Who Brought Them Here?

Who Brought Them Here?

"Hmph, I told you to stay put, yet you actually tried to tip someone off right in front of me?"

"Looks like Marine Branch 16 has been thoroughly infiltrated and completely corrupted." Smoker's face was dark as he stared at the Marines from Marine Branch 16 who had already been detained. "One rat left, and an even fatter one came?"

Fine, fine. They had been crying poverty to Marine Headquarters all this time, yet when they came to inspect this Marine branch... it was practically swimming in money.

What about the report saying the former branch commander of the 16th Branch had been severely corrupt, that the troops had yet to develop combat capability, lacked training, and had no real combat experience? What about the most critical shortage being weapons and equipment, with fewer than ten standard Marine sabers and not a single Marine warship? With conditions like that, two men could not even share one gun, and he had truly been powerless to uphold justice~

What a joke. Not a single word of it was true.

Not even one Marine warship?

There were at least five Marine warships docked at the branch pier. This level of combat power... many branches in the New World could not match it. Yet in the weakest sea, they were still crying about some powerful pirate crew and how they could not defeat them?

With this strength, they could have gone to the Grand Line and captured pirates!

And because he did not trust them, he had already ordered his subordinates to watch them and commanded every Marine of the 16th Branch to remain where they were. Yet someone still dared to slip away right under his nose?

There had to be something suspicious going on!

"N-No, we're not that rich~" The Marine from Marine Branch 16 who had been seized gave the dark-faced Colonel Smoker an awkward grin. "I didn't sneak away. I just saw that it was about to rain and remembered I hadn't brought in the laundry at home, so I went back to collect it."

As expected of a Marine Colonel who had been assigned here from Marine Headquarters, just like their colonel. He had been so careful, yet he had still been discovered?!

And Marine Headquarters, too...

They had come to investigate, but why did they not give any advance notice? At least then they could have put away their assets!

If he had not secretly contacted the colonel amid the chaos earlier and received orders not to act rashly and to stay put, everyone would probably have been preparing to fight this colonel's unit by now.

Thinking of this, the Marine looked at the old man beside him, who was cheerfully munching on snacks, and wailed inwardly. Their boss was really done for this time!

He had originally planned to personally ask the colonel what they should do next, but... he had still been caught. Even the Den Den Mushi he had hidden away had been confiscated.

Even the Marine Hero had come this time. It looked like Marine Headquarters truly suspected the colonel. Although their boss was not a bad person, he had indeed violated Marine Headquarters' laws and regulations.

"Collecting laundry? You still dare to argue?" Smoker sneered as he looked at the Marine before him. "Forget it. Tell me, where is Dander Xieche right now? I'll question him myself. As a Marine Colonel, has he lived up to the justice he bears?"

"Colonel Smoker, you've misunderstood!" Seeing Smoker like this, the Marine knew there was probably no escaping this time.

He looked at Colonel Smoker, then at the Marine Hero beside Colonel Smoker. After hesitating for a moment, he met Smoker's gaze and said earnestly, "Colonel Xia Che is a good man. In our eyes, Colonel Xia Che has not betrayed so-called justice. He is everyone's hero!"

However.

"Justice? Hero?" Hearing the Marine's words, Smoker snorted disdainfully. But seeing that this Marine, whose legs had been trembling from fear, now dared to look him straight in the eye, he snorted again and withdrew the contempt from his gaze. He took a puff of his cigar expressionlessly and said flatly, "Then tell me. Has your Marine Colonel been colluding with pirates or not?"

To have earned the approval of his subordinates, had they truly misunderstood?

As soon as he finished speaking.

"Of course not!" the Marine replied without hesitation, puffing out his chest.

He was not wrong. Colonel Xia Che had not been colluding with pirates.

As for the Moke Pirates... they were a pirate crew raised by Colonel Xia Che. How could that count as collusion?

With a righteous tone, he said, "Even after being reassigned, the colonel has never forgotten the justi—"

But before he could finish.

At that moment.

"Colonel Smoker." Tashigi, Smoker's petty officer, who wore a checkered shirt and suit trousers, suddenly gripped the long sword at her waist and stared ahead with a grave expression. "A group of pirates is approaching."

As soon as she spoke.

Colonel Smoker, Vice Admiral Garp, and the Marine all noticed it and raised their heads to look over.

"The Moke Pirates?"

What a coincidence!

"..."

Hearing the meaningful tone in Smoker's voice, the Marine who had also noticed them immediately fell silent.

The corner of his mouth twitched as he watched the Moke pirate ship slowly sail closer. A sentence tried to rise from his heart, yet seemed stuck in his throat, impossible to say.

What was Moke doing at Marine Branch 16 at a time like this?!

Seeing Colonel Smoker narrow his eyes with a solemn expression, his face changed. Just as he was about to change the subject and distance himself from the Moke Pirates—

"Huh, isn't that Udo?"

