I collect everything in the One Piece world.

She concealed her contact with Morsen the previous night, both to protect herself and to have a "legitimate reason" to meet with Morsen again, or even multiple times, without arousing Crocodile's suspicion.

Now, with Crocodile's explicit instructions, she can "legitimately" recruit Morsen and Baccarat.

In the past few days, she has taken advantage of her position to secretly access and cross-reference a lot of information.

All the signs pieced together pointed to an increasingly clear direction: Crocodile's target should be Hades, and the clue to Hades is the secret hidden by the Alabasta royal family, which is why he went to great lengths to steal the country.

Mosen's words are being confirmed step by step.

This made her feel both lingering fear and a faint sense of relief.

“Contact…recruit…” Robin muttered the two words, a slightly mocking smile playing on his lips.

She will certainly make "contacts," but her purpose will likely differ somewhat from Crocodile's expectations.

“Before leaving Alabasta…” She remembered the deadline Morsen had given her, and time seemed to be pressing.

……

In the office, Crocodile, with a cigar dangling from his lips, stared at the solid wood door that Robin had just closed. The grayish-white smoke swirled slowly in front of his face, blurring his somber expression.

And deep within those sharp eyes, it seemed as if a sandstorm was brewing; he sensed that Robin was hiding something from him.

The room was deathly silent, except for the faint hissing sound of a burning cigar.

After a long while, Crocodile's gaze slowly moved down and landed on the smooth, dark wooden floor.

On the floor surface, a few extremely fine, pale golden grains of sand seemed to defy gravity, floating up from the gaps in the wood grain.

Then it floated gently toward Crocodile's outstretched palm and finally fell silently into his hand.

Crocodile raised his hand, bringing his palm to his eyes, the faint glow of his cigar illuminating the few insignificant grains of sand. His gaze instantly turned icy and filled with murderous intent.

These grains of sand were his own "eyes and ears," placed in the most crucial and secret locations where he stored the most important and hidden information and clues, but now they have fallen from Robin's body.

“Nicole Robin…” Crocodile’s voice was now filled with raw coldness: “So you really… weren’t content with just being a translation tool. You actually dared to tamper with those things behind my back…”

He slowly clenched his fist, and the few grains of sand re-entered his body.

Crocodile's brain raced, connecting all the "abnormalities" he sensed.

Her report was "overly cautious" about recruitment, and she didn't mention the slate topic she had discussed earlier unless he asked.

You know, she loves studying history so much, and she's always incredibly meticulous when she's with him. But now, she subconsciously overlooked something, which can only mean that she has something more important on her mind.

And most importantly, there was the sand that shouldn't have been on her at all...

Thinking about all this, Crocodile pulled out the cross report from his person, which he had arranged for his spies to keep an eye on Robin.

At this moment, those seemingly reasonable actions also became strange and had ulterior motives.

Therefore, there is only one conclusion: Robin has discovered his deepest secret, and may even be colluding with that mysterious "collector," perhaps plotting an escape, or something else entirely.

She was no longer a useful deputy, but a hidden danger and potential traitor who had to be eliminated immediately.

The "Ideal Land" project is at a critical stage, and he absolutely cannot let Robin, a woman who knows too many secrets, ruin things at this crucial juncture.

A chilling killing intent quickly spread, but the next moment, he forcibly suppressed it, transforming it into a colder and more calculating glint in his eyes.

“No, we can’t lay a hand on her yet…” Crocodile sat back down in his chair, the red glow of his cigar the only flickering focus in the dim light.

Robin is still useful; her deciphering abilities are currently irreplaceable, and there are some ancient texts and symbols that only she can understand.

So he can't kill her yet, but he can shatter all her hopes and possibilities.

As his thoughts raced, a ruthless and vicious plan quickly took shape in his mind.

“Nicole Robin, you really disappoint me... Since you want to investigate and contact outsiders, I'll give you that opportunity.”

Crocodile's lips curled into a cruel smile: "Perfect, I can also use you to test the mettle of that 'collector' and that 'lucky girl'."

