Chapter 71

Thinking of the words he'd spoken a few days ago, Gao Wen now wanted to slap his own stupid mouth twice.

He'd boasted he could walk sideways across the East Blue…

Hah.

So truly invincible, are we? Even enemies from heaven have come?

After mentally cursing himself a few times, Gao Wen closed his eyes and fell into deep thought.

Hawk-Eye, as the earliest Seven Warlords to appear in the original story, was also a tier-above powerhouse among all Seven Warlords.

Even in the late stages, every other Seven Warlord, except Blackbeard, still lagged behind him by at least one full tier.

Warlords like Moonlight Moria, whose power had severely declined, might even be two tiers behind him.

Although Gao Wen's strength had surged recently, the gap between him and Hawk-Eye remained insurmountable.

Even counting the combined strength of Gao Wen's pirate crew, it would be like ants trying to shake a tree or a mantis trying to stop a cart—only more deaths.

Under these circumstances, the best choice was naturally to abandon the Cat Brothers and hide like a turtle, lying low.

But Gao Wen couldn't bring himself to do such a thing; he didn't consider himself a good man, but he wasn't this cold-blooded.

Especially after hearing Hawk-Eye's words: "I'd rather die than betray my crew."

The fate of these minor characters, originally meant to be XP fodder for the Straw Hat crew, had changed because of his arrival.

"Companions…"

Gao Wen murmured softly, his gaze hardening instantly.

…

Half an hour later.

A small boat slipped away silently from behind Parra Island, evading all eyes.

Only two people were aboard.

Gao Wen, studying the map and permanent compass to set the course, and Zoro, steering the sail and rowing with an oar.

At this moment.

Zoro's eyes blazed with boundless excitement:

"You're serious?"

"That man… the man called the world's greatest swordsman… has really come to the East Blue?"

"But why target you? Is this what they mean by the attraction between the strong?"

Zoro speculated, only to see Gao Wen shake his head, his expression utterly solemn:

"Compared to that guy, I can't call myself strong at all."

"Hey, Zoro, why don't I bring any other crewmates? Why only you?"

Zoro sensed something, his pupils shrinking sharply in disbelief:

"Even you don't have confidence in protecting your crew? Is he really that strong?"

"Yeah."

Gao Wen sighed:

"Though I hate to admit it, the gap between him and me is a hundred times greater than the gap between him and you!"

"I won't bring the others because if I lose, none of them will survive."

"I brought you because for you, this chance matters more than life or death!"

Zoro smiled faintly, a hint of a grin curling his lips:

"Ah, after all, he's the world's greatest!"

"I want to know just how strong that kind of guy is—enough to make even a monster like you admit defeat before even fighting."

"You'll find out soon."

Gao Wen smiled faintly, but his expression froze the next instant.

He looked down at the map and compass in his hand, then at the course, and his mouth twitched:

"Forget it, you'd better hand me the oar—I shouldn't have let you row."

"What?"

"You followed my course and still rowed us in the wrong direction. By the time we get there, the Cat Brothers' corpses will be cold!"

Zoro refused to believe it, snatched the map from Gao Wen's hand, compared it briefly, and his face fell.

Bastard!

I really want to argue with him!

…

…

…

At the same time.

Inside Baratie Restaurant.

The Cat Brothers and other pirates were chained by the feet and thrown into an empty storage room aboard Baratie's ship.

Originally, Redfoot Zeff, as both head chef and owner, refused to do such a thing—but the opponent was too strong and the payment too generous, so he had no choice but to temporarily abandon his principles.

After all, it's about money.

No shame in that.

Inside the storage room.

Sam counted the number of people and exhaled slightly in relief—thankfully, no one was injured.

He turned to look at Buggy, who wore an expression of guilt, intending to scold him—but the words died on his lips and became:

"Butch, the captain will understand you. After all, in that situation, you had no choice."

"Waaaaahhhhh..."

The three-hundred-plus-pound cat-man Butch lay on top of Sam, wailing in tears, pressing the latter until his face turned red and he nearly suffocated from lack of breath; only after great effort did he barely break free.

"But... I can't get past the barrier in my own heart..."

Sam wordlessly patted Butch's shoulder.

For a moment.

In the storage room, only Butch's quiet sobbing could be heard.

It did not cease until late at night.

Having gone a whole day without a drop of water, the storage room was filled with the sound of stomachs growling, rising and falling one after another.

Butch touched his round belly, his entire body slumped and listless, having lost all spirit; everyone else was equally exhausted in body and mind, unable to muster even a shred of energy.

Yet at this very moment...

Creak~!

The storage room door was pushed open.

Everyone looked up and saw a figure with short golden hair, carrying a large basin of fried rice, walking in slowly.

"Smells so good!"

Butch's nose twitched, and a thread of saliva unconsciously dripped from the corner of his mouth.

Everyone else also looked up at the blond youth who had entered through the door, their eyes lighting up at that very moment.

Zoro had a cigarette dangling from his lips; his gaze swept over the assembled pirates nearby, and he said calmly:

"There is no rule in this restaurant that allows people to leave on an empty stomach."

Saying this,

Zoro divided the fried rice according to the number of people and handed it one by one into everyone's hands.

For a moment.

In the storage room, only the sound of spoons tapping against plates could be heard; Butch even quickly finished a portion of fried rice and held his empty plate, looking up at Zoro with pleading eyes.

Zoro smiled helplessly, then immediately added another portion for Butch.

Butch's already small eyes instantly squinted together, looking exactly like a fat cat.

Only Sam, looking at the fragrant fried rice in his hands, did not start eating immediately; instead, he looked up at Zoro:

"We don't have any money to pay you right now..."

"It's free. Eat."

Zoro sat down in a random spot, took a drag from the cigarette in his hand, and asked:

"Say."

"What kind of person is your captain, Gao Wen, exactly?"

The last time at Raven Port, after Gaza had swept his sleeve and left, he had also heard rumors about Gao Wen; without exception, they were all expressions of gratitude from commoners, with a pirate in the hearts of the commoners of Raven Port being more reliable than the Navy.

Today, he had once again witnessed the scene where Sam's men, even facing death, refused to betray Gao Wen.

In Zoro's heart, he could not help but feel a bit of interest in this man who had betrayed the Wang Fei he respected most and lived on alone.

"The captain?"

Sam paused, then put down the plate in his hand, his eyes filled entirely with respect:

"Although saying this might be a bit excessive, as a pirate, he is completely an unqualified existence."

"But as a companion, he is the most reliable existence!"

"And it is he who gave us, these scum, a chance to live again."

(End of this chapter)