Chapter 159: Why Not Just Rob Them?

Chapter 159: Why Not Just Rob Them?

Include CP9?

Aojin hurriedly asked, "Captain Sag, they're a secret intelligence organization specializing in stealing information. Our intelligence could easily be leaked."

"Aojin, we are a pirate crew," Sag replied.

Sag laughed and said, "A pirate crew as porous as a sieve—what secrets could we possibly have? Do you think that by eliminating these obvious individuals, there won't be any secret agents operating undercover?"

He scanned the crowd gathered in the hall, his gaze as heavy as mountains, causing his subordinates to unconsciously lower their heads, cowed into silence.

It was inevitable for spies to infiltrate a pirate crew, especially a large-scale one.

Even a group of a hundred people could have a few intelligence agents mixed in, let alone a crew of Sag's caliber.

It was common for pirates to impersonate marines and seize warships, so it was only natural for the vast World Government to plant a few spies in notable pirate crews.

However, Sag didn't mind.

Pirates were a lawless lot who defied constraints, and a pirate crew, formed by these very pirates, was like a sieve—it wasn't meant to be a tightly-knit organization. As long as one claimed to be a pirate and had the might to wield a blade, that was enough.

Especially since Sag aspired to become a formidable power, unlike those tiny crews consisting of just a few individuals, it was inevitable that there would be those with hidden intentions seeking to join his ranks.

Among Sag's crew of twelve hundred, aside from the distinctively-featured Demon Race members and the executives, there were undoubtedly a few spies within the ranks.

After all, he had plundered several places, and no one could tell if there were infiltrators among those he recruited along the way.

Moreover, in a mixed place like Demon Valley Town, where he had recruited a large number of subordinates, there were bound to be spies who had seized the opportunity to infiltrate the Disaster Pirate Crew.

Even if he were to weed them out and eliminate them now, what difference would it make? Once he established his territory and gained even greater influence, more spies would inevitably come.

Besides, these spies could be quite useful.

Intelligence agents were often government officials, and these individuals were cultured and disciplined. As pirates, they were diligent, doing what needed to be done, and they were even more law-abiding than regular pirates. Aside from revealing their true colors when necessary, they were convenient to utilize the rest of the time.

If they were useful, why not make use of them? Sag didn't strive for a pure crew—he only needed to ensure the loyalty of his executives. As for the rest of his subordinates, aside from the Demon Race members whom he intended to foster as his core team, he didn't particularly care about the others.

As long as they worked for him, he didn't concern himself with their original identities.

Government officials?

Marines?

Those were merely occupations.

How could people be constrained by such things?

Spies in the shadows were spies, and spies operating in the open could be spies as well.

CP9—why not recruit them?

Did he fear leaking some core secrets? A pirate crew hardly possessed any core secrets worth mentioning.

"Hey, we're a secret agency directly under the World Government, and you're actually considering recruiting us?" Gabura exclaimed, his eyes wide.

Typically, pirates who encountered them would immediately opt to kill them.

Gabura had also prepared himself for the likelihood of mission failure.

He had contemplated employing deception, as was the nature of wolves—cunning, cruel, and adept at deceit. However, standing before Sag, he couldn't bring himself to harbor such thoughts.

"So what? I didn't tell you to quit CP9. Aren't you a spy? Then, do your job as a spy and take on a side job as a pirate," Sag laughed heartily. "Go tell the World Government that I've detained you lot—whoohahahaha!"

Just as he intended to become a feudal lord without hindering his pursuits as a pirate, these spies could continue executing their long-term missions while under his employ.

Regardless, he had no intentions of letting these people go.

Gabura stared blankly at the boisterously laughing Sag. He had never encountered such a pirate before, and his interactions with pirates were limited as well. Most of his missions were carried out in various kingdoms and with the Revolutionary Army. Nonetheless, regardless of whether it was a pirate or not, wouldn't one strive to keep their power base free of spies?

