A Level-One Combat Readiness Status meant that everyone had to be prepared for battle at any moment during the period of combat readiness.
During this period, all recreational activities were prohibited.
For the marines of Branch G1, this was definitely not good news!
Inside the Branch G1 barracks.
After a day of training ended, the marines dragged their exhausted bodies toward the barracks to rest.
Only to discover that an inspection team was already checking outside the barracks.
The inspection team at Branch G1 had been replaced.
Victor had transferred the Special Operations Unit into an inspection team.
The inspection team's first task was to inspect Branch G1's combat readiness.
During the period of combat readiness, if they found any marines slacking off, they would immediately educate them!
The inspection team members entered the barracks and left only after conducting a brief inspection.
The marines finally breathed a sigh of relief once the inspection team had left.
If the inspection team caught them drinking or gambling, they would be in serious trouble!
And it wasn't just the rank-and-file soldiers.
The officers of Branch G1 were no exception.
The inspection team would supervise the officers as well.
This made the officers tense too.
They didn't dare hold the new commander in contempt.
After all, violating military regulations would bring them major trouble.
The tenth day of Level-One Combat Readiness.
Gion came to Victor's office and asked him, "Is it really okay to maintain Level-One Combat Readiness?"
Victor answered with a smile, "I'm the commander here. Of course it's okay."
Tokikake muttered, "What are you trying to pull this time?"
The officers of Branch G1 might be afraid of Victor, but Tokikake wasn't.
In any case, he had no intention of staying at Branch G1 for long.
Besides, Gion wouldn't be staying at Branch G1 for very long either.
The headquarters would transfer them back after some time.
"Of course, it's for justice." Victor spoke seriously.
"I don't believe that for a second."
Tokikake said it dismissively.
At that moment, Wright walked in with an extra document in his hand.
"Reporting in. The intelligence on the underground forces of the New World has all been compiled."
Wright placed the documents in front of Victor.
All of this intelligence had been collected by the marines.
Although there was a great deal of information, it was certainly not comprehensive enough.
After all, the marines weren't CP0. Intelligence gathering wasn't their specialty.
Victor flipped through the intelligence and documents before finding a name.
Tokikake and Gion leaned over to look at the desk.
Beast Kari, the King of the New World Black Market.
"Are you going to look for him?"
Gion asked.
"But he doesn't seem to be wanted, does he?" Tokikake muttered.
The black market had always been a gray area.
The marines also purchased intelligence from the black market.
The pirates were no exception.
When Victor was in the South Blue, he had maintained close ties with the black market there.
"Let's go talk to them." Victor smiled.
Saladi Island was the most "neutral" island in the New World.
The marines could come to this island, and so could the pirates.
Of course, the prerequisite for the marines coming to the island was that they not cause disputes or conflicts.
Otherwise, the island and the black market of the New World would neither welcome the marines nor do business with them.
The same applied to the pirates who came to the island. They had to follow this rule as well.
Otherwise, they would also be placed on the blacklist, and the black market would never do business with them again.
As the king of the New World Black Market, Beast Kari lived a very comfortable life.
He liked chaos, but he also liked order.
Chaos could bring wealth, while order allowed him to take control of certain things.
For example, on Saladi Island, he was order. Whatever he said went.
Brrr...
Brrr...
At that moment, the Den Den Mushi began ringing incessantly.
Kari picked up the receiver. "What is it?"
"Lord Kari, the marines have arrived," one of his executives reported.
Kari said dismissively, "The marines are guests too. Don't make such a fuss."
How many of the New World's underground forces hadn't done business with the World Government?
CP0 were regular visitors here.
Therefore, Kari wasn't worried about dealing with the marines at all.
What's more, Kari had even sent Celestial Gold to the Celestial Dragons.
"Vice Admiral Victor has arrived," the executive said.
"Victor? The new commander of Branch G1?"
Kari was startled when he heard this. Then he said to the executive, "Go bring him to see me."
Since this was a major client, they naturally couldn't afford to neglect him.
At that moment, five warships arrived at Saladi Island's pier.
Victor led Gion, Tokikake, and a large contingent of marines onto the pier.
There were no pirate ships moored at the pier.
The black market had its own rules.
No ships were allowed to enter the black market directly.
That was the rule.
Of course, the marines and CP0 were exceptions.
Victor led the large contingent of marines swaggering into the black market.
The black market wasn't like a marketplace.
Instead, it resembled a bank.
There was a clerk serving customers behind each window.
Some people were buying firearms, while others were buying naval cannons.
Gion, Tokikake, and the others had their eyes opened by the sight.
Besides weapons, medicine, food, and clothing, one could also hire assassins, purchase intelligence, buy and sell people, and more.
"Vice Admiral Victor, this way please."
A man wearing an eyepatch came before Victor.
At the man's invitation, Victor arrived at the building in the center of the island.
The building was a castle.
Once the drawbridge was lowered and the gates opened, Victor and the others entered the castle.
"This way, please."
The eyepatch man led Victor into an elevator.
The castle was seven stories tall and comparable to a fortress.
There were guards stationed every three steps and sentries every five.
The black market employed a great many "security guards."
Finally, the eyepatch man brought Victor to a room.
The eyepatch man pushed open the door.
Victor saw everything inside the room.
A tall man sat in the middle of a vast room.
The man was Beast Kari.
"Hahahaha."
Kari laughed and said to Victor, "I didn't expect to meet Vice Admiral Victor so soon."
Victor led Gion, Tokikake, and the others inside.
When Kari saw that Victor hadn't greeted him, he felt that Victor was being somewhat rude. His expression chilled as he said, "May I ask what brings Lord Victor here?"
Victor said, "From now on, the black market will fall under the marines' supervision."
"???" Kari's face filled with question marks before he burst into loud laughter. "Vice Admiral Victor, do you know what kind of place this is?"
After laughing for a while, Kari looked seriously at Victor. "This is a neutral zone recognized even by the World Government."
"That was before I arrived," Victor said. "I'm informing you now that this place has been placed under supervision. From now on, the names of everyone who comes here to shop must be submitted to the marines."
"Please leave. You aren't welcome here." Kari snorted. Protecting his customers' information was the black market's creed.
"What if I don't leave?" Victor asked with a smile.
Kari looked at Victor, then clenched his fists and sneered. "It seems you don't understand how terrifying I am!"