Chapter 162: Plague

Kalifa's footsteps stopped instantly.

She turned back and saw that Xiang Gaowen's breathing had become even, and his heartbeat had slowed down.

Only intermittent murmurs came from his mouth.

"So it's true that wine brings out the truth?"

A smile curled Kalifa's lips; even with all her strength, she could not hide the grin on her face:

"All my efforts before were not in vain. Perhaps even Knight Xiang Gaowen himself hasn't noticed that he has long been deeply in love with me."

"Is it just that he doesn't want to see Guinevere's tragedy repeat, so he has been suppressing his feelings?"

"It doesn't matter. I will prove that I am different from her."

"I am the only woman to fight my way out of countless seeds of CP9; my potential is far beyond what a Wang Fei of a single allied nation in the East Blue can compare to."

Kalifa's eyes gradually grew firm.

This was because, in her view, she was only one step away from completely conquering Xiang Gaowen; the only thing lacking was strength.

"I will become stronger until you put aside all your concerns and throw yourself completely into the trap I have woven for you."

"By then, a Seven Warlords-level power, no, given the potential Xiang Gaowen has shown, he will surely go even further in the future—that is... a Yonko!"

"A Yonko-level combatant I can command; perhaps even CP0 could be mine in the future!"

Thinking of this,

Kalifa's entire body trembled continuously with excitement.

Even when she looked at Xiang Gaowen again, a flush rose on her face, clearly indicating she had other thoughts.

"Not only that, Knight Xiang Gaowen, in every aspect, is the perfect partner. I..."

Kalifa suddenly realized that, since when did she truly have certain thoughts she shouldn't have.

She took a deep breath and said in a low voice:

"What are you thinking? This is just a mission!"

"Yes, it's all for the mission!"

But the more she suppressed certain thoughts, the more they kept echoing.

She walked to the door, couldn't help but look back at Xiang Gaowen once more, saw that he was already fast asleep, and then gently closed the door.

She immediately turned and left.

Tap!

Tap!

Tap!

The footsteps in the corridor gradually faded away.

Xiang Gaowen, lying on the bed, slowly opened his eyes, recalling Kalifa's earlier mutterings, and for a moment didn't know what to say.

"It's... hard to comment..."

"Having too much inner drama isn't a good thing, but fortunately, things are finally developing in the direction I want."

The next day.

Xiang Gaowen's pirate crew raised their sails and set course toward the Drum Kingdom.

"According to the current route, we should arrive at Silver Moon Port in two days."

Nami stood in the captain's cabin, planning the subsequent route together with Xiang Gaowen and Xiang Keluo:

"Although the supplies on board are enough to support us until the Drum Kingdom, the climate of the Grand Line is unpredictable; we can't guarantee that nothing unexpected will happen in between."

"Let's replenish the ship's supplies there first before setting off again."

Xiang Gaowen nodded, having no objections.

For one thing, Nami had gradually become familiar with navigation in the Grand Line; for another, this also matched Xiang Gaowen's original speculation.

Suddenly.

Xiang Keluo let out an exclamation:

"Why is that woman..."

Nami followed Xiang Keluo's gaze and saw Kalifa, having changed into a tracksuit, walking onto the deck and beginning to train.

She was also training in the Marine Six Styles; her slender figure instantly attracted everyone's attention around her.

"Miss Kalifa~~~"

Sanji's eyes sparkled with hearts; he lunged again, and as expected, Kalifa slapped him onto the mast, sticking him there.

Roubo Luqi was slightly stunned; he felt a belly full of questions he wanted to ask, but considering the others present, he ultimately did not speak.

He only kept glancing at Kalifa, completely unaware of what had happened.

For a moment,

Nami was also stunned, muttering:

"Didn't Miss Kalifa want to capture Captain Xiang Gaowen before?"

"Why now..."

Xiang Keluo also had a face full of question marks.

He looked at Xiang Gaowen, who was smiling silently beside him, and then said to Nami:

"Nami, go out first."

"Oh, okay."

Nami turned around, walked to the door, yet still couldn't help but turn her head to look at Xiang Gaowen, the fire of gossip burning fiercely in her eyes.

It was because on the day of the banquet, Nami was one of the few who hadn't gotten drunk, after all, minors couldn't drink alcohol.

She had personally watched Miss Kalifa help Xiang Gaowen back to his room.

Did Kalifa start cultivating after that night?

Did she feel her body wasn't tough enough to withstand the Captain's making love?

Thinking of this, Nami's face flushed red, and countless forbidden scenes instantly popped into her mind, most of which came from the sex scenes of a certain movie combined with her own imagination.

For a moment.

Nami decided that after returning to her room, she would find that movie again and criticize it thoroughly by herself.

In the Captain's cabin.

Seeing Nami walk far away, Xiang Keluo couldn't help but ask:

"What did you do to her?"

"A few days ago she was crazily throwing herself at you, now why has she directly started cultivating?"

