Chapter 657
The five Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral were instantly enraged. If Crocodile were lying, that would be one thing, but it was the truth. They all knew why the World Government had created the Shichibukai; there were simply too many pirates on the seas, and making them fight each other was a strategic move.
However, on the other hand, it also means that the Navy Headquarters doesn't have enough power. If it did, like China in peacetime, it would at most have some organized crime. If you compare organized crime to a war between nations, it would just be a one-sided massacre. The so-called New World is the territory of the Four Emperors. To put it more simply, it's like Taiwan today, although the military balance is quite different.
All five clenched their fists. Crocodile had spoken of their deepest wounds, rubbing salt into them. After his battle with Chen Fan, Crocodile had learned something new. Seeing the angry expressions on their faces, Crocodile laughed even harder. This exhilarating feeling was incredibly satisfying. Just a few days ago, he must have been in a similar situation, but seeing others' displeasure brought him an indescribable sense of comfort.
"Bang...!" A Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral finally couldn't take it anymore and punched Crocodile in the face;
Crocodile felt the pain on his face; it was excruciating, but he felt even happier inside. His smile grew even brighter, and he laughed heartily, "Hahaha...!"
"Bang...! Bang...!"
"I'll teach you to laugh, you mere pirate! I'll teach you to laugh again!" The Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral continued to use violence against Crocodile, which was a violation of military discipline and constituted violence against a prisoner.
"Slap...!" Just as the Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral was about to continue punching Crocodile, he was stopped by another Vice Admiral who grabbed Vice Admiral arm;
"Alright! Stop fighting. There's no point in fighting here. It only makes him think we're guilty, which suits his purposes even better. It's about time to take him onto the ship and escort him back to Impel Down," the Marine Vice Admiral said.
The Marine Vice Admiral had beaten Crocodile saw Crocodile's mocking gaze and smile, and he truly wished he could kill Crocodile with a single blow. What a despicable pirate!
Soon, five people brought Crocodile out of the room. When Crocodile appeared on the street, the streets of the Rapeseed Flower City were quiet. A Marine Vice Admiral led the way, with two others in front of Crocodile and two behind him. This kind of treatment was not something an ordinary person could receive.
Of course, what silenced everyone wasn't these five people, but the man who was bound, his face covered in wounds, yet still smiling— Crocodile, the former Guardian God of this country, a Great Pirate who plotted against the nation, a truly villainous man;
(Good) "Kill him! Kill him!"
"Kill him!"
"Kill him!"...
No one knows who started it, but everyone shouted loudly, especially the people of this country. All the suffering they had endured was caused by this person. War and drought had killed countless people in the country, and their relatives and friends had all turned into bones and sunk into the desert without even a tombstone. The crowd was in a frenzy, and all the navy personnel were doing their best to stop the surrounding crowd and clear a path.
"Hey...! I'm your Guardian God angel! How heartless! I've saved you so many times. You should learn to be grateful, very grateful!" Crocodile said with a laugh.
That's true, but Crocodile only appears after the pirates have looted all the property, kills them, and takes all the looted goods—a classic case of double-crossing, and no one else can complain.
Chapter 178 Government Intent
(Chapter 178 Government Plans)
The Navy Headquarters has announced Crocodile's capture to the entire world. Some are eager for Crocodile's head, as Shichibukai must have many enemies. Even among the Four Emperors of the New World, they are nominally enemies, and it would be strange if they didn't kill each other upon meeting. Others want to bring Crocodile under their command, given Crocodile immense strength. No one knows exactly how many pirates will come, but it's certain they won't be any big shots; they'll mostly be small fry.
Although the town appeared peaceful on the surface, everyone—from fruit vendors on the street to tourists feasting in restaurants—was subtly scanning the unfamiliar faces around them. Some were pirates, others were naval personnel, hence the eerie atmosphere. This wasn't just about escorting Crocodile; the Navy Headquarters also wanted to teach these pirates a lesson. Lately, these pirates had become increasingly brazen, and Crocodile had even tarnished the image of the World Government. The government needed something to regain face, and the best way was to crack down on a gang of bandits. The target was obvious: a pirate with a bounty exceeding 100 million on the first half of the Grand Line, and conveniently located nearby—near the place where Crocodile had a grudge.
Chen Fan understood the Navy Headquarters' intentions perfectly well. But even if he did, what could he do? If the pit ahead was big and long enough but not deep enough, he would still jump in to avoid trouble. Besides, Chen Fan didn't care if the Navy increased his bounty again.
Crocodile wore an indifferent expression, looking at the five Vice Admiral around him with a mocking smile. It seemed the five Vice Admiral were already giving Crocodile considerable face, demonstrating the government's respect for Crocodile and deterring potential threats. However, this was all just a facade. It was impossible for them to escort him without sending a Navy Headquarters Admiral. The Navy was quite the actor; their objective was clear: capture or kill Chen Fan alive, send him back to Impel Down, eliminate some pirates, and promote the Navy's prestige—a multi-pronged approach. There was no reason they wouldn't send an Admiral. Of course, only these five Headquarters Vice Admiral knew this information, but they didn't even know which of the three Navy Headquarters Admiral would be sent.
"What's so funny? Pirates are pirates, pirates are all evil, the Navy is the only force of justice. How many innocent people have been affected and died because of your ambition? Don't you have any regrets now?" A Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral was furious when he saw Crocodile's smile.
Crocodile laughed, "I was at least once an ally of the Navy, you know. It's so hurtful to say that. I hand over a lot of treasure every year, all obtained by plundering the people here. You Navy are just colluding with me. I do dirty things, while you're always so righteous and hypocritical, even more so than me. What right do you have to talk about me like that? Hahahaha..."
The five Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral were instantly enraged. If Crocodile were lying, that would be one thing, but it was the truth. They all knew why the World Government had created the Shichibukai; there were simply too many pirates on the seas, and making them fight each other was a strategic move.
However, on the other hand, it also means that the Navy Headquarters doesn't have enough power. If it did, like China in peacetime, it would at most have some organized crime. If you compare organized crime to a war between nations, it would just be a one-sided massacre. The so-called New World is the territory of the Four Emperors. To put it more simply, it's like Taiwan today, although the military balance is quite different.
All five clenched their fists. Crocodile had spoken of their deepest wounds, rubbing salt into them. After his battle with Chen Fan, Crocodile had learned something new. Seeing the angry expressions on their faces, Crocodile laughed even harder. This exhilarating feeling was incredibly satisfying. Just a few days ago, he must have been in a similar situation, but seeing others' displeasure brought him an indescribable sense of comfort.
"Bang...!" A Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral finally couldn't take it anymore and punched Crocodile in the face;