"Because of you, of course..."
Inside Shakky's Rip-off Bar, Shakky rolled her eyes in exasperation after hearing Xie Wen's question.
"The slave traders on the island heard you were on your way here and fled several days ago, including some of the 'merchants' who only did it 'on the side.'"
After rolling her eyes, Shakky still explained patiently, "Their departure meant there have been far fewer good items at the Sabaody Archipelago's auctions these past few days, and far fewer tourists as a result. Pirates heading for the New World, on the other hand, still have to stop here to rest and get their ships coated."
"Tsk! So... those bastards really did crawl back out of the woodwork..."
Xie Wen clicked his tongue in irritation.
Still, he knew this was inevitable. Even on Earth, human trafficking persisted despite repeated bans. Completely eliminating slave traders in the One Piece world simply wasn't realistic.
So he asked, "What about that auction house next to Tree No. 1? Is it still there?"
"It is." Shakky nodded. "But just like the other slave traders, they closed up several days ago. You won't find anyone even if you go."
"Tch! They sure ran fast!"
With everyone gone, Xie Wen naturally wasn't in the mood to go smash the place up. All that remained was an empty shell anyway, and wrecking it wouldn't cost Doflamingo much...
Besides, it could easily tip him off.
"In that case... let's go to the amusement park!"
Xie Wen beckoned to Klee Meow and the other Little Furball Cats, who were munching on snacks, then headed toward Area 30, where the amusement park was located, with them and Shirahoshi, who had once again been kept outside Shakky's Rip-off Bar by her size.
But just then, Xie Wen suddenly realized a very