I collect everything in the One Piece world.

The group whispered amongst themselves, occasionally revealing sly smiles, plotting how to kidnap Chopper.

Chopper, who was helping Dr. Kureha treat her next patient, was completely unaware of this.

He suddenly felt a chill down his back and couldn't help but sneeze. He looked up in confusion and glanced around, thinking that a window might not be closed properly.

He subconsciously moved closer to Dr. Kureha, as if that would give him some sense of security.

Meanwhile, Dr. Kureha, who was examining the child's throat, subtly glanced at Morsen and his group at the doorway, who were glancing at Chopper every now and then, and her eyes behind her sunglasses narrowed slightly.

Chapter 123, Walpole's Plan, Dalton Used as a Pawn

Meanwhile, on Drum Island, in his towering, snow-covered palace, King Walbourne was enjoying life as usual.

He was slumped on his enormous throne, mouth agape, waiting for his servants to feed him.

Under the influence of the Swallow-Swallow Fruit, he is like a bottomless pit. Whether it is exquisite food, weapons, furniture, or even a tray accidentally dropped by a servant, as long as it is put in his mouth, he will swallow it without hesitation.

"Hmm... I'm full, let's rest for a bit." A moment later, Wapol let out a burp that smelled of metallic shavings, and comfortably lay back on the throne, his short, chubby fingers tapping the armrests.

"It's time to think of something new... How about enacting a new law? For example... all citizens must hand over one thing that I find interesting every day, or pay double the tax? Haha, not bad, not bad!" He thought to himself, a smug smile on his face.

Just then, one of his confidants, Chief of Staff Jess, hurried in through the side door with a serious expression and undisguised panic in his eyes.

"Hmm? Jess, you've come at the perfect time!" Wapol waved enthusiastically upon seeing him, saying, "I've just come up with a brilliant decree; you'd better draft it and issue it in a moment..."

"Your Majesty! Please wait a moment!" Jess interrupted him urgently, even disregarding etiquette and usual flattery: "I have something important to report! It is of great importance!"

Walbourne frowned in displeasure at being interrupted, his fat face scrunching up: "What is it? Is that ungrateful bastard Dalton here again to advise me to 'treat' those ungrateful commoners kindly? Ignore him!"

"No! It's not Dalton!" Jess shook his head frantically, his face pale. "It's something really serious! A powerful foreign enemy has landed on the island!"

He strode up to Valpo, lowered his voice, and reported in detail the information he had just received from the patrol that had fled back in disarray.

This includes Mosen and his group ignoring warnings and forcibly landing on the island, the guards who tried to stop them but were all easily defeated by the other side, and the terrifying background of the other side.

"...Your Majesty, the man leading the group is named Blackmoresen, with a bounty of 280 million Berries! Among his crew is Nico Robin, the 'Devil's Child' wanted by the World Government!" Jess's voice trembled.

"Moreover, according to reliable sources, this Blackmosen once personally killed Crocodile, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, in Alabasta! He also attacked a Navy warship and killed a Navy captain! This... this is a group of lawless and extremely powerful desperados!"

When Wapol first heard that someone had dared to disregard his decrees to land on the island and even injured his guards, he was immediately enraged and wanted to curse, "How dare you!"

But as Jess continued to reveal Morsen's name and his series of shocking "achievements," the anger on his face was quickly replaced by astonishment and fear.

"Two...two hundred and eighty million?!" Wapol's fat face began to twitch involuntarily. "He...he even killed a Shichibukai? And killed a Marine Captain?"

Although he was absurd and violent, he wasn't completely stupid. He knew what the Seven Warlords of the Sea meant—they were powerful pirates recognized by the World Government! Anyone who could take down a Seven Warlord of the Sea was definitely a monster he couldn't afford to mess with!

Thinking of this, a chill ran from his tailbone straight to the top of his head, and cold sweat instantly seeped out from his forehead and back.

"What...what are they doing on my Drum Island? Are they here for me?" Wapol's voice trembled as he thought this.

"Jace! What do we do now? My identity is as clear as a lighthouse on this island! If they're after me, they'll definitely find their way here!"

