Chapter 417: Took the Captain

"Poor as a church mouse?"

Katakuri raised an eyebrow.

Whole Cake Island may not be as wealthy as Wano, after all, Wano controls over ninety-nine percent of the sea's seastone deposits.

But it's certainly not poor as a church mouse.

Not to mention the massive food factories jointly established in recent years between Whole Cake Island and Wano, producing goods sold across the four seas, generating enormous profits every year.

These are nearly cost-free ventures.

Just the specialties from Whole Cake Island's thirty-five islands, plus the wealth BIG MOM Pirate Crew has plundered over decades, is enough to make the New World take notice.

How could it possibly be poor as a church mouse?

Admiral Kizaru was well-versed in slacking off; he acted as if he heard nothing, continuing to sip his tea.

Katakuri was, after all, from Whole Cake Island, and the Captain likely sent him here primarily to keep the peace and prevent Xia Luote Lingling from causing trouble.

At first, Kizaru had been puzzled by Lingling's extreme cooperation, but now he finally understood.

This Four Emperor, who had ruled the seas for years, had long since drained Whole Cake Island's wealth, leaving behind only an empty shell for the United Kingdom.

Kizaru silently mourned for Lingling for two seconds.

You took the Captain's money and now you want to just walk away?

Your name, Lingling, is definitely on the little black book.

"Sir, it's truly poor as a church mouse."

"We've learned: roughly two years ago, Four Emperor Xia Luote Lingling began selling off Whole Cake Island's assets and massively purchasing raw materials; the purchase list has already been sent back to the Holy Land."

Upon hearing this, the light in Katakuri's eyes instantly dimmed.

Mama, what are you scheming now?

"Thank you for your hard work. Go on with your duties."

Katakuri knew: within the United Kingdom, from department heads down to ordinary administrative staff, everyone held near-fanatical loyalty and faith in the Captain.

They would never falsify the statistics.

Once the purpose behind purchasing these raw materials was understood, it would become clear what the accumulated wealth of Whole Cake Island had been used for.

This matter was actually Kai's fault.

Since overthrowing the World Government, Kaido had spent most of his time pressuring Saint Saint Saiwen, under the pretense that the four seas were still unsettled and it wasn't time to relax yet.

In truth, he feared that before Yamato came of age, Saint Saint Saiwen would take another woman.

And with the entire Beasts Pirates joining the United Kingdom,

he forgot to report—two years ago, Lingling had approached Gatz and used bloodline factor technology to mass-produce numerous offspring.

"Big brother, I'll report this to the Captain."

"Fine." Kizaru stood up: "The Captain said the cakes from Cake Island taste great—I'll go take a stroll."

Katakuri pulled out a Den Den Mushi and reported the news that Whole Cake Island was poor as a church mouse.

The Den Den Mushi mimicked Saint Saint Saiwen's smile.

"As long as the people are still alive, there will always be a day when they grow rich again. Take your time managing things, and remember to come back for the concert."

"Thank you, Captain."

"No problem."

After hanging up the Den Den Mushi, Katakuri took a deep breath and silently resolved: he would not return to the Holy Land until Whole Cake Island Province was properly governed.

To avoid being tormented by Quinn's seductive dance moves.

The news that Four Emperor Xia Luote Lingling had surrendered Whole Cake Island to the United Kingdom spread to every corner of the four seas through the News Paper.

The matter was neither huge nor trivial.

Morganse insisted on putting it on the front-page headline.

He did so precisely to tell the world: even a Four Emperor is nothing before the great Saint Saint Saint Saiwen.

One must admit, Morganse was a master of flattery.

He always found the most unexpected angles, endlessly and creatively praising Saint Saint Saiwen's glorious achievements.

Was it effective?

From Morganse's relentless, unwavering dedication to this task, it was clear it was effective.

East Blue, Loguetown.

The Blackbeard Trio deliberately hid their pirate flag and disguised themselves as traveling merchants before entering Loguetown.

Passing a newsstand, Lafitte bought a copy of the News Paper; after reading just two lines, he cursed and handed it to Blackbeard.

"Morganse, you brown-noser."

Blackbeard took the News Paper and stared at it.

【Whole Cake Island Province Established: Thus, Every Inch of Land on the Sea Now Belongs to the United Kingdom】

"Brother, you'll get used to it."

Blackbeard had long grown accustomed to Morganse's insane fawning over Bai Mao.

People's circumstances are simply different.

He was still striving for his dream, while Bai Mao had already unified the four seas, bringing every inch of ocean territory under the United Kingdom's domain.

"You forgot." Blackbeard lowered his voice.

"Back then, when Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen had no territory at all, Morganse called him Emperor of the Sea. Now that he's become King of the World, that bird Morganse will surely keep inventing new ways to praise him."

Blackbeard assumed Lafitte was angry over this.

In truth, Lafitte only regretted that the person praising the Captain's glorious achievements wasn't himself.

This kind of subtle, fact-based flattery—so seamless it's almost invisible—might even be too much for the Captain to bear.

It was not hard to see from Morgans becoming the president of the United Kingdom's News Daily that Morgans was deeply trusted by the Captain.

Lafitte suddenly realized he must urge Blackbeard to grow stronger and larger as soon as possible, so they could search for the location of the Dark-Dark Fruit.

Otherwise, if they dragged it on for ten or eight years.

People like Morgans would surely rely on boasting to hold a high position in the United Kingdom; by then, where would there be any place for him, Lafitte?

"Captain, we must speed up."

Blackbeard nodded in agreement.

However, the reasons the two wanted to speed up were not entirely the same; Lafitte only wanted to take the Dark-Dark Fruit and return to the Morning Star Crew as soon as possible.

Blackbeard, on the other hand, wanted to find Lu Bianyi.

And through Lu Bianyi, contact the missing Queen of Joy Street, Stussy, and thereby cooperate with those remnants of the old era lurking in the shadows.

Not long after, at the King of the World Bar in Loguetown.

Compared to Blackbeard's last visit, the bar sign had been renovated again, and the small text below was changed to: "One minute to make Saint Saint Saint Saiwen of the King of the World fall in love with drinking."

"See? Sycophants everywhere."

"Look at these people; where is even a shred of the look of striving for dreams? Their minds are full of how to flatter."

Although he said that.

Blackbeard did not feel good in his heart; with the United Kingdom unifying the four seas, this great sea had ultimately become Bai Mao's doing.

The only thing worth celebrating was: with the Red Line in place, the four seas...

"Oh no," Blackbeard muttered, realizing something was wrong.

It was because Blackbeard suddenly realized—

Since Bai Mao could sever the Red Line when breaking into Mary Geoise, perhaps it would not be long before the Red Line, which separates the four seas... would be severed by Bai Mao again.

By then, it would be the true unification of the four seas.

The Black Crew's situation in the future would also become increasingly difficult because of this.

Thinking of this, Blackbeard pushed open the bar door, walked quickly to the bar owner, and was just about to ask a question when he suddenly spotted a sloppy figure lying drunk at the counter.

"Brother Lu Bianyi? Are you Brother Lu Bianyi?"

Lu Bianyi raised his head, his blurry vision seeing a big face that was black and fat.

"Captain, why have you gotten fat again?"