Usopp acted quickly, cleverly mixing pepper powder, itching powder, and a plant extract that could produce a large amount of colorless smoke, stuffing it into several hollow seashells to create his "specially made Truth-revealing Smoke Bomb".
"Listen," Usopp whispered, instructing Nami, Robin, and Chopper on their tactics, "I'll go around to the back of the stall and create chaos with smoke bombs. The smoke itself is harmless, but it will irritate the respiratory tract, causing sneezing and watery eyes, thus temporarily disrupting their sales. More importantly, the smoke will react slightly with the pollen of the ' Sake Mash Flower,' causing a brief, unnatural color change on the surface of the marshmallows! Chopper, get ready, and as soon as the color changes, point it out loud—that's proof! Nami and Robin, you two lead the charge in the crowd!"
"Understood!" The three nodded.
The plan begins. Usopp, relying on his " Sogeking " stealth skills (which he considers his own), quietly maneuvered to the back of the " Dream Cotton Candy " stall. While the stall owner (a tall, thin man with shifty eyes who didn't look like a good guy) was busy collecting money, Usopp seized the opportunity and rolled several smoke bombs under the stall and into the surrounding corners.
Pfft--
After a slight sound, a large amount of colorless and odorless smoke quickly spread out, enveloping the stall and the queue in front.
"Cough cough! What's going on?"
Where did the cigarettes come from?
My eyes...
The crowd in line immediately stirred, with coughs and sneezes rising and falling.
"Hey! What's going on?!" The tall, thin stall owner was both surprised and angry, waving his arms in an attempt to disperse the smoke.
Just then, Chopper seized the opportunity and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Look everyone! The cotton candy! The cotton candy has changed color!"
Under the slight catalytic effect of the smoke, an abnormal, slightly cloudy, light gray pattern appeared on the surface of those brightly colored cotton candies, quite different from their previous dreamy appearance!
"It really is! The color has changed!"
What the hell is this thing?
The crowd's attention was immediately drawn.
Nami immediately shouted into the crowd, "I've heard of something called ' Sake Mash Flower,' whose pollen has hallucinogenic properties and can even change color when exposed to certain types of smoke!"
Robin added in her calm and convincing voice, "It seems that some people have added things that shouldn't have been added to the food for profit."
Hallucinations?
"Add something?"
"Isn't this a lie!"
"No wonder it felt weird after eating it!"
The crowd erupted in uproar, their angry gazes instantly fixed on the tall, thin stall owner.
"Nonsense! You're spouting lies!" The tall, thin stall owner panicked and roared, his voice filled with bravado but his heart was filled with fear.
"Whether you're making false accusations or not, just check your ingredients and we'll know!" Usopp bravely stepped forward, pointing to the sealed jars behind the stall owner. "Do you dare let everyone see if they're mixed with ' Sake Mash Flower ' pollen?"
"You... you all..." The tall, thin stall owner turned pale and instinctively protected the jars, an action that undoubtedly confirmed his guilty conscience.
Smash this shady stall!
"Drive them out of Terra!"
The angry tourists became agitated.
Just as the situation was about to spiral out of control, a loud shout suddenly rang out:
"Stop it, all of you!"
Several burly men wearing " Glutton Gang " uniforms, whose auras were noticeably stronger than those of the scarred man's group, pushed through the crowd and walked over. The leader was a man with a scar on his face and a sinister look in his eyes. He coldly glanced at the chaotic scene and the pale-faced stall owner, and finally fixed his gaze on Usopp and the others.
"Are you the ones causing trouble?" The scarred man's voice was chilling. "Slandering the reputation of our ' Glutton Gang ' will come at a price."
A powerful sense of oppression washed over them, and Usopp and Chopper instinctively took a step back, but Nami and Robin stood firmly in front of them.
"Whether it's slander or not, you know perfectly well!" Nami retorted without fear. "Adding hallucinogens to food, is this how you treat your guests on your ' Gourmet Island '?"
The scarred man's eyes flashed, and he was about to lash out when a lazy yet authoritative voice interrupted:
"Oh? It seems quite lively here."
Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw Ace walking slowly over with his hands in his pockets, a signature cheerful smile on his face, but his eyes were sharply fixed on the scarred man. Allen, on the other hand, had quietly appeared in the shadows of a nearby building, seemingly leaning casually against the wall, but the scarred man and his group inexplicably felt a chill rise up their spines, as if they were being watched by some prehistoric beast, and dared not move for a moment.
Ace's appearance, and Allen's silent intimidation, instantly changed the balance of power.
The scarred man's expression shifted several times, clearly recognizing Ace and (vaguely sensing) that Allen was not to be trifled with. He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his anger, and glared menacingly at Usopp and the others. "Hmph, consider yourself lucky! Let's go!"
He gestured to his men to help the limp stall owner up, quickly packed up his things, and slunk away amidst the scornful stares and boos of the crowd.
"We won!" Usopp and Chopper high-fived in celebration.
Nami breathed a sigh of relief and cast a grateful glance at Ace and (in the distance) Allen.
Robin gazed thoughtfully in the direction the " Glutton Gang " had departed, and murmured, "Their reaction seems a bit too sensitive... There's probably more to this ' Sake Mash Flower ' than just a simple scam."
The storm has temporarily subsided, but Usopp's righteous act not only exposed the evil deeds of the " Glutton Gang " and won the secret support of the people, but also further intensified the conflict with the " Glutton Gang." The undercurrents are surging faster.