The God Valley the West Blue God has recently become unusually lively. It's unclear when it started, but a rumor has been circulating on the island about its abundant resources, attracting several foreign merchant caravans to engage in a buying spree.
These caravans docked several large ships in the port and then began knocking on doors from house to house, asking the islanders if they had any goods to sell. At first, these transactions took place on the bustling streets, but gradually the caravans began visiting even the most deserted corners.
The alley where the Rocks Family lived was like that. It was usually a very secluded alley, rarely visited by outsiders throughout the year, but this morning someone started knocking on the door.
"Knock knock knock~"
The gate to the Rocks Family's courtyard was also knocked open, and a thin, middle-aged man with a shrewd and calculating appearance, clearly a businessman, appeared at the door.
It was Rocks's mother who opened the door. After looking the man up and down, she asked with a hint of wariness in her eyes,
"Is there anything I can help you with?"
Upon seeing her, the man being observed immediately bowed in greeting.
"Madam, I am a merchant from a caravan that recently arrived on the island. I'm sure you've heard about us recently. I apologize for bothering you, but I'd like to ask if you have any island specialties that you'd like to sell?"
If so, I can offer you a satisfactory price, guaranteeing you won't be taken advantage of!
The man identified himself, yet showed just the right amount of respect. He then looked expectantly at Rocks's mother, his gaze casually sweeping across the yard, seemingly checking for any goods he desired.
Upon hearing this, Rocks's mother relaxed her guard slightly. She had also heard about the caravans coming from the island, and not just from her own family. Her gaze fell upon other houses in the alley outside her yard, where people were also knocking on doors, all using the same script.
However, she still didn't let the man at the door come in.
Firstly, her family had no goods to sell, and secondly, they would be moving soon and didn't want to cause any unnecessary trouble by interacting with strangers, so she politely declined.
"Excuse me, sir, we don't have any goods for sale. Please try looking elsewhere!"
He then slammed the door shut.
The merchant at the door, seeing this, showed a hint of regret, seemingly lamenting that he hadn't made a sale. However, he didn't linger and instead went to the shop next door to continue what he had been doing.
Although Rocks's mother closed the gate, she didn't go far. Instead, she stood quietly behind the gate, listening carefully to the sounds outside. After hearing footsteps leaving, she peeked through the crack in the door for a while, and only after confirming that there was nothing unusual did she finally relax and return inside.
This period was a crucial stage in their relocation, and given the sensitivity of their identities, she couldn't help but be extra cautious.
The merchant who had just knocked on four or five doors and completed two transactions inadvertently bumped into another merchant. The two piled their goods together, seemingly sharing their day's gains, but in reality, they were exchanging information in hushed tones.
"So, did you find it?"
Another businessman asked him in a low voice.
"No!"
The man shook his head.
"It seems those two are no longer on the island!"
Both of these merchants were agents of the World Government. In fact, not only the two of them, but all the merchants from the caravans that came to the island this time were actually agents in disguise.
The reason they disguised themselves as merchants and infiltrated the island was twofold. First, the island truly possessed abundant resources, resources that the World Government coveted.
One of their objectives was to ascertain the distribution of resources on the island and then report back.
The second task was to gather information about a certain family on the island, especially about two members of that family who liked to wear black robes that completely shrouded their bodies. This was a mission given to them by the Celestial Dragons of the Holy Land.
As for Celestial Dragons, it is naturally Saint Garling made a brief stop on the island last time.
Ever since sensing some kind of danger from the two mysterious men in black robes on the island, Garling immediately sent people to investigate upon returning to the Holy Land.
He wanted to know the identities of the two people who had put him in danger.
Today's transaction in this alley was part of the agents' reconnaissance. This was after their investigation on the island and the brief reconnaissance conducted by the agents who had just posed as businessmen and knocked on the Rocks Family.
These agents were certain that the target Saint Garling had asked them to find was no longer on the island.
"Should we secretly arrest that family and interrogate them?"
The agent who knocked on the door of the Rocks Family said,
Since he couldn't find the target's whereabouts, he considered simply arresting and interrogating him, but this was rejected by another agent.
"Let's not alarm them for now. We haven't finished exploring the resources yet, so we can't afford to cause any unnecessary trouble. Besides, we'll be staying on the island for a while, and our target might return by then!"
Once they return, figuring out their identities won't be difficult. Perhaps we can even capture them and present them to Saint Garling!
Meanwhile, in a dimly lit room on the Sabaody Archipelago,
"You actually left Hachinosu all by yourself, and haven't returned for so long! What have you been doing, Oak?!"
A man in black robes held a wine glass, looking at the news that had come from Hachinosu in the past few days, and muttered to himself.
"Whatever you're planning, this is good news for me. After all, you're much easier to kill when you're alone than on Hachinosu. I'll definitely make you pay for the pain I suffered!"
The man in black robes seemed to have some deep-seated grudge against Oak; his tone when mentioning Oak was extremely chilling, making the temperature in the room drop several degrees.
"Activate our intelligence network and do everything in our power to find his whereabouts!"
He let out a low growl towards the door, then the man in black robes smashed the wine glass in his hand.
Meanwhile, far away near Shell Island in the New World, Oak is unaware that he has been targeted, and his battle with Crane continues.
However, the battle was nearing its end, as Crane's stamina had clearly declined significantly after such a long period of exertion, and sweat was constantly dripping from his face.
"Hateful!"
Crane looked at Oak in the sky opposite, her eyes radiating a sense of helplessness.
Hehe~
Oak smiled faintly at this.
"You've given yourself away, Little Tsuru!"
Previously, Tsuru had used Observation Haki combined with the Wash-Wash Fruit to create an impenetrable defense, preventing Oak from getting close. However, now, her severely depleted stamina had finally created a slight opening in her defense, which Oak precisely seized, instantly vanishing from his spot.
Vampire near-teleportation speed, Oak appeared beside the crane almost as soon as he vanished, then bared his fangs and bit down on the crane's neck.
Crane tried to dodge, but it was too late. She could only watch helplessly as Oak's fangs pierced her skin before her eyes rolled back and she fainted on the deck.