One Piece: The Cryo Doctor on the Straw Hat Ship

However, behind this expectation of the ocean's gifts, every resident of the Seven Waters knows clearly in their hearts who is the reason they can face the annual natural disasters with such composure and even anticipation.

All eyes turned to the tallest and most sturdy building in the city center—

Carrera headquarters.

The massive dock building, constructed of heavy timber and steel, stood firm like a rock protecting the city, unmoved by the impact of the tsunami.

It is not only a shipyard, but also the "stabilizing force" of the entire city of Seven Waters.

On the sea not far away, a small sailboat flying a straw hat and skull flag was cutting through the gradually calming waves, steadily sailing towards the city that had just been cleansed.

At the top of the Going Merry's mast, Nami, behind her telescope, lowered her arm, turned, and gave her companions on deck a bright smile:

"We've arrived—Water City is just ahead!"

A new adventure is about to begin in this city that coexists with the sea.

Chapter 166 CP9

at the same time.

Inside a tavern in Water Seven.

The afternoon sunlight streamed through the gaps in the blinds, cutting strips of light and shadow across the wooden floor.

The air was filled with the aroma of whiskey, cigars, and old wood, occasionally punctuated by the crisp sound of ice cubes hitting the glass.

The tavern had a "closed" sign hanging at the entrance, but it wasn't empty inside.

In a corner booth, a man dressed in dark shipwright overalls, whose demeanor clashed with the rugged surroundings, was elegantly holding a glass of amber liquid.

He was Rob Lucci, a CP9 member who disguised himself as the shipwright "Lucci".

His movements were unhurried; after taking a small sip of his drink, his gaze calmly swept over the dimly lit interior of the tavern.

Sitting next to him was Kaku, a tall man who was also disguised as a boatman.

He leaned back silently in his chair, his top hat pulled low, the shadow obscuring most of his face; only the occasional movement of his eyes revealed that he wasn't actually dozing.

Behind the bar, Bruno, dressed in a neat suit, was slowly wiping a glass. His skeletal fingers moved with precision and stability, and the faint light in his eyes occasionally glanced toward the door.

Lazy jazz music filled the pub, and everything seemed peaceful.

until--

"Squeak-"

The wooden door with the word "CLOSE" hanging on it was pushed open from the outside in by a force, and the hinges made a slight groan.

Immediately afterwards, a sharp footstep, like a blade cutting through the air, broke the silence in the room.

The newcomer wore a pair of bright red high heels, her long, straight legs tightly wrapped in fishnet stockings, which reflected an alluring yet dangerous sheen under the dim light.

She wore a well-tailored casual outfit that wonderfully blended competence and sexiness. Her long golden hair was neatly styled in a bun at the back of her head, and she wore frameless glasses that framed her eyes, which were calm and sharp.

It was Kalifa, a CP9 member who had infiltrated the city as the secretary to Mayor Iceberg.

She gently closed the door behind her, shutting out the noise from outside. Her gaze quickly swept over the three people in the tavern, finally settling on Lucci. The sound of her high heels tapping on the wooden floor was crisp and rhythmic. She walked straight to a booth but didn't sit down immediately.

"so……"

Kalifa's voice was calm, yet carried a subtle hint of urgency. She slightly raised her chin and looked at Lucci.

What is the purpose of this emergency gathering?

Her gaze swept quickly over Kaku and Bruno, her brow furrowing almost imperceptibly.

"As you should know, I am now Iceberg's personal secretary, and my actions are being monitored."

"I can't leave his side for too long, otherwise it will arouse suspicion."

The air in the tavern seemed to become even more stagnant after her arrival and questioning.

Bruno paused slightly as he wiped the cup, and Kaku lifted a corner of his hat brim.

In an instant, everyone's eyes were focused on Lucci.

However, Lucci also frowned, gently placing his wine glass on the wooden table with a soft "thud".

"It was not me who sent you this summons."

His voice remained calm, but a hint of wariness flashed in his sharp eyes.

"What!?" Kalifa was startled and instinctively took a half step back.

Almost at the same moment—

Kaku's body, which had been lounging lazily against the back of his chair, suddenly tensed up, and his eyes, hidden in the shadows beneath his top hat, snapped open.

