I collect everything in the One Piece world.

Outside the casino, the night wind carried the unique coolness of a desert night, dispelling the heat and noise that had accumulated inside.

However, the cool breeze did not seem to dispel the tension in Bakara's heart.

From the moment she stepped out of the gilded gate of the Rain Banquet, she instinctively clung tightly to Mo Sen, almost half-embracing his arm, her body slightly stiff, her gaze warily scanning the seemingly calm street shadows around her.

There was no way around it; it had practically become a conditioned reflex for her.

After all, her numerous past glorious victories never ended with her leaving with the money in style, but rather with her being chased all over the streets by furious casino thugs and gamblers who had lost everything.

Even now, with nearly 200 million yuan in her pocket, and with Mo Sen right next to her, her sense of security is as thin as paper. She always feels that someone might jump out from some alleyway at any moment.

Mosen could clearly feel Bakara's body temperature and her subtle trembling and unease on his arm, so he adjusted his position to make her lean against him more securely.

At the same time, his gaze calmly swept over every corner that might be hiding danger, his Observation Haki constantly capturing the slightest unusual sounds in the night.

His Observation Haki manifests more as a perception of his surroundings, like having a radar that continuously generates a small map within a certain range.

He walked for several blocks until he reached a relatively bustling restaurant area. After confirming there were no tails following him, he slightly turned his head and muttered a sarcastic remark:

"You can let go now, Bakala. Nobody followed. You're supposed to be the 'Goddess of Luck,' so why does your aura diminish so drastically once you leave the gambling table?"

A warm breath brushed against her ear, and Bakala blushed, but she didn't back down, glaring at Morsen angrily: "Who's afraid! Don't act innocent after getting the benefit! So many people want me to be next to them like this but don't even have the chance!"

"I'm... I'm helping you with the weight of the box! Yes, helping with the weight!"

As she spoke, seemingly to prove her point, she reached for the money box that Timerson was holding in his other hand.

As soon as she lifted her hand, the heavy weight made her arm lurch, and she almost dropped it.

"It's so heavy!" Bakala grimaced.

"Two hundred million Berries? Do you think this is a child's piggy bank?" Morsen shook his head, then a thought flashed through his mind, and a faint light disappeared from his palm.

The next moment, the two huge boxes, which together could crush an ordinary person, vanished into thin air, as if they had never existed.

Only Morin had two new stickers in his palm labeled "One Hundred Million Berries".

"Wow!!!" Bakara couldn't help but exclaim in amazement, muttering enviously in a low voice, "Your ability is simply tailor-made for adventurers like us who roam the world! I'm always amazed no matter how many times I see it!"

Imagine, you'll never have to worry about your luggage being stolen or your money being robbed again, or about carrying heavy loads that will hinder your movement.

Everything of value or that needs to be carried can be turned into a lightweight "sticker" to carry with her, which is simply irresistible to her, who loves shopping, enjoys life, but often needs to travel.

"Go get something to eat and then go back to the hotel." Mosen put away the stickers and reminded them, "Although they were in the wrong today, we should still be wary of them. Be more alert when you rest tonight."

Hearing this, Bakala's excitement dissipated considerably, and she unconsciously leaned closer to Mosen.

Why does having such a large sum of money suddenly feel less joyful and more like a hot potato?

As her thoughts wandered, she nudged Mosen lightly with her shoulder: "Hey...you said you would protect me."

Seeing the somewhat uneasy look in Bakara's eyes, Mosen nodded without hesitation and smiled, "Of course, we're partners, aren't we?"

His tone was so matter-of-fact that it made Bakara feel a little insecure: "Don't even mention two hundred million, even if two billion were right in front of us, we'd throw money away, not 'Lady Luck'."

"With you by our side, even if we encounter some serious trouble, our chances of survival will probably increase several times over. Besides, you are our greatest hero tonight."

These words were spoken with a lighthearted, teasing tone, but at the same time, they affirmed Baccarat's value and clearly expressed Mohsen's position.

As Bakala listened, her unease dissipated considerably. She sniffed, raised her chin again, and regained her "lucky charm" aura.

It can only be said that her emotions came and went quickly; after calming herself down, she became happy again.

"Hmph! You're right! I am Bakara, the goddess of fortune!" Bakara puffed out her chest.

"Besides, I wasn't idle when I left; I also managed to grab a few more guys. My luck is really good now!"

"So when I think about it, there's really nothing to be afraid of! If anything happens, I should be the one protecting you!"

Seeing her suddenly become confident, Mo Sen nodded in agreement: "That's right, that's right, it's me who needs your protection."

"So, to celebrate Lady Luck's amazing luck tonight, how about we grab some late-night snacks? I heard there's a place in Rainy Day that has really good barbecue and chilled juice."

When food was mentioned, Bakala's eyes lit up instantly, and her stomach rumbled loudly, which was particularly clear at the quiet street corner.

Perhaps because she had experience before, she only blushed slightly, then grabbed Mosen's arm: "You said it! Come on! I've been busy all night, I'm starving! I'm going to eat you out of house and home tonight!"

……

In the stillness of the night, moonlight streamed through the hotel's blinds, casting dappled patterns of light and shadow on the room's floor.

Inside the room, two beds were placed against the inner and outer walls respectively.

On one of the beds, Bakala was curled up in the blankets, with only half of her delicate profile showing. Her long red hair was spread out on the white pillow like seaweed, and her breathing was even and long, indicating that she had fallen into a deep sleep.

Occasionally, she would chuckle in her sleep or smack her lips, whether she was dreaming of winning money again, having a late-night snack, or going on a shopping spree.

On the other bed lay Morin, his eyes closed, his breathing long and slow, as if he had entered a meditative state.

