Chapter 96

"Proprietress, give it a cup of iced beer too."

"Alright, coming right up!"

A few minutes later.

"Here, the iced beer you asked for."

Yunhu Sisi gazed at the iced beer placed before it and stuck out its tongue to lick it.

"Sisi! Sisi!"

As if having tasted something sweet, its eyes sparkled with light.

It immediately hugged the wine glass, which was nearly as big as itself, with its forelimbs and buried its head to drink.

Before long.

It had drunk the entire large cup of iced beer; its little belly bulged high, its eyes were dizzy, and it lay on the counter hiccuping drunkenly with convulsive jerks.

"Hic, hic..."

Luo En could not help but smile at the sight.

88, Rainbase where undercurrents surge, an uninvited guest (5/5, seeking auto-subscription!)

At the top of Rain Dinner, the largest building and casino in the center of Rainbase City.

Crocodile, sporting a slicked-back hairstyle, a long horizontal scar across his face, and wearing a black fur coat, stood by the glass window chewing a cigar, looking down upon this city that appeared prosperous and glamorous on the surface but was actually filled with darkness and sin.

Footsteps approached from behind.

Crocodile did not even turn his head:

"Is everything ready?"

"Yes, Mr. 1 and Mr. 2 are also fully prepared."

A female voice came from the shadows behind him. "Currently, over ninety percent of the underground organizations in the Alabasta Kingdom have gathered in this city. Their movements are all under our control."

"Well done." Crocodile narrowed his eyes slightly: "After tonight, the entire underground of Alabasta will be in my hands alone."

"Since everything is under control, should we still bring out that fruit?"

"Since it is bait, naturally we must offer the real thing; otherwise, how can the fish take the hook?"

Crocodile said indifferently: "Of course, we won't actually give it to them."

"Tonight's auction will be hosted by you, Vice President."

In the shadows, a coldly beautiful woman with wheat-colored skin, long flowing hair, and a tall, well-proportioned figure, wearing a cowboy hat, draped in a white fur coat, and clad in snow-white long boots, nodded gently:

"Understood."

After nightfall.

Rainbase City was brightly lit, resembling a bright pearl glowing in the desert.

Groups of factions active in the darkness began to stir, heading toward the Rain Dinner casino.

After settling Conis safely, Luo En headed alone toward that Rain Dinner casino.

Tonight was destined to be anything but peaceful.

Rain Dinner Casino.

Outside, people from all walks of life had gathered, some in the open and some in the shadows, all there to provide support for their organization's cadres entering Rain Dinner.

These people all carried weapons, ready to engage in a firefight at any moment.

Wearing black capri pants and a white short-sleeved hooded sweatshirt, Luo En walked calmly toward the main entrance of the Rain Dinner casino under the slightly surprised gazes of these underground factions.

Luo En entered the main hall inside the Rain Dinner casino.

Many eyes turned toward him, but upon seeing merely a black-haired youth alone and carrying nothing,

their gazes quickly shifted away.

Clearly, they had mistaken Luo En for an ordinary youth come to gamble in this casino rather than to participate in the auction and contend for the Devil Fruit.

"It seems this is my first time coming to such a place."

Feeling quite novel, Luo En looked left and right.

With his hands tucked into the pockets of his hooded sweatshirt, chewing on some specialty bubble gum bought in Rainbase City and occasionally blowing bubbles, he seemed completely out of place among this crowd of oddly shaped, ferocious-looking underground figures.

His relaxed and casual demeanor was also completely out of place with the serious and heavy atmosphere here.

Some people noticed him and said with dissatisfaction:

"Where did this brat come from?"

"What is going on with Baroque Works? How did they let a brat like this in?"

"An eyesore; kill him."

"Let Baroque Works handle this since we are here."

Just as Luo En was wandering around the hall.

A burly man over two meters tall, carrying a large axe on his back and bare-chested to reveal numerous scars, blocked Luo En's path.

Pop!

Luo En stopped in his tracks, and the bubble he was blowing burst.

"That's the Sand Bandit chief, Koa Redd."

"Shh~ I heard he hates and despises weaklings the most; that brat is done for."

"Will he smash the brat's head with a single slap?"

The burly man named Koa Redd looked down at Luo En, a trace of contempt and ferocity in his eyes:

"You eyesore of a brat, get lost."

As he spoke.

His fan-like palm swung toward Luo En.

Luo En's eyes narrowed slightly.

The burly man's palm froze instantly in midair.

His whole body trembled, his eyes wide with terror as he stared at the black-haired youth before him whose expression was utterly calm. Cold sweat poured from his forehead like rain, streaming down his cheeks.

"What's wrong?"

Someone asked, puzzled.

"Why did he stop?"

"Don't tell me he's scared?"

"Haha, that's possible too."

Just then.

A large door on one side of the hall opened, and Baroque Works' Mr. 3, Galdino, the Wax-Wax Fruit user, walked out from within.

"Sorry to keep you all waiting. The auction is about to begin. Please, everyone, take your seats."

Hearing this, the crowd's expressions turned serious, and they all walked together toward that large door.

After all, the highlight of today was that Devil Fruit.

Luo En didn't even spare a glance at the burly man before him, chewing bubble gum as he followed the crowd toward the inside of that door.

After he left.

The burly man only then swallowed a mouthful of saliva, wiping the sweat from his face with a look of lingering dread.

That just now was... killing intent?

What terrifying killing intent!

That feeling was like a lamb facing a fierce tiger — as if the moment he moved, he would drop dead on the spot...

The last person to give him that feeling was this country's hero, the Shichibukai known as the Desert Crocodile, Crocodile.

That guy, just who in the world is he...?!

…………

【PS: The stats don't seem to have moved at all these past two days... give me some support, please, I'm begging!!!!!!】

89, I want this Devil Fruit (1/5, please subscribe!!)

After passing through that door, going through several more rooms and climbing a few flights of stairs.

They finally arrived at the auction venue.

The lighting was somewhat dim, like a movie theater.