The doubts in Xiang Keluo's heart were no less than Nami's.

Especially when seeing that unfathomable smile on Xiang Gaowen's face, he immediately became restless, scratching his head and unable to figure it out no matter how hard he thought.

Seeing this, Xiang Gaowen smiled slightly and said:

"It cannot be spoken, it cannot be spoken."

"Stop pretending!"

Xiang Keluo's mouth twitched:

"Even if I am the First Mate and Strategist, you still have to tell me what happened before you can ask me to help you analyze it, right?"

Xiang Keluo immediately grew anxious, using his status as First Mate to try to make Xiang Gaowen speak.

Unfortunately, Xiang Gaowen simply didn't buy it, and said indifferently:

"Women's matters, even if I told you, you wouldn't understand."

Xiang Keluo's face stiffened, turning red on the spot:

"You're the one who doesn't understand; when I entered the Red Light District, you were still playing with Wang Fei in the Goa Kingdom."

"So this Wang Fei incident isn't going to pass, is it?"

"Then tell me, what did you do to Miss Kalifa?"

"The Buddha says, it cannot be spoken—!"

"Get lost!"

On the deck.

Everyone cultivated even harder, but most of their gazes were drawn to the corner where Miss Kalifa was practicing the Navy's Six Styles with Roubo Luqi.

With her beautiful features and graceful figure, even if Miss Kalifa merely stood there, she was a beautiful scenery line.

However, being watched by so many gazes made Miss Kalifa feel somewhat uncomfortable, but she did not retreat; instead, she gritted her teeth and continued cultivating there.

It was because from Xiang Gaowen's room, one could see the crowd cultivating on the deck at a glance, naturally also seeing her, and even seeing her transform bit by bit.

Miss Kalifa murmured to herself:

"Just watch, Xiang Gaowen."

"I will prove myself different from Wang Fei Gwen, and I will also wait for the moment you think I have enough strength to stand by your side!"

Thinking this.

Miss Kalifa's cultivation became even more strenuous, continuing until late into the night.

However, she couldn't receive the stamina BUFF bonus provided by the Captain's Wrath, and the Six Styles were not like Roubo Luqi's, having comprehended Life Return, so after a whole day, her body had already reached its limit.

Inside the room.

Seeing this, Roubo Luqi couldn't help but remind her:

"Your constitution is ultimately different from those monsters, and you haven't comprehended Life Return either."

"You can't sustain this level of cultivation."

Miss Kalifa shook her head and said:

"I know, but to truly obtain Knight Xiang Gaowen, this is a necessary process."

Roubo Luqi was slightly stunned, recalling Miss Kalifa's sudden change, and asked suspiciously:

"Didn't you say before that what you wanted to obtain was Knight Xiang Gaowen's person? Why did you suddenly start cultivating with us?"

After Miss Kalifa explained the cause and effect as she understood it to Roubo Luqi, she only received a white eye from the latter:

"Are you really sure he isn't tricking you?"

For some reason, Roubo Luqi had a hunch that this silly woman wouldn't be tricked out of both money and sex, would she?

"How is that possible?"

Miss Kalifa shook her head and stated confidently:

"I am very sure that in Xiang Gaowen's heart, there is already a shadow of me."

"Otherwise, why did he specifically let me sit next to him at the banquet? And not Nami?"

"Clearly, he has me in his heart."

"Forget it; you wouldn't understand matters of the heart anyway."

Roubo Luqi's mouth twitched, but ultimately he said nothing.

After all, he truly did not understand this matter.

Changing the subject, he spoke of the intelligence prepared for handover to Spandam at Silver Moon Port, frowning as he said:

"Does handing over that kind of thing really have any meaning?"

As he spoke,

he recalled the funding application Miss Kalifa had filled out earlier, along with the records he had kept during this period, and his mouth twitched again.

"No problem."

Miss Kalifa spoke with full confidence:

"Once my strategy of attacking the heart is approved by those above, our subsequent plans will receive even more support."

"As for the funding, surely they won't let me spend that money myself?"

Roubo Luqi hesitated, wanting to speak but stopping himself.

Night fell.

The ship's rocking grew increasingly violent; Xiang Gaowen sat in the captain's cabin, the light overhead swaying.

Outside the porthole lay only pitch-black seawater, rising and falling.

Soon,

the familiar system notification sound appeared once again in Xiang Gaowen's ears.

"Constitution Experience +1326!"

... (omitted)

"Zoan Devil Fruit Experience +357!"

"Six Styles Experience +434!"

Xiang Gaowen looked at the surge in his Six Styles Experience and nodded in satisfaction:

"Even though Miss Kalifa's potential is far inferior to Roubo Luqi's, being merely Bronze rank, even a mosquito's leg is still meat."

"Moreover, with this, that woman's attention will be entirely focused on cultivation; not only will things be quieter for me for now, but the progress of the Six Styles will also accelerate."

Two days later.

The Xiang Gaowen Pirates gradually entered the waters where Silver Moon Port was located.

