Chapter 427: The Ways of Pirates
Chapter 427: The Ways of Pirates
Sage's words left Carla and Robin in a brief moment of silence.
They were unaware of Sage's methods within his own territory, but every great pirate had their unique approach.
Whether it be a penchant for slaughter, destruction, pleasure, profit, or simply a love for meat, they were all pirates.
But to eliminate all the merchants within his territory...
Those were merchants!
Even within the Revolution Army, a significant portion of their funding came from commerce.
Moreover, Sage was a pirate, which made it challenging to attract legitimate merchants in the first place.
"Um, may I ask something?"
As the Demons dragged Andre, whose face was ashen, away, Robin raised her hand and asked, "Sage, how many merchants are you planning to eliminate?"
"Who knows?"
Sage sat back down in his chair, waved his hand, and Bellana clipped a cigar and handed it to him.
Click.
The lighter emitted a crisp sound as it ignited, and after lighting the cigar, Sage exhaled a puff of smoke, "I usually don't keep track of such things, but there should be quite a few."
"There are a total of one hundred and thirty-eight registered merchants, from factory owners to those dealing in bulk commodities."
Lily replied, "This doesn't include small vendors and some shop owners."
Although economic intervention was in place, it was essentially a laissez-faire approach. The subordinates were free to do as they pleased, as long as it was within certain limits. They only had to pay taxes on their activities.
It was challenging to keep track of the general population, but small merchants who hired employees were required to pay taxes in advance when issuing salaries.
These hundred-plus merchants, when combined, controlled approximately 70% of Ohara's major commercial and industrial enterprises.
The remaining 30% were Sage's core businesses, which he kept off-limits.
It seemed exaggerated, but it also depended on the population.
With a population of over two million, having a hundred-plus merchants dealing in bulk commodities and industries wasn't excessive.
Sage was also quite tolerant of merchants. As long as they paid their taxes without deductions, he didn't care how successful they became. It was their skill to grow their businesses, and he never interfered.
"One... that's a lot of merchants!"
Carla stammered, "Hey, Cataclysm, if you do this, will anyone still come to our door? And what if they run away?"
These weren't small vendors; according to Sage, they were all skilled merchants. In the Revolution Army, there were only about a dozen such individuals, and they were treasured for providing resources and funding for operations.
Was Sage planning to kill them all?
"Can a monk escape without the temple?"
Sage scoffed, "What's the point of running away when the goods are here? Even if they get the news, what can they take with them? Industries can't be carried away, and how many ships of supplies can they load? Even if someone gets lucky and takes some Belli, what use is that?"
The meat was in the pot, and whether it was well-cooked or overcooked, it wouldn't grow legs and walk out. It was up to Sage to decide how to consume it.
As for the loss of funds, if it ever came to that, Sage had backup plans to replenish them.
Was his rainbow gem a fake?
With Doffy and Old Sandy's efforts, although it hadn't reached the equivalent of one million Belli that Sage desired, they currently had three hundred thousand Belli.
As a luxury item, the price of this gem was already quite high. After all, on the high seas, a branded shirt cost around one Belli, an outer coat three to four Belli, and a well-crafted luxury brand item around ten to fifteen Belli.
In comparison to the East Sea, a meal at the famous Baratie restaurant cost around thirteen to fourteen Belli, roughly half to a third of an average person's monthly salary.
Therefore, Sage wasn't worried about merchants leaving or taking money, nor was he concerned about a lack of funds in his territory. His goods would always find buyers.
"Hmm."
Sage stroked his chin in thought for a moment before saying, "The industry represented by that Piecero guy is indeed indispensable. Let's keep it as one of the six major industries. We won't take on assassination jobs, but we can switch to debt collection and repossession services."
"I thought the funeral industry this guy represents would have no use for him, but now that I think about it, that might not be the case."
Regardless of whether these merchants can escape or not, once the Golden Bank starts lending out usury, we can't have Sage and his men collect debts, right? Occasional appearances are fine, but it's not a long-term solution.
We still need to replace this industry and create a professional debt collection team.
But there's no rush. The six major industries are interconnected, and everyone might have side jobs. For now, the priority is to develop the basic foundation and then consider these matters later.
"Sage, what about the intensity?" Lily asked.
Sage waved his hand dismissively. "You decide."
"Then let's handle it with the same intensity as the extermination of the nobility. After all, betrayal is a serious crime, and the main culprit should be subjected to the Skinning and Blood Eagle Execution by the Demons."
Lily's casual words sent a chill through the banquet hall, causing the maids serving and the chefs standing behind them to shiver simultaneously.
They were all locals, with only a few outsiders among them.
The bloody massacre that occurred here not long ago was still fresh in everyone's memory, just over a year ago.
Back then, the roads in Storm City were so sticky!
Is it going to happen again?
Lily's words also startled Robin and Carla, and they both turned solemn.
Initially, they felt that such slaughter was inappropriate, but as soon as Lily spoke, they sensed a strong aura of bloodlust.
As one of the Four Emperors, Sage's exploits were well-known to the world.
After conquering this kingdom, to secure his rule, he had reportedly slaughtered all the nobility.
The Revolution Army had even sent people to the surrounding areas, hoping to save some of the survivors.
After all, Sage's reputation at that time was extremely poor.
If it weren't for the later reports of the stability and prosperity of the people in his territory reaching the Revolution Army, Dragon might not have considered collaborating with Sage.
They had even discussed internally, thinking it might just be rumors, as pirates generally had bad reputations.
Pirates would kill, but it's unlikely they would massacre an entire family, leaving none alive.
But now, upon hearing this...
It seems the rumors might be true.
"You, what are you going to do?" Carla blurted out. "Are you going to kill them all? Those people are innocent. They..."
"Carla."
Robin stood up and said gently, "Since the deal is done, let's go."
Without waiting for a response, she pulled Carla along, saying, "Then, we'll take our leave."
"Can't you stay a little longer? We're family, after all. Stay a few more days, and I'll treat you well." Sage smiled.
"There will be other opportunities, Sage."
Robin gave him a complex look, wanting to say something but stopping herself. She offered him a smile and left with Carla.
Once they were out of sight, Renetia scoffed, "They're quite sensible. A mere Revolution Army wants to teach us? Have they ever killed a Dragonian?"
Sage exhaled a puff of smoke, a cold smile tugging at his lips.
Family?
Who among those present wasn't closer to him than her?
Ever since she rejected his invitation in Alabasta, they had been on different paths.
He acknowledged the family connection, but nothing more.
"Robin, this Cataclysm is going too far. Even if it's betrayal, punishing the perpetrator should be enough. But according to them, they want to kill the entire family! Is this what pirates do?"
It wasn't until they left the palace that Carla finally spoke the words she had been holding back.
She wasn't foolish; she knew there were things she couldn't say, and her earlier reaction was purely instinctive.
"Yes," Robin nodded lightly. "That's what pirates do."
(End of Chapter)
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