The Cactus's Smile, Anywhere Door

Whiskey Peak—

Thirty-eight years ago, it had yet to be transformed into a bounty hunter's nest, but it had already begun to reveal its unique character.

The desert plants growing from rock crevices and along the slopes came in all manner of strange shapes.

From afar, the entire island looked like a cactus forest rising from the sea.

The White Shell slowly approached.

Ivankov and Ginny crowded against the rail, their eyes wide.

"Wow—!"

"What huge cacti!"

Ginny pointed at the nearest giant, which stood as tall as a ten-story building.

"They're even more outrageous than the drawings in books!"

"Look at that one! Doesn't it look like a dancing old man?"

Ivankov excitedly pointed at another cactus with twisted branches.

"It really does! And over there, that one looks like a cat lying down!"

Ginny chimed in.

She turned and waved at Kuma, who was quietly standing behind them.

"Kuma, come look! Isn't it amazing?"

Kuma walked over, looked in the direction she was pointing, and nodded.

"Looks like it has a lot of thorns."

Ginny laughed at his honesty, while Ivankov patted Kuma on the shoulder.

"You're too quiet! You need to enjoy the fun of discovering new things!"

Moria leaned against the mainmast and glanced over.

They were just thorny plants. What was there to get excited about?

Because of a certain old relic, he was sick of cacti now.

The ship drew closer to the dock on the island's western side.

A lively atmosphere washed over them.

More than twenty ships of all sizes were docked at the harbor.

There were merchant ships, fishing boats, and private vessels, making the place look quite busy.

Onshore—

Many villagers dressed in brightly colored clothes were hard at work.

Some hung streamers and lanterns, while others carried wine and food.

Their faces were filled with smiles as they chatted and laughed loudly with one another.

Lin Nuo lightly leaped down from the crow's nest and landed beside the others. He looked toward the dock and raised an eyebrow slightly.

"It's so lively. Is some kind of event being held?"

At that moment, the White Shell and the Quest for Knowledge slowly came ashore.

Before the mooring ropes had even been secured, a crowd of villagers enthusiastically surged over.

"Welcome! Welcome to Whiskey Peak!"

"Travelers from afar, you've arrived at just the right time!"

Leading them was a middle-aged man in a straw hat. Behind him stood several equally cheerful men and women, some of whom were even holding flower garlands.

Lin Nuo and the others disembarked with some confusion.

The man in the straw hat immediately came forward and said warmly,

"Is this your first time at Whiskey Peak? What a coincidence!"

"I'm the mayor's assistant. You can call me Old Tom. We're preparing for tomorrow night's festival."

"A festival?" Stockton stepped down from the Quest for Knowledge as well and asked curiously.

"Yes." Old Tom nodded, his face full of pride.

"This is Whiskey Peak's annual celebration."

"We hold it to thank the sea for its gifts and pray for safe voyages and bountiful catches in the coming year!"

"By tradition, all outside guests who arrive on the island during the festival are invited to attend as honored guests."

A plump middle-aged woman behind him smiled and interjected,

"That's right, that's right! The festival has the best wine, the most fragrant roast meat, and songs and dances that we perform ourselves!"

"You absolutely have to come!"

"Yes, yes! Guests from afar bring the best luck."

The other villagers also spoke enthusiastically.

A perfectly timed look of surprise appeared on Lin Nuo's face.

"So that's how it is. Thank you all for the generous invitation."

Old Tom smiled even more brightly. "No need to be polite. Get some proper rest first."

"The festival will begin tomorrow at the central square. Please be sure to join us."

He then turned to Stockton.

"This gentleman, you're with them too, right? You're welcome as well!"

Stockton gave a polite bow.

After some brief pleasantries, the villagers bustled off toward the other ships that had just docked.

Lin Nuo watched their retreating backs.

At this point in the timeline, Baroque Works did not even exist yet, right?

So these villagers... were something like a tourism bureau?

Hmm, judged purely from the perspective of "tourist services," they were quite professional.

Stockton walked over to Lin Nuo and spoke in a low voice.

"Mr. Lin Nuo, I feel that they're being a little too enthusiastic."

"Yes, I know." Lin Nuo nodded.

"But since we're here, shall we proceed according to plan first?"

"Alright."

The group gathered around, and Lin Nuo quickly assigned their tasks.

"Ginny, Kuma, Ivankov—the three of you go find the shipwrights on the island. Figure out the White Shell's damage and settle on a repair plan and price."

"As for money, I got quite a few materials from Sea Kings a few days ago. We should be able to sell them for some Beli."

He then looked at Alice and Moria.

"Alice, you and Moria take Teach to the market and sell off those materials. Exchange them for Beli and necessary supplies."

"As for hauling..." He looked at Moria.

Moria rolled his eyes.

"Got it, got it. You want Doppelman to carry everything, right? You really know how to order people around."

Lin Nuo smiled, then finally looked at Stockton.

"I'll go with you to find that old friend of yours and discuss the Poneglyph rubbing."

He looked around at everyone, his tone growing more serious.

"Stay alert. Don't get impulsive if something happens, and contact each other promptly with Transponder Snails."

"Of course..." His tone relaxed. "If there aren't any problems, relax a little too."

"Enjoy the festival atmosphere. We've been sailing for so long—it's time to have some fun."

"Don't worry, Brother Lin Nuo! Leave finding the shipwrights to me!" Ivankov said, thumping his chest.

The routes were decided.

The group left the dock in twos and threes, blending into the crowds on the island.

At the dock.

Among the villagers carrying wine barrels, several people stopped what they were doing and swiftly split into three groups.

They quietly followed Lin Nuo and the others in the different directions they had taken.

Not long after those villagers left, beside a wooden hut at the edge of the dock,

a door suddenly emerged from the wall without warning.

The door opened.

A man dressed in a white formal suit stepped out.

Standing in the shadows, he looked in the direction Kuma had gone.

"Buccaneer Tribe... at last."

He raised a hand, casually adjusted his formal suit, and stepped forward.

Another door appeared, swallowing his figure within it.