Chapter 106: How Much Oil Can Be Squeezed from a Pauper?!

Jasmine wore an expression of utter desolation, her fingers trembling as she handed a financial report to Gaza, who glanced over it and immediately held his breath.

"After suffering two consecutive attacks, our money has basically all been spent on disaster relief and rebuilding the port; it's almost entirely gone."

"If this continues, I'm afraid even the shipyard will be delayed."

"No!"

Gaza frowned tightly.

"The shipyard concerns Mr. Gao Wen's plan to enter the Grand Line; we cannot afford any slip-ups."

"Has the outstanding payment from the Goa Kingdom's royal family not been settled yet?"

Mentioning the Goa Kingdom made not only Gaza's face turn ashen, but even Jasmine, standing nearby, wore an expression of indignation.

"Too many things have happened at the port these past few months; we haven't had time to focus on the Goa Kingdom's affairs."

"But before this, everyone we sent was driven out by them, and several workers were even arbitrarily imprisoned in their jails."

"Just getting them out cost me a great deal of effort."

Jasmine ground her teeth and said.

"Expecting them to repay?"

After sighing, Gaza said.

"Let's send someone to try again."

"Young Lady..."

Jasmine's small face fell, but seeing the exhaustion on Gaza's face, she immediately changed her words.

"Forget it, I'll send someone to try again."

Gaza nodded, yet deep inside, he held no expectations for this.

She knew well what sort of people the Goa Kingdom's royal family were.

They had gained their position illegitimately in the first place.

After the old king died, the rightful princes died one after another, and the one who finally ascended was Sterli, who had no blood relation to the royal family whatsoever.

If one claims there was no foul play in this, then one can only say they are deceiving ghosts.

But since they are, after all, a member of the World Government, the stakes are too high, and Gaza felt some apprehension.

After some thought.

Gaza still had no leads, so he waved for Jasmine to go down and rest early, while he himself stared blankly at the financial report in his hand.

It was not until dawn broke that she suddenly remembered something.

"The Martial Arts Tournament!"

"Didn't Mr. Gao Wen previously plan to hold a fair duel within the pirate crew?"

"If this matter could be made a regular occurrence, even opening participation to other contestants to compete, it would surely attract more travelers from all walks of life to Raven Port."

"Direct ticket revenue is secondary; more importantly, this method could directly revitalize all the surrounding businesses!"

The more she thought.

The more Gaza felt this matter had potential.

She disregarded her physical fatigue, stood up immediately, pushed open the door, and walked toward Gao Wen's residence.

A few minutes later.

At the edge of Raven Port.

Gao Wen, Xiang Keluo, and the other two sat in a booth at a tavern, listening to Gaza in front of them explain her plan and the potential revenue it could bring.

Commonly known as painting a pie in the sky.

Just as Gaza was speaking with great enthusiasm, Xiang Keluo interrupted.

"Such a grand plan naturally requires a huge amount of investment in the early stages, right?!"

Gaza's face flushed red; she looked at Gao Wen as if seeking help and said urgently.

"Mr. Gao Wen, as long as this matter is done well, it will be a sure-fire profitable business; once Raven Port is revitalized, our profits will only grow higher and higher."

"It could even become a calling card for the East Blue!"

Gao Wen looked at Gaza and said.

"Is Raven Port very short on money right now?"

Gaza was stunned for a moment, completely unexpected that Gao Wen saw through her current predicament at a glance; she could only helplessly nod.

"Two consecutive attacks have almost drained all the cash in Raven Port, and the debt from the Goa Kingdom side has not been settled yet."

"They have even put on the face of a deadbeat."

"If this continues, let alone the port operating normally, even your shipbuilding plan will be affected."

Her words fell to the ground.

Gao Wen suddenly sat upright, his eyebrows furrowing slightly.

"Forgive me for speaking bluntly."

"Your plan takes too long; by the time it truly generates revenue, your capital chain will have long since broken."

"If the gap isn't too large, we could temporarily help you fill it."

Xiang Keluo sighed and said.

"We need to retain sufficient funds for shipbuilding; moreover, Captain, you spent quite a bit previously settling those companions."

"What remains now is not much, and the places where money will be needed later will only be more numerous."

As Xiang Keluo spoke, his voice paused slightly, and a sudden flash of inspiration shot through his mind.

"However, it is not impossible, unless a large amount of capital can be recovered in a short time."

"You want to open an outside betting pool?"

Gao Wen frowned, but before he could speak, Xiang Keluo shook his head directly, turned, and gave him a mysterious smile:

"Captain, we are already the undisputed overlords of the East Sea. Not to mention rivals who can compete with you, there isn't even a pirate crew that can compete with me or Akin."

"Besides."

"How much oil and grease do you expect to squeeze out of those gambling poor ghosts?"

"Open your horizons!"

"If we're going to make money, let's make big money; let's make money from the rich!"

Gao Wen tapped his fingertips lightly on the table, making a clicking sound. After just a few breaths, he saw through Xiang Keluo's plan:

"You're planning to cut the kingdom nobles of the East Sea?"

"Cut? What we're doing this time is legitimate business!"

Xiang Keluo pushed his glasses up with his hand, but the smile on his lips grew even more ferocious:

"I'm holding such a huge tournament; isn't it reasonable to collect some sponsorship fees? Isn't it reasonable to let them give voluntarily?"

"Hiss—!"

Gao Wen sucked in a sharp breath of cold air.

This wasn't collecting sponsorship fees at all; this was preparing to use the Martial Arts Tournament as an excuse to thoroughly fleece the nobles of the East Sea from top to bottom.

No wonder Xiang Keluo could lie low in Kaya's house for three years, or even be personally selected by Oda as the second smartest person in the world.

This damn kid really has no intention of being human!

"This... won't that be a bit too much?"

Gao Wen rubbed his hands together.

Xiang Keluo glanced at him sideways:

"What's wrong, Captain, don't you want to?"

"That's not it; I'm just worried we can only cut the leeks once."

"Then we'll go a bit softer the first time."

The two exchanged smiles; everything was understood without words.

"Hehehe~"

"Hehehe~"

As for what kind of character the nobles in the pirate world are, well, those who know, know.

Cutting flesh from these people, Gao Wen felt not the slightest burden of conscience.

Jia Sha listened, confused and clouded, yet already understood that Gao Wen and the other had agreed to her request.

She still had one thing she didn't understand and couldn't help but ask:

"If we ask for sponsorship, will they just give it?"

"Of course they will."

Gao Wen nodded:

"Because I plan to have Akin and Xiang Keluo take the ship to ask for it. If they don't give, we'll raise the pirate flag and ask again."

"They will understand."

This time.

Jia Sha understood Gao Wen's meaning. Remembering the debt owed by the Goa Kingdom, she made up her mind, gritted her teeth, and said:

"Captain, can we start with the Goa Kingdom?!"

"No problem!"

(End of this chapter)