Chapter 20: I, Kuro, a Method Actor!

What a pity that the enemy's hero is my sworn foe!

Ah Jin expressionless, swept his gaze around before fixing cold eyes on Gaza:

"Do you know what you are doing?"

"Drawing weapons on the Navy; even if you are a noble of the Kingdom, I have the authority to execute you on the spot."

Accompanying his words, an invisible killing intent erupted from Ah Jin, so intense it had become visible to the naked eye.

The guards in the port felt an inexplicable chill rise from the soles of their feet straight to the crown of their heads.

Their hands holding the guns trembled visibly, as if the one being aimed at was not a human, but some kind of wild beast wearing human skin.

Gaza felt the killing intent radiating from Ah Jin; goosebumps visibly rose on her arms, and her fingers beneath her sleeves trembled.

Yet, as the Port Lord, she still summoned the courage to face Ah Jin's cold, sharp gaze:

"What a coincidence then; this gentleman beside me, a Navy Major, just engaged in a fierce battle with the cunning Kuro out at sea."

A thousand alarms blared in Gaza's heart.

Especially regarding the Ah Jin standing before her.

Incidents of pirates disguising themselves as Navy personnel to infiltrate ports and launch attacks occurred frequently in the East Blue.

Even the great pirate Krieg, nicknamed the Provincial Military Commander, had used such tactics to successively attack several ports in the East Blue.

She subtly cast a glance at the guard beside her.

The latter understood instantly.

He turned and began organizing the patrolling guards in the port, evacuating the people still present, and establishing a defensive line.

It very much looked like a stance of being fully prepared for battle.

"This..."

The corner of Ah Jin's mouth twitched.

He turned to look at the severely damaged warship docked in the port, then looked at Xiang Gaowen, whose face was filled with righteousness.

For a moment, he felt as if tens of thousands of alpacas were flying over his head.

No way.

Can I just make up any excuse and have it collide with reality? Could this be any more absurd?

However.

Recalling what Krieg had said before their departure, Ah Jin quickly calmed down.

Having followed Krieg for several years, he naturally understood the other's style of doing things; while saying it was watertight might be an exaggeration, he would absolutely not drag them down in such matters.

Thus, Ah Jin retracted his killing intent and spoke:

"I belong to the forces under Base Commander Bate of the Navy's 18th Branch; you can verify this with nearby bases."

"As for you..."

He looked at Xiang Gaowen, his gaze icy:

"I have never seen you before; report your warship's number and your affiliated branch."

"Otherwise, I will execute you on the spot for the crime of impersonating the Navy!"

As he spoke.

Ah Jin removed from his waist a pair of tonfas fitted with iron balls at both ends and held them in his hands, slowly rotating them.

As the speed of the rotating iron balls increased, Xiang Keluo's expression grew increasingly gloomy.

Zing!

The claw blades hidden within his robes unsheathed, flashing with a cold, deadly gleam in the air.

This strangely shaped weapon instantly attracted the attention of everyone present; even Ah Jin held his breath for a moment upon seeing Xiang Keluo's weapon.

"Hey, hey, hey, this feeling isn't too good."

Palu's forehead was already beaded with cold sweat as he subconsciously raised both hands to shield himself with his shield:

"Aside from the Captain, this is the first time I've felt such terrifying killing intent from an enemy."

"This guy is definitely not Navy!"

Ah Jin neither affirmed nor denied this, his face Solemn as he looked at Xiang Keluo:

"So you really are fakes?!"

"Tch, in the end, I still have to rely on..."

Xiang Keluo was halfway through his sentence when Xiang Gaowen suddenly pressed a hand over his mouth; turning his head in confusion, he saw Xiang Gaowen cast an apologetic glance at Gaza and say slowly:

"Apologies, madam; Locke cannot tolerate any potential threat."

"His entire family died at the hands of pirates when he was young, which shaped his extreme personality."

After a brief moment of stupor, Xiang Keluo understood that Xiang Gaowen still had a trick up his sleeve.