Was this guy speaking nonsense, or was he truly fearless?

However, his audacity was awe-inspiring!

Gabura couldn't refuse, and he didn't even dare to utter any harsh words. Although the mission had failed, it was that useless commander's task and not a direct order from the World Government as a whole. As long as they could survive, that would undoubtedly be for the best.

"Since that's the case, we'll remain on the ship. Let's pretend that nothing happened, Captain Sag," Gabura said, a sinister smile spreading across his face.

As long as they could stay alive, they would have the opportunity to escape from here. No, they didn't need to escape—this foolish pirate thought he could bring them to heel, so they'd remain on the ship and covertly transmit intelligence, keeping the World Government apprised of their movements.

When they received Spandham's orders in Carnival City, they had also briefed him on Sag's basic information.

Ever since Sag made his debut, he had plundered numerous kingdoms and slain countless kings, openly challenging the authority of the World Government.

"Wonderful, we won't have to die, chit-chat."

The owl said, "What a foolish pirate, wanting to bring CP9 to heel. We'll soon transmit this information, and as long as we're on this ship, the Navy will be informed of your actions."

"Shut up, you're blabbering again!" Gabura roared.

"It's not my fault, but since it's the scheme of my companion, I should be equally guilty. The only way to atone for this sin is to cut my belly open and end my suffering, yo yo yi!"

Wei Qu once again gripped Li Chai's handle and forcefully thrust the blade towards his abdomen.

"Iron block."

Clang!

The knife tip struck his abdomen, emitting a metallic clang as it pressed against it, unable to pierce further.

"Go die already!" Gabura's voice was turning hoarse.

These fools were truly testing his patience, one after another.

"The Navy? Hahaha, isn't it normal for pirates to encounter the Navy? What's there to be afraid of! My target is to plunder the Seven Waters Capital, so if you want to notify them, then go ahead."

Upon hearing this, Sag revealed a sinister smile and said, "I'm not underestimating the Navy's capabilities, but what I mean is that all of you are trash!"

There were already spies among his subordinates, so if they really wanted to notify the Navy, they would have done so by now. Yet, up until this point, the Navy still hadn't been able to capture him, right?

If the World Government's reactivity was that swift, there wouldn't be so many pirates roaming the seas.

Furthermore, if they really kept a close eye on him, it wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing.

His goal was to plunder along the way, especially his ultimate target—the famous shipbuilding capital, the Seven Waters Capital. If these CP9 agents leaked this information, a large number of Navy forces would gather in the Seven Waters Capital. However, he wouldn't go there!

As long as he could confirm that the Navy was deployed near the Seven Waters Capital, he could play a trick on them and directly bypass that location, plundering elsewhere instead. Then, once the Navy forces withdrew, he could turn back and strike again!

If they didn't notify anyone, what was the point of having spies?

"The Seven Waters Capital?"

Gabura was taken aback for a moment, lowering his head slightly as his eyes darted about.

Ah, so he was connected to Nico Robin.

But did he already know that Nico Robin was about to reach the Seven Waters Capital?

Could he have learned about their scheme?

Impossible. They themselves had just found out about it, and the plan had not yet been executed, so how could Sag possibly know?

Perhaps it was just a coincidence, and he might not know about this matter.

"Is it to save Nico Robin? Spandaman ordered us to return to the Judiciary Island because Rob Lucci's mission is about to end, and we plan to capture Nico Robin in the Seven Waters Capital and bring her back to the Judiciary Island for trial."

The owl caused Gabura to understand what it meant by 'I'll let you know'.

"Inunaki!"

Gabura rushed to his side, grabbing his collar and saying menacingly, "This is something you shouldn't say!"

The owl pulled the zipper across his mouth and covered it with his hand, cold sweat breaking out as he said, "I blabbed again, chaba ba!"

"Nico Robin..."

Sag's drinking motion paused slightly as he said, "The Judiciary Island, oh so you're going to capture her."

