Is it you who brought people here?

Chapter 4: So You're the One Who Brought Them Here?

"Hmph, I told you to stay put, and you still dared to try slipping away to tip someone off right under my nose?"

"It seems Marine Branch 16 has been thoroughly infiltrated, completely rotten." Smoker's face was dark as iron as he stared at the captured Marines of Branch 16. "We got rid of one rat, only for a fatter one to slink in?"

Fine, just fine. They'd been crying poverty to Marine Headquarters all this time, but when they came to inspect this branch... it was practically dripping with wealth.

What was it the reports said? The previous base commander of Branch 16 was deeply corrupt, the troops hadn't formed combat effectiveness yet, they lacked training, the Marines lacked real combat experience, and worst of all, they were critically short on weapons—less than ten standard Marine swords, not a single Marine warship, couldn't even issue one rifle for every two men. He was truly helpless, unable to uphold justice~

What a piece of work. Not a single word was true.

Not even one Marine warship?

There were at least five Marine warships lined up at the branch dock. This level of force... many branch bases in the New World couldn't match it, and yet here they were in this weakest of seas, crying about powerful pirate crews and how they couldn't win?

This strength was enough to hunt pirates in the Grand Line!

And on top of that, out of distrust, he'd already ordered his men to watch them, commanding all of Branch 16's Marines to stay put. Yet someone still dared to slip away right under his nose?

If that wasn't suspicious, nothing was!

"No, no, it's not that rich~" The captured Branch 16 Marine grinned sheepishly at the scowling Colonel Smoker. "I wasn't sneaking off. I just saw it looked like rain and remembered I left my laundry out at home. I was going to bring it in."

As expected of a colonel who'd been transferred down from Marine Headquarters just like his own superior—he'd moved so carefully and still got caught?!

And Headquarters...

Why didn't they give any notice before coming to investigate? Then they could've stashed away their assets!

If he hadn't managed to secretly contact the colonel in the chaos and received orders to stay put and not act rashly, they probably would've been ready to throw down with this colonel's unit by now.

Thinking this, the Marine glanced at the old man cheerfully munching snacks nearby and wailed inwardly, [Looks like the boss is really done for this time!]

He'd originally planned to go ask the colonel himself what to do next, but... he got caught anyway, and even his hidden Den Den Mushi was confiscated.

And now even a Marine Hero had shown up. It seemed Headquarters truly suspected the colonel. Though the boss wasn't a bad person, he had indeed broken Marine law.

"Bringing in laundry? And you still dare to make excuses?" Smoker sneered, staring at the Marine. "Never mind. Tell me, where is Dander Xieche right now? I'll ask him myself—does he, as a Marine Colonel, have any right to the justice he bears on his back?"

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

He looked at Smoker, then at the Marine Hero beside him. After a moment's hesitation, he met Smoker's eyes directly and said seriously, "Colonel Xia Che is a good man. In our eyes, Colonel Xia Che has never betrayed what's called justice. He's a hero to everyone!"

But.

"Justice? Hero?" Hearing this, Colonel Smoker let out a disdainful snort. Yet seeing the Marine who'd been trembling in fear moments ago now daring to meet his gaze, he snorted again, set aside his contempt, and took a puff of his cigar expressionlessly. "Fine then. You tell me! Has your Marine Colonel been colluding with pirates or not?"

If he'd earned his subordinates' trust like this... could they really have misunderstood?

The moment the words fell.

"Of course not!" The Marine puffed out his chest and answered without hesitation.

He wasn't wrong. Colonel Xia Che hadn't colluded with pirates.

As for the Moke Pirates... that was a pirate crew the colonel kept around. How could that count as collusion?

With a righteous tone, he continued, "Even after being transferred down, the colonel has never forgotten the justice in his heart—"

But before he could finish.

Just then.

"Colonel Smoker." Smoker's adjutant, Tashigi, a sergeant wearing a plaid shirt and dress slacks, suddenly gripped the longsword at her hip, her face tense as she stared ahead. "A pirate crew is approaching."

The moment she spoke.

Colonel Smoker, Vice Admiral Garp, and the other Marines all noticed and looked up together.

"The Moke Pirates?"

What a coincidence.

"..."

Hearing Smoker's loaded words, the Marine who'd also noticed fell silent.

His mouth twitched as he watched the Moke Pirates' ship slowly sailing in. A thought rose in his heart but seemed to catch in his throat, unable to come out.

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

Seeing Smoker narrow his eyes with a stern expression, the Marine's face changed. He was about to change the subject and distance himself from the Moke Pirates when—

"Hey, isn't that Udo?"