He pressed another hidden communication button on the corner of the table and ordered in a deep voice, "Have Mr. 1 and Mr. 2 come to see me, bypassing Miss All Sunday, and don't let her know."

Chapter 44, Robin Joins

On the Bang Bang Orange, Captain Lyle has already directed the merchant ship to begin its return voyage.

Lali sat on the barrel, head hanging low, still reeling from the blow.

Rayleigh stood beside her, rubbing her head, his brow furrowed as he gazed at the sea, deep in thought.

In the rainy area, the afternoon sun was bright but not scorching, casting dappled light through the decorative palm trees lining the streets.

Mosen and Bakara had just finished a thrilling shopping marathon and were now enjoying a rare moment of rest under the white parasols of a charming open-air restaurant.

Bakara's face beamed with satisfied joy. With no luggage to carry, no worries about safety, and an inexhaustible fortune, this carefree shopping experience was paradise for her.

From limited-edition dresses in top clothing stores to dazzling gemstone jewelry in jewelry stores, and all sorts of strange desert-style handicrafts and spices, she bought them almost like a sweeping frenzy.

After buying everything, he stuffed all the bags and gift boxes, which the shop assistant had carefully wrapped, into the hands of Mo Sen next to him. He watched as a faint light flashed in Mo Sen's palm, and all the troublesome "burdens" disappeared without a trace.

"It's so convenient!" This is the sentence that Bakara repeated the most today.

Her dependence on and enjoyment of Morsen's abilities is growing at an alarming rate.

Mosen also purchased some items that interested him, such as a finely crafted desert scimitar inlaid with turquoise, several copies of ancient papyrus scrolls recording local legends, and a small jar of "frost salt" that is said to never melt.

However, compared to the "trophies" of Bakara that could fill a small warehouse, Mosen's haul was restrained and meager.

At that moment, Bakala was enthusiastically selecting a necklace from a pile of jewelry boxes to match her newly bought off-the-shoulder dress.

She picked up a necklace inlaid with a large, light blue gemstone and held it up against her slender neck and chest.

The dazzling brilliance of the gemstones contrasted beautifully with her healthy, tanned skin, making the deep cleavage even more alluring. For a moment, it was hard to tell whether the gemstones were more dazzling or the scenery was more captivating.

"Hey, Morsen, what do you think of this one? Isn't it too sparkly to match this dress? Or would this one with the rhinestones be better?"

As Bakala measured, she turned her head to ask Morsen's opinion, her bright eyes filled with satisfaction and excitement.

Mo Sen picked up his chilled juice, took a sip, and glanced at her before offering a fair suggestion: "The sapphire doesn't quite match the color of the dress; the diamond one would be more suitable for everyday wear."

"You look great today. Why don't you try wearing that ruby-encrusted gold one? It goes better with your hair color and is sure to turn heads."

As he spoke, Mosen pointed to an exquisite ruby ​​necklace in the box.

Bakara's eyes lit up, and she picked up the ruby ​​necklace and put it on.

The fiery red color complemented her long, curly red hair and sexy figure perfectly, making her as stunning as a rose blooming in the desert.

"Wow! It really is! It's beautiful! This is the one!" She turned around in satisfaction, looking at the reflection in the restaurant glass, and then naturally pushed the other jewelry along with its box in front of Morsen.

"Same as always, put it away~" She was now so familiar with Mosen's "deposit" service that she even took it for granted.

Mosen smiled and, as she wished, stored away the pile of valuable jewelry, while seemingly casually reminding her, "Don't forget I'll charge a storage fee, you know~"

Bakara, still basking in her joy, waved her hand dismissively upon hearing this, sat back down in the comfortable wicker chair, picked up the exquisite menu, and said while examining it, "Relax, relax, I know, I know, it's just a small amount of money~ I have plenty of money now!"

After saying that, she winked at Mo Sen and said, half-jokingly and half-seriously, "We're 'fighting side by side' partners, why be so calculating?"

