Chapter 18: I, Gao Wen, Marine Lieutenant Commander

Kro's request naturally had no chance, nor could it possibly succeed.

Setting aside the Devil Fruit, an existence beyond common sense, even the best doctor would have to follow basic laws.

Having lost Kro, a leek with Bronze-level potential, Gao Wen's daily harvested experience points returned to the expected level.

Stabilizing within the twenty to thirty range.

Looking at this data,

Gao Wen fell into deep thought for a time.

The experience provided daily by Kro, merely of Bronze level, had already reached over ten points.

This meant that as long as there were two beings with Bronze potential on the ship, the daily experience provided could match that of over a hundred people whose potential had not yet been exhausted.

The gap between individuals was secondary; the greater problem was that an overly massive pirate crew in this situation had instead become a burden.

This was especially true given Gao Wen's plans to head for the Grand Line.

Leaving aside other matters, the mere food, drink, waste, plus medical supplies and ammunition consumption for several hundred people daily was a huge number.

The supplies on the warship Gao Wen had seized, originally enough for over a hundred people to last a month, instantly shrank to only ten days' worth after merging with the Black Cat Pirates' forces.

Not to mention carrying dozens of injured men; the ship's medical supplies had long been exhausted.

"Before heading to the Grand Line, claiming the title of Warlord, and establishing a stable base,"

"it is more beneficial for my abilities to follow an elite team model like Luffy, Shanks, or Roger."

"After all, the experience provided by a Bronze-potential Kro is enough to rival seventy or eighty ordinary pirates with Iron potential, and the harvest cycle is significantly longer."

"Not to mention the seeds of Silver, Gold, and even Legendary potential that may exist in the future."

Thinking thus, Gao Wen made a decision.

As long as subsequent plans proceed smoothly, after recruiting a few more crew members with excellent potential and beginning to streamline the team to form an elite crew composed of members with at least Bronze potential, then enter the Grand Line.

Moreover, for these pirates whose potential is exhausted, rather than heading to the Grand Line to die, it is better to stay in the East Blue; relying on their own decent strength and with Gao Wen standing behind them, they can at least make a living.

However, the rate of supply consumption on the ship still exceeded Gao Wen's expectations; merely three days later, food and medicine were declared critical.

In the captain's cabin.

Gao Wen and several officers were all gathered here, wearing solemn faces.

"Captain, the remaining food is only enough to support us for five days; barely enough to get us back to the base on Parra Island, but the medical supplies and ammunition there have long run dry."

"The injured brothers, if they do not receive timely treatment, most of them will not survive. We..."

Jango reported the pirate crew's situation with a solemn face; he was after all not a cold man like Kro, unwilling to watch these subordinates die in such pain.

The Cat Brothers sitting nearby were the same; seeing Gao Wen's lack of reaction, they hurriedly spoke to advise:

"Among these people, many were trained by you, Captain, and can be considered elite; letting them die like this is not worth the loss."

Gao Wen raised his hand to signal the three to be quiet, then looked at Kro:

"Do you have a stable procurement channel?"

Kro nodded:

"Previously, our firearms and medical supplies were supplied by Jango from Raven Port."

"However, that guy had an accident recently and was just pulled out of the Marines' hands; I worry it might be a trap set by the Marines."

"It doesn't matter."

Gao Wen was unshaken:

"If the Marines dare to reach out, chop off their hands!"

"Hmph."

Kro adjusted his glasses, a slight smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

Gao Wen's answer was within his expectations; indeed, he instinctively felt that it should be this way.

Only such spirit could be worthy of Gao Wen's terrifying talent and monster-like strength.

Jango and the Cat Brothers exchanged a glance and breathed a sigh of relief.

At the same time, in their eyes looking at Gao Wen, besides fear, a measure of respect had been added.

In this era, captains willing to go this far for their subordinates exist, but absolutely not many.

The next day.

Gao Wen's fleet split into two routes.

The three pirate ships originally belonging to the Black Cat Pirates, with the Cat Brothers and Jango in command, took the injured and some non-combatant members back to the base on Parra Island.

Gao Wen led Kro and a ship of elite pirates, piloting the naval warship, heading toward Raven Port.

On this warship, many Marine soldiers' uniforms and Morgan's uniforms were still retained.

Gao Wen ordered his subordinates to change into soldiers' clothes; he himself changed into Morgan's clothes after they were altered to fit. The entire ship's pirates instantly transformed, directly becoming the appearance of the Marines.

Especially Gao Wen; born with a handsome face, after changing into a Marine Lieutenant Commander's uniform, the whole person radiated a righteous aura from within.

Judging by appearance alone, saying he was not a Marine would likely find no one believing it.

Kro's mouth twitched.

If Gao Wen had not already taken the captain's position, he would have been unable to help suspecting Gao Wen was a Marine spy.

"You being a pirate is truly a loss for the Marines."

Kro let out an exclamation; seeing Gao Wen's somewhat strange expression, he also grew lazy about continuing to dwell on this issue.

Similarly changing into a Marine officer's uniform, paired with a refined appearance and a gloomy temperament, he too gained a touch of righteousness.

"Done."

"With our two looks, we absolutely look more like regular Marines than most actual regular Marines."

Gao Wen patted Kro's shoulder; the latter curled a slight smile at the corner of his mouth:

"Yes!"

"Commander!"

……

……

……

At the same time.

Near Raven Port.

A massive fleet composed of nearly twenty pirate ships slowly docked within a bay.

After confirming no one was tracking them in the surrounding area.

Provincial Military Commander Creek, clad in golden armor with short, pale purple hair, stepped out from the giant ship at the fleet's center and onto the deck.

He raised a telescope to his eye, gazing toward the port at the horizon's end.

Even dozens of nautical miles away, from his position he could still see countless merchant vessels coming and going there, each laden with cargo from the Four Seas and even the Grand Line.

It could be said to be exceedingly prosperous.

Gazing at the distant scene, Creek's eyes involuntarily revealed a trace of greed; then he lowered his head to look at the nautical chart in his hand:

"Raven Port is one of the essential ports for East Sea merchant ships, yet there is no nearby Marine branch stationed here. Once we occupy this place, it will be equivalent to gripping the transportation throat of dozens of nearby cities."

"Even if we just sit here and do nothing, countless Berries will flow into our hands every day."

"By then, I will be able to forge an invincible fleet; not even the Grand Line will be able to stop me!"

At this moment.

A man wearing a striped headscarf, emaciated in form and resembling a evil spirit, slowly walked to Creek's side and said indifferently:

"Captain, what do you need me to do?"

"The usual."

Creek glanced at the man and grinned viciously:

"Gin, take some men and disguise yourselves as Marines to infiltrate Raven Port; after eliminating the internal forces of resistance, we will strike from within and without to seize it in one blow."

"Yes."

Gin nodded:

"However."

"There is a slight problem with that warship we plundered earlier; it needs some time for debugging, so I'm afraid it will cause a delay of a few days."

"Hmm."

Creek nodded:

"Do it as soon as possible; delay breeds change, and no one can predict what might happen if we drag this out too long."

"Yes!"

(End of Chapter)