He wasn't just resting; he was also continuously training and expanding his Observation Haki.

They had originally booked two adjacent rooms, but in the middle of the night, Bakara knocked on the door and barged in.

Chapter 39, Night Visitor, Nico Robin

At that moment, she was hugging a pillow, her hair still a little messy, with light dark circles under her eyes, and she said confidently:

"Um... I don't think it's safe for you to sleep alone! What if someone from the casino sneaks over and you get attacked?"

"I...I'm your partner and your lucky charm, so I have an obligation to protect you! Therefore, I'll reluctantly come and protect you tonight!"

"Of course, don't even think about doing anything bad, or you might get accidentally hurt by me, hmph!"

Without waiting for Mo Sen's reaction, she hugged the pillow and crawled into the room under his arm.

Mo Sen: "..."

Who exactly needs protection? Their only stubbornness is their mouth.

Back to the present, the moonlight flows quietly, and only Bakala's even breathing and occasional murmurs remain in the room.

After an unknown amount of time, night deepened, all was quiet, even the desert wind seemed to have grown weary, leaving only the cold moonlight.

Mosen's ever-expanding Observation Haki suddenly rippled like a stone thrown into water.

Someone quietly appeared outside the room, or more precisely, on the terrace outside the room.

Mosen slowly opened his eyes, walked to the window, and gently pulled back the heavy curtains.

On the small terrace bathed in moonlight, a figure sat gracefully to the side—it was Nico Robin.

She was dressed in dark casual clothes that were much different from what she wore in the casino, allowing for easy movement. Her long, black hair fluttered slightly in the night breeze, and she wore a relaxed smile, as if she were having a late-night chat with an old friend.

She seemed completely unsurprised by Morsen's awakening, and even raised the steaming cup of black tea in her hand to him, gesturing for him to enter.

Why would anyone drink tea so late at night? Don't they sleep?

However, I have to say that she did manage to put on an act; she really did look the part.

Mosen's gaze lingered on her for a moment, then swept over Bakala, who was still fast asleep in the room, completely unaware of the commotion, before he gently opened the glass door and went out.

The terrace is small, with only a small round table and two chairs.

Robin took one of the hands, and Mosen naturally sat down opposite her.

A table separated the two, and the moonlight was the only source of light, casting alternating shadows on their faces.

Without exchanging pleasantries or asking questions, Mosen simply looked at her calmly, with a hint of unease.

Robin seemed quite used to this silent standoff. He slowly took a sip of his black tea before breaking the silence: "The collector doesn't seem curious as to why I've come so late at night?"

"More than that, I'm curious about where you got this pot of hot tea. Did you brew it and bring it all the way here?" Mo Sen's eyes were full of curiosity.

Robin's expression stiffened slightly upon hearing this, then he glanced at him and continued, "The collector is very humorous."

"Just call me Mosen." Seeing that she wasn't responding to the topic, Mosen didn't say anything more and calmly continued what she had just said: "Anyway, you probably didn't come here for those two hundred million Berries, otherwise it would be too low-class."

Robin chuckled softly upon hearing this, shook his head, and placed the teacup on the small round table with a slight "click."

“Of course not. Casinos have their rules; if you lose, you lose. That little bit of money isn’t enough for me to bother you so late at night.” Her gaze fell on Morsen’s face through the rising steam: “I came here today mainly for you.”

"Oh?" Morsen raised an eyebrow, seemingly intrigued. "For me? Is it your own need, or your boss's? You want to recruit me into Baroque Studio?"

"..." Robin's train of thought was interrupted once again.

Everyone knows that Crocodile is the owner behind Rain Banquet.

But the Baroque Works is a secret, especially Crocdale's role in it; she should be the only one who knows.

“It seems the collector knows a lot,” Robin said, suppressing his shock and trying to remain calm.

"It's alright, so you can be more honest." Mosen looked at Robin, his tone as calm as ever, as if it were no big deal.

"Perhaps, both." Robin composed herself, leaning forward slightly, the moonlight illuminating half of her delicate face.

The mystery surrounding this man is growing ever larger; what else does he know?

But no matter what, she can't afford to lose her composure; what she needs to do now is continue to push forward with the process.

"Since you already know, then I'll just say it directly."

"My boss, Mr. Crocodile, has always been eager to find talented people."

"He heard about your recent exploits on the sea route and thinks that someone like you shouldn't just be a wandering pirate hunter, buried in trivial bounties."

"If you are willing to join Baroque Works, the president can provide you with far more resources and intelligence than you have now, as well as the opportunity to access a wider world and even deeper secrets."

“Status, wealth, power—you can get all of these as long as you demonstrate the corresponding value, including anything you like to collect.” She looked at Morsen meaningfully.

The terms sound very attractive, especially the last one, which is clearly a targeted enticement of Mosen's "collector" reputation.

However, Mosen's expression remained unchanged, his eyes were calm, and there was even a hint of boredom.

However, he waited until Robin finished speaking before slowly opening his mouth, his tone completely flat: "Sounds good, but I'm not interested."

He refused decisively and without the slightest hesitation.

Robin's smile remained unchanged, seemingly unsurprised by the answer: "It seems the offer from the president isn't enough to win you over."

"Then, we can change the subject and talk about a 'deal' that might be more interesting to both of us." Robin changed the subject, as if his previous recruitment was just a side note.

“A deal?” Morsen looked at her.

“Yes, a transaction involving collectibles,” Robin said softly. “I want to buy something from you, a grayish-white stone slab with an exceptionally smooth and flat surface, without any inscriptions or carvings.”

“You bought it about two weeks ago at an antique shop called ‘Old Time’ in the Sabaody Archipelago.”