Pirates: How Many Divisions Do the Five Elders Have? Strict Discipline

During the time when the Arlong Pirates ruled this sea area, all residents had to pay a monthly ransom to buy their lives, which cost 100,000 Beli for adults and 50,000 Beli children.

None of the 20 islands are particularly large. Cocoyasi Island, where Arlong Park is located, has 102 residents and is considered the largest island.

Furthermore, due to the brutal rule of the Arlong Pirates, the population of each island has experienced outflow and negative growth in recent years.

Even so, the population under Arlong's rule still reached 1,500 adults and 200 children.

In theory, Arlong and his gang could collect 160 million Beli in ransom each month.

Over six years, the total amount of money reached an astonishing 11.5 billion, far exceeding the combined bounties of Roger and Whitebeard.

This is clearly unrealistic.

100,000 Beli is equivalent to more than 5,000 yuan.

This is the RMB from 1997 (Pirate King was published in 1997, and the exchange rate between the RMB and the Japanese Yen at that time was not much different from today).

In remote villages like Cocoyasi, the average income per capita is at most equivalent to the average level of urban residents in mainland China in the 1990s.

For a family of three, not counting food and other expenses, spending nearly 20,000 yuan a month just on medical treatment is simply unbelievable.

Even county magistrates from the Republic of China era who managed to collect taxes up to 99 years later would be ashamed of their own abilities in this regard.

Ma Qiao had no idea how Arlong and his gang of scoundrels came up with such an outrageous rule.

But it's clear that this pricing system collapsed completely after draining the islanders' savings in the first few months.

Some things can be forced out if you push them.

But being poor is being poor.

You can drive someone to their death and squeeze every last drop of their marrow out of them, but you still can't conjure up money.

Arlong's crude and stupid criminal gang doesn't understand how to exploit labor and create underground wealth like Doflamingo does.

It will not, like truly notorious criminal groups on Earth, physically exploit people.

Therefore, Arlong and his gang could not possibly have received that much money.

Every time they collect protection money, there is a huge shortfall, so they can only symbolically kill a few people to maintain their oppressive rule.

If it were strictly enforced, their territory would have been deserted long ago.

Furthermore, Arlong also had to spend a large portion of his money bribing the navy, building Arlong Park, and maintaining daily expenses, so he probably wouldn't have much savings left.

Otherwise, Arlong wouldn't have needed to covet Nami's 100 million Beli.

Even assuming the worst, Cocoyasi Village still has over a hundred people. If this village really could pay Arlong over 10 million Beli per person per month...

How stupid would Nami have to be to believe that Arlong would sell her this golden goose for a bargain price of 100 million Beli?

In short, there were just too many illogical points, Ma Qiao could only attribute it to the pitiful mathematical abilities of the Fish-Man thugs.

The final count confirmed Ma Qiao's assessment.

845 million Beli.

These are the figures from the ledger that Twitch respectfully handed over.

Using heroes with full loyalty as key units is reassuring.

Unlike Sir David Duke Wei, who had to point a musket at Duo Long's head to obtain the true account book of Ao Bai's property, Ma Qiao didn't need to do that.

Of course, this ledger cannot be used as the final ledger reported to the Marine Headquarters.

It needs some artistic embellishment.

In the face of the elites of the Root Division, the tricks of the small-time pirate from the East Blue and the corrupt official from the countryside were nothing short of a cowardly display.

Even a piece of toilet paper and a pair of underwear have their value.

Once these experts in extortion and bribery made their move, Arlong and his gang, being straightforward and undisguised, quickly had their low-level accounts clarified.

Not only that, at Twitch's request, several experienced confidants also produced a flawless new ledger.

One in, one out, rounded down to half.

Twitch exclaimed, "Mr. Ma Qiao, this sense of justice is truly weighty!"

"That's right!"

Ma Qiao nodded. "Staying steadfast in the darkness, bearing the burden of sin, and forging ahead—this is the path of justice for our Root Organization..."

With tears in his eyes, Ma Qiao converted each treasure chest into Q Coins.

A new day.