He went along with it, retracting his killing intent, sheathing the claw blades at his fingertips, and feigning shame and anger as he said:

"Too talkative."

Xiang Gaowen smiled gently, displaying an expression of being accustomed to such behavior, while secretly giving Xiang Keluo a thumbs-up in his heart.

No wonder he could lie low in Kaya's house for three years without revealing the slightest flaw?

Entering character in one second without a script; whether young idols or veteran actors, they would all be utterly crushed; after watching Xiang Keluo's performance, they should all go back to the furnace for retraining.

"It's fine; this is not his fault."

Seeing Xiang Keluo's display, Gaza's eyes welled up with tears nearby, clearly moved to the core.

Xiang Gaowen turned to look at Ah Jin, his brows slightly furrowed:

"We belong to the Navy's GL-5 Branch, directly under Vice Admiral Virgo of that branch."

"GL-5 Branch? A Navy Vice Admiral?!"

Ah Jin was slightly stunned.

He had never heard of this branch's name; clearly, it was not in the East Blue, and "GL" was obviously an abbreviation, pointing to only one place...

The Grand Line! A Navy Vice Admiral!

When these two keywords were linked together, Xiang Gaowen no longer needed to say anything more; everyone present instantly understood the weight behind them.

Ah Jin's face turned especially Solemn, leaving him somewhat undecided.

Should he continue to entangle himself in this matter, or eliminate the opposition right here to facilitate subsequent plans?

Who could have expected that Xiang Gaowen's next words would instantly make cold sweat break out all over him...

"I haven't seen you in the East Blue, but I did see a face similar to yours on a certain wanted poster; the bounty is eleven million Berries, Demon Man—!"

Whoosh!

Ah Jin erupted into action; a rapidly spinning iron ball left an afterimage in the air as it attacked straight for Xiang Gaowen's head...

Clang!

Xiang Keluo arrived later yet struck first; the claw blades in his hand steadily caught Ah Jin's attack, and he looked at Ah Jin with contempt:

"That guy may be a bastard, but he's not someone you can mess with; besides, being so eager to silence us, could it be that you really are a pirate?!"

"Tch!"

Ah Jin's expression became extremely ugly.

With his identity exposed, attempting to infiltrate Raven Port to play a game of coordinating from within and without was clearly no longer feasible; the only option left was a direct assault.

However, feeling the terrifying aura emanating from Xiang Keluo, Ah Jin had absolutely no confidence in his heart.

This man named Locke was, compared to Krieg, only stronger and not weaker, while Xiang Gaowen, standing in the distance with a calm expression while protecting Gaza behind him, was even more unfathomable!

After all, even someone as strong as this Locke was merely his subordinate.

For a moment, Ah Jin found himself in a dilemma; his identity was about to be exposed, and he could not win the fight.

Krieg's fleet was still dozens of nautical miles away; by the time they arrived, the men under his command would likely be long dead.

Palu also realized this; holding his shield in front of everyone, he asked:

"What do we do?!"

The guards in the port also gathered at this moment, dozens of flintlock muskets simultaneously pointing at Ah Jin and the others...

Yet at this very moment, the sound of a steam whistle came again from the sea surface in the distance.

An ominous premonition inexplicably arose in everyone's hearts.

They turned to look back.

They saw another warship cutting through the sea surface, slowly sailing into the port.

The guards, full of confusion, turned their heads one after another to look at Gaza; seeing the latter nod, they stepped forward to assist the newly arrived warship in entering the port.

Very quickly.

A Navy officer who looked strikingly like a mouse led a group of soldiers, slowly walking down the gangway.

His gaze swept over everyone present; seeing that both Xiang Gaowen and Ah Jin held military ranks lower than his own, he lifted his chin and said to Gaza in the distance:

"I have just experienced a battle on the high seas; now I need to replenish food and medicine, otherwise my warship will be unable to reach the nearest Navy base."

"Please fully cooperate with our work."

(End of Chapter)