Soon,

a port came into everyone's view; this port was far more desolate than Xiang Gaowen had expected.

Only a few small boats were moored there, their sails already rotted, clearly indicating they had not set sail for who knew how long.

Purple dust drifted across the sea surface, emitting a scent like decaying wood, scattering in all directions as the sea breeze blew.

"Gas masks!"

Realizing something was amiss, Xiang Gaowen ordered his subordinates to retrieve gas masks from the hold, then immediately dropped anchor at a spot within the port.

Only after everyone disembarked did they discover that the port was filled with withered corpses.

Large quantities of mushrooms grew on the surfaces of these corpses, constantly spraying purple spores into the air.

Two ship doctors accompanying the team stepped off the vessel; after briefly examining several corpses, they reached a conclusion:

"They all died from a fungal infection."

"These mushrooms continuously spray spores into the air; these spores then invade the human body through the respiratory tract, triggering further infection."

"But under normal circumstances, as long as there is one slightly professional doctor here, the source would be discovered quickly; directly burning the spores would halt the spread, preventing it from developing to this extent."

Xiang Gaowen suddenly realized:

"Have we already entered the territory of the Drum Kingdom?"

Nami nodded:

"Correct, although this is only the border region."

"Then that explains it."

Xiang Gaowen nodded:

"After the new king of the Drum Kingdom, Wapol, ascended the throne, he executed most of the doctors in the country; only the few individuals remaining by his side retain the qualification to practice medicine."

"He intends to enslave the entire kingdom's commoners by monopolizing medical resources, while simultaneously helping himself amass wealth."

"Are you kidding me?"

Xiang Keluo frowned:

"No matter how ignorant a king might be, it's impossible to go to such lengths, right?"

"This is no longer ignorance; it is sheer stupidity."

"There are plenty of kings in this world far more stupid and cruel than him."

Xiang Gaowen sneered, then turned to look at Ah Jin and said:

"Ah Jin, take some people and search for any survivors; save those who can be saved, and give a quick death to those who cannot."

"Yes."

A Jin nodded, selected a few men from behind, and prepared to set out.

But at that moment.

Roubo Luqi stepped forward and said:

"Captain, I'll go with Captain A Jin—there might be danger here."

Xiang Gaowen naturally knew what Luqi was after, so he nodded and did not stop him.

After all, during this time, the ship's navigation and planning for the Xiang Gaowen Pirates had been settled verbally between him and Xiang Keluo; with Xiang Gaowen's own Future-Seeing Haki, eavesdropping was impossible.

Even if Luqi sent intelligence back to the CP organization, it could not involve any of his own secrets.

Moreover, before mastering the Six Powers, Xiang Gaowen had no intention of exposing either of their identities.

In fact, if the opportunity arose, Xiang Gaowen planned to recruit both Roubo Luqi and Miss Kalifa—they both had decent potential.

A Jin led Luqi toward the interior of Silver Moon Port, beginning the search for survivors.

The two gradually vanished into the purple mist.

Xiang Gaowen looked around, his gaze landing on the mushrooms scattered across the ground.

For some reason, looking at the mushrooms, he felt an odd sense of familiarity.

"Did I miss something?"

After pondering for a while, Xiang Gaowen still found no answer, so he gave up.

At that very moment, A Jin and Luqi returned with their teams, both with solemn expressions:

"No survivors—we found some victims weren't killed by spores, but shot with bullets."

Xiang Gaowen nodded; he wasn't surprised.

After all, this was the Grand Line—encountering pirate attacks and losing a few lives was perfectly normal.

In this world, human lives were as worthless as weeds!

Xiang Gaowen sighed inwardly, then led everyone aboard.

The Raven set sail again, gradually moving away from Silver Moon Port, away from the area shrouded in purple mist.

Xiang Gaowen turned back to gaze at the purple mist enveloping Silver Moon Port and murmured:

"If we leave these spores, they might spread to other places and cause more deaths—better to burn them all at once."

Saying this,

he leapt from the deck, transforming into the Red Dragon form before Luqi and Miss Kalifa's shocked eyes.

The Red Dragon, nearly a hundred meters long, hovered in the sky, its mouth brewing blue flames, then unleashed a scorching dragon breath!

Boom!

After a thunderous roar, Silver Moon Port erupted in Xiong Xiongdahuo, and even the spores in the air were burned clean.

Luqi gazed up at the Red Dragon in the sky, a bead of cold sweat forming on his forehead, and said solemnly:

"How do you fight a monster like this?"

Miss Kalifa remained silent, but her heart rippled with quiet unease.

……

Several days later.

司法岛.

CP9 Director's Office.

Spandam sat in his chair, legs propped on the desk, his eyes betraying a hidden anticipation.

"According to the timeline, Luqi and Miss Kalifa's report should be arriving soon, right?"

"If their operation goes smoothly, promotion and wealth won't be a problem!"

(End of Chapter)