Chapter 184: A Dream Like Yellow Millet
Other Four Seas naval bases occasionally suffer pirate attacks, but East Blue hasn’t had such incidents for many years.
Shells Town backs onto a naval base, making it extremely safe. The townsfolk live fairly affluent lives, attracting many merchant ships to come and go.
The dock was bustling with voices, workers loading and unloading cargo coming and going, a scene of prosperity and peace.
Himeko left a robot to guard the ship, preventing anyone from sneaking onboard to steal things.
Everyone from the train crew got off the ship and dispersed separately in Shells Town.
The naval base was very conspicuous, its iconic building visible from far away.
On the main street, several marines in white uniforms could be seen strolling about from time to time.
Himeko spotted a coffee shop and couldn’t look away. She walked in and inquired about the coffee beans.
Oranges born in Huainan are oranges; those born in Huaibei become trifoliate oranges.
Even the same plant, grown in different places, produces different fruits—not to mention in different worlds.
The Pirate World has an extremely rich ecosystem. Whether plants or animals, they are generally larger and sturdier than in most worlds.
Even the coffee beans were several sizes larger than normal coffee beans.
Himeko asked the boss about the taste, pros and cons, and origins of various coffee beans, then bought some of each.
She mentally planned to try them all back on the ship, buy more of whichever was tastier before leaving this world.
Yan was still very interested in the Navy’s justice and headed straight to the naval base.
The naval base couldn’t be entered casually, so Yan turned invisible and strode right in.
A group of recruits was undergoing Dao Power Level testing. Yan lightly tapped, and the off-the-charts reading made the instructor think the machine was broken. He spent half a day fixing it, temporarily halting the tests.
On the training ground, over a hundred marines were training in sword technique, shooting, and physique.
Yan watched for a bit and shook his head. They were at best sturdier ordinary people; not one had mastered power like Shanks or Garp.
After observing the naval base for half a day, Yan realized the Navy’s so-called justice was really just those two words.
Though often on their lips, they lacked even a standard definition of justice, let alone books explaining it.
Moreover, most marines in this base simply treated the Navy as a job, mere workers punching the clock.
Still, overall, these marines were relatively upright and kind.
“I thought the clothes in town would be better, but they’re still so ugly.” In a clothing store, Su Xiaoli sighed.
Not only were the clothing styles scarce and plain, the jewelry was also rather crude, dampening Su Xiaoli’s shopping enthusiasm.
At the dock, the merchant ship’s boss was anxious like an ant on a hot pan.
“Uncle, you seem to be in trouble?” A Xing asked.
“There are too many merchant ships today. I can’t hire anyone to unload; the soonest workers can come is in an hour. But I only have thirty minutes left until the delivery time I agreed with the client!” the boss complained anxiously.
“I’ll help you!” A Xing volunteered.
“You? Even if you could handle a whole squad alone, it wouldn’t be in time, and it still needs delivering to the client.” The boss looked at A Xing skeptically and sighed.
“Leave it to me; it’ll definitely be on time.” A Xing said confidently.
“Fine, a dead horse as a live one. As long as it’s delivered to the client within three hours, on top of the fifty thousand Belly for unloading and transport, I’ll give you an extra ten thousand Belly,” the boss said.
“What if it’s done on time?” A Xing asked.
“I’ll give you an extra fifty thousand!” the boss said.
“Deal!”
Family, got another mission!
A Xing was hauling big packages, while Meng Huaifeng and March 7th were strolling the snack street.
“Mm, this pineapple pie is delicious—sweet and sour. Try it.” March 7th’s eyes lit up as she held the pineapple pie to Meng Huaifeng’s mouth.
Meng Huaifeng took a bite. It was soft and glutinous, not overly sour, with just the right acidity and sweetness that wasn’t cloying.
“Indeed good. We can buy more to store in space.” Meng Huaifeng told the lady boss to make twenty portions.
Big customer! The lady boss grinned from ear to ear as she made the pineapple pies.
“Make way, make way!”
Urgent shouts from A Xing came from behind.
Meng Huaifeng and March 7th turned to see A Xing pulling three fully loaded, connected flatbed carts, charging down the main street.
Pedestrians along the way scattered in panic, chickens flying and dogs jumping.
To be fair, even oxen or horses couldn’t haul that much.
“A Xing, slow down; don’t hit anyone,” March 7th said.
“Whoosh!”
Meng Huaifeng hurriedly pulled March 7th aside. A Xing barreled past without stopping, carts in tow.
“No time; deadline’s almost here! Don’t worry, won’t hit anyone!” A Xing’s words drifted back from ahead.
“Slow down! Hero! I… I can’t take it!”
On the last cart’s cargo, the boss was sprawled, clinging tightly and crying out.
“Boss, you don’t want to be late and get undercut on price, right?”
“I… can… hold on… urp~”
A rainbow sprayed down, drawing curses from the unlucky bystanders.
March 7th frowned, suddenly finding the pineapple pie in her hand unappetizing.
After hesitating, she stuffed it into Meng Huaifeng’s mouth.
“A Xing must have taken someone’s commission, right?” March 7th said.
“Probably, but why didn’t she store it in space first?” Meng Huaifeng swallowed a few bites and said.
What limited A Xing’s speed wasn’t herself, but the carts; going faster risked spilling the cargo.
“Uh… in games, when you get a cargo escort mission, can you put the stuff in your game backpack?” March 7th pondered before asking.
Meng Huaifeng rubbed his chin. “I can.”