The morning light streamed through the window and fell on a simple little bed.

"You lecher, don't go!"

Nami woke up screaming from her dream.

You're awake?

Nojiko open the door, smiling as she placed breakfast on the table. "Go wash up, then have something to eat."

A glass of Cow's Milk, two oranges, and a slice of bread.

"I don't want to drink Cow's Milk!"

As if struck by a thought, Nami waved her hands repeatedly.

"Huh? My wrist?"

Only then did Nami notice that her hands were free again, and the gleaming handcuffs that had been with her for so long were gone.

This made her feel inexplicably down.

"Drinking more Cow's Milk will help you grow bigger!"

Nojiko sensed her sister's emotional fluctuations, stepped forward, grabbed Nami's neck, and reached her other hand towards her barren, sinful breasts:

"Don't worry, this isn't Momoo's milk!"

"Huh, isn't that right?"

Nami was stunned for a moment, then quickly picked up the Cow's Milk and gulped it down.

"Tasty!"

Nami wiped her mouth, then lowered her head expectantly. "Will I really grow up?"

"At least go brush your teeth first!"

Nojiko rubbed her forehead. "Who said behind my back that their cute older sister never brushes her teeth?"

"Hehe~"

Nami stuck her tongue out at Nojiko, then turned and ran towards the bathroom.

Nojiko leaned against the doorframe, a smile on her face, like an old mother watching her daughter's first love.

How long has it been since we've seen Nami with such a relaxed expression and a genuine smile?

That's wonderful...

Suddenly, she pulled out a Den Den Mushi) with a large bird symbol from behind her back, a sly look on her face.

"Revenge a resounding success!"

Nojiko gently pressed the play button on the Den Den Mushi:

"Don't go, you lecher!"

Don't leave me~

"Waaaaah~ Joe~ Please~"

The sound of someone screaming and yelling in a fit of rage in their dream kept coming from the Den Den Mushi...

After quickly washing up, Nami rushed to the dock.

Yesterday's battle, or rather the purge, against Arlong's remaining gang continued until late at night.

Nami, as an important informant, has been supporting the Navy's work.

She couldn't even remember when she lost consciousness and fell asleep, and then was taken home.

Fortunately, the navy flag was flying high, and four naval warships of different shapes were still anchored in the harbor, filling the small, simple cove to the brim.

Discovering that someone hadn't left yet made Nami happy again.

At this moment, she noticed that the dock was very lively.

Villagers from several villages, including Cocoyasi Village, lined up in long queues under the command of the Root Division Warriors.

"Could it be...?"

Nami frowned.

"As expected of Mr. Ma Qiao!"

Tashigi's remark interrupted Nami's reverie.

"Under his strict discipline, the Root Division warriors did not take a single penny of the 200 million Beli seized from the Fish-Men's lair, and distributed them all to the suffering people according to the list!"

"Huh? 200 million Beli?"

Nami's eyes widened. "How could it only be 200 million Beli? Arlong took so much money from the villagers!"

"Well, pirates are just a bunch of guys who only know how to eat, drink, and have fun, and who crave material enjoyment."

Tashigi sighed, "My colleagues at Root Division have seized Arlong's ledgers. This guy spends over 30 million Beli a year just on teeth cleaning and dental care!"

Tashigi touched her arm where Arlong had stabbed her, and unusually joked, "Luckily I didn't get bitten, otherwise it would have been troublesome!"

Nami really wanted to shout angrily:

The claim of a 30 million Beli dental cleaning fee is utter nonsense!

As a member of the Arlong Pirates, Nami the Cat Burglar, though not in the core decision-making team, easily calculates the Arlong crew's daily expenses due to her exceptional sensitivity to money.

These Fish-Man aren't exactly ascetics, but they certainly don't live such extravagant lives!

"Oh my, were you also amazed by Mr. Ma Qiao's righteous act?"

Tashigi smiled as she watched Nami's sullen expression. "Actually, Mr. Ma Qiao did much more than that... Look at that notice... it's something like 'Work-for-Relief, Poverty Alleviation, Military-to-Pastoral Border' Plan..."