I collect everything in the One Piece world.

"They have not yet left the palace and are likely having dinner with King Cobra."

"The royal family of Alabasta?" Sitting opposite Ella, a towering man frowned upon hearing this, and spoke in a gruff voice, his tone filled with undisguised hostility and impatience.

"What are they trying to do? How can the royal family of a World Government member state get involved with wanted criminals and the remnants of Ohara?"

"If you ask me, none of these so-called royalty are any good! I might as well use special explosives to destroy the palace and them all..."

“Shut up, Norton,” Ella interrupted him rudely, rolling her eyes in exasperation. “Can’t you use your brain, even just once?”

"Alabasta is a member state of the World Government, and King Cobra has a decent reputation among the member states."

"A direct attack on the royal palace? Do you want to trigger a diplomatic incident and have the higher-ups personally clean house?"

Gail rubbed his temples helplessly and complained, "Let's leave the brain work to the captain, Ella, and me."

"Norton, you're better suited to hands-on work. For example, could you give those 'little toys' we brought another round of maintenance and inspection to make sure they don't malfunction later?"

Norton, having been rebuffed by the two, scratched his bald head somewhat sullenly and muttered in a muffled voice, "I already checked it three times! Anyway, I'll do whatever the captain says."

He has a very clear understanding of his role in the team and is happy to carry it out.

During the brief conversation between the three, Captain Rhine remained silent, his fingers unconsciously tapping lightly on the table.

After a moment, he stopped tapping, looked up, and glanced at the three team members: "The Alabasta royal family is indeed a problem. But the target can't stay in the palace forever."

He calmly analyzed, "According to intelligence, the only connection between the target group and Alabasta is the previous Crocodile incident."

"So tonight's invitation is most likely a courtesy from the royal family, so they would not, and should not, harbor a wanted criminal who is on the World Government's radar for an extended period of time."

He paused for a moment, then continued to give instructions: "So, from now on, Gale, you will continue to pay close attention to any changes in the scent from the direction of the palace."

"Ella, keep a close eye on any activity and people coming and going near the palace."

"Norton... remember to keep your equipment in good condition and be ready to be deployed at any time."

"I estimate that the target group should leave the palace within two or three days at the latest, and may even leave the capital directly."

A cold glint flashed in Rhine's eyes: "Once they leave the palace grounds, that's when we'll make our move."

"Nicole Robin is indeed slippery, like an eel, managing to escape from the pursuit of some scoundrels for so many years."

“But this time, she has no chance.” A cold smile curled at the corner of Rhine’s lips.

"No matter who's with her, it can't affect the mission completion rate of our 'Fox Hunt' team," Rhine said, each word distinct and resolute.

"This time she has nowhere to escape. The last embers of Ohara must be extinguished by our own hands."

"Yes!" The men listened to Rhine's resolute declaration, their eyes gleaming with a determined light.

Since their team was formed, there has never been a tough nut they couldn't crack.

This was the most difficult mission they had ever encountered, but it was also the one that brought them the greatest success.

If the mission goes smoothly, the merits they accumulate can even support them to go further.

Inside the warehouse, the lights flickered, illuminating four faces, some resolute, some excited; they were all equally prepared.

Chapter 108, Royal Tomb, Morsen's Ingenious Idea

As night deepened, the silvery moonlight, like gauze and mist, gently enveloped the entire Alabasta Palace, gilding it with a mysterious and tranquil halo.

Inside and outside the palace, the guards diligently performed their duties, conducting silent night patrols along predetermined routes. Their footsteps were rhythmic and light, gradually blending into the surrounding night breeze and the chirping of insects.

However, within this seemingly impenetrable patrol network, two figures moved through the palace like ghosts—it was Morsen and Robin.

At this moment, Morsen's Observation Haki was fully activated. His invisible and intangible perception spread silently in all directions from him, like mercury spilling onto the ground.

It was like having a miniature map; within a radius of several meters, the position and direction of movement of every guard were displayed clearly and in real time in his mind, like the most detailed 3D map.

