Chapter 79: Friendship-Breaking Punch

The sea restaurant Baratie.

Inside the kitchen.

Carne was directing a group of chefs, tallying up their recent losses and converting them into a single bill.

He even quietly added a few extra zeros after several of the figures.

Patty, who had seen this, paused briefly, then said:

"Isn't it a bit improper for us to do this?"

Carne shot him a sidelong glance and said flatly:

"On top of those lost kitchenware, there are our priceless memories attached. I've already given him a discount!"

"I'm taking a loss here!"

Before Carne could finish, the bill was snatched from his hand by Zeff. After examining it closely, Zeff had Carne change the numbers back.

"Some money, you need the life to spend it once you've taken it."

Carne awkwardly scratched his head.

Patty, standing nearby, rolled his eyes and asked:

"Speaking of which, what kind of past exactly is there between that kid and the Wang Fei of the Goa Kingdom?"

Hearing this, the surrounding chefs set down their work and hurried over to gather around.

Chef hats of all sizes crowded in front of Zeff.

Looking at these curious-faced chefs, Zeff had originally wanted to refuse outright as he used to, but then suddenly remembered something. He pulled up a bench, sat down, and took intermittent puffs from his pipe.

He said slowly:

"Back then, the sea restaurant had just opened, its reputation had just begun to spread, and the Wang Fei of the Goa Kingdom came here to dine with her knights."

"Oh right, the knight Gao Wen was also one of Wang Fei Guinevere's personal guards at the time, though he wasn't as conspicuous as he is now."

"That kid Sanji saw the Wang Fei and was completely rooted to the spot."

At this point, everyone present exchanged knowing smiles—after all, who could understand Sanji's ways better than they could?

Among the female regulars who came to the restaurant, more than half came for Sanji.

A faint smile tugged at the corner of Zeff's mouth:

"He made the tomato beef stew he had just learned, and seized the chance to send it to the table."

"Honestly, when I opened the lid back then and saw that indescribable thing, my heart sank halfway."

"And when that woman learned of the matter, she didn't blame him at all. Instead, right in front of Sanji, she ate that tomato stew clean, and before leaving she even kissed his cheek…"

"Otherwise, why do you think Sanji treats all women with such respect?"

……

The same time.

Gao Wen was in his room, feasting heartily on bread and tomato beef stew. The beef was tender and flavorful, and the aroma of tomatoes mingled with spices made him exclaim in delight.

"Delicious!"

"Your skills have improved quite a bit. That thing back then, I couldn't even bear to look at it."

The corner of Sanji's mouth twitched, yet he couldn't think of a retort.

In less than a minute, a serving of tomato stew along with several large pieces of bread disappeared into Gao Wen's stomach.

He let out a long breath, feeling as though his entire being had come back to life. Only Sanji beside him stared absently out the window.

"So she didn't just fool me, she fooled you too? In a way, we're both in the same miserable boat."

Sanji said with a self-mocking laugh, then began clearing the dishes from the table. After loosening his tie with a tug, he prepared to turn and leave.

Gao Wen couldn't help but speak up:

"Do you still remember our bet from before?"

"If I survive, you come with me. My ship still needs a professional cook!"

Sanji's steps paused. He waved at Gao Wen and said:

"I never agreed to any one-sided bet like that. Besides, I still have a reason I must stay here."

"That old man saved my life, after all!"

A faint smile curled at the corner of Gao Wen's mouth:

"So it's not that you don't want to, it's that you still have ties here, right?"

Sanji didn't answer. He slowly walked out of the room, casually pulling the door shut behind him, and said:

"Rest up and heal!"

Bang!

The room door was pulled shut.

Having just eaten his fill, Gao Wen glanced at the scenery outside the window, then closed his eyes. Listening to the sound of the waves outside, his heart settled into a tranquil stillness for the moment.

Not long after.

A steady sound of breathing came from within the room.

Time slipped by, and night gradually fell.

The night wind blew, and the hull rocked with the gradually swelling sea.

On the deck.

Seeing that the crew had temporarily patched up the damaged sections of the ship, Zeff began to consider setting off for a nearby port. After all, the detached extended deck needed to be replaced, and the ship's supplies were in urgent need of replenishment.

Just as he was about to give the order to set sail, a sudden whistle came from the surface of the sea in the distance.

Zeff looked up.

He saw two pirate ships racing toward the position of the sea restaurant Baratie from the distant horizon.

With a round shield as the base, the pirate flag bearing a skull was unmistakable even under the moonlight.

"The Gao Wen Pirates, huh~"

Zeff put down what he was doing.

Quickly.

Two pirate ships in the distance stopped before the Seafood Restaurant Baratie.

On the lead pirate ship, a gangplank was lowered.

Xiang Keluo hurried down from the ship, with Xiang Akin and Xiang Nami following closely behind.

The three looked around but found no sign of Gao Wen, nor did they see the presence of Hawk Eyes; seeing only their own heavily damaged ship before them, their hearts immediately rose to their throats.

Before Xiang Keluo and the others could speak, Zeff said:

"Hawk Eyes has already left, and the people on your ship are fine."

Only then did everyone breathe a sigh of relief.

Xiang Keluo said urgently:

"Where is Gao Wen?!"

"In the room upstairs."

"Take me there."

Zeff glanced at Pudding beside him; the latter immediately understood, wearing a smile he considered friendly but was actually twisted.

"Follow me."

Xiang Keluo frowned slightly, left a few people to watch the ship, then took Xiang Akin and Xiang Nami and followed Pudding toward Gao Wen and Zoro's direction.

Inside the room.

Gao Wen had just woken up and was about to turn over when he saw his room violently pushed open; Xiang Keluo, his face dark, walked in.

"You bastard!"

"You wanted to bear everything alone—did you ever ask us?!"

Saying this,

Xiang Keluo threw a punch at Gao Wen, but upon seeing the bandages on the latter's chest, changed his action; he grabbed Gao Wen by the collar and lifted him from the hospital bed:

"If you don't know what being a captain means, then this position might as well be handed over to me!"

"We are willing to follow you, not to have you solve all problems alone!"

"But to face all difficulties together!"

Xiang Akin grabbed Xiang Keluo's arm and said in a deep voice:

"Xiang Keluo! That's enough!"

Only then did Xiang Keluo angrily put Gao Wen down, but he turned his head to look out the window and gritted his teeth, saying:

"If you die in the East Blue, who will lead everyone to break into the Grand Line and seize the title of Warlord of the Sea? How will I reclaim the captain's position?!"

Gao Wen looked at Xiang Keluo before him and couldn't help but curl the corners of his mouth into a smile:

"Even you, cold-blooded fellow, have changed a lot!"

Saying this,

he turned his head and only then realized that Xiang Nami beside him had already cried into a weeping mess.

"Mr. Gao Wen..."

The group of pirates who had come with Xiang Keluo also fixed their gaze on Gao Wen; seeing that he had only sustained some injuries and was in no serious danger, they finally breathed a long sigh of relief.

They felt as though they had found their backbone again.

Gao Wen was momentarily dazed, not knowing since when he had shouldered the expectations of so many people.

"I seem to have been a bit willful."

(End of this chapter)