irritation—he wasn't the kind of guy who liked to reason.

Even when they do speak, they are only explaining their own reasoning.

"You bunch of useless blabbermouths! What, do you think your blabbering will make the disease go away?!" Seeing that someone dared to glare at him, Sett didn't say a word and just slapped him hard, leaving him completely stunned.

"If you know it's an infectious disease, get the hell out of here and go home!! You bunch of brain-dead idiots, you know nothing but spout nonsense. Pah!!!"

Sett's domineering attitude completely awakened the fear in people's hearts, and the madness brought about by despair subsided in an instant. However, some hesitation remained in their hearts. Looking at Sett and the others, they seemed to want to leave but did not want to leave. Their confused appearance made Sett raise an eyebrow, and then he raised his hand without hesitation.

Seeing that broad and powerful hand that could send someone flying, the remaining people realized that the choice was no longer in their hands and hurriedly ran in all directions.

Seeing this, Sett clicked his tongue in disdain.

Despite his limited education, Sett knows perfectly well that infectious diseases thrive in close proximity. While he may not be particularly interested in being a hero, Sett certainly has a passion for beating people up.

He walked over unhurriedly from the side, a hint of amusement in his eyes beneath his isolation gown.

"The shops are all closed now," Hawkeye said. "It seems the World Government's lockdown here has caused a lot of panic. Restaurants, shopping malls, and stores are all shut down. The only ones who dare to walk freely outside are those infected with lead poisoning."

"Really? That's pitiful." Sett shrugged indifferently. Although he said it was pitiful, there was no trace of concern in his eyes.

As the crowd dispersed, the building where the people had gathered came into Sett's view. From a distance, it looked like a church... well, it was indeed a church. However, it had probably been converted into a temporary hospital and cemetery because so many people had died.

“Go ask if there are any supplies here,” Hawkeye said. “The other shops that could be emptied have already been emptied by those rioters. The only thing left is this church… Once they are completely desperate, the church will probably be emptied too.”

Clinging to hope, the mob hasn't yet targeted the church and hospital. However, with the World Government's blockade in place, it won't be long before the church's doors are forcibly pushed open and the mob empties it.

"That's great." Sett walked up and pounded on the door with a nonchalant look on his face: "I never thought I'd see such a uniquely American free shopping experience in this world."

Hawkeye didn't understand Sett's words, but he didn't ask any more questions—after all, in the past few months, Sett had been coming up with some strange but very interesting new words from time to time.

Zero-yuan purchase—it sounds strange, but it's actually quite fitting, isn't it?

Inside the church hospital, a handsome man dressed in white with a slight stubble on his chin was shouting angrily at a Den Den Mushi:

"There are simply not enough doctors here! The reserves of medicine and blood are also completely inadequate! There must be a way to remove lead from the human body!"

With that, gritting his teeth, the man roared even more angrily, "And lead poisoning isn't even contagious! Why doesn't the World Government release this information?! If there were supplies from the outside world, Flevans wouldn't need this blockade!!!"

"Sorry, we're just following orders."

Faced with the cold words of the garrison navy, the man's eyes widened in fury, but before he could say anything more, the garrison navy on the other end had already hung up the phone indifferently.

The blockade of Flevans was a decision made by the World Government. Based on this, not only the Navy, but even the World Government's secret intelligence agency, CP9, was deployed as reserve members. The purpose was to prevent anyone from having a sudden change of heart or conscience and ordering the Navy to release the people of Flevans.

Standing by his sister's bedside, wearing a black and white leopard-print fluffy hat, Trafalgar Law's face was filled with a forced smile.

"Brother, it hurts so much... Waaah, my whole body hurts... and my body is getting... whiter and whiter..."

"It's okay...it will be okay..."

With a forced smile, Luo uttered lies that even he himself didn't believe.

102. Lead poisoning and the black market

I was talking to my sister when, not long after, there was a loud knocking on the door.

At first, Luo thought it was another patient outside seeking help from his father. Instead of opening the door immediately, he said somewhat helplessly, "I'm sorry, the hospital is full! We're also short on medicine and staff. My father is currently researching treatment options!"

As the most famous doctor in Frevans, Law's father, Trafalgar D. Water Vincent, had become the last hope for the entire town.

The names are somewhat long, with "d" being a pseudonym and "Vatil" being a taboo name. For example, Ro's full name is Trafalgar D. Vatier Ro.

However, none of that matters right now. The most important thing is that Luo's father and everyone else in the town are now enveloped in despair. While Luo has unwavering faith in his father, he can also see that his father is utterly exhausted. He can no longer treat others; in fact, his father himself has contracted lead poisoning, his body covered in white patches.

Seeing that the door remained closed, Sett raised an eyebrow and prepared to kick it open and go inside. Hawkeye, standing nearby, shook his head, then knocked on the door again and said, "We are not infected with Amber Lead Disease... We are from the West Sea, passing through the North Sea, and are only here to buy some supplies you don't need."

Upon hearing Hawkeye's words, Law paused for a moment, then quickly ran to the gate and looked at Sett and Hawkeye through the lookout. Hawkeye was completely covered in a thick protective suit, but even so, his sharp gaze could be felt through the mesh covering his eyes. Sett, standing beside him, was even more striking; his entire body pulsated with vitality. His bare upper body was a kingdom of muscles, devoid of any of the pallor one might expect from someone with lead poisoning.

"Are you really from outside?"

Luo asked with some caution. You see, the sea is now completely blocked. Throughout Flevans, not only is it impossible to pass by water, but even those flying in the sky will be shot down and drowned in the sea.

"What else? Open the door!" Sett said irritably. "It's so annoying! A bunch of brainless rioters! They have a contagious disease and instead of staying home, they have to come out and cause trouble!"

Hearing Sett's words, Law realized that the people who had gathered at the hospital entrance had scattered like birds. Seeing this, Law breathed a sigh of relief—a noisy environment was detrimental to patients' recovery and even less so to doctors' research. Now that they were gone, at least the environmental pressure would be much less.

This will save me the trouble of lying to my sister that there's a celebration going on outside and that's why it's so noisy...

"Then come in quickly." Luo opened the door, and after Hawkeye and the others entered, he quickly closed it again.

Looking at Hawkeye's protective suit, Luo said, "Actually, you don't need to wear a protective suit. My dad said that lead poisoning is not contagious."

"Isn't that right?" Hawkeye raised an eyebrow in surprise, then picked up a slightly crumpled newspaper—which he had found on the ground.

"But the world government says it is highly contagious."

"The world government is lying!"

Before Luo could answer, a somewhat tired middle-aged man's voice came from the side.

His muscular body was covered in patches of white spots, and even his hair was a messy color, like that of a spotted dog.

Wearing glasses, he bore a slight resemblance to Law in appearance. He glanced at Hawkeye and Sett, a somewhat forced show of goodwill appearing in the man's eyes; "I am Trafalgar D. Vattir Vincent, a doctor of some renown."

“…Never heard of it.” After a moment of silence, Hawkeye shook his head and said, “We come from the West Sea and don’t know much about the North Sea.”

"Is that so..." Upon hearing this, Vincent wasn't angry, or perhaps he didn't have the energy to be angry right now. He simply said with a sigh, "The West Sea has always been rather isolated, so it's understandable that they haven't heard of a village doctor like me from a small island."

How did you two get here?

Vincent asked, "The waters around Flevans should be blocked off by now, right? Logically, people should be turned away if they approached here."

"They can't catch us," Sett said, reclining in his rocking chair with his head tilted back, looking completely at ease. "Those little wrecked ships can only manage a maximum speed of fifteen knots, while my assault boats are already well over sixty!"