Bruno, who was behind the bar, also stopped wiping the glasses.

The three of them immediately focused their attention on Lucci.

Throughout Water Seven, Lucci was the supreme commander of this operation.

However, someone bypassed Lucci and left a signal for them all to gather.

How is that possible?!

However, at that moment...

click, click, click...

A sudden sound of footsteps came from outside the door.

Lucci and the others' pupils contracted slightly.

"You're quite perceptive, Lucci."

A hoarse, shrill voice came from outside the door, filled with undisguised mockery and ridicule, as grating as sandpaper polishing a metal surface:

"Seven years have passed, and your intuition is still annoyingly accurate."

squeak--

The tavern's wooden door was pushed open again.

The door hinges groaned under the strain, and the entire door panel swung backward, crashing heavily against the wall, causing the old-fashioned nautical chart frame on the wall to shake slightly.

The afternoon sun streamed in from outside, casting three long shadows into the dimly lit tavern.

Against the light, three figures stepped in one after another.

One was lean and wiry, another was tall and robust, and the last one was round, fat, and short.

The newcomers were the remaining three combatants of CP9—Jabra, Kujiri, and Owl.

Lucci's gaze swept over the three men like a cold blade, finally settling on Gabra, who was in the lead.

Gabra grinned, his sharp canines gleaming in the shadows. He casually kicked aside a wooden stool blocking his path, the stool legs scraping against the floor with a screeching sound.

"What, not welcoming old colleagues?" Gabra's voice was hoarse and undisguisedly provocative. "Seven years, you guys seem to be having a pretty good time in this water city."

"If we hadn't come, would you have all forgotten what your jobs are?"

"Summoning them directly, bypassing the chain of command, is this a special order from headquarters?" Lucci remained seated, his fingertips lightly tracing the rim of his wine glass, his expression eerily calm.

"That's right, Commander Lucci!"

Gabra deliberately dragged out the syllables of "commander," his sarcasm evident in his words.

"As Spandam instructed, starting today, the operation concerning the Hades blueprints will be carried out jointly by the six of us. Of course..."

He deliberately dragged out his words, his gaze piercing Lucci like needles:

"...The command may need to be renegotiated. After all, the capable should be given more responsibilities, right?"

After he finished speaking, the tavern fell into a deathly silence.

Lu Qi remained silent for a long time before gently placing the empty glass back on the table. The sound of the glass bottom hitting the wood was particularly clear in the silence.

"Whatever you say."

He stood up, his tall figure casting a deep shadow in the light, his voice calm and utterly unwavering:

"But remember, any action that disrupts the five-year plan, causing the target to become alert or flee..."

"I will handle the aftermath myself—including you all."

After saying that, Lucci was about to leave the tavern.

Clearly, he had no interest in asking a single question about this "personnel addition" that was forcibly inserted by headquarters and disrupted seven years of planning.

A mission is a mission. Unnecessary arguments will only expose emotions, and emotions are the last luxury that an undercover agent needs.

however--

"Hey hey hey~"

A sudden burst of Gabrana's sandpaper-like laughter rang out, sounding particularly jarring in the quiet tavern.

He leaned against the door frame, one leg casually bent, blocking most of Lucci's path. His eyes, which gleamed in the shadows, were fixed on Lucci, full of mockery and undisguised provocation.

Didn't you hear me?

Gabra tilted his head, deliberately drawing out each word as if it had a barb:

"I said—the command authority needs to be renegotiated."

He took half a step forward, almost facing Lucci directly, his voice lowered but sharper:

"What are you doing? Do you think I'm talking nonsense?!"

Chapter 167 Smoke of War

The air in the tavern seemed to freeze instantly.

The sunlight streamed through the half-open blinds, cutting a still band of light across the floor, making even the dust particles floating in the air seem suspended in mid-air.

Lu Qi stopped a step away from the threshold.

He didn't turn around, but slowly turned his face to the side.

The afternoon sunlight streamed in from outside, dividing his austere profile into two halves—one bathed in the dim light of the tavern, the other exposed to the blazing white of the sun.