He recalled the incident at the Judiciary Island.

The Straw Hat Crew had created an uproar there, becoming famous worldwide.

This reminded him of another matter. After the Judiciary Island incident, that group had apparently been dismissed, as the CP9 organization must not be exposed to the world.

As for capturing Robin, that was quite normal. As an inhabitant of Ohara, she possessed the ability to decipher the historical Punctual Text, and the World Government would definitely not want others to know about this, even if they themselves didn't seek that knowledge.

However,

"It's none of my business. That's her choice and freedom."

Sag drained the wine in his cup and laughed loudly, "Let's liven up the party! Welcome our new crew members! Whooahahaha!"

It wasn't that he had no connection with Robin at all, but if one were to speak of the depth of their relationship...well, that would be basically non-existent.

After Robin had refused his invitation in Alabasta, their paths had diverged completely.

Even if she were to die at sea the very next moment, that would be her business, just like how Sag's death at sea would be his own affair.

Instead of dwelling on such matters, it was better to enjoy the party and then continue with his plans!

"You're called Wei Qu, right? Keep dancing! Gabura, you transformed earlier, so transform again and show me what animal you turn into!"

Laughter from Sag filled the banquet hall, accompanied by the rowdy shouts of the pirates.

Wei Qu was quite fond of Kabuki, an artistic form of dance, and now that he had confirmed there was no threat to his life and that Sag didn't mind, he happily continued dancing.

As for Gabura, he was the animal-type ability user of the Inu Inu no Mi, Model: Wolf.

Currently, in the banquet hall, he was transforming into his hybrid form, becoming a werewolf. He moved alongside Wei Qu's Kabuki performance, and with the other pirates' boisterous shouts, he circled Wei Qu, extending his left leg and right forepaw, then switching sides as if dancing around a bonfire.

The banquet continued late into the night until Sag was finally satisfied and left with his men, leaving behind a hall full of passed-out pirates.

Among them, Gabura, who had also gotten drunk, suddenly opened his eyes and kicked the owl who was snoring loudly beside him, with mucus balloons popping from his nose, "Wake up!"

The owl slept standing up, just like an actual owl.

"Ow, chaba ba!" The owl jumped up angrily. "Sleep is very important at night!"

"What's there to sleep about when you're an owl yourself?" Gabura shouted angrily. "When will your big mouth ever calm down? All our secrets have been exposed because of you!"

"I can't help it, chaba ba."

He wasn't the type who couldn't help but blurt things out against his will, nor did he claim to have the 'strongest defense'. He was simply a blabbermouth, eager to spread gossip. It was extremely uncomfortable for him to keep things bottled up.

That's why there was a zipper on his mouth.

"What now, are we leaving?"

Wei Qu had woken up earlier than Gabura. He hadn't drunk much, but he had exerted a lot of energy performing, though he was quite happy about it.

Finally, someone appreciated his art!

"I feel extremely guilty," Wei Qu said. "Clearly, Sag appreciates my art, but because I'm his enemy, I have to act against him. The guilt is overwhelming, and I feel like cutting my belly open to end my suffering, yo yo yi!"

He drew Li Chai, intending to slice his abdomen.

"Iron block."

Clang!

The knife tip struck his abdomen, emitting a metallic clang as it pressed against it, unable to pierce further.

"Go die already!" Gabura's voice was turning hoarse.

These fools were truly testing his patience, one after another.

Wei Qu gripped Li Chai's handle and forcefully thrust the blade towards his abdomen again.

"The Navy? Hahaha, isn't it normal for pirates to encounter the Navy? What's there to be afraid of! My target is to plunder the Seven Waters Capital, so if you want to notify them, then go ahead," Sag said with a sinister smile.

"I'm not underestimating the Navy's capabilities, but what I mean is that all of you are trash!" Sag continued. "There are already spies among my subordinates, so if they really wanted to notify the Navy, they would have done so by now. Yet, the Navy still hasn't captured me, right?"