A loud shout came from the Moke Pirates' ship.

It was the voice of the Moke Pirates' captain.

"And a few new faces. New brothers at the branch? Whatever. Udo, where are you headed? Why are you taking such a crappy little boat? Are you going to Cocoyasi Village too?" Moke's hearty, bold voice rang out. "With that many of you, you'll be rowing that little boat forever! We're heading to make a delivery anyway. Come on up, we'll go together!"

The moment he finished.

"..." x3

Three people turned their heads in unison to look at the Marine called Udo behind them.

One was still cheerfully munching snacks; one had a face like thunder, staring at him with a meaningful glare; and one adjusted her glasses, looking as if she'd been deceived, glaring at Udo with indignation.

And Udo...

His body was trembling, his hands were trembling, even his legs were trembling. Under the gazes of the three, he turned his head to look at Moke, a stiff smile twisting onto his face as he shouted toward Moke, who was waving at him, "I... thank you!!!"

Instantly...

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

Under Udo's gratitude, he received Moke's hearty response.

Not long after.

The four of them, under Moke's warm hospitality, boarded the pirate ship. Then, with the enthusiastic reception of the Moke Pirates, the four hitched a ride as the ship slowly sailed toward Cocoyasi Village.

Only...

"What's up?" Moke scratched his head in confusion as he looked at the group, especially at Udo, whose face looked like a mix of crying and melancholy. "Brother Udo, are you feeling unwell?"

"I... I'm fine. Just suddenly remembered I left my laundry out at home."

"Is that all? It's just raining. If it gets wet, just dry it again." Hearing Udo's words, Moke didn't dwell on it. He turned to look at the other three who had followed and asked curiously, "Who are these three? Are they new brothers from the branch? Why are they all wearing such cold faces? And this one, he's so old and still joining the Marines?"

"..."

Please, just stop talking.

Udo looked at Moke, who had no idea what was going on, with a devastated expression. He blinked, about to give this clueless brute a hint to quickly contact Colonel Xia Che and inform him of the situation.

Suddenly.

"Knock knock~"

The fuming Sergeant Tashigi walked over to the cabin door beside her, raised her hand, and knocked, frowning as she asked, "What's in here?"

There was a strange sound.

The moment she said that.

"?!"

Udo, who was about to give a hint, seemed to think of something. His face changed again, and he quickly spoke up, "No, there's nothing in th—"

Before he could finish.

"There really isn't anything," Moke said cheerfully as he walked over to the cabin door and directly opened it. "Just some refugees who couldn't get enough to eat. I've caught them all."

As he spoke.

The door swung open.

Instantly.

What came into view for the three was a spacious yet dim warehouse. And inside that warehouse... it was packed with countless figures.

Crammed together.

All of them huddled in terror and despair, dressed in rags, gaunt and sallow. Men and women, old and young, including what seemed to be a mother clutching her child tightly. Because the door had suddenly been thrown open, everyone looked up in panic at them.

Udo:...

Smoker:...

Tashigi:...

Garp:...

Caught red-handed?

Just as the three were staring darkly.

"Brrruh brrruh~"

The sound of a Den Den Mushi rang out.

Moke, still unaware of how serious things were, cheerfully pulled out the Den Den Mushi and said, "Ah, it's the boss!"

But a moment later, he scratched his head in bewilderment, staring at the hung-up Den Den Mushi. "Why did the boss suddenly tell me not to call him boss? If not boss, what do I call him? Big brother? Did something happen?"

He looked at Udo, who was wearing a look of utter despair beside him. "Udo, do you know what's going on? And... what's up with you?"

"I'm f*cking... fine!" Udo was about to say something, but feeling the three icy stares behind him, he held back and gritted his teeth. "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. The group all looked up and turned their gazes toward the bow of the ship. What came into view... was a massive dock that didn't match the town at all.

And standing on that dock was a familiar figure.

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

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

Colluding with pirates, capturing refugees.

Not even daring to don the cloak of justice anymore?

Colonel Smoker narrowed his eyes, staring straight at the figure on the shore, coldly removing the cigar from his lips.

Do you still deserve the justice you bear?

Colonel Xia Che!

Meanwhile.

At the dock of Cocoyasi Village, Xia Che, who was about to return to his branch, also noticed the Moke Pirates' ship slowly sailing in.

After spotting the five figures on board, he fell silent entirely, the corner of his mouth twitching.

People?

You actually brought someone along after all!

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