“No common language with you game cheaters.” March 7th rolled her eyes at Meng Huaifeng.
“Joke; do I even need cheats with my skills?” Meng Huaifeng spread his hands.
The twenty pineapple pies were done quickly; March 7th paid.
“Bang!”
A nearby restaurant’s door suddenly burst open as a nearly three-meter-tall marine flew out backward.
“Dare meddle in my business? Tired of living? I’ve killed so many pirates, saved so many people—can’t the lady boss keep me company?” A drunk bounty hunter emerged from the restaurant, arm around a young woman.
The young woman looked terrified, trembling nonstop but too scared to resist.
“You killed pirates, and the Navy paid your bounty. Want company? Go to the red-light district. Let the lady boss go!” The marine climbed up, filled with righteous indignation.
“I like this lady boss; what’s it to you? I pay!” The bounty hunter stuffed a wad of Belly into the lady boss’s bosom, leering: “How’s that? Not enough? More where that came from. Accompany me one night.”
“I… I…” The lady boss looked pleadingly at the marine.
“Shells Town isn’t a place for bounty hunters like you to run wild!” the marine said angrily.
“Pfft, a lowly sergeant dares butt into my business.” The bounty hunter sneered.
The marine swung a fist at the bounty hunter.
The bounty hunter blocked the punch with one hand and kicked him away.
Though bounty hunters lacked top strong persons, their baseline strength was generally higher than ordinary marines or pirates.
Without real skills, who would dare hunt bloodthirsty pirates as targets?
“Scram now, or I won’t hold back. Don’t think being a marine means I won’t kill you!” The drunk bounty hunter snarled arrogantly.
The marine got up again and fearlessly charged the bounty hunter.
The bounty hunter impatiently drew his sword.
Meng Huaifeng instantly appeared before him and, amid the bounty hunter’s stunned gaze, pushed the drawn sword back.
The marine’s fist smashed hard into the bounty hunter’s face, sending him flying, then pulled the terrified lady boss away.
“Who are you?” The bounty hunter staggered to his feet.
“A passerby who couldn’t look away.” Meng Huaifeng said.
“Thanks. My subordinates have gone for backup; should be here soon.” The marine said to Meng Huaifeng.
“Know who I am? Saga, bounty hunter with cumulative twenty million in pirate bounties!” Saga declared.
“Never heard of you. Saga or Diga, doesn’t matter.” Meng Huaifeng had no patience for this guy and knocked him out with one punch.
“So strong!” The marine stared at Meng Huaifeng in shock.
“How will you Navy handle this guy?” Meng Huaifeng asked.
“No bounty on him, not a pirate—just public disturbance, lock him up a few days.” The marine said.
“Sergeant, we’re here!” In the time of two sentences, five marines arrived with flintlocks.
Even if Meng Huaifeng hadn’t intervened, this marine would at most get some injuries.
“Take this bounty hunter away and lock him up.” The marine ordered.
Seeing it resolved, the five marines sighed in relief and chained up the unconscious bounty hunter.
“Thanks again. Without you, there’d be blood today. I’m Morgan, a sergeant.” Morgan thanked once more.
That’s right—this nearly three-meter-tall burly man was Axe King Morgan.
At this time, still a hot-blooded youth, he dared confront a drunken, rampaging bounty hunter even if outmatched.
“Meng Huaifeng.”
“Thank you for saving me.” The lady boss said tearfully, enthusiastically offering to treat the two and their companions to a free meal.
It was about mealtime anyway, so Meng Huaifeng and March 7th didn’t refuse and entered the restaurant.
The bounty hunter’s commotion had scared off all the guests.
Morgan pulled a stack of Belly from Saga and gave it to the lady boss as compensation.
Looked like he’d just cashed in a bounty, came here to splurge, got drunk and forgot his own name.
While the lady boss cooked, Meng Huaifeng and Morgan chatted. He was genuinely upright, still carrying hot-blooded naivety in his thirties.
Such a person getting hypnotized into that brutal monster was quite a pity.
“The newspaper a few days ago—Admiral Aokiji caught another big pirate with over a billion bounty. So awesome. Wish I could follow an admiral hunting pirates, but my talent’s too poor—no chance for Navy HQ, let alone an admiral’s ship.” Morgan said regretfully.
“Do your best with your abilities, bear your responsibilities. Guarding one area’s peace is good too.” Meng Huaifeng said.
“Exactly. I’ll protect Shells Town and nearby seas!” Morgan’s blood surged.
“If you gained great power, could you still keep your original intent?” Meng Huaifeng asked.
“Of course I…”
Before Morgan finished, data flashed in Meng Huaifeng’s eyes, pulling him into an illusion.
Meng Huaifeng took out his mobile phone, placed it on the dining table, and huddled with March 7th to watch the illusion.
March 7th got it instantly—this guy was pretty special too.
In the illusion, Morgan got lucky and found a Devil Fruit, skyrocketing from there uncontrollably.
He wiped out many pirate crews, including the Black Cat Pirates—this time without hypnosis.
He became the guardian god of nearby seas, cheered by countless people who spontaneously wanted to build him a statue.
Morgan didn’t refuse; amid the adulation, he inevitably grew a bit vain.
Still, he demanded more of himself. Under his protection, no pirate crews remained in these seas—unprecedented safety.
His feats reached Navy HQ; he rose to lieutenant commander.
Then colonel, major general, vice admiral!
Temptations assailed him: power, fame, Belly, beauties…
Bribes and overtures from World Government, nobles, even pirates poured in.
