129 Chapter 129

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"Heh heh, Tsuru, this doesn't seem like your style."

Doflamingo casually tossed the newspaper onto the table, then picked up the glass of red wine beside him to taste delicately.

The headlines on the newspaper were still visible, bolded and enlarged: "Naval Colonel, bravely fought against rampant pirates, tragically lost his life. Thousands bid him farewell!"

The general content was about how the Colonel of the 88th branch of the Navy tragically fell into a trap while chasing pirates, and died a hero's death. Following the incident, large groups of navy soldiers and civilians spontaneously attended his funeral to bid him farewell.

The article harshly condemned the rampant pirates, emphasizing how many people the Navy had to sacrifice each year to capture these extremely evil pirates.

It was a well-crafted narrative that deeply moved and brought tears to the eyes of the uninformed, deepening their hatred towards pirates.

As for the crimes committed by the Colonel during his tenure, they were not mentioned at all. It was as if they never existed.

Even the severed head specially delivered by the Donquixote Family didn't appear in the newspaper.

It was evidently the old way the Navy dealt with such situations.

Any potential news that could harm the positive image of the Navy would be stifled in its cradle!

Whether something was true or not wasn't important; what mattered was how to minimize its impact. In this regard, the Navy had always been adept.

On the other side of the newspaper, there was a fresh wanted poster, featuring a beaming Abel. It was a wonder how the photographer captured such a handsome shot from whatever angle.

Of course, if Abel himself were to comment, it would surely be that his good looks had nothing to do with the photographer's skills.

The bounty, a staggering fifty million Berries, was indeed intimidating!

After deciding to put a bounty on Abel, all of his past 'misdemeanors' were taken into account.

Upon investigation, it was found that the Navy personnel who had fallen into his hands were far from just one or two.

This list included a Colonel-level officer from the Headquarters.

Coupled with the Navy Colonel who was killed this time, the charges against Abel were numerous and heinous!

Most importantly, the impact was extremely detrimental!

"If it weren't for the lack of other 'glorious achievements', like massacring a few villages or killing a few noble kings, even the bounty of fifty million Berries might not be enough!"

Remember, this is a first-time bounty!

Even Robin, known as the Devil's Child, was only initially worth a bounty of 79 million Berries.

And she had caught the eye of the World Government.

Thus, it's evident just how significant Abel's bounty of fifty million Berries is.

Unfortunately, even Vice Admiral Tsuru couldn't suppress this bounty announcement this time.

With the release of the bounty, there's no chance of turning back.

.....

Inside the base of the Navy's 88th branch.

"I guess you're the one to bear this burden again, Tsuru."

"After all, it's not the first time. As a Fleet Admiral, you understand better than I do the current state of the Navy."

Sensing Tsuru's dissatisfaction, Fleet Admiral Sengoku sighed over the phone:

Pirate: The King of the World who left from the White Town - 174, Wanted: Abel! (2 out of 4 guaranteed, subscription appreciated!)

"The current situation in the New World is unstable. If we initiate a large-scale purge within the Navy at this point, it will inevitably lead to severe turbulence and significantly weaken the Navy's power."

"Once the Navy loses its balance of power, the whole world will descend into chaos."

Tsuru, however, held a different view. "When has the sea ever been peaceful? Ever since Roger, in his final moments as the Pirate King, ignited the 'Great Pirate Era', countless pirate groups have been formed each year, charging boldly into the Grand Line from all four seas."

"Didn't anyone anticipate the chaos before deciding to hold a public execution?"

"And yet, the fools in the World Government still stubbornly insisted on making it public."

"Tsuru, watch your words!"

Sengoku took a deep breath and said in a low voice, "I know you're dissatisfied with the current state of the Navy, and so am I. Even that bastard Garp is always complaining in front of me. But it's only when you sit in my position that you understand just how difficult it is for the Navy to change!"

"It's like performing surgery on a 'giant' covered in festering sores. Cutting off all the rotten parts might seem like an easy solution, but the consequence might be the 'giant' bleeding to death or being devoured by the predators surrounding it."

"We have to take it slowly, starting with the non-lethal parts. Once they've somewhat healed, we can move on to the next. This way, the 'giant' won't collapse instantly."

Tsuru paused for a moment, then self-deprecatingly replied, "I understand what you're saying, Sengoku. But have you considered this? If we leave these sores unchecked for a long time, they'll continue to spread. Even the healed areas could relapse. Once the disease is in its terminal stages, the 'giant' will fall, and it will never stand again."

"All we can do is see who's faster—the rate of our cleanup or the spread of the sores. I believe we won't lose."

"You're as stubborn now as when we first met, Sengoku. No wonder the World Government chose you as Fleet Admiral."

"Haha, should I take that as a compliment?"

"..."

......

At Sabaody Archipelago's port.

As soon as Yi Xiao disembarked, he heard a man behind him warn, "Flevance, the 'White Town', was completely burned down. No one survived. Rumor has it there was a terrifying contagious disease. It's better not to go to such places."

"Thanks for the warning. I just heard the scenery there is beautiful and wanted to experience it."

"It was indeed beautiful, but there's almost nothing left now. And so many people died—there's nothing worth experiencing. Besides, you won't be able to see whether it's beautiful or not."

The shipmaster murmured a few more words. Seeing Yi Xiao wasn't paying any attention, he gave up. He merely told Yi Xiao that if he wanted to go to Frevance, he'd have to cross through the entirety of Sabaody Archipelago.

So along the way, Yi Xiao asked about the story of Frevance, the 'White Town'. The versions he heard were similar.

What secrets lay hidden within?

What connection did it have with the Navy?

Yi Xiao's curiosity intensified.

By the time he finally arrived at the ruins of Frevance, everything had been burned to the ground. The many deaths made it a forbidden area, despite the lack of active restrictions, and no one would dare to venture here.

Yet, as Yi Xiao stepped onto this land, he fell silent. For in this soil, he felt an unprecedented wave of sorrow.