A loud shout suddenly came from the Moke pirate ship.

It was the voice of the Captain of the Moke Pirates.

"And there are a few new faces. New brothers from the branch? Never mind that, Udo, where are you guys headed? Why are you sailing such a tiny broken boat? Are you also going to Cocoyasi Village?" Moke's hearty, bold voice carried over. "With so many of you, how long would it take to row that little boat? We happen to be going to make a delivery too. Come aboard, let's go together!"

As soon as he finished.

"..." ×3

The three of them turned together to look at the Marine behind them named Udo.

One was still cheerfully eating snacks; one had a face like thunder and stared at him with meaningful eyes; one adjusted her glasses and glared at Udo indignantly as though she had been deceived.

And Udo...

His body trembled, his hands trembled, even his legs trembled. Under the gaze of the three, he turned to Moke. He forced an ugly smile onto his stiff face, then shouted at Moke, who was waving to him, "Th-Thank you!!!"

Immediately...

"No need to thank me, we're all brothers!"

In response to Udo's thanks, Moke gave a hearty reply.

Before long.

Under Moke's enthusiastic hospitality, the four boarded the pirate ship. Then, under the Moke Pirates' enthusiastic hospitality, the four rode the pirate ship as it slowly sailed toward Cocoyasi Village.

However.

"What's wrong?" Moke scratched his head in confusion as he looked at the group, especially Udo, whose expression looked both tearful and melancholy. "Brother Udo, are you feeling unwell?"

"I... I'm fine. I just suddenly remembered that I haven't brought in the laundry at home."

"Is that all? It's only rain. If the clothes get wet, just dry them again." Hearing Udo's words, Moke did not dwell on it. He turned to the other three who had come aboard and asked curiously, "Who are these three? Are they new brothers from the branch? Why are all their faces so cold? And this one is already so old, yet he still became a Marine?"

"..."

Please, stop talking.

Udo looked at Moke, who knew nothing, with a despairing expression. He blinked, just about to give this big dumb brute a hint to secretly contact the colonel and inform him of the situation—

Suddenly.

Knock, knock~

The indignant Tashigi walked over to the cabin door beside them, raised her hand and knocked. Frowning, she asked, "What's inside here?"

There was a strange sound.

The moment she said that.

"?!"

Udo, who had been about to give a hint, seemed to think of something. His expression changed again, and he hurriedly said, "N-No, there's nothing in there—"

Before he could finish.

"There really isn't much." Moke cheerfully walked over to the cabin door as well, opened it directly, and said, "Just some refugees who can't afford to eat. I caught them all."

As soon as he spoke.

The door opened.

At once.

What entered the three's sight was a spacious yet dim warehouse, and inside... it was packed with countless figures.

They were densely packed together.

All of them cowered inside with terrified, despairing expressions. They wore ragged clothes and had sallow, emaciated faces. There were men and women, old and young, and what seemed to be mothers and children. One mother clutched her child tightly, and when the door suddenly opened, everyone raised their heads in panic to look at them.

Udo: ...

Smoker: ...

Tashigi: ...

Garp: ...

Conclusive evidence?

Just as the three wore dark expressions.

Purururu~

A Den Den Mushi began to ring.

Still unaware of how serious things had become, Moke cheerfully took out the Den Den Mushi and said, "Ah, it's the boss!"

But only a moment later, he scratched his head in confusion as he looked at the Den Den Mushi after the call had been hung up. "Why did the boss suddenly tell me not to call him boss? If not boss, then what should I call him? Big brother? Did something happen?"

He looked doubtfully at the despairing Udo beside him. "Udo, do you know what's going on? And... what's wrong with you?"

"I fucking... am fine!" Udo was about to say something, but sensing the three icy gazes behind him, he held it in. Gritting his teeth, he said, "And don't call me by my name. We're not close."

"???"

Before the baffled Moke could say anything else.

At that moment.

"Is that it up ahead?"

Tashigi's voice suddenly rang out. Everyone raised their heads and looked toward the bow. What came into view... was a massive pier completely out of place beside a rural town.

And standing on the pier was a familiar figure.

Black hair, a white Marine uniform, not wearing the Justice Cape granted by Marine Headquarters, but instead draped in a black fur coat...

The branch commander of Marine Branch 16—Colonel Dander Xieche.

Colluding with pirates and capturing refugees.

Did he not even dare to wear the cloak of justice anymore?

Colonel Smoker narrowed his eyes and fixed his gaze on the figure ashore. With a cold expression, he removed the cigar from his mouth.

Were you still worthy of the justice you bore?

Colonel Xia Che!

Meanwhile.

At the Cocoyasi Village pier, Xia Che, who had been preparing to return to the branch, also noticed the Moke pirate ship slowly approaching.

After seeing the five figures aboard, he fell completely silent, the corner of his mouth twitching.

People?

You really brought someone here!

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