He took Robin's hand, and the two of them quietly passed through the central garden and the main hall area from the guest quarters where they were staying, finally arriving at the royal cemetery, a quiet place on the west side of the palace.

The cemetery was solemn and peaceful under the moonlight. The tombstones cast long shadows in the night.

A few guards could be seen walking slowly around the perimeter of the cemetery, but compared to the security in other areas of the palace, the guard force here was "loose," with the guards spaced far apart and patrolling very infrequently.

This scene was quite different from the "heavily guarded and heavily fortified" image Robin had imagined, causing her to turn her head and look at Morsen with some surprise.

Mosen pulled her along, using the surrounding shadows to temporarily conceal themselves, and whispered in her ear, "Actually, it's not surprising when you think about it."

"This historical text is a top secret carried by their family, and only a very few people besides the kings of past dynasties know about it."

"After all, the fewer people who know such a secret, the better, so how could they possibly send a large number of troops to guard an ordinary royal cemetery?"

He paused, then continued in a low voice: "So the guards here are just symbolic, to prevent unauthorized personnel or tomb raiders from accidentally entering."

"The real protection lies in the structure of the cemetery itself, as well as the mechanisms and hidden doors inside the underground tombs."

"I reckon even these guards have no idea what's hidden beneath their feet. The underground tomb we're going into later is also completely empty, relying entirely on ingenious mechanisms and concealed passages to protect its secrets."

After saying that, Mosen seemed to feel somewhat fortunate and added in a low voice, "It's all thanks to this, otherwise I really couldn't think of any way to sneak in without alerting King Kobra."

“Although we just wanted to ‘borrow’ it, we felt a bit like we were doing something wrong, and we felt a little guilty.”

Robin was intelligent, and she hadn't realized it for a moment, but she immediately understood after hearing what Mosen said.

Indeed, the most skillful concealment is making the secret appear "ordinary".

However, upon hearing Mosen's last muttered words, tinged with self-deprecation and guilt, Robin turned his head and teased in a low voice, "Then tell Princess Vivi some interesting adventure stories as compensation. It's clear she's very interested in your adventures."

Upon hearing this, Mo Sen's lips curved into a smile, and he nodded with a soft sigh: "That's the only way..."

"Sigh, sometimes being too conscientious isn't an easy thing. If we were as shameless as that bastard Crocodile, we'd probably be swaggering in by now."

The two exchanged a smile, and the subtle sense of guilt gave them a strange feeling of being "accomplices."

Taking advantage of another gap in the guards' movements, Mosen pulled Robin up again, and they quietly bypassed the sparse guards around the perimeter of the cemetery, precisely finding the hidden entrance cleverly concealed by vines.

Upon entering the underground tomb, the light was instantly cut off, with only a faint sliver of moonlight filtering through the entrance.

The air became cool and dry, carrying the distinctive scent of dust and rocks.

There was indeed no one inside, but Morsen and Robin were moving even slower than they had been outside, because although there was no one there, there were many traps and hidden doors.

The stone slabs under your feet may have load-bearing mechanisms, and the bricks on the wall may conceal mechanisms to trigger crossbow bolts. Even more troublesome is that the path to the true core is cleverly concealed by a hidden door, almost indistinguishable to the naked eye. You must explore carefully.

The two walked one after the other, as if trekking through a minefield, taking each step with extreme caution, and repeatedly checking each time they touched a wall.

They must avoid potential deadly traps while also finding hidden passages leading deeper into the seemingly flawless stone walls.

Although the process was slow and agonizing, both of them had extraordinary patience.

After several hours of careful exploration and deduction, they finally stopped in front of a stone wall painted with ancient patterns, where all the clues pointed.

However, looking at the huge stone wall in front of him, which was perfectly sealed without any obvious gaps or handles and seemed to be integrated with the surrounding mountains, Robin couldn't help but feel a little dazed and doubtful.

If it weren't for all the clues converging here, she would have found it hard to believe that behind this lay the secret that the Alabasta royal family had guarded for hundreds of years—the location of that Poneglyph.

“But… how can we possibly get through such a thick stone door if we don’t know the correct way to open it?” Robin lowered her voice, her delicate brows furrowing slightly. “We can’t just walk through the wall, can we?”

