Chapter 38: Strength is the Foundation of a Foothold (Seeking Follow-up Reads)

The setting sun sank completely below the horizon, and the sea under the night sky reflected the Xinghai Wangguo like a black circular mirror, as if one were situated above a galaxy; the surging waves were brilliant and radiant, romantic to the extreme.

Luo Di stood at the bow and laughed, "Ah, it's fine. After you all secure the ship, bring the treasure and come down with me. Just a few of you come along, the rest can stay on the ship."

Under his command, the dragon ship docked and dropped anchor, the boarding ladder was lowered, and the crew members walked down with expectant looks on their faces; Gai Ou sat on the deck without moving, his expression constantly shifting as if he were struggling internally.

"What's wrong, don't want to go?" Luo Di asked.

Gai Ou replied, "This country looks very prosperous, there must be many humans inside. I am a Fish-man; if they discover me, it will surely cause unnecessary trouble. I'd better stay here and watch the ship."

"Ya-hahahaha." Luo Di clutched his stomach and laughed, "Your fish skin is so thick, I didn't expect your face to be so thin."

"Yeah, Lord Gai Ou, what are you afraid of? If they dare to mock you, I, A Nuo, will chop them into eighteen pieces right on the spot!" A Nuo, carrying a portion of the treasure, patted his chest and shouted.

"He isn't afraid for himself, but worried about causing us trouble; he really is kind," Lu Xi Ya said softly.

Luo Di looked into Gai Ou's eyes and said earnestly, "Gai Ou, you are my crew member. If anyone dares to insult you, it's no different from insulting me; I will make them pay the price. Why do you care about these things? We are pirates, you idiot!"

Bang!

After saying this, Luo Di punched Gai Ou on the head.

"Ah, that hurts!" Gai Ou covered his fish head, "Hey, can't you be a little gentler?"

"Ya-hahahaha, let's go." As he spoke, Luo Di had already disembarked.

Gai Ou rubbed his fish head twice and hurried to catch up. Just before leaving the ship, he turned back to a crew member watching the ship and instructed, "Be sure to keep an eye on the surroundings; if there's a problem, use the Den Den Mushi to report it immediately."

"Yes, Lord Gai Ou!" the crew member replied hurriedly.

After Gai Ou left, he scratched his head in confusion, thinking about how strange Lord Gai Ou was acting today; usually, apart from eating and sleeping, he would just cultivate and wouldn't say a single word to them, as Chief Officer Xiao En was responsible for everything.

How strange.

Except for Lin De Bo Ge and Pa Lu who was guarding the ship, the other executives had all gone onto the island. The closest place to the port was Nier Zhen, where the buildings were clearly much more prosperous than the towns they had arrived at previously, with rows of Gothic architecture, various colored lights, and people in different attire walking on the streets.

Although Gai Ou had followed them, he still wore a headscarf to cover his face; he still didn't want to cause a commotion and intended to have Luo Di finish the trade quickly so they could head to Luo Ge Zhen.

Ka Li Na leaned in and whispered, "Luo Di, they are in that private room in the tavern. This guy is a famous black market merchant in the East Blue, and many pirates have traded with him. However, we still need to be careful and try not to cause a commotion in this country; there are many more guards here compared to the Lv Yin Wang Guo we visited before."

"Mm, got it." As Luo Di nodded, Star Platinum had already patrolled the surroundings.

He had courage, but he wasn't reckless; he would always do the preparatory work before doing anything. Under the training during this period, Star Platinum's speed had increased significantly compared to before, and everything around could not escape his eyes, including the black market merchant waiting in the tavern.

Inside the tavern's private room.

A middle-aged man, about 1.6 meters tall, fat and bloated, wearing a suit, was swirling a wine glass; as the crimson wine swirled, it reflected his grinning face. A woman wearing a wine-red slit cheongsam was lying on the sofa next to him, intoxicated, with large-denomination Beli banknotes all over her chest and the surrounding area.

As Luo Di and his group entered the tavern, a man in a suit approached them as soon as they walked in. He looked at Ka Li Na and said, "The big boss is in private room 306, I'll take you there."

Ka Li Na looked at Luo Di, and Luo Di nodded; everything inside was already under his control.

Following the man in the suit to a private room, there were a dozen bodyguards equipped with weapons and fierce expressions standing outside.

"For safety's sake, I need to search you," the man in the suit said.

Luo Di looked at him and said indifferently, "I'm standing right here, try searching me."

"This is the rule," the man in the suit said.

Luo Di turned around, "I am the person who follows rules the least."

As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly disappeared from where he stood. At the same time, the big boss in the private room suddenly felt a sense of daze, and a tall figure appeared abruptly before his eyes.

"Yo, brother, you're playing quite fancy, ya-hahahaha." Luo Di patted the big boss on the shoulder, acting familiar.

"Ah, you must be the 'Blood Calamity' lad. I didn't expect the pirate with the biggest reputation in the East Blue recently to be so young. I didn't expect you to be able to tame this Little Fox, Ka Li Na; I've done quite a few deals with her," the big boss laughed.

"Can you let them in now?" Luo Di said.

"Of course." The big boss hurriedly had his men open the door, and Ka Li Na walked in with the other executives.

"Ka Li Na, you're getting more and more beautiful, as if you've been nourished by love," the big boss laughed.

Ka Li Na's pretty face flushed, and she ignored the big boss's words, saying, "We've brought all the treasure. Is the Beli ready?"

"Mm." The big boss beckoned, and his men immediately brought over several suitcases. The suitcases were opened, and inside were stacks of Beli.

Ka Li Na began to check the authenticity. After a long while, she nodded and said, "That's correct. You check the treasure; if there's no problem, we'll trade."

"No need, you can just take the money and go," the big boss laughed. "Being able to do business with the 'Blood Calamity' makes my little shop shine. You're heading to the Grand Line, right?"

"Mm." Ka Li Na nodded.

"Good. Actually, the East Blue market is already saturated. I've stayed here for many years and feel it's quite boring," the big boss said. "I also plan to go to the Grand Line. I hope we can cooperate again if there's a chance in the future."

"Ya-hahahaha, what a straightforward man." Luo Di curled his lips, "Then I wish us a pleasant cooperation. Remember to contact us if you have any good stuff."

"Oh? What do you need?" the big boss asked.

"Devil Fruit," Luo Di replied.

The big boss nodded, "Understood. You really have quite the ambition, hahaha. Don't worry, if I get any, I'll notify you."

Luo Di himself did not reject Devil Fruits; after all, since he was already here, it felt like something was missing if he didn't eat one, and the weakness of fearing seawater could also be solved with Ripple.

Of course, he still had his own ideas about the Devil Fruit he would consume; ordinary ones definitely wouldn't do, it had to be something that would provide him with a huge boost. After all, he was getting closer and closer to the Grand Line, and once past Dian Dao Shan, it would be another world.

Devil Fruits were extremely rare. If he could get one on the black market, even if he didn't eat it himself, he could give it to his executives, which would also be a significant boost for the Blood Calamity Pirates.

To sail on the Grand Line, one must first establish a foothold.

Strength is the foundation of a foothold.