If the World Government's reactivity was that swift, there wouldn't be so many pirates roaming the seas. Furthermore, if they kept a close eye on him, it wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing. His goal was to plunder along the way, especially his ultimate target—the famous shipbuilding capital, the Seven Waters Capital.

"If these CP9 agents leak this information, a large number of Navy forces will gather in the Seven Waters Capital. However, I won't go there! As long as I can confirm that the Navy is deployed near the Seven Waters Capital, I can play a trick on them and directly bypass that location, plundering elsewhere instead. Then, once the Navy forces withdraw, I can turn back and strike again!"

If they didn't notify anyone, what was the point of having spies?

"The Seven Waters Capital?" Gabura was taken aback, lowering his head slightly as his eyes darted about.

Ah, so he was connected to Nico Robin. But did he already know that Nico Robin was about to reach the Seven Waters Capital? Could he have learned about their scheme?

Impossible. They had just found out about it themselves, and the plan had not yet been executed, so how could Sag possibly know? Perhaps it was just a coincidence, and he might not know about this matter.

"Is it to save Nico Robin? Spandaman ordered us to return to the Judiciary Island because Rob Lucci's mission is about to end, and we plan to capture Nico Robin in the Seven Waters Capital and bring her back to the Judiciary Island for trial," the owl explained, causing Gabura to understand what it meant by 'I'll let you know'.

"Inunaki!" Gabura rushed to the owl's side, grabbing its collar menacingly. "This is something you shouldn't say!"

The owl pulled the zipper across its mouth and covered it with its hand, cold sweat breaking out as it said, "I blabbed again, chaba ba!"

"Nico Robin..." Sag's drinking motion paused slightly. "The Judiciary Island, oh so you're going to capture her."

He recalled the incident at the Judiciary Island, where the Straw Hat Crew had created an uproar, becoming famous worldwide. This reminded him of another matter. After the Judiciary Island incident, that group had apparently been dismissed, as the CP9 organization must not be exposed to the world.

As for capturing Robin, that was quite normal. As an inhabitant of Ohara, she possessed the ability to decipher the historical Punctual Text, and the World Government would definitely not want others to know about this, even if they themselves didn't seek that knowledge.

However, Sag shrugged it off. "It's none of my business. That's her choice and freedom."

Sag drained the wine in his cup and laughed loudly, "Let's liven up the party! Welcome our new crew members! Whooahahaha!"

It wasn't that he had no connection with Robin at all, but if one were to speak of the depth of their relationship, it was basically non-existent. After Robin had refused his invitation in Alabasta, their paths had diverged completely. Even if she were to die at sea the very next moment, that would be her business, just like how Sag's death at sea would be his own affair.

Instead of dwelling on such matters, it was better to enjoy the party and then continue with his plans!

"You're called Wei Qu, right? Keep dancing! Gabura, you transformed earlier, so transform again and show me what animal you turn into!" Sag's laughter filled the banquet hall, accompanied by the rowdy shouts of the pirates.

Wei Qu was quite fond of Kabuki, an artistic form of dance, and now that he had confirmed there was no threat to his life and that Sag didn't mind, he happily continued dancing. As for Gabura, he was the animal-type ability user of the Inu Inu no Mi, Model: Wolf.

Currently, in the banquet hall, he was transforming into his hybrid form, becoming a werewolf. He moved alongside Wei Qu's Kabuki performance, and with the other pirates' boisterous shouts, he circled Wei Qu, extending his left leg and right forepaw, then switching sides as if dancing around a bonfire.

The banquet continued late into the night until Sag was finally satisfied and left with his men, leaving behind a hall full of passed-out pirates. Among them was Gabura, who had also gotten drunk. He suddenly opened his eyes and kicked the owl, who was snoring loudly beside him, mucus balloons popping from his nose. "Wake up!"

The owl slept standing up, just like an actual owl.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end