She knew that Morsen's Sand-Sand Fruit ability could "transform" matter, but that would permanently damage the stone gate, leaving an indelible mark, which would definitely alarm the royal family and go against their original intentions.

Looking at the colossal wall before him that seemed to block everything, and then at the mixture of expectation and worry in Robin's eyes, Mosen suddenly winked at her, a sly and confident smile on his face.

"Don't worry, I was prepared," Mosen said casually.

After saying that, under Robin's questioning gaze, Mosen also stepped forward and extended his right hand, gently placing his palm on the cold, rough stone wall.

"collect!"

hum!

An invisible, strange wave emanated from Mosen's palm, spreading out and enveloping the entire massive stone wall.

The next instant, the enormous stone wall that seemed to have merged with the earth completely disappeared.

There was no earth-shattering noise, no flying rocks, no billowing dust; it was as if it had never existed.

The original location of the stone wall revealed a deep, dark, and vast space that extended downwards, as well as a wide and ancient stone staircase.

An even more ancient and heavy aura, as if from the depths of historical dust, silently surged out from the open entrance.

Chapter 109, The Desert Treasure Hunt Plan, Vivi's Excitement

The next morning, the royal banquet hall was bathed in sunshine, and the air was filled with the enticing aromas of toasted bread, fresh fruit, and Alabasta spices.

A sumptuous breakfast was laid out on the long table, and Morsen and his entourage sat together, enjoying this royal-standard hospitality.

The waiters were well-trained and served the exquisite and delicious dishes quietly and efficiently.

Golden and crispy toasted bread slices spread with special desert honey; fresh and juicy slices of various fruits; fragrant stewed beans and grilled sausages; and steaming hot milk tea with a touch of spice.

The group enjoyed their meal immensely, and the atmosphere was relaxed and pleasant.

Bakala was even more lively, enjoying the delicious food while also teasing the captain.

In a flash, with quick eyes and hands, he forked a piece of freshly cut roast meat from Mo Sen's plate.

A moment later, he simply scooped up the plate of stewed beans in front of Mosen, which was sprinkled with precious spices and seemed to smell especially delicious.

Seeing this, the waiter assumed she wasn't full and quickly and respectfully asked if she would like another serving.

Bakara waved her hand with a grin, indicating that she didn't need it. For her, the food itself might not be that appealing, but the act of "snatching it from Mosen's plate" was provocative and fun in itself.

Mosen, of course, wouldn't tolerate it. Seeing Bakara's "claws" reaching for his plate again, he flicked his wrist and easily subdued the ferocious redhead, pinning her to the edge of the table, rendering her unable to move.

"Let go!!! You stingy captain!" Bakala struggled in vain, glaring at him angrily.

Mosen didn't let go. Instead, he leaned slightly closer to her ear and whispered a few words in a low voice that only the two of them could hear.

What exactly she said was unknown to others, but Bakala was first stunned, and then her fair cheeks turned bright red, with even her ears and neck turning crimson.

She glared at Mo Sen with a mixture of shame and anger, but then stopped struggling, sat down obediently, lowered her head, and sipped her milk tea as if it were some rare and precious wine.

Nami took in the whole scene, her big eyes darting around, full of gossipy curiosity.

She glanced at Bakara, who was blushing and unusually "well-behaved," and then at Morsen, who had a faint smile on his face as if he hadn't done anything. She wished she could crawl into Bakara's head and hear what "spell" the captain had uttered that could turn this bold guy into a shy little quail in an instant.

However, Nami's attention was quickly drawn to someone else.

She noticed that Robin, sitting on the other side of Mosen, was holding a piece of bread with a fork, but her eyes were somewhat vacant, and she didn't put it in her mouth for a long time, as if she was lost in thought.

"Robin? What's wrong?" Nami waved her hand and asked curiously, "Did you not sleep well last night? Or did you not like breakfast?"

Robin was brought back to her senses by Nami's voice. She paused for a moment, then gave a gentle smile and shook her head: "It's nothing, I just... suddenly thought of something."