As she spoke, her fingers flew across the menu: "This, this, this... and this special roast meat platter, this chilled fruit tart... um, this soup looks good too..."

In the blink of an eye, she ordered almost every tempting-looking dish and drink on the menu, fully demonstrating what it means to be rich and willful.

Mo Sen simply smiled at her nouveau riche-like manner of ordering food and said nothing more.

The storage fee was 100,000 Berries per trip; that's exactly what Mosen said at the time.

But what is the definition of "once"? Is it from the time of collection to retrieval? Or is it each individual item added? Or is it based on time? Or volume?

As we all know, the right to interpret everything belongs to the merchant, and he is that "merchant" now.

Moreover, it's easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but difficult to go from extravagance to frugality. Once she's gotten used to the carefree life of shopping empty-handed and having all her belongings "disappear" at any time, she'd probably be the first to object if asked to go back to carrying lots of bags and living in constant fear.

The dishes were served quickly, and Morsen and Bakala chatted while eating, enjoying the afternoon breeze and laziness.

Just as Baccarat was enjoying her meal and excitedly describing the next dress she had her eye on to Morsen, an elegant figure silently appeared beside their table—it was Nico Robin.

She didn't wear the professional suit she wore at the casino, nor the dark casual clothes she wore during their meeting last night. Instead, she changed into a pair of off-white linen trousers that were both practical and stylish, paired with a matching short top and a light brown trench coat.

Her long, black hair was simply tied back, and her face no longer had the usual professional smile. Instead, it showed a calmness and decisiveness, even with a hint of tension that was barely perceptible.

She very naturally pulled out the empty chair next to Mosen and sat down, her movements so fluid as if it had always been his seat.

"Huh?!" Bakara was startled by the unexpected visitor and almost choked on the mutton in her mouth.

She stared wide-eyed at Robin, her first thought being, "The casino's coming to cause trouble!!!"

Thinking of this, she subconsciously shrank closer to Mo Sen, her eyes filled with vigilance and a hint of guilt.

Beside her, Morsen's reaction was completely different. He seemed completely unsurprised by Robin's appearance.

Even as she sat down, Mosen naturally stepped aside to give her some space, then picked up the juice pitcher and asked calmly, "You're here? Would you like some? The grilled meat and juice here are pretty good."

Robin's gaze swept over the dishes on the table, but he had no appetite whatsoever.

She gently shook her head, her voice lower than usual, carrying a resolute determination: "No, thank you. I... don't have much of an appetite right now."

Upon hearing this, Mo Sen put down the juice jug, turned to look at her, and a smile appeared on his lips.

The afternoon sunlight shone brightly in his eyes: "It seems you've made your decision."

After saying that, he turned slightly to the side and extended his right hand to Robin, his tone solemn and sincere: "Then, welcome to the team, Robin."

“Our ‘Collectors’ Adventure Team’ has gained another member.”

Robin looked at Morsen's outstretched hand, that clean, slender palm with distinct knuckles, as if it symbolized an unknown but full of possibilities.

Without hesitation, she reached out and shook hands with Morsen. His palm was slightly cool, but his grip was firm.

Chapter 45, The Limpy Bakara, Deceived, Launches a Surprise Attack

“Joining is simple,” Robin said in a low voice, meeting Morsen’s gaze with seriousness. “But leaving here safely will probably be very troublesome.”

She paused, lowering her voice even further so that only the three of them could hear her: "Since you know my identity, you should understand how much trouble this will bring."

"It's not just the World Government's pursuit... but more importantly, Crocodile."

"He could not tolerate betrayal by his subordinates, and he would never allow anyone who knew his secrets to leave his territory alive."

"Troublesome?" Hearing Robin's words, Morsen raised an eyebrow, his smile revealing a hint of unruliness and sharpness. He leaned back in his chair, his tone relaxed yet carrying an undeniable confidence.

“If I were really afraid of trouble, I wouldn’t have gone out to sea, and I wouldn’t be here.”

"For me, what's important is that you made the choice and were willing to embark on this journey."