Pirate Buster

"This soup is delicious! It's clearly as white as water, yet the flavor is so rich."

Lin Qi took a sip of the soup Zeff had painstakingly prepared, then had a bite of seafood fried rice.

As everyone knew, Sanji's cooking had been taught by Zeff.

By that logic,

he had basically eaten the food Sea Rice wanted to eat most.

Hina's little cheeks were stuffed full, and her big eyes curved into happy crescents.

Zeff was still pleased to hear someone praising his soup.

Of course, it would have been even better if the person praising him had not been a Marine.

"I like these dishes very much. Could you trouble yourself to teach the ship's cooks how to make them?"

"No problem."

After eating and drinking his fill, Lin Qi began driving people away.

"You're still not leaving? Are you planning to stay for dinner?"

"Thanks."

Zeff swore that today had truly broadened his horizons. There really were Marines who did not capture Pirates and instead let them go.

It was absurd beyond belief.

He could be called a breath of fresh air in the Marine world.

"You really let them go?"

Smoker watched the Pirate Ship gradually sail away, as though he were meeting Lin Qi for the first time.

"What else was I supposed to do?"

"I thought you would kill them."

"That would be too cruel. I'm a very kind person, okay?"

"You? Kind? Heh." Smoker shot him a contemptuous look.

"Next, can you take me to Loguetown first?"

"No. Hina hasn't been home in years. Take her back to see her family first."

Smoker: "..."

He just did not want to stay on the ship and keep eating Dog Food.

"Oh, right. Cocos Village isn't far from Hina's home either. Let's go take a look there first."

Lin Qi was not going to Cocos Village for Nami, but for her mother, Bellemere.

Judging by the timeline, Bellemere should have left the Marines only a year or two ago.

And before leaving the Marines, Bellemere had already risen beyond the rank-and-file soldiers. She had also fought Pirates in the East Blue for many years.

Therefore, she had a clear understanding of the entire East Blue's situation.

And because she was now a civilian, Lin Qi could freely ask her some sensitive questions.

Questions about the relationships between the East Blue's Kingdoms.

"Oh, right. Keep an eye out for someone for me in the East Blue from now on."

"Who?"

"Kuro."

"Do you need something from him?"

"Do you know what is most valuable in the new era?"

"What?"

"Talent!"

"I've taken a liking to him, so remember to keep an eye out for him."

Kuro was said to possess the second-highest intelligence among Pirates.

Another month passed.

Lin Qi had his Warship search for Pirates while making his way toward his destination.

During that time, they defeated more than sixty Pirate crews of varying sizes.

They also captured quite a few Ability Users. Including those caught at Reverse Mountain,

the number of Ability Users imprisoned aboard the ship had reached a terrifying fifty.

Fifty Ability Users. This wave of military merit had earned Lin Qi a fortune.

Cocos Village.

This remote little town in the East Blue had residents who all made their living selling oranges, struggling along the line of bare survival.

When they saw Marines arrive, the town's residents were not excited. Instead, they looked at them with wary eyes, as if they were seeing a plague god.

It turned out that Marines rarely came to this remote town.

And whenever Marines appeared, nothing good ever happened.

They were either hunting Pirates or chasing wanted criminals, repeatedly causing considerable losses to the village.

"Marines, what have you come here for this time?"

A man with a Pinwheel stuck in his head stepped forward and cautiously negotiated with Lin Qi.

"You may have misunderstood, sir. Look." Lin Qi pointed at his Justice Cape and said,

"I'm a Captain from Marine Headquarters. I only came to the East Blue to deliver a letter. I heard the oranges here are delicious, so I wanted to buy them all and bring them back for my friends to try."

"You're not from the East Blue Marines?"

Kensuke's gaze rapidly shifted between Lin Qi and the soldiers behind him.

The spirit and bearing of these soldiers were completely different from the Marines he had seen before.

Could he really not be from the East Blue?

Kensuke looked at the three gemstones set into the other man's sword and was deeply shocked.

This man seemed to be rich.

Some Villagers had not made a sale in months. Bellemere's family in particular had already run out of food.

The relief food was only enough for two children. Bellemere could only eat oranges every day to survive.

If they missed out on this major deal because of him, they would probably blame him...

"Are you really here to buy oranges?"

By now, Kensuke completely believed him. If they had truly come to arrest a wanted criminal, the criminal would have long since fled.

"What else would I be here for?"

"Five minutes later."

"Hahaha, young man, you're incredible. You became a Captain at Marine Headquarters at such a young age?"

"Ah, it's a pity I don't have a daughter. Otherwise, I would definitely marry her to such an outstanding young talent as you."

A group of highly respected village elders stood before Lin Qi with ingratiating smiles.

"I want every orange in the village. Remember, every single one."

Lin Qi had his men carry over a chest of Gold Coins.

"Also, I want to meet the person responsible for every household's orange trees."

"Of course, of course. Ah, no, it definitely won't be a problem."

Their eyes seemed to shine as they stared fixedly at the chest of treasure.

After killing so many Pirates, Lin Qi was now a wealthy man. This little bit of money was nothing to him.

Bellemere did not live in the village. She lived in a hidden corner outside it.

Kensuke was famous for protecting Bellemere's family.

On top of that, Bellemere was a deserter.

With all three factors combined, if he dared to say he wanted to meet Bellemere while wearing this uniform, it would probably take some effort.

This way was much simpler.

Before long, Lin Qi spotted Bellemere among the people delivering oranges.

Her beautiful pink hair made her easy to recognize. With a cigarette between her lips, she looked only twenty-six or twenty-seven.

Her clothes were soaked through from carrying oranges, yet her face still held a brilliant smile.

Lin Qi strode over. "Ma'am, to ensure the quality of the oranges I'm buying, could I take a look at your orange grove?"

"So handsome."

Bellemere stood up and stared blankly at the man before her.

"What did you say?"

"I said you're a handsome guy~"

Feeling sticky all over, Bellemere simply took off her jacket, revealing her lovely figure.

She looked toward Kensuke, and he nodded at her.

"Fine, come with me. Don't bring too many people, or you'll scare the children."

"Fine. I'll go with you alone. The others will stay here and receive the oranges."

As soon as they arrived at Bellemere's orange grove, the smile on her face instantly vanished.

"Tell me. What do you want with me?"

"Oh? What makes you think that?" Lin Qi realized he had underestimated this woman's intelligence.

"A woman's intuition."

"Fine." Lin Qi spread his hands and stopped pretending. "Soldier Bellemere..."

Before he could finish, a Long Legs kicked toward him.

Bang!

In the next instant, Lin Qi had Bellemere pinned to the ground with one hand.

"You should have let me finish, soldier. I mean you no harm. I only exposed your identity because I wanted you to stop hiding things from me."

"Urgh~ Let me go first, you bastard!"

Bellemere's Long Legs struggled fiercely.