He no longer had the "ambition" he had just had to issue new laws; his mind was filled with fear for his own safety.

Jess was also scared, but he was a bit more cunning than Wapol.

His eyes darted around, and he immediately leaned close to Walpo's ear and spoke quickly in a voice only the two of them could hear.

As Walpo listened, his eyes grew brighter and brighter, and the fear on his face was gradually replaced by a cunning and relief.

"Okay! Okay! Okay! Let's do it this way! Let's go now!"

"These guys are just passing through; they can't possibly stay on this wretched island of ours for long. We'll come back after they leave! Anyway, everything on this island belongs to me; it can't escape!"

Just as the two reached a consensus and were about to take immediate action, a series of heavy and hurried footsteps came from outside the hall.

Then, Captain Dalton, a tall, strong man with a resolute face, appeared at the door.

“Your Majesty!” Dalton’s voice was steady but tinged with worry. “I have heard that a dangerous criminal with a high bounty has landed on our island, and I have come to ask for your instructions on how to deal with him.”

He paused, glancing at Walpo's still panicked face, and sighed inwardly, but continued, "Furthermore, Your Majesty, regarding some previous decrees..."

"Drum Island is in such a state of desolation right now, the people are living in poverty, if this continues..."

He wanted to take this opportunity to once again advise the tyrannical king, even if the hope was slim.

Walpo was annoyed by him the moment he saw him, especially at this critical moment when Walpo was preparing to sneak away with his confidants.

Just as he was about to get angry and yell at him, Jess, who was beside him, rolled his eyes and whispered a few words quickly in his ear again.

After hearing this, Walpo revealed a look of realization mixed with a sinister smile.

He cleared his throat, forced a "patriotic" expression onto his face, and before Dalton could finish his advice, he spoke first, his voice deliberately authoritative and urgent: "Dalton! You've come at the perfect time!"

"A group of vicious criminals with bounties of hundreds of millions have arrived on the island! They disregarded the law, forcibly landed on the island, and even injured our guards! Their targets are likely our innocent citizens!"

He paused, then, noticing Dalton's instantly grave expression, continued, "As king, it is my duty to protect my people! Now, I command you to immediately lead the guards to expel these dangerous fugitives! Drive them off Drum Island and safeguard our homeland!"

These "righteous" words sounded particularly comical coming from Walpole, but for the honest and loyal Dalton, they were like a ray of hope.

Although he deeply abhorred Valpo's tyranny, he still harbored a sense of responsibility towards the country and its people.

Upon hearing that the king was finally willing to "fulfill his duty" and protect his people, his first reaction was a sense of relief.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Dalton straightened his back, his expression solemn. "I will immediately gather men! We will not allow those villains to harm our people!"

He paused, wanting to bring up the matter of the law again: "Your Majesty, regarding the previous laws..."

"Alright, alright, I know!" Wahlbo waved his hand impatiently, but forced a "charitable" smile on his face: "Dalton, I understand your intentions."

"Rest assured, once you have successfully driven out that group of dangerous wanted criminals and safeguarded the peace of the country, I will reconsider those laws according to your wishes, so that everyone's lives will be a little easier!"

This empty promise was like heavenly music to Dalton at that moment; his eyes lit up instantly, and an unbelievable joy appeared on his face.

His Majesty the King finally listened! He was finally willing to change!

"Yes, Your Majesty! I, Dalton, will certainly not fail in my mission!" Dalton knelt on one knee excitedly, bowed, then turned and left the hall with firm and hurried steps.

Watching Dalton's departing figure, Walpole's feigned "concern for the country and its people" vanished instantly, replaced by a sinister and smug smile.

"Hmph, you big oaf, go be my shield! It would be best if you got killed by all those monsters, so you won't bother me again!"

"Your Majesty, there is no time to lose!" Jess reminded him from the side.

"Yes, yes, yes! Quick! Summon all my best doctors!" Wapol hurriedly rolled off the throne. "We'll go through the secret passage!"

Soon, under the arrangement of Jess and his confidants, a hasty and secret escape plan began.

