"Are you short on money?"
Hina's question caught Luo Lan slightly off guard.
Yeah, I'm short on money—what, are you going to support me?
Of course, he couldn't actually say that out loud…
"No choice. I've got hundreds of people to feed. Just the monthly salaries cost several million Berries. And that's not counting all the other day-to-day expenses."
"Mmm... that does make sense."
Hina nodded. Everything he said checked out.
After a moment of thought, she pulled out a parchment scroll.
"This is a treasure map I got not long ago. The location's in the East Blue, but I can't guarantee whether it's real or not."
"If you're interested, you can give it a shot."
She slid the parchment map across the table to Luo Lan, then casually leaned back in her seat, resuming her "observer" role.
Luo Lan picked up the map and gave it a quick glance.
"Thanks, sister Tina."
---
The last part of the meeting was Ian's report.
He was currently handling a lot—combat divisions, logistics personnel, and even the new recruits—all under his management.
On top of that, the largest division in the 157th Branch—the Intelligence Division—was also his responsibility.
He was taking a massive load off Luo Lan's shoulders.
So much so that midway through Ian's report, Hina gave Luo Lan a fierce glare.
The message didn't need translating.
It basically screamed:
Even if he's your right-hand man, this is too much!
He's been by your side for years, and now you're squeezing him dry?
If Ian doesn't drop dead from overwork, you're just going to keep piling it on?
At the same time, Hina was shocked.
The 157th Branch had nearly 300 marines, including the recruits.
But what was truly insane was the Intelligence Division—with over 100 agents and more than ten thousand off-the-record personnel, their network covered almost the entire East Blue.
They even had people embedded in every major pirate crew.
This... this is something a branch unit is allowed to have?
She'd come just to sit in on the meeting, and now her brain was overloaded.
But what came next left her truly speechless.
"Captain, just minutes before the meeting began, the Intelligence Division received an urgent report regarding Captain Smoker."
"Let's hear it. How badly was he demoted this time?"
Luo Lan paused, then asked directly.
He hesitated because this came sooner than expected. After all, he'd already warned Hina that continuing the investigation would eventually get Smoker punished.
Maybe even reassigned to the 157th.
He just hadn't expected it to happen so fast.
"Uh, Captain… you already knew?"
"I guessed. Go on."
"Yes, sir. According to the intel, Marine HQ has issued an order: Vice Admiral Val is to take over the investigation in East Blue. Captain Smoker is to cease all operations immediately and await Val's arrival."
"And let me guess… he disobeyed?"
"Yes, sir. As a result, Fleet Admiral Sengoku issued a formal decree—Smoker has been stripped of all duties, his rank demoted to First-Class Seaman, and... he's being transferred to the 157th Branch."
Ian's tone was a little odd as he said this.
Honestly...
Was Sengoku just handing them top talent?
This meant the 157th now had two Logia users. That's right—
Two out of the five Logia users in the entire Marines were now here.
"Smoker... got discharged?"
"And Sengoku actually let Val handle the whole investigation?"
"He's investigating himself. What the hell is that supposed to accomplish?"
Hina was the most stunned of all.
Sure, she'd been warned something like this might happen—Luo Lan had already hinted at it—but still, it caught her off guard.
But having Val take over the case?
That made her feel downright sick.
---
"Sister Tina, now do you understand why I did what I did?"
"That order clearly came straight from the Five Elders. The goal? Obviously to protect Val."
"As for Sengoku…"
"There's no way he'd go against the Elders' will."
"Absolute Justice?"
"No—it's Absolute Obedience."
"Obey me, and you're justice. Disobey, and you're a pirate—a criminal."
"Marine justice? It's always been a joke."
---
Marine justice... a joke?
Between the latest orders from HQ and what Luo Lan just said, Hina was shaken to her core.
Even on the way back, she looked dazed and absent-minded.
Meanwhile, Luo Lan sat in his office, staring at the treasure map Hina had given him.
"Karo Island… that's within the Prosperity Zone of East Blue?"
"Ian, you know anything about this island?"
He set the map down and looked at his aide.
"Captain, it's a small island to the north of the Zumetta Archipelago. Even the Marines avoid getting too close."
"Why's that?"
Luo Lan raised a brow.
Even the Marines avoid it? What makes it so special?
"Because it's Krieg's old stronghold. The island is outfitted with over a hundred cannons."
Ah. That explains it.
After hearing Ian's explanation, Luo Lan finally understood.
Most East Blue branches, aside from Loguetown, only had one or two small warships.
And very few had any real elite fighters.
Against an island like a porcupine bristling with cannons...
A couple of ships wouldn't cut it.
Could it be…
Krieg found the treasure and used it to fund his fleet—fifty large warships—in just two years?
If that's true, then this treasure must be something serious…
We're talking tens of billions of Berries at least!
"Ian, pick 100 fully equipped marines. We depart tomorrow morning. Destination—Karo Island!"
"Yes, Captain. But... our two submarines can't carry that many…"
Ian didn't get to finish his sentence before Luo Lan interrupted.
"This time, we're taking a new model. A large one."
"If it weren't for needing to leave some troops to defend base, and keeping some space available to bring back extra personnel, I'd take everyone for the training."
A large, new-model submarine?
Wait, when did the Captain get his hands on something like that?
...Actually, never mind. Not his business.
"Yes, Captain. I'll take care of it immediately!"
---
The next morning.
Luo Lan and Ian led 100 fully armed marines to the old harbor.
Even though the dock had been smashed by Hina's ship, that didn't matter.
They hadn't planned on docking there anyway.
"Sister Tina? Why are you here?"
"What, you don't want me to come? Fine, then give me back the treasure map!"
"No no no—come, come! You're welcome to come!"
Give back the treasure map?
Absolutely not!
"By the way, where's your ship?"
"You've got over a hundred people. That little gunboat over there might still work, but it's not gonna hold all of you…"
Hina pointed toward the battered little ship nearby, curious.
But Luo Lan just pointed in the other direction.
"Our ship… is here!!"
---
A/N: You can join my Ko-Fi for more chapters.
[https:// ko-fi.com/sami27]
Currently at chapter 62 over there.