Walpo, accompanied by his most trusted confidants and a team of doctors, quietly left through a secret passage in the palace, leaving behind his country and people, as well as the captain of the guard whom he had tricked into "defending the homeland" with an empty promise.

Chapter 124, Bonfire Party, Role Reversal

Dalton, with his assembled guards, trudged through the thick snow toward the town reported by his guards.

On the way, he questioned the guards who had first encountered Mosen and his group, who were bruised and battered, in an attempt to obtain more information about the intruders.

"Captain, Captain..." a guard with bruises still on his face described with lingering fear, "That leader was terrifyingly strong! We didn't even see how he made a move before we were all knocked down!"

"And that woman... my captain said she's the 'child of the devil,' and the bounty on her head is very high!"

"What's the specific bounty?" Dalton asked in a deep voice, his thick eyebrows furrowed tightly.

"...I heard that a man named Blackmore has a bounty of 280 million Berries!"

"Two hundred and eighty million?!"

The number felt like a boulder, instantly weighing on everyone's hearts. The guards gasped, their faces revealing undisguised fear.

“Blackmosen! It’s him!” Dalton frowned. This name had appeared frequently in the newspapers before. Not only was his bounty high, but his battle record was also terrifying. He had even defeated a Shichibukai.

The atmosphere in the group instantly plummeted to freezing point, with only the crunching sound of boots on the snow and heavy breathing.

Faced with such an enemy, these ordinary guards, including himself, were probably just like a mantis trying to stop a chariot.

The silence lasted only a few seconds before Dalton abruptly raised his head, a resolute glint in his eyes.

He stopped, turned around, and faced the pale-faced team members behind him who were still gripping their weapons tightly.

"Listen up, everyone!" Dalton's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable authority: "No matter who comes, no matter how high the bounty is, even if it's one of the Four Emperors himself..."

"To protect our families, to protect the land that gave us life!" Dalton's voice suddenly rose as he gripped his greatsword tightly, the tip pointing towards the town.

"We, the Drum Kingdom's guard, have no reason to retreat!"

"We may all fall here today, but at least we must let those who trampled on our home know that the men of Drum Island are not cowards!"

These simple, direct, and even somewhat clumsy words were like a spark, igniting the almost extinguished courage in the team members' hearts.

Yes, they fought to protect everything behind them. Fear still existed, but their sense of responsibility and the will to protect overcame it.

"For our homeland!" a young team member shouted first, his voice still trembling, but his eyes were already firm.

"For the sake of family!"

"Get them out of here!"

Sparse but gradually firm shouts rang out as they gripped their swords and flintlock pistols, following Dalton as he continued toward the town.

Before long, they reached the outskirts of the town. Dalton made a few gestures, directing his men to spread out and carefully encircle the town center through gaps in the outer houses and street entrances.

The atmosphere was heavy and oppressive, with only the soft crunching of snow underfoot and the occasional clash of weapons.

However, as they approached the central square, bursts of noise and shouts drifted over on the cold wind.

Dalton's heart tightened. Had the enemy already taken control of the townspeople and was forcing them to do something?

He was extremely anxious and could no longer care about hiding. With a low shout, he led his team to speed past the last few houses that provided cover.

However, when they saw the scene in the square, the anxiety, worry, and determination on Dalton and his guards' faces froze instantly, turning into utter bewilderment and astonishment.

The hellish scene I had imagined did not occur.

In the center of the once empty square, several warm bonfires were lit, dispelling the winter chill.

The townspeople, who usually suffered under Walpole's tyranny and struggled to survive, were now sitting around the campfire, holding food and wooden cups, chatting in twos and threes, their faces beaming with long-lost relaxed smiles.

Several children, clutching brightly colored candies, happily licked them as they chased and played in the open space by the campfire. Their cheerful laughter sounded especially vibrant in the snow-covered town.

The most eye-catching spot is the largest bonfire in the middle.

Dr. Kureha, the eccentric woman whom many townspeople privately call "the witch," was sitting on an overturned wooden crate, holding a bottle of liquor, drinking with the man opposite her, the vicious fugitive Morsen, who had a bounty of 280 million Berries on his head!

Several empty bottles were already placed on the wooden box between the two people.